Robert Langdon, literature’s most famous symbologist, is called in to solve a bizarre murder at the beginning of The Da Vinci Code. The murder sets the plot in motion, driving the hero into a race to solve the puzzle before the villains. Certainly, The Da Vinci Code must be a plot-driven novel. BUT Robert LangdonContinue reading “The Da Vinci Code – Decoding Plot-Driven vs Character-Driven Novels”
Category Archives: writing
The Surprising Secret of Bestselling Fiction? Using Non-Fiction
Here’s proof that thriller writers have more fun. In his workshop on using non-fiction techniques in fiction, bestselling thriller author, Douglas Preston, pointed out that successful thrillers like Coma, The Firm and Raise the Titanic are, at their core, non-fiction. So how do you integrate your passions about the real world into your fictional world?Continue reading “The Surprising Secret of Bestselling Fiction? Using Non-Fiction”
Jurassic Park meets Inception in New Thriller Book
I am thrilled and relieved to announce that The Emerald Tablet, the second book in the Christa Devlin series, is now available as an ebook and print book on Amazon. Check out this description of what I’ve been working on for 2+ years: NEW HIGH STAKES THRILLER FROM BEST-SELLING AUTHOR ASKS READERS, WHAT DO YOUContinue reading “Jurassic Park meets Inception in New Thriller Book”
The Surprising Secret of Thrillers Readers Love
As thriller authors and fans, we scour the virtual shelves for stories that weave in several key elements, but which is the one that keeps you turning pages? Is it… High Stakes Often, the future of the world is held in the balance, whether it’s an evil conspiracy to control financial markets, a bio-weaponContinue reading “The Surprising Secret of Thrillers Readers Love”
What Charles Dickens Can Teach Us about Writing
Five facts about Charles Dickens that can teach us all about writing, in celebration of the 201st anniversary of his birthday on February 7, 2013: 1. Dickens was the second oldest of eight children. He was the father of ten children. What Dickens can teach us: Yes, you can pursue your passion and have a family.Continue reading “What Charles Dickens Can Teach Us about Writing”
What Yiddish and Edith Wharton Taught Me About the Value of Print Books
I was recently in western Massachusetts and visited two distinct “literary” sites. One was old, Edith Wharton’s fabulous house, The Mount, built at the turn of the century. It offered a fascinating look into the life and times of this remarkable woman. The other site was new, founded in 1980. It is the Yiddish Book Center, aContinue reading “What Yiddish and Edith Wharton Taught Me About the Value of Print Books”
How Leonardo DiCaprio Makes Thriller Writing Fun
I want to be like Castle on tv. He is an amazingly successful fictional fiction writer who spends as much time finding ways to have fun as finding clever plot twists. But since we don’t live in tv world for more than an hour or two at a time, I struggle as a thriller writer toContinue reading “How Leonardo DiCaprio Makes Thriller Writing Fun”
How to Take Charge of Your Novel: Write it Now 4 Review and Scrivener Shout Out
I was a juggler on a tightrope balancing over a pool of crocodiles. I had way too many balls in the air–complex plot, historical references, multi-layered characters, puzzles, action scenes, spiritual themes, challenging settings, dynamic relationships. I was struggling to remember who had done what, who knew what, and did I change that yet inContinue reading “How to Take Charge of Your Novel: Write it Now 4 Review and Scrivener Shout Out”
The War of Art – One Key Element to Success in Writing
UPDATED April 25, 2012 – Are you afraid of writing? In response to a writer’s request for advice on what to do about being afraid of using your gift of writing, I tracked down the following post I wrote for my other (neglected) blog, http://www.womenthrillerwriters.com. I realized that I had originally written this post onContinue reading “The War of Art – One Key Element to Success in Writing”
Making Mr. Right – Love Will Find a Way in Fiction
I recently and, I admit, somewhat reluctantly, attended a workshop led by Mindy Starns Clark. Her bio cast her as a romance writer, a Christian romance writer. I’m a thriller writer, so I wondered if what she had to say would be relevant. Then again, she had mentioned on another conference panel that one of herContinue reading “Making Mr. Right – Love Will Find a Way in Fiction”
PAMELA HEGARTY 