 Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
The awesome co-hosts for the October 1 posting of the IWSG are Beth Camp, Crystal Collier, and Cathrina Constantine!
October 1 question – What is the most favorite thing you have written, published or not? And why?The one I am currently working on.I have to fall in love with my characters in order to do the best job telling their story. I struggle to write them well until I have become comfortable with their personalities. The last short story I wrote (to be released as part of an anthology in November) took me four attempts before i found the basis of the plot. I’m currently working on the second book in the Edwards Investigations series, and falling back in love with my cast of characters. But if we’re talking about something that’s already been published, there’s one clear winner. The Rise of Jake Hennessey stole my heart.Jake is a gentleman jewel thief. I don’t claim he’s a great one, but he does okay. Most of the time. I got to know him through his interactions with Harmony Duprie, the protagonist of my Harmony Duprie Mysteries. He tried and failed to win her heart, but remained her friend. At least, until the representatives of a number of legal agencies chased him off. But The Rise of Jake Hennessey is his chance at a happy ending. And have fun along the way. Set twenty years in the future, I got to invent some unlikely situations to challenge him. Since he’s a morally gray character, I got to explore all aspects of his personality. Jake had lived with a bulls-eye on his back ever since the time he got caught shoplifting a pair of expensive jeans as a twelve-year-old. Because he never made it out of the store, and it was a first offense, he had gotten off with a warning, but he had also made it onto the blacklist with the local cops. He learned a lot from that experience—about how to not get caught. The first rule was never steal from a store where he’d need to shop later. As an adult, he’d extended that rule to include the city where he lived. Which meant Oak Grove was off limits, and local officials had no interest in his activities. Once in a blue moon, a newly hatched FBI agent stumbled across old files and got the notion Jake was the path to establishing their reputation. None of them were more than an inconvenience until their superior called off the hunt. And Harmony had never been dragged into their wild goose chases before. The Rise of Jake Hennessey
I love rooting for the underdog, and that’s part of what makes this book my favorite. Jake was the throwaway character who was never meant to have his own books. In fact, I never intended for him to appear as a speaking character. But he has a way of ruining the best-laid plans. I’m looking forward to checking out the favorite stories of other authors on this hop. There are plenty to pick from! See the list below. As always, until next time, please stay safe. |
My Favorite Piece Of Writing #IWSG
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Morally gray characters can be so fun to write! Especially when they have strong motives.
Jake wouldn’t let me walk away from him without writing his story.
What I am working on now was a popular pick this week.
I think most of us write because we enjoy it.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I get being in love with your current piece. The Rise of Jake Hennessey sounds like a fun read. Jake sounds like a complex character.