Scary Humor

Showing posts with label noir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label noir. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Snippets


Welcome to the first of a series of snippets or little writings written too fast so they are not ready for prime time publication on Amazon, but you can read them here, especially if I can write shorter sentences than this one. I’ve posted snippets on this blog in the past, but this year I’m planning to post them more frequently.



Jude Nerdworthy, Monster Fighter
 
The Zombot Approximation
Uncle Rantly invented the first zombot. I can attest to this or my name isn't Jude Nerdworthy, which of course, it isn't. But no matter. Uncle Rantly attempted to raise the dead by downloading their brain data onto a computer, but had trouble with his timing. The way he explained it was you had to get the data before the brain fully died. Timing was everything. Unfortunately he meant nanoseconds, not regular ones. The best way to conduct his experiment was to attach the AI directly to the human brain before the victim, I mean, subject passed away.

Uncle Rantly designed an attachment device using one of my old football helmets and lots of computer chips. The good news is it worked. The bad news is the experimental dead person had been a Packers fan, and my helmet showed I was Chicago Bears fan.

Speaking of bad news, the AI, once activated and in receipt of the human brain data, woke up the dead human body, triggering everything through a hard wired connection into the nervous system. Thus was born the first zombot. Uncle Rantly became the second zombot when he turned his back on the first one to answer his cell phone. Needless to say, the insurance guy on the other end didn't make that sale.

The Wheaton-Warrenville South High School football team came next. They were easy to turn into zombots because their helmets were handy. Of course the cheerleaders followed. Then the teachers, which explains why Miss Appleburger drones on about Romeo and Juliet in a flat deadpan for hours at a time.

I didn’t worry about the zombots at first because I figured Uncle Rantly knew what he was doing. Or he did before becoming the world’s second zombot. But this all happened before the zombot cheerleaders attacked.

Click here to continue...

Read a Short Story
Snippets sometimes grow up to become 99-cent short stories on Amazon. Enjoy.

Little Miss Forgotten Have you ever spotted a pretty girl who seemed to be by herself at a dance? Any young man would be pleased with an opportunity to kiss her, but what if that proved to be a deadly idea? Humor and horror set in the 1960s.

In Egbert, you'll learn that the remarkable thing about him was his glass cane, not his enormous girth. But what made him fly off like that? More horror than humor but good for a smile.

Angel Thorns tells the tale of a little girl caught up in an evil takeover of an isolated small town. Will that handsome young man who just rode in on a hog be able to help her? Keep the lights on for this horror with overtones of spiritual warfare.

Visit my Amazon author page by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Monday, January 7, 2013

A Novel Report


This mini-report covers the campaign to promote Fulfillment, my novel of the first Christmas.The  best results were in the giveaway category, where I reached top 50 on Amazon in the US (46) and the UK (44). In Denmark, I was top 10 for three days, attaining a number three ranking on the best day.

For 2013, I plan to launch up to five novels. However, this may be iffy at best. I have one novel almost ready to go. It will launch during the first quarter so you’ll be hearing more about it soon.

For summer, I hope to complete my rewrite of a novel I wrote years ago. It needs major revisions, so it will take time to complete.

In the second half of 2013, I plan to launch a new fiction series with a strong sci-fi/fantasy feel to it. You’ hear more about this exciting launch at mid-year.

If time permits, I will add a book of short stories to the mix. The book will include about a dozen or so tales in the horror/thriller categories.

In addition to occasional updates like this one, I will focus this blog on publishing snippets and providing my take on the world of fiction. Snippets are very short stories suitable for a blog. I’ll begin posting a series of them about Zombots tomorrow. Zombots is sci-fi/fantasy. The series allows me to experiment with this genre and with the use of humor.

In the meantime, you can learn more about my novels by clicking the links on the sidebar. Go to my author page on Amazon to purchase any of my 99-cent short stories. Little Miss Forgotten is by far the best seller among them. Set in the 1960s, it tells about a young man who meets a most unusual girl. Have you ever spotted a pretty young lady who seemed to be by herself at a dance? Any young man would be pleased with an opportunity to kiss her, but what if that proved to be a deadly idea?

In another one of my short stories, you'll learn that the remarkable thing about Egbert was his glass cane, not his enormous girth. But what made him fly off like that?

Angel Thorns tells the tale of a little girl caught up in an evil takeover of an isolated small town. Will that handsome young man who just rode into town on a hog be able to help her?

Visit my Amazon author page by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Friday, December 21, 2012

One Suspect at a Time


Hey, the best private eyes are great because they eliminate the suspects until the only one left must be guilty. That’s what attracted me to the goth girl. You wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between her and the victim, but hey, a private eye goth. It works. Just think how simple it is for her to go undercover. Not that anyone but another goth would want to go under the covers with her, but hey, she’s a crack shot of a goth. I found out the hard way when I hired her to track down Effie’s rocks. It’s not like they were Marshall Fields quality, but hey, the Queen of England gave them to her so they had a certain sentimental value, if you catch my drift.

We told the insurance people the diamonds were real. They didn’t believe us until we showed our adjuster the letter from her majesty. But hey, goth girl shot Quick Louie, the dog fighter. She took him out with one shot. Between the eyes.  At forty feet. He didn’t have the jewels, but hey, he wasn’t the guy that stole them anyway. She shot Frimgroin next. Yeah that one. Cubs didn’t need him anyway, but hey, they were going to trade him to the Yankees until the goth girl shot that other rookie, Midgerot.

I’m not worried about the jewels anymore. Not with goth girl on the case. But hey, like I said, “One suspect at a time.”
 
Links to my novels

Click here for Fulfillment.

Click here for Hags

Purchase the paperback versions on my Amazon author page by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Thursday, December 20, 2012

Noir Loss


The queen wobbled when Lannigan banged against the walnut bookcase. The detective hit the beige ceramic tile floor first followed by the clear birch chess piece. Her majesty rolled several feet into the darkening pool emanating from Lannigan’s midsection. In a futile, final attempt at survival, Lannigan raised his Glock, lacked the strength to fire or aim, and dropped his arm to the floor. The gun barked once from the impact, disposing of her highness as splinters scattered in a cloud before settling into a rubicund rivulet.

Across the room, the rotund creature exposed two extra-long upper fangs while forming its vile mouth into something resembling a human smile. The thing shrugged its pointed shoulders once before flying through the penthouse window in search of a more compliant midnight snack.  

Links to my novels

Click here for Fulfillment.

Click here for Hags

Purchase the paperback versions on my Amazon author page by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Fire at Will


What to do next I could not tell. But I knew I would act and act I did. I fired at Will. Closed my eyes first. Bad idea. Missed. But the long-fanged villain backed up two feet anyway. I fired again. Will laughed. I hit him in mid chest that time. He raised his black cape and swooped in my direction. I fired again. He was so close I couldn’t miss. The lignum vitae bullet this time.

Links to my novels

Click here for Fulfillment.

Click here for Hags

Purchase the paperback versions on my Amazon author page by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Monday, December 17, 2012

Precious Children

Today, my heart goes out to my grandson, a precious Kindergarten student.

I think how precious are our children, not just to us within our families, but to our President, our other leaders, our friends and our neighbors.

Through the sadness, I thought of a song by Emmy Lou Harris that reminds us how precious are the children.

How could anyone take them away?

I trust that Emmy Lou Harris won’t mind if I share the first verse of her song with you. It touches the heart of this tragedy on the mothers of those children:

"Those lives were mine to love and cherish
To guard and guide along life’s way
Oh God forbid that one should perish
That one alas should go astray."

Today, we are all “lonesome for those precious children.” Let this song touch your heart. Let it help the tears of mourning flow. May it bring you closer to the precious children in your life. Click here to listen. 

Links to my novels

Click here for Fulfillment.

Click here for Hags

Purchase the paperback versions on my Amazon author page by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Thursday, November 1, 2012

Discovering the Theme of the Novel


Your first job as a reader is to enjoy the story as a story. But noticing a theme as it weaves through the tale enriches your reading experience. It’s one way to rise to a higher level of reading. As you seek out theme in the novels you read, notice that the author rarely comes right out and tells you what it is. Theme is often one of the puzzle parts of the novel. You solve the puzzle with that “aha” moment of discovery. “This book is all about forgiveness.”

How do writer’s decide on a theme? Some authors start with a theme in mind. Others discover it the same way you do. As they write the novel, they begin to see recurring elements that in the end point to a certain theme. When this happens, the author will go back in the editing process and rework the story to bring out the theme more. A strong theme enriches the story, makes for a more interesting plot, and gives the reader a more satisfying story experience.

Have you had a chance to read my new horror thriller, Hags. You may read a healthy chunk of Hags free by clicking on the book cover icon after you click over to the Kindle version on Amazon. Available for your Kindle reader by clicking here.  The paperback version is available by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer, tablet or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Friday, October 26, 2012

Is the Location Appropriate to the Story?


You’re reading a fast-paced action novel when you find a disconnect with the scene you are currently reading and the action that came before it. There can be a lot of reasons for this. One of them is the location of the scene itself.

How does an author choose the “right” location for a scene? One way is to select a place that has some special significance for the plot or the characters. I start with a spot that feels right for the story. Later, I consider the symbolic value or the importance of the locale. My thinking process revolves around asking why the location “feels” good to me. Usually, if it works for me, it will work for my readers as well.

For scenes set in the Chicago area, consider my new horror thriller, Hags. You may read a healthy chunk of Hags free by clicking on the book cover icon after you click over to the Kindle version on Amazon. Available for your Kindle reader by clicking here.  The paperback version is available by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer, tablet or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Does the scene reveal something new about one of the characters?


That’s one of the questions an author asks when reviewing their draft copy. When you’re reading a fast-paced horror thriller like my new novel, Hags, you can expect to learn something new about at least one of the characters in every scene. The scene might reveal a character flaw as the young lady swipes a few dollars from the bartender's tip glass. Or you may discover a new suspect in the behavior of one of the characters. You may find that the guy you thought was evil isn’t such a bad person after all. Maybe you misjudged him. You might even learn that the girl the guy thinks he loves is actually a royal pain in the left elbow.

The author should be giving you something in every scene to move the story forward and move the characters forward through their individual character arcs. Each major character goes through an arc of self-discovery or revelation. The character learns something. The character grows. The character is a different person at the end of the story then at the beginning. The way the characters change is through a series of incidents that take place in the scenes and chapters of the novel.

The thriller genre involves some sort of monster, human or otherwise. As the characters experience the intensity of the action involving the horrors committed by the monster, they grow from the experience. You can’t enter the dark world of evil doers and expect to come out the same person on the other side of the experience. Identifying character changes as you read a scene enriches your enjoyment of the story.

Read a healthy chunk of Hags free by clicking on the book cover icon after you click over to the Kindle version on Amazon. Available for your Kindle reader by clicking here.  The paperback version is available by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer, tablet or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

What Should a Reader Find in a Scene or Chapter?


When you read a chapter or a scene of a novel, look for the opening hook. Does the author grab your attention in some way that raises the stakes for the characters? Do the opening sentences and paragraphs hold your interest?

The different genres hook you in their own ways. A romance might hook you through the beauty of the narrative description of the location, or it might start with a surprising kiss from a stranger. These are considered soft hooks. They grab your attention, but they don’t put you on the edge of your seat like a good thriller does. That’s because romance isn’t about the edge of your seat. It’s about the depths of your heart.

In a horror thriller, like my new novel Hags, each scene and chapter opens with a grabber. Something happens to set the stage for action. The best hooks do what the name implies – they grab your attention like a fish hook and pull you into the murky depths of the story.

As you move into the chapter, you’ll find the author revealing more of the secrets of the tale. In the early going for a horror, something is happening but you’re not sure what. Then, BAM, out of nowhere you catch a glimpse out of the corner of your eye. What was that? Well, that’s all you’re going to learn in this scene, but you have moved the story forward and you learned some other stuff, like the girl really does like the guy even if she does give him a hard time and doesn’t believe him about the events in the cave a few chapters back.

But you can’t rest on a few new facts and quick peek at the monster. The author has to move you forward into the next scene or chapter. And the means of moving you on is the hook. Oh, my gosh, Cecilia just fell through that hole in the floor we didn’t see before. I think she was about to kiss the guy. Can the hero find a way to save her? (BTW, none of these examples are in Hags.)

Read a healthy chunk of Hags free by clicking on the book cover icon after you click over to the Kindle version on Amazon. Available for your Kindle reader by clicking here.  The paperback version is available by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer, tablet or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

What Genre Do You Like to Read?


Each genre of fiction has its own set of rules. In a horror or thriller like Hags, you spend a portion of the book figuring out what’s wrong and who or what is causing the problem. The second part of the plot is about how you destroy the monster causing the problem. The key questions are: What’s Happening? And how do we kill it? Such stories usually move quickly, especially the thriller.

Where monsters are involved, the story often starts slower and then speeds up as you progress through the story. The genre or type of story you enjoy reading has basic rules like these.

A mystery story is always about a crime that happened either in the past or at the beginning of the story. Otherwise, it’s a thriller if the crimes are still happening.

Romance novels always have a happy ending. Otherwise it’s a literary story or love story, but not a romance.

Genre rules exist for two reasons. They give you, the reader, a platform for understanding and enjoying the novel. And they give the author rules to break. When you catch an author breaking the rules, consider how it adds to the story?

Read a healthy chunk of Hags free by clicking on the book cover icon after you click over to the Kindle version on Amazon. Available for your Kindle reader by clicking here.  The paperback version is available by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer, tablet or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Monday, October 22, 2012

Meet Micah Probert


As a young man, Micah Probert is found guilty of committing a horrible crime for which he is sentenced to a lengthy prison term. Like many prisoners, he protests his innocence to no avail. After his release, he cares for his dying father. Micah inherits his father’s fortune and returns to his home town on a quest to clear his name and discover his purpose in life. My new novel, Hags, begins on Micah’s first night back in Naperville, Illinois.

From the outset, life works against Micah in his quest of self-discovery. He confronts evil forces beyond his imagining. The dark horror thriller pits Micah and his new-found friends against these evil powers in a battle for the heart, soul and mind of a city.

The evil cabal arrayed against Micah includes a serial killer, a hag who keeps her youth by means of human sacrifice, a demon masquerading as a philanthropist, and a bunch of minor horrors.

As if the evil mounted against him isn’t bad enough, a hidden danger lurks in Micah’s life in the form of a second hag. Can Micah discover her existence before it’s too late?

Read a healthy chunk of Hags free by clicking on the book cover icon after you click over to the Kindle version on Amazon. Available for your Kindle reader by clicking here.  The paperback version is available by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer, tablet or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Friday, October 19, 2012

It’s a Horror


One of my first readers for Hags emailed that he had completed the novel in about four hours. He found he couldn’t put it down once he began. Hearing that makes me feel good, of course. But more importantly, it tells me the story is doing what it’s supposed to do.

Hags is a horror story. It’s a fast moving story like my suspense/thriller stories. Horror stories involve monsters or evil-doers so the action is often unpleasant, immoral and illegal. The good news is I try to avoid detailed descriptions of criminal activity. I like to have the bad stuff happen “off stage” with the reader jumping in immediately after the event. The dastardly villain may have his way with the young maiden off camera or off stage, but you find out about it when you figure out that the hole the villain is digging is intended to be a secret grave.

If you also like to read an occasional romance novel, you’ll find a love story in the midst of the action.

Quest is a genre unto itself with specific rules and required character archetypes. Hags follows the quest model for those who love such tales. If you think about it, demons and hags are characters you would expect to find in a medieval tale so it makes sense to include a quest in the story. Like any good quest story, Hags is about spiritual warfare in the age old battle of good versus evil.

You can read a healthy chunk of Hags free by clicking on the book cover icon after you click over to the Kindle version on Amazon. Available for your Kindle reader by clicking here.  The paperback version is available by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer, tablet or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Does Your Life Have a Purpose?


My new novel, Hags, involves a journey of discovery as Micah Probert solves the mystery surrounding a series of killings and the true nature of the enemies aligned against him. He also learns the secret of the power within him so that he can resolve the horror plot while discovering forgiveness and a calling to move his life forward, rather than back. Another sub-theme is purpose. The central premise of the world of Hags is we all have a purpose in life.

What makes a story like Hags interesting to read from a thematic standpoint is seeing how the author explores the theme and sub-themes. If a character like Micah Probert struggles with forgiveness and is focused on past wrongs rather than his role in life, than he is a prime subject for growth. As Micah struggles against the evil aligned against him, observe how he changes.

While reading Hags, consider your purpose in life. You have a calling to discover and pursue.

You can read a healthy chunk of Hags free by clicking on the book cover icon after you click over to the Kindle version on Amazon. Available for your Kindle reader by clicking here.  The paperback version is available by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer, tablet or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Move Forward, Not Back


How many people do you know who are hung up over some wrong that occurred to them in the past? In Hags, the main character, Micah Probert, is focused on the horrors in his past to the extent that it paralyzes him from making forward progress in his life. In this way, forgiveness becomes the theme of the novel.

The key for Micah, as well as all those folks you know who are struggling with past wrongs, is forgiveness. We have to forgive those who hurt us as our last act of looking back. With forgiveness behind us, we become free to move ahead to celebrate the life we’ve been given and to pursue the calling God has placed in our hearts.

Hags explores this concept of turning from past wrongs to face a brighter future through forgiveness. You can read a healthy chunk of it free by clicking on the book cover icon after you click over to Amazon. Available for your Kindle reader by clicking here.  The paperback version is available by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer, tablet or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Don’t Look Back

Some Book May Be Gaining on You (to paraphrase Satchel Paige).

When reading a story, notice how the author paces you through the plot. Good pacing tends to behave like a symphony. At the beginning of the story, the author sets a certain pace. It could be fast or slow or somewhere in between. As you move through the story, notice that it picks up speed or slows down at times.

The fast pace emphasizes or highlights the danger and action of the plot. It tends to keep you reading and interested. The author slows the pace down to stress character and scene. When it’s time for romance, the author slows the story down so you can take it in. This slowing down and speeding up helps you enjoy reading the story. The slower moments allow you to mentally catch your breath by giving you a pause or time to internalize what is happening. During the fast scenes, the author builds excitement with an emphasis on the action and what the action means for the story.

Hags is fast-paced action from the get-go so it's more like rock and roll than a symphony. You can read a healthy chunk of it free by clicking on the book cover icon after you click over to Amazon. Available for your Kindle reader by clicking here.  The paperback version is available by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer, tablet or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Happy anniversary to my bride, Lynn Zuk-Lloyd.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Why Some Authors Use a Real Place


Some authors like to create their own world in their fiction. Doing so gives them complete freedom to control the environment of the story. Would your plot benefit from adding a mountain nearby? Like magic, it appears on the pages of the story exactly when needed. The downside of creating your own locale is no one from there is going to purchase the book.

Other authors, me included, prefer to use real locations. Readers enjoy learning about places they’ve never been to. Real places create a better sense of reality in the story. And real places have readers who like to read about their home town or favorite place to visit.

An actual location, like Naperville, Illinois, where my new novel Hags is set, makes the fantastic or magical aspects of your story a little more realistic.

In Hags, I chose a local place I was familiar with. It made it easy for me to describe the setting. I was able to spill the story into nearby locations so Warrenville, Oak Brook and Chicago’s Magnificent Mile all serve as backdrops for the fast-paced action. Hags is about an ex-con who is accused of serial murders while battling a human-sized faerie and a couple of hags as evil as any from the Middle Ages. As the body count mounts, will he learn the secret of the hags before he becomes their next victim?

Hags is available for your Kindle reader by clicking here.  The paperback version is available by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Friday, October 12, 2012

Genre Separates the Indies from the Traditionals


Genre is the one place where you may find a major difference between traditionally published novels and indie published novels.

Traditionals fit into bookstores
Traditionally published novels have to fit into a very narrowly defined genre space in a bookstore. The author has to adhere to the rules of genre so that the novel is easily identified as belonging to the genre. A mystery story is clearly distinct from its first cousin, the thriller, for example.

Unless you are a well-known author of best sellers, the reader isn’t shopping for your book in a book store. Instead, the reader is browsing the shelves looking for an interesting mystery, thriller, romance or whatever genre they prefer. The challenge for the new traditionally published author is to build a fan base that will seek books written by them in the future.

The indie difference
Indie published authors don’t have to worry as much about genre definitions because they aren’t marketing in traditional bookstore outlets. And their fan base is built from loyal family and friends and word-of-mouth. Such buyers are buying the author more than the book. Indie novel readers tend to select the author first and the book second.

The challenge for the indie author is to reach new readers through social media and online marketing combined with speaking gigs and traditional PR efforts. Indie authors still need a genre to identify the book’s place in Amazon or Smash Words, but the author self-selects the genre.

The indie author need only select the genre that most nearly fits what the story is about. This leaves the indie author with more freedom to mix genres and experiment with genre formats in ways traditionally published authors can’t. This is a subtle difference, but one you can notice if you look for it. But you have to know the basic rules of the genre you enjoy reading.

Speaking of reading...
My new horror novel Hags is about an ex-con who is accused of serial murders while battling a human-sized faerie and a couple of hags as evil as any from the Middle Ages. As the body count mounts, will he learn the secret of the hags before he becomes their next victim?

Today is the last day to download Hags for free. But you have to act before midnight tonight. Obtain your free copy for your Kindle reader by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Thursday, October 11, 2012

What is the Theme of Your Life?

Can you spot the theme in the books you are reading? One clue to the theme is to identify the main character’s biggest fault. Micah in Hags has issues with unresolved anger. He has other issues like a defeated outlook at the beginning of the story. For fun, watch how Micah’s personality becomes stronger as you move forward in the plot. What theme does that point to? How about a message like “forgiveness makes you stronger.” Or “don’t let adversity get you down.”

Another way to look at theme is to consider your own life.
What is the thread that runs through your world? You may want to start with your biggest fault. Or your biggest disappointment. Or that thing that keeps happening over and over again to you. Why do you suppose that keeps happening to you? There’s a theme in your life. The good news is it is not too late to change the theme or make it work for you instead of against you. Ask a few trusted friends about the theme they see running through your life. What themes run through the lives of your friends?

Read Hags for Free Now
Download Hags for free this week only from Amazon for your Kindle reader by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Why Aren’t You Like That?


A good story has a point. The author starts with an idea and writes a cool first draft. Like your first read, it is mainly about the plot. Then the author notices something interesting about the story, or maybe the author intended it all along. The thing that’s noticed is the moral of the story. It’s like those old faerie tales where at the end, you read something like, “And the moral of the story is never go into the woods alone.” Well, in a good novel, the author is telling us something about our world. Think of it as the life lesson illustrated by the story.

During the editing process, good authors go back through their story and bring out this moral so it weaves like a thread running through the fabric of the tale. In horror and other thrillers or fantasy fiction, the theme is often innocence to experience. Super8 is a good example of a movie using an innocence to experience theme.

One way to look for theme is to watch how the main character changes and then look for similar changes in other characters. Pets and monsters count as characters as do computers and robots. And elves and dwarves. Not sure about zombies and vampires. Does going from dead to undead count as a character change?

The main theme in Hags, my new horror story, is forgiveness. As in real life, you meet a lot of characters who are hurting. They have to learn how to forgive. Some do, some don’t and some are just flat out evil. So what’s a hero to do? Forgive the forgivable and kill the evil guys? Or refuse to forgive the really wicked deeds of the past?

Read Hags for Free Now
Download Hags for free this week only from Amazon for your Kindle reader by clicking here.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Download the free version for your computer or smart phone from Amazon by clicking here.

Here’s another novel idea…
Enjoy this blog post? Please share it with your friends by clicking the social media buttons below.

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