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Tuesday, November 25, 2014
$400 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway -- Two days left to enter
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Monday, September 15, 2014
Oh No I'm Hopping Again: Sisters in Crime Blog Hop
Sisters in Crime, a wonderful organization for both women and men, and it's not just for crime writers, but for readers, too. I have met some very good authors there who have given me resources and support -- and you need both to carry you along on a writing journey. So when Connie Archer and DJ Adamson tagged me onto this bloghop, I readily joined in. Here are some of the questions and my answers:
Do you listen to music while writing? What's on your playlist?
Music plays a BIG role in my writing process. Why? Because I see written passages in very filmic terms, as if a movie of the scene is running. The music inspires me just as any movie soundtrack would and I very often get my best ideas when I'm listening to a key song. For instance, when I was writing Deep into Dusk, there were certain songs that inspired me and here they are. I'm also going to tell you what scenes I imagined the song running behind (and why).
"Love is Blue" the Paul Mauriat version.
No particular scene, really throughout the entire book because Gabriel's relationship with the femme fatale is certainly "blue."
"Alive" by Kid Cudi
The scene with the unknown assailant being dastardly with the ladies. Damn, I even name the song in one scene. Why? Just listen to the melody, it's a bit menacing.
"Set Fire to the Rain" by Adele
This song inspired the tough patch Gabriel and Ming had in this book. Lots of passion between them but lots of problems, too.
"Melancholy Hill" by Gorillaz
When Gabriel is flying home from Mexico and it's nighttime and the lights of Los Angeles are blanketed out below him. I envisioned the plane flying by all things Los Angeles (such as the Griffith Park Observatory on its hill) to signify his homecoming -- and him wondering if Ming was going to forgive him.
If someone said "Nothing against women writers, but all of my favorite crime fiction authors happen to be men," how would you respond?
Far be it from me to argue with someone's preference in crime authorship… (narrow-minded as it might be!)
If you missed Connie Archer and DJ Adamson's answer to these questions and others, here's your second chance:
Connie Archer
DJ Adamson
Do you listen to music while writing? What's on your playlist?
Music plays a BIG role in my writing process. Why? Because I see written passages in very filmic terms, as if a movie of the scene is running. The music inspires me just as any movie soundtrack would and I very often get my best ideas when I'm listening to a key song. For instance, when I was writing Deep into Dusk, there were certain songs that inspired me and here they are. I'm also going to tell you what scenes I imagined the song running behind (and why).
"Love is Blue" the Paul Mauriat version.
No particular scene, really throughout the entire book because Gabriel's relationship with the femme fatale is certainly "blue."
"Alive" by Kid Cudi
The scene with the unknown assailant being dastardly with the ladies. Damn, I even name the song in one scene. Why? Just listen to the melody, it's a bit menacing.
"Set Fire to the Rain" by Adele
This song inspired the tough patch Gabriel and Ming had in this book. Lots of passion between them but lots of problems, too.
"Melancholy Hill" by Gorillaz
When Gabriel is flying home from Mexico and it's nighttime and the lights of Los Angeles are blanketed out below him. I envisioned the plane flying by all things Los Angeles (such as the Griffith Park Observatory on its hill) to signify his homecoming -- and him wondering if Ming was going to forgive him.
If someone said "Nothing against women writers, but all of my favorite crime fiction authors happen to be men," how would you respond?
Far be it from me to argue with someone's preference in crime authorship… (narrow-minded as it might be!)
If you missed Connie Archer and DJ Adamson's answer to these questions and others, here's your second chance:
Connie Archer
DJ Adamson
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Meet My Character: Gabriel McRay
A Blog Hop
I was invited onto this hop by award-winning author D.J. Adamson, whose novel Admit to Mayhem is a seriously great read about Lillian Dove, who struggles with alcoholism and runs across a crime she's forced to try and solve . Good luck, right? But Lillian is stronger than she thinks. DJ has two novels due out in the fall of 2014. Visit DJ's Blog to learn more about Admit to Mayhem
Craig Faustus Buck is an L.A.-based author and screenwriter. His short story "HoneymoonSweet" is the featured story in this year's Bouchercon anthology, and his short story "Dead End," is a nominee for Best Short Story at this year's Anthony Awards. His first noir novel, Go Down Hard, First Runner Up for Killer Nashville's Claymore Award, will be published by Brash Books in 2015. He's written an Oscar-nominated short film and co-authored two #1 NYT nonfiction bestsellers. Craig's Website and Craig's Facebook
Thanks for Hopping Along!
I was invited onto this hop by award-winning author D.J. Adamson, whose novel Admit to Mayhem is a seriously great read about Lillian Dove, who struggles with alcoholism and runs across a crime she's forced to try and solve . Good luck, right? But Lillian is stronger than she thinks. DJ has two novels due out in the fall of 2014. Visit DJ's Blog to learn more about Admit to Mayhem
Let's Now Meet Gabriel McRay
 | |||||
| Where we first meet Gabriel |
Gabriel has his flaws. He was fired from the job he loves (that of being homicide detective) because he couldn't control his temper and used excessive force. His relationships with women stink -- he's divorced. He's emotionless in the bedroom. He doesn't try to improve his lifestyle, he mostly hides from the world. What do we like about Gabriel when we first meet him? Not much.
But we do realize fast that Gabriel is not only hiding from life, but from something in his own past that is haunting him. Something he cannot remember. Because of his job termination, he's mandated to see a psychologist. That begins Gabriel's journey to try to eradicate his inner demon. Gabriel has a strong sense of right and wrong, even if he stumbles once in a while. He is sympathetic to the victims of the crimes he solves (he does get hired back). He soon realizes he was victimized himself. And with that knowledge, he continually tries to better himself, to be a happier man, and that redeems him in our eyes.
His psychological journey and the mysteries in the book are interwoven. I believe that every life experience, good or bad, empowers us in some way and helps us to grow spiritually. That's why the cases Gabriel solves must impact whatever point he's at in his recovery. It's not an easy scenario to create, but I try.
You can read an excerpt here:
The Dark Before Dawn
Please keep in touch with me here: Facebook or my my website
Hop on over to the extremely talented Craig Faustus Buck
to meet his characters!
Craig Faustus Buck is an L.A.-based author and screenwriter. His short story "HoneymoonSweet" is the featured story in this year's Bouchercon anthology, and his short story "Dead End," is a nominee for Best Short Story at this year's Anthony Awards. His first noir novel, Go Down Hard, First Runner Up for Killer Nashville's Claymore Award, will be published by Brash Books in 2015. He's written an Oscar-nominated short film and co-authored two #1 NYT nonfiction bestsellers. Craig's Website and Craig's FacebookThanks for Hopping Along!
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