• I have multiple villains
• They are Chinese
• They deal in human smuggling
• They are using the previously empty beach house as a drop off point because of the river inlet that edges the property
• They have killed people

So, now I am at the point where these villains must become real people.

• Do I want a sympathetic villain who thinks he’s not doing such a bad thing?
• Is my villain out to make money by the barrels?
• Is he new to the game or an old hand?
• Is he simply doing what he sees as a delivery? This would fit the captain of the container ship more than the person at the end of the money chain.

I think I want him to be evil himself. A very bad man who uses women the same way he would use a beast of burden. (I started to say “the way he used a dog” but he might like his dog more.)

Why does he kill the women? He’s burying them in the garden where Charlie started to make a new garden. Why doesn’t he just bury them at sea? Because he doesn’t open the container until he’s about to set the women ashore? Because too many bodies floating to the beach would call attention to his operation?

Being the writer, I get to say who he is. That also makes me responsible for his description and I’m still working on it.

Any suggestions would help.

Marilynne

Then, you send it out to the world. In my case, that means finding the address of an Editor at a publishing house and sending my work there. If I have a good piece of advice about what to do once your work is sent out, it’s to get busy with the next new thing. When your work goes out the door it’s a good feeling. You feel good about your work and you’re sending it out for the world’s approval, maybe even applause.

And maybe they won’t like it. There is always that possibility. In the writing field it’s a big possibility. You just have to be ready for it. Maybe that will help and maybe it won’t, but rejection is the other side of the coin. Nobody has to like your work. In order for a publisher to buy your book, they have to like it a lot.

What do you do when your work is returned to you with a rejection slip? You clean it up, find another possible publisher and send it out again. You see, what one person barely takes a look at, another person may love. So you’re always hopeful.

New writers especially have a problem facing rejection. The thought that the work you’ve spent months, even years, on barely reached the desk before it was sent back is a tough thing to handle. It’s possible to turn it inward and go into deep depression. I’m sure it happens to a lot of authors.

When I have something returned I feel sad, I resent the work of having to send it out again, so I let it sit for a day or two. Just a little while, and then it’s back on its journey looking for someone who likes it as well as I do.

Look at this sweet little llama. Could you resist reading a book about him to one of your kids? Of course not, but you wouldn’t have to pay me as much as a publisher would pay. You don’t have to print hundreds of copies and hope they’ll all sell. If you have a little kid to read to, you’d pick it up and read it to them, wouldn’t you?

Well, that’s how I felt when I received a rejection slip this week. I could just see all those moms and kids tucked in a chair reading the book together. (It is a book that non-readers can memorize and “read” the story.) Because I believe in the story, I’ll send it out again and again until it finds a publisher. Then you all can buy a copy and enjoy the story.

Marilynne

This is one of the mysteries of being a writer. When you aren’t paying attention, one of the characters does something and you wonder if they’re the ones writing the story.

Yesterday I was trying to finish a chapter for reading at my Sisters In Crime meeting. This chapter has unruly characters that keep deviating from the plot. This time it was Maxie herself, who decided to see if her video camera was damaged by taking it outside and filming something. The camera fell when the curious Su Lin, also acting independently, toppled it from its tripod. So, without asking me, Maxie is outside with her camera looking for a flower or something of the sort to film, when she spies Charlie with his shirt off working in the garden. She has to use the telephoto lens to get it, but she starts filming the unknowing Charlie.

I’m not sure what I’m going to do with this piece of writing. One minute I had Maxie in her Aunt’s bedroom discovering the journals and the next minute there’s a scream and a crash and Su Lin is running for cover. This leads to Maxie filming Charlie’s fine form.

I didn’t intend any of this. Am I going to release some control and let it happen or am I going to use the delete key and send these words into delete heaven? (probably I’ll edit it a little and keep it)

Marilynne

I am the person who feeds Jake (our Norwegian Elkhound) his morning meal. I had 50 % of the responsibility for him staying on his diet.  I didn’t think it would work. Personally, I haven’t had a lot of success with diets. How could I be responsible for Jake dieting?

The vet said Jake needed to lose 40 pounds or face serious consequences. He’s lost 17. I am proud of both of us because he doesn’t get anything to eat other than what we give him.

As I said in an earlier post, Jake is very good natured about being on a diet. He does try and con us out of a bit more food, but when we tell him no, he just goes and takes a nap. (I would be furious if someone tried to control what I ate.)

So, not only has Jake lost that much, but we feel he’s losing it too fast. We have him on diet dog food now and we weren’t sure how much to give him. We see now that Jake should get a little more food. He isn’t complaining!

Jake’s been more loving, more playful, and more willing to go on long walks with the spouse.

I see a paradox here with my inability to diet, contrasted with my ability to keep Jake on a diet. Still, I want to control my own life. I just want a diet to work.

Marilynne

There’s a cool video on how to do RSS at

http://www.commoncraft.com/video-rss-plain-english

Marilynne

If you aren’t persistent with your writing that dead spot will grow. It has a life of it’s own that has nothing to do with what you want to write and everything to do with prolonging the agony.

I’ve been dreaming a lot of cluttered dreams with a million thoughts going every which way. When I begin having these dreams I know that these thoughts need to be put down as words to be read and not wasted on dreams. (There are much nicer things to dream about.)

Another funny thing is happening. I keep thinking about and looking toward one corner of my office. (A dead corner, if there is such thing in a room). I keep thinking that I need to go there before I begin to write again.

So, what’s there? Nothing much. Some old books I think will be useful some day. All of my outmoded and outdated computer equipment, that might be useful some day, or in any case is working, so not to be thrown away. There’s a big box of lace ends that I’m I’ll want some day. (I’ve used these bits of lace to put pretty ends on my pillow cases and edge a curtain or two). Another box has quilting scraps. (I may try quilting some day.) I hate to give away my music so there are some boxes of CDs and more of cassettes (I do have a cassette player).

What is it that is drawing me to that corner? Reflecting on what I’ve just written, I think that’s the corner of unfinished projects. Things that are not done, but probably should be. I think that’s where my book is now. I need to rescue it, don’t I?

Marilynne

Yesterday I attended a book signing at Mysterious Galaxy. Their newsletter had invited the readers for High Tea and a book signing party. In truth, it was open to anyone who wanted to come, they just wanted to know how many were coming. Not all book signings are the same. I admit this one was pretty special.

As you entered the bookstore, a small table full of goodies was waiting. On the counter were cups and the fixings for tea. Sounds welcoming, doesn’t it? Just past the goodies an area had been cleared for some chairs and a few TV trays. Neat. Welcoming. Yes?

The authors of the day were Michele Scott talking about her book “A Vintage Murder” (A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery) and Rhys Bowen talking about “A Royal Pain,” one of her Royal Spyness Mysteries (also a Berkley Prime Crime Mystery).

Michele admitted she loves the California Wine Country and says that it inspires her to write mysteries. She said that when she tours the wineries she’s always looking for a place to hide a dead body or a new way to murder someone. I’m wondering about how her fellow tourists feel about that.

Rhys loves to tell little stories and jokes about England. She had us laughing and brought a new understanding of English royalty.

There was a nice group of readers there and they had lots of questions. Someone wanted to know if they worked using outlines. Michele Scott said she works from detailed outlines, often outlining one book while she writes another. Rhys says she knows the general direction her book will take and just sits down to write it, making up things as she goes.

The whole purpose of the exercise, of course, was to get people to buy their books. Not just the current one, but those that came before and those that followed. The line was long at the checkout. I’d pre-ordered mine, so I didn’t have to wait so long. I came home with my books signed by the author.

What’s so great about owning a book signed by the author? I think it’s the feeling of connection between reader and author. The author wrote this book for people like me who love mysteries. They write on the hope that we’ll love them and read more of their books. Meeting them feels like closing the loop.

Marilynne

For me, that’s good too. I love to read and I’m reluctant to give away a book that I’ve really loved, or that was written by a favorite author. I give away one book for every two I save. Maybe I should probably change that ratio.

In my home office, I’m also overrun with books: books on how to use software, books on grammar and editing, books I’ve written (small part of my shelf), and books for reference. The kitchen is full of cookbooks and user manuals for kitchen equipment. The bathroom has an assortment of quick reads - that is, volumes of short stories, magazines, and the Reader’s Digest. There’s not a room in my house without its supply of reading material.

Seeing that I’m surrounded by books, it’s not surprising to find that I also write. I just sent a very short, but very cute (I think), book for children to one of my daughters for her opinion. If she likes it, I’ll send it off to the tough world of publishing and see what happens.

There lies the rub for writers. How to get the attention of an agent and/or publisher and get your cute little book for kids published. That’s the tough one. It takes guts. It’s like posing for a calendar in your cute little nothings when your figure isn’t little and it’s certainly not nothing. I’ll try it anyway. What’s life without a few interesting challenges?

Wish me luck and keep on reading. Those of us who write really need you.

Marilynne

There is an independent bookstore in San Diego’s touristy Seaport Village called the Upstart Crow where you can browse for books, have some coffee, and shop for those silly little somethings we all love. I love it for the ambiance. I love it the most of all the shops there (and there are a lot of shops to browse in). Where else could locals and tourists meet over their love of books?

In San Diego’s Old Town, just along the fringes of the touristy shops, there used to be a book store that sold Mysteries exclusively. That’s my kind of store! It’s moved somewhere, but I lost it in the move.

San Diego’s Adams Avenue Book Store, is a musty house filled to the brim with books rare, old, and new. It smells of books handled many times.

In Del Mar’s Flower Hill District there’s a little independent book store called The Book Works that has an interesting cafe next door (Panikin). You can buy a book or magazine, then go next door to read it. They make it easy with a door between the two shops.

I now live north of San Diego in an area known as “North County.” With the exception of Flower Hill, which is in North County, I just don’t get into “town” like I used to. I still love books and I still love independent bookstores. So, where do I go when I want to browse for mysteries and I’m not in the mood to browse in a chain store’s offerings?

I’d have to say the Mysterious Galaxy. You can order books online and have them sent to you. (http://mysteriousgalaxy.booksense.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp) While most bookstores are quiet places, the Mysterious Galaxy often full of authors and their readers. There’s a book case full of signed books. The staff has a lively attitude and they don’t mind spending a little time talking. It’s just nice to be able to walk their stacks looking for a good read.

I get their newsletter by email. In it they list authors (big and small) who are coming to sign books with an invitation to join the party. This afternoon, intrigued by an offering of a High Tea, I ordered two books online, asked for autographed copies, and told them I’d pick them up when I came in for tea. The authors of these books will be there. Isn’t that great? All you need to do is love a good book.

On one of my lists we talk often of how authors can meet their readers. It sounds like a good thing. Authors like to meet their readers. Readers like to meet the authors. The question is where and how to get the word out. Bookstores like Mysterious Galaxy are the ideal place. Maybe there are some independent bookstores near where you live.

Marilynne

I still want to write this book. Writing itself is a good thing for me and to finish a book and have it ready to market is a near-term goal. To accomplish that much would make me very happy.

I am a voracious reader. As a child, I grew up reading about wonderful worlds that happened in your imagination, like The Wizard of Oz. Since I had long blonde hair and blue eyes, it wasn’t hard to imagine being Dorothy from Kansas or Alice in Wonderland. Only a voracious reader would know that The Wizard of Ox and Alice in Wonderland are just one book in a series. The other books in the series are just as wonderful, they simply haven’t been made into a movie.

Have you ever read Alice Through the Looking Glass? I always liked it better than Alice in Wonderland, but maybe only because it was lesser known.

I have spent my life with a book in my hand, one in my purse, and another on the nightstand. At any moment I have a stack of about 20 books on a shelf waiting to be read, and a hundred or more waiting to be re-enjoyed. I used to say I read everything including cereal boxes, but to be honest, I’ve quit reading cereal boxes.

When I lived in the big city of Philadelphia, a long while back, my cereal boxes had comics on them. A particular favorite was CheeryOats (later Cheerios), which featured a comic strip called Cheery O’Leary. Instead of a coupon to send in for a movie, or a cheap prize, I got an even cheaper cartoon to read and I loved them. No more. Now I buy my cereal based on sugar content and fiber. Such is life.

I encourage you all to pick up a book to read. Read books to the little ones in your life and have them read to you. You’ll discover your imagination is alive and well and ready to transport you away on a new adventure.

Marilynne