Hallie Ephron at SiWC

Hallie Ephron spoke at the Surrey International Writers' Conference on how to write a great mystery. Hallie has cowritten 5 mystery novels and the psychological suspense, Never Tell a Lie. She is also author of Writing and Selling your Mystery Novel: How to Knock 'em Dead with Style.

Workshop Description:

Tips for Mystery Writers: Things I wish I'd Known. Hallie Ephron shares her epiphanies along the way to producing seven mystery / suspense novels - the mistakes, the trade-offs, the gotchas, and the expectations of the genre's readers.

During her presentation, Hallie gave a hand-out to everyone. These are my notes from the margins, not a re-typing of her handout (PIRATE VOICE: Aaaarrr. Because that be stealing, matey). Anywho:

• The sleuth should not be solving a crime because it is their job. Often, the sleuth is an amateur, not a professional. It has to be personal. Otherwise, they would leave it to the professionals.

• Story ideas - Suppose ___ happened ... and what if ... and what if ...

• People are interested in characters who are not perfect. They need to be put in a position to prove themselves. Ex. If they have a problem with drinking ... send them right into a bar.

• Mysteries are filled with secrets. Some characters have a secret that makes them guilty / innocent. Everyone lies. It is not always deliberate. Sometimes they don't know.

• Real people and events. Be careful about libeling someone. Do not defame or illustrate someone with malice. Disguise can be defamable. Truth is the defense for libel.

• The villain doesn't think they are evil. They could think they are righting a wrong, protecting a loved one / their reputation. They think they are doing the right thing.

• Sidekicks act as a foil. They ask the dumb questions, make wrong observations.

• Adversaries are good-guys who present obstacles to the sleuth.

• Stories set in the present may make a story seem dated.

• Pain makes the main character look heroic. Drama is directly proportional to the pain of the sleuth. Throw problems at them from the beginning. They come, get solved. More intense problems, get solved. If you plan to break their leg, wait until the end.

• A scene has to have a payoff. Something that moves the story forward. A secret is revealed or there is a change in emotion, situation, etc ... If the scene doesn't have a payoff, get rid of it.

• When using multiple view points, there should only be one narrator / scene. If there are two people in the scene, have the person who is least comfortable narrate.

• Withholding information from the reader doesn't create suspense. It makes the author's presence obvious.

• Be certain of what happens during a specific action. Ex. If you accelerate a car, you move back in the seat.

• Let the reader learn the back story through the character's actions.

• At the beginning (aka page 1), something should happen to throw the character off-balance.

• The end - mop up unresolved bits, rehash, etc... In a series, something is left unresolved (maybe the love interest).

You may find out more about Hallie and her books on her website.

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Diana Gabaldon at SiWC

Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series, the Lord John Grey series and numerous other novels, anthologies, non-fiction and other bits of writing presented on how to include research in writing at the SiWC.

Workshop Description:

I've Done My Research and Now You are Going to Pay. Join bestselling author Diana Gabaldon for a discussion on how best to do research and how not to dump it all over your story.

Here are my miscellaneous university student notes. She gave much more interesting information than this that I never wrote down, having heard similar tips on her podcasts, etc. I would highly recommend giving them a listen.

Historical fiction

• Details must have an emotional stake. You can include any interesting bit of information, as long as it moves the story forward. Don't just dump it in.

• Write not only for accuracy, but historical plausibility.

• Children's books are fact-checked much more thoroughly than books for adults - you can use them as a reference at times.

• Painters from the period can give you an idea of what people looked like.

• Visit museums.

• Diana has written with a goose quill pen / dip pen. Doing things like this can help you to "live" through a scene. Some artifacts will have a certain vibration when you pick them up - give you an idea what it would be like to hold it, use it.

• Diana collects old Southebys catalogues.

Period expressions will add to a story.

Recommended readings:

A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English

-Eric Partridge

The Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue*

*This book gives examples of low slang expressions.

-Captain Francis Grose

Good Dialogue

• Consider details important to the character. The way they speak is most important to the character.

• Different people use language differently.

• Use short sentences.

• An old lady and a 12-year old shouldn't speak the same.

Background

• Info dumps vs atmosphere.

• It needs to be focused on (filtered through) the character.

• Experience as the character.

• Something should happen (you want to use action).

• When using description, have at least one sense of action per paragraph.

Randoms

• Trews, waistcoats (pronounced westkits).

• Regional tartan sets - 1 weaver / area (usually men). Waulking = to felt wool. Women used to sing waulking songs to pass the time.

You can find out more about Diana Gabaldon at her website, or on her blog. You can find links to her podcast series on her website, as well as on you can find on iTunes.

What Would Sookie Stackhouse Do?

Sookie Stackhouse is a fictional character in the Sookie Stackhouse series of books created by the marvelous Charlaine Harris, one of which is entitled, Living Dead in Dallas. She runs into trouble, including: vampires, werewolves, shifters, fairies, etc... and still manages to come out on top (or at least alive).

Since my adventures always seem to carry a bit of a disastrous undertone, it is good to have a game plan. Normally, this involves searching online resources regarding the location, buying guide books, talking with friends and family who have visited the location. This adventure, however, was more of the "winging it" variety.

This adventure's game plan went a little different. Long before this trip began, I had already decided to ask myself this question if I ran into trouble in Dallas.

What Would Sookie Stackhouse Do?

As with College Station, we underestimated the size of the city vs the availability of walkable ground.

After arriving at our hotel via paid shuttle, we wandered over to Denny's for supper (I can see the sign through the partially opened crack between the curtains as I sit on my bed).

Feeling overwhelmed by the size of the city, but deciding not to let it get the best of us, we went for a bit of a wander... and DISCOVERED A MEDIEVAL CASTLE!!!! Walking close, we could hear voices. Theatrical, medieval-sounding voices.

Walking closer (and on the grass), we discovered a little fenced area surrounded by vine-covered walls. With a bit of a jump, we could see the horses within the walls. We could also see the gentleman practicing his lines. Yep, the whites of his eyes.

Moving on, we sighted an open side door - revealing a room of long-haired men lifting weights and doing push-ups with their shirts off. "By the Power of Grayskull!" - type men.

Fanning ourselves, we decided it might be a wise choice to visit Medieval Times for supper tomorrow night and continued our walk. We were following another person carrying two grocery bags and something about the situation made me think, If this local feels safe walking over that bridge carrying their groceries, I should feel safe walking behind them.

The person then leaned over the side of the bridge and lifted the bags down. They straightened and the bags were gone. We promptly turned around and walked back to our hotel, googled bus routes to the Dallas World Aquarium and the Bodies Exhibition and prepared for bed.

What would Sookie Stackhouse have done? Probably something else, but I don't have swarms of sexy vampires and shifters to come save the day if I end up in over my head.

Today's question: Has anyone ever been to a Medieval Times performance?

Texas-Sized Adventure

How are y'all doing? I've been in College Station, Texas this last week and I felt the need to bust in on the blog posts I had scheduled to share some of the things I have learned about the city:

• People who wear burnt orange are referred to as, "Tree huggin' hippies." Guess what color my jacket is? Guess who couldn't resist hanging off a tree branch to have her photo taken?

• Don't walk on the grass. Ever. We've been walking around a lot here. Some places don't have any sidewalk so we have to either walk on the road or the grass. People drive on the road. We've been honked at least four times, once when we were walking in a parking lot.

• The university here is Texas A&M. Their school colors are burgundy and white. Almost everyone wears some little bit of Texas A&M clothing. I am pretty sure the ones who appear not to are wearing Texas A&M socks or underwear. Or have it tattooed somewhere on their body.

• The university used to be an all-male military school. They have still retained a cadet corps.

• A dog, Reveille, is the Commander-in-Chief of said corps.

• Everyone is friendly here (and not in a fake way, they are actually friendly). It was raining and we were walking. A stranger offered us a ride (a non-creepy ride). We, of course are shifty out-of-towners and declined.

• For fun, they refer to the University of Texas (UT) as t.u. Guess what their school colors are? If you guessed burnt orange, you would be right.

• BTHO means Beat the Hell Outta', as in BTHO t.u.

• The population of College station is around 50 000 people. Their football stadium can hold over 82 000.

• Geckoes live here, or at least one does. I saw it.

• BBQ is unbelievable here!

• Visiting the George Bush museum is like visiting another planet. One with security guards and metal detectors. Go see it if you get the chance.

• It is a two hour walk from our hotel to the George Bush museum.

• The university owns the airport.

• People say, "Howdy," here. Say it back. You'll feel like a big jerk if you don't. At least I do every time I hesitate on the reply.

• Its raining.

Okay, back to real life. I'll talk with y'all again soon.

Eileen Cook and Annette Pollert at SiWC

Eileen Cook, author, and Annette Pollert, editor, had a frank discussion between themselves and with the audience members in October at the SiWC about what the author-agent-editor relationship is like and how an author can participate in the marketing of their book.

Workshop Description:

Triple Threat - The Art of Working Collaboratively from Idea to Book Shelf. See how this writer (Eileen Cook), agent (Rachel Vater) and editor (Annette Pollert) have forged a strong collaborative working environment. Learn how a book can move from idea to bookshelf, how each defines and fulfils their role and what makes for a good working relationship.

*Note: Rachel Vater was sick and unable to attend the conference.

Here are some of the things I managed to jot down:

Writing is solo.

Publishing is colaborative.

Finish writing your book, THEN look for an agent.

• Having an agent, you will be able to target one of the larger publishing houses.
• Target a new agent at an established agency. Eileen had a few agents in mind when she was writing her book, sent query letters to them once she had finished.
• Subscribe to Writer's Digest.

Publishing has three seasons: spring, summer and fall.

January is a spring title.

Pulse, Eileen's publishing company asked her what she wanted to be on the cover. They were very good about involving her in the process.

Some of Eileen's book marketing strategies (after a book is published):

• Email book review websites offering to do interviews
• Print out postcards for her book and gives them out. At the book store, put these postcards in the covers of other books.
• She mentions it doesn't hurt to have a quote from another author on the book cover (hers is from Meg Cabot).
• Make up teaching guides or a list of questions to be asked at a reading group. Eileen offers a teaching guide for one of her books, What Would Emma do? under the resources button on her website.
• When visiting another city, contact one or two book stores in the area and offer to do a book signing. Eileen did her own book tour (she said it works better if people know about you).
• Friends can request their libraries order in books.
• Visit local book stores. If the people working there know you, they might recommend you. You can also offer to sign the copies they have.
• With the use of internet and radio, there are a lot of possibilities to reach out to people
• The education and library marketing department of the publishing company will submit books for prizes in contests, etc...

Eileen Cook has written the books Unpredictable, What Would Emma do?, and Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood. You may find out more about her (and read her awesome blog) on her website.

Annette Pollert is an editor at Simon Pulse.

Richelle Mead at SiWC

Richelle Mead gave a very enlightening presentation at the Surrey International Writers' Conference in October, 2009. I found her to be as excellent a speaker as she is a writer and very open about the profession.

Here are the notes I scribbled down during her talk, for the most part resembling their point form counterparts in my notebook. This definitely does not encompass all of her presentation and I would definitely recommend anyone going to see her present if she returns to SiWC or any other writing conference.

Workshop Description:

The Undead Can be Sexy Too! Author Richelle Mead discusses the genres of Urban Fantasy and paranormal romance - the similarities, differences and overlaps, the trends in publishing and how to do your research.

Urban Fantasy (UF) - "Real world" with fantastic elements

Paranormal Romance (PR) - Similar to UF, but the primary plot is the difference

UF - May not end with a happy ending

PR - Will end with a happy ending

UF can be known to have darker elements whereas PR can be expected to have more light / funny elements, although these are extreme ends of the spectrum and many books are somewhere in between (she drew a diagram, which I copied, but don't know how to duplicate via typing).

Romance readers are the biggest piece of the fiction market. They give the writer a marketing edge, as romance readers are most likely to cross-read between genres. Often, UF crosses genres and can be shelved in a number of places in a book store. YA is generally shelved in YA, but can have PR or UF elements.

Examples of authors and the genres they write in:

• Charlaine Harris PR/UF
• Jim Butcher UF
• Jim Harrison UF
• Kelley Armstrong UF
• Patricia Briggs UF
• Laurell Hamilton UF
• Mary Janice Davidson UF
• Sherrilyn Kenyon PR
• Karen Marie Moning PR/UF
• Stephenie Meyer YA
• Cassandra Clare YA
• PC Cast YA/PR/UF
• Holly Black YA
• LJ Smith YA

Different beings / creatures that are used:

• Vampires
• Shape-shifters
• Fairies / faeries ...
• Witches
• Demons / angels
• Werewolves
• Mages / wizards
• Zombies - Mark Henry, Carrie Ryan
• Myth (gods, unicorns) - Neil Gamon, Diana Peterfreund
• Ghost, mystery - Kat Richardson

The biggest part of writing in either of these genres, no matter what is KNOW YOUR RULES! (because your readers will know them and they will point it out to you when you slip up)

Richelle discussed agents in the genre and recommended Preditors and Editors as a good place to go for information on agents and agencies.

You may learn more about Richelle on her website or her blog.

Did anyone else see her present at SiWC? Do you have anything to add that I missed?