Saturday, May 29, 2010

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

Today I finished reading Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane.

I have enjoyed the movies made from Lehane's books Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone but I have never read any of his books.  I wanted to see the Leonardo DiCaprio movie Shutter Island.  This time I decided to read the book first. 

Oh, my goodness.  This was a wild fun read.  I had to read the ending several times to make sure I didn't miss anything. 

What a twisty plotted story!

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Reflections of the Shadow by Jeffrey Hirschberg

Today I finished reading Reflections of the Shadow (2009) by Jeffrey Hirschberg

"Explores motivations behind cinematic heroism and villainy (Why do heroes and villains do what they do?) and the commonalities amongst heroes and villains who have stood the test of time using examples from contemporary films." - Google Books

Saturday, May 22, 2010

How To Write A Damn Good Thriller by James N. Frey

Today I finshed reading How To Write A Damn Good Thriller (2010) by James N. Frey.

"A quick look at any fiction bestseller list reveals that thrillers make up most of the titles at the top. HOW TO WRITE A DAMN GOOD THRILLER will help the aspiring novelist or screenwriter to design, draft, write, and polish a thriller that is sure to grab readers. Frey uses examples from both books and movies and addresses the following hot topics: *Germinal ideas*Breathing life into great thriller characters*Crafting a gripping opening*Maintaining tension*Creating obstacles and conflicts*Writing a mean, lean thriller scene*Adding surprise twists*Building a smashing climaxand many more. In his trademark approachable and humorous style, Frey illuminates the building blocks of great thrillers and gives the reader the tools to write his or her own. James N. Frey is the author of internationally bestselling books on the craft of writing and nine novels, including the Edgar Award-winning "The Long Way to Die." He teaches creative writing and is a feature speaker at writers' conferences throughout the United States and Europe. He lives in Berkeley, California. A quick look at any fiction bestseller list reveals that thrillers make up most of the titles at the top." How To Write A Damn Good Thriller" will help the aspiring novelist or screenwriter to design, draft, write, and polish a thriller that is sure to grab readers. Frey uses examples from both books and movies and addresses the following topics:



--Germinal ideas--Breathing life into great thriller characters--Crafting a gripping opening--Maintaining tension--Creating obstacles and conflicts--Writing a mean, lean thriller scene--Adding surprise twists--Building a smashing climax


In his trademark approachable and humorous style, Frey illuminates the building blocks of great thrillers and gives the reader the tools to write his or her own. "James N. Frey's "How to Write a Damn Good Thriller" is a must-read for anyone who dreams of writing a great thriller for the screen. Scorning simple-minded formulas, Frey shows with absolute clarity how to create well-orchestrated, highly motivated, complex characters and pit them against each other in a high-stakes conflict. This book is destined to be the thriller-writer's Bible."--Phil Gorn, screenwriter and award-winning director of "S.F." and "Ultimate Reality " - Google Books