tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291067072012-01-05T13:50:01.642-05:00Blog for writing.Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.comBlogger271100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-31138425445776119722012-01-05T13:47:00.001-05:002012-01-05T13:50:01.652-05:00

Chapter OneThursday, October 23, 2006Libertyville, ILElias Hawk looked out over his back yard from the second floor window, staring without seeing. The caller, nearly ten minutes late, had Elias on edge. Jimmy Donovan and Simon Wells sat in front of Elias’ desk, alternately looking at each other, then over at Elias and then over towards the phone.“Maybe he’s had second thoughts, or maybe it’s

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-8863664036290425492011-10-14T17:36:00.002-04:002011-10-14T17:49:39.932-04:00

The early days of the 2012 election are upon us. The Democrats already know who their candidate is but the Republicans still have a long way to go. One thing that amazes me is how all Republicans are characterized by the a good portion of the press and by Democrats as heartless people who are all rich, are greedy, don't want people other than Caucasians to succeed and want to end all forms of a

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-39730021755430128422011-08-28T11:48:00.007-04:002011-08-28T12:25:52.388-04:00

I am a Middle American. Not sure exactly what that means, but it sounds about right and that is what I have now named me. The reason I even mention this is that I just finished reading two articles; The Rescue That Missed Main Street by Gretchen Morgenson (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/business/economy/the-feds-rescue-missed-main-street.html) and The Desperation-of-Deprivation Myth by Mark

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-62205530502795849562009-08-19T10:26:00.003-04:002009-08-19T11:40:28.113-04:00

I ran into an old girlfriend at my class reunion last month (actually ran into a couple of old girlfriends -- small school and we tended have shorter relationships than what is now the case). The last time I had seen her was about 10 years after high school when I called on her then husband at his store. I was a salesman for products that he sold in his store. After calling on him for some time,

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-31315430581017104772009-07-16T14:32:00.004-04:002009-07-16T15:04:59.656-04:00

I returned to my old hometown for my high school class reunion the other day. I had not seen some of the people in years -- and I mean years, some I had not seen since we graduated. Others I had run into since leaving the town, but even for those, it still had been years. I had not returned for other reunions for a couple of reasons; timing for one, as they were held over major holiday weekends

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-38330658248781196612009-05-09T10:48:00.003-04:002009-05-09T10:58:14.000-04:00

The following is an except from "Invisible Sin" -- a mystery.PrologueSeptember 2, 1968Yountville, CaliforniaRobert Rosselli knew the person before him would not shoot. He would not shoot for two reasons; one, he didn’t have the guts, and two, Robert had no intention of dying right now or in this way. He, and only he, controlled his destiny.“So, here we are,” Robert said, placing the phone back

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-25734185022760894572009-04-23T17:05:00.004-04:002009-04-23T17:21:56.653-04:00

I have belonged to a writing group for about 4 years, the Brandywine Valley Writers Group (http://www.bvwg.org). At first, as I was finally concluding my first novel and looking for help in getting published, the group offered some benefit. As time passed and my first novel was completed, and a second and a third novel began to develop, either the group changed or I did. I know the group dynamics

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-18412087425672967192009-04-10T09:35:00.002-04:002009-04-10T09:51:17.517-04:00

I ran across an old friend yesterday, or more accurately, she ran across me. It had been 10 years since we last saw each other but it was like it had only been a few days - a very busy few days for her since she is now married and has a 6 year-old daughter. Be that as it may (whatever that means), its interesting how there are always some people with whom you never seem to lose the connection;

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-83724299808143432742009-02-02T19:18:00.001-05:002009-02-02T19:21:18.236-05:00

Just finished reading Serena by Ron Rash. A great book along the lines of Hemingway. If you like great character development, tied to history and a knack of showing the surroundings without being intrusive, then you'll love Serena -- well, maybe not Serena, herself, but you will love the book.

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-70460986912092605512009-01-20T08:51:00.002-05:002009-01-20T08:58:32.271-05:00

Today is a momentous day. Having traveled the world and seen many other political systems and ways of governing, I can honestly say, there is none like ours -- which I consider to be far above all others. Whether one agrees with who is the leader of our country, we had the option to vote, to argue, to defend, to campaign for and to openly support our choice, which all people cannot say. The fact

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-75627907003022152182009-01-08T18:02:00.003-05:002009-01-08T18:11:36.240-05:00

I joined the social networking site, LinkedIn, for business reasons, initially, but then decided I could also use it to expand my writing connections. It didn't take long before one of my writing contacts, Tom Coyne, author of "A Course Called Ireland (A Long Walk in Search of a Country, a Pint and the Next Tee)," found me and linked on. I first met Tom about a year ago when I asked him to speak

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-82277761042061356352008-12-16T16:13:00.002-05:002008-12-16T16:20:45.442-05:00

Good story tellers don't follow "good rules for story telling," or at least I don't know any that do. They just know how to paint pictures with words, words and phrasing that keeps their listeners wanting more. So why are some writers so hung up on the rules? While its good to know the rules and what helps move a story forward and keeping it interesting, to adhere to rules over substance and word

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-91925681725047348532008-12-15T18:41:00.005-05:002008-12-15T18:52:43.797-05:00

It took longer than I expected, but I have finally finished "American Lightning" by Howard Blum. It is an interesting read in that it combines a bit of history with a bit of mystery. The book is not one that I would say is a "grabber" but it did hold my attention as it takes the reader back to a much different time in our country; one that tied unions with film-making and with people like

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-79453886797387041892008-12-02T16:21:00.004-05:002008-12-02T16:26:47.204-05:00

I am continuing to read Howard Blum's turn of the 20th century true mystery novel. While it continues to have interesting information about a particular mystery and how several famous characters became involved, the read is difficult at times as it plods along at several points. Interesting, still, but not a quick read -- or at least not for me.

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-14000037813976138362008-12-01T18:51:00.012-05:002008-12-02T13:30:24.839-05:00

"The Talisman"Excerpt from Chapter 1Jace Neffi watched as the little man carefully worked. He appeared in no hurry; the small trowel moved lightly against the earth, scraping a fraction of soil, one pass and then another until the trowel caught ever so slightly, causing the man to hesitate a split second before lifting the trowel to scrape against the obstruction – a bone or something else? He

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-8320978290550605252008-12-01T17:54:00.005-05:002008-12-01T18:40:43.886-05:00

I have just finished reading the first few chapters of "American Lightning" by Howard Blum. Not my normal read but interesting just the same. The story, a true crime novel, takes place at the turn of the 20th century and links Clarence Darrow, with William Burns of the famous Burns Detective Agency, and D.W. Griffith, the man who revolutionized the film industry -- all brought together by the

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-36184829676719524502008-11-24T16:29:00.000-05:002008-11-24T16:33:38.455-05:00

I recently finished "Nemesis" by Jo Nesbo, a Norwegian aurthor. If you are looking for a mystery with great character development, a very intriguing and intricate plot or plots, then this book should appeal to you. It is part of a series of mysteries featuring an alcoholic detective, Harry Hole (sounds like a name I would have found a place for in one of my mysteries, but since Jo has already

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-47392647093540406762008-11-21T09:16:00.001-05:002008-11-21T09:21:39.423-05:00

Its Friday, its snowing and its writing time. Over this past summer, I lost something -- a desire to write. Well, not a desire, exactly - more so the itch to write, and I couldn't figure out why. And then, in September, the itch returned, and again, I couldn't figure out why. But now I konw. Writers need other writers to keep the juices flowing. Not just any writers, but writers that challenge,

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-14759391234952082432007-10-12T07:31:00.000-04:002007-10-12T07:51:20.433-04:00

A book seller told me about a woman who came into her store and asked if she had any posters of US sunsets. The Seller said she had posters but wasn't sure about any with sunsets and wasn't sure, even if she had any that she could guarantee they were US sunsets. As they were looking, the Seller remembered a calendar that she had in inventory that had nothing but sunsets seen from various places

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-15611232748299193542007-04-09T17:37:00.000-04:002007-10-12T07:52:53.728-04:00

Writing -- good writing, is tough. I don't know how many times I have heard the comment, "Everyone has a book inside them just waiting to get out." Unfortunately, while that may be true, just getting the book out does not mean that it will be well written or ever read. Getting the book out, as tough as that can be, is the easy part. Getting the book out that is well written is difficult. For

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-71979391822540077862007-03-05T18:15:00.000-05:002007-03-05T18:19:11.418-05:00

Query letters are harder than writing a novel. It seems every writer's website and book has the exact format that one needs to get the query letter read and enough interest raised to have the agent or publisher request the synopsis and 3 chapters. The only problem -- each source is tells the writer different things so that the writer end up more confused on how to write the query letter than

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-64849403312966873202007-03-01T19:27:00.000-05:002007-03-01T19:29:32.387-05:00

Steve Berry, thriller writer, and I have been corresponding, which I find interesting since he is on a book tour that has him traveling all along the East Coast and out to the West Coast. But, he still found time to send a quick note. It just goes to show that the busier you are the more time you seem to find to keep in touch.

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-41345264122391804572007-02-26T18:36:00.000-05:002007-02-26T18:46:15.568-05:00

I do not understand "writer's block." Ideas for mysteries is not a problem for me. Nor is the writing of the mystery -- putting words down that flow and keep the story moving. I have more than enough ideas, so I do not understand writer's block -- at least as it pertains to coming up with ideas and putting them down on paper (heck, my first novel ended up, first draft, with over 150K words and I

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-76257997107603383942007-02-22T19:12:00.000-05:002007-02-22T19:30:05.980-05:00

I went to a book signing the other evening. The author was Steve Berry, author of The Amber Room, The Templar Legacy, The Romanov Prophecy, The Third Secret and, just released The Alexandria Link. First off, he was entertaining and his story is a great one for all us struggling authors who are still looking for an agent and publisher.More importantly, he had great advice for those wishing to

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-68845948320095294292007-02-16T08:21:00.001-05:002008-12-08T10:31:39.543-05:00

One of the issues that I struggle with is the level of graphic description and language that I use in my work. On the one hand, a writer wants dialect that reflects the character – who he or she is, how that person with a particular background and psyche would speak. Also, you want the reader to feel, taste and smell the situation, to be repelled or shocked or drawn in so that they leave with the

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-76652095624267328562007-02-15T19:27:00.000-05:002007-02-16T08:51:29.487-05:00

My wish is that my first novel will get published and then I can concentrate more on my writing than on my business -- basically turning my writing into the cash flow generator. One of these days.I have completed the first novel that is now with someone who has suggested that he can help me get published by introducing me to a NY Times best selling mystery author, which he did, and then she would

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29106707.post-43317631958638810242007-02-14T15:42:00.001-05:002007-02-14T15:42:57.873-05:00

Today is Valentine's Day and the snow, or more correctly, the ice is still coming down. What was supposed to be snow turning to rain during the night, turned into something more resembling Italian ice. We are basically, iced in, which is what is more normal this time of year than the 70 degree temperatures we had in January. So we can't complain.Since I work and write from home, I have a choice

Fredptheohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00400922326785597478noreply@blogger.com0