Category Archives: Terry Odell

Compromises

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Compromises
Terry Odell

cover of The Triple-D Ranch novels by Terry OdellFirst, if you’ll indulge me, I have a new release. Not exactly a new book, but after being away, having family visiting, writing breaks to do research, hitting the 30K wall, and other real life interruptions, I feared the wip wasn’t going to be finished in time for a pre-holiday release.

What did I do? Triggered by an acceptance for a BookBub Featured Deal on July 9th for In Hot Water, book 1 in my Triple-D Ranch Romantic Suspense series, I decided to bundle all 4 books in the series as a box set.

I checked with the marketing gurus at BookBub, and they suggested that a release of the bundle before the featured deal would be a good option. I pulled the manuscripts for all four books into a single file and made the necessary adjustments to front and back matter. Since the first 3 in the series were released in 2016, there were some formatting issues to deal with, but it didn’t take long to have a manuscript file ready to upload.

I went into a lot of the process in a post a while back, so I’m not going to repeat any of that now. If you’re interested, you can find it here.

The new book, brilliantly titled, “The Triple-D Ranch Series” is available for purchase at most popular e-tailers. Here’s a link to one-stop shopping.

And on to the post topic: Compromises

Sue’s post on Monday reminded me of our move from Florida to Colorado way back in 2010. Although this is no longer my path to publication, I know a lot of TKZers are, or are hoping to be, traditionally published. The road to publication, like moving into a new house, can be filled with compromises.

During our renovations and remodels, we found ourselves compromising on a lot of issues. Sometimes it was a matter of money—deciding what things we were willing to cut from our dream plan, and where we were willing to shell out the extra cash. We decided to go with underfloor heating in the bathrooms. However, a custom job, with the heat mat made to order for the bathroom was prohibitively costly compared with the off-the-shelf versions. The compromise meant we were restricted to the sizes the mats came in; we couldn’t get the heat mat under the tile of the entire bathroom, leaving a few areas where the tiles remain cold. But having that extra course of tiles heated wasn’t worth the price differential. It was easier to learn to take a bigger step into the hall bath if you were barefoot, avoiding the first row of tiles.

Another compromise – we had a lot more room in our former house. Finding places for things that went into our wall units and china cabinet meant more furniture. We ended up with a large curio cabinet in the living area. However, it doesn’t have any interior lighting, so as far as displaying treasures goes, it’s not really the perfect system. It ended up being a liquor and glassware cabinet.

We ordered two bookcases for the downstairs, but when they arrived, we realized that one was a shade too tall for where we wanted to put it. (Never thought about the bulkhead ceiling on that side of the room, or how tall the bookcases would be.) So, we found another spot for the second unit, which ate up several feet of wall space, meaning when we get furniture for the room, we’re going to be limited in what will fit where.

When writing, you’ll also learn to make compromises—unless, of course, you’re writing strictly for yourself. Everyone says ‘write the book of your heart.’ But if you want people to read your books, you’re going to have to consider what the readers want. The book of your heart might not be marketable.

Somewhere along the line, you have to decide which battles are worth fighting and which aren’t. Some, you’ll never win. If a publisher wants humor, and you’re not a funny person, maybe that’s the time to realize that your efforts might be better spent elsewhere. Or maybe they want deep, dark suspense, full of serial killers and psychopaths, and you prefer lighthearted mystery. Are you capable of writing what they want? Will you feel like you’re struggling to get each word on the page? Assuming you’ve done your homework and submitted your work to a publisher who publishes what you write, and it’s accepted, what’s next? You’re going to have to deal with an editor who works for the publisher, and knows what they’re looking (or not looking) for.

For example, my editor for When Danger Calls, one of my early traditionally published novels, told me the publisher would nix any use of the word ‘penis.’ She said their readers didn’t like to read it. Was there a point to arguing with this one? No. Easy enough to change.

Another publisher didn’t like the use of brand names. Sometimes, a brand name serves as an immediate image for readers. I had to fight (and contact the companies) to use Knob Creek and Denny’s in a book.

On a grander scale, some genres have their own reader expectations and publishers have their own guidelines.

Once you’re aware of what your publisher and editor expect, you’ll find that you’re compromising with yourself during the writing process. Just like you learn to avoid that first course of tiles in the bathroom, you won’t use those ‘forbidden’ words. If you’re writing a contemporary series romance, you’ll learn to get your hero and heroine on the page and involved immediately, because that’s what readers of that genre want, and the publisher expects you to meet their expectations. If you’re writing a mystery, your readers will assume it’s a “murder mystery” and they’ll want to see that dead body right away.

Even indie authors might have to compromise to meet reader expectations. I’ve written almost 35K words in my next Mapleton mystery, and there’s no dead body. Yet.

How about you, TKZers? Have you had to compromise to keep your submission or book marketable?

New! Find me at Substack with Writings and Wanderings

Danger Abroad

When breaking family ties is the only option.

Madison Westfield has information that could short-circuit her politician father’s campaign for governor. But he’s family. Although he was a father more in word than deed, she changes her identity and leaves the country rather than blow the whistle.

Blackthorne, Inc. taps Security and Investigations staffer, Logan Bolt, to track down Madison Westfield. When he finds her in the Faroe Islands, her story doesn’t match the one her father told Blackthorne. The investigation assignment quickly switches to personal protection for Madison.

Soon, they’re involved with a drug ring and a kidnapping attempt. Will working together put them in more danger? Can a budding relationship survive the dangers they encounter? Available now.

Like bang for your buck? I have a new Triple-D Ranch bundle. All four novels for one low price. One stop shopping here.

Terry Odell is an award-winning author of Mystery and Romantic Suspense, although she prefers to think of them all as “Mysteries with Relationships.”

When Is It Their Turn?

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When Is It Their Turn?
Terry Odell

red curtain with a man's hand reaching throughSecondary characters, as PJ pointed out in her post, can be great fun to write. They don’t have the responsibilities of the protagonists. They can provide insight into the protagonist, add some humor, be sounding boards, love interests, or foils.

Sometimes, they branch out and become protagonists themselves. John Sandford gave Virgil Flowers his own stories. Robert Crais gave Joe Pike his own books. Will CJ Box’s Nate Romanowski move from strong secondary character into a protagonist in his own right?

In television, branching out into new shows happens all the time. Michael Connelly gave Renee Ballard her own books, and soon her own television series. Lee Child’s Reacher television series has a Neagley spinoff.

The rise of secondary characters is prevalent in romance, where “series” (I call them connected books) tend to have an ensemble cast in which a secondary character moves up to center stage in a subsequent book. I do that in my romantic suspense books, although when I wrote When Danger Calls, my first Blackthorne, Inc. book, I had no idea there would be another one. That series now contains twelve books, and a lot of secondary characters have had their turn at taking the lead. How do I decide whose turn it is? Often, I’m having fun with that character and want to do more. But sometimes, the character shows up and requests a bigger role. That’s what happened with Jinx, who became the lead in Dangerous Connections.

cover image of Dangerous Connections by Terry Odell

Here’s what happened.

Jess, my admin buzzes me.

“Terry, there’s someone here who insists on seeing you. Says his name is Josiah Nix.”

Jinx? What’s he doing here? “Tell him to have a seat, and I’ll see him shortly.”

Shortly—the most vague word in the English language. But it’ll buy me some time. I open my computer and pull up the files for my Blackthorne, Inc. series. After a quick review—somehow, once I finish writing a book, it’s gone from my head as soon as I start work on the next one—I feel ready to meet Jinx.

I buzz Jess. “Send him in.”

The door opens, and Josiah Ignatius Nix—which I’d shorted to Jinx for the books—enters. He’s not quite the same man I interviewed for his initial role in Where Danger Hides. Same not-quite-six-feet tall. His shoulder-length hair is pulled back into a tail at the nape of his neck. Same deep blue eyes and lashes to die for. But he’s hesitant, not curious the way he was at that first meet, which was quite some time and several books ago.

“Have a seat, Mr. Nix.”

“Jinx will do. I’m used to it now.”

He sits on the small sofa, as if he’s afraid taking a visitor chair would put him too close to me. One foot bounces, almost imperceptibly. Nervous?

“What brings you here today?” I ask.

He tugs at his ponytail. “Wasn’t completely my idea.”

This isn’t the behavior of a man in charge of Blackthorne’s command center.

“Who else?”

Another ponytail tug. The foot bouncing becomes more noticeable. “The guys, mostly. Harper. Dalton. Fozzie.”

“Can I get you something to drink? I’d offer a Red Bull, but from where I’m sitting, it doesn’t look like you need caffeine. I have coffee—decaf. And herbal teas.”

I open my drawer, check my snack stash. Down to a couple packets of cashews and almonds.

“I’m all right,” Jinx says.

I look at the clock. Just shy of three. “I generally have a break around this time, so it’s no trouble.” I flash my best reassuring smile, then buzz Jess and, voice lowered, ask her for the usual job interview refreshment tray.

“So,” I go on. “You’re still in touch with some of the Blackthorne team?”

“Sort of. Molly—that’s Harper’s kid. Actually, she’s Frankie’s kid, but Harper considers her his own. It was her birthday, and they invited me—us. Harper had a few things to say to me, and so I’m here.”

Jinx definitely wasn’t behaving the way I’d written him. Where was the always on top of things, always in control character I’d created?

Jess opens the door and comes in carrying a tray of assorted munchies. Cheese, crackers, cookies, nuts, and fruit, along with cocktail napkins. Do I detect a show of interest in Jinx?

“Help yourself.” To break the ice, I take a napkin, a piece of cheese and layer it on a cracker, along with a small bunch of grapes.

“Thanks.” He chooses an assortment of offerings. “Maybe a cup of decaf?”

“Coming right up.” I pop a pod into my brewer and start things going. Once we’ve had a few moments of more routine behavior, Jinx seems relaxed.

He sets his coffee cup on the end table and inhales a deep breath. “I like my job. I’m good at it. But I’m ready for … more.” He meets my gaze. “If that’s possible.”

Now we’re getting somewhere. “What do you mean by more?”

“I’m not complaining, don’t get me wrong. I mean after Where Danger Hides, you really increased my parts in the next books, and my parts were important. But—”

I wait. He doesn’t seem willing to go on. “What’s the but?”

“I’m always behind the scenes. Nobody ever sees me. And—” he lowers his gaze to a point between his feet. “And I want what the others got. A woman.” The word is barely audible.

“Someone they’re happy with. I want that, too. I mean, except for Harper, because it was the first book, the others start out in the background. I don’t know what you call them.”

“Secondary characters,” I offer.

“Right. And then, they get their own story, and they get their woman. I don’t want to keep being a secondary character.”

“I understand.” And I do. Seeing his book friends living their happily ever afters would make him—anyone—want the same thing.

“Are you saying you want to be part of an op? On the ground, so to speak, not at the command center.”

He nods. “Zeke’s good at the command center. The teams could manage with him at the helm for an op.”

I’m remembering an article I saw on the internet a week or two ago. I saved it, thinking there might be a story there. I hadn’t considered Jinx for the lead, but I could make it work.

“Are you willing to travel?” I ask. “Solo? Undercover, at least at first. Of course, if it’s a Blackthorne book, your team will have your six.”

“I think so. Would I still be using my intel skills?”

“Of course.”

Ideals swirl.

I’m already planning. Jinx isn’t a covert operative. Will he be willing to accept a partner—female—who would be more than an equal?

“Can you come back, let’s say in two weeks, and we can go over a story premise?”

He smiles, the first sign of the Jinx I remember. “I’ll be here.” He grabs a cookie and heads for the door.

After he’s gone, I go back to that article that caught my eye. Communication. Drug cartels. Mexico. All I need are some more characters. I’ve got one in mind for Jinx. He’s going to love her.

cover image of Dangerous Connections by Terry Odell

Okay, so it doesn’t always happen like that, but every once in a while, you—or I, anyway—need some fun.

Feel free to share other secondary characters that have moved up to protagonists.

New! Find me at Substack with Writings and Wanderings

Danger Abroad

When breaking family ties is the only option.

Madison Westfield has information that could short-circuit her politician father’s campaign for governor. But he’s family. Although he was a father more in word than deed, she changes her identity and leaves the country rather than blow the whistle.

Blackthorne, Inc. taps Security and Investigations staffer, Logan Bolt, to track down Madison Westfield. When he finds her in the Faroe Islands, her story doesn’t match the one her father told Blackthorne. The investigation assignment quickly switches to personal protection for Madison.

Soon, they’re involved with a drug ring and a kidnapping attempt. Will working together put them in more danger? Can a budding relationship survive the dangers they encounter?

Available now.

Terry Odell is an award-winning author of Mystery and Romantic Suspense, although she prefers to think of them all as “Mysteries with Relationships.”

Dual Protagonists

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Dual Protagonists

Terry Odell

two knights with swords facing each other

PJ Parrish did a wonderful post not long ago about secondary characters, and in response to one of the comments, she said “Someone here should do a post about dual protagonists.” Well, here I am, and I’m going to give it a shot.

Early in my writing endeavors, I was talking to another newbie, and he asked about the protagonist in my manuscript. I told him there were two, and he said, “no, your main protagonist.” As I tried to explain that the two characters were on equal footing, and they each had their own arcs, and then there was the addition of a mystery plot, he rolled his eyes, mumbled something, and walked away.

Although I thought I was writing a mystery when I played with creating something resembling a novel, my daughters pointed out it was a romance. I’d never read one, so I didn’t know how I could be writing one. But, apparently I was. Then I discovered romantic suspense, which was closer. Since I was always reading mysteries where the protagonists had lives outside solving their cases, it wasn’t too much of a stretch.

For the record, anyone who thinks that when they have a free weekend, they’re going to crank out a quick romance and make a bunch of bucks—think again.

In a romantic suspense, you’re juggling three stories. The hero and heroine each have their own character arcs, and there’s the mystery plot as well. If you’re writing a straight mystery with dual protagonists, you don’t have to deal with the pesky relationship culminating in at least the promise of a Happily Ever After. But each protagonist has to be developed in the same way you’d develop a single protagonist.

Given my stumbling into romance, I learned from Deb Dixon and her Goal, Motivation, Conflict approach. What does each protagonist want? Why do they want it? What’s standing in their way?

Then, throw in how they’re going to have to work together in the book. Are they working to solve the same crime? Are they in competition? What’s in it for each of them? A reward? Bringing someone to justice? Self-satisfaction? Do their individual goals, backgrounds, life circumstances create more conflict?

I write in deep POV, but there’s no reason you can’t have two POV characters regardless of the POV choices you make. Often there are more than two, but usually those are secondary characters, not protagonists. Since PJ’s challenge said “dual protagonists” I’m sticking with two, which is how I prefer to write.

My preference—and again in a romantic suspense, you’re tied to reader expectations and genre conventions—I will introduce hero and heroine in their own opening chapters. (That means you’re effectively writing TWO Chapter Ones with all the challenges that entails.)

In my earlier books, I wrote two scenes per chapter, alternating protagonists. With the current trend of short chapters, I now write each protagonist’s scene as a separate chapter. As with any scene or chapter, we strive to end it with a page-turning moment.

Now, when the reader turns the page, they’re going to find they’re in another character’s head. My position is that you have to ground the reader in the who, when, and where for every scene or chapter change. Because—heaven forbid—the reader might have put the book down and might be coming back to it hours, days, or weeks later. I’m not fond of chapter headings, because as soon as the reader turns the page, they’re gone.

This holds true regardless of how many protagonists you have, but if there’s a single one, the ‘who’ is generally understood.

If your protagonists are working together and have been in the same scenes, once you set up the reminder of whose head you’re in, you can move the story along.

If they’re apart, it’s more of a challenge, because now you have to make sure the reader gets back into that character’s timeline. The opening paragraphs will have to work harder to establish what’s going on, but without info dumping.

In the spirit of Show, Don’t Tell, here are a couple of examples from Danger Abroad, my most recent release.

Chapter 3 is a Maddie POV scene. She’s arrived at her new lodgings in the Faroes and is having tea and cake with the landlady, who’s asked what brought her to the island. It ends like this:

As Maddie mentally composed her reply—the reasons she’d given when she’d requested a room—a banging on the door, accompanied by “Open up. I know you’re in there,” shattered the moment.

Chapter 4 is a Logan POV scene, and he’s somewhere else, working on his own task, which is finding Maddie, but he’s in San Francisco and she’s in the Faroe Islands. When his chapter ends, how do I draw readers back into Maddie’s story?

Chapter 5 is back to Maddie, and it opens like this:

Maddie’s tea sloshed into the saucer. Who could possibly know she was here? She’d done everything right, covered her tracks. Hadn’t she? She set her tea on the coffee table and studied Hanna, who didn’t seem alarmed—or confused—by whoever was outside.

Same thing goes for the POV chapters/scenes of the second protagonist. Bring the reader back to the who, when, and where.

As for PJ’s concern that readers might find one protagonist more attractive? I say it’s unlikely that every reader will like every character in a book equally. In reality, most romantic suspense books, although they have two protagonists, they’re not completely equal. It’s more like a 49/51 split. One of them will have a slightly stronger role, so yes, it’s quite possible a reader will prefer one over the other. If the reader’s goal, as it usually is when reading a mystery, is to see the crime solved and the bad guy brought to justice, do we care which protagonist they prefer?

In any genre, every time you add a POV character, you risk the reader not liking that character or the plot thread they’re commanding and skimming or skipping those parts. With only two, it’s less likely to happen, but yes, it’s possible.

I hope I’ve touched upon some answers to PJ’s question. If you have more, fire away. Feel free to share your experiences, either as a reader or writer, with dual protagonists. My brother’s visiting, so I might not be around to reply to comments right away, but I’ll check in when I can.

New! Find me at Substack with Writings and Wanderings

Danger Abroad

When breaking family ties is the only option.

Madison Westfield has information that could short-circuit her politician father’s campaign for governor. But he’s family. Although he was a father more in word than deed, she changes her identity and leaves the country rather than blow the whistle.

Blackthorne, Inc. taps Security and Investigations staffer, Logan Bolt, to track down Madison Westfield. When he finds her in the Faroe Islands, her story doesn’t match the one her father told Blackthorne. The investigation assignment quickly switches to personal protection for Madison.

Soon, they’re involved with a drug ring and a kidnapping attempt. Will working together put them in more danger? Can a budding relationship survive the dangers they encounter?

Available now.

Like bang for your buck? I have a new Mapleton Bundle. Books 4, 5, and 6 for one low price.

Terry Odell is an award-winning author of Mystery and Romantic Suspense, although she prefers to think of them all as “Mysteries with Relationships.”

Feeling No Guilt

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Feeling No Guilt
Terry Odell

As I mentioned in my last post, I was headed out for a Mississippi River cruise vacation, with some extra time in New Orleans. We arrived on schedule, checked into the hotel (and because I always try to stay at the same chain, I’d accrued enough points to be a Diamond Medallion member) and they upgraded us to a suite. With TWO bathrooms! Also free breakfasts and a couple of comped drinks at the bar. And a bottle of wine in the room. And fruit.

But I digress. That’s really not what this post is about. I got home Monday afternoon, a day later than scheduled due to severe weather grounding flights for many hours. We were gone for almost two weeks. I’d brought my Surface to keep up with email and anything else that might need my attention. I figured I’d check things once a day. I also have an iPhone, but I have never gotten comfortable doing anything requiring I go to websites on that tiny screen. I used it primarily as my backup camera. I also have an iPad mini tablet, which is usually my go-to ereader, and not much else.

I printed out my current wip to read for continuity. This one’s got more threads than all my needlework projects, and I wanted to search for dropped threads and make sure my timeline was accurate. Yes, yes, I know I should have been doing this all along, but best laid plans—

Truth be told, I opened my Surface two times on the entire trip—the first being after I discovered that I had a wonky section in my printout and needed to go to the original file for those messed up/missing chapters. The second time was on the boat when we had time before our shore excursion and I did a quick run through my usual sites to make sure I hadn’t missed anything critical. I also read through a couple more chapters of the printout.

However, I made the decision that I was on vacation and being cut off from cyberspace wasn’t going to alter my life. I had already decided that trying to keep my head in the wip would be a lost cause, so I felt no guilt about not making any forward progress. Not to mention, the keyboard on the Surace screws with my muscle memory, and typos abound.

In fact, I finished my read-through on our last day while waiting for it to be time to go to the airport. And that’s the only work-related activity I did on the trip.

I’m subscribed to a number of Substacks and mailing lists. I confess I hit “delete” on just about all of them, since I was getting them via my phone, and I didn’t think the world would be any different if I didn’t read, like, or comment. I don’t know if anyone noticed, but I was absent from my usual commenting on TKZ posts.

I normally post a ‘word of the day’ game on my Facebook page. I didn’t for the duration of the trip. Other than occasional pictures posted to my Facebook accounts, I did nothing with social media. Put my blog on hiatus, too.

The cruise was fantastic, and I suppose if I were on a deadline, I might have squeezed in writing time. I know many authors who find/make the time to work while away. On this trip, I didn’t. And I felt absolutely no guilt. Sometimes time away from the work—literally away can help recharge batteries, provide new insights and if the absence is long enough, make one antsy to get back to the writing.

So, here I am, back on my mountain, dealing with all the myriad tasks that have accumulated. And there are no hotel or boat crew people to take care of them. No more simply walking into the dining room and telling someone what you want to eat. No more walking into the bedroom and finding the bed made, clean towels, and special treats on the table.

If anyone’s interested, I HIGHLY recommend the American Cruise Line for a riverboat trip. The crew bent over backward to make sure we were happy. So much so, that we’ve already booked another trip on the Columbia and Snake Rivers for next year. I’ll be recapping my adventures both on my blog and my substack. Both are free.

And yes, I took pictures, which will have to be sorted and processed. Here are just a few, taken at the zoo (because I’m an animal person) and on our swamp tour (because I’m an animal person).

Oh, yeah. I have a manuscript to get back to as well.

Your turn. How do you deal with going away? Comments are open.

New! Find me at Substack with Writings and Wanderings

Danger Abroad

When breaking family ties is the only option.

Madison Westfield has information that could short-circuit her politician father’s campaign for governor. But he’s family. Although he was a father more in word than deed, she changes her identity and leaves the country rather than blow the whistle.

Blackthorne, Inc. taps Security and Investigations staffer, Logan Bolt, to track down Madison Westfield. When he finds her in the Faroe Islands, her story doesn’t match the one her father told Blackthorne. The investigation assignment quickly switches to personal protection for Madison.

Soon, they’re involved with a drug ring and a kidnapping attempt. Will working together put them in more danger? Can a budding relationship survive the dangers they encounter?

Available now.

Like bang for your buck? I have a new Mapleton Bundle. Books 4, 5, and 6 for one low price.

Terry Odell is an award-winning author of Mystery and Romantic Suspense, although she prefers to think of them all as “Mysteries with Relationships.”

Voice Revisited

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Voice Revisited
Terry Odell

Travel gods willing, I’ll be in the air much of the day, on my way to Hubster’s Bucket List trip of a Mississippi River cruise on a paddlewheeler with a few extra days in New Orleans to enjoy the sights–and the food. I’ll respond to comments when I can.

In my last post, Dr. Doug Lyle spoke about voice being the most important thing that sells your next book, so I’m revisiting a post I did on the subject of voice back in 2021, with some additions and other modifications. (There’s a free short story read in this version.)

I’m looking at two aspects of voice: Character and Author.

Part A. Character Voices, or “Give Them Their Own.”

I recall reading my first book by a best-selling author. A male character discovered a young girl, about 5 years old, who had been left to die in the woods. He brings her to his cabin and finds she cannot or will not speak. I was impressed with the way the character spoke to the child—it seemed exactly how someone should deal with that situation. However, as more characters entered the story, I discovered that he spoke that way to all of them. Not only that, almost every character in the book spoke with that same “Talking to a Child” voice. Obviously, it doesn’t bother the millions who buy her books, but it bugged the heck out of me. And it’s consistent with all her books in that series. It wasn’t just a one-time deal.

It’s important in a book that characters not only sound like themselves, but don’t sound like each other. That means knowing their history, their age, education, as well as occupation, nationality—the list goes on. Ideally, a reader should be able to know who’s speaking from the dialogue on the page without beats, tags, or narrative.

Cowboys don’t talk like artists, who don’t talk like sailors, who don’t talk like politicians. And men don’t talk like women. They’re hard-wired differently. I’m a woman, and in my first drafts the dialogue will lean in that direction. After I’ve written my male characters’ dialogue, I go back and cut it down by at least 25%.

A few tips to make your characters sound like themselves.

Don’t rely on the “clever.” Dialect is a pitfall—more like the Grand Canyon. If you’re relying on phonetic spelling to show dialect, you’ll stop your readers cold. Nobody wants to stop to sound out words. You can show dialects or accents with one or two word choices, or better yet, have another character notice. “She heard the Texas in his voice” will let the reader know.

Give your characters a few simple “go to” words or phrases. For me, this is often deciding what words my character will use when he or she swears (since I write a lot of cops and covert ops teams, swearing is a given). Then, make sure he or she is the only person who uses that word or phrase.

Keep the narrative “in character” as well. This especially includes internal monologue, and even extends to narrative. Keep your metaphors and similes in character. If your character’s a mechanic, he’s not likely to think of things in terms of ballet metaphors.

What your character says and does reveals a lot to your readers. Workshops I’ve attended have given out the standard character worksheets (which have me screaming and running for the hills), but it’s the “other” questions that reveal your character. What’s in her purse? What’s in his garbage? What does he/she order at Starbucks? Would he/she even be caught dead in a Starbucks? James Scott Bell’s workshops include excellent examples.

How do you keep your characters distinct? How do you get to know them? Do you need to know a lot before you start, or are you (like I am) someone who learns about them as you go?

Which brings me to Part B: Authorial Voice, or “Stay the Hell off the Page.”

After  a presentation I gave for a local book club, one member said she’d read one of my books. Her comment was, “You write the same way you talk.” And, after I sent a chapter to my critique partners, one said, “This sounds very Terry.” That, I think, sums up “voice.”

Any author starting out tries to write what she thinks a writer should sound like. She might work hard to make her characters sound unique, and true to their backgrounds, but all the other stuff—the narrative parts where the character isn’t speaking—sounds stilted. It sounds “writerly.”

But what the characters say isn’t quite the same as “Authorial Voice.” Think of all the renditions of the national anthem performed at sporting events. The words are the same, the notes are the same, but each singer performs it in their unique voice.

The author’s voice is all the other words, the way the sentences are put together, how the paragraphs break. Can anyone confuse Harlan Coben with Lee Child? Janet Evanovich with Michael Connelly? Even Nora Roberts has a distinctive voice that is recognizable whether she’s writing a romance as Roberts, or one of her “In Death” futuristics as JD Robb. There are those who say the authorial voice is the writer’s style.

When I was a fledgling writer, I experimented. One such experiment was a short story in a voice that seems very different from the way I write now. Perhaps it was because I’d been reading a book my cousin recommended, which was not what I usually read. At any rate, it’s a very short story, and was almost my first paid writing gig. Alas, the magazine folded before the offered contract was issued. When I wrote it, it was more of an exercise in POV; first his, then hers. It’s called “Words” and you can download it for free here. For those of you locked into your Kindles, you can find it here. (Amazon is cranky about freebies.) I’d be curious to know if anyone sees my current voice with the one in this short short.

Your authorial voice will develop over time and (one hopes) will become recognizable. It’s important to learn the ‘rules’ of writing before trying to be distinctive. In the art world, we recognize artists by their style. The Star Spangled Banner opens countless events, yet even though the notes are the same, they presentations vary. Immensely.

Before artists of any format—music, poetry, prose, acting, create their own recognizable style, they learn the basics. Before your voice will develop, you have to write. And write. And write some more.

Try looking at your manuscript, or the book you’re reading. Find a passage that’s filled with narrative. How do you, or the author in question deal with it? Is it in the same vein as the dialogue, or do you get jolted out of the story because all of a sudden there’s an outsider taking over? If it’s a funny book, the narrative needs to reflect that sense of humor. If it’s serious, the author shouldn’t be cracking wise in narrative. If your character speaks in short, choppy sentences, then he’s likely to think that way, too. Again, the narrative should continue in that same style.

You want your voice to be recognized, but not intrude on the story. If you want the reader caught up in the story and the characters, you, the author have no business being on the page. Every word on the page should seem to come from the characters, whether it’s dialogue or narrative. You’re the conduit for the story and the characters. You’re there so they shine, not the reverse.

It takes practice—and courage, because you have to put “you” on the page, and not the “writer.” But when you finish, you should have your own special work. You won’t be a cookie-cutter clone. Rule of thumb—if it sounds “writerly”, cut it. When the words flow from the fingertips, that’s probably your own voice coming through. Let it sing.

New! Find me at Substack with Writings and Wanderings

Danger Abroad

When breaking family ties is the only option.

Madison Westfield has information that could short-circuit her politician father’s campaign for governor. But he’s family. Although he was a father more in word than deed, she changes her identity and leaves the country rather than blow the whistle.

Blackthorne, Inc. taps Security and Investigations staffer, Logan Bolt, to track down Madison Westfield. When he finds her in the Faroe Islands, her story doesn’t match the one her father told Blackthorne. The investigation assignment quickly switches to personal protection for Madison.

Soon, they’re involved with a drug ring and a kidnapping attempt. Will working together put them in more danger? Can a budding relationship survive the dangers they encounter?
Available now.

Terry Odell is an award-winning author of Mystery and Romantic Suspense, although she prefers to think of them all as “Mysteries with Relationships.”

What About Structure?

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What About Structure?
Terry Odell

Image by wwwqwerty from Pixabay

Recently, I was looking at a Facebook post mentioning a podcast about voice, and Dr. Doug Lyle was the presenter. Since I know and like him, I was interested in tuning in. This is what he said in his introductory remarks:

“So the one thing that I always tell writers is to forget all the rules, to forget all the three act structure, forget all the first turning point, second turning point, all that stuff because all it’s going to do is, you’re going to start figuring out how am I structuring this rather than telling the damn story. And the single most important thing that sells a book is voice.”

Interesting. I know an author’s voice is a main factor in my continuing to read more of their work. That, and characters, but that’s another discussion for another time.

As someone who never studied writing of any kind beyond writing the compulsory essays in English classes, I’ve never given a lot of thought to how things play out as I’m writing.

A lot of time here at TKZ is spent discussing structure. I’m starting to write my 34th novel. Have I given a thought to pinch points, turning points, signposts, mirror moments, calls to action, point of no return?

Nope. Not a single one.

The book will be another Mapleton Mystery. I’ve written about 15,000 words, and I haven’t even finalized the primary crime yet. There’s the B plot, too, with a secondary crime, and I wonder if I should have some kind of structure for that one, too. Since I’m an “organic” writer (fancy term for pantser), I don’t know how long my book will be, so I don’t have a clue where all these structural pieces would have to go as I write. Plus, I’ve found that when I have any kind of a roadmap, I’m in too much of a hurry to get from point A to point B that I leave out the parts that make up my voice.

At about the same time that I heard Dr. Lyle’s advice, I saw a post from another author acquaintance, Neil Plakcy, which piqued my interest. He was willing to share, and I’m quoting him here.

I was the chief judge for the Lilian Jackson Braun award given out by Mystery Writers of America, which led me to read 80 mystery novels, mostly in the cozy range. It was a great education in structure because most of the books followed a particular path.

A young woman suffers a loss in the big city. Maybe she loses her job or is dumped by her boyfriend. Or maybe she’s just generally unhappy and unfulfilled.

She often inherits a house or a store in her hometown, or a small town where she spent summers with a beloved aunt or grandmother.

By the end of the first chapter she’s picked up and moved to that small town. By the end of the first third, someone is murdered. Maybe an old friend is the victim, or the suspect. Maybe she’s even suspected herself. She becomes an amateur sleuth to clear her name or her friend’s, or to bring justice to her lost friend/family member. Along the way she is attracted to the hunky police detective. (Who knew small-town cops were so handsome?)

Maybe he welcomes her help, or maybe he pushes her away. But by the end of the second chunk of the book, she’s put herself in danger.

Eventually she uses her specific knowledge (of books, baking, candles, etc.) to figure out whodunnit.

Where I cared about the characters, I began dreading that second plot point, when she gets in danger. I just wanted the happy ending without the trauma.

That’s what led me to write The Smiling Dog Cafe, because in Japanese-style healing fiction the stakes are low and the sense of community is high. There can be pain and angst, but it’s threaded through the book rather than in a big plot point.

**My note: Based on reviews, I’m thinking there are a lot of readers who agree.

I will say this. In all of my novels and novellas, I’ve yet to have a reader complain or compliment me on the structure of the book. For me, like for Dr. Lyle, I want to tell a story.

I’m curious as to how much readers pay attention to structure when they’re reading. Are you aware of when things are supposed to happen? Do you anticipate them? Does that enhance or hamper the read?

Writers. Do you follow any given structure as you write, or do you go back and deal with it in edits? Or do you just “tell the damn story?”

New! Find me at Substack with Writings and Wanderings

Danger Abroad

When breaking family ties is the only option.

Madison Westfield has information that could short-circuit her politician father’s campaign for governor. But he’s family. Although he was a father more in word than deed, she changes her identity and leaves the country rather than blow the whistle.

Blackthorne, Inc. taps Security and Investigations staffer, Logan Bolt, to track down Madison Westfield. When he finds her in the Faroe Islands, her story doesn’t match the one her father told Blackthorne. The investigation assignment quickly switches to personal protection for Madison.

Soon, they’re involved with a drug ring and a kidnapping attempt. Will working together put them in more danger? Can a budding relationship survive the dangers they encounter?

Available now

Like bang for your buck? I have a new Mapleton Bundle. Books 4, 5, and 6 for one low price.

Terry Odell is an award-winning author of Mystery and Romantic Suspense, although she prefers to think of them all as “Mysteries with Relationships.”

Bulwer Lytton 2024

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Bulwer-Lytton 2024
Terry Odell

Following up Debbie’s post with some more humor, something I think is lacking in our lives these days. I’m sharing some of the winners of the 2024 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. These entries, I believe, are all of the human generated variety. If you’re unfamiliar with the contest, here’s the skinny from the website:

“Since 1982 the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest has challenged participants to write an atrocious opening sentence to the worst novel never written. The whimsical literary competition honors Sir Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, whose 1830 novel Paul Clifford begins with “It was a dark and stormy night.”

The contest receives thousands of entries each year, and every summer our Panel of Undistinguished Judges convenes to select winners and dishonorable mentions for such categories as Purpose Prose and Vile Puns.”

2024 Grand Prize

**She had a body that reached out and slapped my face like a five-pound ham-hock tossed from a speeding truck.
Lawrence Person, Austin, TX

Grand Panjandrum’s Special Award

**Mrs. Higgins’ body was found in the pantry, bludgeoned with a potato ricer and lying atop a fifty-pound sack of Yukon golds, her favorite for making gnocchi, though some people consider them too moist for this purpose.
Joel Phillips, West Trenton, NJ

 Crime & Detective

Winner

**She was poured into the red latex dress like Jello poured into a balloon, almost bursting at the seams, and her zaftig shape was awesome to behold, but I knew from the look on her face and the .45 she held pointing at me, that this was no standard client of my detective agency, but a new collection agency tactic to get me to pay my long-overdue phone bill.
Jack Harnly, Sarasota, FL

Dishonorable Mentions

**Magnus was in a tough spot…the Icelandic Police were pressing him to cough up the name of the top capo in each of the 3 main cities in which the Mafia operated—Reykjavik, Akureyri, and Middelf—threatening to lock him away for life if he didn’t, but he knew that if he ratted out the Reykjavikingur or the Akureyringur the Mob would kill him for sure—so he just gave them the Middelfingur.
Mark Meiches, Dallas, TX

(Personal note: I’ve actually been to Akureyri, but don’t ask me how to pronounce it.)

**That sweltering Friday evening she not so much walked but slithered into my shabby strip mall P.I. office, showing off all her curves, and I knew then I was in for a weekend of trouble because Dave’s Reptile Emporium next door, from which the ball python had escaped, was closed until Monday.
Douglas Purdy, Roseville, CA

**Staring unblinkingly into the pleading, tear-filled eyes of yet another dame looking for me to solve all her problems, I sighed, stretched, scratched my whiskers, stuck my hind leg in the air and bent my spine at a 45-degree angle to reach down and lick my butt clean, then donned my fedora—Taco, Cat Detective, was officially on the case.
Gwen Simonalle, Grenoble, France

There are many more categories. You can find everything here.

Any favorites? Have you ever entered?

New! Find me at Substack with Writings and Wanderings

Danger Abroad

When breaking family ties is the only option.

Madison Westfield has information that could short-circuit her politician father’s campaign for governor. But he’s family. Although he was a father more in word than deed, she changes her identity and leaves the country rather than blow the whistle.

Blackthorne, Inc. taps Security and Investigations staffer, Logan Bolt, to track down Madison Westfield. When he finds her in the Faroe Islands, her story doesn’t match the one her father told Blackthorne. The investigation assignment quickly switches to personal protection for Madison.

Soon, they’re involved with a drug ring and a kidnapping attempt. Will working together put them in more danger? Can a budding relationship survive the dangers they encounter?

Available for pre-order.

Like bang for your buck? I have a new Mapleton Bundle. Books 4, 5, and 6 for one low price.

Terry Odell is an award-winning author of Mystery and Romantic Suspense, although she prefers to think of them all as “Mysteries with Relationships.”

Left Coast Crime Report

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Left Coast Crime Report
Terry Odell

I’m back from Left Coast Crime, and I just know that you’ve all been waiting with bated breath to see how things went on the “Behind the Badge” panel.

Even if you’re not, I’m going to tell you anyway.

The four panelists covered a broad range of police stories. We had a time travel book where the cop lived in the past, another protagonist in the present, but they discovered a time portal (by accident) and could communicate with each other. The author’s challenge was getting the police procedures in place in the 1930s right, since the present-day protagonist wasn’t connected to law enforcement.

Another book was set in Pittsburgh, where someone had called in a crime, giving no more information than it was “under a bridge.” Given the city has over 400 bridges, the author had to figure out what the cops would do. (Hint: bridges all have their unique sounds, and they had the recording of the phone call.)

The third panelist’s book was set in Hong Kong in the 1960s, and since he’d lived there, he had a good idea of how things worked. As a reader, I accepted he’d done his homework, since I didn’t have any idea how cops operated in a totally different culture. Lots of corruption going on.

Then there was me, with my current-day, small town police force.

All in all, the moderator did a good job of asking questions that let us talk about the topic while keeping our answers related to our books, since this was a reader’s conference, not one focused on the ins and outs of doing the writing.

Audience questions were also relevant and fun, especially the one about why I set my book in a made up town. My answer was basically, “Because if I set it in a real town, I have to get everything right.” I went on to explain the problems I had writing Nowhere to Hide, which is set in Orlando, where I was living at the time.

But perhaps the best part of the panel for me was when the moderator said he’d read one of my books and was impressed with how I’d nailed the police procedures, and that he thought I’d done a wonderful job with my characterizations and descriptions.

The only panel I attended that was more geared for authors was one on marketing, and how much there is to do, and how much it can cost. I think most of us in the audience were taken aback by the marketing professional who said how much we should be spending on a book launch. (Note: I won’t be spending close to that figure.)

We don’t get into politics here at TKZ, but I’m merely reporting on what happened. There were a lot of apologies given to attendees from Canada.

In presentations given by the Guest of Honor, Sara Paretsky, she said she had almost called to cancel her attendance but decided she had to come, and prayed that there were enough air traffic controllers on the job for her flight. I have to say, she’s pulled me out of my writing slump. She feels as terrible, angry, and scared about the current situation in our country, but she said it’s important for us to keep our voices out there so we’re not giving in. When I finished writing Danger Abroad, (Available for preorder!) I wasn’t sure I could write another book, but now I’m back at the keyboard.

And speaking of being back at the keyboard, I decided the next book would be another Mapleton Mystery, the 10th novel in that series. In getting started, I realized my brain couldn’t handle a months-long hiatus while I was writing Danger Abroad, which is a Blackthorne, Inc. novel. When I started writing the new book, it took almost a full page before I realized that I was writing from Angie’s POV, not Gordon’s. Had to fix it. Luckily, it was only one page that needed fixing, and I’m an author. I know how to do that.

OK, TKZers. The floor is yours.

New! Find me at Substack with Writings and Wanderings

Danger Abroad

When breaking family ties is the only option.

Madison Westfield has information that could short-circuit her politician father’s campaign for governor. But he’s family. Although he was a father more in word than deed, she changes her identity and leaves the country rather than blow the whistle.

Blackthorne, Inc. taps Security and Investigations staffer, Logan Bolt, to track down Madison Westfield. When he finds her in the Faroe Islands, her story doesn’t match the one her father told Blackthorne. The investigation assignment quickly switches to personal protection for Madison.

Soon, they’re involved with a drug ring and a kidnapping attempt. Will working together put them in more danger? Can a budding relationship survive the dangers they encounter?

Available for pre-order.

Like bang for your buck? I have a new Mapleton Bundle. Books 4, 5, and 6 for one low price.

Terry Odell is an award-winning author of Mystery and Romantic Suspense, although she prefers to think of them all as “Mysteries with Relationships.”

Police Work and Conferences

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Police Work and Conferences
Terry Odell

I’m off to Left Coast Crime today, so my responses to comments might be late. It’s a reader-based conference, so I’m hoping to meet new people and introduce them to my work. I’ll be on a panel called “Behind the Badge: Writing Authentic Police Procedurals.” I guess they got tired of putting me on the “sex” panel. If you’re attending, it’s Thursday at 2:30. If you’re not attending, it’s still Thursday at 2:30.

When it comes to police procedures, I’m so far behind the badge that I’ve crossed state lines. But, I do my homework before writing anything—let’s make that before publishing anything—because I often write what seems like it ought to be the case, but since I’m not a trained law enforcement officer, I have a wonderful retired homicide detective who will answer my questions and put me on the right track. And I’m smart enough to ask.

I was dealing with a scene in Deadly Adversaries, where I wanted my cops to deal with a suspect. Trouble was, he lived in a different jurisdiction. After some back and forthing with my contact, I made the adjustments he said would be necessary to comply with the law. I loved his response:

I’m laughing. You try to do it right. See how boring Hollywood would have been it they had to keep within that pesky Constitution. It stood in my way many times.

Based on his advice, I adjusted a confrontation between the cops and a “little old lady holding a shotgun” scene as well. Since my contact worked in Orlando, my tiny town of Mapleton wasn’t what he’s used to. He said:

Funny, I think of working in a big city verses a small town. If I were there they would both likely be dead. You do make a great story though.

I won’t know much about the panel until I’m in the midst—our moderator said we could feed him one opening question (which I’ve already forgotten), but then he wasn’t going to divulge anything else about how he’d run the panel. I’ll probably recap the conference in another post.

Another research source I’ve found very useful is an io group (used to be a yahoo group, hence the “2” in the name) is crimescenewriters2. It’s full of people who know what they’re talking about in many first responder fields. They’ve been there, done it. You pose a question and get an answer that’s most likely more accurate than asking the AI bots.

Other than my panel, what else am I doing at the conference?

Bringing Swag. Always popular. I’ll bring lip balm, post-it notes, and copies of “Seeing Red” as giveaways.

Business cards. I’ll leave some on the giveaway table, but most will be handed out in person. I used to do bookmarks, but after seeing how many were left behind, I opted to stop spending money on them. E-books don’t need physical bookmarks.

Books for the bookstore. I don’t usually sell many, but it puts them in front of readers, many of whom will look for them at their favorite e-book stores. I’ll have copies of three books in my Mapleton Mystery series.

I’ll be volunteering at two events: Speed Dating, and the New Author Breakfast. Lots of swag from the former, food at the latter. And, of course meeting and chatting with people.

I did a post about my experience at the Speed Dating event from a former Left Coast Crime. You can find it here.

I will have a 30 minute slot in the Hospitality Room (Saturday 11:30 – 12:00 if you’re around) where I’ll have more giveaways. At some point, those cartons of remaindered hardcovers need to find better homes. Again, it’s a good time to meet people, especially those who haven’t heard of you.

And now, I’m rerunning some of my conference survival tips, no matter what sort of a conference it is.

  1. Have copies of your receipts. Nothing like finding out they’ve lost your registration or meal choices or room reservation to start things off on a stressful note. Better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them.
  2. Bring your own tote if you have one. Although most conferences hand out tote bags, they all look alike. If you bring one from a different conference, you’re less likely to have it picked up by mistake. (I also bring my own badge holder—the kind with compartments from another conference, just in case they give you a simple plastic one. This way, I’ve got a secure place for my badge, meal tickets, a little cash and other vitals—like business cards or bookmarks.)
  3. Don’t be afraid to meet people. It’s not required that you travel with a glued-to-the-hip companion. Take an empty seat, smile, hand over your business card, business card, or simple swag, and introduce yourself. This is one place where there’s an immediate conversation starter: “What do you write?” Or, in the case of a readers’ conference ‘read’?
  4. Bring comfortable clothes, especially shoes. You’ll be doing a lot of sitting, and a lot of walking, depending on how far apart the meeting rooms are. Also, bring layers. Regardless of the outside temperatures, meeting rooms can be meat-locker cold or steamy hot.
  5. Pace yourself. You’re not obligated to participate in every single event. Take breaks. Hide in your room for an hour if you need to. I long ago stopped feeling guilty about crawling into bed with a book at a decent hour.
  6. Speaking of books…bring either a bigger suitcase than you need, or some other method of transporting books. Most conferences are heavy on giveaways—and then there’s the inevitable bookstore and/or book signing. Another good reason to bring your own tote. Use the one they give you for books.
  7. Budget. Long ago, when I traveled with the Hubster on his per-diem, I learned how to save a few bucks. Think college dorm room. Almost all hotel rooms have coffee makers. They make hot water as well as coffee. There are all sorts of “just add boiling water” meal options out there. I’ll have instant oatmeal in my room for breakfast. This saves getting dressed early and going downstairs to a crowded hotel restaurant and blowing way too much money on a simple meal. And avoid the possibility of the staff not being able to handle several hundred people arriving at the same time. I’ll carry snacks as well. I’m not one for huge lunches at home, so for conferences that serve a banquet meal at lunch—well, that’s usually my dinner as well. A drink at the bar, maybe an appetizer or salad. No need for another huge and expensive meal. I can buy books with what I’ve saved.
  8. Scope out the facilities. Find out-of-the-way restrooms. Given short breaks between sessions and everyone on the same schedule, lines can get long.
  9. Giveaways. Odds are there are giveaway tables. Having swag is a great way to get your name in front of people. I’ve given away post-it notes, pens, lip balm, business cards, and bookmarks.
  10. Have fun.

If any TKZers are going to be at Left Coast Crime, be sure to look me up. And yes, meeting at the bar is always a good thing. I’ll have a Manhattan.

New! Find me at Substack with Writings and Wanderings

Danger Abroad

When breaking family ties is the only option.

Madison Westfield has information that could short-circuit her politician father’s campaign for governor. But he’s family. Although he was a father more in word than deed, she changes her identity and leaves the country rather than blow the whistle.

Blackthorne, Inc. taps Security and Investigations staffer, Logan Bolt, to track down Madison Westfield. When he finds her in the Faroe Islands, her story doesn’t match the one her father told Blackthorne. The investigation assignment quickly switches to personal protection for Madison.

Soon, they’re involved with a drug ring and a kidnapping attempt. Will working together put them in more danger? Can a budding relationship survive the dangers they encounter?

Available for pre-order.

Like bang for your buck? I have a new Mapleton Bundle. Books 4, 5, and 6 for one low price.

Dialogue And The Times

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Dialogue And The Times
Terry Odell

Book covers of Huckleberry Finn and James

We are warned to take it easy with dialects in dialogue, because they make things harder to read, and the last thing we want to do is slow things down for our readers. These are a few snippets showing how I handled it years ago in Where Danger Hides.

“Well, what do we have here? You want to come on out, darlin’?” The voice was deep, warm, and decidedly Texan.

***

From her brief encounter with Texas, she was certain he’d be dressed like every other man here—in a tuxedo. She’d never pick him out in the crowd. Unless, of course, he opened his mouth, and that slow, honey-rich drawl flowed out.

I left it up to the reader to fill in the blanks as to what they heard while reading.

Or, in Rooted in Danger, where my protagonist was an Aussie, I used expressions rather than try to spell out the way he sounded when he spoke.

The man’s soothing tone penetrated her fog. He didn’t try to take the gun away, but he walked her to the kitchen and, guiding her hand with his, opened a cabinet.
“How about in here?” he asked. “Or shall we toss it down the dunny?”
Finally, his words registered. “Dunny?”
“Loo. Head. W.C. Toilet. Although that was more of a figure-of-speech question because it would ruin your plumbing.”

***

“Told you it would be a bucket of piss.”
“What?”
“I think you’d call it a piece of cake.”
“I definitely like that better.”

***

“Thanks, Wally. You’re a right fine bastard.”
“You got no call to say that about me,” Wally said with a scowl.
“Sorry, mate. Where I come from, bastard means a damn good friend.”

***

We’re also told to watch profanity. But there are always exceptions to everything.

(Note: I am not going to get into book banning or censorship in this post. Nor am I going to give spoilers for Everett’s book.)

But language evolves. Tastes change. Conventions change.

Our book club voted to read James by Percival Everett for this month. We meet tomorrow, so I don’t know what the other group members will have to say about it, but this is my take.

James is based on Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, a book I read countless times as a child—I’m thinking it was in my elementary or junior high school days. I thought Huck was cool (although that wasn’t the slang in those days.)

It was also assigned reading in high school English. (Can we get away with that today?The “N” word was used extensively in both Huckleberry Finn and James, as appropriate to the times.) Good old Mr. Holtby had us discussing whether we’d rather be a raft or a riverboat. He was all about symbolism. But he made us think.

At any rate, after reading James, I went to the library for a copy of Huckleberry Finn, because I’d been under the impression that James was a retelling of Huckleberry Finn from Jim’s point of view. There were so many things I didn’t remember, given the elapsed time between high school and today, but—duh moment—it didn’t take long to realize that Huck and Jim weren’t together through the whole book, so seeing what transpired for Jim while he was apart from Huck made for a very different story.

Huck’s grammar (or lack thereof) was prevalent in both books. Likewise for Jim. True to the times and the vocabularies of the characters. I wonder if Everett blew up spellcheck and any grammar checking software. I’m not going to try to transcribe passages from Huckleberry Finn. Instead, here are two image. (Sorry about the quality. I took it from a very old, yellowed paperback.)

This is Huck:

page from Huckleberry Finn

Here, Jim is talking to Huck.

page of text from Huckleberry Finn

Did you have trouble reading either passage? Did you have to slow down? Was it more the spelling, grammar, or vocabulary? Would you try writing that kind of dialogue today to show a character’s accent or dialect?

What are your thoughts about dialect in dialogue? Everett’s book was not only published (Sorry, I didn’t think to grab a picture or two before I had to return it to the library, but a lot of the dialogue was very much the same) but won the 2024 Kirkus Prize and the National Book Award for Fiction. It’s also been optioned for a movie, and I’m curious to see how it’s handled.

New! Find me at Substack with Writings and Wanderings

Danger Abroad

When breaking family ties is the only option.

Madison Westfield has information that could short-circuit her politician father’s campaign for governor. But he’s family. Although he was a father more in word than deed, she changes her identity and leaves the country rather than blow the whistle.

Blackthorne, Inc. taps Security and Investigations staffer, Logan Bolt, to track down Madison Westfield. When he finds her in the Faroe Islands, her story doesn’t match the one her father told Blackthorne. The investigation assignment quickly switches to personal protection for Madison.

Soon, they’re involved with a drug ring and a kidnapping attempt. Will working together put them in more danger? Can a budding relationship survive the dangers they encounter?

Available for pre-order.

Like bang for your buck? I have a new Mapleton Bundle. Books 4, 5, and 6 for one low price.

Terry Odell is an award-winning author of Mystery and Romantic Suspense, although she prefers to think of them all as “Mysteries with Relationships.”