Writing Tips From A Pro: Guest Post from Reed Farrel Coleman

Please welcome Mr. Reed Farrel Coleman.  Mr. Coleman is the author of Hurt Machine and has been kind enough to write a wonderful guest post for us.  If I ever attempt to write a novel I know these tips will help very much! 

Writing Tips From A ProBy Reed Farrel Coleman,
Author of Hurt Machine

For the past five years, I’ve taught a summer class in writing—How To Write Genre Fiction or How To Write A Novel—at Hofstra University on Long Island. It’s a three credit class open to regular students, graduate students, and continuing education students as well. Furthermore, it’s an accelerated class in that I must teach a full term’s worth of material in two consecutive weeks—four hours a day, ten days in a row. In order to accomplish this I had to learn how to reduce lessons down to their most impactful, economical forms. Then, two years ago, Larry Light, the current Executive Vice President of Mystery Writers of America—a position I once held—came to me and asked me to lead an effort to develop an idea called MWA University. This was to be a program where Mystery Writers of America would offer six hours of college level writing instruction on a single day as a member benefit. Six hours sounds like a lot of time, but in reality it is very little to teach the basics of fiction writing. Again, I was forced to concentrate my lesson plans even further. Here are just some of the bits of writing advice I give to my students that I have developed along the way.

Narrative: New writers are often flummoxed by this concept. Here’s an exercise: Download the late Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle” or “Taxi” or “W-O-L-D”. In these songs, all about five minutes in length, Chapin perfectly exemplifies a complete narrative. There is a beginning, middle, and end with deep characterization, and emotional story arcs. If he can tell stories this complete in five minutes, imagine what you can do in three hundred pages.

First or Third Person: First person allows for an intimacy between the narrator(usually the protagonist) of the story and the reader that is unachievable through third person. However, first person can be very limiting because all the information to the reader must be delivered through the narrator/protagonist’s experiences. The reader can never know what is going on in another character’s life when that character is not with the protagonist. It also means the protagonist must be constantly “on screen”. Third person allows for broader experience in that the reader can have a greater sense of the complete picture. It may even allow the reader to know what is going on in the lives and minds of several characters even within a single scene. The price a writer pays for writing in third is lack of intimacy and potential confusion.

To Outline or Not To Outline: Fiction writing is an odd combination of comfort and discomfort. I, for one, never outline because it robs the spontaneity of the writing experience. I feel once I’ve done an outline, I’ve already written the book and I have no desire to write it twice with no surprises. On the other hand, many successful authors do rigorous outlining. They feel they cannot enjoy the writing process if they haven’t gotten the heavy lifting of plot out of the way. Just as with routine, experiment. Find out what works best for you and stick with it.

Rule of Three: A difficult issue for new writers to make sense of is how to handle critiques and criticism. One the one hand, you can’t change a manuscript to suit every individual bit of criticism you receive. On the other, as I mentioned earlier, you can’t remain stubbornly wedded to your manuscript as if it was biblical scripture. When seeking feedback or when you begin the search for an agent or publisher, follow the rule of three. If three people mention one specific weakness in your manuscript – The protagonist wasn’t likeable. The plot was confusing. Your antagonist was one dimensional. – you might want to pay attention.

© 2011 Reed Farrel Coleman, author of Hurt Machine

Publisher: Tyrus Books (December 2011)
Genre: Mystery/Suspense, 320 pages
ISBN: 978-1440531994

About the book:

At a pre-wedding party for his daughter Sarah, Moe Prager is approached by his ex-wife and former PI partner Carmella Melendez. It seems Carmella?s estranged sister Alta has been murdered, but no one in New York City seems to care. Why? Alta, a FDNY EMT, and her partner had months earlier refused to give assistance to a dying man at a fancy downtown eatery. Moe decides to help Carmella as a means to distract himself from his own life-and-death struggle. Making headway on the case is no mean feat as no one, including Alta?s partner Maya Watson, wants to cooperate. Moe chips away until he discovers a cancer roiling just below the surface, a cancer whose symptoms include bureaucratic greed, sexual harassment, and blackmail. But is any of it connected to Alta?s brutal murder?

 

Author Bio
Reed Farrel Coleman, author of Hurt Machine, is the former executive vice president of Mystery Writers of America. He has published twelve novels — two under his pen name Tony Spinsosa — in three series, and one stand-alone with award-winning Irish author Ken Bruen. His books have been translated into seven languages.

Reed is a three-time winner of the Shamus Award for Best Detective Novel of the Year. He has also received the Macavity, Barry, and Anthony Awards, and has been twice nominated for the Edgar® Award. He was the editor of the anthology Hard Boiled Brooklyn, and his short fiction and essays have appeared in Wall Street Noir, The Darker Mask, These Guns For Hire, Brooklyn Noir 3, Damn Near Dead, and other publications.

Reed is an adjunct professor at Hofstra University, teaching writing classes in mystery fiction and the novel. He lives with his family on Long Island.

For more information please visit http://www.reedcoleman.com/, and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter

Full Disclosure

Blog Tour..Guest Post from our Friend…Vincent Zandri

Guest Post from author Vincent Zandri

CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY

Guest Blog: J.M. LeDuc Author of Cursed Blessing

I am excited to have a guest blog today from Mr. J. M. LeDuc who is the author of Cursed Blessing which is being released today, August 8th by Suspense Publishing.  I was lucky enough to have read this book and trust me when I say it was very good.  My review will be coming.  In the mean time here is a great guest blog from the author himself!

Welcome J. M. LeDuc

CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY

Guest Post from Harriet Cammock

Today I would like to welcome Harriet Cammock.  She is the author of THROUGH THE FIRE which tells her story of living through and rising above an abusive marriage.  She was kind enough to write a guest post for my blog and I would like to share that with you now.

Welcome Harriet Cammock….

Through The Fire

 

Recently I was in Cleveland, Ohio participating in an Urban Book Festival. On display were my three published books; Visions, Musings of the Spirit, and my latest release Through The Fire.

A lot of interest was generated in my first two published books, but the one that got the most interest by far was Through The Fire. So many people told me of their own experiences in surviving domestic violence. Many others remarked on where they are in their journey, two years, ten years or even twenty years as survivors of violence in the home. The support from the community was overwhelming. I say all of that to say this; -there is an overwhelming need for healing from the effects of domestic violence. People had tears in their eyes, as they looked at the cover of Through The Fire remarking, this describes, my sister, my cousin, my mother, or me.

Many others said, I’m glad you survived. One young lady told of a tragic story of forced miscarriages by her boyfriend on three separate occasions due to severe physical abuse. My friends, it’s time to start the conversation. Let’s get together and pool our resources in ending violence in our homes. Domestic violence takes many forms; it can be sexual, emotional, financial and physical. It often starts by alienating and isolating the victim from her support system. We need to educate ourselves on the signs and symptoms of domestic violence. Violence in the home has no barriers. It crosses all racial, economic and ethnic lines. I lived in a house with a three-car garage and was beaten within an inch of my life. Oh yes, did I add there was a swimming pool in the backyard and you gained entrance by way of a gated community?

Whatever your excuses are, the single most important thing you can do is to get help. There is help available through my website and at http://www.thehotline.org. In my book Through The Fire I list some things you should be on the lookout for at the start of a new romance or if you are involved in a relationship. This book will aid in identifying those instances and cracks that will appear in some relationships including marriages. In my story I was married for thirteen years and was reluctant to admit to seeing the early warning signs and doing something about it.

Join me in ending domestic violence; follow the link to my web site and view available resources and some signs to be on the look out for if you are engaged in any relationship. Also visit my YouTube channel and view my video. It provides information and statistics to help bring awareness to this matter.

Click on any of the following links: http://www.harrietcammock.org/Domestic-Violence-Resources.html

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/harrietcammock#p/a/u/0/tuN4UokLweY

Bio:

After an abusive marriage, Harriet determined she would use her own experiences in overcoming abuse to teach other women that there is help available. She channelled those experiences in writing and through her blog; she provides inspirational and uplifting messages to many people. Harriet began The Faith Hour in 2009 and used this platform to launch The Renewed By Grace Conference, which was designed to bring together men and women whose lives were touched by abuse. “I want to show women that you don’t have to look like what you went through,” Harriet said. Using creative resources and with involvement from other community organizations, Harriet plans to host another conference sometime in the next several months. A published author, she now hosts The Harriet Cammock Show. The Harriet Cammock Show uses principles of surviving and overcoming; principles that Harriet learned first-hand. Harriet has appeared on The Word Network and Atlanta Live! and is a guest writer for The Hinterland Gazette. A gifted speaker, Harriet is available for speaking engagements. Visit http://www.harrietcammock.org for more about Harriet Cammock’s projects. Visit Harriet’s Blog: http://harrietcammock.blogspot.com/2011/05/money-power-and-sex.html That was a very powerful post!  Please come back tomorrow for my review of THROUGH THE FIRE.  If you have any questions or comments please feel free to leave them in the comment section. My thanks to Ms. Cammack for taking the time to guest post on Telly Says!

Theresa Meyers Author of The Truth About Vampires-Guest Post

Today I am the lucky host of Bewitching Book Tours author, Theresa Meyers.  Ms. Meyers is the author of The Truth About Vampires.  Here is a little background:

The progeny of a slightly mad (NASA) scientist and a tea-drinking bibliophile who turned the family dining room into a library, Theresa Meyers learned early the value of a questioning mind, books and a good china teapot. A former journalist and public relations officer, she found far more enjoyment using her writing skills to pen paranormal novels in the turret office of her Victorian home. She’s spent nearly a quarter of a century with the boy who took her to the Prom, drinks tea with milk and sugar, is an adamant fan of the television show Supernatural, and has an indecent love of hats.

Welcome Author Theresa Meyers………

Vampires and Sex

“When it comes to two things, vampires and sex, most people think they’ve seen or done it all. But in my new Sons of Midnight mini-series for Harlequin Nocturne, I’ve tried to do something a little different with vampires and create a new mythos of my own.

You see not only can the vampires in my world smell different emotions, they can also have sex without even being in the same room as their partner (and no, it’s not via the phone with the help of toys) or cause their partner to experience things you normally wouldn’t with their minds. I laughingly referred to it with my editor as “vampire mind-sex” but in reality that’s what it is.

Psychologists have long told us that most sexual appeal happens in the brain, especially in women. So it wasn’t a large stretch for me as an author to see how my vampire characters, with mind manipulation, could in the midst of a heated kiss cause their partner feel kisses and intimate touches in multiple places at once, not limited by one mouth and a set of two hands, time or space. And why not? If you’re going to make up a world, I thought I might as well make it fun!

In my vampire world sex and feeding are independent activities, both of which that can cause lots of pleasure, but when combined causing a totally different kind of bond between the couple, one that can last beyond life and death.

Of course there’s much more that gives the world in The Truth About Vampires a different spin than your average vampire tale. Fact one, while my last name is spelled almost identically to Stephanie Meyer, my vampires do not sparkle. They do avoid sunlight because it gives them migraines (kind of like when you get your eyes dilated at the eye-doctor) and a serious sun-burn. Fact two, vampirism in my world is virus induced-and there is no cure…yet. Fact three, in my vampire world, they aren’t just a few hundred years old – some of them date back to the earliest cultures on earth and they occasionally have to deal with the ancient gods and goddesses. Fact four, my vampires scent changes to suit the fantasies of their prey, so in the case of my heroine who’s a bit of a chocoholic with a sweet tooth, the hero smells to her like dark chocolate. Fact five, if my vampires want to eat chicken garlic alfredo, they can. Garlic isn’t a problem. Neither is holy water. But silver and dead man’s blood can be debilitating. I could go on, but really it might just be easier if you discover the differences for yourself.”

So what is The Truth About Vampires?

All her life Seattle reporter Kristin Reed sought her breakout story. She never thought she’d find it in the crimson lair of a real life creature of the night.  Kristin never believed vampires existed—until with dark brooding eyes and a decadent chocolate scent, Dmitri Dionotte called out to her….

Dmitri and his clan’s true nature was cloaked in secrecy until a warring vampire order threatened their existence. Kristin was just the woman he needed. She couldn’t resist their story…or Dmitri.  Her blood pulsed hot and furious when he touched her, and with his kiss, all logic fled.  But  each night she spent with her vampire lover brought her closer to death and destruction. A death not even an immortal could triumph over.

Thank you to Theresa Meyers for taking the time to stop by my blog and offer a guest post for my readers.  If you haven’t read The Truth About Vampires let me ask you, what are you waiting for?  Open the book and look at vampires in a different way that may surprise you and will surely delight you.


If you want to know more about this author and her books here are some links to check out:

http://www.theresameyers.com/   

http://www.theresameyers.com/blog/   

http://twitter.com/Theresa_Meyers   

http://www.facebook.com/TheresaMeyersAuthor   

http://www.ageofsteam.wordpress.com/ 

The Truth About Vampires

Harlequin Nocturne – Vampire Romance

March 1, 2011

ISBN-10: 0373618549
ISBN-13: 978-0373618545 

Pulling back the veil on a world shrouded in darkness, Theresa Meyers’ stunning debut reveals a sinfully handsome vampire whose secret is about to exposed…

All her life Seattle reporter Kristin Reed sought her breakout story. She never thought she’d find it in the crimson lair of a real life creature of the night. Kristin never believed vampires existed—until with dark brooding eyes and a decadent chocolate scent, Dmitri Dionotte called out to her…

Dmitri and his clan’s true nature was cloaked in secrecy until a warring vampire order threatened their existence. Kristin was just the woman he needed. She couldn’t resist their story…or Dmitri. Her blood pulsed hot and furious when he touched her, and with his kiss, all logic fled. But each night she spent with her vampire lover brought her closer to death and destruction. A death not even an immortal could triumph over.

http://www.eharlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=23240&cid=2577 direct buy link at Harlequin

The Truth About Vampires Virtual Tour: Where Ms. Meyers has been and where she will be….



February 14 Passionate Internet Voices World Radio, Inc.
4:40-4:45 EST live interview
http://www.internetvoicesradio.com/


February 19 Peninsula Chapter RWA
10:00 to noon PST, Speaking to local RWA chapter
February 19 Guest Blog at Midnight Moon Cafe
http://midnightmooncafe.blogspot.com/
midnightmooncafe@gmail.com


February 25 Fang-tastic Books Guest Blog and Giveaway
http://www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com/


February 27 Romance Radio.net interview/show
http://http://www.romanceradio.net/
30 minute taped interview on show


February 28 Guest blog and giveaway at Book of Secretshttp://bookofsecretsblog.com/


February 28 11 am EST Live Radio Interview Blog Talk Radio BK Walker’s show
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bkwalker
Call In Number is (718) 664-9341


March 1 Vampire Wirehttp://www.vampirewire.blogspot.com/


March 2 Guest Blog at My Overstuffed Bookshelf
http://myoverstuffedbookshelf.blogspot.com/


March 3 Guest blog at Just Views
http://www.justviews.net/


March 4 Interview at Froggaritas Bookcase 
http://www.froggaritasbookcase.net/


March 7 Live Chat 5pm PST / 8 EST Night Owl Romancehttp://www.nightowlparanormal.com/nor/Pages/Chat.aspx


March 8 Interview and Giveaway at Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust
http://www.fangswandsandfairydust.com/


March 9 Interview at Hedge Witchery
http://hedge-witchery.blogspot.com/


March 10 Guest Blog at Intense Whisperhttp://intensewhisper.blogspot.com/


March 11 Interview at Susan Blexrud’s Embrace the Shadows
http://www.embracetheshadows.wordpress.com/


March 14 Guest Blog at The Cajun Book Lady
http://www.thecajunbooklady.com/


March 14 Blogging at the Nocturne Blog over at Harlequinhttp://community.eharlequin.com/content/silhouette-nocturne-authors-blog


March 15 Guest blog at Bitten by Paranormal Romance
http://www.bittenbyparanormalromance.com/


March 16 Guest blog at The Enchanted Book
http://theenchantedbook.blogspot.com/


March 17 Interview and Giveaway at Books and Needlepoint
http://booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com/


March 18 Guest blog at JoJo’s Book Corner
http://jojosbookcorner.blogspot.com/


March 21 Guest blog and Giveaway at VampChix
http://www.vampchix.blogspot.com/


March 22 Review at Books and Needlepoint
http://booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com/


March 23 Interview at Urban Fantasy Investigationshttp://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/


March 24 guest post at The Pink Heart Society
http://pinkheartsociety.blogspot.com/


March 28 Guest Blog & Giveaway at Marie Treanor’s Romantic Theme Party
http://romanticthemeparty.blogspot.com/


March 28 Blogging at the Nocturne Blog over at Harlequin
http://community.eharlequin.com/content/silhouette-nocturne-authors-blog


March 30 Guest Blog 
Reading, Reading & Life
http://readingreadingandlife.blogspot.com/


April 25 Radio Guest Spot 11 pm EST 8pm PST
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/other_worlds_of_romance


July 29 Steampunk party week at Marie Treanor’s bloghttp://romanticthemeparty.blogspot.com/