Hop on over to Murder She Writes, I’m really talking vamps, weres and naughty angels as well as giving away a copy of WHAT YOU CAN’T SEE, an antho I did with Allison Brennan and Rocki St Claire.  The first story in the book is the prequel to Allison’s debut supernatrual thriller ORIGINAL SIN that just released this week!  Comment for a chance to win!

Karin*

So, I went to see the movie yesterday with my mother-in-law.  We’ve both been wanting to see it but with my cave dwelling of the past month, well, nothing but blood, broken bones and my granddaughter get in the way of my deadline.  So, one of the first things I did after I hit send Tuesday morning, was call my MIL and say, “When do you want to see the movie?”

So yesterday was the day.  I’ve seen a lot of chat on Facebook and the loops about this movie.  About how laugh-out-loud funny is was.  And that it was a wonderful movie.  And it did have its moments.  I liked the movie.  I love Meryle Streep and Alec Baldwin was devilish in his role.  I loved the setting, Santa Barbara, I loved the food.  Mmm, I wanted to come home, smoke a joint (watch the movie and you’ll know why!) and bake chocolate croissants! 

But here’s what I didn’t like about the movie: It didn’t end the way I wanted it to end.  It ended the way the main character, Merlye Streep, wanted it to end.  Which as a writer made me think:  What if I’m writing away and the ending I chose for my heroine or hero is not what my readers would choose?  Who wins?  Me or the reader?

I’m really bugged about this.  Here’s the thing, I sold a trilogy to Berkley: The Blood Moon trilogy. Two brothers, one women they both would fight to the death to love and protect.  Book one is the heroine and hero bro number ones love story. Book two she is kidnapped by hero nemesis other brother, and falls in love with him too, and in book three, they, both brothers and the heroine, must form a cohesive relationship to save their race.  Or in English a HEA ménage.  But, what if these two alpha brothers just can’t share? Trust me, getting the brothers to put aside their machismo and their inherent territorial tendencies aside, did not come easy. When I wrote the proposal, I was adamant the three live happily ever after, but, as I get more into the story I’m realizing my heroine, tho’ she loves them both, may end up with just one.  It will be a difficult choice.  But I think I already know which brother she will choose and why, but what if my readers blow a gasket because one, they want her to pick the other brother or two, they insist the three of them live happily ever after?

It’s like when you are happily reading along and bam!  The author kills someone you cared about.  I have literally set a book down and refused to pick it back up because I no longer trust the author.  Geez, as I’m typing this I realized I killed off a wonderful secondary character that I cared about in the book I just wrapped up.  But he had to die!  For the story! <Drops head in hands> I know I’m going to get hate mail. 

 I’ve kind of sorta answered my question.  But that said, I’m not so sure had I known how It’s Complicated ended, if I would have gone to see it. 

Am I being overly concerned here?  How do you feel about stories that end differently than you had wanted them to?

 Karin the Konfused

I can’t stop bouncing off the walls!   At about 3:30 this morning I sent my editor the last half of my story.  I almost cried.  The pressure of writing such a complicated story was off! I had help with it though. Virna was critting my chapters as fast as I could write them and hubby even helped out with a couple of action scenes.  Thank you, Virna and thank you, Gary!

I love the story.  LOVE it!  I cannot wait to talk about it here.  And I will soon!

Today is a day of R&R.  My girlfriend is coming up for the day to visit and have lunch and maybe some window shopping if the weather holds.

I’m going to read a book.  My TBR pile is gargantuan so there is a lot to choose from.  And I’m going to relax and watch American Idol and not run to write between commercials.  I’m going to bed before midnight tonight and some time this week I’m going to take my mil out for lunch and the movie It’s Complicated.

Tomorrow I’m guest blogging over at The Good The Bad and The Unread.

 I feel like I have literally been living in a cave for the last few months.  I missed the world!  Now, I’m back!  I’m going to concentrate on the next First Line Contest, and when I’d like to get that going as well as a few other things.  I will of course keep you posted.  I also wanted to send out a big Congrats to my friend and fellow Murder She Writes blogger, Sophie Littlefield for her book A BAD DAY FOR SORRY being nominated or an Edgar for Best First Book!   Go Sophie!!

Ok, I need to hop off and do something about the condition of this house.  A mess I tell, you, a mess!

Ciao,

 Karin*

Hey, everyone, real quick I’d like to intro a cyber friend of mine Terry Odell who I had the pleasure of meeting last year at RT.  She has most graciously accepted my invite to blog here at The Write Life today.  So, heeeeeerrrrrzzzzzzzzz—Terry!

 Thanks, Karin, for inviting me to “The Write Life” today. I’m excited to be here, and I’d love to chat with your readers. I’m talking about characters today, and how they come to life for me.

When I am pulled into a book, it’s because of the characters. I’d go so far as to say it’s 80% characters and 20% story for me. Obviously, when I write, I want to create characters my readers will remember. I’m not a plotter—I have only the barest idea of a story before I start writing. Even if the seed of my idea was a storyline, or a scene (or even a line of dialogue—heck, anything will trigger a story!), I need the character before things can move very far forward. Although I’m supposed to be in control, there are times when the characters introduce themselves as much as I’m trying to create them.

I know some writers fill out long, involved character history sheets before the write word one. I can’t do that. What if something happens during the story and my character background doesn’t work? Change the character or change the plot? I do like to know about my characters, but I’m more of a “what would make someone do that kind of a writer. Why do they have the job they do? Are they happy? If not, what job would they rather have? Why would a woman agree to give a ride to a man they’ve just met? As the story grows, so do my characters.

 When I started writing FINDING SARAH, all I knew about Randy was that he was a cop who saw everything in black and white. I had no idea he was also an accomplished pianist until more than halfway through the book. Yet when he insisted on sitting down at his grandmother’s piano after a miserable day, I listened. In going back through the manuscript, I discovered that I had to delete exactly one line in order to keep things in character for him. For that book, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Pathetique” seemed to guide the characters.

Blake, in WHAT’S IN A NAME? came to me almost full-blown when I was listening to Dan Fogelberg’s “Leader of the Band.” The line, “Papa I don’t think I love you near enough” defined his character, and any time I needed to know what he would do, I could listen to that song.

Another instance came about when I heard “Take it to the Limit” by the Eagles. It was slow, dreamy, and I knew that I had to write a scene where my characters danced to it (since no way was my husband going to do it). It wasn’t the lyrics, but the mood the melody invoked. Sure enough, I had Ryan and Frankie meet while dancing to that song in WHEN DANGER CALLS.

In other cases, it’s food that clicks the characters for me. I like to know what they eat, if they cook, and their favorite foods. In one of my early short stories, Pasta Puttanesca was a major story ingredient.

In WHAT’S IN A NAME? Blake doesn’t cook. He can make coffee, but that’s about it. So he’s delighted to eat a meal prepared by Kelli, the heroine. Later in the book, he connects with Kelli by trying to cook that same recipe, and by baking chocolate chip cookies, which evoke poignant memories of his childhood.

Single-mother Frankie cooks to a degree, but her cooking prowess stops at the kid-food level. She makes things like macaroni and cheese, happy-face pancakes, or tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches. But this comfort food ends up helping Ryan face the death of his mother.

In my upcoming July release, NOWHERE TO HIDE, instead of making music, Graham cooked. Here I had this macho deputy sheriff, who worked on his Harley during his time off, but when he sat down and picked up the magazines on his coffee table, he read a salmon recipe in Gourmet Magazine. When he was stressed, he made Moussaka. He let me in on his secret a little earlier than Randy had, but he was definitely a closet chef. I admit I had to call upon my brother’s expertise as a pastry chef when Graham tried to make pancakes but Colleen didn’t have baking powder.

What sorts of things inspire you? Are you more of a character person or a story person?

Thanks again to Karin for having me at The Write Life today. You can find more about me at my website, http://www.terryodell.com where I have a special “Behind the Scenes” section where you can see what other things inspired my writing. You can also fine me at my blog, “Terry’s Place” http://terryodell.blogspot.com.  I posted my personal writing playlist there at http://terryodell.blogspot.com/2010/01/sounds-of-inspiration.html

Thank you for being my guest today, Terry!

Over at Murder She Writes.  That’s right, it’s my Friday to blab. You must comment to get in the hunt.  Winner announced Sunday!

Ciao! Ciao!  Ciao!

K*

AI starts tonight and I have my next First Line Contest judge!  Brenda Chin uber HQ editor who acquires for all lines!  More after I type The End!

Ciao for now!!

Karin*

I’m cruising toward the end of my wip, despite a nasty head cold!

I’m going to post a few goals for this year, and hope you will share yours as well.  

*Stay on task and stick to my budget!

*Write 1500 words each day Monday thru Friday, crap is allowed, encouraged even!

*Take the weekends and enjoy myself.

*Walk 30 min at least three times a week, strive for more.

*Be more forgiving and less judgmental. 

How about you?

Karin*

PS, check out Murder She Writes, we have a few fresh faces to kick off the new year!

Oh, and guess what starts on the 12th?  AI!!!!