Happy Insecure Writers Support Group Day.
Apologies for not putting up all the usual info. My laptop is down and using an iPad is more difficult than I thought. Please check out our home page https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com
Secrets is the question this month. I can’t think of a secret that my readers can’t figure out from my stories. Families are important to me, which is why my characters have families. In my cozy mystery series (Alex O’Hara novels), I show Alex interacting with her dad and her surrogate mother in book 3, The Case of the Meddling Mother. Her family and Nick’s family play a large part in book 4 (work in progress).
The main character in One Red Shoe, a romantic suspense, is the youngest and only girl in a family of five. Having overprotective brothers is a pain for her, but always my secret wish since I’m the oldest. In Numbers Never Lie, another romantic suspense, Maggie’s driving force is finding her brother’s killer.
Readers can learn a lot about us from our stories. Maybe not from just one, but from the whole body of work.
Hope you have a great month and continue to stay safe.
Hope you get your laptop running soon. That's awesome that you include your love of family in your writing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Natalie.
DeleteI agree. I put a lot of myself in my stories too, you just have to know what to look for. Sorry to hear your laptop is down. Hope you get it running soon.
ReplyDeleteKnowing where to look and reading between the lines help.
DeleteYikes! Nothing worse than computer problem . . . well, maybe computer problems during a pandemic! All your books have a warm familial hug feel to them which is why I enjoy them (that an the excellent writing!). As a PNR author, my family is happy NOT to be featured in my books.
ReplyDeleteLOL, Nancy. No shifters in your family, huh. 😉 Thanks for the compliments.
DeleteVery true - from the whole body of work. I can see that in my own stories.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Alex.
DeleteUgh, nothing worse for a writer than to be without their computer! Interesting to see your secret wish. As a member of two book clubs, it's been interesting as the other members quiz me regarding stories we're reading as to the writers' side. How much is made up, how much is real? They were surprised to learn there's a little, sometimes a lot of ourselves in every story. Of course, the next question was: which pats?
ReplyDeleteHope you get back to normal soon!
Thanks, Diana. My wonderful neighbor says he can fix it. The Geek Squad can’t.
DeleteMy book group asks the same thing.
Great way to approach this question, and starting with your computers secret about why it isn't working properly. I hate that!
ReplyDeleteI’ve learned how to do a lot of things on my computer. Soldering isn’t in my bag of tricks. LOL
DeleteTruth. Families are important. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
So right, Anna.
DeleteThanks for sharing, and may you have your laptop back (or something new) very soon! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, David
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI agree. An astute reader can learn a lot from the characters of his or her favorite author about the author.
Hope you are well and safe.
All the best and thanks for being a part of IWSG.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
Thanks, Pat
DeleteWhat a PITA to try working on a tablet. Tiny screens and tiny keyboards.
ReplyDeleteYou are quite right that readers can learn a lot about us from our work. I hate to think what my horror pieces say about me! :-D But at least the bad guy/girl always gets it in the end.
PITA is right. I think readers see justice in your stories.
DeleteI also put family and friends into my stories. So sorry to hear about your laptop. I went through something similar last year!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cathrina. This computer is less than 3 years old. 😕
DeleteFriendships and marriage are important to me and those do figure into my fiction.
ReplyDeleteMarriage means hope for the future.
DeleteI like your secret for One Red Shoe. I am the youngest in a family of 5 but never got that protectiveness from my siblings, so I think that's why my characters are always so protective of each other.
ReplyDeleteI understand, Chrys. Our stories can show our hidden desires, too.
DeleteAlmost all my stories revolve around child/parent relationships.
ReplyDeleteYes. Now that I’ve read your YA series, I know what you’re talking about.
DeleteI admire you for creating a post on an iPad, Diane. That is not an easy task. I'm the oldest of five. My brother is fourteen months younger than I am. We were big time competitors. Lately, though, he's very protective of me, and it's a nice feeling. Families are the best, aren't they? All the best to you!
ReplyDeleteMy kids are really close now that they have families. Thanks, Louise.
DeleteI think we're bound to include things which are important to us in our work – a good thing as we write better about subjects we care about.
ReplyDeleteSo true, Patsy.
DeleteLove how important families and relationships are to you. In these dark times, we need family for support. Happy day-after IWSG Day!
ReplyDeleteJQ Rose
Agree. My family is very supportive.
DeleteI so totally agree. We put so much of ourselves into our stories and characters, whether by design or not. I love books with lots of family interaction! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dixie.
DeleteI agree that stories reveal a lot about their authors!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sandra.
DeleteYes, managing a blog from an iPad is a pain. I don't know how people even begin to do it from a phone!
ReplyDeleteMy characters also reveal a fair bit about me, probably more than I want :D
I agree about the phone. Younger people use their phones for everything. I can barely read mine. lol
DeleteFamilies can add a lot of depth to a character. I agree that readers might learn something about us from our books, especially if they read more than one!
ReplyDeleteThey would definitely have to read more than 1 book to learn anything about the author.
Delete