Need More Suspense in Your Novel? Here's How to Amp It Up

SHH! CLANDESTINE SECRETS FOR WRITING SUSPENSE….

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You want to write a suspense-thriller, but you’re not sure how to keep the pages turning? Here’s what worked for me, and hopefully it’ll work for you too:

1.     FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU’RE MOST SCARED OF AND INCORPORATE THOSE EVENTS INTO YOUR NOVEL.

Don’t like to be alone at home at night?  Why not? Probably because you’re sure every small noise is something amiss… a break-in? A mouse? A burst pipe? Hate when you come home and the front door is open a crack, making you wonder if you did that or a stranger did…?Every time you realize that your heart is pumping in fear, make a note of it and incorporate a scene into your next book.

2.    TEASE BUT DON’T APPEASE

Just when the reader thinks the answer will be revealed, throw a wrench into the plan. Literally. Make someone appear that has a wrench and threaten to harm them, like I did in WANTED:  DEAD OR IN LOVE.  Or…come up with some other frightening alternative, one that makes your main character run.

3.     END CHAPTERS IN CHAOS

Never let the reader turn off the light and go to sleep feeling good about your characters. NO WAY! End the chapter BEFORE they open the door, get out of the way of the speeding car, or ask the micromanaging boss for a holiday off. I don’t mean mid-sentence, but bring the reader to the brink and have a small interruption make them delay for a moment…long enough to end the chapter and propel your reader to stay up past their bedtime.

4.     DON’T TROT OUT ALL OF THE POSSIBLE SCENARIOS

Keep the reader in the dark along with your main character. YOU, the writer, know how they’ll get out of this, but don’t make the solution so obvious that your twist is anything but predictable. If the solution will be found in the cemetery, have your character drive past it, always curious about the gravedigger with the limp, but make the actual answer the gentle loving cemetery director.

5.     MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT (AND INTERESTING) SUB-PLOTS TO KEEP THE READERS ON THEIR TOES 

 No one likes to figure out the answer in the first one hundred pages. While you need to introduce the main goal in the initial pages, add a sub-plot or two along the way that makes the reader wonder what’s going to happen. Keep five plates spinning in the air, and the reader will enjoy watching and waiting for one, or more, to fall.

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The Key to Kickass Dialogue

Dialogue Secrets

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Quick! After a person’s appearance, what’s the first thing you notice when you meet someone? If you’re like most of us, it’s what comes out of their mouths. First impressions and all that. But when you read, you can’t see the characters, so your first impressions are made based on what the characters say, not how they look.

Simple concept, right? Not so simple to deliver.

SO…HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR CHARACTER MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION?

Give them something to say that is:

·      Believable

·      Fits their personality

·      Consistent, yet unexpected

·      Short and natural

        1)   Believable Dialogue

How do you know if it’s believable or not? Put on your walking shoes and get out your notebook! Head to the spot where the prototype of your character would go. Need to write teens talking together at lunch? Go to a fast-food restaurant near a high school. Want to know what couples say when they’re on a date? Head to a movie theater early and go see latest romantic comedy. You get the idea.

***HINT:  LISTEN AND TAKE GOOD NOTES. I promise you’ll forget the words and how they said them if you don’t.

       2)   Dialogue that fits the character’s personality

There’s a famous writing cliché that says a reader should be able to read a line of dialogue and know who the character is without the identifying dialogue tag.

The key is being the character when you write his or her lines. Imagine YOU are the sensitive butcher who is very observant––seriously! Picture yourself looking out of the eyes of the butcher with your hands on a raw steak and then write his or her lines. A great way for authenticity is to actually observe a butcher talking to his or her customers. Conduct a quick interview if you can, asking his top three concerns about his job. You might be surprised to learn what those things are…and so might your reader.

****HINT: SWITCH INTO THE MINDS of all of your characters (even the minor ones) as you write to create words that only THEY would say.

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       3)   Consistent, yet unexpected? Huh?

Your job is to make sure your characters are real, that they speak the truth (or not, depending on who they are). In real life, characters might keep their thoughts to themselves. Not so in fiction. Characters that are pushed to the brink must speak out––to a best friend, to the cabbie, to the offending party, to the police.

Yes, we want dialogue to be authentic, but it IS a story and it does need to intrigue your readers. So let them speak their mind and propel the story ahead by providing interesting thoughts for your readers to mull over.

***HINT:  TO KEEP PACING ON TRACK, use frequent dialogue to break up paragraphs of exposition.

       4)   Short and Natural

Cut to the chase. No one likes listening to boring blow-hards, so don’t let your characters be one of those people. Remember tuning out a boring teacher? That’s what didactic dialogue and info dumps feel like to your readers. Only include information that’s absolutely necessary for the story’s sake and skip the rest. You need to know the backstory, but keep it to yourself if it isn't essential to the plot.

***HINT:  READ ALL DIALOGUE OUT LOUD. Change voices to the way you imagine the characters interacting and it’ll feel more “real.” If you’re bored with the conversation, so is your reader. If it doesn’t sound the way a person really talks, cut it or revise it. Listen to real people and you’ll notice most of us talk in short sentences with breaks for others to add commentary.

So there you have it. Write dialogue that’s believable, fits the characters, necessary, and natural and your readers will come back for more!

*****

Hopefully you’ll find authentic dialogue galore in WANTED:  DEAD OR IN LOVE, which features two alternating POVs––one from Monroe (a modern-day teen who becomes possessed internally by the infamous Bonnie Parker), and the other from Clyde Barrow himself (who works hard to take over the body of Jack Hale, a teen male).

And if cultural humor is more your style, you’ll get a helping of Polish spirits along with a bounty of teen angst in ONE SMART COOKIE, a Polish teen who seeks the help of her spirit-conjuring grandmother to find the perfect boyfriend.

Kym Brunner

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Bio:
Kym Brunner's method of creating a manuscript: write, procrastinate, sleep, repeat. She's addicted to Tazo chai tea, going to the movies, and reality TV. When she's not reading or writing, Kym teaches 7th grade full time. She lives in Arlington Heights with her family and two trusty writing companions, a pair of Shih Tzus named Sophie and Kahlua. She's repped by Eric Myers of The Spieler Agency.

 

 

Wanted: Dead or in Love

 MeritPress, June 2014

One Smart Cookie

Omnific Publishing

July 2014

 

Wanted: Dead or In Love Book Trailer:

Authors and Reviews - How We REALLY Feel

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HOW DO AUTHORS REALLY FEEL WHEN THEY READ REVIEWS?

Naturally, if every bit of it is glowing, we cheer, nod, and say, "This person is brilliant!"

But what about when part of the review isn't all party cakes and rainbows?

Well for me, I'd say I have a LOVE-LEARN relationship with reviewers and reviews.

Some authors I know stopped reading reviews because it makes them sad/angry/vengeful or (fill in the blank). And ain't nobody got time for that, right?

But not me.

I can't wait to read them. I purposely didn't call it a "love-hate" relationship because that's not usually the way I feel when I read reviews about my novels. (Unless of course it seems like the reviewer has a personal vendetta against me from my high school days, or they only read the first two chapters....then I might not be so forgiving.)

And to be perfectly honest,  maybe I do hate it a little when I read negative things. After all, it did take me two years of writing and revising to finish the book, so it's human nature for some comments to sting a little. But overall, I think of it as a learning experience. Maybe because I've been a teacher my whole life...?

So here's the scoop:

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I LOVE when reviewers read my books, flattered they spent their precious time choosing my book to read. I LOVE when they LOVE it and share their view of it with the world.

So...to that effect, a giant thank you to book reviewers, librarians, and friends who post reviews for my books on Goodreads, Amazon, and/or Barnes & Noble.

What I might not love is when they spot flaws in my characters, world-building, plot, or endings. But there are things I don't love in other books I've read, so why wouldn't others feel the same way about mine? The trick is to try and objectively view the review as if it weren't about my book, and to realize that the different tastes in reading material is what helps keep novels diverse.

Easier said than done.


Here's what I do when I read a review:

1) Look at the final, overall rating to prepare myself whether it will be meh, good, or great.
2) Read it quickly once and react however I'm feeling (but don't share that with anyone).
3) Read it a second time, but this time, I read it as if my editor is giving me advice about things I need to address.
4)  I note the things they liked and/or disliked.
5) If more than one person said the same thing, I'm definitely going to try to make sure that, in the future, those same flaws have been addressed.

If you're a reviewer, do you worry about how you phrase a negative review, or is it more fun to dish it dirty and not think about the author? Is there any sort of etiquette involved?

And if you're an author, do you read your reviews? Why or why not?

Til next time,
KYM

Top FIVE Things I Learned AFTER My Debut Novel Came Out

YAY! You're published...now what?

 

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After the exuberance at signing my first contract ebbed a bit, I set my sights on what it would be like following the novel’s release. I didn’t worry too much about the logistics of it, but I had imagined that over time, I would become pretty well versed on how things would progress.

I wasn’t.

Partly because there’s a lot to learn and experience, but also partly because, for everyone else involved, it’s not their first time to the publishing watering hole and they don’t know how much (or in my case, how little) you know about the after party. While it’s only been two months since Wanted:  Dead or In Love (Merit Press) came out and even shorter since One Smart Cookie (Omnific Publishing) was released,  I’ve already learned A LOT since then.  Here we go:

5. YOUR PUBLISHER WILL PROMOTE YOU, BUT…you have to promote yourself.  A LOT. Your publishing house has tons of authors on their lists, with more books being released each season, so keep on tagging them in your tweets and status updates and it works to doubly promote them and you. It’s a good thing.

4. YOU HAVE TO FIND YOUR OWN WAYS TO GET THE WORD OUT – no one wants a blowhard that says “Buy my book, buy my book!” all the time, so think hard about alternate connections to your books and make it fun. Run promotions that get readers involved. Make connections with librarians, appear at functions near your home (so it’s not too expensive)….just get out there and be visible and friendly, not pushy.

3.  GIVEAWAYS CAN GET YOU NOTICED…but if you offer a gift card along with your book, many people will enter for the money, but not your book. Something to think about.

2. YOUR FRIENDS ARE EXCITED FOR YOU, BUT MIGHT NOT BUY YOUR BOOK. And that’s okay. Not everyone is a reader. Try not to get too disappointed and don’t hold grudges. (But hopefully they won’t mind if you don’t buy their kids’ Boy Scout popcorn either…) Just kidding!! Okay, maybe not. See how hard it is NOT to be disappointed? J But to my wonderful friends, family, and fellow scribes who have supported me by coming out to my book launch events, purchased my novels, or spread the word, you’re the best!! I can’t thank you enough!

1. SALES TAKE A WHILE TO ACCRUE. While there will (hopefully) be a nice spike when your book first comes out, it takes time for word of mouth to build. Keep buzzing about your book because you might think everyone has heard, but many haven’t. Everyone needs reminders and fresh news about your book and appearances. Slow and steady wins the race. 

So there you have it…and the learning curve doesn’t stop there. What was something that surprised YOU about the publishing business after your debut came out?

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Bio:
Kym Brunner dreams entire novels in her head, but needs about a year to write it all down.  She wishes there was an app for this. She's addicted to chai tea, going to the movies, and reality TV. When she's not reading or writing, Kym teaches 7th grade full time. She lives in the Chicago area with her family and two trusty writing companions, a pair of Shih Tzus named Sophie and Kahlua. She's repped by Eric Myers of The Spieler Agency.

Wanted: Dead or in Love, Merit Press, June, 2014
One Smart Cookie, Omnific Publishing, July, 2014

 

How the Barefoot Bandit Helped Sell my YA novel

Did you know that a famous news story gave me the idea for WANTED: DEAD OR IN LOVE?

Click the newspaper boy and "Read All About It!"

My Writing Process - Blog Tour Stop

Thanks so much to my friend, Kelly Hashway for inviting me to participate in this blog tour! Be sure to check out her website HERE where she talks about her writing process. So interesting to see all the different ways we work. :) 

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So you want to know about my writing process? Toot! Toot! First stop on the crazy train... 

FIRST OFF, when I'm not at work or out watching movies, you'll usually find me in my home office (read: LaZ Boy chair in living room even though I have a lovely home office.)


1) What am I working on?

Two books actually! (I'm sort of jumping between them) When I get stuck on one, I switch to the other. First time I've done this, but it's working to unlock my story issues that I seem to get hung up on. They're very different, but both suspenseful and have (what I think are) cool, unique topics. Hope you do, too!


2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Hmm...good question. I *think* it differs because I'm all about coming up with a great PLOT first, characters second. I know. I'm not supposed to say that aloud, but the truth is, the premise has to grab me around the throat and threaten to kill me before I'll spend a year writing the story down.

Here are the topics in some of my novels:

*I NEED MY SPACE: space camp, Mars exploration, twins, crushes

*FLIP THE BIRD: falconry, animal rights protestors, first love, loyalty

*INSOMNIAC: sleep disorders, online bullying, court case



WANTED: DEAD OR IN LOVE (June, 2014, Merit Press): Bonnie & Clyde, falling for bad boys, deadlines, criminal records (*AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER HERE)

ONE SMART COOKIE (July, 2014 Omnific Press): Polish bakery goods/legends/ falling for two boys at same time, family business

 *The first three are not yet published, but if you're an editor and you're interested in seeing one of the first three, email me or my agent, Eric Myers of The Spieler Agency. :)

3) Why do I write what I do? BECAUSE....

I love exploring all the changes/challenges/heartbreaks/triumphs teenagers go through. 

I love researching unfamiliar topics and putting teens in places they might want to go...and places they don't...and seeing how they'd react. 

I love when books make me think about them long after I've stopped reading them. 

I love when a book is soooo good, I want to tell everyone I know to read them.

I love when I can't wait to get back into the story when I'm in the middle of reading it.

I love when books make me think about my own life and how it can be different or better or makes me realize I already have lots of things to be thankful for.

 
I want to write those kinds of books––heart-stoppers, page turners, make you want to be there or try something new books.



4) How does my writing process work?

Not quite sure I can call what I do a "process" or claim that it "works," but it sort of happens like this for me:

• See interesting news articles/life events/ social media blurbs that makes me say "Whoa! What if..." with a twist.
• Add thoughts to the file called "Cool Story Ideas" that is on my laptop.
• When ready for new story, visit the file and let ideas percolate - brainstorm lots of storylines, usually based on multiple cool things in the file.
• Research s the topics involved in new story.
• Keep thinking, plotting, coming up with more twists, characters, and conflicts. Have a decent idea of beginning, middle, and climax.
• After one month, start writing.
• Bring chapters to critique groups and keep twisting, revising, rethinking.
• Viola! After approximately 9 months, I'll have a (crappy) first draft that I'll hope to revise into something I really love (and hope readers will too).

UP NEXT WEEK:

Beth Fehlbaum: A longtime English teacher, speaker, advocate for abuse survivors, and founder of the gritty YA fiction website UncommonYA,  Beth is the author of Hope in Patience, a 2011 Young Adult Library Services Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. Big Fat Disaster grew out of her own struggle with an eating disorder. Visit her on the web at www.bethfehlbaumbooks.com, www.uncommonya.com, and the Merit Press Facebook page. She lives in Texas.

Beth will be posting her writing process here: http://bethfehlbaumbooks.com/bloggity-blog.html

I Want To Name A Character in My Next Book....AFTER YOU!

I'm running a new giveaway on my Author Page. 

Not only will you win a signed copy of WANTED: DEAD OR IN LOVE . . . but you'll also be a character in my next book! 

You'll decide if the fictional version of you will be:

• good or evil 
• eccentric or hero
• nut job or normal 

LIVE OUT out your wildest dream version of YOU. 
ENTER HERE: http://tinyurl.com/muj48k5

Flipping Out over Flipping Out (former Bravo show) (and how it helped my writing)

One of my loves is watching REALITY TV. Not all shows, but ones that have a purpose besides arguing. I think it's fun to watch people in their (sort of) natural environment.

One of those shows is FLIPPING OUT with Jeff Lewis.

What do I love?

• ZOILA's sassy comebacks and simple, improper phrases (The doggie make a poop.)
• JEFF's off-the-wall sense of humor, smartass-ness, and practical jokes
• JENNI - everything about her. Her sense of humor, warmth, and fresh funny POV on life.
• GAGE - when he blushes at things people say.
• ANDREW - tells it like it is, even though it's often inappropriate (or maybe BECAUSE it is)

Oh - and they need to get rid of MEGAN if she's appalled by what's going on. BUZZ KILL!

HOW DOES THIS SHOW HELP MY WRITING?

Helps me with timing, humor, awkward situations, how people interact at work, and okay, possibly writing scenes that seem natural but are actually scripted. :)

How about you? What shows make you think about your writing process or stories?

WHAT YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT CLYDE BARROW....

I wrote a post for DARKLY DELICIOUS YA called The Not-So-Dark Side of Clyde Barrow.

CHECK IT OUT: 
http://darklydeliciousya.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-not-so-dark-side-of-clyde-barrow-in.html

BOOK COVER REVEAL...CHALLENGING DESTINY by Cherie Colyer

 SOOOOO excited to be able to show off my critique partner and long-time friend, Cherie Colyer's book cover for her brand-new book coming this spring! 

CHALLENGING DESTINY

 Wild Rose Press, Black Rose Imprint

Being Chosen is a terrible thing 

when there's no one you can trust...

 

READ MORE ABOUT IT:

Synposis:

Logan Ragsdale and his younger sister, Ariana, have been marked, chosen to be unwilling participants in a war between angels and demons. Logan can sense something's not quite right. Like an unexpected chill on a summer's day, he can feel the unseen closing in. He's had these feelings before and, each time, someone close to him died. He's afraid this time it might just be Ariana. Logan's fears are soon confirmed when he discovers their new friends aren't human, but rather representatives from Heaven and Hell sent to Earth to ensure he and Ariana accept their roles in an ancient prophecy. 

Demons want Logan to open the gates of Hell. Ariana has the power to stop them, but if she chooses to side with Heaven to spare the lives of thousands of innocent people, she'll damn her brother for eternity. Together, they must derail the biblical event if they hope to save themselves and the future of mankind...but what price are they willing to pay to keep the other safe?

OOH - it's HEAVENLY!

About the author:

Cherie Colyer is the author of YA paranormal thriller/romance, EMBRACE and HOLD TIGHT from Omnific Publishing. Her latest novel, CHALLENGING DESTINY will be available this spring from The Wild Rose Press, Black Rose Imprint. Check out her website and blog for news on her books and bonus material. Follow Cherie on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and/or Goodreads to get the latest updates on her books.

Some Tantalizing Info about ONE SMART COOKIE, which arrives this June!

Hungry for details? Chomping at the bit for the premise? Well, wait no longer. I answered a few tasty questions about ONE SMART COOKIE on the Uncommon YA blog here:

UNCOMMON YA BLOG POST by Yours Truly

GO ON...YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!

LINK INFO

BOOK LOVE ~ Win an Uncommon YA novel of your choice! *swoon*

 For a short time, Uncommon YA is offering YOU the chance to choose the book of your choice! Click on the titles below to learn more about each one.

We'd LOVE for you to add it to your "WANT TO READ" Goodreads' list, too!

WARNING: It will be a tough choice choosing which one!

   

  

  

A special thank you to MELISSA WRAY for organizing this cool giveaway!

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5 people will win their choice of selected titles. Book to be determined on win.
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