Michigan Murder and Mayhem

O/T: Only FIVE Weeks Until Book 'Em North Carolina!

2012-01-23T09:12:00.001-08:00

Less Than Five Weeks to

Book 'Em North Carolina!

Please Join Us for

The First Annual Book 'Em North Carolina Event!

Please make plans now to join me, more than 75 authors and more than half a dozen publishers at the First Annual Book 'Em North Carolina event! We are asking all authors and publishers to forward this email to their fans and followers and asking everyone to help us spread the word by forwarding this email to your friends, family, fans, and customers!

Where & When

Robeson Community College

A.D. Lewis Auditorium (Building 15)

5160 Fayetteville Road
Lumberton, North Carolina 28358

February 25, 2012

9:30 AM - 4:00 PM

It's FREE and open to the public!

OUR STATE Magazine lists it as one of the top five things every North Carolinian needs to do in February!

Meet New York Times best-selling authors Carla Neggers and Michael Palmer, more than 30 award-winning authors, more than 75 authors of various genres, and more than 6 publishers for an innovative Writers Conference & Book Fair to raise money for literacy campaigns!

Carla Neggers is the internationally acclaimed author of 22 New York Times best-selling novels. To date, she has more than 60 novels published, with translations in 24 languages. She is known the world over for her richly textured, deeply atmospheric stories of romantic suspense her readers have come to love. A sense of adventure and a strong sense of place are hallmarks of Carla's novels, along with edge-of-your-seat suspense, complex plotting, multi-faceted characters and romantic tension.

Michael Palmer, M.D., is the internationally acclaimed author of 17 medical thrillers, all of which have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. His books have been translated into more than 40 languages around the world. He trained in internal medicine at Boston City and Massachusetts General Hospitals, spent twenty years as a full-time practitioner of internal and emergency medicine, and is now an associate director of the Massachusetts Medical Society's physician health program.

Children's Authors

Historical

Inspirational

Mysteries

Non-Fiction

Paranormal

Romance

Suspense

And more!

Visit The Children's Corner for readings, activities and special events all day!

Sit in on panel discussions with publishers and published authors - four every hour in Buildings 14 & 15 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm! See our entire Talks Schedule online! Or pick up a copy of Lumberton Magazine for an exclusive interview with Carla Neggers and Michael Palmer and the complete Talks Schedule!

Visit our website to view a full list of authors and publishers participating - they're coming from all over the country!

All book sales benefit literacy campaigns!

Book 'Em North Carolina

Is Sponsored By:

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Lumberton Visitors Bureau

The Village Station Restaurant

Southeastern Regional Medical Center

Friends of the Robeson County Public Library

Kiwanis Club of Lumberton

Rotary Club of Lumberton

Jeff & Ginny Hardin

Fairmont Golf Club

LPL Financial

Senator & Mrs. Michael Walters

BB&T

Lumberton Optometric Associates

Robeson County Partnership for Children

Robeson Community College Foundation

Dr. & Mrs. Chris Walters

Fairmont Chamber of Commerce

Leroy Rising with Century 21 Realtors

Law Offices of Bruce F. Jobe, P.A.

Girlfriends Book Club

Hosted By:

A.D.Lewis Auditorium

Robeson Community College

City of Lumberton

Robeson County Arts Council

Communities In Schools

Hotel Sponsors:

Comfort Inn

Country Inn & Suites

Best Western (allows pets)

Fairmont Inn

Media Sponsors:

Lumberton Magazine

Robeson Living Magazine

p.m.terrell (website)

With Grants From:

Lumberton Visitors Bureau

Kiwanis Club of Lumberton

Book 'Em North Carolina

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.bookemnc.org!

Essence of Motown Literary Jam & Conference 2011 #motownlit Itinerary | Still Time To Register #111111 | Plz Share!

2011-11-10T00:32:00.001-08:00

Please share with readers and writers!!

Unless indicated events are free to public. $20 Passion Fruit Festival (Friday) $40 Workshop (Saturday) Registration for events will be available at the door. No Vendor Space will be available at the door.

Readers are encouraged to bring books (new or gently used) for donations to our Motown Literacy Project to increase literacy in Metro Detroit! Giveaways (including 2 Amazon Kindles and more) will take place all weekend for readers and authors.

Meet readers, authors, literary organizations, community leaders and more as we increase literacy & strengthen the literary network in Metro Detroit!

Register Now

MotownLiteraryJam.com | 313.289.8614

The Essence of Motown Literary Jam & Conference

November 11^th – 12^th, 2011

Virgil Carr Cultural Center | 311 E Grand River, Detroit, Michigan 48226

www.MotownLiteraryJam.com

* most events are FREE to public

To celebrate the written word in Metro Detroit with every reader and writer around!

Friday: Open Mic Poetry, Networking, Meet & Greet and Passion Fruit Expression*

6pm Free Networking, Meet & Greet and Poetry Event

Open Mic (limited spaces)
Featuring Inside/Out Young Poets
Meet & Greet
Networking and chances to win an Amazon Kindle

7:00 Passion Fruit Festival 7.0 $20.00

Meet readers, authors, literary organizations, community leaders and more as we increase literacy & strengthen the literary network in Metro Detroit!

Register Now

MotownLiteraryJam.com | 313.289.8614

Essence of Motown Literary Jam & Conference Saturday (11/12/11) Itinerary

Write-In Space, Charging Location, Bloggers, Media, Librarians, Literary Reps, Literary Services and more will be present. Book Drop off for Book Drive will be available. Registrations for events can take place at the door.

Workshops $40. All other events are FREE TO THE PUBLIC.

9:00 am

Writing Your Stories - Vincent Alexandria - Whether fiction or non-fiction understand the basics of storytelling on paper. Includes basics of screenwriting and other projects writers must learn in order to bring their story to life. (Workshop A)

Motivating Yourself To Market Your Book - Monica Marie Jones featuring Andrea Daniel – From the point you turn your book over to the printer until it's released to the public, learn how to "Just Do It!" Get Up, Get Out & Get It Done! (Workshop B)

10:00am

Why Write Romance? How To Break Into Traditional Publishing Market - Karen White Owens - Getting published by a traditional publishing house can be one of the greatest challenges an author will face. Editors reject thousands of manuscripts each year. Join Karen White-Owens as she discusses how you can use the romance genre to break into the market while honing your skills. (Workshop D)

Independent Publishing Made Easy - Sylvia Hubbard – Learn the ins and outs of independent publishing from A to Z and what it takes to run your own publishing business.(Workshop E)

11:00am

Social Media Made Easy for Authors - Versandra Kennebrew - Learn Web 2.0 tricks, social media benefits and discover the basics of branding yourself in your niche. (Workshop C)

Poetry Panel Discussion moderated by Victor Walker w/T. Miller, Chantay "Legacy" Leonard & Deonte Osayande. Topic: From Page To Stage: What Works for Poets.(Workshop F)

11:30am

Literary Marketplace open FREE to the Public. Ford Gallery.

Break for Lunch at Noon

o Keynote: Vincent Alexandria Topic: Writer's Dream

o Special Guest : Darralyn Hutson of Chapter3.tv

1:30pm

Literacy Panel Discussion moderated by Ramona Prater featuring an all-male panel of community leaders, Eddie Connor, Calvin Colbert, Vincent Alexandria, Dr. Reginald Eadie, Luther Keith, Kenneth Harris, Khary Kimani Turner and Yusef Shakur. Remarks byCongressman Hansen Clarke.

3:00pm

Special 2011 book release party featuring Monica Marie Jones, Versandra Kennebrew & other local authors; plus giveaways, recognitions & awards.

Meet readers, authors, literary organizations, community leaders and more as we increase literacy & strengthen the literary network in Metro Detroit!

Register Now

MotownLiteraryJam.com | 313.289.8614

REGISTER

[Wordplay] Consider This Before Killing a Character

2011-11-01T09:55:00.001-07:00

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In This Issue

Another First Draft in the Rearview Mirror

Quotes of the Month

Featured Resource: Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success

Helpful Links & Resources

Creativity Exercise

Your Questions Answered

Something to Ponder...

November Article Roundup

Consider This Before Killing a Character

______________

Quotes of the Month

"Let's get one thing clear right now, shall we? There is no Idea Dump, no Story Central, no Island of the Buried Bestsellers; good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky: two previously unrelated ideas come together and make something new under the sun. Your job isn't to find these ideas but to recognize them when they show up."

—Stephen King

"Words are the most powerful drug used by mankind."

—Rudyard Kipling

"I don't know much about creative writing programs. But they're not telling the truth if they don't teach, one, that writing is hard work, and, two, that you have to give up a great deal of life, your personal life, to be a writer."

—Doris Lessing

______________

Helpful Links and Resources

Make Your Keyboard Sound Like a Typewriter: A fun little trick for added writing inspiration—or distraction.

Better Book Titles—Find out what your favorite book really should have been named

Three Keys to Following Your Heart's Desire—Lisa Jordan on the three ingredients to a successful writing life.

______________

Creativity Exercise

If your story were a movie, who would you cast as each of the characters?

______________

Something to Ponder

Do you think there's benefit in a novelist writing short stories—and vice versa?

______________

November Article Roundup

Most Common Mistakes Series: The Dangers of Character Overload

Don't Confuse Readers With Inconsistent Character Names

Reading With Attention

Can You Edit Too Much?

5 Fun and Easy Ways to Lengthen Word Count

Are All the Pieces in Place for Your Climax?

5 Elements of a Resonant Closing Line

Be Smarter Than Your Readers

10 Fear Busters for Writers

Another First Draft in the Rearview Mirror

October was another yet another eventful month—with most of those events continuing to center around Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success. As I write this, a month after the book's launch, Outlining is #3 in Amazon's Writing Skills section in the Kindle store. I've been thrilled to receive so many messages and reviews, letting me know the book is doing its job by helping Wordplayers write more effectively and have more fun doing it. (If you're interested in purchasing a copy, you can find links in the "Featured Resource" section below.)

In other news, as you may recall, my historical work-in-progress The Deepest Breath has been a roller-coaster —as all my books inevitably are in their own way. Deepest's ups and downs mostly consisted of me believing the book was finished two or three times, only to read the "finished" draft and realize something significant needed to be tweaked. So you've heard me say before that it's officially finished. But this time it's for real. I completed my final read-through of the first draft and slapped the seal of approval on it. I'm much happier with the cohesion and resonance of this longer version, and I'm also (finally) happy with the final few chapters, which have been giving me fits all month. This moment of completing a first draft is always a moment of mixed emotions. On the one hand, I'm thrilled to be done with the thing and able to move on to the next project. But, on the other, I'm sad to be saying the first big goodbye to the characters who have lived with me and in me for the past two years.

With Deepest's first draft in my rearview mirror, I now get to turn my attention back to what should be the last big edit of my fantasy Dreamlander before its publication late next year. In my experience revisions are only a chore when you're burned out on the project or when you can't see your way to improving it. Fortunately, Dreamlander suffers under neither of those. I'm psyched about the changes I get to make, since I can see clearly that the story will be all the better for them, and I'm excited to return to an old story with a fresh perspective. It's crazy, but every time I finish a book's first draft (in this case, Deepest), like magic, I'm always able to view the previous book with new eyes. So I'm diving headfirst into revisions and having a ball. Other than that, I've also started Dreamlander's big revision. I'm loving revisiting these old characters and getting the unexpected opportunity to learn even more about them. Plus, it's nice to have another writing project to move right into after finishing Deepest. Usually, about now, after finishing a lengthy project, I'm feeling a little bereft and aimless as I catch my breath for the next book. So I'm enjoying this little respite before deciding what new project to begin upon later next year.

Happy writing!

Featured Resource: Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success

Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer's arsenal. Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success will:

Help you choose the right type of outline for you

Guide you in brainstorming plot ideas

Aid you in discovering your characters

Show you how to structure your scenes

Explain how to format your finished outline

Instruct you in how to use your outline

Reveal the benefits:

Ensures cohesion and balance
Prevents dead-end ideas
Provides foreshadowing
Offers assurance and motivation

Dispel misconceptions:

Requires formal formatting
Limits creativity
Robs the joy of discovery
Takes too much time

Even if you're certain outlining isn't for you, the book offers all kinds of important tips on plot, structure, and character. Includes exclusive interviews with Larry Brooks, Elizabeth Spann Craig, Lisa Grace, Dan L. Hays, Jody Hedlund, Carolyn Kaufman, Becky Levine, Roz Morris, John Robinson, and Aggie Villanueva, answering important questions:

Can you describe your outlining process?
What is the greatest benefit of outlining?
What is the biggest potential pitfall of outlining?
Do you recommend "pantsing" for certain situations and outlining for others?
What's the most important contributing factor to a successful outline?

Click for more information!

Your Questions Answered

Q: I try and write regularly, but my family doesn't take my writing seriously. If I'm writing, they think I'm just "mucking around" and I get very angry about it. Here I am, slaving away, and they don't even consider me to be working. I suppose that they don't know how hard it truly is, though; none of them are writers.—Breanna Wignall

A: Most, if not all authors, have to face a lack of understanding from non-writers. Even family and friends who are supportive of your writing don't always understand a writer's unique needs for time and space. We just have to consistently, firmly, and kindly keep setting the boundaries, and eventually, people will begin to understand. Convincing others to take our writing time seriously begins with us taking it seriously. If we don't make our writing time a priority, it's a sure bet no one else will.

Contact Me

Have a writing question you'd like answered? I respond to all emails and will publish one question a month in this e-letter.

Email Me

Consider This Before Killing a Character

I have a little game I play when reading a book or watching a movie, especially a violent one. I try to predict which characters are going to die. More often than not, I'm right smack on the money, and it isn't because I'm prescient or because I cheated and peeked ahead. It's because character deaths are often all too formulaic. Half the time, it seems like authors ax characters for no other reason than that the characters are likable and the authors want to wring a few honest tears from their readers. But this isn't really honest storytelling so much as manipulative storytelling. And aside from the fact that readers may be righteously indignant over the unnecessary death of a favorite character, they'll also resent being manipulated should they figure out that's what's going on.

Of course, we could argue that all of storytelling is manipulation, to some extent, since the author is purposefully crafting words and themes to guide the reader's thoughts and emotions in the direction he wants them to take. Readers accept and even embrace this. What they ask in return is that we manipulate them with style—and subtlety. And what that means is that character deaths, like every other part of your story, must be organic. They must make sense within the context of the story, and they must move the plot forward.

Snuffing everybody's favorite sidekick just because somebody's gotta get hit by a random bullet and because he's the character readers are most likely to sniffle over is a bad methodology. For a character's death to work in a story—for it to resonate with readers—it has to mean something. Unless your whole point is to illustrate random violence, make certain there's a good reason this particular character has to die. You have to compensate readers for the loss of a beloved personality. Not only will this make it more difficult for readers to suspect the death beforehand, it will also allow the death to carry more emotional and thematic weight.

Behold the Dawn

For sixteen years, Marcus Annan has remained unbeaten on the field of battle, but standing before him now is the greatest enemy he has ever faced… His past.

A Man Called Outlaw

Faced with vicious land wars, ranch foreman Shane Lassiter must choose between the cattleman he reveres as a father and the truth about a dead man everyone called an outlaw.

Contest $50 prize

2011-11-01T05:02:00.000-07:00

Hi Gang
My name is Dennis Collins and I'm the author of three Detroit/Michigan mystery novels.
I'm running a contest to see who is sharp enough to find a certain mistake in my novel Turn Left at September. I'll call it incorrect information. It’s something that's common knowledge but the context is subtle. I think that just about everyone knows the answer but… can you find it? But the prize is not subtle, it's fifty USD.
Turn Left at September is available wherever books are sold or in Kindle or Nook format for only $2.99.
Full details are on my blog at http://theunrealmccoy.blogspot.com

Dennis Collins
The Unreal McCoy
Turn Left at September
The first Domino

Join Us For Another Murder Mystery Theatre! (CC @janayablack)

2011-10-19T10:59:00.001-07:00

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Join Us
for a very special event!

Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center
311 E. Grand River Ave
Detroit, Michigan 48226

Upcoming Events

Murder Mystery Theatre

Assemble your team and dust off those detective hats, a new Murder Mystery Theatre will be held on Oct. 28, 2011 at the Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center, located at 311 E. Grand River in Detroit!

Tickets are $25 and are now available and must be purchased in advance to participate. Teams will fill up fast so don't delay! A portion of proceeds will be donated to the Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center.

For more information visit

www.black-smithenterprises.com

or call 734-634-3151.

Click the link to purchase tickets:
http://tinyurl.com/3p88vby

Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center
311 E. Grand River
Detroit, Michigan 48226
October 28, 2011
6:00PM-10:00PM

New Meetup: Murder Mystery Theater from SWAP October 28th

2011-10-14T14:11:00.001-07:00

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Announcing a new Meetup!

Just Us Sisters Together ( JUST )

Murder Mystery Theater

Added by Norma

When:

Where:

RSVP:

Friday, October 28, 2011
6:00 PM

Virgil H.Carr Cultural Arts Center
311 E. Grand River
Detroit, MI 48226

Yes

Assemble your team and dust off those detective hats, a new Murder Mystery Theatre will be held on Oct. 28, 2011 at the Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center, located at 311 E. Grand River in Detroit!

Tickets are $25 and are now available and must...

Learn more

More Meetups from this group

Oct

5:00 PM

Bowling

Clover Lanes

28900 Schoolcraft Road, Livonia, MI 48150

RSVP →

Nov

4:45 PM

November Birthday Dinner

Southern Fires

575 Bellevue, Detroit, MI 48207

We will be celebrating Eunice's birthday by paying for her dinner. www.southernfirerestuarant.com

RSVP →

Nov

6:00 AM

DAWN SEEKERS EVENT

No location yet

Triumph Women's Ministry Presents DAWN SEEKERS EVENT This is a quarterly women's event designed to uplift, strengthen and encourage the women of our church and in our community. This is a wonderful event that you will find motivating. "I love the...… MORE

RSVP →

More Meetups:

7 upcoming Meetups

Sponsors & Perks:

NCM Enterprises · NCM Enterprises ·

How To Write Fight Scenes With Alan Baxter from @thecreativepenn

2011-09-30T05:43:00.000-07:00

http://www.TheCreativePenn.com/fight/
Alan Baxter is a speculative fiction/ thriller writer who also has 25 years experience of martial arts as an instructor. He shares his tips on how to write great fight scenes including how the differences in training can affect a fight, gender differences, use of setting and much more. Alan is also the author of Write The Fight Right which you can buy online.

Category:

Education

Understand Your Book's Audience and Significance Before You Write

2011-09-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

By Lisa Shultz

For a book to be successful in sales, it is important to understand your target audience and what ultimate significance you are hoping to provide.

Let's begin with understanding your audience. Knowing your target readership will also help you with your marketing efforts later.

Answer the following questions to create an audience profile for your book:

Are your readers men, women or both?

How old are your readers?

How will they find out about your book and where will they buy it?

Will they prefer a paper version or an electronic version?

What price will they be willing to pay?

Are your readers internet savvy and likely to visit your website or will your book be a bookstore book or
other venue?

Is your audience business people or recreational readers and how will you reach them?

Does your target market attend events where you could establish a presence such as trade shows, conventions, festivals, expos, or niche stores?

Once you have gained perspective and understanding on who you are writing your book for, make sure your writing appeals to that audience.

After clarifying your readership, test the significance of the information you are writing. Is it useful? Does it solve a problem, alleviate a pain or answer a question? Will it have a positive effect on the lives of the readers?

If your book is fiction, does it keep the attention of the reader, provide insight, humor, or an escape?

How do you want your reader to feel while reading it, and how do you want them to feel when they read the final word?

Many books do not succeed in the way the author would have hoped. If the actual writing is sound with good editing and presentation, then it may be that time spent in refining its message to a specific group of people would give it a higher performance of sales. Having a niche and promoting to that niche is vital in the sales success of your book.

Having pride in your book and thinking that everyone will buy it and love it is not realistic. The more clarity you can gain with a narrow niche and then both write and market to that niche, the more successful your book will become.

Spend time in contemplation of the meaning of your book and what legacy it will leave to the world. Know your readership and write for them. Avoid over analysis that stalls your progress, but do write with purpose, clarity and a specific niche in mind.

And if you would like to know more about self-publishing process, visit http://www.selfpublishingexperts.com Get free instant access to tips, a free book visualization and more. You'll find that the writing process can be simplified and even easy with guidelines and sequential steps to follow. Lisa Shultz is a self-publishing specialist and loves to help others bring their books to life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Shultz

Do You Have a Book In You-A Story to Tell? #literaryservice @enjoywrites

2011-07-25T09:54:00.001-07:00

click thru for details

Literary Consulting/Concierge

I receive anywhere from 3-5 emails or Facebook messages per day with people asking me information about where to start with writing a book, book publishing or if I'll read their work and provide them feedback. With such a great need and demand out there, this has inspired me to bring back my services of Literary Consulting.

I am Joylynn M. Jossel writing under the name BLESSEDselling author, E. N. Joy. I am the writer behind the five book series, "New Day Divas," coined the "Soap Opera in Print." Formerly writing secular works under the names Joylynn M. Jossel and JOY, I am an award winning author that has been sharing my literary expertise on conference panels in my home town of Columbus, Ohio as well as cities across the country.

I started off self-publishing my own works in 1998 until I landed a book deal with a major publishing house. In 2000 I incorporated my own publishing company, End of the Rainbow Projects. Under my company I have not only self-published some of my own works, but I have also published New York Times Bestselling Authors and National Bestselling Authors in the "Sinners Series."

In 2004, I branched off into the business of literary consulting where I provided one-on-one consultations and literary services such as ghost writing, editing, professional read-thrus, write behinds, etc… My clients consisted of first time authors, Essence Magazine bestselling authors, New York Times bestselling authors, and entertainers.

Two of my secular titles, If I Ruled the World and Dollar Bill, made the Essence Magazine bestsellers list. Dollar Bill appeared in Newsweek and has also been translated to Japanese. An All Night Man, penned with New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Jackson, earned the Borders bestselling African American romance award.

In addition to writing Christian fiction, I write children's books under the name N. Joy. My children's book, The Secret Olivia Told Me, received the American Library Association Coretta Scott King Honor. Book club rights were acquired by Scholastic Books and the book is on tour at Scholastic Book Fairs in schools across the country. The title has sold almost 100,000 copies and elementary and middle school children have fallen in love with reading and creative writing as a result of the readings and workshops I perform in schools nationwide.

Now, in 2011, I am upgrading two of my services; Literary Consulting and Professional Read-Thrus. My literary consulting service is now Literary Concierge. I take over 13 years of my wisdom, knowledge, expertise, research, hard work and experience in the literary industry and I assist aspiring authors or authors who just don't know what to do next to reach their dreams of becoming published. I provide the steps, tips and personal suggestions of what it takes to get the manuscript out of your head and into print. The steps you need to take to self-publish, seek publication through a major publishing house, query agents or information on ebook publishing. For a monthly fee, I not only take the initiative to provide the information my clients will need, but I will also be available to my clients via email and phone with any questions they might have throughout the process. There are no minimum or maximum months of service. If after one month you have everything you need to know and can take it from there, the contract can be terminated. If after a couple months of terminating the contract you realize you didn't know everything, you can reinstate the contract.

My professional read-thrus include my reading of your work to provide you my professional opinion, thoughts, notes, suggestions and comments on the content, plot, storyline, character development, etc… This is not an editing service. This is content feedback only. Writers of all genres welcome.

Please contact me at joylynnjossel@aol.com for fees if you are interested

Joylynn M. Jossel now writing as

BLESSEDselling Author E. N. Joy

Author of the "New Day Divas" series,

coined The Soap Opera In Print

...Are You Keepin' Up With the Divas?...

www.enjoywrites.com and www.joylynnjossel.com

ARTICLE: On the Edge of Your Seat – Creating Suspense - Sophie Masson

2011-06-17T05:12:00.000-07:00

On the Edge of Your Seat – Creating Suspense

Sophie Masson

Suspense is what keeps a reader reading—wanting to know what happens. The suspense can be of all kinds, from wanting to know who the baddie is in a thriller to wanting to know whether the heroine is going to choose Mr A or Mr B as her love interest, to—well, just about anything, really! Creating and maintaning suspense is important in any kind of story or novel; it is especially so in the kinds of genres that are built around suspense: mysteries, thrillers, spy stories, fantasy. Here’s some of my tips, honed over years of writing in many of those genres!

First of all, to create suspense you need:

Some background information.

But incomplete knowledge.

That is, from the beginning the author needs to already have something set up—to let the reader know something about a character and their situation, or the suspense won’t happen—you have to care what happens for suspense to occur in the reader’s mind.

read more : http://writerunboxed.com/2011/06/15/on-the-edge-of-your-seat-creating-suspense

Suspense. Where does it start?

2011-04-27T04:56:00.000-07:00

Great post on Edit Torrent to discuss Suspense. Join us!

http://edittorrent.blogspot.com/2011/04/suspense-where-does-it-start.html

#Southfield Public #Library PR CSI Southfield #michigan

2011-03-03T13:05:00.001-08:00

Phone	248.796.4362
Fax	248.796.4365

News	Release
Date:	March 2, 2011
Contact:	Community Outreach
For Release:	Immediate

CSI:Southfield @ the Southfield Public Library

Southfield, MI – Come to the Southfield Public Library on Tuesday, March 15 at 7:00 pm in Meeting Room to meet a real life crime scene investigator from the Southfield Police Department.

For nearly a decade, the trendy network television drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation has fascinated viewers with high-tech crime fighting tools and accomplished something many writers and authors have struggled to do – making science exciting! CSI Southfield will look through the lens of an experienced crime scene investigator and explore the relationship between real life forensic science and popular media's adaptation.

This program is presented in conjunction with Everyone's Reading The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly. Find out more information about Everyone's Reading at www.everyonesreading.info.

Southfield Public Library is located in the Southfield Municipal Complex, 26300

Evergreen Road. Visit the Library's Home Page at www.southfieldlibrary.org. For

further information, please call the Guest Services Desk at 248.796.4224.

###

Sylvia Hubbard
Author, Blogger and Founder of Motown Writers Network & The African American Electronic Literary Network

Author of Romance & Suspense and Internet Marketing for Writers & Business

NOW AVAILABLE: Secrets, Lies and Family Ties order your copy now
Coming Soon: Tanner's Devil www.redrosepublishing.com

--- On Wed, 3/2/11, Jane Sloan <jsloan@sfldlib.org> wrote:

From: Jane Sloan <jsloan@sfldlib.org>
Subject: Southfield Public Library PR CSI Southfield
To: "Jane Sloan" <jsloan@sfldlib.org>
Cc: "Jane Sloan" <jsloan@sfldlib.org>
Date: Wednesday, March 2, 2011, 1:17 PM



Phone

248.796.4362

Fax

248.796.4365

News

Release

Date:

March 2, 2011

Contact:

Community Outreach

For Release:

Immediate

CSI:Southfield @ the Southfield Public Library

Southfield, MI – Come to the Southfield Public Library on Tuesday, March 15 at 7:00 pm in Meeting Room to meet a real life crime scene investigator from the Southfield Police Department.

For nearly a decade, the trendy network television drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation has fascinated viewers with high-tech crime fighting tools and accomplished something many writers and authors have struggled to do – making science exciting! CSI Southfield will look through the lens of an experienced crime scene investigator and explore the relationship between real life forensic science and popular media's adaptation.

This program is presented in conjunction with Everyone's Reading The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly. Find out more information about Everyone's Reading at www.everyonesreading.info.

            Southfield Public Library is located in the Southfield Municipal Complex, 26300

           Evergreen Road. Visit the Library's Home Page at www.southfieldlibrary.org. For

           further information, please call the Guest Services Desk at 248.796.4224.

###

Part XI Suspense - Creating A Villain

2011-02-14T07:16:00.000-08:00

A “bad guy” appears in all suspense, mystery and thriller novels. He can be focused on one individual, a series of individuals, the country or the world. The villain, as you know, must have redeeming qualities as well as evil attributes, and often he can hid beneath another persona and is not suspected. If the story introduces a character who seems evil, sinister or suspicious, you can almost bet he’s not the villain.

To create an edge-of-the-seat suspense, the author spends much time crafting the villain. A villain must be a worthy opponent. This has been covered in other articles on this blog, but it is worth reminding. The villain needs to be cunning, amoral or believes he has the right, and dangerous.

He must have valid motivation for his desired crime or continuing crime, such as: revenge, righting a wrong, protecting his possessions or loved ones, vindicating an action he believes went unpunished. He must have the opportunity to have committed the crime, and the appearance of innocence. This is why sometimes the protagonist becomes a suspect. He can be the charming insurance man or the kindly crossing guard. He can hid beneath his role in the story while the author provides only hints of information that can be put together like a puzzle to help tilt the protagonist in the right direction. The villain can be involved in the characters lives and appears innocent, but in some types of suspense, the villain can be known to the reader and unknown to the protagonist. Yet creating the villain follows the same procedure.

Killers can use many methods of committing murder. Select an appropriate method of perpetrating the crime (the modus operandi) that fits your character. Provide the villain with the kind of knowledge, know-how, strength and ability to be successful. Make his choice plausible. If he poisons someone, how would he know the poison will work? What career or opportunity would he have to steal or purchase what he needed? The old movie and play Arsenic and Old Lace is the story of two elderly women who poison lonely men with elderberry wine and bury them in the basement with their mentally-handicapped brother’s help.

Villains can be diabolical or as sweet as the two sisters in Arsenic and Old Lace, but make them real by providing them with realistic motivation, ability equal or greater than the protagonist, and a credible modus operandi to fit their physical and mental ability.

Posted by Gail Gaymer Martin

About Me

Multi-award-winning author, Gail Gaymer Martin writes Christian fiction for Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing. She has forty-seven contracted novels with over three million books in print. Gail is the author of Writers Digiest’s Writing the Christian Romance. Gail is a co-founder of American Christian Fiction Writers, a keynote speaker at churches, libraries and civic organizations and presents workshops at conference across the US. Gail live in the Detroit area.

www.gailmartin.com
www.gailmartin.blogspot.com
www.writingright-martin.blogspot.com

A Dad Of His Own - Coming March 2011
Dad In Training, Groom in Training, Bride in Training - Steeple Hill Love Inspired
Monterey Memories - Barbour Publishing
Writing The Christian Romance - Writers Digest

Part X Suspense - Goals and Motivation

2011-02-07T07:14:00.000-08:00

For believable characters, all readers need to understand the character’s motivation for committing or solving a crime. Suspense tends to be fast paced and depends on action and psychological tension so a clear motivation provides reality for the reader.

A novel offers two significant ways to provide information different from a movie or TV.
• Time - The character has the advantage of multiple scenes to show motivation.
• Introspection - The character can reveal motivation, goal and attitudes in his thoughts.

Goals are best understood when the reader understands the motivation. Why does he kill children? Why is he stalking the woman? Why does she marry and then kill her spouse? Why does he steal?

Goals and motivation are important for all main characters in the novel, especially the antagonist and protagonist. The victim may also have significant backstory to help explain the crime.

Protagonist
While the protagonist’s goal in suspense is usually to punish the criminal, stop the villain from following through on dire threats, or squelch a dangerous situation. His backstory will reveal if he is only doing his job or if he has a greater motivation that causes him to strive for success. Has the incident affect his life or a loved ones? Does he feel threatened? Is it a moral or spiritual issue? Does the crime go against a deep value? The motivation of the goal can be a complex blend of reasons.

Antagonist
A villain needs to be believable, and the author does that by providing him with at least one redeeming quality and reasonable motivation, even if it is skewed or wrong. The most despicable person may love his dog or is kind to his parents, but he will strive to harm someone who has disgraced his family’s name.

Suspense has many sub-genres that affects the types of goals and motivations of he characters. Use a search engine to review the specifics for each genre. As an example of differences, I will review psychological suspense and romantic suspense.

Psychological Suspense
Psychological suspense involves moral danger, and usually two plots run through the story for the protagonist. The first plot is stopping the crime or catching the criminal. The second plot line is a personal weakness, dilemma or conflict in the life of the protagonist—sick child, failing marriage, money problems, or an variety of issues.

The villain also needs motivation that makes sense. Often it is revenge or power, and usually a goal or motivation warped by a twisted worldview.

Romantic Suspense
A popular form of suspense involves romance. The focus is on both the hero and heroine, usually one is in trouble and the other is trying to solve the problem. The story often leads to suspicion placed on one or the other and the character begins to view the person as a threat.

In romantic suspense, the antagonist can be a sexual predator, a character with an obsession or a person out for revenge against the individual or her family.

When dealing with goals and motivation, remember:
• Goals are unique for each character.
• Motivation comes from backstory and/or the result of a recent action.
• Both protagonist and antagonist have strengths and weaknesses that affect goals & motivation.
• Ask yourself I the action is realistic. Would you react this way under the same circumstances?
• Readers want excitement and reality.

Posted by Gail Gaymer Martin

About Me

The Prison Chronicles by @janayablack Now Available on Various Mobile Downloads!

2011-01-31T12:54:00.001-08:00

As Told By the Other Woman
Ebook Price: $0.99 USD. 32460 words. Fiction by Janaya Black on January 31, 2011
Vanessa Jackson is on the job again for the Women’s Lib Magazine at the Wayne County Women’s Correctional Facility, and this time it's to interview Timberlyn Crawford, a woman sentenced to life for cold-blooded murder. What would drive a young girl to commit such a heinous crime? Lust and lies are the underlying forces that drove this seemingly harmless girl to do the unthinkable. CLICK HERE TO BUY

Beautiful Rage: The Break of Dawn
Ebook Price: $3.99 USD. 39590 words. Fiction by Janaya Black on January 31, 2011
Vanessa Jackson is back on the job and this time she has been assigned to interview Dawn Langston, a woman turned vigilante after the brutal kidnap and murder of her sister. The violently cold-blooded and savage nature of the crime leads Vanessa to question her ability to execute her assignment successfully without losing herself completely. CLICK HERE TO BUY

The Breaking Point
Ebook Price: $0.99 USD. 37670 words. Fiction by Janaya Black on January 30, 2011
The Breaking Point is the powerful story of a woman’s imprisonment for the brutal murder of her husband. You will fall whole-heartedly into this roller-coaster journey through the life of a woman who has seen every kind of hardship life could have to offer. CLICK HERE TO BUY

You can still purchase these books on Kindle or Paperback at Amazon.com, by clicking here or the book covers below:

Part IX Suspense - Backstory

2011-01-31T07:11:00.000-08:00

Backstory is the part of a character’s life that has passed before the story begins. As in all fiction, backstory motivates action, emotion, and attitudes of the character based on past experiences. In suspense, the character’s past sets up ways he thinks and responds whether he is the protagonist, victim or antagonist in the story.

When creating backstory, create a life for your major characters back to their childhood--family discipline, birth order, family dysfunction, family social status, education and experiences, successes, failtures, romantic experience, family health, personal health, career choice, regional influences, religion, hobbies, traits, and everything else that might be important. Then use this information to build who your character is today and how it affects him in the suspense situation.

In suspense, do not neglect the antagonist. What happened in the life of the villain to make him who he is today and why he functions as he does. Follow the same procedures for developing his characterization. The villain will be covered more fully in an upcoming blog.

In suspense, backstory can provide details that explain specific character elements needed in the novel .
• ability in solving puzzles
• determination to succeed or win
• ability to manipulate or camouflage
• reasons for revenge
• unique talents or traits vital to the plot
• emphasis phobias or fears
• reveal reaction patterns
• can foreshadow experiences that parallel future or present event

Besides dialogue, suspense often provides backstory elements in flashbacks or detailed memories to set up past experiences in vivid detail so the reader can understand the motivation for the crime and the character’s motivation and goals to commit or resolve the crime.

Some basic rules to keep in mind is use backstory:
• On a need to know basis to reveal characterization or provide tension.
• To arouse a readers curiosity
• In small portions through introspection
• For the most part, in active delivery through dialogue or action.

The next blog will cover goals and motivation as related to suspense.

Posted by Gail Gaymer Martin

About Me

Part VIII - Suspense and Point of View

2011-01-24T07:09:00.000-08:00

The rules for point of view follows the same criteria as it does for most fiction. Point of view is the character through which the scene is viewed. The scene can only offer the sights, sounds, tastes, touches and smells that can be provided by the POV character. It is that character’s perceptions and attitudes that are reflected throughout that scene. The POV character can only assume what another character is feeling or thinking.

The POV character’s thoughts, the introspection, can provide a depth into the POV character’s struggles, goals, and motivation, but as in real life, the POV characters’ can skew their thinking at times. They think it’s real but it’s a deep cover for the true emotion they’re dealing with. Perhaps they know the truth, but they won’t admit it to themselves.

The most common POV for suspense in popular fiction is third person, past tense. He ducked into the dark room. And most often this POV includes multiple third person. This allows a voice for the criminal or antagonist as well as the protagonist. If the story has romance, it also opens the door for the opposite sex main character.

First person narrows the scope and adds intimacy to the story line since the reader focuses on one person. For detective stories, first person POV is a common choice. I ducked into the dark room, my hand on my pistol. This means that the story is told totally through the eyes of the detective. We see his personal life as well as his life solving crimes. This allows us to focus on his flaws and weaknesses which adds tension to the novel when we realize that he could fail in his attempts to catch the perpetrator as well as to resolve home issues because he cannot control his flaws or rise above his weakness. This adds a distinctiveness to the story because we cannot guess what others are thinking. We only see them through the detective’s eyes.

The novel Wait Until Dark by Karen Robards, also a movie and stage play, is a suspense written in first person POV. The story involves a blind woman and takes place solely in her apartment where she is terrorized by a group of criminals who believe she has hidden a doll used by them to smuggle heroin into the country. Unbeknownst to her, the doll is in her apartment brought in as a favor to a woman her husband met in the airport. This amazing story is totally through Suzie’s blind eyes.

To decide which POV is best for your novel, ask yourself who needs to relate the story for the greatest suspense impact. Does the story need multiple POV to show the total scheme of drama to the reader? Does more than one have the most at stake in various scenes? Will your antagonist have a POV? Is he or she known to the reader or do you prefer to have an unknown force behind the suspense issues? Your decision will come after much thought and weighing what is best for your novel. Remember first person is most intimate and only that character’s eyes will share the entire story. Third person limited can provide an intimate feeling, a story using he or she but again focusing on one character only. Or in third person multiple, a variety of characters can own their individual scenes as the plot line focuses on their concerns and issues in which they have the most at stake. This allows the antagonist to have his voice in the story.

Posted by Gail Gaymer Martin

About Me

Fw: RAWSISTAZ Literary Group presents: True Confessions by Electa Rome Parks (Book Spotlight)

2011-01-21T08:00:00.001-08:00

RAWSISTAZ Literary Group

True Confessions by Electa Rome Parks (Book Spotlight)

Posted: 20 Jan 2011 12:12 PM PST

Confession is good for the soul. . .

Kennedy Logan is too ashamed to reveal the truth about her steamy relationship with hot, insatiable Drake—his sweet lies and hellacious lovemaking—to anyone except her private diary . . .

ABOUT THE BOOK

Twenty-eight year old Kennedy Logan is gorgeous, educated, talented, and in love. Unfortunately, Drake Collins has other ideas about the true state of their relationship. Kennedy hopes to turn him around; Drake just wants to turn her out sexually. Kennedy is also searching for her biological mother, who gave her up at birth. She wants answers and she has tons of questions. The enormous weight of these predicaments leads to a failed suicide attempt.

Her overprotective and overbearing mother, Dorothy Logan, moves in with Kennedy and makes it her mission to get her daughter's life back in order. The first step is getting rid of Drake Collins once and for all, but that's easier said than done. Drake has no intentions of going anywhere. Kennedy's ever loyal and fun-loving best friend, Taylor, and her absentee father join forces to help support Kennedy in her time of need.

At her psychiatrist's advice, Kennedy uses writing as her therapy. She starts to keep a daily journal detailing the erotic circumstances and family drama that led up to her despair. Through very personal, funny, and graphic entries, readers will share her confessions. Brace yourselves for a very steamy journey!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Electa Rome Parks lives outside Atlanta, Georgia and is the bestselling author of six acclaimed novels, The Ties That Bind, Loose Ends, Almost Doesn't Count, Ladies' Night Out, These Are My Confessions (anthology) and Diary of a Stalker. Electa is currently working on her next novel and first screenplay.

VISIT ELECTA ROME PARKS ONLINE

Website: www.electaromeparks.com

Myspace: www.myspace.com/author_chick

Facebook: www.facebook.com/electaromeparks

Blog: www.electaromeparks.blogspot.com

E-mail: novelideal@aol.com

Confession is good for the soul. . .

Kennedy Logan is too ashamed to reveal the truth about her steamy relationship with hot, insatiable Drake—his sweet lies and hellacious lovemaking—to anyone except her private diary . . .

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Part VII Suspense - Setting and Atmosphere

2011-01-17T07:06:00.000-08:00

Besides a sense of place, the right kind of setting offers the reader an atmosphere conducive to creating tension. Certain settings bring established mental images of frightening settings or ones open to danger. Think of a rundown farmhouse, a lonely cabin in the woods, a Gothic mansion, a hospital ship, an abandoned building, a park at night, a cemetery, or a gloomy parking garage. You have seen movies and read books with settings like this that set you up immediately for bad news.

Even a familiar setting can create fear. A night shift stock boy working when the store lights go out. Visiting your place of employment at night. Entering an empty church at night. Losing power in your own home during a storm. All of these locations, normally familiar, add an unknown element of darkness, gloom, or loneliness.

Each of the sense images you create for your setting came be affected by the time of day, weather conditions, and mood of the character. In this case, setting can become a character in itself or can reflect information about the character you place in the setting. Think of the movie Castaway with Tom Hanks. Characterization comes alive when we see the person in a setting of its making. Picture a woman sitting in her parlor filled with bric-a-brac and doilies. Imagine a different women in a modern apartment with limited decorations and everything in place. Imagine a man in his organized, pristine garage, and then picture another man with greasy tools and dirt under his fingernails.

The settings help describe the characters. In the parlor we have a woman who treasures her belongings. To her, they are cozy and comfortable. In the modern apartment, we have a no fuss business women or socialite living in a world that’s restricted by the her narrowness and control. The pristine garage owner prides himself in being organized, while the other man prides himself on repairing cars.

Now return to the parlor and have the modern business women studying the setting. She selects one of the many adornments, eyes it with a look of disdain and replaces it on the table before wiping her fingers on a pure white handkerchief. Same setting but different characterization. Use settings in this way to bring out the strengths, weaknesses, values and attitudes of your characters.

Details in your setting can foreshadow future events. A man’s den shows a display of antique rifles and revolvers covering one wall. Allowing your readers to see this display will alert them—even casually—that these weapons will reappear later in the novel. They will expect the weapons to play an important part of the novel. So be careful with what you describe or you will disappoint readers if the item is significant to your plot.

Use setting details to around reader’s curiosity and to draw them into the stories tension. My novel, A Love for Safekeeping, (which I preferred to be titled See Jane Run) is a good example of a novel with multiple red herrings and many of the techniques mentioned. Jane, an elementary school teacher, is being stalked. On a school field trip one of her students is missing, and she receives a message that he is in the barn and she leaves the lodge to find the child.

Jane raced from the lodge, praying nothing was seriously wrong. Her heart pounded as she rushed toward the barn, fearing the worst.
The door stood ajar.
Adrenaline fired her action. She took a deep breath, tugged back the door, and stepped into the dim interior. When her feet hit the straw-covered floor, terror charged through her. She faltered, peering into the shadows. No one was there. Nothing.

Yet from inside, she heard a childlike whimper. “Danny? Danny, are you in here?”

Her voice faded into the dark corners.

Overhead, she heard another sound.

She peered upward toward the dark loft. “Danny?” Jane held her breath. Fear prickled up her quaking limbs.

From above, another muffled moan reached her ears. Her chest tightened against her thundering heart.

“Danny!”

Terror tore through her as icy tendrils slithered through her veins. She stumbled backward.

No. Not here.

Engulfed by panic, she tried to run from the gloom, but her legs, as if nailed to the floor, held her immobile. Her throat constricted, paralyzing her scream.

Out of the blackness, a body hurled through the air and swung from the rafters.

Her legs buckled, and Jane faded into the darkness.

This is a good example of ending a scene with a hook.

Give serious thought to your settings in all fiction, but particularly in suspense novels, and use the setting to bring characters to life, arouse readers curiosity and create tension that grabs the reader and doesn’t let go.

Posted by Gail Gaymer Martin

About Me

Claymore Annual Call for Entries - You Could Win A Publishing Contract

2011-01-13T10:23:00.001-08:00



	Claymore Award now open for submissions! Top 10 finalists could possibly win a publishing contract!		January 13, 2011

	Dear sylvia, In four easy steps, you could win Killer Nashville's prestigious Claymore Award and a possible publishing contract from Five Star Press. This is the 3^rd year for the Killer Nashville's Claymore Award and already several previous Claymore participants have received publishing contracts and other authors are in negotiations with Five Star and others as a result of Killer Nashville's ongoing all-volunteer efforts to help new authors. WHAT YOU WIN The winner will receive consideration for publication by partnering publisher Five Star/Tekno Books. Please see the complete list of prizes below. At their discretion, Five Star may also consider any of the other entrants for publication. KILLER NASHVILLE'S CLAYMORE AWARD WINNER - $500 worth of prizes, plus a possible publishing contract, plus a possible agent All Finalist prizes, plus the following: The coveted Killer Nashville Claymore Award $250 worth of downloads or tuition from Killer Nashville 2011 - your choice (a $250 value) The right to use the "Killer Nashville Claymore Winner" logo on your website, publicity materials, and published book (if applicable) TOP 3 FINALISTS - $300 worth of prizes, plus a possible publishing contract, plus a possible agent All Top 10 Finalist prizes, plus the following: Free admission to Killer Nashville 2011 (a $170 value) Free admission to Killer Nashville 2011 Award Dinner (an $80 value) TOP 10 FINALISTS - $50 worth of prizes, plus a possible publishing contract, plus a possible agent A possible publishing contract $50 worth of downloads or tuition from Killer Nashville 2011 - your choice (a $50 value) Introduction to Killer Nashville approved agents and editors The right to use the "Killer Nashville Claymore Finalist" logo on your website, publicity materials, and published book (if applicable) If a Claymore finalist has already purchased admission to Killer Nashville or to the Awards Dinner, cost of winning items will be reimbursed based on winning level, if desired. Please remember that the conference is limited to 500 attendees in 2011.* WRITE WHAT YOU WANT An author does NOT have to meet publication guidelines of Five Star in order to win the Killer Nashville Claymore Award. GENRES CONSIDERED Judges will consider any subgenre of mystery or thriller, including political thriller, cozy, hard-boiled/private eye, police procedurals, suspense, romantic suspense, historical mystery, and paranormal mystery. WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM WINNING? Although the Killer Nashville Claymore Award would be most helpful to unpublished writers, published authors who are "between publishers" and would like to create buzz about their new works would also benefit, as would published authors seeking award accolades. For authors who already have a publisher, you do not have to be published by Five Star if you win. WHO ARE THE JUDGES? Judges are authors and qualified readers who have volunteered their time to Killer Nashville to help new, upcoming authors. WHAT IF I WIN? Not only does the winner receive Killer Nashville's prestigious Claymore Award, but Five Star can offer publishing contracts to any Killer Nashville Claymore Award finalist. Not just the winner. Killer Nashville is the facilitator and not involved at all in the publishing or the offering of publishing contracts. If offered a contract by Five Star Teckno, the author is encouraged to procure their own agent or representative to broker the deal. If the author does not have an agent, Killer Nashville can give a list of recommendations. By winning, you also do NOT have to accept the publishing contract from Five Star, if offered, but you still win the award and can add the Killer Nashville Claymore to your other award credits. Publishers love it when manuscripts have won awards. ABOUT THIS YEAR'S CO-SPONSOR Five Star, an imprint of Gale, part of Cengage Learning, began the Five Star Mystery line in November of 1998. Since then, Five Star has earned many starred reviews, as well as Edgar Award and Anthony Award nominations. Many Five Star titles have been listed on regional bestseller lists. ABOUT KILLER NASHVILLE Killer Nashville was founded in 2006 by writer/filmmaker Clay Stafford with the purpose of providing a networking and educational forum for those in the publishing industry and for helping writers and readers to connect. Numerous authors have found publication and a new fan base through the all-volunteer effort of the Killer Nashville organization. Over the years, grant money has been given to Killer Nashville from Clay Stafford and American Blackguard Entertainment principally, as well as Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, and others, as well as numerous author sponsors. THE RULES Submissions must be received no later than May 20, 2011 to be considered for the 2011 competition and will be evaluated through a blind judging process to ensure fairness. Entry fees are charged to help defray the individual cost of copying and mailing each manuscript to the volunteer judges. Please note that the judging process is highly subjective, dictated by the personal interests of each reader (which is why each manuscript is read by different readers and rated by several rather than relying on one reader) and the large number of quality entries vying for the top honors. Though we are unable to provide specific feedback on each individual manuscript, please do not hesitate to contact us with any general questions regarding the selection process. The winner will be announced at Killer Nashville 2011, held on August 26-28 at the Hutton Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. The author need not be present to win and is under no obligation to accept a publishing contract should he/she be offered one by Five Star. Winner will be determined at the sole discretion of editors of Five Star from the top ten submissions as chosen by Killer Nashville judges in a blind submission process. All decisions are final. Read all the rules here. (http://www.killernashville.com/cokina20claw.html) GOOD LUCK! We look forward to adding you to the Killer Nashville success stories! Sincerely, Clay Stafford, Founder, Killer Nashville Beth Terrell, Executive Director, Killer Nashville Tracy Bunch, Office Manager, Killer Nashville IN SUMMARY Prepare the manuscript of your unpublished thriller, suspense, or mystery manuscript Fill out the registration form and a check for $35 to help defray copying and mailing costs of your manuscript to judges (judges are volunteers and are not compensated) Mail payment and registration form with the first 50 pages of your manuscript to the Killer Nashville Claymore Award, and You could win! LINKS TO HELP YOU OUT For more information regarding Killer Nashville's Claymore Award: http://killernashville.com/cokina20claw.html For more information of Killer Nashville Awards: http://www.killernashville.com/awards.html To learn more about Killer Nashville: www.KillerNashville.com To contact us with questions: contact@killernashville.com To register for Killer Nashville 2011: http://killernashville.com/onre2.html Our Killer Nashville Blog: http://killernashville.blogspot.com/		Enter Killer Nashville's Claymore and maybe win a publishing contract! Killer Nashville's Claymore Award Killer Nashville P.O. Box 680686 Franklin, TN 37068-0686 United States contact@killernashville.com 615-599-4032 www.killernashville.com

Killer Nashville
P O Box 680686
Franklin, Tennessee 37068-0686
United States

A mystery concerns itself with a puzzle. Suspense presents the reader with a nightmare.

A mystery is a power fantasy; we identify with the detective. Suspense is a victim fantasy; we identify with someone at the mercy of others.

A mystery can be likened to a myth. Suspense is more like a fairy tale.

In a mystery the hero or heroine already has the skills he or she needs to solve the puzzle. In suspense, he or she must learn new skills to survive.

In a mystery, thinking is paramount. In suspense, feeling is paramount.

The most important action in a mystery takes place offstage. In suspense, the important action happens onstage.

A mystery usually takes place within a small circle of friends. The hero or heroine of a suspense novel often finds him or herself thrust into a larger world.

Readers of mysteries are looking for clues. Readers of suspense are expecting surprises.

In a mystery, information is withheld. In suspense novels, information is provided.

The ideal reader of mysteries remains one step behind the hero or heroine. Those who read suspense should be one step ahead of the hero or heroine.

Mystery readers expect a series. Those who read suspense know a book can be a one shot.

The hero or heroine in a mystery is looking for suspects. The hero or heroine in suspense looks for betrayers.

A mystery hero or heroine must confront a series of red herrings. The suspense novel hero or heroine faces a cycle of distrust.

Mystery endings must be intellectually satisfying. Suspense endings must provide emotional satisfaction.

Mysteries are usually three hundred manuscript pages. Suspense novels can be longer.

Taken from: Skillman, Trish MacDonald. Writing the Thriller. Writers Digest Books. 2000.

Next week: Part II: What is the structure of suspense.

About Me

This is a Sunday production you won't want to miss! THE BREAKING POINT DEC 5TH

2010-12-01T07:19:00.000-08:00

click thru for details and information

Back By Popular Demand!
The Breaking Point Returns to Stage Dec 5th

The Breaking Point stage play returns to the Charles H. Wright Museum
on Dec. 5, 2010 for one day only with two shows!

Tickets are now available online at www.black-smithenterprises.com
or call 734-634-3151.

Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.

Buy Now!

Dec 5, 2010, 3pm show

Dec 5, 2010, 7pm show

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Black-Smith Enterprises: Your one stop shop for the very best in entertainment, events, marketing and promotions!
www.black-smithenterprises.com

Michigan Murder and Mayhem

O/T: Only FIVE Weeks Until Book 'Em North Carolina!

Essence of Motown Literary Jam & Conference 2011 #motownlit Itinerary | Still Time To Register #111111 | Plz Share!

[Wordplay] Consider This Before Killing a Character

Contest $50 prize

Join Us For Another Murder Mystery Theatre! (CC @janayablack)

New Meetup: Murder Mystery Theater from SWAP October 28th

How To Write Fight Scenes With Alan Baxter from @thecreativepenn

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Do You Have a Book In You-A Story to Tell? #literaryservice @enjoywrites

ARTICLE: On the Edge of Your Seat – Creating Suspense - Sophie Masson

On the Edge of Your Seat – Creating Suspense

Suspense. Where does it start?

#Southfield Public #Library PR CSI Southfield #michigan

Part XI Suspense - Creating A Villain

About Me

Part X Suspense - Goals and Motivation

About Me

The Prison Chronicles by @janayablack Now Available on Various Mobile Downloads!

Part IX Suspense - Backstory

About Me

Part VIII - Suspense and Point of View

About Me

Fw: RAWSISTAZ Literary Group presents: True Confessions by Electa Rome Parks (Book Spotlight)

RAWSISTAZ Literary Group

Part VII Suspense - Setting and Atmosphere

About Me

Claymore Annual Call for Entries - You Could Win A Publishing Contract

Part VI Suspense - Plotting a Suspense Novel

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Part V Suspense - The Opening Sentences

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Part IV Suspense - Red Herrings

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Part III Suspense - Characterization

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Part II Suspense - What is the Structure of a Suspense Novel?

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Part I : What is a suspense novel?

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This is a Sunday production you won't want to miss! THE BREAKING POINT DEC 5TH