Character Sketch: Reg I wasn’t more than two pages along in the new book when I realized I needed another character. At age 70 the patriarch of the clan, John Patrick, has accepted that he’s gotten too old to run the ranch by himself. Of his sons, Adam and Brian are living in the canyon … Continue reading There’s a new man in town!
characters
What Is It About Old Books?
The lure of my guilty pleasure #amwriting #amreading I've been preparing to paint and rearrange my office. I bought a new desk—my current one is over 40 years old and, truth be told, is falling apart. I also bought an actual file cabinet, as opposed to another (ninth?) small bin to keep my records in. … Continue reading What Is It About Old Books?
3 Easy Ways to Write a Book Review
So you’ve accepted a free copy of a book in return for a review. Or maybe you've finished a book you want to tell everyone about. But now that you’ve read it, that next step seems daunting. So here are some tips to help you decide how to write your review. Though I’ll concentrate on … Continue reading 3 Easy Ways to Write a Book Review
The Quakers and the Underground Railroad
You’ve heard about the Underground Railroad in the southern coastal states, and Harriet Tubman’s and Frederick Douglass’s heroism in aiding slaves escape to the northeastern states and Canada. The Railroad actually had several distinct routes to freedom, as shown on this map from National Geographic. The branch on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers was established … Continue reading The Quakers and the Underground Railroad
DONOVAN FAMILY SAGA: Cast of Characters (3)
You can read about the main characters in WHISPERS IN THE CANYON here, and about the Donovan elders here. Now let me present: The Siblings John Patrick and Molly Donovan had ten offspring, Adam and Brian being the eldest and twins (see Cast of Characters 1). When her sons were born in Ireland, Molly had … Continue reading DONOVAN FAMILY SAGA: Cast of Characters (3)
DONOVAN FAMILY SAGA Cast of Characters (2)
THE PARENTS & “GRAN” MOLLY DONOVAN: When An Gorta Mor (the Great Famine of Ireland) began in 1845, Molly (nee Mary Agnes O’Brien) lived with her two younger brothers and her parents. Within two years, her parents had starved to death; she and her brothers were close to following them. Excerpt from WHISPERS IN … Continue reading DONOVAN FAMILY SAGA Cast of Characters (2)
DONOVAN FAMILY SAGA Cast of Characters (1)
The cast of characters for these family novels is fairly large, so I'll begin with the main characters in WHISPERS IN THE CANYON. ADAM DONOVAN. This 32-year-old bachelor is considered by his family to be a cowboy with a poet's soul. He's tall, dark and (yes) handsome (what Irishman isn't?), and has a quick hand … Continue reading DONOVAN FAMILY SAGA Cast of Characters (1)
That dreaded query letter …
Oh, the dreaded query letter! It is, in my opinion, the hardest thing in the world to write. Writing an effective query letter takes the ability to ignore your creative urges and write in a way that‘s totally foreign to your instincts. Remember how you used to write book reports in grade school? You’d take … Continue reading That dreaded query letter …
Character Exercises: Personality quizzes
What a great idea — I bet we all could learn a little more about our characters! Who knows what new story it might lead to?
There are personality quizzes all over the Internet. You’ve probably taken some of them yourself.
But have you ever tried answering the questions as if you were one of your characters? I totally recommend this approach. It forces you to really get inside the character’s head and think like they do. You may have to consider aspects of the character’s personality that you never would have even considered before.
Query Letter Reaction #2
I got another personalized rejection in response to a query letter recently. If you remember, the first agent liked the characters and plot of WHISPERS IN THE CANYON, but she felt my writing was too brusque. I've taken steps to correct that. The new agent likes my writing and the plot, but rejected it because … Continue reading Query Letter Reaction #2
Gifford MacShane, Author 