Beginning, Middle, & End

All stories need a beginning, middle, and end. Otherwise, we are wandering around aimlessly, gathering information but not necessarily having the knowhow to put that information together into a cohesive picture. 

So how do we take the story that we carry in our head and make it come alive on paper? We have to create a strong beginning, a middle that developes both the characters and the storyline, and an ending that pulls it all together and leaves the reader wanting to read more.

A strong beginning makes a promise to the reader. I write mysteries - my promise to my readers is that their time will be well spent reading my books, that they will relate to and enjoy the stories, and that they will have a great time intellectually trying to figure out who did what to whom before the end of the story.

The meat of the story is the middle - where characters are developed, clues are dropped (I write mysteries, remember!), conflict rears its ugly head, and the storyline begins taking twists and turns.    

The ending litrally pulls all of the twists and turns togther, and makes sense of them. What you promised your reader is taking form. It is a logical conclusion, in line with both the story, who the protagonist is, and what their beliefs are. 

How do you feel about your story?

(c) September 2019 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.

Celebrity Co-Authors

Over the years I have read some very interesting books - mainly myteries - that feature a celebrity writing with a co-author. LOL I can see you rolling your eyes! These really can be interesting books, as the celebrity generally is there to act as the individual that is able to present a coherent background for the story based on their own experience.

The first book that I read in this genre was "Killer Instinct", written by Martina Navritalova and co-authored by Liz Nickles. The protagonist is Jordan Myles, a retired world-class tennis pro. This actually is book three in a three book series, and was well written both from the POV a accuracy in the tennis world, and a really interesting, tight story line.

The next celebrity authored book that I read was "Murder In The Mist", written by Willard Scott and co-authored by Bill Crider. The protagonist is B&B owner Stanley Waters, who is very much written along the lines of who Willard Scott is. The setting is Virgina, and the reenactment of a Civil War battle. Funny, yet serious, well written, and well researched.

The most recent celebrity co-authored book that I read was "The President Is Missing", by Bill Clinton and co-authored by James Patterson. It is a fabulous book, one that only a former president could provide such personal background for. It is fast paced, factual, and a book that you just do not want to put down.

A celebrity book series that I may look into is the "Femmes Fatales", authored by Gypsy Rose Lee (with a forward by Eric Lee Preminger). Yes, THAT Gypsy Rose Lee. (I am old enough to remember her as a talk show host when I was very young). Supposedly the series was written by Gypsy Rose Lee herself, but there is some question about whether there was a co-author (said to be Craig Rice).    

(c) August 2019 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without written consent of the author. 

Accepting The Challenge: Sharing Books

I was very pleased to be challenged on Face Book by fellow author Ruth Stefanowitz to post books that I value over a seven day period. How cool is that! (I also look forward to seeing what Ruth posts, as she herself has some amazing work out there!)

For Day 1, I choose cozy mysteries. Included were works by Rita Mae Brown, Agatha Christie, and JoAnna Carl. For Day 2, I chose resource books for writing by Ansen Dibell, Orson Scott Card, Jack M. Bickham, Dian Dincin Buchman & Seli Groves, and the Chicago Manual of Style. Day 3 will consist of political books, and Days 4-7 are yet to be determiined.

I love this challange because it allows me to revisit books that have touched me in different ways. Our lives are made up of our varied interests - mine include mysteries, cozy mysteries, resource books for writing, metaphysical books, books on divination, coffee table books, and more. Each of them contains a little part of me.

What books make up your life?

(c) July 2018 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.

Rediscovering Old Books

I have moved many times in my lifetime - partially due to my being in the Army for ten years, and partially due to three moves after I got out of the service. My stuff was in and out of storage a lot! It has been over two year since my latest move. I have things out of boxes, sorted what needed to be given away, and what I wanted to keep. Some things are still in boxes, until I purchase more bookcases. I am doing yet another run through, and giving more books away. 

It is amazing to me how things seem to just "surface" when we need them. I found a book on karmic healing that I don't remember buying or reading - it is n top notch condition, well written, and inludes Tarot as a modaity for workign with visualization. What more can I ask for!

I have uncovered more mystery books - I read them all, then decide what to keep. Amongst my treasures are books by Agatha Christie, Rex Stout's "Nero Wolf" mysteries,  Rita Mae Brown's "Mrs. Murphy" mystries, and Margaret Maron's "Deborah Knox" series.

I love rereading a good book - I remember where I was in my life when I last read the book, and thoroughly enjoy entering the world of the book in front of me again. It allows me to step outside of the day to day of life, and become someone else.

Do you enjoy rereading your books? Do they hold good memories for you, as mine do for me? One day I hope that my books hold good memories for my readers!

(c) April 2018 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.  

    

Where Is This Book Coming From!

I am on my way with completing my 2010 NaNoWriMo project, which is intended to be the first in a series of mysteries. Lots of revelations, let me tell you! I knew that I had chosen to base my characters in an area that I had not only never lived in, but that I had never been to. What I didn't stop to think was how much research that was going to entail! From the little things, like how the city is laid out, to slightly more involved things, such as street names, freeways, and where other physical places are in relation to the city they live in. (i.e. Would they be driving 'up to" a given location, or "down to" said location.)

I made the decision to "upscale" my characters, way out of where I am in life, so here goes more research on where they would live, where they would dine, where they would shop, the designer cloths they would wear, the cars they would drive ... the list is endless! Incredibly interesting, but endless.

I am having a great time giving my characters background, placing them in interesting career fields, and moving them around the globe. Think kid in a candy store here!

A sneaky thought is becoming stronger and stronger, and is something that I did not expect. My characters are not based on myself, or on anyone that I know. That is just not how this book is developing. However, I have three major female characters (well, four in this first book, but the fourth character has not been introduced "in person" yet, just referred to), and while their physical characteristics are very different, I am coming to realize that their personalities are very much alike. They could be different aspects of the same person! I am going to have to watch that closely, to make sure that they come across as individuals.

I am beginning to think that it is a very good thing that I have already decided to have this book professionally edited. I am going to need massive help on this! The good thing is that I have a friend who has asked to read the book, and possibly submit this to an editor that she knows for with an online publishing company. If it gets accepted, it will of course get further editing and polishing, and I will be ready to move on to the next book in the series. If it doesn't get accepted, I will self-publish.

You have to love the process!

(c) March 2011 Bonnie Cehovet