Setting As A Character by Suzanne Rossi

Hi, everyone.

I just want to take a moment to wish you all a wonderful Memorial Day and say thank you to the men and women in our armed forces. You do a great job and I appreciate it.

The two things that drive a good book are characters the reader can relate to and like, along with a plot that takes us on a journey around each and every bend of the story. Some authors are character oriented, adjusting the plot to fit the characters' actions. Occasionally, characters take on a life of their own and go with it. Not much the author can do except follow. Other writers structure the plot so that the characters must act and react to the situation. Both are effective, although as authors we must make sure one doesn't overtake the other. A great plot with weak characters is as unsatisfying as great characters following a weak plot line.

But there's one other thing that can drive both--the setting. Believe it or not, the setting of a story can project both elements of character and plot.

For instance, in my first book, Along Came Quinn, I set most of the story in Guatemala. I took a city girl, hooked her up with an adventurer (yes, opposites attract), and off they go to Central America to search for lost treasure. If this sounds a lot like Romancing the Stone, it is. I love that movie, and while my story is similar, it does have a nice plot twist.

At any rate, back to the setting. Have I ever been to Guatemala? No, and I'm not likely to go anytime soon. If you are going to use an exotic place but have never been there, then do extensive research. Find out the political atmosphere, tourist spots, food, rural life, the weather, the language(s) spoken, the customs of the people, and the flora and fauna. I'll bet I had close to fifty pages of notes in a folder by the time I finished. I used, perhaps, two pages in the story.

In Nearly Departed, I invented a dilapidated Antebellum mansion as the catalyst to bring my hero and heroine together. I set the story in Northern Mississippi, a locale I know. The house became as much of a character as Cybil and Max, not to mention the ghosts inhabiting it.

My book, Deadly Inheritance, was set on a Caribbean island that I imagined as a cross between Jamaica and Barbados. I used the size, food, and location of Jamaica, but since I had vacationed one year in Barbados, I utilized the physical features and the people. It was a blend that worked well. I had one reader tell me they felt like they were there the whole time. Always a good thing to hear.

At one point in time, I worked first as a dealer of blackjack and roulette, then later as a floor supervisor at a casino in Tunica, Mississippi. It became the setting for Death is the Pits. I brought my personal knowledge of how casinos are run (as opposed to should be run--there was a difference), the gamblers I have known, and how the games are played to this story. Adding a couple of bodies along the way was just plain fun.

For The Good Twin, I adopted my brother-in-law's lake house in North Central Illinois as one of the houses in the book. I'm not sure if it was really a character, but the ambiance was what I wanted to achieve. The real lake area works well as my fictional one for the suspense of prowlers in the woods, and intruders by water.

So, the next time you pick up a book, pay attention to the setting. Do you feel like you're there with the characters? Is it a place you might like to visit? Can you identify with it in some way--your hometown, your favorite relative's home or city, or where you currently live? If so, then the author has done his or her job.

Before I let you go, I want to celebrate by sharing with you the blurb and cover of my next book, Killer Conference. It's the second book of a series I call The Snoop Group. Book #1 was A Novel Death. I don't have a release date yet, but will let you know when I do.

"Anne Jamieson and her critique partners are once again thrown into murder and mayhem while attending a writers conference. Anne starts to believe she is a dead body magnet when she finds obnoxious agent, Carmella Radcliff, stabbed to death in the ladies room. This brings Detective Gil Collins onto the scene. Anne was hoping for a relationship when he was the lead detective on an earlier case she helped investigate, but lies and secrets drove them apart. The Snoop Group as they have named themselves, decide to assist again, but then, a second agent is killed. The conference offers a long line of suspects and motives. Was it the best-selling author? A disgruntled editor? An angry agent? An attendee whose work was rejected? Or someone else? Time is running out and the conference will only last so long. Amid the commotion, can Gil and Anne rekindle the spark from months ago before the murderer claims Anne as a third victim?"

One more thing. May marks my first anniversary as a member of this blog team. I want to thank Caroline Clemmons for inviting me to join such wonderful authors. I've loved participating and look forward to a long relationship with them and the readers of Smart Girls Read Romance.

Thanks to all, and I'll see you again next month.

Suzanne Rossi

ADDICTED TO RESEARCH

By Caroline Clemmons

Historical writers—at least those of us who want our work to be accurate—delve into research with the enthusiasm of a crack addict for drugs. We never get our fill of details to add credibility to our work. Often while researching one subject, we come across information that spawns a new book idea. Lucky, right?

Not that we need new ideas. Most of us have so many plots and characters buzzing in our heads that we’re set for about a hundred years. Still, we welcome new information. Each of us wants to get better and better as our writing career progresses.

My friend Mary Adair (fellow blog member) recently sent me a wonderful research book titled BLEED, BLISTER, AND PURGE: A HISTORY OF MEDICINE ON THE AMERICAN FRONTIER, by Volney Steele, M.D. Mary knows and shares my addiction for research of the historical time period about which we write. Her time period is earlier than mine, but each of us spends countless hours making sure our books’ historical details are correct.

I’ve taken blog member Beth Trissel’s herbal medicine class a couple of times and have her herbal book PLANTS FOR A MEDEIVAL HERB GARDEN IN THE BRITISH ISLES (http://amzn.com/B00IOGHYVU). Although the title says British isles, those who immigrated to America brought their seeds and seedlings, making this book important for historical writers whose subject is America. In her classes, Beth covers Native American medicine as well as European. Can't have bluebonnets blooming in fall, can we?

Although I love my Kindle Fire for reading, for research I want to be able to thumb through print books. I underline, highlight, and stick post-it strips on pages. My book on Victorian fashions from Harper’s Bazar have post its on the pages I’ve used in my books. But I use a wide variety of research. Hence, my several book cases of research material.

Don’t think we writers want our research to appear as such in our books. The style of a woman’s dress, the flowers blooming, the style of house, and the miles a rider covers by horseback are examples of details we want to be correct without being pedantic. No, we want our research to enrich our books without the reader ever noticing those details. They’re supposed to slip into the story without distracting. I do enjoy knowing what the women are wearing, don't you?

When I read a book and see an anachronism, not only am I distracted but I lose faith in the author. That’s why my friends and I work so diligently to prevent this happening in one of our books. I hope I’m succeeding.

Do you notice anachronisms when you read? If so, do they detract from the story?

Throw Me Something, Mister by Kimmie Easley

I am excited to announce that I am elbow deep in my new romance novel, Gutter Princess. It’s been a long road, and there’s still a good stretch left to go. Nonetheless, it is coming to life far better than I could have imagined! I love when my characters push the limits and surprise me (yes, this does happen)!

Gutter Princess is steamy romance following the combustible love story of Baby Jade, a stripper caught in the clutches of the Big Easy and Lucky, a New Orleans native turned motorcycle nomad.

In honor of the beautiful, yet haunting setting of New Orleans, I thought I’d share some interesting facts about the historical city.

25 Things You Should Know About New Orleans 

1. Its pronounced New Or-luns, not New Or-leans. Unless you want a giant neon sign hanging from your forehead that reads “I am not from here"!

2. It is known as the Crescent City because of its moon-like shape hugging the Mississippi River.

3. Two words: The food. Okay here’s some more words: In New Orleans beignets have been a staple of Creole cuisine, and is the basis for one of the city’s most popular dives: Cafe du Monde. The delicacies were even named the Louisiana state doughnut back in 1986. Unfortunately, not every state has named their own doughnut. Call your local congressman today to rectify this egregious matter.

4. Speaking of which, in New Orleans it’s not a “sub,” it’s a “poboy.”

5. The term “Dixieland” originates in the city. Dixieland references the Old South and the style of jazz performed by early New Orleans performers. It’s since been used as a name for pretty much every middle-of-nowhere rinky-dink theme park ever.
  
6. Most of the buildings and architecture around today actually have more of a Spanish history. Due to a city-wide fire that spread in the 1700s under Spanish rule, most of the earlier French buildings were lost.

7. Guinness officially named the nearby Lake Pontchartrain Causeway the longest continuous bridge in the world. According to Gutter Princess, it's a good place to hide bodies!

8. The New Orleans Superdome is one of the largest enclosed arenas in the world. GET THIS! It’s so big that condensation inside it can allegedly make rainstorms within the dome. It doesn’t get much cooler than that.

9. Mardi Gras may not have originated here (it actually got its start in Mobile, AL) but it sure stayed!

10. In fact, the Endymion Krewe has more than 2,500 members and sees about 15,000 guests to its paradesevery year. Of its circa 80 parades per year, their parades are the largest the city sees. 

11. The motto of the Endymion Krewe is “Throw Until It Hurts”. Meaning you are guaranteed to get cool stuff hurled precariously close to your face at any moment.

12. Endymion has also been grand marshaled by many a famous face, such as Marisa Tomei, Dan Aykroyd, Kevin Costner, Kelly Clarkson, and Maroon 5.

13. Speaking of famous people, a ton of them were born in the city. They are known to return every now and then for a visit, including Reese Witherspoon, Harry Connick, Jr., and Ellen DeGeneres (who was actually born right outside the city in Metairie).

14. Lee Harvey Oswald, president JFK’s assassin, was born in New Orleans in 1939. This factoid is meant to counterbalance all the positives on this list; otherwise, the world may step into chaos.

15. History question: During the Civil War, what was the largest city in the Confederate States of America? You guessed it: New Orleans. Like most Southern cities, it has a storied and bloody history that shows how it’s grown over the years, but also one that can’t be ignored. Just avoid asking everyone which side their great grandparents fought for.

16. It was New Orleans where voodoo was first introduced into the United States. In fact, in the 1800s Voodoo queens became central figures in the culture. In New Orleans, Marie Laveau gained prominence amongst these figures. She was an oracle, performed exorcisms, and overthrew the other queens in the city. Because of this influence, she is remembered to this day. Fun fact: her tomb in the New Orleans cemetery even warrants more visitors than Elvis Presley’s in Tennessee. That’s a legacy.

17. Vampires and werewolves and fae-folk… oh, you get it. HBO’s uber-popular southern paranormal drama “True Blood” takes place in the fictional town of Bon-Temps, LA and throws a gallon of supernatural paint at the wall to see what sticks. What does this have to do with New Orleans? Not much, but it’s probably the most recognizable popular culture representation of a Louisianian town and is hard to ignore because of it. Just don’t let the were-panthers scare you off.

18. Louisiana is 1 of 2 states in the U.S. that does not have counties. Instead, the state prefers the term “parishes.” Unsurprisingly, New Orleans is situated in Orleans Parish.

19. The city was originally founded by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville for the sole purpose of being safe from hurricanes. An act that would today earn him his own facepalm gif.

20. The French Quarter, known as the heart of New Orleans. A popular tourist stop for shopping and street vendors. It’s actually the small square area that Bienville first founded when he discovered the area. Thirteen city blocks long by six deep – the original boundaries of New Orleans.

21. Alcohol is practically given away in the city and can be found at any time of day. Bars stay open day and night, and because of the city’s festivals happening throughout the year, most bars give patrons little to-go cups for their favorite poisons. Inebriation, ahoy!

22. Like gambling? Thank New Orleans. The city was the place where both craps and poker were invented.

23. The first opera in the U.S. was performed in New Orleans way back in 1796. They may not be popular nowadays but this early form of performance art is easily traceable to having influenced the influx of the theater arts in the US, including the myriad interpretations of Shakespeare’s plays stateside and the eruption of Broadway throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

24. The New Orleans Saints won their first Super Bowl in 2010. This has a cool factor all its own. 

25. Once known as the “Back of Town,” is one of the oldest neighborhoods in New Orleans and is widely known as a racially mixed area. It’s an integral center of the city’s African-American and Creole culture. HBO made the polarizing TV show “Treme,” chronicling life of a cast of characters living in this lesser off section of the city. Sorry, no joke here. Have you seen “Treme?” They mean business on that show.

*** I can’t say enough about New Orleans. Yes, it’s full of positives and negatives. It’s a cliché setting for numerous books and movies. But here’s the thing… it NEVER gets old.

Keep an eye out for updates on Gutter Princess! COMING SOON! 

 

Original article found here.