by Lynne | Sep 23, 2013 | Uncategorized
Bending the Truth a Little
Writing historical mysteries is a juggling act. Writers must create a fictional plot with fictional characters around a historical time period with real people . . . and somehow suspend the readers’ disbelief.
Many writers of historical fiction choose a particular time period and stay with it. I’m thinking Anne Perry, Phillipa Gregory, Charles Todd. I, on the other hand, am intrigued by so many time periods, I skip around. Each of my mysteries takes place in a different place and time, which enables me to do the thing I love most: research. The risk, of course, is that I will know only a little about each time period as opposed to Anne Perry who knows a great deal about Victorian England.
Once I settle on a time period, I read and read and read about it. I visit the places in question, interview experts, historians, and read and read and read some more. By this time, I usually have a kernel of an idea for the plot and maybe even a character sketch or two.
Building fictional characters around authentic ones is key. Unless your character is transported from modern times to the past, he/she must act, speak, dress like the time period. In using real people from the time period, they must be as genuine to history as I can make them.
As the story develops and takes twists and turns on its own, I find I am bending the truth a bit – creating an “alternate history.” This is fiction, after all. The book I am working on now will be a totally new take on history. It is about the witches of Salem, Massachusetts and will provide a different motivation for the girls’ hysteria. The backdrop and many characters are authentic, but the story line meanders considerably from what we know to be historically accurate.
The questions I ask take the form of “what if” and I let my imagination run free. It’s a rare writer that can devise a plotline that hasn’t already been done. But even a clichéd plot can be made new and fresh with unusual twists, powerful characters and exceptional prose.
I’ve completed the first draft of the book and am beginning to re-write. The end is nowhere in sight. But as I write I am bending history to fit the story. That’s the advantage of fiction. And its strength.
by Lynne | Sep 17, 2013 | Uncategorized
A Sight to Behold
Just returned from trip to NYC and a visit to the National September 11 Memorial. This photo montage shows the construction of the tower, very beautiful, indeed, and two pools set in the footprints of the original Twin Towers. These pools are situated where the twin towers used to stand. Thirty-foot waterfalls — the largest in North America — cascade into the pools, each then descending into a center void. The names of the victims (2,977) are inscribed in bronze parapets around the pools. The fully redeveloped WTC will include the Memorial and Museum, commercial office space, retail and connections to public transit. It’s scheduled to open in 2014.
Photos tell the story. 
by Lynne | Sep 9, 2013 | Uncategorized
Do it Yourself or Hire a Pro?
Writing a good book is only the first step. Publishing it so it looks professional is step two. The third and very important step is marketing the book.
I’ve read a few books on Indie marketing and ideas range from developing Youtubes, a top-notch website, taking advantage of free social media to paying for advertising, both digital and in print. So far, I’ve got a really good website. No Youtubes. I’ve dabbled with social media but not paid advertising.
What I did do, however, was write a press release. But I didn’t write the release about my book per se. I took a concept from my book and capitalized on that. I found an “angle” that I thought would be of interest to a wide swath of public.
The book is about the Nazi confiscation of art and a missing Van Gogh painting. It is actually still missing so I’ve decided to go on a hunt for it. Seemed like a good angle: “Mystery Writer on Hunt for Missing Van Gogh. “ Now what?
I created a press release, weaving my book concept into this angle so it doesn’t appear to be just a “buy my book” message. Now I have a press release. What do I do with it? I can send it to local papers and news stations. Not too hard. Find the feature editors, senior editors, etc. But what about a more widespread release? Throughout the city, state, country?
I investigated some marketing companies. I found one called PRWeb.com and decided to go with them. For under $500, they helped me tune up my release, target my audience, and release it on a certain date to many thousands of publications around the country. They also followed up with analytics to show who picked it up, how many hits, impressions, interactives ( forwards, prints, etc.) took place.
How did I do? I was somewhat disappointed in the results. Most of the sites that picked up the story were online journals and digital newsletters. Certainly not the New York Times. A couple of biggies did pick it up: Miami Herald and the Boston Globe. But when I clicked on the sites and tried to find the article, they didn’t show up. Hmmm. Using Google and Google Alerts, I tried to find who picked up my press release. Still not a clear picture. Maybe I’m just tech-challenged.
My next step was to take the release and send it to local press avenues. There I had more success, since, of course, they are interested in local stories. I got a radio interview at KPBS and astoundingly, landed on the front page of the San Diego Union Tribune. Terrific story by an excellent columnist who took my press release, interviewed me and then wrote his own article. I was flying high. Although anyone who knows San Diego’s U/T would probably laugh.
Then it was over. In one day, I was no longer a cover story. I was back to being one author amongst many. What do I do now? Peddle the press release along with my one day of fame, to new sites or repeat sites? Write a new press release? Or do I hire a publicist who knows the appropriate next steps?
Thoughts and ideas welcome!
by Lynne | Sep 2, 2013 | Uncategorized
Vincent, Where Have You Gone?
My hunt for a missing Van Gogh has led me to valuable contacts, fascinating people and stories but, alas, not to the lost painting. Yet.
I have conversed with art dealers in Switzerland, museum officials in Amsterdam, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, archivists in Germany and experts on holocaust art restitution in Washington, D.C. In addition, through my research, I have met several well-known and highly respected authors like Lynn Nicholas, Jonathan Petropoulos and Elizabeth Simpson (bibliography in link below.)
Rather than repeat the details of my search in this blog, please go to my web page: https://lynnekennedymysteries.com/the-hunt-for-the-missing-van-gogh/
What is so fascinating about history is that it never ends. Nearly every week there is something in the news on looted art — found, fought over and, hopefully, returned to its rightful owner. In the meantime, I will keep peeling away the layers of information until a glimmer of a real lead reveals itself.
The hunt continues.
As the story develops and takes twists and turns on its own, I find I am bending the truth a bit – creating an “alternate history.” This is fiction, after all. The book I am working on now will be a totally new take on history. It is about the witches of Salem, Massachusetts and will provide a different motivation for the girls’ hysteria. The backdrop and many characters are authentic, but the story line meanders considerably from what we know to be historically accurate.
