Ditzy Blonde

There are so many rules in writing a book that it can make your head spin. Maybe that’s why my husband calls me a dizzy blonde sometimes. I heartily disagree with that description, but he’s bigger than me.

A simple rule that we learned in English class is if you have three items, there should be a comma after each item except the last one.

            Tom, Dick, and Harry think Marja’s a ditzy blonde. Me, myself, and I don’t agree.

Guess what. That no longer applies. Me, myself and I don’t have to use that extra comma anymore. By the way, my husband has never really called me a ditzy blonde.

In general, single sentences should not be written as a paragraph. That’s not always true. Sometimes setting a sentence as a paragraph can emphasize a point in the narrative.

            Dick and Jane took Spot for a walk. Spot wanted them to stop so he could sniff a field of flowers and weeds. He wanted to find out what other dogs had been visiting what he seemed to think was his territory. However, Dick saw a coyote lurking nearby, just waiting for a chance to mix it up with Spot.

            Spot did not get his way.

Can you tell I live in the desert?

In dialogue, you can break most of the rules. People don’t necessarily speak using proper English. Narrative and dialogue can be two different things.

            Frank and Henry spent a long day building a block wall. While they worked they had a few beers. That block wall would prove to be strong because the two men inset empty beer cans in some of the holes in the blocks every so often. (True story – the wall held up during a horrendous flood.)

            When they were done, Henry might have said, “Let us go to the local pub and imbibe a bit more. We have worked hard and deserve to unwind.”

            Actually, Frank said, “Hey, pal, let’s go to Crazzzzy Larry’s and grab us a couple more brewskies.” Hic “We desherve a good time.” He grinned from ear to ear, wiping sweat off his forehead.

            “I think we better take a cab, ol’ buddy,” Henry replied.

There was a time when an “s” was the issue.

            It was Chris’ turn to roll the dice. Would he cross Go and collect $200.00?

That’s changed, too, and I’m thankful for that. It felt awkward. Now you can use that second “s”.

            Chris’s turn came and went without him crossing Go. “That’s life,” Chris said, moving his marker three spaces.

Figures of speech and clichés can be overdone so easily. Unless it’s dialogue and someone speaks in clichés, try to avoid this. Yes, I do know people who seem to use a figure of speech or a cliché in every other sentence.

Changing the subject, every writer needs a Thesaurus. Keep it close. There are so many times I’ve read a book that repeats a word for several sentences. I’m guilty of this myself and have to change things to break up the monotony sometimes.

            Jane went to Dick’s house to play, but they soon tired of Hide and Seek and left for Jane’s house. Her house was green with white trim, not that it matters. Spot hid out in his dog house because he didn’t want to be bothered.

First of all, a house can also be a home. It can be an abode, homestead, mansion or a crib. In Spot’s case, it might be a kennel. There are plenty of other words to describe a house, too.

Secondly, how could the narrator know what Spot is thinking? How could a narrator know what anyone is thinking? The storyteller might make an educated guess, but probably not unless they’re psychic.

I’ve read and heard that a First Person story can’t switch to Third Person. Not true. I see this done frequently. There’s a process, but it can be done. I did it toward the end of Mysteries of Holt House, but carefully and not in excess. I believe Stephen King did it in Christine.

Of course, you can always take a writing class. Hopefully you’ll be in class where discussion and questions are encouraged.

In the end, you have to make your own decision. If you break the rules, break them carefully.

Until next week, be safe and don’t break any rules. Huh? Be careful about the rules you break.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a trip to Amazon.com

Just a reminder that A Well-Kept Family Secret and Bubba’s Ghost are $2.99 on Amazon for ebook format and $9.99 for trade paperback.

If you have the time, please stop in at Scene of the Crime to read a fun interview today, and tomorrow there will be a review of Bogey Nights. CLICK HERE to visit.

Don’t expect big things in this week’s blog because Murphy, one of our two Yellow Labs, has decided it’s great fun to get up at three in the morning to play. The problem is, he wants us to come play, too. His sister, Sugar, isn’t enough. He wants to round out the play group. Can I tell you how tired I am? Okay, I’m very tired. Three hours wasn’t enough sleep time.

I’ve discovered being tired actually helps me write scenes where people are angry or sad or as tired as I am. In my current Work in Progress, Pamela Cross has just had it out with her husband. Well, she would have, but he cut her off at the pass and apologized for putting her and their son in danger. That’s not a spoiler alert because by the time the book comes out you’ll forget about it.

For some unfathomable reason, being tired made me start thinking about my passion for writing. Maybe because I found myself sitting and writing even though I didn’t feel like it. I’ve talked about being passionate before, but I’m coming at it from a different angle this time.

I meet people frequently who say they’d like to write a book. I have a very simple answer – Do It! If you love to write, just do it. Don’t make excuses. Somebody has to get published, so why not make it you? Maybe that’s not as simple as it sounds. There’s a lot to learn if you want to write a good book; one that has a chance of being published.

Did you pay attention in English class? Do you understand punctuation? What’s a verb? What about nouns and pronouns? When do you use “I” and when do you use “me”? Do you pay attention to what goes on around you? Do you watch people? So many rules, so little time.

By the same token, readers think, “So many books, so little time.” So if you write a book, you’d better make it entertaining and something readers will look forward to with anticipation.

Actually, I frequently meet people who want me to write a book for them. Sorry, but I have my hands full with my own books. Don’t be lazy. Sit and jot down a few ideas. If you come up with a one sentence idea, don’t stop there. Turn it into a paragraph. Create a more detailed idea. Keep doing this and eventually you might be able to put together a book. That’s really over-simplified, but you have to start somewhere.

Decide if an outline might help you. I’m what they call a “pantser”. I can’t use an outline. Two sentences into the story and I’ve taken off in a different direction than I’d originally planned. Some people use a calendar and jot down a single idea for what’s going to happen on each day of the story. I tried that, too, but I couldn’t stick with one simple idea. I ran out of room on the calendar.

I was looking at my To Be Read pile the other day. Between paper books and ebooks, I’ve got over fifty books to read. Unfortunately, some of them have been sitting there for months. How do I decide which one to read next? They’re all by writers I enjoy or authors I’ve been meaning to read, and there’s no doubt in my mind that each of these authors has a passion for writing. If they didn’t, how could they turn out one or more books a year? I mean books that are good stories, not just dashed out in a hurry. Decisions, decisions.

Do you have a passion for writing? Is there a story that grabs hold of you and won’t let go? Of course, passionate writers aren’t going anywhere if there aren’t passionate readers to enjoy the stories.

However, remember one thing. You can write a book just for yourself. You don’t have to be a Number One Bestselling author. You can write just because you want to, and for no other reason.

Do you have a burning desire to write? Just do it!

Until next week, well, just have a good week and get plenty of rest.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a trip to Amazon.com

A Well-Kept Family Secret has been re-released and is now on Amazon for $2.99 (ebook) and $9.99 (trade paperback) (Click on the book cover to order.)

Bubba’s Ghost has also been re-released and is now on Amazon for $2.99 (ebook) and $9.99 (trade paperback) (Click on the book cover to order)

I write two series: The  Bogey Man Mysteries (Oak Tree Press) and the Sandi Webster Mysteries (Me). Read on to figure out what I’m talking about.

I came up with the bright idea to re-release the Sandi Webster series on my own. In fact, A Well-Kept Family Secret (ebook) is on Amazon for FREE today. More about that later. (My apologies. There was a glitch and the book won't be free until tomorrow, June 4.)

So I re-edited the book, not too much work. Then I created my own new book cover. Please understand, I’m not a computer whiz. This was a major undertaking. Right off the bat I ran into a rather “interesting” situation. I was looking for images to use for the cover and did a search for a specific type of graphic. Uh, there were several (many, many) pictures of naked people doing all kinds of things that had nothing to do with the images I was looking for. Oops! I tried a different search engine and it was quite a bit better. Talk about embarrassing!

Anyway, the next step was putting all the graphics together, in layers, which turned out to be a huge lesson in photo programs. I used three programs to finally come up with a finished product (after about twenty tries). Now I’m sure there are those of you who are shaking your heads and wondering why it was so difficult for me. Like I said, I’m not a whiz. I learn most things through trial and error. It had its fun moments, though.

I was on a roll and decided to put Bubba’s Ghost up, too. Editing went well, although I added some commands to the manuscript that were unintentional. I found myself sighing and rolling my eyes as often as a couple of my characters do.

On to the Bubba’s Ghost book cover. It was a cinch. It only took about twelve tries to get it right. It’s kind of grey and ghostly looking, don’t you think?

I finally got both books up and they’re ready for purchase in ebook format. What next? Well, of course that would be trade paperback copies of the two books. I’d already put Mysteries of Holt House up, so I knew what I was doing. Right? Uh, no. I thought I knew what I was doing. Where did I go wrong? I made so many calls to CreateSpace for help that they practically knew who I was as soon as they answered the phone. Not really, but it felt that way. By the way, they’re very helpful and extremely patient. I tried to begin each call with something funny to set the tone. It seemed to work. I was extremely frustrated, but it wasn’t their fault. Anyway, A Well-Kept Family Secret should be up in trade paperback format within a day or two. Bubba’s Ghost will have to wait a few extra days.

I have to admit, I have even more respect for publishers now than I had a few days ago. They know their business and if there are any problems getting a book out, we don’t hear about them. Bless their hearts!

Now, about A Well-Kept Family Secret, read on:

P.I. Sandi Webster*s menopausal mother wants her to solve a century-old murder. Her mother*s attitude causes armed and dangerous Sandi to feel like a gibbering child. Oblivious to her effect on her daughter, Livvie entices Sandi*s cooperation with the story of a lost treasure.

In the meantime, a woman needs Sandi and her partner, Pete, to protect her from a stalker.

Can Sandi solve the murder and find the treasure before someone takes her life? Can she and her partner keep their client from harm with her interfering mother adding her two cents?

Sandi has more than a few surprises waiting for her.

So if you have a chance, you can pick up this book for your Kindle today and tomorrow (June 3 and 4), for free. I hope you enjoy the story.

By the way, please don’t comment on the book covers. I’m not fishing for compliments. However, bear in mind they were a labor of love because there’s no other reason on earth I’d go through the experience just for the fun of it. I’m smiling. Can you hear it in my words?

Until next time, have a great week and enjoy the warm weather. Go sit under a shady tree and read a good book.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a trip to Amazon.com

  In Memory and with Heartfelt Thanks to those who've served and who are serving!

~ * ~

I’m excited to welcome Billie Johnson, owner of Oak Tree Press, as my special guest this week. Billie had shown faith in my Bogey Man series, and I’ve seen how much hard work goes into running this publishing company. I appreciate her taking time from her busy schedule to talk to us a little this week about Oak Tree Press and publishing in general. Welcome, Billie.

Marja: Billie, please tell us a little about yourself. What do you think readers and authors might like to know about you, personally?

Billie: Oak Tree matters take up a giant portion of my days, but I do have some pastimes. I love gardening and being outdoors. I am also very interested in historic preservation. Like Auntie Mame, I think life is a banquet and I try to sample as much of it as possible, whether real-time or reading. And, I am devoted to my very spoiled kitty, Miss Frida Kahlo.

Marja: Great answer. I’ve learned that you appreciate animals in books, too. Operating a publishing company is a huge undertaking, and Oak Tree Press has grown to a mid-size publisher, quite an accomplishment. What made you decide to create Oak Tree in the first place?

Billie: I started out as a writer, too! I was trying to sell my first one, or get an agent, and it seemed so impossible that I (somewhat foolishly) thought we needed more opportunities. And I was tired of my ‘day job’ career, and looking for a change. And boy, did I get one!

Marja: I’m so glad you made that decision! What is your long-range goal for Oak Tree? Where do you think the company might be in five years?

Billie: My long range goals for OTP include strengthening our market penetration. I believe our books are outstanding, but it is hard to be small in a crowded marketplace. So, we are constantly looking for ways to expand our reach. I sincerely hope that in five years, we will have accomplished some of that. Another long range goal is to use up that 1000 count log of ISBNs I bought a couple of years ago…

Marja: I’m chuckling as I say I hope we can all help you. Have you found that ebooks have had an effect on traditional publishing? Do you have any thoughts about the future of traditional publishing?

Billie: I am not one of those folks who see the doom of traditional publishing. My attitude runs along the thought that TV did not eliminate radio or movies. It simply added another element. I think eBooks will blend in with the other choices so that readers can suit themselves each time they select a book. Also, I am thrilled at the possibilities eBooks offer in the realm of education, adding more choices, more frequent updates to texts…and all without adding to the weight of that book bag!

Marja: Terrific outlook! What do you look for in the authors who represent Oak Tree Press?

Billie: We are almost as choosy about our authors as we are about their titles. We like authors with a ‘can do’ attitude, like you, Marja! Friendly, outgoing people make our work fun….We want those who are willing to work hard on their stories, then work with us to promote the book. And a sense of humor is nice too!

Marja: Thank you, Billie! In the relatively brief time I’ve been with Oak Tree Press I’ve seen you add new genres to the list of books. Do you plan to add more?

Billie: Yes, we are finishing up our first Young Adult novel…coming in June. We are very excited about this one….stay tuned!

Marja: Great! YA books can be as entertaining as adult books. You’ve very proactive with regard to the books released by Oak Tree and I appreciate that (as I’m sure the other authors do). Do you have any plans for new promotions or marketing?

Billie: Yes, as mentioned above, I want to see us push into more retailers, and we have some ideas about that that Jeana and I are working on. Also more libraries. We are very excited to be participating in the WORDSTOCK event in Portland, OR this year, and we have some plans to maximize that. (Marja: Jeana is Oak Tree’s Public Relations person, and she does a great job.)

Marja: What are some of the things authors can do to create more interest in the Oak Tree books?

Billie: I’m very impressed with the way OTP authors host each other on their blogs, and think such activities are invaluable. Cross promoting on internet communities like GoodReads is also an excellent way to inform your readership of other OTP authors.

Marja: On a more personal level, what’s your favorite genre – if you even have time to read? What type of book do you like to curl up with?

Billie: Mystery novels are my first love…especially ones like Parker’s Spenser series. I also like true crime and the edgier crime fiction novels.

Marja: Love the Spenser series. Do you have any advice for new authors who are looking to break into the world of publishing?

Billie: I am a big proponent of authors who work in the context of a good critique group. By ‘good’ I mean fellow writers who will provide honest feedback without being mean. These are your first readers, and their comments can help you keep your story on track, well-paced and engaging.

Marja: Excellent advice.

Thank you so much for sharing with us, Billie. I believe authors need to know a little about publishing in order to make a go of it – actually, they need to know a lot. To that end, you’ve been a great help. I hope you’ll visit again.

To visit the Oak Tree Press website, go to http://oaktreebooks.com/

To visit the Oak Tree Press blog, go to http://otpblog.blogspot.com/ (Every Friday you can find out what the Oak Tree authors are up to.)

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

Some time back I wrote a blog about the appearance of characters, and I think it bears repeating. I’d watched a vintage movie titled Penguin Pool Murder (1932) and enjoyed it so much I ran out and looked for books by the author of the story, Stuart Palmer – and I learned a valuable lesson.

The movie featured a prim school teacher named Miss Hildegarde Withers. (Prim in appearance, but not so prim in reality.) I knew, obviously, what she looked like in the movie, but seeing her was nothing compared to the author’s description. In Murder on the Blackboard, he said she was in “the neighborhood of forty – the close neighborhood…”, and her face had “most of the characteristics of a well-bred horse.” Awesome description!

In describing another character, he said, “He was a man of medium size, with a thick head of colorless hair and a face that was seamed and wrinkled as a potato left too long in a damp, dark place.”

After reading his books I made up my mind to be a lot more colorful in my own descriptions. I could create a man whose “eyes are draped by dark eyebrows that a lawnmower couldn’t help”.

I did create one character and described her this way. “The door opened and a very short gnome-like woman with a slightly hunched back pulled the door wide, inviting me in. She had scraggly short white hair, huge dark brown eyes, a bulbous nose that was too large for her face, and she looked around eighty. Her ears, slightly protruding, were also a bit big for her face. And she hugged a housecoat around her middle.” (Bogey's Ace in the Hole) Okay, it’s not an award winner as far as descriptions go, but she was fun to write. Her personality fit her appearance.

Sometimes our eyes are opened by reading a wide variety of books. I had an epiphany about writing descriptions when I read Palmer’s books, although I’m afraid my good intentions seem to have fallen by the wayside. I need to rethink some of my character descriptions and go a little wild with them. It’s so easy to forget to write little details that make a character more memorable.

When writing we can be so involved in telling the story that we forget the reader might like to know more than the color of someone’s hair and their height. As authors we have a duty to entertain the reader with a few details that go beyond the story itself.

“His nose resembled a volcano after an eruption” might give the police more to work with when they’re looking for a suspect – especially when you add his huge red ears to the description. Although, if I were a cop I’d be wondering what a volcano nose actually looked like.

Just a few words of caution; don’t get so involved in your descriptions that you bore the reader. Keep it as brief as you can and move on. Make it memorable, not tranquilizing.

Have a good time with descriptions. Make them fun for both yourself and the reader. You might find if you come up with a great description, your ideas about the character can change and take a different direction.

Do you, as a reader, have a description that’s stuck with you? How would you describe yourself? Hmm. I don’t know if I’d want to answer the second question.

Until next week, watch the people around you and try writing a description of them. See how you can exaggerate it and make them stand out in a crowd.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a trip to Amazon.com

A brief moment can change our lives, much as a brief moment can change the lives of characters in books.

You’ve probably heard stories about someone who was caught in a traffic jam and missed a plane, only to find out later the plane crashed. I have a friend whose mother got up during the night to get a drink of water during a heavy wind and rain storm. Her husband got up to see if she was okay. While they were in the kitchen a tree fell, crashing through the roof and landing on their bed.

True stories, and yet if you read them in a book you might think they’re not realistic. Strange things do happen, and they can change our lives. You know the old saying about truth being stranger than fiction.

I remind myself of these things when I’m writing. If I want the characters’ lives to be realistic, then I need to remember that circumstances can change the outcome of a story.

Timing can be everything. What if Jane Doe hadn’t bent over to pick up the olive she dropped on the floor in the kitchen? The killer hiding outside her window would have fired his gun and hit her. However, since she did bend over, the bullet missed her and rammed harmlessly through a wall. What if Jane had been heading for the airport I mentioned above? She could have been on the plane that crashed.

When John Doe climbed into his car he turned the key to start the engine. It wouldn’t catch and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Climbing back out of the car, he lifted the hood and checked the engine, finding an explosive had been planted. How many times have you seen that happen in a movie? One too many, probably.

I dropped my comb one morning while doing my hair and found a favorite earring I’d lost. I never would have found it if I hadn’t dropped my comb. It had landed in an odd spot. Many years ago I had an expensive piece of jewelry sitting on my dresser. It sat there for three weeks. One morning I was about to leave for work when I suddenly decided I should hide it, and I did. That day, while I was at work, someone burglarized my home, but they didn’t find that piece of jewelry. True story.

On her way to town, Minnie decided to take a new route to the store and missed a major accident. She couldn’t tell you why she changed her normal routine.

Yes, Virginia, coincidences do happen, probably more often than we might think. A brief moment can change the course of a person’s life, a thirst might save a life, and dropping an object might lead you to find a lost treasure.

I know someone who was working on their genealogy. She came from a good, fine, upstanding family and was quite surprised to find out her ancestors were thieves and killers. Fortunately, she had a great sense of humor and found the light side of her discoveries.

There are so many things that happen in real life that can be used in stories. It’s all a matter of deciding how to present the incident as fiction. Does life imitate fiction? Or does fiction imitate life?

Sometimes we have to tread lightly. Other times the incidents in a book should be as bold as possible.

How do you decide what to put in a story? As a reader, do you sometimes wonder if there’s any truth to the mystery you’re reading?

I inserted some truth in both Bubba’s Ghost and A Well-Kept Family Secret. I wonder if anyone read either of those books and wondered about truth.

Until next week, I hope a happy coincidence happens to brighten your week.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website  (Book trailers can be seen on The Books Page)

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

I’m probably more passionate about writing and reading than anything else in my life. I wasn’t always that way, so what happened to turn me into a writing nut who can’t shut her mouth?

When I was a mere child, I was extremely shy. Mike and Patty (brother and sister) lived down the street and we became close friends. (If you’re into political correctness, you might want to plug your ears or close your eyes.) We used to play “Army” -- it wasn’t that long after WWII --  and Cowboys and Indians all the time. Mike was the soldier and Patty and I were the nurses. We took turns being cowboys or Indians. Remember, in those days we were watching shows like The Lone Ranger on television.

So when we were in the sixth grade our teacher gave us an assignment; to be creative and write something about the history we were studying. I don’t recall what we were studying at the time, but she also told us to pair up. Because of my shyness, Mike and I became partners for the project. I was used to him and he was used to me.

After some discussion, we decided to turn our paper into a newscast. There were a lot of “Flash – This just ins” used because that’s what we’d seen on TV. The day came to turn the papers in and I had to suck in my breath when the teacher said we had to read them aloud. Mike looked at me and mouthed, “You’re it.” Yeah, like I could read a paper in front of a classroom full of kids.

I picked up the paper and dragged myself, unwillingly, to the front of the classroom. As I started to read, what we’d written struck me funny. I started to giggle. Before long I had tears of laughter running down my face and the class laughed with me. I learned something that day. Humor can make almost anything bearable.

Fast forward to the late 1970s. A friend had moved to Nevada from California and I’d written her letters, telling her what crazy things were going on in my life. I moved to Nevada in the early 80s. One day she asked me if I’d write a book! I couldn’t believe she’d ask such a thing and I wanted to know why she wanted me to do this unexpected task. She said she used to wait for the mailman just in case I’d sent her a letter. She said the letters made her laugh, made her cry, and made her feel emotions she hadn’t expected. I was overwhelmed when I realized she wasn’t joking and she honestly wanted me to write a book.

I thought long and hard. I sat down and wrote the most ridiculous story you can imagine, but at least I wrote an entire book. The fact that it stunk (stank?) made no difference. I realized that maybe, just maybe, I could actually do this.

I wrote two more books and didn’t do anything with them. Then I met my husband of fourteen years who encouraged me to get back to writing, and even read each chapter as I wrote it. He smiled. I was a hit, at least with him – and I self-published those two books. The company made it so easy, but at that time self-pubbing was frowned upon.  So I did it the right way and found Oak Tree Press and Wings ePress, two wonderful publishers who had faith in my writing.

I’ve had several books released now, and my friend receives a copy of each one in the mail. Until she encouraged me, I hadn’t realized that writing was exactly what I wanted to do.

Now, if you value your time, don’t ask me about books or writing. It’s become a passion and once I start talking I just can’t stop. I might even follow you out the door, still talking about writing, marketing, promoting, or anything else having to do with writing.

Whatever happened to that shy little girl? She went to work in law enforcement. I’ll say one thing for cops. They won’t allow shyness in their midst. And I loved them for that. Put me in front of an audience to do a presentation and I’m all over it. Ask me to talk about writing and you’d better step back.

What are you passionate about? How did you get your start? And as a reader, does knowing a little about an author’s past make a difference?

Until next week, think about something you’re passionate about and decide if it might be worth pursuing.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website (Check out the book trailers on the Books page)

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon

I discovered a long time ago that writing can be anything from an escape to therapy, not to mention fulfilling, fun and a challenge. By the same token, reading can fill the same roles.

Are you having problems with a relative? A friend? A neighbor? Maybe someone at work is giving you fits. Let’s say you’re having trouble with a nosy neighbor, Esmeralda, who’s got too much time on her hands. As a writer I can change some of the facts and turn the situation into fiction. In the process, I can come up with a solution.

Since I’m a mystery writer, I might turn that nosiness into something positive, at least with regard to a story. Maybe Esmeralda was watching the other neighbors, too, and she witnessed a crime. The perpetrator knew she saw something and goes after her. The protagonist in my story has to save her, and hopefully in the process, Esmeralda might realize she should mind her own business once in a while.

(By the way, when I first started writing and someone mentioned a protagonist, I had no idea what the word meant. For those who don’t know, that would be the hero or heroine. The opposite of the antagonist, or the bad guy.)

On the other hand, Esmeralda could end up the victim in a story. That’s one way to get rid of her. The protagonist would then have to figure out who killed her and why. Since the nosy neighbor had already shown just how obnoxious she could be, it might give our heroine a clue to the why of the case.

Third scenario? Esmeralda may have seen something unexpected that pushed her over the edge. Or maybe the victim of the snooping did something horrible to get even with her. Esmeralda may now become the neighbor who wants to exact revenge – the birth of a killer.

Any way you look at it, writing the prying neighbor into a story could be therapeutic to the author. Actually, a reader might take something away from the story, too. Maybe the reader is another Esmeralda. She might have second thoughts about watching her neighbors in the future. Maybe the reader is the subject of the neighbor’s scrutiny. After reading the story she might decide it’s just too silly to worry about. Or it might give her the courage she needed to go talk to the neighbor and tell her she likes her privacy. She might even take the book to the neighbor and lend it to her, hoping the neighbor will see herself and stop being meddlesome.

Of course, that’s just one example. The writer may face a dilemma and not know how to deal with it. Put it in a story and resolve it there. Even if writing about it doesn’t give the author a real life solution, it might at least give the situation some perspective.

When readers read, many times it takes them away from life for a while. It gives them a break and maybe an escape, even if just for a short time. Every once in a while a reader might find something close to a situation they’re involved in written about in a story. The reader might slap their forehead and say, “Now, why didn’t I think of handling it that way?” Of course, on the other hand, the reader might be thinking the author lives in a dream world.

Writing can take the author away, too. You tend to forget what’s going on around you. This post is a good example. While writing it I haven’t given a single thought to the dusting that needs to be done, or the dishes that need to be washed, or even the laundry that’s ready to go in the dryer. How’s that for a brief period of escapism?

Yes, overall, writing and reading can be therapeutic. I write with a little humor. When I walk away from the computer to wash those dishes, I’m actually in a pretty good mood because of the material I wrote. If what I write can make a reader smile, or maybe chuckle, then it’s been good for that person, too. Hopefully they’ll set the book down and walk away feeling good.

There are so many more examples of what I’ve written here. If you feel like commenting on what you find therapeutic about writing or reading, I’m listening. Unfortunately, you’ll never know, but maybe I’m the nosy neighbor and I’m just waiting to hear something juicy. Not!

Until next time, have a great week and stay away from the neighbor’s fence unless you’re visiting with them.

Disclaimer: No neighbors were hurt in the writing of this post. I have lovely neighbors who are friendly and who mind their own business.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon

A friend recently sent me an email that cracked me up. It was a sign that said, “Awkward Moment: When you’re digging a hole to bury a body – and you find another body already buried there.” As a mystery writer, how could I let that pass? A germ of an idea took hold and I had the basis for a new book.

Although, this same friend also sent me one that said, “Next time a stranger talks to me when I’m alone I will look at them, shocked, and just whisper, ‘You can see me?’” Good grief! I have to admit there are times I feel like doing this, but I don’t. Funny stuff.

I can’t use every sign for a story idea, but after my smile disappears, my brain kicks into gear and ideas start forming. Sometimes ideas for stories come from the most unusual places. If you’re a mystery writer, even a greeting card can start the ideas coming. A comment made in passing by a friend, or overheard at a coffee shop can inspire an entire book. It doesn’t take much more than a fertile imagination. Well, that and a lot of research and grinding hours at the computer.

One of the things I enjoy about the television show, Castle, is something will happen and he’ll start spinning stories to fit the crime, guessing about what might have happened. Once in a while he might even be right, although he’s usually way off base. This is something many writers do. Given a set of circumstances and without having the entire story, they’ll find a scenario to fit the information they do have.

There’s a character in one of my two series who’s addicted to chocolate. At some point, trust me, she’ll want to be involved in a chocolate mystery. When she was trapped in a ghost town (Old Murders Never Die), she ran out of chocolate and almost had a meltdown. I can relate to that. Hmm. This might involve a trip to a chocolate factory. I wouldn’t want to get my facts wrong, would I? I mean, research is research. This, happily, could be very interesting research involving some taste-testing.

Back to the awkward moment, the Bogey Man is about to have a close encounter of the grave kind – when he least expects it. I’ve already started writing the new book and it’s going quite well.

Someone worried that by writing this post another writer might steal my idea. Let them. There are so many possible scenarios that there’s room for all of us. Someone might write a dramatic and suspenseful story, and someone like me might write something with a little more humor. Another author could even turn it into a horror story. In fact, the idea has probably already been written.

The life of a writer is so much more than I ever thought it would be. It can be a very solitary existence, but there are moments when we come together and share ideas, and… Well, maybe we don’t share ideas, but we do share experiences and stories out of our own lives. Mystery writers are, in general, very generous with their time and support of each other, and I do believe we frequently march to a different drummer. Yes, we even use clichés, like marching to a different drummer. If you prefer, you might say that occasionally we sing a little off key? I do, anyway.

Authors have a lot of fun. Aren’t you glad they share their fun through their books? We’ll do our very best to entertain readers and each other.

So, think before you begin digging a hole in the ground. You never know what you might dig up. Heh heh

Until next time, think about this. Have you ever had an awkward moment that you laugh about to this day? Hopefully, it didn’t involve digging a grave.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website (recently updated)

CLICK HERE for a trip to Amazon.com

Please check out the Sandi Webster Mysteries and the Bogey Man Mysteries. The Sandi Webster series will soon be taking a new direction, so keep watching for details.

Mysteries of Holt House is available as an ebook ($2.99 on Amazon) and in trade paperback ($10.00). It’s quite different from the two series, but still a mystery.

If you ever read comic books as a youngster, or as an adult, you might recall action scenes where there were only sound effects. The Super Hero and the Villain fight and you see POW! ZING! KABAM! Sometimes it looked like the words were exploding, or they may have looked like lightning.

                 POW!    KABAM!    ZAP!    

How should sound effects be handled in book? Let’s say your scene takes place during a thunder and lightning storm. You might say, “Lightning flashed across the sky a split second before a crack and loud boom could be heard.”

On the other hand, you might have a line that says simply: Crack! Boom! Whether you use a sentence or a sound effect is going to depend on how the scene is portrayed.

In Bubba’sGhost the opening line is simply, “Thump.” Some opening line, huh? But it worked and served a purpose. Sandi Webster is sitting at her kitchen table when she hears a thump on the back door – not a knock, but a thump. If she had described where she was and what she heard, it would have taken away from the action and excitement of the moment.

Have you ever heard an old wooden screen door when it opens and closes? If it’s an old door, chances are it’s going to creak when you open it and bang when it closes. Initially, it might be a good idea to describe the sounds the door makes, but if someone is constantly going in and out, you might want to use sound effects after the first description.

~~I listened to the familiar sound of the wooden screen door creaking just before it banged shut.~~

And in a future scene:

~~Opening the door, Chester stomped into the house while I ran outside.

    Creak, bang!

    The screen door announced us trading places.~~

Sometimes less is better, but sometimes more is best. Occasionally both styles work together.

You might want to say, “The wind whistled through the cracks of the old window frame”, or maybe, “The wind chimes played a tune when the wind whipped them into a frenzy.” I don’t think you’d probably want to say, whistle, whistle, or tinkle, tinkle. Right?

Don’t let your sound effects become too repetitive. Describe them, but occasionally let the sound take center stage.

In an action scene, sometimes a sound effect can demonstrate action better than words. I’ve always felt an action scene such as a shootout or a fight should contain shorter, and sometimes, clipped sentences. If you get too wordy, it can easily take away from the action and the moment.

~~Hiding behind the boxes, I could hear the snick and click of the gun when he pulled the slide and jacked a round in, getting ready to shoot me.~~

or

~~I hid behind the boxes. Snick, click. I froze. Was I about to meet my Maker?~~

Sometimes it’s the way you write it:

~~I was taking a shortcut through the alley when I heard the all too familiar sound of a snick and a click. Someone was behind me and they’d pulled the slide and jacked a round into a gun. Life, as I knew it, was about to change. I dove behind a pile of wooden crates, hoping whoever had the gun hadn’t seen me.~~ 

Listen to me. I almost sound like I know what I’m talking about. Well, sometimes I do. However, we each have our own style and we have to go with what works for us. Think about sound effects and how it’s going to impact a scene.

~~Someone has a case of hiccups.  “He hiccupped again. And again. And again.” ~~

Or,

~~Freddie hiccupped, and I shushed him.

    Hic

    “Shhh,” I said.

    Hic

    “You’re going to give us away. Stop it. Cover your mouth or hold your breath,” I whispered.

    Hic

    We were goners. His noisy hiccup was the kiss of death.~~

What works best for you? What’s your favorite sound effect?  Personally, I love a good snort and a hic, or a hic and a snort, depending on your point of view.

Until next week, listen to the sounds around you and think about how you might describe them or portray them. Have a great week!

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website (Recently updated)

CLICK HERE for a trip to Amazon.com

Don’t forget that Mysteries of Holt House is only $2.99 on Amazon. While you’re there, think about checking out the Bogey Man Mysteries and the Sandi Webster Mysteries. Sandi has a great ghost town adventure in Old Murders Never Die