Having a child

I have a very dear friend of mine-- we've known each other since we trolloped around as college kids---- and while we have kept in touch, we rarely see each, outside of once every few years. He lives just outside Tulsa; me, a little further west.  But lately, his one and only registered for, and began attending, Colorado State University. We talked for a while about how hard it was to let go, but he thought over how he was able to celebrate her accomplishments, as they happened over the first 18 years.

I feel that way right now with 'Legacy'. And today, I'm proud to announce another small milestone and  new achievement for my first born. Thanks to my brother from another mother Pat McNulty (a fine author in his own right (write?) with greatmusicradio.com ) who put his own sordid reputation on the line for me, I can now say we'll be featured in The Tattered Cover as one of 'Colorado's homegrown authors'. Tattered Cover is THE big independent bookstore in Colorado and it's a privilege to be part of their featured section, in no small ways thanks to Pat. Big step for a self-pub like me.

My child is growing a little every day. For that, I have you, the readers to thank. You ask questions, send your feedback, poke me gently with criticism and are overly kind with praise. Thanks for helping spreading the word. If you're in Denver, say starting around September 1 or later, check the Tattered Cover for a copy of the book. If you're not, tell a friend who lives here or who  might be passing through town.

My child is growing, and I'm proud to share each step with you, the ones who help make it possible. Now, if I could only only teach a book how to hit a baseball, we'd really have something..     :)

The movie?

I'm about number 112,000 on the Amazon best sellers list so there's a ways to go before People Magazine begins to notice----but never say authors don't have moxie or dream big. I've already started to think about how I would cast 'Hidden Legacy' if it ever became a movie. 

Inspector Murphy-----Rupert Graves, most recently seen as Inspector Lestrade in 'Sherlock'; also in Doctor Who.

Sam Jacobs/ Holmes --- Diane Lane. Would love to see what she could do  with that character. Strong character, strong actress. Robin Weigert----another strong woman who fits the part well. I like the kind of power she projects in her roles. 

Sam Jacobs is a nice challenge because she's not the pretty girl, 20-something who's riddled with angst and trying to define her own sexuality, all while trying to find herself while proving how independent she is. Sam Jacobs knows who she is---- and because of that, brings a strength to a 1940's woman that doesn't always come through in other stories. I'm proud of who she is, and I'm really enjoying working with her again in the new Murphy/ Jacobs story. 

Murph is more of a puzzlement. I like what Graves brings to the screen when he's in a scene and I think he could make this character really come alive. I know a hundred guys like Murph-- not colorful, not flashy, not dynamic--- just driven in a way that simmers under the surface. And sometimes, he's able to really step up and really stand out. Yet he's also capable of falling into the trap of being so by-the-book, he frustrates Jacobs to no end. A nice dynamic you'll see more of as we go on.

Need suggestions though. How about secondary characters like Ears, Cheshy, Bryson (who, in my mind, reminds me a little of Inspector Fenwick from "Dudley Dooright") and Sykes? I'd like your thoughts.

The Heartbeat of a Story

Can a story have a heartbeat? Of course it can.

I was trying to explain this to my 15 year old daughter who, initially after two years of telling me how she had no good ideas, was embarking on her second novel. I read her draft for the first seven chapters and told her what a nice heartbeat and pace I thought her story had. She gave me one of those teenage looks like she wasn't sure if her dad was an idiot, or whether there was really something to what he was saying.  She decided to choose the 'idiot' option. I ask her to reconsider.

Like a person, a story's heartbeat keeps it alive. Now before you all start cracking wise (and I KNOW who reads this blog, OK?) ----no, a story doesn't also have a liver, a kidney and a spleen. But the heartbeat is what an author can never forget. It's the part of the story that gives it life, drives it, that keeps readers checking back in to see what happened--- or creating a situation where they can't put your book down.

In 'Hidden Legacy', to me, the heartbeat was always the murders. I love stories that battle the clock-- maybe that's why I'm such a huge football fan. It's a race against time--- you have to score more points than the other guys before time runs out. In 'Legacy', Murphy is faced with that same dilemma. Time is running out. He's got no more audibles to call. He's looking at losing the game. The heartbeat gets faster and faster and faster until it hits that climatic point----- and from there, the denouement, which sometimes can feel like a letdown. It's hard to make sure it doesn't. 

The goal in 'Legacy' was, of course, to get you to feel the heartbeat, to give your pulse a jump start and feel the pressure Murph felt as he tried to beat the clock and catch a killer.  It doesn't always have to be a frenetic pace--- and my daughter's  is not a frenzy. But she's got the idea, and that makes me proud.  And while I can't promise every book is clear as to what makes it tick, it doesn't mean the author isn't trying. 

Did you feel my heartbeat when you read 'Legacy'?