Some of my writer friends listen to music while they write. Not me. The tune, the words, the meaning, the associated emotions--too much of a distraction. See, to me, each song is a story in itself. That story pulls me away from the one I'm working on. But . . . on occasion, I'll hear a song that reminds me of a situation or a character in my novel. That helps if I get … [Read more...] about Knowing your characters
character
Would you like some dignity with that?
The daytime temperatures had been in the 90s. At 9:45 pm, I was still too hot. I needed something really cold. An ice cream cone. Vanilla. Yum. With a bedroll on his back, Traveler entered the fast food restaurant from another door, arriving at the counter just ahead of me. He was wearing a quilted khaki-colored vest over a threadbare, red and brown flannel shirt. His blue … [Read more...] about Would you like some dignity with that?
Dreaming of Cyrus
When I sat down to write The Courier, I knew who I wanted Cyrus Driskoll to be at the beginning of the the book. I knew who I wanted him to be at the end. I had a rough idea of how I might get him from A to Z. To me, the most important objective was exposing his guts so that we could really see him. Because The Courier was my first novel, I was surprised at the clarity of the … [Read more...] about Dreaming of Cyrus
Cyrus Driskoll – Part 1
Cyrus Driskoll had evolved. You may have met him at one time or another. He lived up the street or around the corner or even next door. He charmed the girls, shared his best toys with the boys and primarily did what his parents and teachers told him to. Cyrus wasn’t perfect. He was just a regular kid. Occasionally, as with most children, he did something he shouldn’t have, but … [Read more...] about Cyrus Driskoll – Part 1
In my dreams
I awoke from a dream before 5 am, heart pounding. There were no zombies, no shadows chasing me across dark parking lots, no threat of my untimely demise--just a room full of strangers. I was supposed to be speaking at some sort of conference, but no one would acknowledge my presence. They just kept talking to each other. Even when I addressed them individually, they ignored … [Read more...] about In my dreams
