Robert B. Parker is your master teacher if you want to write dialogue that makes characters come to life.
Parker who died in 2010 wrote more than fifty books. His narrative is so tight he makes Ernie Hemingway read like John Updike.
The problem you'll have with Parker's narrative is it will appear to be so deceptively simple. I hated the first two books that I read, but then, I began to appreciate what he was doing when I caught the music of his dialogue. Read it out loud and see for yourself how it kicks into life.
99% of the authors who submit novels to me have no idea what dialogue is suppose to do. So, if you want to tighten up your stuff, there's now a way of doing it. Read Parker. And let me know what you think.
Those of you waiting for a response to your proposals and query letters, please hang in a bit more. We've been busy opening up a second office in Colorado. Soon we'll have one there and the one in California.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
My novel and four more
After my 'forever' singing gig, I decided to devote my September hours to my teenage passion, writing.
So after publishing stories in local and national magazines and getting a scholarship to SF State in creative writing which landed me my teaching position, I purchased a split personality and went off and worked in radio as a jazz host, got a few doctorates, two Master's degrees, opened a private practice, metal detected beaches, sold metal detectors, began a literary agent and sold over forty five books to major publishers like Random House, and continued teaching, etc, I decided to go forward and commit to writing each day for the rest of my days. As a result, I have finished first drafts of three novels and have started a fourth. An earlier novel, ITCH, has been published and you can get it on Amazon.com. I am pleased at the robust response but I am not where I want to be as a novelist. Oh, I forgot, while performing my split personality in day to day activities, I published two other books, one under the name of Sydney Harriet and the other under the name of Syd Harriet. Who am I? You tell me.
Anyway, I hope to share with you what I learned from this journey I have started and tell you all that I am learning about the paradigm shift in publishing. It ain't like it used to be. It's going digital. Filmmakers who had to depend on Hollywood to have a shot at getting their film distributed, no longer need do that, thanks to software and computers. So too with authors who can publish and compete with the big companies and not be shut out from getting published. It's exciting and it will allow so many unsung heroes to tell their stories like the one I told in ITCH. Lost love, lost friends, lost everything and yet the protagonist, Luck, can still see the joke of it all. Want to give it a shot? Here: http://www.amazon.com/ITCH-A-Novel-ebook/dp/B004HW6E8E.
Let me know what you think and let me know if you have any questions. Ask me something and I'll answer with a question and then another. It's the 'oxymoron' in me. Soon more. Much more. All that you wanted to know about my core. When I find out, I shall reveal..........
So after publishing stories in local and national magazines and getting a scholarship to SF State in creative writing which landed me my teaching position, I purchased a split personality and went off and worked in radio as a jazz host, got a few doctorates, two Master's degrees, opened a private practice, metal detected beaches, sold metal detectors, began a literary agent and sold over forty five books to major publishers like Random House, and continued teaching, etc, I decided to go forward and commit to writing each day for the rest of my days. As a result, I have finished first drafts of three novels and have started a fourth. An earlier novel, ITCH, has been published and you can get it on Amazon.com. I am pleased at the robust response but I am not where I want to be as a novelist. Oh, I forgot, while performing my split personality in day to day activities, I published two other books, one under the name of Sydney Harriet and the other under the name of Syd Harriet. Who am I? You tell me.
Anyway, I hope to share with you what I learned from this journey I have started and tell you all that I am learning about the paradigm shift in publishing. It ain't like it used to be. It's going digital. Filmmakers who had to depend on Hollywood to have a shot at getting their film distributed, no longer need do that, thanks to software and computers. So too with authors who can publish and compete with the big companies and not be shut out from getting published. It's exciting and it will allow so many unsung heroes to tell their stories like the one I told in ITCH. Lost love, lost friends, lost everything and yet the protagonist, Luck, can still see the joke of it all. Want to give it a shot? Here: http://www.amazon.com/ITCH-A-Novel-ebook/dp/B004HW6E8E.
Let me know what you think and let me know if you have any questions. Ask me something and I'll answer with a question and then another. It's the 'oxymoron' in me. Soon more. Much more. All that you wanted to know about my core. When I find out, I shall reveal..........
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Rule #1
Hello to all you unsung singers, authors, and people.
This blog ends today on the same day that it began. My oxymorons will drive what I have to say before I write them.
Seriously, I hope to cheer and embrace many singers, authors, and people who have made profound contributions to bring joy and reduce suffering in the world.
My novel ITCH that is now available at amazon.com is about one of these unsung people. Although he is a serial killer he is trying to overcome his demons. He is an example of what I will be showcasing here.
Please, if you know someone that falls under this category, I'd love to hear from you.
I shall also offer my distorted perceptions of what reality means to me. A word of caution: I believe and always will that reality is the least interesting aspect of fantasy and that is how we survive to see the joke of life.
This entry will not exist once you finish reading. When you turn off your computer, this blog has the power to airbrush all that I have said.
Try it. And I bet you 10:1 odds you won't remember a thing. That is, my message.
Forget and you will find nirvana.
This blog ends today on the same day that it began. My oxymorons will drive what I have to say before I write them.
Seriously, I hope to cheer and embrace many singers, authors, and people who have made profound contributions to bring joy and reduce suffering in the world.
My novel ITCH that is now available at amazon.com is about one of these unsung people. Although he is a serial killer he is trying to overcome his demons. He is an example of what I will be showcasing here.
Please, if you know someone that falls under this category, I'd love to hear from you.
I shall also offer my distorted perceptions of what reality means to me. A word of caution: I believe and always will that reality is the least interesting aspect of fantasy and that is how we survive to see the joke of life.
This entry will not exist once you finish reading. When you turn off your computer, this blog has the power to airbrush all that I have said.
Try it. And I bet you 10:1 odds you won't remember a thing. That is, my message.
Forget and you will find nirvana.
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