Writer's Report 2.0

This is from the blog Lying for a Living, published by one of my favorite up and coming crime novelists, Meg Gardiner. She has a humorous matter of fact no-nonsense approach on many subjects. On these posts she describes Character Building she did for her newest book, The Dirty Secrets Club and how she did it without a ‘so-called’ muse

Some writers claim they don’t construct their stories. Instead, they say, when they sit down at the keyboard the characters “just take over.” These writers describe this occurence with whimsical amazement at the way their creations spill themselves gloriously onto the page.

I don’t believe it. If writers truly think their characters seize control of the story, they’re either playing with a ouija board, off their meds, or listening to so much Carrie Underwood that they’ve thrown their hands in the air, crying for somebody to take the wheel. Gosh, it wasn’t me… this book is just a transcription of THE VOICES INSIDE MY HEAD. (more…)

From Reuters:

By Michelle Nichols

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Best-selling author Nora Roberts won book of the year on Monday at the third annual Quill Awards, which were created to bring glamour and red carpet extravagance to the world of publishing.

“Romance rocks,” Roberts told the crowd after accepting her award, which was voted online by the public, for a romance/thriller novel “Angels Fall” published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore was also among the 19 Quill Award winners, announced at a black-tie event attended by celebrities including actresses Brooke Shields and Joan Allen and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York. (more…)