Who is the perfect suspense heroine? A courageous woman? A timid woman? A strong woman? A fragile woman? A confident woman? A struggling woman? When I first met my husband, twenty –two years ago, I was a strong, lithe, hard core camping woman who could carry a Duluth pack and a canoe alone on a portage. I thought I was sooooo tough. In our group of fellow guides, there was a girl who loved asking the guys to carry things for her. “I’m a girl, I can’t lift heavy things!” she’d say and I’d roll my eyes. Never, I vowed, would I ask a man to carry things for me. Then came the day when I was trying to carry a baby, a toddler, our carryon, a diaper […]
Read the RestArchive | January, 2011
Man up! (Creating a Suspense Hero Day 2!)
Yesterday we talked about creating that sympathetic opening for our hero that helps the reader connect with him and forgive him (just in case he starts doing things like break the law…or people). What other elements does a Suspense Hero need? Competence. Our hero has to be GOOD at something. Maybe it’s not anything we see right away, but some skill that he uses to save the day. See, everyone has something they are good at, even if they don’t know it and a great suspense brings this out. It challenges the hero’s abilities at each turn, and yet in the end, it’s this hidden competence, or rekindled competence that saves the day. In Eagle Eye, we see that our hero can talk fast to get himself […]
Read the RestMan up (Creating a Suspense Hero Day 1)
Today, we’re going to take a look at our suspense Hero. See, when you’re when you’re writing a suspense, it’s all about the guy who rises from the dust, the ball in hand. (Ooops, it’s playoff season. And I just watched the Pack (my second favorite team!) beat the Bears. Go Pack!) so you may get football illustrations) But, just as quick review, last week, we divided a suspense novel into three sections: Act 1: The Game The set up: Players, the Goals, the Rules, Board/Playing field. Act Two: The Guts All the great stuff happens during the Guts phase – confronting fears, reaching out in the darkness for the girl’s hand, stealing a kiss, and failing big, and learning something new about yourself. Act […]
Read the RestThe My Book Therapy Frasier Contest is OPEN!
My Book Therapy is thrilled to announce the Second Annual My Book Therapy writing contest for the members of Club Book Therapy Voices! The Frasier! We at My Book Therapy believe in the power of feedback to help a writer grow! And one of the best ways to get unbiased feedback is to enter a contest. However, it’s not enough, sometimes, just to get a contest entry back…how do you take the feedback and go to the next level? Our vision is to help authors become PUBLISHED authors….. Which is why we’ve designed the “Frasier” writing contest for unpublished member of the My Book Therapy Voices…with a grand prize that is more than a plaque…it’s a TICKET. Or rather, a SCHOLARSHIP to […]
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