By the Book - Protection Detail

Welcome back!

            This month’s book review is another foray into the romance genre. I was never a big fan of love stories, so I decided to make the experience less jarring by finding a novel that had something I could relate to. Being a dog owner, I was attracted to the following novel; Protection Detail by Shirley McCoy.

This book actually came into my possession after returning a bunch of old novels to the local used bookstore. Nothing interesting was standing out for me, so I decided to pick something thematic for my next February book review.

           The story follows an investigation into the murder of a senator's son conducted by Gavin McCord, a K-9 unit Captain. Cassie Danver, a woman who works in a foster home, is in charge of a dozen children. One of the foster kids end up being key witnesses in the murder, forcing Gavin and Cassie to join forces to protect the children while the killer is apprehended.  True to any romance novel, the two protagonists develop feelings for each other despite being in constant danger.

Back of the Book:

After a prominent senator's son is murdered, Capitol K-9 Unit captain Gavin McCord wants answers. The senator was a mentor to Gavin and he'll stop at nothing to bring the killer to justice. With his team of elite K-9 cops and his loyal dog, Glory, at his side, Gavin discovers that a child of Cassie Danvers's nearby foster home may have witnessed the murder. He's drawn to the determined and beautiful woman but she doesn't want him interviewing her traumatized charges. Yet trusting Gavin is the only way to stay one step ahead of the deadly gunman when Cassie become a target.

From the book: Protection Detail

By: Shirlee McCoy

Imprint and Series: Steeple Hill

Publication Date: 03/2015

ISBN-13: 9780373446544

Copyright © 2015

By: Shirlee McCoy

® and TM trademarks of the publisher.

The edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

For more romance information surf to: http://www.eHarlequin.com

What I learned from this book

• The Build up/Payout ratio: This book made me realise that if you build up to an event, you need to deliver on the pay out. Throughout the entire story, multiple attempts are made to progress the investigation, but sadly the book ends and the culprit is left unfound. After commiting to a story for 200 plus pages, I can tell you this left me feeling cheated.
• Chekhov's gun: “Chekhov’s gun” is a dramatic principle that states every element mentioned in a story must be necessary and serve a purpose, and that extraneous details must be removed. Giving an object attention should be considered a signal to the readers that it has some importance to the story. This story made mention of several key elements however, that played no real role in the story. The victims wife, for example, is mentioned several times for being a potential witness, but is never found throughout the story. So we don't know if she was the killer, a witness, or dead. I found this lack of information annoying.
• Romance: How the author built the relationship between Gavin and Cassie was rather interesting. Both had troubled backgrounds, but we saw how their emotional barriers came down little by little, using a combination of simple, causal actions (such as longing stares, honest conversation, etc) and a dramatic situation (in this case, being pursued by killers).

Shirlee McCoy is a New York Times best-selling author, whose first book was published in 2004. She's written more than 45 novels, which have appeared on the New York Times, Publisher's Weekly, and USA Today bestsellers lists.

When she's not writing, she's homeschooling her two youngest children and spending time with loved ones. Her books are a reflection of her passion for relationships and community  that explore the dynamics between siblings, parents, children, and friends.  

For those interested in reading more books from Shirlee McCoy, please check out these websites:

• 
  
• http://www.shirleemccoy.com/
• http://shirleemccoy.blogspot.ca/

In closing, I would like to thank you all for dropping by and following my blog. Your patronage and encouragement is truly appreciated.

Until next time!

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne

Interview - Hope White

Welcome back!

 

Today we have something special; an interview with published writer, the lovely Hope White. This is the first time I have had the opportunity to interview an author who I’ve had the joy of reading.

 

I approached Ms. White back in December, shortly after having read her book, Covert Christmas. While working on the book review article, I discovered her website, and found her email address. I decided to take a chance and contact her. To my surprise, she contacted me back a few short days later! I’m super excited to have her with us today!

 

On to the interview!

 

 

 

Short Bio: With a degree in journalism, Hope White started her career as a reporter for a small town newspaper.  Years later she decided she wanted to do more than report the facts – she wanted to take readers on a suspenseful and thrilling adventure.  Hope has published 11 romantic suspense novels with Steeple Hill including her popular Echo Mountain Search and Rescue series. When not at her computer, Hope can be found hiking a mountain trail to stimulate ideas for her next book.

Published Works:

   

Search and Rescue series

Mountain Rescue, Payback, Covert Christmas, Witness Pursuit, Christmas Undercover, Mountain Ambush

 

Stand alone books: Safe Harbor, Hidden in Shadows

 

Port Whisper Series

Witness on the Run, Christmas Haven, Small Town Protector

 

Coming Soon:

Lost and Found Baby, Jan. 2018 EHarlequin Short story

Baby on the Run, February 2018 (The Baby Protectors)

 

Current Projects: (if any)

Bodyguard Series for Love Inspired Suspense

 

Website/social media:

Hopewhiteauthor.com

Facebook.com/hopewhiteauthor

When did you begin writing?   

 

I’ve always been a storyteller, even as a kid.  I wrote my first book when I was 11 and had a friend illustrate it.  It was a mystery-thriller even back then!

 

Did you receive any special training or attend a school?  

 

I have a B.A. in journalism.  After years of newspaper and PR work, I decided it was more fun to make stuff up.  I had to relearn how to tell story in the fictional sense, which was totally different from collecting facts and sharing a non-fiction message with readers.

 

Where do you get your inspiration from?  

 

Everywhere!  Other books, movies, newspaper stories, conversations I overhear in the Starbucks line.  Writers are ALWAYS listening.  Sometimes ideas come to me when I’m listening to music or cleaning the house.  Which doesn’t make me want to do more housework unfortunately.  Another great way to develop ideas is to meet with other authors and brainstorm.  One story can be told a dozen different ways.  It’s a fascinating process.

 

Do you use any special resources when writing? (other books, computer programs, etc)

 

Blake Snyder’s “Save The Cat” book, plus his Beat Sheet for structure. Character development articles by Michael Hauge.  I hope to outline more, and have heard GREAT things about Scrivener.

 

What is (in your opinion) the most important thing to remember when writing, and why is it so important?

Get out of the way!  It’s important to let your characters develop the way they need to develop and not muddy up the waters by shoving them around.  If you’ve created strong characters, they will drive your plot, which makes for GREAT story.

 

What is (in your opinion) the most challenging part of writing, and how do you overcome it?

 

Staying focused. I mean once I’m “in story” it’s easy, but getting there can be challenging.  So many diversions – Facebook, Twitter, etc.   The best way to counter this distraction is to set goals and commit to writing for one hour.  That’s it.  Most of the time you’ll find yourself writing longer, but it’s less intimidating to go into the process with a one-hour commitment ahead of you.

 

Did you use an agent? (why or why not?)  

 

Not at present.  I have had a few in the past.  I don’t need an agent to negotiate with my current publisher who has a very standard contract.

 

Did you use an Editor? If not, what process did you use to edit your work?

 

I work with an editor at Harlequin AND hire an editor for my self-published projects.

 

How did you get your book published? (self-published, Vanity publishing, Mainstream publisher).

 

Most of my books are published through Love Inspired Suspense, aka Harlequin.  My fiction career started when I won a writing contest and the editor judge asked to see the book.  Contests are a great way to get noticed! I self-publish contemporary romance novels as well.

 

Do you handle your own marketing?  

 

Yes, and am working to get better at it! I belong to a few self-published author groups to get lots of tips on how to expand one’s audience.  May authors feel that promotion is key when you’re self-published.  I agree.

 

What is your best marketing tip?

 

Join an online indie group.  Even if you’re published traditionally, you’ll learn a ton from other writers.  Also, I’ve used Fiverr to promote. Inexpensive and boosted my numbers!

 

Do you have any advice for other writers?

 

Sure.  1) Write because you love it!  2) Write the book you want to read.  3) Create a tribe – other writers who can give you feedback and offer support.

 

In closing, I would like to thank Hope for doing this interview. As someone who is still in the process of finding himself as a writer, I found her energetic personality to be quite motivating. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

 

Until Next time,

 

Cheers,

 

Patrick Osborne

Current Projects part 37

Welcome back!

February has arrived and Mother Nature can’t seem to make up her mind; some days the weather is mild and others it is still way below freezing. We have seen everything from rain to snow to ice pellet.

However, this gives us the perfect excuse to stay inside and hide from the cold, snuggling up with a loved one on the couch. This seems appropriate, since St-Valentine's day is just around the corner. In honor of the holiday, I have put together a book review of a romance novel, as well as an interview with a published romance author.

Romance as a theme.

    Before writing this update, I took a look at my progress update from last February, and saw that I ad promise an update on my writing once my home office would be set up. Well, we are a year later, and my office has still not been completed. I’ve run into computer problems which prevent me from accessing the internet and my Google account.

Luckily this has not slowed my normal progress. In fact, after last month’s decision to focus more on my story rather than my blog, I actually managed to get an entire chapter done and submitted for editing. The chapter introduces my three main characters, how they interact with each other, and we gives the reader an initial overview of the setting. It’s a nice way to ease the audience into the story, and came out rather well.

    In terms of art projects, I have started on my first chair ‘revamp’ that I plan on selling. It proved to be a different type of challenge, because not only did I have to be creative style wise, but I had to be creative repair wise, as the chair had a few issues. It is coming along nicely, and I’m looking forward teeing it completed. I seem to be having issues with loading pictures right now, so hopefully I can include some in my next update.

    Though I am no longer working on this project, I am still supporting it, as I did contribute a lot of time and material. Missing Worlds Media has released only one update in the past month. You can read the full article on their kickstarter page:

Landmarks: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/missingworldsmedia/the-phoenix-project-city-of-titans/posts/2089640

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments. I can be reached via the following social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookmarkboundPMosborne/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Twitter: @OzmosisCoH

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+PatrickOsborneOzmosis

Happy St-Valentine's day!

   

That is all I have to report for this month. Thank you all for dropping by and keeping up with my progress. I would also like to thank you all for taking the time to drop by, and to wish you all a happy St-Valentine day!

Until next time!

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne

By the Book - XO

Welcome back,

           In honor of St-Valentine’s day, this month’s Book Review focuses on a story about love. Though not a romance, this mystery novel does take a look at adoration taken to the point of obsession. The book is called simply XO, and is written by suspense master Jeffery Deaver.

           February snuck up on me this year, so I had few options for a book I felt would fit the month’s most popular holiday. However, while looking through my box of books, I came across the title XO (as in ‘’hugs and kisses’’). The stories theme seemed to work for my purposes, so I chose it for my next book review.

The story features Agent Kathryn Dance from the California Bureau of Investigation,  on a mission to stop obsessive stalker Edwin Sharp from attacking Kayleigh Towne, a beautiful young country/pop singer. Despite Towne’s clear rejection, Edwin remains convinced that Kayleigh’s song “Your Shadow” contains a message that speak directly to him. Just as Sharp makes an ominous appearance in town, a fatal accident occurs at the concert hall where Kayleigh Towns is rehearsing, killing a member of the country star’s road crew. Agent Kathryn Dance, a personal friend of Kayleigh’s, uses her skills at investigation and body-language analysis to stop the stalker and prevent further murders.

Back of the Book:

Kayleigh Towne’s career is just reaching new heights with her huge hit single “Your Shadow”—but increased fame is also bringing unwanted attention. An innocent exchange with one of her fans, signed with an “XO,” leads Kayleigh into the dangerous and terrifying realm of obsession, and when California Bureau of Investigation Agent Kathryn Dance intervenes on the singer’s behalf, she draws the admirer’s ominous attention herself. Then a member of Kayleigh’s road crew is murdered in an eerie echo of her chant-topping song. As Kathryn Dance races to stop the stalker with her considerable skills of investigation and body-language analysis, she soon discovers that Kayleigh has more than one frightening fan with a mission...

What I learned:

• To be or not to be: The story’s antagonist, Edwin Sharp, was suspected of the crime since the very beginning. Normally this would defeat the purpose of a mystery, but the author still managed to get his audience to question Sharp’s innocence throughout. The simple fact Edwin had been pointed out as the main suspect at the beginning of the story, made me think he couldn't possibly be the killer as it would remove any mystery.
• Smoke and mirrors: To further help put Edwin’s innocence into question, the author placed other suspects into play, which were only revealed much later in the story. This timing leads the readers to believe that these are much likelier candidates for the crime.
• Frame game: Finding clues that point to a suspect is the fun part of any mystery, but being lead on a wild goose chase is even more challenging. In this instance, not once, but two times are people framed by another suspect. I must admit, I was taken off guard by the tactics the author used to hide his true antagonist.

Jeffery Deaver is an American mystery/crime writer, and has novels that appeared on bestseller lists around the world, including The New York Times, The Times, and The Los Angeles Times. Before becoming a best-selling novelist, his other professions included journalist, practicing law folksinger/lyricist.

For those interested in reading more books from Jeffery Deaver, please check out his website and wiki description, where you can find a complete listing of his published works and all other pertinent information:

http://www.jefferydeaver.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffery_Deaver

In closing, I would like to thank my readers for all encouragement they have shown me since the beginning. Their support is truly appreciated.

Until next time!

Cheers,

            Patrick Osborne

BOOTCAMP LESSON 17: Love Pursuit

Welcome to our monthly writing game!

           In honor of St-Valentine’s day, I decided to create a writing prompt which will help accentuate the importance of relationships within a plot line, therefore adding depth to the story. The purpose of this exercise is to focus on how different types of characters display affection.

Lesson 11: Love Pursuit

The basics of a story is a plotline which follows the exploits of the main characters as they attempt to resolve a conflict while making their way to their intended goal. The characters are the writer's most important tool, as their interactions help describe everything from their inner thoughts, to the world around them.

But in order to want to face adversity and move the story forward, characters need a reason, a purpose. Though inspiration can come in many forms, feelings such as adoration, affection, happiness, or love can be powerful motivators which can drive characters.

The goal of today’s game will be to demonstrate how different types of characters would pursue the object of their desires. Would they try to be romantic by sending flowers and chocolate? Try to impress someone by flexing muscles or performing heroic acts? Or would they kidnap someone and lock them in a dungeon?

Rules:

1. Below are eight different character roles, each with their own personality and motivations.
2. Select THREE of the mentioned roles to work with..
3. For all three characters, write a short story and how they would try to win over a potential romantic interest.
4. Explain how their interactions differ from one another, and why.

Character Roles:

• Mr. Hero: Central character in a story, whom the reader usually wants/expects to win in the end.
• Personality: Courageous, resolute, honest and  strong willed.
• Motivation: To ensure balance or keep the peace.
• Dr. Villain:  Represents the obstacle or opposing force in a story that must be overcome in order to succeed.
• Personality: Wicked, untrustworthy, determined and back handed.
• Motivation: To take control of his surroundings.
• Ally Sidekick: A character that will always assist, either with actions or information, in order to help the plot progress.
• Personality: Loyal, reliable, helpful and lighthearted.
• Motivation: To support others in their noble acts.
• Goon McHenchman: A character who follows orders from a higher authority, usually on the side of evil.
• Personality: Uneducated, brutish, unwavering and devoted.
• Motivation: To follow the orders they were given.
• Master Mentor: To teach or represent the lesson that must learned within the story in order to achieve the goal.
• Personality: Insightful, wise, patient and selfless.
• Motivation: To share their knowledge with others.
• Rascal Scalawag: Rogue character that can play a role on either side of the moral spectrum, but is usually pursuing their own interest.
• Personality: Manipulative, vulgar, self-centered and lazy.
• Motivation: To achieve their own goal.
• Prof. Thinker: Character who is always rational and likes to give reasonable answers to complicated questions.
• Personality: Intelligent, aloof, eccentric and innovative.
• Motivation: The advancement of science.
• Ms. Romance: Love interest of one or more characters. Is usually seen as the goal in certain stories.
• Personality: Spirited, sensual, affectionate and vain.
• Motivation: Receiving the adoration of others.

If anyone is interested in sharing their entries, feel free to post them as a reply to this article, or send them to me privately. I may create a page for submissions in the future for those who are willing to have their work shared.

Hope you have fun giving this exercise a try.

Until next time!

Cheers,

            Patrick Osborne