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THE DEAD WHISPER ON
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AUTHOR PHOTOS BY CELIA MANGUS
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{ November 20, 2007 }
:: In the Can (The Next Book, Not Me) ::
Yesterday, I finally finished the first draft of my third novel, tentatively titled CREEP CLUB. This was a tough one to get through for me (mostly because of outside circumstances, and not because of the story itself), so it felt better to bring this one across the finish line than it did with either of my first two. Perhaps a bit more sense of accomplishment, I suppose. And now that I'm three books into this whole Career Novelist thing, I'm getting some sense of perspective about it.
One thing I've noticed, and one thing I'm quite happy to report is: With each book, I find I'm trying to tackle some aspect of storytelling that scares me. I'm not talking about plot or story here; I'm talking about the man-behind-the-curtains stuff. With WAKING LAZARUS, I was terrified to write about a baddie (a child abductor) whose mind I didn't want to spend time in. But I did it, precisely because I was scared to. With THE DEAD WHISPER ON, I was scared to write a "big" story with stakes far beyond the characters involved. But I did it, again, because I was scared to. And with CREEP CLUB, I was scared to tackle a more intense, twisting plot--something with a more high-octane pace. But I did it, and you know why.
I'm also starting to notice some of the themes that are present in my work--the things I keep returning to again and again. And in a bit of self-reflection, I'm wondering why.
Tops on that list: I'm drawn to anti-heroes. A lot of authors, especially in the thriller and suspense category, tend to write what I call "Wish Fulfillment Stories." That is, their main characters are extensions of what they wish they, themselves, could be. That means the main characters are devastatingly good-looking, utterly brilliant, and filled with an unwavering sense of justice. Oh, sure, they may be tortured, with scarred pasts--a divorced alcoholic or a cop whose mistake killed someone are good bets--but overall, they're romanticized ideals. And I'm not complaining; I'm just observing. I read and love a lot of these stories.
I'm not like that, I find. I'd rather spend time inside the heads of people who are tortured loners. People who have mental problems. People who hate themselves. People who are slow to figure out what's going on. People who are janitors or garbage collectors or panhandlers.
So what does that say about me? I'm not sure. I'm sure Freud would have some ideas. But I do think I enjoy finding the spark of the divine, if you will, inside unexpected characters. Maybe that's it; if I can write a story about a guy who hides in ceilings and closets to spy on other people (the main character of CREEP CLUB), and make him discover something heroic about himself, maybe I feel like I'm in pretty good shape.
Or maybe I'm just twisted. That one works, too.
{ Posted by TLHines at 08:20 AM
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{ November 10, 2007 }
:: Finding Myself in "Lost" ::
I'm on the home stretch for my next novel--due to the publisher November 19th--and really liking how everything is converging for the big, climactic scenes. I was worried for a while, because this particular novel is more complex, plot-wise, than any of my others. And it's featured a lot of single character on stage (a no-no amongst the People Who Know All Things About Writing), so there are large stretches of the book without much dialogue to propel it forward.
And yet, it's wrapping up nicely. I like it. At least at this stage. When it goes through four or five more successive drafts after some back-and-forth ideas with the publisher, I'm sure I'll get sick of it. But now, in the moment, it's a lot of fun.
I won't lie; writing this novel has been difficult. Part of it has been because of the particular challenges presented by this story and its main character. Part of it has been because "real life" got in the way for much of the year, making it difficult to concentrate on writing.
But what has helped me break free from that, in the last month, has been the television series Lost. Ever since this series debuted, I've had zillions of people say, "Man, I bet you love Lost." In truth, I'd never watched it--not because I hadn't wanted to, but because I generally don't watch much TV at all. It's not that I hate television, it's just that I don't make time for it. And once I'd missed much of the first season of Lost, I didn't want to get caught in the middle of it all, and so on and so on.
In September, when I had to go into isolation to recover from a medical procedure, my Lovely Wife sent me away with a nice parting gift: Season One of Lost on DVD. Well, what better time to start watching?
I have to say, 10 minutes into the first episode of the first season, I knew this show was going to be something special. I knew it was going to be something I wouldn't just like, but something I'd love.
And it has been, right up through episode 16 of Season Two (where I am currently--no spoilers, if you're going to leave a comment). I love the dynamics at work. I love the front stories and the back stories. I love the characters you're unsure how to feel about as their stories keep unfolding. I love it all.
And somewhere, during my mad Lost-A-Thon of the last month or so, a giant logjam broke on my own writing. Not because Lost has anything to do with my current story at all, but because something so well done inspires the creative juices. Often--usually, in fact--that creative inspiration comes from reading other writers. To this day, if I'm feeling stuck, I can pick up almost any Stephen King novel and get back into a groove.
But inspiration for writers doesn't always come in the form of other books. It comes in the form of any great, well-told story. Sometimes, an ever-unfolding story about an island of tortured souls.
So, yes, I'm probably the last person on earth to discover the joys of this program. But I intend to make up for--ahem--lost time. When Season 3's DVD goes on sale in December, you can bet I'll be standing in line to buy it. And when Season 4 premieres next February, you can bet I'll be watching.
After all, I have other books to write.
{ Posted by TLHines at 02:19 PM
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{ November 02, 2007 }
:: Have Pen. Will Sign. ::
This Sunday, November 4th, I will be doing an o-fish-ul reading and signing from my new book, THE DEAD WHISPER ON, at the Billings Barnes & Noble.
The event will be part of a fundraising day for the Parmly Billings Library Foundation; for anything and everything you purchase that day, all you have to do is mention "the library" and a portion of the proceeds will go to the foundation. Easy enough, huh?
If you can make it, please drop by. I'll do my best to field questions. (Unless you ask about the airspeed velocity of unladen swallows. You'll need to clarify if you're talking about African or European Swallows.)
{ Posted by TLHines at 11:38 AM
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{ October 26, 2007 }
:: Red Lodge Meets Indonesia ::
This week, I received word that Waking Lazarus has sold its first foreign rights. For Indonesia.
Yes, Indonesia.
I suppose I expected the first foreign rights to be sold in, I don't know, Mexico. Or Germany. Or France. Or, pretty much anywhere but Indonesia. (An International Trade Paperback version has been available in the UK, but this is the first translation.) I'm not quite sure how well a story of murder and evil in rural Montana will translate for folks in Indonesia. But I suppose some feelings, emotions, and stories are universal, aren't they? We can all feel fear, and joy, and despair. Those are emotions I think (I hope) are present in the story.
And so, I'll look forward to receiving my first Indonesian copy of Waking Lazarus. Or Membangunkan Lazarus, as my quick online translator tells me.
{ Posted by TLHines at 02:29 PM
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{ October 12, 2007 }
:: Maybe You Can Judge A Book By Its Cover ::
Last week, I found out The Dead Whisper On is now a finalist for the best book cover in the First Annual Evangelical Christian Publishers Association/Dickinson Press Book Cover Award. Even more interesting, it's the only fiction title selected as a finalist.
I can brag about this honor, because it really has nothing to do with me; congrats go to Bethany House Publishers and Studio Gearbox, the cover design firm. According to the ECPA, finalists were selected based on "the target book reader's characteristics and the design components used to match those characteristics (subject matter, images, font treatment, color palette, and title)." I think it's easy to see why DWO's cover was selected--really, the title, design, images, and overall treatment do a wonderful job of conveying the kind of story contained inside. I'm pretty sure no one picks up the book, expecting to read a nice prairie romance.
And hey, a big old tip of the lid to the ECPA for adding something so--well, creepy--to its list of finalists. Who woulda thunk it?
{ Posted by TLHines at 10:21 AM
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