Category: thriller

What makes bad people tick?

As a writer, this is something that I’ve explored for a long time now. Why does a bad person become bad? Why do they do bad things, what is the motivation? Just the other day, I was walking to my car from work. I was wearing my normal leather jacket. In Boston it’s very cold at this time of year. As I neared the … Read More What makes bad people tick?

Killing off a Character…

This is a tough thing to do sometimes, unless you’ve set that character up to die from the start. If you have an Obi Wan Kenobi just waiting to be sacrificed for the main character’s development, that’s one thing, but what about a character whom you may not have initially intended to kill off? What about a character that’s had significant development and may … Read More Killing off a Character…

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Divinity

Hi all, It is with great excitement… and a lot of nervousness, that I am finally able to give everyone a first glimpse at the novel that had me pulling my hair out for almost 8 years! Divinity. A tale of two worlds violently thrust together by fate and circumstance. A story of overcoming insurmountable odds (it doesn’t get much more insurmountable than God’s … Read More Divinity

Author Advice Pt. 5

One thing I’ve had to continuously tell myself over and over again is not to write with a bad attitude. I’m not kidding, if it’s time for you to write and you’re mad, annoyed, or just upset about something it’s not a good time to strike the keys. Stop, put the laptop down, and go do something else. The problem with writing while angry … Read More Author Advice Pt. 5

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Author Advice Pt 4

Rules of grammar and spelling… I have a feeling that this one will get me a few rolled eyes, but we all remember or… partially recall studying where to place comma’s, how to punctuate, and how to spell. This is all stuff we know. However, are those rules solid? Must they always be followed? Absolutely not! You’re going to find in your writing that, … Read More Author Advice Pt 4

Does a book becoming a movie ruin the book?

The answer SHOULD BE a resounding NO! If Magnifica or Divinity were ever made into a movie and it stunk… my book would still be sitting on the shelf, available to read. The movie will have done nothing to it. That said, if a book was turned into a movie and the movie turned out to be better than the book (happens, though rarely), … Read More Does a book becoming a movie ruin the book?

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Character development progression…

Not all characters come from the same place. Not all are based on a person we know and not all are created directly from our minds. Some characters are taken from bits and pieces of other characters, perhaps a personality trait, internal demon, or other factor is taken from a third party source and incorporated into a brand new character. In a previous post, … Read More Character development progression…

Good Writer =/= Good Reader?

Is being a good reader required to be a good writer? Surprisingly no. You do not need to be good at reading to be a good writing. Some of the most famous writings were the work of people who were literate and passed their stories down through orally. Homer, the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, is considered by many to have been … Read More Good Writer =/= Good Reader?

Plot Contrivance – Character Balance Rule.

Simply put, whenever a character dies or is killed off, usually they need to be replaced. There is rarely a gap. Either a mentor is replaced by a comforting friend, or a family member is replaced by a lover, or a future disciple. While the replacing character doesn’t usually take on the role of the previous person, they are intended to fill the void. … Read More Plot Contrivance – Character Balance Rule.

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Dean Koontz Strange Highways (Short Story)

As indicated in a previous post of mine, Strange Highways is a story that I hold very close to my heart. At only 154 pages long and an easy read, it’s amazing how much this few-hour-read draws you in and keeps you in. Renown thriller writing Dean Koontz really hit it out of the park with this one. Synopsis (pulled from Wiki):  A failed author … Read More Dean Koontz Strange Highways (Short Story)

The Plot Formula

Okay, so today I’m going to go over a few formulas I have for a good story, as well as a couple of character study aspects. Let’s start with the formulas shall we? Dark/Sad ending =/= bad movie. Okay I know a lot of us grew up on Disney stories and fairy tales and are used to the happy endings. So when we get a … Read More The Plot Formula

When is the right time to publish?

The moment a literary agent says ‘yes’ to you!!! IF you are that lucky! In all seriousness though a good amount of authors peddling their works are self published and that decision comes down to them. That said, one could make the argument that the author decides when to seek out an agent as well. So this piece goes out to everyone. When to … Read More When is the right time to publish?