Lyrical Pens

Sunday, July 21, 2024

In the "Did You Know" department

cj Sez: When author/editor Joyce Sterling Scarbrough gave a wonderful presentation on self-editing to the Mobile Writers Guild a while back, she left us with a slew of important tips. For instance: Did you know that adjectives and adverbs have a “royal order?”

Did you know that when you use an adverb before the noun, it does not require a comma? I took notes, so I know. The charts Joyce used have been updated and changed, but the structures remain the same. Here are two Royal Order charts for you to copy out.

A past president of the Mobile Writers Guild, Joyce is also the editor of every one of the organization’s perfectly enjoyable PIECES anthologies. Follow author/editor Joyce Scarbrough on Facebook and her webpage HOME | Joyce Scarbrough

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Author and Reader Notes:

The Sisters in Crime 2024 Pride Award is now open for submissions from emerging LGBTQIA+ Crime Writers! Sisters in Crime membership NOT required - open to all!

Who: LGBTQIA+ Crime Writers

Why: Win $2,000

What: Submit an UNPUBLISHED work in the Crime Writing genre (i.e. short story, novella, chapter(s) of a novel in progress), your resume and a cover letter

When: Submissions open through July 31st

How: For complete details and entry form, go to: https://www.sistersincrime.org/page/Pride

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CALLAHAN IN ACTION, Book 6 in the Cat Callahan Mystery Series, is scheduled to launch August 8 and it's available for preorder. Click on the link below so you can grab a copy now: https://books2read.com/CatCallahan6

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Okay, that’s it for today. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising prayers for a happy and safe you and yours.

Now some words from my sponsors:

Having a book to read is the perfect entertainment for those holiday and summer vacation downtime moments. THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA are available on Amazon or through your favorite eTailer and bookstore. Got a library card? You can read the ebooks free from Hoopla.

Nota bene: Angela Trigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has a few signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

➜ Follow me on

➜ Amazon: Amazon Central Author Page

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➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

Sunday, July 14, 2024

Still working on my mystery WiP

cj Sez: I’m now back at the keyboard, thinking up another adversity for the protagonist/sleuth in the WIP I’ve been working on for years. It’s a mystery, and writing a mystery is a learning process for me.

Thriller and suspense genres I have managed to some small degree, but how to write a real mystery is a mystery to me.

What remains the same among genres I write is that my protagonist (i.e., sleuth) must be likeable, have some personality quirks, and a bit of backstory baggage to be dropped intermittently into the story (no info dumps, please). My sleuth in this mystery has a confidant, which is a recommended device. There is a unique setting and a love interest to add a little jazz. Each of the major characters, including the bad guy, has a secret that I hope will generate some degree of sympathy.

Mysteries do need a theme, and I have a theme that will, I believe, hit a universal nerve with my readers. Where I’m struggling is with the clues and red herrings. Where and how to place them so they invite the readers to try to solve the mystery but don’t reveal so much that they really can.

As a writer, I am a pantser or, more accurately, a pathfinder. I find my way through my stories by building roadblocks for my protagonist then figuring out how she/he can escape. Because my WIP is a mystery, I have to do a bit of {gasp} plotting which is not my forté. How else would I know where to hide the clues and weave in red herrings?

Like all manuscripts, I understand my mystery will change with each future edit cycle, and it has—that’s, the reason it’s taken me so long to finish it. My characters, clues, and red herrings change and must be rearranged. For example: I know the victim is murdered (off-page), but the description of one of my current red herrings may force me to change the “how” somewhat, again. Changing that scene will most certainly waterfall, again, into other changes throughout the manuscript.

On the very slim plus side, what I really like about all this frustration is that I’m learning new things. My personal goal has always been to learn something new every day, and this never-ending project is certainly helping me reach my goal. How about you? Have you reached a personal goal this year?

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Author and Reader Notes:

Jane Friedman’s blog recently featured a post by writer and book coach Monica Cox. who says

“There is something invigorating about typing the words THE END on a rough draft. The story has unspooled from your fingers for weeks, months, maybe even years and, finally, you have reached the resolution.

You may feel relief, excitement, or even a renewed dedication to the story. You may even be motivated to dive right into revisions so you can share it with the world as soon as possible. But rushing to edit can be the biggest mistake a writer makes.”

Find out what she means by that by clicking on the following link:

Why Your Revision Shouldn’t Start on Page One | Jane Friedman