Supper Time, Supper Time, Sup Sup Supper Time!

It's supper time! Pretty late, actually. So we're sharing a nice, hot plate of sirloin tips over rice. We need more MEAT to get us through till midnight. If any of you are Vegetarians, or Vegans, you can have rice with your veggie salad. Sorry, but I do love meat. ;-)

I learned a lot about how characters' emotions drive the plot from Sharon Mignerey, a wonderful writer and friend who accompanied me in earning our Master's degrees at Seton Hill University. While I didn't work on Double Crossing at Seton Hill, I sure learned while writing another manuscript that a character's actions will NOT seem real or they will seem idiotic or flat and two-dimensional -- IF YOU DO NOT KNOW their background, motives, values and goals. Sharon will be stopping by around 9:30 p.m. to chat about characters and emotions, I hope. She's a fabulous teacher!

So due to Sharon's diligence, and to another BFF named Sharon who also constantly hammered me about how I didn't understand my characters, I now spend two weeks "discovering" these fictional "people" through sketches (not drawings, but a bit of a scene from their past or current situation with dialogue, to hear how they sound) plus a photo or two (People magazine comes in handy, or Google pictures of silent era actors and actresses, or even old books) and an intense detailed chart.

I found Deb Dixon's Goal, Motivation and Conflict book to be the most helpful in delineating character traits. You want to know their backgrounds (birthday, family, education, social status, marital or other relationships, work, hobbies, interests, etc.) that will affect their values and goals. Augh. Just thinking of all that makes me hungry again. Already?? There's always time for more tea -- in a mug, not a fancy cup, with fishies on it that are perfect for the Goddess Fish Promoters!

And scones for dessert, of course. Pass the lemon curd, raspberry jam and clotted cream.

Having photos on hand help me "visualize" the characters and "see" them walk, talk, sit, etc.,  while writing a particular scene. Here is how I pictured Lily Granville:

Here is Ace Diamond, Texas rogue/cowboy/ex-Confederate cavalryman:

What about Charles and Kate, you might ask? Hmm. I didn't really need to picture them since they're not major characters. But Emil Todaro, the lawyer? Yes, I did have someone in mind.

He seemed "toadish" enough, anyway. This man was actually a very fine actor, but he did have an odd mouth. Sorry, just my opinion! Visualize him in a high tight collar, a three piece suit and a gold watch chain over his paunch. Don't forget the frog-like gait when walking. Emil Todaro, come to life in my wacky brain. ;-D

Aunt Sylvia is another quirky character, a former actress and "black sheep" of the Granville family, who was fun to write. Here's how I pictured her:

If you're a writer, and are having trouble nailing down a character, try visual images. It helps!

Don't forget to comment! Your last chance for getting into the extra prize drawings I'm giving away will be at our "Midnight Snack" actually taking place at 11 p.m. If you buy TODAY, send me your order confirmations for Double Crossing and you will receive a Kindle or Nook cover zipper pull.  Best of luck for the other drawings!  AND THANK YOU for stopping in!

Lunch at Last! Hope You're Not FULL!

By this time, some of you have won a drawing from Goddess Fish Promotions! WOOT!! Isn't it wonderful? And while we're discussing all this food, research and writing, I'm taking down email addresses and I'll be drawing after midnight tonight for my own special prizes. BUY MY BOOK today through Astraea Press for a Kindle (or Nook) cover zipper pull! Send your purchase info to megmims (at) yahoo (dot) com or through a Facebook message.

Secondly, we'll be getting to the MEAT of what inspired me to write Double Crossing. But first, it's lunch time!What's on the menu? These are offerings at my favorite place, Sweet Afton Tea Room in Plymouth, Michigan, shown above. First of all, a pot of tea (decaff this time, perhaps peppermint) and creamy soup – asparagus with dill, cream of tomato or butternut squash (the best of all three!)  These are my usual favorite lunch choices on their menu. Sorry I don't have pictures -- I was too busy enjoying them!

The Tavern Sandwich

Crusty Parmesan bread is warm and stacked with your choice of Black Forest ham, smoked turkey breast or roast beef and served with a cup of our homemade, seasonal soup, a crispy dill pickle and honey mustard on the side.  Delicious!! I usually choose the ham and add cheese. The roast beef is also very good.

Shepherd’s Pie

Our own version of the classic meat pie from northern Great Britain is made with ground round, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and topped with whipped potatoes. This is fabulous. It's often gone by the time I get to the tea room (I am usually running late) so I fall back on the Tavern Sandwich. 

Okay, down to business while we're munching. Oops, a bit of mustard... where's my napkin?

As I mentioned before, one wonderful place that inspired my love for history is Greenfield Village. Another is the Detroit Historical Museum and their Streets of Old Detroit in the basement. They also had a huge train display, and so did my dad (in our basement.) Odd how I'm now writing about trains! But a good friend, Jean Jacobs Coon, gave me several coffee-table sized books about the transcontinental railroad. She knew I loved research. It took a few years, but I managed to absorb a lot of the details about how the UP and CP's joining in Utah really changed American history. Another great resource was Westward by Rail written by William Rae Fraser, published around 1870.

 Here's another image of the "balloon" style smokestack engine... and a lot of the sparks and soot invaded the cars. I love adding realistic details and how characters have to deal with such things, just like we do now.

So it's true that writing a historical involves lots of research. In fact, someone pointed out in the latest draft that I'd messed up on a tiny detail -- RATS!! She was right, too! Since I take pride in being as accurate as possible (although it *is* fiction, it's still important to subtly introduce or add to readers' knowledge of history), I had to make a quick change. Personally I find it incredibly annoying to read modern ideas of what life was like over a 100 years ago, when simple research is easy to find.

In fact, my good friend Cheryl St. John, herself an incredibly accurate award-winning historical author, chided me long ago when I first began writing (the earliest version of Double Crossing.) She gently pointed out that I need to do more research on Omaha's history. I hadn't done much research at all, to be honest. So I was glad she encouraged me. So thanks, Cheryl, for the necessary cattle prod! LOL

She plans to stop by around 2:30 p.m. to "chat" -- I'm so happy, because Cheryl is a wonderful writer of both historical and contemporary romance.

I bet you think writing contemporary fiction is a piece of cake in comparison. Think again! I plan to write a contemporary murder mystery set in a courtroom. My grand jury experience will sure came in handy. Without sitting in that seat for nearly six months (yes, months) I would never have known the ins/outs of such details. Even writing about a car traveling down a Memphis highway -- if you've never been there, how do you know what types of signs, trees, drivers, suburbs, stores, etc. you will see? Chances are YOUR READERS will.

So don't assume. You know what that means. ;-)

Here's an excerpt with more food -- and not all that great, given the conditions along the railroad...

Half a dozen black flies, the ones that pestered and bit, crawled on the beehive-shaped screens shielding platters on our table. The greasy potatoes soaked up blood from the close-to-raw beefsteak. The limp pale cabbage wedge also curbed my appetite. Charles and Kate discussed the springtime ceremony that had united the Union Pacific railroad with the Central Pacific in Utah, but my mind dwelled on Porter’s store. Had it been my imagination? Perhaps a good Samaritan had found my bag on a barrel after all. Maybe I’d been too quick to judge.

I jumped when Kate poked my arm. “You’re so distracted, Lily. You haven’t heard a word we’ve said to you. Is something wrong?”

“I’m worried about my uncle, and I can’t wear this suit on the train tomorrow.” I poked the mess on my plate. “I also don’t like beef that looks fresh from the cow.”

A maid carried soiled plates to the kitchen and returned with a pot of coffee. Hotel guests devoured their meals as if they didn’t expect to get another decent meal until reaching California. My head throbbed from the chatter that mingled with rattling wagons, horse cars and pedestrians outside.

Poor Lily! She has no idea there's worse to come. Join me for high tea at 4 p.m. Enjoy, and don't forget to comment!