Everyone is a Character - Guest Post

I'm kicking of Murder Thriller Week with a guest post by Barbara Venkataraman. Barbara writes the Jamie Quinn Mystery series. The following article appeared in the November issue of In D’Tale Magazine and is reprinted with their permission at a request by the author.

EVERYONE IS A CHARACTER
by Barbara Venkataraman

I used to be so careful. After all, every how-to book on the art of writing provides the same advice--don't base your fictional characters on real people. While it's okay to borrow a trait or a habit or a quirk, you should never borrow the entire personality or persona--at least according to the experts. It only leads to trouble and who wants trouble? Thus were born my composite people; I was Dr. Frankenstein and they were my creations, cobbled together from spare parts, leftover remarks, and funny anecdotes from long ago. My technique had three steps. I would start with a picture from a magazine of what I imagined my character looked like, usually it was an advertisement. Next, I would choose a name, working hard to ensure that it wasn't already taken, that it wasn't the name of someone famous or notorious (Google to the rescue), and, finally, I would invent a backstory for my character hoping it was original enough to pass muster. Not only did I want to avoid basing my characters on real people, I also wanted to avoid basing them on fictional characters. Considering that I've read thousands of books in my life I could have easily lifted a character unintentionally, believing it came to me in a dream.

That's the challenge--to take traits from real people, incorporate those traits into fictional characters and make them seem like real people. Don't think about it too hard or you'll give yourself a headache--I know I do. It's all about capturing an essence, like lightning in a bottle. Unlike some authors, I focus on dialogue more than physical description because characters can reveal so much of themselves by what they say, what they leave unsaid and by their body language. An emotion can be conveyed by simply raising one perfect eyebrow or by walking away. It's difficult to portray realism in an artificial setting like a novel because most of what real people discuss is not novel-worthy--nobody wants to read about the weather or your Aunt Sally's gallstones. The rule to remember is: Less is more. Every word of dialogue should pack a punch by furthering the plot or developing the character. Ideally, it would do both.

I must confess that one of my best characters I've created is Grace Anderson, BFF to my protagonist Jamie Quinn. To bring Grace to life, I demonstrate her sense of humor and her concern for Jamie through examples. The two women have been friends since law school and in a flashback Jamie remembers some of the practical jokes Grace pulled back then. When Jamie's disabled cousin gets into trouble in the present, I show how Grace swoops in to help in concrete ways through her actions. Grace combines many of the qualities of my closest friends. As a result, my friends all see themselves in her. Grace is funny and smart, loyal and intuitive, she's a blast to be around--who wouldn't want to be Grace? But, although my girlfriends are all Grace, none of them is Grace

Now my husband is a different story, he is fair game and he knows it. If Jamie's tree-hugging, romantic, smart-aleck boyfriend Kip resembles my husband, then my husband shouldn't have been such a tree-hugging, romantic, smart-aleck. Whenever my husband says something funny, I write it down. I used to be sly about it, now I don't bother. To be fair, I write it down whenever anyone says something funny, ironic, or crazy, but he is just a good source of material. Here's an example: ever since our kids moved out, I barely cook; Suzy Homemaker has left the building (if she ever in fact lived here). One night, after I brought home take-out for dinner, my husband thanked me for doing that. To which I said, Of course! It was the least I could do. To which he replied I'm pretty sure you could've done less…

For those of you familiar with my body of work (and I love you, whoever you are), you may recall that my children were the protagonists of my first book, "The Fight for Magicallus". That book started out as a joke, a motherly tool, you might say and came about because my boys wouldn't stop playing video games. So I did what any mother would do, I wrote a story in which they were sucked into their video game and had to figure out how to escape. Ultimately, their only way out was to read a book. Not sure if they learned the lesson, but they did enjoy starring in their own adventure and I know for a fact that they read at least one book!

And so, family members notwithstanding, I have been conscientious about not pilfering people's personalities for my books--until one day when tragedy struck. My cousin's daughter died suddenly of heart disease at the age of twenty-seven. I flew to the northeast to be with them a few weeks after the funeral and it was then that my cousin's husband asked me if I would do him a favor. I couldn't imagine what it might be. When he asked if I could make Jessie a character in one of my books I was honored but also nervous about getting it right. I spent time with him poring over pictures and videos, learning more about my young cousin. I wanted to portray her accurately; she was such a free spirit despite her life-long battle with heart disease. Incorporating her love of dogs and preference for music from the sixties, I created a girl with purple hair who favored tie-dyed shirts and owned a rock-and-roll-themed dog rescue. Since her first appearance in "Engaged in Danger" Jessie has become one of my favorite characters and she makes me feel closer to the cousin I wish I'd known better.

Jessie's character opened a door I didn't know existed. Suddenly, friends and relatives were shyly coming forward to ask if they, too, could become characters in one of my books. I said, sure, if you write your own back story, pick your own name, and provide your physical description. You can be whoever you want to be, I'll make it work. And that's how my sister Jodi, a high-ranking executive at a cable network, became a master gardener at an assisted living facility happily tending to her plants in my current book, "Jeopardy in July". What Jodi doesn't know is how she will help Jamie Quinn solve the murders happening around her. All I can say is if Jodi wants to find out, she'll just have to read the book.

Cozy mysteries are the perfect vehicle for me because I enjoy writing about funny, smart, quirky characters who sometimes make snarky remarks but who always look out for each other. Their situations may not be realistic, but their relationships are and their realistic and snappy dialogue is the reason.


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Biography

Award-winning author, Barbara Venkataraman, is an attorney and mediator specializing in family law and debt collection.

She is the author of: The Jamie Quinn mysteries; "Teatime with Mrs. Grammar Person", "The Fight for Magicallus," a children's fantasy; a humorous short story entitled, "If You'd Just Listened to Me in the First Place"; and two books of humorous essays: "I'm Not Talking about You, Of Course" and "A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities," which are part of the "Quirky Essays for Quirky People" series. Both books of humorous essays won the prestigious "Indie Book of the Day" award.

 

Coming soon, "Jeopardy  in July"--the next Jamie Quinn mystery! 

Death in Advertising Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Laura Bradford to the blog today. DEATH IN ADVERTISING, the first book in Laura's new Tobi Tobias Mystery series, was released February 7th.

Kathy: You start a new series with DEATH IN ADVERTISING. Was there a specific inspiration for this series?

LB: I first wrote DEATH IN ADVERTISING years ago. Tobi, the main character, just appeared in my head. She was smart, determined, plucky, and had great friends. So I’d say she was my inspiration for the series.


Kathy: Tobi Tobias has to moonlight in a pet store when she opens her own ad agency. Have you ever worked in a pet store or for an animal rescue organization?

LB: No pet stores for me. But my sweet cat, Hobbes, was a rescue animal and I know how much joy she brought me. I figured putting Tobi around animals would make for some fun—and it does!


Kathy: Do you have pets of your own?

LB: Hobbes passed on 7 years ago and I still think about her all the time. She was truly the sweetest cat I’ve ever known. Now, there is Angus. He, too, is a cat…and while very different than Hobbes, he is a character in his own right.


Kathy: If you could spend time with an animal who you could not have as a pet, what type of animal would it be?

LB: Sea lion. Without a doubt. LOVE them. When I visit a zoo, it’s the first place I must go. When I spent some time in Monterey, CA a few years ago, seeing them in the wild (all over the place) was such a treat!


Kathy: You write multiple series simultaneously. How do you juggle them all? Do you sometimes discover you've accidentally put characters in the wrong series while writing?

LB: I never work on two books at a time, so that’s one way I don’t confuse them. I keep index cards with info on all my characters so that helps, too…although, honestly, they’re all real to me so the only confusion might be remembering eye color (which is why I keep the cards). One time, I put a character from another series in a book, but I caught it during editing and it made me laugh.


Kathy: When it comes to writing I understand there are 2 general camps-plotters, who diligently plot their stories, and pansters, who fly by the seat of their pants. Are you a plotter, a panster, or do you fall somewhere in between?

LB: I fall in between. I always know who did the crime and why. And I know the other suspects in advance, as well. But it’s the rest of the book—the flavor, if you will—that I just let write itself.


Kathy: Authors are required to do a lot of their own marketing. What's your favorite part of marketing your work? What do you dislike about marketing?

LB: I like my author page on Facebook—many of the readers I’ve met through that have become friends. I also love library events. I love talking to/being around readers.

As for what I dislike—Twitter. I don’t get it. But I still try.


Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?

LB: Three Tobi Tobias Mysteries will be out in 2017. Death in Advertising (the debut title) is out now. 30 Second Death—book # 2—will be out in July. The 3rd book in the series will be out in December. So that’s exciting.

The Silence of the Flans, the 2nd book in my Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, will be out March 7th.

Patterned After Death, the 12th book in my Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey, will be out in June.

Beyond that, I hope to put out a 6th book in my popular Amish Mysteries this year.

I also have a new project I’m working on (that is now contracted) that I’ll divulge as soon as I can.

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Review 

DEATH IN ADVERTISING by Laura Bradford

The First Tobi Tobias Mystery

Tobi Tobias has started her own advertising agency, a dream she's had since childhood. That dream didn't include a struggling agency and working in a pet store to try to make ends meet, however. Tobi gets her chance to keep her business afloat and pay off some of her mounting bills when she lands the account of another struggling business, the Zander Closet Company. Tobi creates the perfect slogan and both companies begin reaping its benefits. But before the celebration begins in earnest, Tobi's slogan becomes an advertising nightmare. While her slogan didn't cause the death of the prominent Car King of St. Louis, its association is killing her new found success. Determined to save her business, along with hunky Andy Zander's closets and a grieving African Grey parrot, Tobi puts a hold on looking for catchphrases and starts looking for clues.

It took me a while to warm up to Tobi. She acted a bit juvenile and her idiosyncrasies were a bit more annoying than endearing. I was also a bit worried about the pet shop. As an advocate for animals I hoped that the store was a respectable one, promoting adoptions and responsible pet ownership. The story, however, was compelling and Tobi began to grow on me. The more I read, the more I was carried away by the mystery. By the time Grandpa Stu came on the scene I was hooked.

Bradford gives us plenty of interesting characters with a variety of motives. A bit of romance, some laughter, and genuine compassion between the characters add charm. DEATH IN ADVERTISING is a promising start to a new series.

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All-Butter ShortDead - Review

Review

ALL-BUTTER SHORTDEAD by H.Y. Hanna

A Prequel to the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries

Gemma Rose is returning home to Oxford to open a tearoom, quite a departure from her high pressure job in Australia. After making friends with her nervous fellow passenger on the long flight, when Gemma finds that Jenn has left her scarf on board, she doesn't think twice about returning it to her, and is even persuaded to have a few drinks. Gemma soon discovers that no good deed goes unpunished when she wakes to the news that not only is her new friend dead, she's been murdered and Gemma is the prime suspect!

As dire as it sounds this book is filled with laughs as Gemma also deals with her technologically challenged mother, a gang of old biddies, and meets the lovable minx Muesli for the first time.

ALL-BUTTER SHORTDEAD is a fun novella that whets my appetite for more Oxford Tearoom mysteries.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading SKELETONS IN THE ATTIC by Judy Penz Sheluk. This book is the first in the Marketville Mystery series.

After the unexpected death of her father, Callie Barnstable figured she would inherit some old furniture and books. She certainly did not expect a house in the suburbs and definitely not a requirement that she not only live in the house for a year, but investigate her mother's murder.

As Callie gets settled in what was once her childhood home she discovers a house in ill-repair and finds herself dealing with a psychic her father put on retainer, pictures from a childhood she doesn't remember, and five tarot cards hidden under the carpeting. Is the house possibly haunted? Could it be that her mother hadn't abandoned her, but was actually murdered? With the help of a hunky contractor Callie starts to renovate the house, but who can she trust to help solve the mysteries of her past?

A Smugglers and Scones Interview

I'm pleased to welcome Morgan C. Talbot to the blog today. Morgan pens the Moorehaven Mystery series. SMUGGLERS AND SCONES is the first book in the series and was released last month.

Kathy: In SMUGGLERS AND SCONES we meet Pippa Worthy who runs Moorehaven, the Oregon Coast’s quirkiest bed-and-breakfast. Is Moorehaven based on an actual house, or is it purely fictional?

MCT: It’s based on my love of Victorian homes in general—when I was twelve, I convinced my mom to help me measure the exact dimensions of all the rooms in a Victorian house because I wanted to draw an exact floor plan out of sheer, geeky curiosity. But I did see a picture for a mansion for rent on the East Coast, and it had three turrets. The not-quite-symmetry felt like a great match to a quirky little town where people die a little more often than they’re supposed to.


Kathy: At Moorehaven guests come there to write their own crime novels. Have you ever attended writing retreats or gone away to work on your own writing?

MCT: If you count the coffee shop downtown, then yes, I get away twice a week! I guess that, since I tend to zone out pretty heavily when I write, I haven’t specifically sought out a proper writing retreat yet. When I do get away, I do things like put on headphones and zone out in hotel rooms, by pools, in guest rooms, etc. I can always write when I travel, and sometimes, my writing is my retreat from the travel. I’m pretty introverted, and every now and again, I just need to take a break from all the festivities and go hang out with my characters.


Kathy: I've always been fascinated with Prohibition. If you were alive at that time in history, do you think you'd have been going to speakeasies?

MCT: Speakeasies were bastions of equality. They were some of the earliest places that women and African-Americans were allowed to drink in public with white guys. That’s probably just the greedy owners being practical, but it had an effect on society, and once a thing has been experienced, no one can truly wipe it from memory or existence. I’d definitely have gone, if just to say I’d been there, and I bet I’d have met plenty of like-minded folks there, too.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

MCT: My favorite part of the cozy is the everyday female sleuth. My first lady sleuths were Miss Marple and Mrs. Pollifax. They’re so fearless, taking off on trips and spotting something amiss and just diving right in. I relish the idea that a woman can go anywhere and do anything, even interact with dangerous criminals, and succeed with the power of her own cleverness. The concept that a woman’s brain is her sharpest weapon is delightful. And true.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

MCT: I have a couple of epic fantasy series out there, under the pen name Jasmine Giacomo. My series genre ideas tend to tag team me.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

Moorehaven Mysteries, this newest series, follows Pippa Winterbourne, owner of Moorehaven B&B, which caters exclusively to mystery writers and their works in progress. Moorehaven was once the home of world-famous author A. Raymond Moore, so the town of Seacrest is well-steeped in the lore of his books and the tricky ways of murder. I also include some recipes that the B&B serves, as well as a historical tie-in to the plot: in Smugglers & Scones, the historical period involves Prohibition. In the upcoming sequel, we go back a bit farther.

My previous mystery series, Caching Out, follows Margarita and Bindi—her Aussie roommate—as they tackle murders in their small Oregon town with the skills they learned from their hobby of geocaching: clues can hide in plain sight, and sometimes you just need to dig a little deeper to find the answer.

My first fantasy series, Immortality Archive, follows a 15-year-old archivist with eidetic memory as she struggles to understand the true motives of her jaded guide, an immortal woman named Meena, who drags her, a young prince, and his bodyguard halfway around the world to the distant land where Meena’s secrets—and enemies—lie in wait, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

My second fantasy series, Seals of the Duelists, follows Bayan, a lad groomed for farming rice who discovers at the worst possible moment that he can wield magic. He’s taken to the heart of the empire and enrolled in the Duelist Academy, where he meets friends and enemies, and discovers that his magic is not quite like everyone else’s, and that his exalted status is not the gift it seems. As the series progresses, he and his classmates find their true power in unexpected places and learn that power is not what they thought it was.


Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

MCT: Right now, my favorite character is Pippa. Every main character I write, I spend so much time with that we feel like best friends. I used to be BFFs with Marg and Bindi, but it’s been a while since I’ve seen them. They’re still awesome and clever and hilarious, but I guess I’ve changed in the years since I created them, so Pippa is different from them in a way that reflects that. Pippa is practical, and I’m really not, so I created her as a purposeful foil to my own thought processes. I’m more like the authors that Pippa shepherds, but I can still think like her, so in a way, I’m training myself to be Pippa. It’s working well. She’d be proud of me.


Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

MCT: I grew up in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, and we’d drive out to the coast on summer weekends all the time. I love the smell of the cool salt air, the swooping curves of the sandy, gray-gold beaches and the sharp humps of endless headlands along the shore, the singing sand dunes with their sharp-bladed grasses, the shells and jellies that wash ashore. The Pacific along the Oregon Coast was my very first ocean, and it’s near and dear to my heart. I wanted to share its unique qualities with everyone.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

MCT: Having a second child made me want to hold onto something of my own. I’d been writing again since my first was born, so I decided to work at improving my writing and, eventually, to find someone to publish something of mine. Over the next few years, I met some wonderful people in the industry, and I connected with Red Adept Publishing. I figured I’d send in my first mystery and see if they wanted to work with me, and they did! I’ve been very happy with them ever since.


Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

MCT: Agatha Christie, for sure—her idea organization method is like mine, but I have so many more questions. And J.R.R. Tolkien, father of modern fantasy novels and linguistic genius. Lois McMaster Bujold, science-fiction and fantasy author, whose grasp of the written word makes me read with actual glee. And Dorothy Gilman, who gave strong women adventures they could handle.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

MCT: I’m between cozies right now, because I’m in the middle of writing my own—the sequel to Smugglers & Scones—and while I’m in this creative mindset I don’t want to be picking up ideas that aren’t mine.


Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

MCT: I enjoy a bit of amateur photography. I take pictures that fit my perspective: close up and from interesting new angles. I like finding the texture of a thing without touching it. From there, I can let my imagination do the rest.


Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

MCT: Pickles, sweet potato fries, some kind of Tinkyada gluten-free pasta (best texture ever!), and Cheerios.


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

MCT: I’m planning to write at least four books in the Moorehaven Mysteries series, because I’ve come up with ideas for them already. I’m halfway through writing the second book right now.


Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

MCT: I get to daydream and people-watch. Of course, I daydream of twisty murder schemes and hilarious socially awkward moments, and I people-watch for interesting details that stand out to me, and for traits and behaviors I might want to steal, for good or ill. But this is how I see my world, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.


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SMUGGLERS AND SCONES by Morgan C. Talbot

The First Moorehaven Mystery

 

 

Blurb: 

 

Pippa Worthy runs Moorehaven, the Oregon Coast’s quirkiest bed-and-breakfast and former home of world-famous mystery writer A. Raymond Moore. Guests come there to write their own crime novels. When a real-life murder takes a local’s life and washes a handsome boat pilot into her arms, Pippa is yanked into a deadly plot of her own. A tangle of secrets crashes past into present, and Pippa must uncover clues dating back to Seacrest’s Prohibition days, including a secret Moore himself hid from the world.

Juggling her book-writing guests, small-town intrigues, secret club agendas, and a possibly fatal attraction, Pippa must sort fact from fiction to know who to trust before a desperate killer claims a final revenge nearly a century in the making.