Monday, September 17, 2018

Caitlyn and Emilie – an update



It has been a busy summer, and I can’t believe it has been three months since I posted a blog.  I have been posting a few blogs and Caitlyn Jamison news on my website: memaki.com

The third Caitlyn Jamison mystery, set in Virginia’s beautiful Northern Neck region has given me some challenges. I’ve been back and forth with the plot line (s). Basically, I had too many plot lines, too many characters, and the story was not working. I’ve had to cut back on plot and characters, making all the tweaks, and simplifying the story so that it is more powerful and now moving along.

To make matters worse, I recently added a new first chapter, a prologue of sorts, which prompted another round of chapter shifts. As in my first two books, I am dealing with my characters' personalities and their desire to run the show.

I recently read 20 Master Plots by Ronald B. Tobias and he describes what authors experience as they develop their stories. My favorite quote from the book is: “Once characters take on lives of their own, they become difficult to control. They may not share your sense of plot. They may have their own agenda and leave you astounded by their imprudence. They defy you. They taunt you.” Boy, did he hit the nail on the head.

While I’ve been working on the next Caitlyn Jamison mystery, another book idea emerged. The protagonist is named Emilie, and she has been quite persistent. She does not want to wait to have her voice and opinions heard. So last weekend I started her story that will be set in Savannah, Georgia, one of our favorite places to visit. I won’t say any more about the story line now, because knowing character development, she might change everything that I had in mind. I hope in a month or so I can report on how Emilie is progressing.

In the meantime, I’m getting ready for NANOWRIMO - my way - again this year. What will you be writing?