When I was in grad school, I arrived at an evening class to find my ordinarily approachable instructors in a different frame of mind. They sat, side by side, at the top of a circle of chairs that comprised the classroom. As the other students assembled and class began, they looked around at us withContinue reading “Voices”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
A Cover Is A Promise
If you are a book person, chances are you have opinions on covers. They are the billboard calling to you, enticing you to look again. A single title can have multiple covers and with them convey different ideas. Look at two versions of Lori Lansens’ The Wife’s Tale: First, can you guess which one wasContinue reading “A Cover Is A Promise”
Judge A Book
I think it is undeniable that many people buy books based on cover art. It’s not even something new. Charles Dickens once said, “There are books of which the fronts and backs are the best parts.” I think we all know what he’s talking about. So what exactly is going on in the minds ofContinue reading “Judge A Book”
The Long Con
There is a subset of suspense featuring a long con plot. Simply put, a long con is an attempt to manipulate someone over an extended period of time, usually for financial gain. In theory, it takes a more diabolical person to pull this off because the set up to the crime involves getting to knowContinue reading “The Long Con”
Comfort Works
When I was a teenager, I loved two things: Anne Tyler books and Woody Allen movies. During recent, stressful times I have found myself drawn back to both of them. I guess it makes sense that in trying times you might reach for nostalgia. But I have also noticed a similarity in them that wasn’tContinue reading “Comfort Works”
Execute This
Without question, many intriguing premises collapse in the execution. A gripping opening gives way to flat characterization, unnecessary subplots, or a sluggish midsection. Fabulous twists don’t hold up to scrutiny when the culprit is revealed. Although the killer is a surprise, his motivation is implausible. If you read in the mystery/suspense genre, you know whatContinue reading “Execute This”
In Praise Of Premises
There are two essential parts of a good suspense book: premise and execution. A good story masters both. The premise is the elevator pitch: a brief, bare-bones sketch that hooks the reader from the opening pages. The execution is the final product, comprised of pace, characterization, twists, internal logic, and believability. It is much easierContinue reading “In Praise Of Premises”
Location, Location, Location
I have never been to Baltimore, but I seem to cross paths with it a lot. I have read many whimsical Anne Tyler novels set there, where the worst that can happen is a divorce. On the other end of the spectrum, I have heard plenty about Woodland High and Leakin Park on Serial. ThisContinue reading “Location, Location, Location”
Book Learning
Years ago I lived for a brief time in Phoenix. My apartment complex resembled a motel, complete with flimsy hollow wood doors, a kidney shaped pool, and palm trees. One of my neighbors was this slightly creepy guy who would watch my front door from his living room and make any excuse to pop overContinue reading “Book Learning”
Pathologize Me
Therapists in fiction often take on heroic qualities. Dr. Lowenstein in The Prince of Tides is a savior, immortalized in the last moments of the book like some kind of demigod; Dr. Berger plays a pivotal role in the family catharsis in Ordinary People. It gets a little more complicated, and interesting, when you lookContinue reading “Pathologize Me”
Books Smitten 