Category Archives: backdrop for characters

SETTING — Is it a place you want to visit?

Have you ever been so pulled into a story that you felt you’ve “been there” before? You’ve walked down that street, you’ve inhaled the fragrance of baking bread from bakery at the corner, you’ve heard the rumble of the train … Continue reading

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Contemporary to Historical ~ A New Slant on Research

I am delighted to welcome Ane Mulligan to my blog today. Ane has a wonderful sense of humor that translates into spunky, sassy characters in her stories. IN HIGH COTTON is definitely her best one yet! I know readers won’t … Continue reading

Posted in ACFW Author, backdrop for characters, Contemporary to Historical, creating characters, historic details, historical fiction, new release, Research, Research for fiction, setting details | 9 Comments

DO YOU HAVE A TWO-FACED CHARACTER?

When you call somebody two-faced, you are not giving them a compliment! But what if you have a character in your story with a “split personality?” That is– the other characters see her one way, but the readers see a … Continue reading

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SETTING DETAILS — Where am I?

There is an expression used in fiction writing–“talking heads.” It means a character is speaking, his lines of dialogue are there, but the reader has no idea what this character looks like. Is he tall, short, fat, skinny, does he … Continue reading

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WHEN RESEARCH GETS IN THE WAY

Have you ever read a book and found a glaring error? I’m not talking about a misspelled word or a grammar mistake. How does it make you feel as a reader if the author has obviously not done her research … Continue reading

Posted in backdrop for characters, cemeteries, creating setting, fictional characters, historic details, historical fiction, readers, Research, Research for fiction, settings, unexpected plot twists | Leave a comment

NEW AND OLD

As excited as I am when a new book releases, I am every bit as excited when my publisher releases some of my previous books as a three-in-one repack. Okay, I’m just a little over-the-moon giddy! New: In October, the … Continue reading

Posted in backdrop for characters, Brides of Georgia, conflicting emotions, creating characters, creating setting, fictional characters, Harbinger of Healing, historic details, historical fiction, New releases, north Georgia fiction, novella collection, Trail of Tears, War Between The States | Leave a comment

GIVING READERS THE UNEXPECTED

Have you ever come upon a road with which you were unfamiliar and did not know where it led? Did you wonder what was around the bend in the road? How many times have you bypassed such a road, opting … Continue reading

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NAVIGATING THE RESEARCH JOURNEY

When you’re a writer, research is part of the job. But here is the thing: some writers would rather have root canal surgery than endure what they consider the drudgery of research. I, on the other hand, am one of … Continue reading

Posted in backdrop for characters, character's occupations, creating setting, historic details, historical fiction, Research for fiction, World War I, writing tools | Leave a comment

SECONDARY CHARACTERS–Who are they?

When writers brainstorm a story, their focus is usually on the main characters—who are they, what are their goals and motivations, what makes them tick, where are they going, and how are they going to get there? But more often … Continue reading

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SETTING–a character in itself

One of the questions writers get asked the most—after “How do you come up with your story ideas?”—is, how does an author decide where to place a story. Recently, an email from my agent prompted me to consider that question … Continue reading

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