Weekending: A Commonplace Book

Far better it is 

to dare mighty things,

to win glorious triumphs even

though checkered by failure,

than to rank with those poor

spirits who neither enjoy

nor suffer much

because they live in the gray

twilight that knows neither

victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt

I've been thinking along these lines recently, 
as I contemplate some big decisions. 
And being 50, I realize that big decisions are especially important.

My sage advice for those younger than me: 
if you dream it, dare it.  
Better to take a chance than to live with regret.

An Interview with Indie-Author John Wayne Falbety

Today I welcome a special guest author: John Wayne Falbey, who has recently published his first novel, a political thriller, SLEEPING DOGS. I've read and reviewed the book and can highly recommend it for those of you who enjoy Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels and David Baldacci's novels.

Where do you get your ideas for stories?
The ideas mostly come from life, from observing the human condition and from studying the developments taking place in the world. I season that with a measure of my own experiences.

How do you create the characters in your stories?
I’m a people watcher. The habits and behaviors of others fascinate me. In creating and animating the characters in my stories, I pull together a composite of people I have observed.
Is there any of your own personality in any of your characters?
I believe most authors find an irresistible urge to inhabit one or more of their lead characters, at least to some extent. In my case, I have to admit that each one of the Sleeping Dogs reflects traits of my own personality. Scary thought, isn't it?

Are there “keys” to becoming a writer of fiction?
Yes, among the most important is to a voracious reader yourself. The more you read among a wide variety of writers, the better your own skills will be. You don’t want to try to mimic someone else’s style, but exposure to many, many styles will help you find your own “voice”.

Who are some of your favorite writers?
There are two general categories of writers who have influenced me. The first are the classical chroniclers of heroic deeds and writers of adventurous tales, such as Herodotus’ Histories, Xenophon’s Anabasis, One Thousand and One Nights, the Song of Roland, and others.

The second category includes more modern writers from Raphael Sabatini to Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, John D. MacDonald, Elmore Leonard, and Robert B. Parker. Current writers in the thriller genre who I greatly admire include Lee Child, Brad Thor, David Baldacci, Vince Flynn, and Alex Berenson.

Is Sleeping Dogs: The Awakening your first novel?
It’s my first published novel. I wrote a novel length manuscript as a student at Vanderbilt University School of Law years ago. My undisciplined nature needed some sort of escapist diversion to cope with three years of mind-numbing regimentation and seemingly endless case briefing.

Why didn’t you publish that book?
I almost did. A senior VP at Harper & Row (now HarperCollins) liked it, but believed that the protagonist, as an anti-hero, would not be embraced by the reading public. He wanted me to rewrite it so a minor character, a nebbish, was the protagonist and my anti-hero would become part of the wallpaper. I had neither the time nor interest for rewriting it, so I tossed it on a shelf and forgot about it for many years.

As an ironic postscript, right after that, the print and film media exploded with popular anti-heroes. Steve McQueen and Clint Eastwood, among others, became box office icons in those kinds of roles. John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee and Robert B. Parker’s Spenser went on to sell millions of novels. And today there is no more imposing or popular an anti-hero than Lee Child’s Jack Reacher.

Do you have plans to publish that book?
I recently located the manuscript and am in the process of editing it. It should become available in late summer, 2012. Will there be more books about the Sleeping Dogs, and, if so, when will the next one be available?

I plan to write two more books in this trilogy about Brendan Whelan and his genetically evolved colleagues. My goal is to publish the second book, Endangered Species, in the summer of 2013. The third book, End Game, is planned for release in mid-2014.

What else have you written?
“He Who Drinks From Lethe...”, a morality tale in short story form with dark, neo-gothic undertones has recently been published. It takes place today deep in the heart of the Everglades. It can be read in its entirety on my website or purchased from amazon.com, Smashwords.com, or barnesandnoble.com.

Autumn is On It's Way!

Although it was hot and sunny today, the signs that autumn is on its way are unmistakable. Our Aspen trees are beginning to show their beautiful golden leaves and our nights are deliciously cool.

And autumn always seems more festive with the addition of mums in our planter boxes.

Week-Ending: A Commonplace Book

"An' the chased him 'n' never could catuch him 'cause they didn't know what he looked like, an' Atticus, when they finally saw him, why he hadn't done any of those things...Atticus, he was real nice..."
His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me.
"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them."

He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. He would be there wall night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.

To Kill a Mockingbird
- Harper Lee

Changing Genres: Writing Children’s Books for the First Time

More Essays on Writing from my Orangeberry Book Tour

When I decided to write God Loves You. – Chester Blue, it wasn’t because I had a burning desire to write a children’s book. It was because Chester Blue, the blue teddy bear, modeled after the first teddy bear I sewed myself, needed a story to be written about him. Second, at the time, I was fascinated by stories about inanimate characters that ‘just appeared’ bearing mysterious messages. In the case of this story, crafting the message was easy: I wanted something inspirational. If this was to be a message that appeared out of the blue, than why not make it an encouraging message from God?

So, I had the character, I had the premise (what if you received a message from God, just when you needed it most?) the question was, who was my audience?

It seemed obvious that Chester Blue would appeal most to children. After all, who would better relate, than a child, to a blue teddy bear magically appearing carrying a message from God?

How would writing a book for children differ from writing for adults? Would I have to change my writing style? Were there specific dos and don’ts that I needed to adhere to?

The first answer is that I only asked these questions after I’d written the first draft of my book. And I think that’s very important. I believe that it is so easy to get caught up in the mechanics, the ‘how to’, of creating the story that you research the thing to death and never get around to writing or worse, completing, your book!

Once I’d written my story, these questions sent me off to one of my favorite hometown haunts, our public library. There I spoke with one of our incredibly knowledgeable librarians from the children’s section. She walked me through the rows of books and piled my arms with children’s books that would become my teachers.

The two books that had the greatest impact on me were The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, and  The Heavenly Village by Cynthia Rylant.

What I learned from Kate DiCamillo was that you don’t have to write ‘down’ to children. Yes, the concepts and perhaps even the plot lines will be simpler, but the language can be as rich and textured as any novel for grownups. This is absolutely the case in Edward Tulane, which is so beautifully written that it can be enjoyed equally by children and adults.

Cynthia Rylant’s Heavenly Village taught me that children’s books can deal with difficult topics, such as death and the afterlife, if treated with gentleness and respect. Cynthia Rylant is a master of both in her beautifully written book that treats a scary topic with love and even the occasional laugh.

 The lesson learned, which I believe would apply to writing for the first time in any genre is this: write your story. Then take the time to read from the masters of your genre to see how expected touchstones are handled with skill and experience. The combination of both will lead to a satisfying story for your readers.  I hope I’ve accomplished that in God Loves You. – Chester Blue. 

Top Ten Tools for Writers

#1 Something to Write With

For years, I used lap tops of various sizes. As I aged, I realized that my eyes needed an extra-large screen. And so I switched from laptops to an Apple desktop with a 26 inch screen...I agonized over this purchase for a long time because it was an expensive investment. But, after I crashed three PC's in one year before I switched to this computer two years ago...it was well worth it.

#2 Something to Write On

This summer it was so hot in my office, that I moved my bedroom and writing space downstairs to the walk-out basement where it was at least ten degrees cooler. I bought this 'desk' at our local thrift store for $35 on their 30%-off sale day. Of course, I now love it more than the $200 desk in my office, that I bought at Habitat for Humanity, our other thrift store in town. (I'm big on thrift stores).

Which is simply to prove, that you don't need fancy office furniture, just a good sturdy table.

#3 Space to Write

When I moved into our walk-out basement for the summer, I positioned my table and chair and computer in a space that would afford me a nice view of the mountains from the windows in front of me. 

However, this space is exactly 5 X 6 feet, wedged between a post on the right and a wall on the left. And I love it just as much as my office upstairs. Because this is our basement, it doesn't get a lot of traffic, so I have the solitude that I need to write. The point is, you don't need an 'office', but you do need quiet. And a space to call your own. 

#4 Expand Your Horizons

Read. Read. Read. I am a huge fan of our local library. I go there at least once a week to check out books. I read fiction across genres, so that I can learn from other authors. I also read non-fiction, particularly books on marketing, because as an indie-author, I'm in charge of everything!

#5 Grounding

The two things I could not live without are my Bible and my journals. I need to read the Bible for inspiration and encouragement.  This year I am working my way through the Daily Walk Bible.

I write in my journal to have a place to flesh out new goals, express my deepest feelings, and vent. I am a huge fan of Morning Pages (Julia Cameron's idea of writing three pages freehand first thing in the morning).

#6 Building Your Community

Whether you choose Facebook or Twitter or Google+ or any other social platform,  you need to reach out to other authors and readers to develop a community of support, marketing, and social outlet. 

Through these online resources I have met and learned from several other authors and experts in how to reach new readers. Best of all, for new authors, is that many of these resources, in the form of newsletters, are absolutely free.

#7 Inspiration

Reading is a great way to find inspiration. Yet, I have not found a comparable outlet to enjoying the beauty of nature. Whether you live in the city, suburbs, or in the woods, try to find time each week to get out and find visual beauty and inspiration outside your usual 'office' environment. This will do wonders to give your mind a fresh perspective and will help you to see your story from a new angle.

# 8 Exercise

Find something that will get you outside or into a gym and away from sitting at your desk all day. Yes, you need to work consistently at your writing. But for the sake of your health and your wellbeing, you need physical exercise to keep not only your body in shape, but also, your mind. For me, that means taking the dogs to our local off-leash dog park for a mile or two walk.

http://www.wmich.edu/registrar/calendars/

#9 Consistency

The absolutely best way to improve as a writer (going hand in hand with read. read. read.) is to write. write. write. I will wager that rather than twenty pages in one day, once a month.....one page a day for twenty consecutive days will lead to greater growth as a writer. Think of a toddler learning to walk...they master the mechanics through repetition. The same goes for writing or any other art form.

If you want to write your novel, don't wait for Nanowrimo to crank out 50,000 words in a month. Make time to write starting now, even if it's just a page a day.

#10 Encouragement

Find your group of friends or family who will encourage and inspire you to keep moving forward each day. Writing and publishing is sometimes made up of such small incremental steps that it's hard to measure your progress. That's when you need friends and family who will pay you on the back and let you know that you're on your way.