Thursday, May 14, 2015

New Novel: Matt's Murder

Legacy is still in the bowels of my computer. I think I know the problem, and hopefully, will work it out. Meanwhile, I found another novel, which needs to come to light, I think. Why I left it, I'm not sure. Maybe it was just cooling its heels. Matt's Murder is a mystery novel. (with romantic elements, but I don't think I'd call it romantic suspense.)

"Matt" is finished, but needs adjustments. Possibly elimination of some extemporaneous characters, tightening up, less telling and more showing character's actions. Basically, things I didn't know when I first wrote this story. The good news is: It is finished. At least the draft. Unlike Legacy it has a beginning, a middle and an end. I'm happy with it's structure. (for a change.) 

Question: Do you believe in prologues or not? Matt has one. The information can be filtered into other sections, but I had so much fun writing the murder that starts the slew of other events that happens in this mystery that I'm reluctant to exclude it. I might just have to. 

The setting:  A horse community in Forest View, Illinois (you probably won't find this town) I've used it in another novel "In the Arms of the Enemy." It's not a sequel or a series. 

Questions: How many characters are too many? I have three main characters, six secondary characters, (some of whom are suspects,) who have a hand in the solving the crime(s,) and twelve minor characters, some who are walk-ons, others who forward the plot in some small way. 

The dilemma is finding the extemporaneous characters (my new favorite word) and combining them with someone else. I'm thinking. I'm thinking. 

It's been a while since I've written a new novel. The last was Waterlilies Over My Grave. Same problems there, but I cut a lot and rewrote and rewrote and rewrote etc. etc. etc. The same may happen for Matt. 

One thing I've found with characterization is having the characters write home about events happening around them. Julie will write to her mother. Tom may have internal thoughts about how he feels. So may other characters. This will never enter the novel, but will strengthen my knowledge of the people involved. 

Another problem: (and, I'm sure you other writers have the same issues) What I wrote about in the 90's may not be relevant in 2015. For instance, I never mentioned cell-phones or computers. These are items that I will make use of this time around. 

Purple Prose: I think my novel is loaded, but not nearly like it was the first time around. When I started Matt, My whole first chapter was setting and character background. I wouldn't dream of that today, and it was a good thing I lost the whole novel when I transferred from an old word processor to the new Asti I had at the time. Save? What was that? Those were the Floppy days. Remember them? 

Well, enough time out. Need to go see Dixie. Been working so hard at setting up my new chat-workshop and placing its page on Facebook, plus working on Matt, that I haven't been out of my house. 

I think I'll put Julie's letters to her mother on my blog. Won't give anything away though. 

Cheers/ Happy Writing. 

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