Guest Post by Gator, The Malinois

Me and Gator, The Malinois

As you may or may not know, one of my characters in Precinct 9 is a Belgian Shepherd named Benjamin. The idea of Benjamin came from a real life Malinois named Gator.

His birthday was yesterday, and he made a list of ten reasons why he believes he shouldn't be here, most are death defying feats.

My guest blogger today is Gator, the Malinois. Please follow the link and like him on Facebook!

Take it away, Gator!


Today is my 10th birthday! I'm amazed I've made it to this age. In honor of my age, here are 10 reasons why I should not be here:

1. I jumped into a large, very fast, very cold river at 10 weeks old. My person had to jump in, swimming hysterically to catch me.
2. I bit that same person of mine over a chicken breast at around 1 year old. If you've met her, you'd know why I was lucky to survive. 
3. I broke my upper canine tooth and part of my jaw at 1.5 years old. The recovery meant absolutely no biting of things. This nearly killed me. 
4. I've eaten LOTS of things that I shouldn't have.
5. I've run into, under and through even MORE things that I shouldn't have. 
6. I've broken bones playing fetch. Consequently, I'm no longer allowed to play fetch. I'm told this is because I "lack self preservation", but this still makes me very sad. 
7. I've been kicked/hit/slung around and generally beat up by lots of people. But, I mean, I was biting them. So... Meh... Totally worth it. 
8. I seized an opportunity with an unmanned, open bag of dog food. Carpe foodem. It was delicious... ALL of it! I also bloated and nearly died. Again, totally worth it. 
9. Pretty sure I should have been arrested by animal control on a few occasions. 
10. I tried to jump off a 12-foot rooftop one time. Details of how I ended up on said rooftop are irrelevant.

Thank you, Gator!

Now, I open the floor for questions. Please ask questions so you will know why Benjamin came to be!



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When Introducing New Characters

When introducing a new character into my stories, I ask myself 3 questions and if any of these cannot be answered, I make the decision either to omit the character or to provide scenes which have these areas covered. The answers to my questions are fully explained using the addition of Benjamin, the Belgian shepherd in Precinct 9.

 Will the character be instrumental in moving the plot forward?

When adding Benjamin, a.k.a. Benny, to my novel, I didn't have any plot elements set up to justify him, but I really wanted him in it because he's an awesome dog. So I created two plot elements. I had to make sure he will have purpose, he will be responsible for moving the plot along, and his actions will cause a change in my protagonist's journey. They are simple cause and effect elements.

Will the character provide a means to further develop my protagonist?

The relationship a character has with the protagonist is important to me and the more intimate the relationship, the more depth I can bring to both even if the relationship is a negative one. Remember Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling in Silence of the Lambs? 

Benny doesn’t share a negative relationship with Kelly, but I use him to show how much control she has over such a ferocious animal. He's a disciplined police dog and could bring down any 200 pound man who poses a threat. I consider his role to be the sidekick rather than protector. It's one of many roles I considered in the Writer's Dream Kit.

Will the character remain unchanged at the outcome of my story? 

Absolutely not!

Lots of things happen to characters during the course of a story. Even if I don't make a change for the character, the character changes. They have to for me. Why else have this character come along for the ride? It can't be merely as a form of entertainment. 

Things happen. Relationships end. People die. Others fall in love. Something has to happen to every character I introduce or I simply cannot get excited about writing their journey. In my stories, every character has a journey, no matter how minor compared to the protagonist’s.

Conclusion:

Why do I do this? 

Because I want my stories to feel as if everything I introduce is fully integrated. I don't want to make that mistake of introducing someone for the sake of having a really cool character in my story. I don't want to create any babies, if you know what I mean.

Do you have a process you use to keep your stories tight from the beginning? Maybe you have guidelines and/or standards you pursue. Care to share them? Comments are welcome, as always!

Backstory - What It Is And Why We Use It

Have you ever read a book that opened with backstory?  What?! You don't know what backstory is? Backstory is anything and everything which happened to a fictional character before the start of the current story.  It's what gives a character depth. Example:

Julia grew up in the mid-western town of Belleville, Texas, where her parents owned a farm. She woke every morning since the age of ten and fed the chickens, milked the cows, and gathered the eggs.

You're probably thinking exactly what I would be thinking if I were reading that opening chapter. "Who is Julia and why do I care that she grew up on a farm?"

This is why backstory should be scaled back in the beginning. Let me know what the story is about first. Get me involved, then tell me a little about this character's backstory and why it fits when the time is right. When you start off with backstory,  I'm thinking, "Oh, great. Now I have to remember something boring. What if I forget this later on? This is too much work!"

Call me a lazy reader if you want, but that's exactly what I am. I had to read in college because I needed to learn in order to get a great G.P.A. Likewise, I read at work because I get paid to do so. 

When I want to read for enjoyment and entertainment, I purchase a book. For my money, I shouldn't have to make my brain work so hard. The story should unfold without any work on my part. Agreed?

Providing birth into your story for your protagonist is not the purpose of backstory. You don’t have to introduce your characters up front. Eventually, we'll want to know more about them, but not until it's time. Get your story started first!

The purpose of backstory is: 

• To show character motivation
• To build the reader/character relationship
• To educate the reader on why this story exists 

I attended a session at the TWA conference and book festival this past May and the presenters, Jamie Morris and Julie Compton, shared with us the seven ways you can introduce backstory. I’m providing samples from my own novel, Precinct 9, to show where each purpose is fulfilled.

Flashback

The rubble from the blast had buried him, leaving only his head and right arm exposed. Kelly had held his hand for hours until the heavy equipment operators arrived. There wasn’t enough time to get him out from under all the concrete boulders and metal beams. Two months after the explosion, she received an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps. They would have been discharged together on the same day.

Dialogue

“What about her father? Where is he?” The words left her lips. He could answer or not, it’s just passing time. 

“Killed in Afghanistan, a year before.” 

When the words sunk in, Kelly looked up and away from the ice cubes dancing in her glass. It was a slap so hard she thought she’d not be able to speak again. She placed the drink onto the captain’s desk. “I’m sorry to hear that, sir. I wouldn’t have asked.” What else could she say? Her throat constricted and she thought better of saying anything more, but she did. “I didn’t know.” 

“Goes without saying, Kelly.” Hearing her name come from his lips unnerved her. Up until then it was either Cooper or Sergeant Cooper.  

He continued on as if cued by some unknown force, “Elizabeth was a single mother for over two years. When I came back without him, I had to fill that role.” 

“You were there?” She asked, but it was more an affirmation. Word from other officers was he’d served in Afghanistan, but nobody was certain when or why he left the military.
 

“I was.” Captain Elliot pulled the bottle to his lips and took in two swallows of the golden brown liquid. 

Uneasiness swept over Kelly when she realized how late it had gotten. “It’s after midnight, Captain. Let me drive you home.”

Narrative

The innocence played out and the pit of her stomach ached. Horrors lurked everywhere in the world today and these children were unaware. They were protected from it. Or did it simply hide for now? Kelly remembered the days where there were no fears; evil did not exist.

Objects

Kelly launched a photo attachment from one message with a subject line “Panama City Beach, Baby!” Two young girls on a beach with the ocean as a backdrop peered back at her sporting peace signs and bright smiles. The message: Wish you were here! The date of the email, two days before Victoria’s murder.

Dreams

Kelly drove home with the Captain’s brief on her mind. She imagined his commanding presence filling a small room full of eager men. “Attention, officers…meet your new Lieutenant.” When the new lieutenant entered the room, it was the captain’s date from earlier this evening, wearing the same provocative red dress. 

A blaring horn pulled Kelly out of her trance, two bright lights heading toward her.

Allusions and Associations

When she secured the door after stepping into her Jeep, she pounded the top of the wheel with her closed fists and placed her head on top of her tensed knuckles. She waited for David’s voice in her head. The red-head master of disaster he’d called her. It was because she was stubborn, he’d said. The only thing that came were her stupid, stupid tears.

The “invisible” 7^th method

“My niece.” He handed Kelly a small glass filled with ice and poured two ounces of Bourbon into it.

She accepted knowing she wouldn’t drink it. “Thank you.” She picked up the small, pewter frame. “She’s adorable.”

How do you deliver your backstory? Do you sprinkle it in when needed, or do you provide an entire chapter to bring the reader up to speed? I prefer the former. Which do you prefer to read?

Writers Block Instant Cure

I had a severe case of writer's block today, so I browsed through my old folders looking for something, anything, to inspire me to finish chapter eleven of Precinct 9. Nothing...

So then, I played Candy Crush on Facebook. It didn't help. It only fed my O.C.D. until I ran out of lives. Seven minutes before I get another life?!

Anyway, the seven minute wait didn't leave me with nothing to do. I searched the internet looking for guidance on how to cure this minor blockage and found this video. So, while you're watching this informative clip, I'm going to finish banging out my chapter.

Make sure you book mark it as suggested. It's a great reminder. Please share this with your writer friends.

Chapter Three - The Rapture

Another place holder.

If you have a desire to contribute ideas, please use my contact form and in the subject list "Online Story Writing".

Thanks for stopping by!

R is for Roles In The Writer’s Dreamkit

Think about the roles of the characters in your novel. Do you have a balance in the types of characters you depict? I was curious about my own novel and poured over the plot to ensure I had a healthy balance of these types of roles found in Writer's DreamKit, a novel writing software application my husband purchased for me as a gift last Christmas.

The Protagonist – This is the character who will journey forward through crisis and change.

My protagonist, Kelly Cooper, definitely encounters crisis and she develops from a rebellious, down trodden detective into a fighter of justice for the dead.

Antagonist – This is the bad guy, and not necessarily the villain.

Though I have a serial killer on the loose in my novel, he's not clearly the main antagonist. Lyle Adams is an egotistical and proud detective who seeks to keep Kelly from performing optimally. He keeps information from her and he even lies when he has an opportunity to help her. The reason for his actions will be revealed later, but yes, he is definitely the main antagonist in Precinct 9.

Guardian/Mentor – This is the voice of change for the protagonist. This is the character who unveils the weakness in our protagonist and who challenges her to surpass her obstacles, driving her toward her goal (change).

Captain Grant Elliot, Kelly's new boss, is definitely the mentor in Precinct 9. He believes in her, even though all evidence indicates she murdered her ex-boss. He, at times, and without his knowledge, provides her with all the tools and opportunities she needs to fulfill her tasks. He has a duplicate role as the reasoning character, the one who takes action based on logic, not emotion.

Tempter – This is the character who sides with the antagonist. He also does not want the protagonist to succeed, though his reasons are completely different from that of the antagonist.  He and the antagonist do not have to team up, nor must they know each other.

The killer in my novel doesn't want Kelly to succeed. He'd rather her remain impotent,  keeping her from discovering his identity and bringing him to justice. He tempts her, in a fashion, leaving his digital prints all over the Internet. However, Lyle's antagonism stems from pure pride and ego, having missed opportunities in capturing the killer years ago.

Sidekick – The best friend, the loyal brother, the doting mother, they can all be sidekicks. This character is so close to the protagonist that they at times become frustrated and accrue angst over their loved one’s fate or future.

Do I have a sidekick? Yes. Kelly has Benjamin at her side. He is a large, Belgian Shepherd she acquired during her years serving as a K-9 handler. He's very loyal and protective over his master. He has a duplicate role as the emotion character, one which responds with feeling, whether angry or joyful. Can an animal character be an emotion character? They can in MY novel!

Skeptic – This character does not believe in the importance of the overall goal of the protagonist. The skeptic has her own goals and will protect those over those of the protagonist.

Kelly's mother is the main skeptic. She thinks Kelly needs to find a man and settle down. You know, have children. Kelly has no intention of continuing with the awkward, casual dates her mother insists upon. How else is she to find a man? Besides, men are scum. Read about the minor skeptic next.

I do have a minor role for another skeptic. It is Kelly's ex-boss. The reason she'd been transferred out of his precinct is because she had lodged a complaint against a fellow officer and the boss didn't want an embarrassing scandal on his hands. He eventually gets murdered, because skepticism has no place, long term, in my novel. His murder quickly becomes an obstacle for Kelly, since all evidence points to her as the suspect.

How many of these archetypes fall within your current work in progress? Which is your favorite archetype?

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My Protagonist Cooks For You

Today, Kelly Cooper, the protagonist of my future novel, Precinct 9, will share with you one of her favorite recipes.  

Kelly is a police sergeant caught up in the mining of data from various internet sites and producing information that draws similarities between two unrelated cold cases. Just as she begins to place the final pieces of the puzzle together to reveal a serial killer, she becomes engaged in a heated verbal altercation with her ex-boss over a scandal beyond her control. 

When the ex-boss is murdered and Kelly's gun goes missing, she is declared a person of interest and placed on administrative leave. The gloves are off. 

With a serial killer on the loose and her life on the line, Kelly must do everything she can to clear herself of any wrong-doing, and find a way to complete the puzzle, all while operating outside the limits of the law.

Take it away, Kelly!

While Diane figures out how I’ll piece together that puzzle, let us see if I can’t piece together for you,  this recipe of lightly crusted pork medallions. 

You will need the following ingredients:

1 roll of center cut pork tenderloin

½ cup of all-purpose flour

1 egg

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the pork loin into equal slices about a half-inch thick. Salt and pepper them to your desired taste and soak them in egg batter for 10 minutes, then lightly dust them with flour. Let them set while you fire up the deep fryer.

Fry them at 375 degrees for exactly 5 minutes. Use whatever method you want to drain the excess fat. I put them on paper towels and let them set for a couple of minutes. 

A serving size is 3 medallions. Plate them with country fried potatoes and buttered asparagus. The recipe for the potatoes has to come from mother. She never shared that one. 

I hope you try this dish. It’s fantabulous! 

Now, I have a serial killer to find. Ah, a computer!

M is for a Manuscript Snippet

I had a hard time coming up with a topic for the letter M, so I thought I'd share some of my work with you instead. I feel like I'm always sharing things I learn from various workshops and online writing courses, but I don't really share much of what I've been working on in the realm of fiction writing.

Here's a snippet from chapter eight of my current WIP, Precinct 9.

Lyle snapped a photo of the wound against a retractable tape measure.

Kelly quickly wrote down the findings. The mixture in the air of death and ammonia invaded suddenly. She un-wrapped her Peppermint gum and folded it into her mouth. 

The doctor covered the top portion of the subject’s body and lifted the bottom of the tarp. The subject’s legs, placed at an angle 20 degrees from one another, exposed the horror of what had happened to Jennifer Whorley. Kelly looked away, but the rips and lacerations on the young woman’s body would remain with her forever. Corpse. It’s a corpse. She straightened her shoulders and looked back at the injuries. 

Lyle made his way to the other side of the table. His unaffected, emotionless expression and his professional demeanor made him a monster for the moment and Kelly felt tears but forced them away. Is this what she’d become? 

Dr. Stinson paused. “The tissue in the walls of the vaginal canal and the tears and lacerations to the Labias Minora and Majora are indicative of violation after the onset of rigor mortis.”

The nausea in the pit of Kelly’s stomach spread quickly and a slow, warming prickle crept up her spine.

Again, the camera. Flash.

Who does this? Who takes someone away from this world and then violates their body like this? How does one explain this to a parent?

Flash.

The numbness in her heart seemed to create a warp speed for the rest of the autopsy - the various swabs, bone fragment extractions, organ slicing, and cut up parts placed discreetly into a plastic trash bag and dumped into the victim's gaping body cavity.

Kelly excused herself when the doctor pulled out a Hagedorn needle and heavy twine. There would be nothing to gain by witnessing the sewing of the body. Not after the damage had been done.

Would you want to read more of this manuscript? Let me know why or why not.

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