tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post8174780478123332079..comments2024-03-28T10:36:04.929-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: What We're Writing: Hank Takes A RiskJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-51459760311359065972022-08-18T15:33:13.773-04:002022-08-18T15:33:13.773-04:00I am so excited to read The House Guest, Hank! Sou...I am so excited to read The House Guest, Hank! Sounds fabulous!Susie Baldwinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-9411065859774441812022-08-17T01:21:00.422-04:002022-08-17T01:21:00.422-04:00Hank, I love that you stopped in and wished everyo...Hank, I love that you stopped in and wished everyone a good night. It's 12:20 a.m. here and I'm headed to bed to read for a bit. Sweet dreams to you, too.Kathy Boone Reelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15349054959445122232022-08-17T00:50:16.926-04:002022-08-17T00:50:16.926-04:00Good night everyone! Sweet dreams, love you and th...Good night everyone! Sweet dreams, love you and thank you…xxxxxHank Phillippi Ryannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-50291347919507728602022-08-16T18:16:55.242-04:002022-08-16T18:16:55.242-04:00I will check out Wrong Place Wrong Time! I’ve bee...I will check out Wrong Place Wrong Time! I’ve been running out of really good books to read. Thanks for the recommendation!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-64516303974586494282022-08-16T18:12:28.734-04:002022-08-16T18:12:28.734-04:00Than you, Mark! And Liz, that's a great way t...Than you, Mark! And Liz, that's a great way to think of it.Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-17541333184062034262022-08-16T18:11:32.599-04:002022-08-16T18:11:32.599-04:00Exactly--that's dramatic irony! And why you as...Exactly--that's dramatic irony! And why you as the reader can say--oh NO, don't believe him!Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-2226352726469775432022-08-16T18:10:30.992-04:002022-08-16T18:10:30.992-04:00Oh, Susan, yes. If you notice the structure, it...Oh, Susan, yes. If you notice the structure, it's not working--I keep trying to make it seamless, and invisible. (except when the author has a reason for noting it, as in the completely fabulous WRONG PLACE WRONG TIME by Gillian McAllister. That's all about noticing the structure, and it's incredible.)Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-49753246012106848372022-08-16T18:07:38.324-04:002022-08-16T18:07:38.324-04:00YAY! That is exactly what I was hoping. Thank you!...YAY! That is exactly what I was hoping. Thank you! xHank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-45391266382074961142022-08-16T18:07:20.261-04:002022-08-16T18:07:20.261-04:00Great question! To me, a flashback is: you're ...Great question! To me, a flashback is: you're in the present, and then, bam, the story stops, and you go to another time altogether, and the story advances in that time, as "live" action, but before the present. A memory is just that, a thought about the past that passes through the mind of the CHARACTER, but the forward motion of he action does not stop. It's a way to tuck in backstory, like what happened to her name. But we are not IN the past with her, she is remembering it in the present. Does that make sense? And yes, that's a great topic!Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-19763310038375520812022-08-16T18:03:08.212-04:002022-08-16T18:03:08.212-04:00HA! Cannot wait for you to find out! xxHA! Cannot wait for you to find out! xxHank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-66426062784711423172022-08-16T18:02:40.876-04:002022-08-16T18:02:40.876-04:00Oh, so wonderful of you! xx Crossing fingers! Than...Oh, so wonderful of you! xx Crossing fingers! Thank you!Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-91958939265387162692022-08-16T18:02:09.163-04:002022-08-16T18:02:09.163-04:00HA! Yes, I think TV writing ha a profound effect ...HA! Yes, I think TV writing ha a profound effect on my novel writing--it's very natural for me to write in present tense. To learn how to write in third, I honestly had to keep saying to myself: Once upon a time... And, ridiculously, it was really helpful. The dictation, nope , I did that before. (and I am still doing it.)<br />And second person--I THINK I remember hearing about something..but I forget what it was. Anyone, anyone? There's a little of it in Dwyer Murphy's brilliant AN HONEST LIVING (highly recommended!) but they are more like asides in an first-person narrative.Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-29905382741596261262022-08-16T17:58:27.600-04:002022-08-16T17:58:27.600-04:00EXACTLY. ::chef's kiss:: xxxEXACTLY. ::chef's kiss:: xxxHank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-53975736677685448482022-08-16T16:37:47.076-04:002022-08-16T16:37:47.076-04:00Already intrigued. It draws you closer to the main...Already intrigued. It draws you closer to the main character while still thinking ‘Is she evaluating the situation correctly?’Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-10910255518124387582022-08-16T16:04:11.286-04:002022-08-16T16:04:11.286-04:00Interesting Hank, that you say you're cutting ...Interesting Hank, that you say you're cutting out the flashbacks. However, what do you call the snippets where Alyssa thinks back to how arrogant and controlling Bill was, how it was his house; and how he re-named her from Alice to Alyssa etc. etc Those are all thoughts going back to her past with her husband. Are they not flashbacks? Or do you call those backstory??? And what is the difference? I think this is a topic for one of your craft blogs either here or on your Career Authors website. It would be almost impossible to write a psychological thriller without reference to the past. The past has to come in some way, somewhere, whatever you call it. No???? Joanna Elmhttps://www.joannaelm.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-89044713946735202372022-08-16T14:48:01.378-04:002022-08-16T14:48:01.378-04:00Love it. Now I need to know what is the deal with ...Love it. Now I need to know what is the deal with Bill?Pat Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12732230586783432052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-45310672834020252332022-08-16T14:19:07.427-04:002022-08-16T14:19:07.427-04:00Hank, I'd never really thought about the chall...Hank, I'd never really thought about the challenge of writing from a single POV in past tense, but now that you've pointed it out, I can see just how hard that could be. I'm always happy to have alternating chapters for characters giving their view of things, as it does so help to connect the dots. With only one character providing all the essential information, that gets tricky. However, the one thing of which I'm certain is that you, Hank, can meet that challenge. I can't wait to read more of this story to see just how you mastered it. The excerpt is so tantalizing, and I already like Alice/Alyssa. At first thought, you would think a man wanting you to change your name would be a huge red flag, but I can see how she might have bought into the flattery of him imagining her with a more exotic or sophisticated name. This is going to be so good!Kathy Boone Reelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-70339797816833361862022-08-16T14:08:21.116-04:002022-08-16T14:08:21.116-04:00The only difference for me - as a reader - is that...The only difference for me - as a reader - is that present tense books feel more "immediate" because the action is literally happening right that moment.<br /><br />I've never tried writing present tense in a novel. Just a piece of flash fiction.Liz Millironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04919409969263609919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-64147707738453179602022-08-16T14:06:02.003-04:002022-08-16T14:06:02.003-04:00It is somewhat different. For me, the biggest diff...It is somewhat different. For me, the biggest difference is that being in 1st person, Betty (and therefore the reader) CANNOT know anything that isn't right in front of her. I'm always asking, "Can she know this? How could she find out? Does she have to know it right now?"<br /><br />It's a very interesting technique. In my Laurel Highlands books, Sally can learn something Jim doesn't know - but the reader would. And vice-versa. It opens some doors, but leads to different challenges as well.Liz Millironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04919409969263609919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-40587109480485169182022-08-16T13:38:13.514-04:002022-08-16T13:38:13.514-04:00Thanks for the sneak peek. I'm already hooked...Thanks for the sneak peek. I'm already hooked! (BTW, just finished "The Murder List"... yowza.)<br /><br />As a TV/screenwriter, everything I write is always in present tense, and I've come to realize that my brain actually prefers the past tense in novels. I suppose it feels less like I'm reading a script (which is work for me), and more like pure entertainment. <br /><br />I believe you mentioned on a recent CrimeTime that you'd started dictating your first drafts... did this influence your decision re: the changeup in POV/tense? Just curious. And speaking of creative challenges, I wonder if anyone's ever written a mystery/thriller/suspense novel in 2nd person, a la "Bright Lights, Big City"? <br /><br />Best of luck with "The House Guest"... off now to change my locks.James Thorpenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-45307257289234344702022-08-16T13:28:13.358-04:002022-08-16T13:28:13.358-04:00My books have multiple points of view and, startin...My books have multiple points of view and, starting with the second one, flashbacks, and I've found these devices very convenient for getting a story across. So I can see why limiting yourself to a single viewpoint would be difficult. But, judging from this excerpt, you've certainly made it work. And, as Debs says, it's impressive that you've given yourself this challenge. Plus, now you can create a unreliable narrator, and your reader can't figure that out from other points of view. Clever!KimHaysBernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02726133115831908758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-48015493461594543842022-08-16T13:18:37.480-04:002022-08-16T13:18:37.480-04:00I’m one of those readers who definitely notices ch...I’m one of those readers who definitely notices changes in the <br />writing structure of books. The multiple POV can work in a story, if we’ll done. Hank you do it extremely well, but many authors have a problem with the multiple pov writing structure. I don’t read domestic thrillers in a large part because the multiple pov writing structure gets in the way of the story too much for me. I’m taken out of the story and observing the structure and why I don’t like it. I’m looking forward to reading your new book.!<br />Susan Nelson-HolmdahlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-88479059334974658572022-08-16T12:47:46.788-04:002022-08-16T12:47:46.788-04:00From a reader's point of view, it is indeed a ...From a reader's point of view, it is indeed a slight difference between present and past tense. But the rest of it? You've done it before and done it well. I'm sure you pulled it off again this time.Mark Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11567392254011373198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-33160041306258963122022-08-16T12:16:48.597-04:002022-08-16T12:16:48.597-04:00Hurray! LOVE this, and I am so grateful. xxHurray! LOVE this, and I am so grateful. xxHank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-74894084523446401132022-08-16T12:16:33.572-04:002022-08-16T12:16:33.572-04:00Well, thank you! And that's a great question! ...Well, thank you! And that's a great question! I guess I wanted to see how a linear construction worked--and it allows me to get into Alyssa's head, to BE her, and only go forward, just like real life. Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.com