by Lynne | Oct 7, 2013 | Uncategorized
Writing From Different Gender POVs
I just finished an excellent novel called “Help for the Haunted.” It’s about two sisters, ages around 14 and 18 and their parents who make a living by helping expunge demons from haunted individuals. Hmm. Well, never mind the plot – it actually works quite well.
When I was about halfway through I happened to notice the name of the author. Isn’t that awful? I didn’t even pay attention to the author’s name until then. Shame. Anyway, the author’s name is John Searles. A male . . . writing in the point of view of two young females. The characters were so well-formed and realistic I was surprised to learn they were created by a man.
I began to wonder how many other books I’ve read had characters developed by an opposite sex author. One that came to mind immediately was “Memoirs of a Geisha.” In this book, the author, Arthur Golden, does an excellent job of portraying the opposite sex main character. (Not to mention all the cultural differences that required a great deal of research.)
The other book I recalled was “She’s Come Undone,” by Wally Lamb. Also an excellent portrayal of a female character by a male author. Here the protagonist deals with rape, the death of her mother and suicide. How much tragedy and trauma can one woman deal with and how can the male author empathize so poignantly?
In “Help for the Haunted,” clearly I assumed the author was female. I applaud John Searles for getting into the heads of two young women so artfully. But how did he do it? Does he have daughters? Does he teach high school girls? Does he vet his characters through other young women to see if they are, indeed, realistic?
In my novel, “The Triangle Murders,” I attempted the same thing. The main character is a male homicide cop. But in this case, Frank Mead had been developed in other books with the help of a female character. In this book I simply let him fly on his own. The point is that Frank “grew” around my female protagonist in other books and I felt I knew him well enough to give him the lead. But how well did I know him compared to my female lead? As a woman, how well can I know any man?
Is it enough to be married, teach, be a CASA for teen foster youth, have brothers, sons, uncles and cousins of the opposite sex, to claim to know what goes on in their heads? Is writing about characters from an opposite gender point of view different from writing about characters in a different time zone or location?
I think it is.
What do you think?
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.
by Lynne | Aug 26, 2013 | Uncategorized
Technology Isolates Us
This weekend, my husband and I were relaxing on our deck overlooking a lovely canyon with our two sweet Labs. Both of us were thinking (maybe our Labs were too!) about how we missed going to bookstores. Not only to 
buy books but to enjoy a mocha, socialize, chat, meet friends, listen to an author.
Sure, there are a few independent bookstores still around, many of them specifically for used books. And I love the indie stores, after all, I’m an indie author. But, honestly, I miss Borders. Barnes and Noble stores are okay, but somehow, they don’t have the atmosphere or congeniality that Borders had. Am I crazy? Don’t answer that.
What makes this really ludicrous is I badmouthed Borders when they put the little indie bookshops out of business. Now the giant is gone and I’m complaining.
So, how do I find new books? Sometimes at a great little shop, Warwick’s, in La Jolla. Sometimes at Barnes and Noble. But very often on Amazon. Which brings me to the topic of this blog. Isolation. I spend a great deal of time on the computer. Writing, blogging, and communicating through social media. When I do, I’m alone, isolated. How can social media be social in the true, maybe old-fashioned, sense of the word?
There’s something missing when your friends are texting you, rather than meeting you or at least calling you. You’re still by yourself. You can’t see their expression, body language, their frowns, their smiles, feel their touch. Okay, you can Skype. Not the same. Always a lag time so you look like a character in the Blair Witch Project.
Think about all the technology you use today, iPhones, iPods, iPads, Droids, Macs , PCs, GPS, cameras, videocams, new-car tech systems. All the Apps that go with them. Sheesh . And all the terminology – uh, I won’t go there.
And, when you’re learning and using this technology you’re by yourself for the most part. You’re isolated for hours upon hours every day, especially if you’re a writer. Anybody out there agree?
Waaah. I’m lonely.
