Some of my favorites of 2006

Well, it is that time of year again. Here's a few books I read in 2006 that I really enjoyed.

Beggars Banquet by Ian Rankin
I'd never read Rankin before and this collection of short stories shows why he's such a well-selling crime author. I'm looking forward to reading some of his novels next year.

The Dramatist by Ken Bruen
Hardboiled detective fiction is alive and well. Of course, in this book the main character has kicked the pills and powder, but only because his dealer is in jail. It's a lively book and an interesting study in the darker side of things. I intend to read more Bruen in the new year.

The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez-Reverte
Man, this Spanish guy can write. I first discovered him through his novel the Fencing Master, and now this novel. He's one I'm definitely keeping on my reading list.

Art in the Blood by Craig McDonald
This book is a collection of interviews with mystery writers. I love reading interviews and this book contains the first interviews I've found in a long time that delve into new territory and this book does provide some new insights, and interviews with authors you don't normally read interviews with.

Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen
The first time I ran across the Lakewood Church pastor, I was flipping channels and happened to stop on his sermon when the phone rang. I remember him describing a problem you may have in your life, and darn it if it wasn't my problem. For the next 10 minutes, I felt as though he were talking directly to me. This book is sort of religious self-help, but it addresses how to put yourself in a position to let God help you live a good life.

Don't Look Back by Karin Fossum
Fossum is a Norweigan crime novelist who writes novels featuring Inspector Konrad Sejer. Her novels have been translated into 16 languages and this one makes it easy to see why.

Of course I read a lot of other books this year. I enjoyed novels by Robert B. Parker, Stephen King, Sue Grafton, Jonathan King, Harlan Coben and others. I enjoyed non-fiction by Stephen Ambrose, Barak Obama, Pres. Jimmy Carter and others.

Priority

Over the summer, I was presenting a news writing class at a conference for reporters. I was asked this question, "how do you find the time to write when you work full-time as the publisher of a newspaper?"

The answer is really simple. Priorities.

I have known many people who say they want to be a writer, or claim to be a writer, but find reason after reason after reason not to write.

Just Thursday, I sat down at the keyboard at about 8:30 or so to write. I had to crank out five pages. That's my daily goal. Five pages.

Within 10 minutes the phone rang with an offer for a late night dinner. As much as I'd have liked to have gone, I had to beg off.

I have my priority.

I can usually tell how serious someone is about their writing when I try to help them find the time to write.

"Wake up an hour earlier" I say. "But I need my sleep."

"Write during your lunch break," I say. "And skip lunch?"

"Set a time every night." "But on Mondays I have this. On Tuesdays I have that. On Wednesdays I have the other thing."

I am often amazed at the people who just HAVE to write. The HAVE to get it out of them, but they never ever do.

It is simply giving your writing a place of some sort of priority in your life. I often exchange e-mails a woman who is a short story writer. She is married. Has two kids. Her husband is a military man, which requires him to be away from home. Yet, she has established a two hour period four days a week thta is her writing time. She's carved it out, hires a babysitter if she needs to, and writes for those four two-hour periods. She has made it a priority.

I look at people. They have spouses, children, jobs, soccer, karate, Boy or Girl Scouts, and they still find the time to go back to college. If these people can do that, you and I can find time to write.

The young man who asked me about finding time. I asked him, how often do you go out drinking with your buddies? His response was almost every night. Can he scale that back? Or more importantly, is he willing to scale that back to write?

I know it is tough, and maybe I take it to the extreme, however, I look at it very much like the guy who starts his own business. We works endless hours now for a wonderful return in the future.

A bit of an update

The last two weeks have been something of a writing surplus for me.

I currently have my short story "The Donut Shop" being considered for publication by Shred of Evidence.

I have also very recently (like this past weekend), completed two short stories. Soon I'll revise them and get them in circulation to see if anyone bites.

Got a great premise all set for the new Barnacle book -- if I could ever get the first one sold -- and have written a rough draft of the first chapter.

I plan to attend 3 writer's conferences in 2007. Love is Murder in February in Chicago, and then two summer events, Harboiled Heroes and Cozy Cats in Houston and ConMisterio in Austin.

More on character

So, I've been thinking more and more about creating characters the readers identify with, and hopefully develop a friendship with.

I think of Ender's Game, which I consider to be the very best plot-driven novel I've ever read. While the book is science fiction, that boy and his story could easily fit in just about any genre, setting or time. It has universal appeal because it is so character drive.

What is it about Ender that really made me relate to him and be affected by him?

We were both in the military. From a young age, we both felt as though we didn't quite belong wherever we were. But you know, that's about the extent of it.

While like Ender I've moved far away from parents and family, unlike him, I've maintained close contact with them. I've never had to lead earth's military against an alien invader. I've never had the very future of the world placed on my shoulders.

So what is it? It is definitely something elusive.

However, one thing that strikes me is I've known people very much like Ender. Loners, brilliant, folks who just don't fit in anywhere, but by God, they are the ones you want on your side when the shit is hitting the fan.

But I don't know if that is it.

I continue to ponder this question of characters.

Character

A couple weeks ago, I met a woman. There wasn't a romantic spark or anything like that, at least not for me. However, what struck me was in the course of a five or ten minute conversation, how familiar she seemed -- like I was talking to a friend I'd known for years.

Sometimes that happens. You meet someone, or engage in a conversation with a complete stranger, and it is so much like talking to a long time friend. Why is that? How can a complete stranger come off that way?

Of course, this got me to wondering about writing, and how I can transfer that feeling to the readers of a story.

The closest I can come in writing is the wonderful novel Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card. This book became very emotional for me, almost as if a real life friend was going through the trials and tribulations that little boy Ender went through.

Writers often do things to make their characters seem more real.

Adding flaws is a biggie. Even Gandalf of Lord of the Rings was flawed, especially as Gandalf the Grey. Heck, the one ring was right under his nose for 60 years and he didn't even recognize it.

Of course I can't relate to that.

Chief Jessie Stone of Robert B. Parker's books has flaws. He's an alcoholic -- I can't relate to that. He can't maintain a decent relationship with a woman -- I do feel his pain there. Heck, the one decent relationship he's gotten in in five novels, the woman wound up murdered. Yikes!

Other authors will give their characters little hobbies or quirks. Myron Bolitar of Harlan Coben's series has a sense of humor. His associate, Win, doesn't date -- he just hires escorts to satisfy his, ummm, needs. Elvis Cole of Robert Crais' books is a big fan of Disney things -- an attempt to satisfy his inner child. In Nevada Barr's books, her character Anna Pigeon has a lot of dating trouble too, and also has trouble maintaining friendships with women.

So what is it? What is that thing that makes another person - a stranger - or a character in a book seem so very real.

It is something I'm thinking about anyway.