Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Bringing Characters to Life

I've read a lot about people's taste in plot driven versus character driven stories. Even those who like "mysteries" - which is perhaps the epitome of plotting - want to read about characters with whom they can identify.

For me, it is important to find the right balance. In my series, I have three main characters who appear in every one of the stories. They include, Brad Frame, Sharon Porter, his assistant, and Nick Argostino, the Philadelphia police detective who is Brad's silent business partner.

Then there are characters that are important in the lives of those principal characters (family members, close friends).

The victims of crime and their family members are crucial in each of the stories, and a believable cast of suspects is also essential.

At other times, because of the setting, there are an array of other characters who are also important to the story. I want each of them to "come to life" for the reader, to be more than a cardboard cutout--or a caricature.

All of the action in TRANSPLANTED DEATH takes place within a matter of days inside of a hospital setting. I had to have medical staff, food workers, janitors, administrators, technicians, an array of patients, etc. on hand to bring the story to life. How my protagonist deals with a "minor" character helps the reader to know more about the protagonist, as well as a realistic perspective about how that person with the "walk on" part fits into the whole picture.

Similarly, in FINAL JUROR, there were numerous scenes which took place in a courtroom populated with a judge, twelve jurors, alternates, court reporter, court crier, tipstaff, court clerk, prosecutors, defense attorney, and defendant. In addition, there were relatives of the defendant, and family members of the deceased that had to be included. And then "spectators" to fill the courtroom. Whew! Making it all come to life was a challenge, and since that book is on the verge of launching--I will find out soon.

To read the opening of my latest Brad Frame mystery, click here for FINAL JUROR.


Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Q & A

Q: I understand you're close to publishing your next Brad Frame mystery?

A: Yes. It's called FINAL JUROR. It's a dual story looking at a seventeen-year-old murder of a man who served on a jury in a federal racketeering case, and a contemporary murder trial in Brad Frame's home county.

Q: Are the two cases related?

A: No. Readers won't find a connection between the two other than the fact that both involve jury service.

Q. Where did you come up with the idea?

A. I've always been fascinated by courtroom drama in fiction. Perry Mason stories were among my early favorites. A long time ago, I attended a Saturday session of a major trial in the community where I lived. I wanted Brad and Sharon to have a chance to operate in that environment.

Q. It's been an easy process for you then?

A. The opposite actually. This may be the hardest book for me to write (so far).

Q. Why's that?

A. The courtroom scenes in particular; trials can be quite tedious. The challenge becomes where to put the focus. When do I actually "show" witnesses testifying, and at what moments is it better to just have Brad bring readers up to speed with a quick summary. (e.g. "After listening to him drone on for the past three hours, the only new fact they'd learned was that DNA at the crime scene only matched the victim.") If I did otherwise, I fear readers would be throwing their Kindles across the room.

Q. Sounds like you had to do a fair amount of research?

A. Yes. Nearly two years ago I visited the  Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, PA. Brad Frame lives in Montgomery County, and that's where the trial takes place. I met with the Jury Commissioners, who provided a tour of the courthouse, discussed how jurors are called to serve, the dos and don'ts of the process, and shared a few stories of how people try to get out of serving on a jury. Their help was invaluable.

Q. The murder trial in the book, is it based on an actual murder case?

A. No. But the challenge for any fiction writer is to convey the sense that these are real events and real people.

Q. You usually like to have an unexpected twist at the end of your mysteries. Will that be the case with FINAL JUROR?

A. That's the plan... times two.

Q. Times two? Explain.

A. I mentioned that this book involves two cases, the seventeen-year-old unsolved murder, and the contemporary murder trial. I'm hoping readers will be surprised by the outcome in both cases.

Q. Do you have an exact publication date?

A. What's that phrase? "No wine before its time." The book is finished, and currently being read by a few of my trusted "beta" readers. It should be available soon. Readers can visit this link to read the opening chapter, until the full book is ready. FINAL JUROR opening