Winterkill by C.J. Box

Today I finished reading Winterkill by C.J. Box.

I enjoy reading Box's novels and am gradually working my way through his Joe Pickett, game warden, series.  This book is the third in the series.

The setting for this book is the Wyoming Bitterroot mountains in the winter time.  The descriptions of snow and cold are so powerful I got cold sitting in my South Alabama chair reading it on an 85 degree day.

This is a good book.  Enjoy.

Vanish by Tess Gerritsen

Today I finished reading Vanish by Tess Gerritsen.

I read Vanish because it was a 2006 Edgar Award nominee.

I watch Rizolli & Isles every week.  Haven't missed an episode.  Absolutely love the TV program.

The book is a good fun read.

But, in this book Jane Rizolli is married to an FBI agent.  In the TV series she can't commit to a relationship with Casey, a soldier, because it will interfere with her job.  In the book she she not only committed she's having a baby.  I hate to admit it but this gave me a problem.  I spent a lot of time comparing the characters on the page with the ones on TV.

I wonder what it is like to create a character and then have a TV series kidnap your character and send them down a different path from the one you chose in your books.  I don't think I'd like it very much.

Miracle Cure by Harlan Coben

Today I finished reading Miracle Cure by Harlan Coben.

This book was published in 1991.  Twenty two years ago.  It is a good book.

I've read that it takes 10,000 hours to develop a skill to a superior level.  This book is a beautiful example.  If you compare a current Coben novel, this one fades in comparison.  It's good.  But, you can see where Coben spent his 10,000 hours.  Getting better.

This is encouraging to me.  I know I can't write as well as Coben today.  But maybe after 10,000 more hours I will be able to.

Enemy of Mine by Brad Taylor

Today I finished reading Enemy of Mine by Brad Taylor.

I don't read very many terrorist thrillers.  I'm stuck in the 60's enjoying MacLain, LeCarre, and Flemming.  Nazis and communists made really good bad guys.

It may be that those threats were/are farther from home and not so threatening as the real time, real life terrorism we live with today.

Taylor writes a good read.  It was very enjoyable.

Guide to Fiction Writing by Phyllis A. Whitney

Today I finished reading Guide to Fiction Writing by Phyllis A. Whitney.  It was recommended by

The book was originally published in 1982.  It was criticized by a few Goodreads reviewers as "dated".  I found it contained a lot of really good advice that was as currently relevant as books published this year.

Thirty-one years before Ms. Whitney wrote, "As a reviewer of children's books, I'd read the best of what was being published, and now I set out to discover what constituted a 'better book.'  I found out: It was nearly always a book that said something worth saying.  Said something.  That was what made certain books stand out over so many others!  Significance, meaning a message, not the obvious, not just the same cliches. . . 

If you don't have this emotional involvement, throw the subject away.  You can't fake conviction.  Whatever you want to say in your fiction must come out of what you believe and feel."

I give the book 4 stars.

Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell

Today I finished reading Plot & Structure: Techniques and exercises for crafting a plot that grips readers from start to finish by James Scott Bell.

I've resisted reading this how-to book for a long time.  That was a mistake.  I thought that I really understood 3 Act Structure so there was nothing I could gain from this book.

While I probably didn't learn anything new about 3 Act Structure, I didn't waste my time.  I learned many new things.

Back in February I sent my outline for my WIP to two editors for their review of my story.  I was after a development edit.  What I got back from both editors was that my story wasn't ready for prime time.  Editor number one was positive and encouraging while pointing out my weaknesses.  Editor number two was brutally frank.  She commented on only the first act. She said, after you've changed the outline to introduce the protagonist in scene 1 and changed this, and this, and this. (You get the idea.) Then send me your revised outline before we go any further.

I got hung up on her point that my protagonist must appear in the first scene.  I frankly didn't get it.  My big opening scene had my antagonist up to his dirty work.  I had only already revised the opening scene a bajillion times and I liked what I had.   I didn't revise the opening scene or make the other changes.  I was stuck.  I couldn't imagine how to do what she wanted.  The story just had to begin with the antagonist's dirty work.

Then I discovered Bridging Conflict in Plot & Structure.  The answer to my problem.

This book is so much more than just another book on structure.  It has some of the best how-to advice I've read.  Don't miss it.

I give the book 4 stars.

The Affair by Lee Child

Today I finished reading The Affair by Lee Child.

This is the 16th Jack Reacher novel and certainly one of the best.

This is the first Reacher novel where Child describes the sexual moments in detail.  All of Reacher's previous encounters were basically of the an embrace, they walk to the bedroom, the door closes variety.

I like a mix of sex and violence.  Recently, my wife asked, "You read more dirty books than I do. What does it meant when . . . ?"  I'm not sure if the quantity is accurate but I do enjoy a 'dirty' book.  So, if I write what I like to read, my WIP will contain both.  However, I've noticed that most thrillers are not very explicit.  And that has cautioned me from being too explicit.

Dean Koontz when writing about how to write a best selling novel advised to include sex.  The question to include sex or not is still unanswered for me.

When considering the market for a thriller the question is will the addition of sex increase the pleasure of reading for more readers than the number of readers who will be turned off.

I may have thought I knew the answer several years ago but in light of  the 50 Shades of Grey phenomenon I know I don't know anymore.

Make a Scene by Jordan Rosenfeld

4/1 Today I finished reading Make a Scene by Jordan Rosenfeld.

Writing the Killer Thriller by Jodi Renner

Today I read Writing the Killer Thriller: An Editor's Guide to Writing Compelling Fiction by Jodi Renner.

When I started learning about how to write a novel, I began a notebook.  As I learned something new about writing a novel I would add it to the notebook and reference the note back to the source.  By the fifth book on how to write I gave up on my notebook.  I didn't like ditching the notebook idea but I found that process became confusing especially when the authors began disagreeing among themselves.

This book will be a good substitute for my notebook as I attempt to write my thriller.

Ms. Renner's book is a collection of quotes from the authors of how-to-write books paired with her own experience reading and editing best selling thrillers. Authors quoted include James N. Frey, James Scott Bell, Jessica Page Morrell, Hallie Ephron, and Jack M. Bickham.

It was helpful to see these ideas accumulated and referenced particularly toward writing a thriller.  I rate the book 4 stars.

American Sniper by Chris Kyle

Today I finished reading American Sniper by Chris Kyle.

I read it as background for  my work-in-progress.

Christopher Scott "Chris" Kyle (April 8, 1974 – February 2, 2013) was a United States Navy SEAL known as the most lethal sniper in American military history with 160 confirmed kills out of 255 claimed kills, although these statistics have not been released by the Pentagon.

Kyle served four tours in the second Iraqi conflict and was awarded the Bronze and Silver Star medals multiple times. Iraqi insurgents dubbed him the "Devil of Ramadi" and offered a bounty for his head. He was shot twice, and was involved in six IED attacks.

Kyle decided to spend time with his family and was honorably discharged from the US Navy in 2009. He remained in the spotlight after leaving the Navy and wrote a New York Times bestselling autobiography, American Sniper. Kyle was shot and killed at a shooting range by a fellow veteran on February 2, 2013, near Chalk Mountain, Texas. ~ Wkipedia

Blowback by Brad Thor

Today I finished reading Blowback by Brad Thor.

Blowback was rated #52 by National Public Radio listeners in its list of top 100 Killer Thrillers.

This was the second Brad Thor novel I've read.  One of the characteristics that I've noticed in his novels is his habit of naming obscure government agencies or military units and then referring to them by their initials.

When I finished The Athena Project I wondered, 'is he making this stuff up or is that the real name.'  I didn't like The Athena Project so I didn't give it much further thought.

I read Blowback because of the NPR list.  I was again struck by how much effort Thor goes into establishing all of these initialed agencies.  I remembered reading an offering of research advice by an aclaimed writer to make it up.  It's fiction.  Don't worry about getting it exactly right.

Thor is so precise.  Does he know all this stuff he packs into his novels or is he making it up?  So after I read Blowback, I cranked up Google and began searching.  Sure enough I found multiple obscure government agencies in Wikipedia.  Then I looked up the story of Otto Skorzeny which is highlighted prominently in the novel.  Yes, it was a real story.

Now I'm wondering how much more of the novel is based on fact and how much is fiction?  When I read my next Thor novel I'm going to read with a tablet to list things to look up when I finish reading it.

Blowback is a good read and apparently a lot of it is based on fact.  And because the subject of the novel is Islamic terrorism, it's kinda scary to think about the parts that might really be true.

The Bourne Objective by Eric Van Lustbader

Today I finished reading The Bourne Objective by Eric Van Lustbader.

This was the eighth Bourne novel.  Three by Ludlum and five by Lustbader.  I've enjoyed them all.

I'm not sure if this one is the most violent or if I just woke up to how over the top the violence is in the Bourne novels.  This one is almost like an encyclopedia.  There may be a method of killing or incapacitation that isn't described but there can't be many.

Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson

Today I finished reading Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson.

This is book #3 in the Walt Longmire series.

One of the interesting things within this book is the additional backstory information that is dropped: he had played offensive guard for USC; he had been awarded bronze star, silver star and Navy cross while a Marine in Vietnam.  These were things I would have highlighted in book #1.

In my head Walt Longmire looks like the TV actor.  In the book he is a much bigger guy.  As they would have said on Laugh In - verrrrry interesting.

No Colder Place by S. J. Rozan

Today I finished reading No Colder Place by S. J. Rozan.

It won the Anthony Award and was a 1998 Shamus Award nominee.  Rozan made my reading list as the 2003 Edgar Award author of Winter and Night.

It is the fourth book in the series about PIs Lydia Chinn & Bill Smith.  It was a fun read.  

When I went to GoodReads to find out more about S. J. Rozan, I found out that the first three books of the series were free on Kindle for Prime customers.  It was almost enough to pry the $139 from my fingers to buy a new Kindle Paperwhite.  But, I'm addicted to the feel of paper.  What can i say?

Laguna Heat by T. Jefferson Parker

Today I finished reading Laguna Heat by T. Jefferson Parker.

It was Parker's first novel.  I do not think it is as good as his more recent books.  Still it is a fun read.  And I can only wish that my first novel would be this good.

War of the Rats by David L. Robbins

Today I finished reading War of the Rats by David L. Robbins.  It provided significant inspiration for the movie Enemy at the Gates.

The plot focuses on a 1942 battle between the Nazi Germans and the Soviets set in Stalingrad, Soviet Union. The battle is declared by Viktor Tabori to be "Rattenkrieg"; translated, War of the Rats.

The story focuses in on the lives of two expert snipers, a Russian and a German, each with the goal of killing the other. The two snipers, Army Chief Master Sergeant Vasily Zaytsev of the Red Army and SS Colonel Heinz Thorvald of the German army, are equally matched. However, the story is complicated when a woman sniper Tania Chernova becomes one of Vasily's most talented assistants, and Zaitzev's battlefield lover. ~ Wikipedia

I'm working on a list of books to read that is now up to 54 pages.  I'm not sure how a WWII novel got on my reading list.  Probably as I was watching the credits for Enemy at the Gates.  It was outside my normal choices of thrillers, suspense and mysteries.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The love scenes are written tastefully and masterfully.  You can almost taste the setting descriptions.  Robbins is a really good writer.

A Place of Execution by Val McDermid

Today I finished reading A Place of Execution by Val McDermid.  This novel was the winner of the Anthony Award and was a 2001 Edgar Award nominee.

I had a hard time getting into this novel.  It received praise on its back cover from Robert Crais, Minette Walters, Michael Connelly and Ian Rankin so I kept on slogging until it grabbed me at about one-fourth.  The first quarter was very much a police procedural.  A good one, mind you.  But, the hook was weak and the pace was sloooow.  In the end, I persisted and found it enjoyable.

But then, it may all be my fault.  It hasn't done anything this week but rain.  Everyday, two to four inches.  One day we got six to eight and a bit down the road got an amazing twenty inches in the same twenty-four hour period.  A little rain is okay. But this week has been ridiculous.  It probably made me a grumpy reader. :(

I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman

Today I finished reading I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman.  It was a 2011 nominee for the Edgar Award.

This novel is one of the best examples of how to control pacing and backstory revelation I've ever read.   I caught myself reading forward eagerly to find out what really happened in the past.  SUSPENSE in all capitals.  Laura Lippman can write it with the best.

I'm definitely reading more of her work.

LaBrava by Elmore Leonard

Today I finished reading LaBrava by Elmore Leonard.  This novel was awarded the 1984 Edgar Award.

When I think of what other's have said about Elmore Leonard's writing, the first two things I recall are a master of dialogue and no adverbs.

I know he wrote a list of 10 rules for writing, but "no adverbs" is what stuck.  So I decided I would find where he used an adverb and cite it for you.  Got tired of looking eventually.

And as for dialogue.  Well it's good that he's good at it because LaBrava is at least 96% dialogue.  And I loved it.

I hadn't read any of Leonard's novels since my cowboy stories era many years ago.  He's good.  Really Good.

The Ridge by Michael Koryta

Today I finished reading The Ridge by Michael Koryta.  It was nominated for the 2012 Thriller Award.

I almost didn't read it.  I'm a big 'fraidy cat.  I don't read scary stuff.  I don't watch scary movies.  Not since being scared slap to death by The Incredible Shrinking Man's fight with the spider.  I just don't go there.

The dust jacket proclaims, "Will make you shiver in the sun."

But I put my game face on and began to read.  It is a fascinating tale told by a master.  Michael Koryta is among the best there is.  Truly