tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post8292626748129560193..comments2024-03-29T11:29:56.764-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: @SuzanneChazin: "I made it up, I swear"Jungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-16625143934581162022017-10-03T18:51:11.010-04:002017-10-03T18:51:11.010-04:00Thanks Jenn! I think this is a great time for come...Thanks Jenn! I think this is a great time for comedy. We need comedy now more than ever. Wish I could write it. Please keep people laughing. It breaks down all walls between people.Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-44625811967806581512017-10-03T18:48:51.758-04:002017-10-03T18:48:51.758-04:00Thanks so much, Kathy. I hope you enjoy it. The fu...Thanks so much, Kathy. I hope you enjoy it. The funny think about fiction becoming reality: the other day, I found out that in 1898, a novelist wrote a book about the largest ocean-going liner hitting an iceberg and sinking. It was called "The Wreck of the Titan." This was 14 years before the Titanic. So I am a long ways off from that sort of prescience!Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-75606218606605378732017-10-03T18:45:39.574-04:002017-10-03T18:45:39.574-04:00That's a great issue to have addressed early, ...That's a great issue to have addressed early, Ingrid. I can't imagine that issue won't get bigger and bigger in the coming years. A lot of schools are re-thinking this issue in a big way.<br /><br />As for Carp--it was odd. He was a fictional character so I "played" with him. And it was fun. It's just that the "play" came a little too close to reality. I have a harder time with my loathsome characters in general. I find that I prefer writing characters who are basically good but do petty, self-interested things. I understand them. I AM them. The really loathsome ones--I have a harder time getting into their heads. Even with Carp, I gave him an early well-intentioned moment--when the hero of the series, Jimmy Vega, takes a bottle to the head protecting Carp. Carp pulls out all the stops to make sure Jimmy gets the best care available. And Jimmy is momentarily impressed by Carp's desire to go all out for "his people." The poisonous side of "loyalty" seeps in later.Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15988847378362122692017-10-03T14:53:46.676-04:002017-10-03T14:53:46.676-04:00Suzanne, this is one of the best lines I've ev...Suzanne, this is one of the best lines I've ever read: "Notes and beats—those are facts. But how you play them? That's truth." Brilliant, just brilliant, and so amazingly timely. I write comedy, so I try to be the antidote to all of the bad but, man, it is becoming an uphill march with cinder block shoes. Congrats, on the release. I'm looking froward to reading it!Jenn McKinlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03214926031147370862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-53957141600178723152017-10-03T14:34:01.761-04:002017-10-03T14:34:01.761-04:00Thanks for asking that question, Debs, as I was wo...Thanks for asking that question, Debs, as I was wondering the same thing. Suzanne, thanks for letting us know we could start with this new one that has me so interested.Kathy Reelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17004247271452356577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-4380798916704206582017-10-03T14:31:44.340-04:002017-10-03T14:31:44.340-04:00Suzanne, I recently saw your book on a "fall ...Suzanne, I recently saw your book on a "fall reads" list, and the cover and title intrigued me. Now, after reading you post here, I am simply gobsmacked. I read through your piece with my jaw truly dropped and mouth open. That your imagination is now reality is a bit scary, to say the least. I'm definitely putting A Place in the Wind on my wish and TBR lists, and Jimmy Vega as a character I need to go back and read. Kathy Reelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17004247271452356577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-72380852408159945952017-10-03T14:23:42.259-04:002017-10-03T14:23:42.259-04:00You are so right-- "savor the moment" i...You are so right-- "savor the moment" is very top of mind right now.<br /><br />And oh, thank you! xoxoHank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-24287095954955260072017-10-03T14:09:23.257-04:002017-10-03T14:09:23.257-04:00Suzanne, I had a somewhat similar experience in th...Suzanne, I had a somewhat similar experience in that I wrote about sports-related concussions in my book, BRUTALITY, and two years after its release, the topic is on the public radar more than ever. I never could have predicted that. <br /><br />What was it like writing the character of Carp? Was it stressful? A form of stress relief? I find it fun to write loathsome characters, but if they are too close to reality does that sap some of the fun? Congrats on the book!Ingrid Thofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04063912686011336076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-88899827483862441872017-10-03T13:51:03.166-04:002017-10-03T13:51:03.166-04:00Thanks Jay. Yes--the West Wing episode comes to mi...Thanks Jay. Yes--the West Wing episode comes to mind. Fingers crossed. I don't really know what the future holds. I guess I felt moved to tell the story of these immigrants at this time. I know that an author is supposed to write books with an eye to what sells. But I figured if I was going to devote myself to several years of writing books on a topic, I wanted it to be something I cared about deeply. I don't know if that will be true over the long haul. Here's hoping!Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-10937253743120156992017-10-03T13:42:05.763-04:002017-10-03T13:42:05.763-04:00Yes, we certainly do.Yes, we certainly do.Brenda Buchananhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14161539130987122737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-20597521811752199352017-10-03T13:23:55.464-04:002017-10-03T13:23:55.464-04:00The description of how your book came about and th...The description of how your book came about and then plays like reality reminded me of how the end of The West Wing is eerily parallel to the rise of Barak Obama to the presidency.<br /><br />Incorporating current events seems like it would be risky, if for nothing else than it could make the story seem dated as time passes. But if the story is well done, regardless of the events depicted, it will remain timeless.<br /><br />Congrats on your new book!Jay Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11409350742317719903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-7659269374385241262017-10-03T11:31:43.104-04:002017-10-03T11:31:43.104-04:00Thanks, Mary. And I agree. Writing something that ...Thanks, Mary. And I agree. Writing something that is happening now can 'date' work. But I think that sometimes it serves to mirror a time period for people who might read a story several years from now. I guess it depends on how much interest there is in the subject. My only experience with this is that while I was writing the FDNY series (right before and after 911) there was a feeling on the part of many readers that they'd had enough of firefighters for awhile. Now, I get a lot of new readers to the series who don't feel that way at all. My sincerest wish is for us as a country, to find a way to humanely and reasonably sort out our immigration problems and give a path to citizenship for those deserving of it. I believe that if that happens, people might be far enough removed from events to be curious about this period eventually. I've tried to tell it as truthfully as possible, from all sides, and yet make it entertaining. One never knows how the world will receive it.Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-75511442292413458962017-10-03T11:22:59.458-04:002017-10-03T11:22:59.458-04:00Thanks Julia. I'm looking forward to reading t...Thanks Julia. I'm looking forward to reading the John Scalzi piece. Yes, I recall when Jenny wrote "As Night Falls," and then it happened. Not just the same idea--the same exact location! Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-75467132189264235142017-10-03T11:21:03.759-04:002017-10-03T11:21:03.759-04:00I should start a "pay me not to write about y...I should start a "pay me not to write about your town" concession!Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-41239733028975173242017-10-03T10:57:49.501-04:002017-10-03T10:57:49.501-04:00Congrats on the book, Suzanne!
I think as others ...Congrats on the book, Suzanne!<br /><br />I think as others have pointed out, the risk is "dating" your writing - but I also think it's possible to deal with the bigger themes and avoid the "dated" references.<br /><br />Mary/LizLiz Millironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04919409969263609919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-63905437805800856222017-10-03T10:23:39.823-04:002017-10-03T10:23:39.823-04:00Hi Suzanne, I live in Durham, NC. But the world i...Hi Suzanne, I live in Durham, NC. But the world is so interconnected these days that it probably doesn't matter where stories are set. So help yourself if you like--it's a pretty interesting area.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-8199536928091760002017-10-03T10:07:18.359-04:002017-10-03T10:07:18.359-04:00Julia, thanks very much for the link to Scalzi. I...Julia, thanks very much for the link to Scalzi. I have found him to be a thoughtful commentator on many subjects. (For anyone who hasn't encountered him, <i>Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded</i>, a selection of early columns from that same blog, is a great introduction.) I think that the problem he's describing about writing, I'm having with reading on many days, and fairly often with living in general.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-63831786543078771292017-10-03T09:52:53.741-04:002017-10-03T09:52:53.741-04:00I think when writers pay attention to the world ar...I think when writers pay attention to the world around them and write about issues that concern them, sooner or later, we're bound to find ourselves anticipating real life. Sometimes, it's complete serendipity: Jenny Milchman's AS NIGHT FALLS, a thriller about two escaped prisoners in the Adirondacks, was published the same month that two real prisoners escaped from Clinton Prison in the Adirondacks. <br /><br />Sometimes, it's hard to escape the real world - like now! - and so its' influence seeps into what appears on the page. SF author John Scalzi just posted about his <a href="https://whatever.scalzi.com/2017/10/02/2017-word-counts-and-writing-process/" rel="nofollow">difficulties with producing fiction</a> in a time when our country seems to be going off the rails. It's a great read, and I recommend it for anyone who feels distracted by current events.Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09553268569509053159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-50051424812261442452017-10-03T09:50:58.961-04:002017-10-03T09:50:58.961-04:00Hi Jim! Where do you live? I won't set any sto...Hi Jim! Where do you live? I won't set any stories there, I promise. <br />Hope you enjoy the book.Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-72167239442820588772017-10-03T09:49:55.388-04:002017-10-03T09:49:55.388-04:00Thanks Triss! I think the ancient curse, 'May ...Thanks Triss! I think the ancient curse, 'May you live in interesting times,' has never been more true!Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-19332587914778228552017-10-03T09:47:35.814-04:002017-10-03T09:47:35.814-04:00You're right, Flora. I'm always amazed at ...You're right, Flora. I'm always amazed at how many stories start out as "fiction," or "sic-fi," and end up a little too close to the truth. Look at the popularity of "A Handmaid's Tale" or how many things "1984" got right. The human capacity for following demagogues never seems to wane. But even so...today's political climate seems "unreal." I agree!Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-50520234769086789412017-10-03T09:44:11.898-04:002017-10-03T09:44:11.898-04:00Hi Deborah. Thanks so much! The books are a series...Hi Deborah. Thanks so much! The books are a series but they also work as stand alones. All of them, even the first, published in 2014, mirror the times we are currently living in. If you like series characters and like to see how they evolve, I'd always suggest reading books in order. But some people like to read the new one and then go back. I don't give anything away so you're safe either way.Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-12045081289802772812017-10-03T09:41:46.213-04:002017-10-03T09:41:46.213-04:00Thanks Kathy. I don't think you can ever go wr...Thanks Kathy. I don't think you can ever go wrong in showing people rising to their best selves. That's one of the things I think we're all looking for. Look how many people risked their lives in the Las Vegas shooting to help other people. That's one of the best things about fiction--we can make our world better than the world we're in. Good luck with your writing!Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-46561270716773619882017-10-03T09:37:58.528-04:002017-10-03T09:37:58.528-04:00So true, Hallie. When I was writing my FDNY series...So true, Hallie. When I was writing my FDNY series (which began prior to 911 and continued after), a wise editor suggested that my "after" books set the "after" in an unnamed future where a distance of time is implied. He believed that was the only reasonable way to write books about New York City firefighters. I couldn't ignore 911. But I couldn't touch it up close, either.Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-11995360658292686862017-10-03T09:35:39.367-04:002017-10-03T09:35:39.367-04:00I wish I was--then I'd write the next Stephen ...I wish I was--then I'd write the next Stephen King novel and make a lot more money! I think, as a former journalist and someone who loves current events, I just absorb things and then ask a lot of "what ifs" that niggle me until I write through them and try to find the answers.Suzanne Chazinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09515842389942661932noreply@blogger.com