Writing Strong Characters

Lions for Lambs
with Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, and Tom Cruise


I find it useful to analyze movies to discover which writing
techniques add to the quality of a story.

I found myself drawn to every main character in
this film and soon discovered it was due to the passion
with which they held to their beliefs.

First, we have The Senator:
He is committed to winning the war in Afghanistan.
He tries to convince the news reporter that his new
initiative will put the U.S. back on top in the war.
As the story develops, we also wonder if this
passion is more about his desire to become president
one day. Regardless, no one can argue with his
dedication to winning the war, no matter what is motivation.

Next, we have The Reporter:
She has been reporting the news for forty years.
Her station had sold out and become more business
oriented, but we see her conviction to do the right
thing with this story. She doesn't want to be
used by another politician. She is once again passionate
about reporting the real story.

I cried over The Two Soldiers:
They were college students who wanted to fight
for their country and then come back to make
a difference. They are good friends
and likable. They gave up graduate school to do what they
believed to be the right thing. Their passion put their
lives on the line.

The Professor tried to talk the two soldiers
out of enlisting. This man's passion has him trying
to mold the minds of young people he believes can make
a difference. His newest challenge is...


The College Student: He is intelligent and passionate
about his beliefs, but he becomes disillusioned
when he decides all politicians sold out.
This student's apathy, at the moment, is what provides
the contrast we need to see just how passionate the
rest of the cast is in their belief systems.

Whether we agree with each character or not,
we know they want to make a difference in the world.
We may even begin to wonder if we make a
difference in our own lives.
Are we making a difference with our stories?
When you can get your readers to ask the deep
questions, then you have done your job as
a writer.

Interview with Nancy Gideon

I’d like to welcome our guest today, Nancy Gideon. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

I understand you have a new release out called MASKED BY MOONLIGHT. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

A: MASKED BY MOONLIGHT is the first book in a six book (so far!) dark paranormal shape-shifter series for Pocket Books. It’s unique in that the first four books follow the romance and adventures of Max Savoie, the deliciously dangerous shape-shifting right hand man of the crime boss our heroine Detective Charlotte Caissie is determined to convict for the murder of her father. Things get complicated when Cee Cee’s plan to use Max to get close to her enemy are tangled up by their inexplicable attraction to one another, and by a shadowy clan of shape-shifters who believe Max is their prophesied leader.
Publishers Weekly gave MASKED BY MOONLIGHT a starred review, saying, “Intriguing characters and zippy action. Gideon deftly avoids writing herself into corners and masters the tension required to keep her complex and engaging story moving."

To summarize the series: Romeo & Juliet meets Beauty and the Beast in the Big Easy. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

MASKED BY MOONLIGHT is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

A: Pocket wanted linked titles for the series and I thought BY MOONLIGHT would allude nicely to shape-shifter mythos. MASKED for the first book refers to the guise of humanity the Max wears. CHASED and CAPTURED follow on books two and three. I haven’t decided on four through six yet.

What made you decide to write in this genre?

A: I love the paranormal genre! I enjoy making the impossible believable and writing without boundaries to the limit of the imagination. The heroes are larger-than-life, the heroines tough yet vulnerable, with romance, action, adventure, fantasy and even hints of horror and suspense thrown in. I was hooked with the first book of my MIDNIGHT vampire romance series back in the 90s. What’s not to like?

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

A: I’d wanted to write a werewolf book even before I started with my vampire series. In fact, the prologue for MASKED BY MOONLIGHT dates back to that first attempt that shall remain unpublished. When Silhouette created their Nocturne line, my editor for their romantic suspense line encouraged me to try my hand at a paranormal, so I dug up that old werewolf tale and updated it into the new millennium. My editor LOVED every word of the prologue but wanted an entirely new story: new plot, new characters, everything! So I started Chapter One with my kick butt police detective Charlotte Caissie at the crime scene and started writing and writing and writing. In five days, I had over seven chapters and had to rein myself back to get the synopsis written to submit with the first three chapters. By the time Silhouette called to offer to buy it, I’d written THREE whole books! Once the story started rolling, it unfolded like a movie and before long, I realized I had much much more going on than could be told in just one book. Unlike anything else I’ve ever written, I never worked off an outline, never had a plan. It was all imagination to keyboard. I wish they all wrote themselves so easily. Long story short, the final product was waaaay too mainstream for Silhouette and I couldn’t compromise to make the changes they wanted, but it was juuuuust right for Pocket.

What are your favorite paranormal research books or sites, and why?

A: For this series, I was hands on. I’d been to New Orleans several times but always for conferences, so research time was limited. This year, two writer pals and I got a condo in the Quarter for a week and explored everything from Tarot readings on the Square to airboat swamp rides and haunted cemetery tours. We walked, talked, ate, drink and breathed the Big Easy for details you just can’t find research books. Like the smells (both good and bad) and the feel of the air on your skin or the sounds along Decatur Street. It was a fabulous experience in my favorite city.

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

A: Max Savoie! I can’t resist a dark, dangerous, sexy, tormented hero with baggage, and he’s all of those things in spades. He was fun to write because his character would do such unexpected things: be suddenly vulnerable, ferociously loyal or be heartbreakingly humbled by his love for the heroine. I could write dozens of books about Max, but will settle for four…for the time being.

Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing? How does your research and/or world affect your character development?

A: The characters have to be products of their real and fantasy worlds. I’m a stickler for making things believable and consistent. I wanted them hugely heroic but also fragile and flawed, brave yet with weaknesses that can cripple them, and they have to have secrets, the darker the better. Usually I develop character sheets to show Goal, Motivation and Conflict, but Max and Charlotte burst onto the scene already so complex and rich with backgrounds and emotions, I just let them run with it. Kinda nice to let them do all the work for a change. Visiting New Orleans enabled me to steep them in the culture and setting and give them depth.

How do you go about building your world if you use one? Do you use maps, charts or drawings?

A: The Shifter world was unique in that it developed as Max discovers who and what he is. Found in the swamps as a child by his mob boss mentor, he’s unaware that there are more of his kind, and doesn’t realize the extent of his own abilities. Of course, now that I’m in Book Four, I have a hierarchy, a mythology and all sorts of rules and regs to go by. I’m looking forward to getting those extras posted on my website. Believable and consistent—then you can do anything!
Do you have any authors that inspired you?

A: So many! I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from Heinlein’s Sci-fi, John Jakes’s sagas, Woodiweis’s ground breaking historicals, to even my dad’s manly man westerns. J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts), Dean Koontz, Kresley Cole and Lisa Gardner are my “always waiting for their next release” authors.

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?

A: I conquered my fear of technology (well, I’m inching toward it!) by designing an ubber website with critiquer/cover artist/friend Patricia Lazarus (www.nancygideon.com) and waded into social media waters with Facebook and blogging. The website took a bite out of my credit card but the online promo is as limitless as your time allows. I’ve had an unexpectedly fun time exploring all the new avenues.

Check out my book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyawnTxvAuo&feature=player_embedded

What do we have to look forward next?

A: My publisher blessed me with back-to-back-to-back releases (and fabulous covers!). MASKED BY MOONLIGHT came out May 25, 2010. CHASED BY MOONLIGHT follows on June 29, 2010 and CAPTURED BY MOONLIGHT on July 27, 2010. It’ll be a bit longer wait for the next three books. They’ll be out in 2011/2012. Book Four concludes Max and Charlotte’s romance story arc but they’ll continue as strong secondary characters in the next books which will feature new heroes and heroines: some introduced in earlier books and some surprises!

Thanks, Nancy!

To celebrate her book release, Nancy is offering a free book of CHASED BY MOONLIGHT, the second book in her MOONLIGHT series to one lucky commenter on today's blog. (please check the blog Monday night to see if you won. Chances of winning determined by the number of entries.)

She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

A writer whose over 50 sales since 1987 cover the romance spectrum, Nancy Gideon thrives on variety. Under her own name and several pseudonyms including Dana Ransom and Rosalyn West, she’s written award-winning category romances, historical and paranormal bestsellers, earned a “Career Achievement for Historical Adventure” and a HOLT Medallion, and has had two original horror screenplays optioned for film. A Michigan native, she works full time as a legal administrative assistant. Her edgy shapeshifter series for Pocket debuts back-to-back-to-back beginning with MASKED BY MOONLIGHT on May 25, 2010.

Check out author’s website at www.nancygideon.com

Hero of the Month

Karl Denton didn't hesitate before using his firefighter training to help his fellow classmates during a deadly school bus crash on I-84 in Hartford. The bus hit a car then plunged 20 feet into an embankment.

"Just training like that, it helped, it all came together and just nice to know I could help people," said Denton.

One student died in the crash. But Denton was able to help others, like A.J. Singh.

"He helped a lot of us to stay calm and be in good prep, and to stop bleeding and stuff before the ambulances arrived, so that was very helpful," said Singh.

Denton was honored by the Manchester Fire Department for his heroic efforts. His family proudly stood by his side to help pin on his medal of honor.

Written by Amanda Raus-NBC Connecticut (excerpted)

Character Cards for THE FIRE LORD'S LOVER

During my upcoming virtual tour (more to follow on that in later posts), I posted the map of the seven sovereignties in THE ELVEN LORDS series, some of my history and notes that went into building the world, and research into the costume of the era. Today I thought I’d share my character cards.

When I first started writing, I had the luxury of working up entire pages on my characters: where they went to school, what was their favorite color, favorite food, etc. (Have you ever written up a character sheet for the game Dungeons & Dragons? Very fun…and sort of similar.)

But with deadlines, I no longer have the time to do that, and truly, I wound up using less than half of that information in the actual book. It just never came up in the plot. And most of the characterization was in my head to start, and as my book progressed, so did my character. Another one of the magical elements of writing.

So now I use index cards. They are easy to flip through while I’m writing and I can include little sketches or notes as my book progresses and refer back to them pretty quickly. The cards for THE FIRE LORD’S LOVER aren’t as crowded as the ones I’m using for book two, THE LADY OF THE STORM. But you can see my (rather awful) sketches that I created as the book developed and other tidbits important to my characters.

I hope my readers enjoy another peek into my writing process, and that other writers may find some benefit in using my method of index cards. At the end of my blog tour, I will be adding all of the items mentioned here to my website.

My Magical Best,
Kathryne

And the winner is......

Congratlations Michele L. You're the winner of Judi's book. Please contact Kim at kwatters21 (at) hotmail.com (no spaces) to collect yoru prize. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.

Choose to Live

Decide to Live

It's amazing how life often sends messages to you

when you need it. All you have to do is listen and be aware.

This morning I turned the television on and

channel surfed, which

I rarely do.

I came across the show Sunday Morning.

Ben Stein was giving recent graduates advice.

I'm going to paraprhase some of what he said, if

you would like to listen to full speech

go to

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6577699n&tag=api

Ben asked his "shrink"

how he would divide up

people who are happy from those who are not.

His shrink said people who are unhappy often

took the safe route. They chose the career path

their parents or family wanted them to take.

Later in life,

they find it is too late to follow

their heart. They haven't built up the

experience or the contacts in the field they

wanted to to choose,

but didn't.

I'm sure you guessed many of these

people wanted to be writers or performers.

I believe

it is never too late to at least

dabble in these fields part time.

I started writing when I turned forty.

The people who are

happy

are the ones

who made the decsion

to live.

They dcided to follow their

heart.

They took risks.

They took chances.

They may have lived life on the edge,

but now they can say

they lived a life

worth living.

Ben admits, you need to earn your keep.

So please don't go out and quit your day job.

But...

if you want to be a writer, then write.

If you want to be a performer then perform.

Do what your heart

tells you to do to be

happy.

Don't end up being one of those people sitting

in the shrink's office complaining because you

never followed your heart.

You never dared

to dream.

Make your life worth living!

"Decide to Live!"

Interview with Judi McCoy

I’d like to welcome our fellow blogmate and guest today, Judi McCoy. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

I understand you have a new release out called DEATH IN SHOW . Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

Professional dog walker Ellie Engleman doesn't know much about the ins and outs of dog shows. But when one handler is killed, Ellie will learn that it's a dog-eat-dog world. Especially since the killer might now have it out for her. She and her sometime boyfriend, Detective Sam Ryder, will have to dig up the truth faster than a speeding bulldog...

DEATH IN SHOW is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

Actually, this title wasn’t the first choice. I wanted Liver Let Die and the marketing department at NAL said NO. They didn’t think anyone would buy a book with Liver in the title. I was heartbroken because Liver Let Die was THE perfect title (when you read the book you’ll understand why) these days, it seems that marketing is running the publishing business.

What made you decide to write in this genre?

After 14 straight romances I needed a change, but I love series. I brainstormed with my sister and we came up with it together.

Are you a plotter or a pantser and how did it affect the writing of this book?

I call myself a PLOTSER, which means I do a little of both. I know the premise, who gets killed and why (pantser) then I figure out how/when things are going to happen (plotter).

Did you have to do a lot of research for the book? What are your favorite research books or sites?

This book took a ton of research. Aside from attending ONE Westmister kennel club show a few years ago, I knew nothing about the dog show world. Luckily, two women in my Chesapeake Romance Writers’ group showed dogs and knew all about it. I also bought a few books that gave the rules and regs.

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

I’d always wondered how dogs were chosen as best in breed, best in group, etc. in a championship show. Then I heard how competitive the dog handling business way, so the murder scenario just fit.

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

In this book it was the villian. I got to give them an interesting personality and some interesting dialogue too.

Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing? How does your research affect your character development?

Ellie and Rudy, the stars of the book, and Sam, were already lurking in my brain when I came up with the dog walker series. The other characters trickled in as I wrote, and they still do. I try to include two new characters in every book. I never know when they’ll be used later on.

Do you have any authors that inspired you?

I have dozens of romancver writers, but for mystery I like Cleo Coyle and Janet Evanovich (who doesn’t?)

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?

I send a newsletter and I travel to signings. And I always have the next book on a bookmark.

What do we have to look forward next?

The death of a cross dresser, which was a ton of fun to write. I met dozens of interesting people who know all about that world.

Thanks, Judi!

To celebrate her book release, Judi McCoy is offering a free book of Heir of the Dog , book two in the series, to one lucky commenter on today's blog. (please check the blog Monday night to see if you won. Chances of winning determined by the number of entries.)

She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

Check out author’s website at www. Judimccoy. Com Buy the books at Amazon, B and N, Borders, any chain bookstore.