Thursday, December 4, 2014

Music and Strong Women

I listen to a lot of classical when I'm writing. Lyrics can get distracting. Sometimes though mood demands something different so old Alan Parsons or something like Enya where the lyrics blend into the music. Somedays I need a beat though and will put on Springsteen or you'll laugh, Meatloaf or Jethro Tull. What can I say, I'm a product of my times.

SAFE WORDS and the current title, END OF SUMMER are both books centered on strong women. It has been suggested to me that mysteries and suspense novels that are male centered have a better chance in the market. It may be so, everyone wants to create the next Jack Reacher or Quinn Colson. I would love that kind of success but it is heavilly mined territory. Not only that, those writers have done it so well already. More talented writers than I will have to take them on. While female characters in action are not exactly virgin territory it is still full of gems and deep veins of gold. There are new things to be said and fresher eyes through which to see life and death situations. That is how I see it anyway.

The main character in END OF SUMMER is Katrina Williams. She has picked up the nickname Hurricane both because it is obvious and because it fits her so well. She is damaged and damaging, dangerous and uncontrolled but at the same time her fury has roots and the storm inside her heart has depth. The flawed and damaged, angry protagonist is a common theme in male centered writing. It is common in female centered writing as well but there she is usually somehow incomplete without the man that comes into her life to make it all right. What happens when she has to save herself? Or better, when she has to save the man in her life?

SAFE WORDS ON AMAZON
SAFE WORDS ON LOOSE ID

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