Hook Me With Your Best Shot

Hooks in writing are simply a means to grab the reader's attention and pull them into your story. Sounds simple, right?  It is and it isn't.

Just like in fishing, prose hooks come in different styles.

There are beginning hooks. You find these at the beginning of a book. They can be a paragraph, a statement, a comparison or a question. In a single line or four, these hooks set the tone for the entire book. That's right entire book.  A book with a funny hook must be a comedy. If your first line is there was a body in my bed, you better be writing a mystery or erotica.

Classic hook: It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. A Tale of Two Cities

There are end of chapter hooks, aka Cliffhangers. These keep the reader turning the pages and usually end with the stakes for the hero or heroine being raised. These too must set the tone of the book. If you're going for adventure, you might end with a choice or a dilemma a la the Lady and the Tiger. No matter which the character chooses, the outcome is always bad, but just how bad it is will keep the reader engaged long after they should have shut the book.

Hook from Redaction: the Meltdown: Please, God. Don't force him to ink another rose onto his arm. He was already fully sleeved.

And lastly, there are hooks for the book. These have to be short and sweet, specific yet generic and they also have to reflect the tone of the book. For the greatest impact, chose words that elicit a visceral response. Here's a list http://socialmediastrategy.org.uk/blog/strategic-marketing/the-top-emotional-response-words-marketing-firms-have-an-inside-secret/  These are used in selling a manuscript via synopsis and also on the back cover of a book. 

Book Hook from The Stand: ...apocalyptic vision of a world blasted by plague and tangled in an elemental struggled between good and evil...

Elegantly simple and unbelievably hard to write. And to make matters worse, no one hook is going to work for everyone but if you research your market, you're a step ahead of the game.

Good luck!

Writing Hooks

This month we are discussing hooks. I chose the picture above as an example of how a hook might get your reader asking questions. Is this picture really Elvis or a Vegas impersonator? Is Tina going to discuss Elvis or other famous singers? Perhaps it is the jacket she wants us to look at, is that it? Or maybe she is going to discuss how people changed history. Is she going to bring up The Beatles?

The beginning of your story needs to plant a story question your reader wants answered. The first line of Liquid Hypnosis is Trevor Carlton hated threats-when they were directed at him. Hopefully, the reader will want to know what the threat is and who it is directed at and will continue reading long enough to get pulled into the story.

That is the goal of the hook: to get your reader to continue reading long enough to get pulled into the story.

More on hooks next Sunday.
Until then, happy reading and writing!
Tina Swayzee McCright

Author Spotlight - Victoria Danann!!!

 A secret society, modern day knights, and vampires come together for a once in a lifetime adventure and a once in a lifetime opportunity proving that true love can find you in the strangest places, even far, far from home.

Minutes ahead of inevitable assassination, Elora Laiken is forcibly transported to an alternate dimension similar, but not identical, to her own.

Of course a girl could suffer worse problems than having gorgeous suitors. Perhaps more importantly, in the midst of an epidemic of vampire related abductions, can she stay alive long enough to choose between an honor debt, true love, or the breathlessness of single-minded passion?

My Familiar Stranger is a full length, stand alone, Paranormal Romance novel that also sets up the foundation for the Black Swan series. It is loved by fans of paranormal romance, fantasy romance, and urban fantasy.

What critics say:  "Smart. Sexy. Magical."

About Victoria Danann:  Though works of fiction are a departure for her, she's had this series simmering on the back burner of her mind for years, but time is at a premium. In addition to authoring and illustrating Seasons of the Witch and writing course work for Seasons in Avalon, she plays Classic Rock music and manages Houston’s premier variety and R&B band.

She's been married to the same person for way more than half her life.  She believes in true love and romance, too.

You can learn more about Victoria at:  http://victoriadanann.me/

Available Soon --- Spoonful of Sugar by Tia Dani

 

BLURB:

 

During a drug bust, friendly fire almost ended Brad Davidson's career on the St Louis police force, but his wife's social avarice, was the final blow. Divorced and disillusioned, Brad returned to his home town of Coker City to become its County Sheriff, content to keep the town, and his heart, safe. Until, he meets the new pharmacist. Brad decides he's wasted plenty of time running from his own broken heart.

 

Dana Barrett looks for a fresh start in a small town. Coker City, Illinois is about as far away as a young widow with four small children can afford to get from Chicago and its painful memories. Malicious gossip ruined her life once and she swears she will never let it happen again. While Dana struggles to keep a professional relationship with the handsome, attentive sheriff, Brad is ready to take a chance on love again. Dana's fear of gossip raises an unswayable wall between them.

 

The entire town is convinced Brad is the answer for Dana's family and the town's future. Through their eyes, Dana decides not all gossip is meant to be destructive. When she learns Brad is considering another job out of state, she risks the outrageous so she and her children can keep from losing the sweetest love of her life.

 

Cover by Bella Media management  http://www.bellamediamanagement.com/

 

Available soon on Amazon.com

 

 

We had a lot of fun writing Dana and Brad's story and we hope you have as much fun reading about them.

 

Available soon in ebook and print  --  Spoonful of Sugar.

 

Tia Dani

 

Ink Jockeys Sponsor a Book Derby

The champions are out of the gate! Ink Jockeys announce their first ever . . .

BOOK DERBY

All books FREE or 99 Cents
TWO DAYS ONLY:  December 5 and December 6

All books written by bestselling, award-winning, traditionally published authors who have broken out of the starting gate to publish independently.  Join us at the ticket window.

WIN A $25 AMAZON

 GIFT CARD*

SCROLL ON DOWN. FILL YOUR KINDLE

Don't forget to send a few as gifts! You can specify delivery date on Amazon, so your gift is received at Christmas! Don't have a Kindle? Check out Amazon's FREE reading apps

Find it all at the Ink Jockeys blog where you can learn more about our members and our purpose for coming together. We can also be found on Facebook and be tweeted at @inkjockeys.

THE FIRE OPAL

The books of Connie Flynn, a bestselling, award-winning author of ten novels and several short stories, are getting some positive attention from eBooks readers these days. She writes in several genres, including paranormal romance, romantic comedy and romantic action/adventure, contemporary fantasy, and mystery/suspense.



*Giveaway Rules: We love to hear from our readers so please leave a comment. If you include the email address where you can be notified, you will be entered into the gift card drawing. The winner will be selected through Random Org. By entering, you understand that you may be added to Ink Jockey member's mailing lists.  Your address will not be given to others and if you later decide you don't want to continue,  feel free to unsubscribe.

Constructing Killer Characters

by Connie Flynn

1. Start with the villain
Why start with the villain? Possibly because they can be more interesting, which is often true.  There’s nothing quite so compelling as someone who will stop at nothing. Even if that nothing turns your stomach, you’re still fascinated because you want to know if this vile person will actually do it.  He might, and that’s what has you on the edge of your seat. Somebody has to stop him.

2. Constructing the villain
Shouldn't you start with villainous traits? Isn’t that how villain’s are made?  A nefarious purpose, unmitigated selfishness, ruthless determination. Kicks cats and dogs, cruel to children and beats his mother. I could even give him a waxed mustache to twirl, because I’m sure you all see how stereotypical this is. Good villains have traits every bit as complex as your protagonist and should sometimes exhibit caring and  tenderness and generosity. Hitler loved his mother and Eva Braun and managed to compartmentalize his life and this is the key to a strong villain -- he has different rules for different people.

There are also differences between antagonists and villains. Antagonists oppose the protagonist, often for very valid reasons – these two battle on opposite sides of the fence, rather than battling good and evil.  All villains are antagonists but not all antagonists are villains. Villain’s intend to harm or eliminate the hero any way he can. But that doesn’t mean you can give him a waxed mustache.

3. Constructing the hero/ine
This is where the hero finally comes in.  Build an exciting and scheming villain. Then bring the hero in to thwart him, stand in his way wherever he can, defeat his every evil scheme. Turn the tables so the hero is every bit as proactive as the everyday villain, if not more so. He does this for the purist of reasons of course (except for a touch of egotism and self-interest) and makes the villain reveal his true colors.

4.Constructing the conflict
Use conflict to build a powerful story.  With each side of the battle determined to be a step ahead of the other, you can't help but create conflict that crackles.  Each time a character impacts the other, the second character regroups with a counter-move. Back and forth, back and forth. What she wants is exactly opposite of what he wants.  As you plot you will have one character make a move, then have the other move against it in an engrossing game of chess or an exhilarating tennis match. Because that's exactly how it works.

This is a true writing secret that spans both character and plot development that’s right under every writer’s nose: What makes characters come to life and keeps readers glued to the page is the continual push/pull between what the villain wants, what the hero/ine wants.  One wins, the other loses, that one wins, the first one loses, each with escalating consequences until one finally goes over the edge.  

Do you have a favorite villain. If so, I invite you to tell us who and why? Mine is Hannibal Lector (the deadly cannible) because he was so deadly . . . and also urbane. So fess up. How's your man . . . or woman . . . or supernatural character for that matter. Think Count Dracula or Ann Rice's Lestat.

99Cents at Amazon

The books of Connie Flynn, a bestselling, award-winning author of ten novels and several short stories, are getting quite a bit of positive attention from eBooks readers these days. She writes in several genres, including paranormal romance, romantic comedy and action/adventure, contemporary fantasy, and mystery/suspense, this last under the name of K.C. Flynn. Look for several more new releases from Connie/K.C. in 2013.

FREE eBOOK ALERT:
I'll also belong to Ink Jockeys, a group of multi-published, bestselling and award-winning authors who are now breaking out in independent eBook publishing.  Stop by the Ink Jockeys blog on December 5 and 6 for a FREE and 99Cents Blowout Book Derby.  Plus . . . a $25 Kindle gift card giveaway drawing open to any visitor who leaves a comment with an email address. You will be added to our mailing lists but you can unsubscribe at a later date.

I hope to see you at the BookDerby! ! !

CONTACT CONNIE:
Website: http://connieflynn.com
Blogs:
http://imaginationgonewild322.blogspot.com/
http://inkjockeys.blogspot.com/
Facebook Author Page:
https://www.facebook.com/ConnieFlynnAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ConnieFlynn
Email: connieflynn@yahoo.com
Subscribe to Monthly Newsletter:
http://eepurl.com/qOHbT

Organizing Chargers

I am constantly looking for ideas to make my life easier. I don't have time to mess with stuff. Today, I came up with a better way of organizing my chargers.

I already label each charger so I know which device it belongs to. Once upon a time, I found a collection of chargers in my daughter's room and had no idea what do with them. I believe I eventually tossed them since she had long grown up and move out.

I had already been placing the chargers in the basket, but today I remembered I had a box organizer, which are plastic pieces that divide boxes. I bent them a little to fit into the basket and now each charger has its own place in the basket, so they no longer get tangled together. To hide the chargers, I place a fake plant on top of the basket. Now it looks like part of the decor.

Until next week, 

happy writing or

happy organizing!

Tina Swayzee McCright