Second Houston/Bouchard Novel (THE FISHERMAN) Under Contract

On April 22, 2014, I signed a contract with Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. to publish the second novel in my series featuring Mike Houston and Anne Bouchard. The novel, entitled THE FISHERMAN, follows Anne and Mike as they assist an elderly couple in the search for their missing grand daughter. The investigation leads them into Boston's dark world of prostitution and white slavery.

As in SNIPER, they enlist the assistance of crime lord Jimmy O and his organization. The chase takes them from the remnants of Boston's fames Combat Zone to the rocky coast of Maine, and ultimately into the seemingly endless acres of northern Maine woodlands.

I feel fortunate to be able to work with the same great team at Skyhorse Publishing. I am certain that were it not for the invaluable assistance of my editor, Constance Renfro, (she knew when to back off and let me have my way and when to stand her ground and make me see the light) the book would not have been as good as it turned out. That is my feelings based on the feedback I get from readers. It made me the second most famous person in Stockholm, Maine (population 270), Russell Currier made the U. S. Olympic Biathlon Team and for much of the winter held first place. Now that the 2014 Winter Olympics are history, I'm making a bit of a comeback.

It is a nice feeling knowing that the publication of THE FISHERMAN will remove the fear of being a one book wonder, although it didn't hurt Harper Lee. I'll be letting everyone know the particulars as we go through the editorial and prepublication process. Now that I think of it, blogging on that process may be of interest to some people.

More On Lizzie Borden

In a previous blog, I wrote about my 5th cousin, two times removed, Lizzie Borden. Lizzie's case has mystified people for over one hundred years and there are still questions about her guilt or innocence. I wrote an article on Lizzie for the New England Chapter of the MWA web site and another article was written by Sandra Lee for the same web site. Sandra, who graciously granted me permission to reprint her article here, takes an interesting look at how the use (or misuse) of crime scene evidence may have impacted The Trial of Lizzie Borden... By the way, for those of you who may have read my previous post on Lizzie, I made a mistake...she died in 1927, not 1947.

A Nineteenth Century Scene of a Crime – A Look Back in Time

by Sandra Lee

Crime scene evidence is that which serves to provide clues about the series of events surrounding the commission of a crime. While evidence recovered at crime scenes varies in nature, amounts and probative value, it is all essential to the practice of solving the mysteries at hand. Time has no bearing on the vitality of crime scene evidence, and it is that vitality which commands the use of great care during evidence identification, documentation, collection, analysis and preservation.

During the nineteenth century these functions were all performed locally, and crime scene evidence consisted of whatever the responding authorities decided it should.

Great advancements in sciences and technology during this era granted much efficiency to the processing of crime scenes and even expanded the scope of acceptable forms of evidence. While investigators and scientists in some states fully embraced these innovations, such as the new and evolving arts of fingerprinting and ABO blood-typing, others presented barriers of prejudice and bias, and continued practicing with methods “tried and true”.

Investigators and scientists throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts fell into the latter category, due in part to the state’s conservative nature. Other contributing factors toward the resistance of these individuals to be forward-thinking, open-minded and highly-motivated were found on local levels and included low-paying salaries and deficiencies in education and training.

All things considered, one might best define the methods of identifying and collecting crime scene evidence in Massachusetts cities and towns during the nineteenth century as primitive. The 1892 gruesome crime scene at the Borden home in Fall River might best exemplify how the application of aged practices might generate unfavorable results.

In the Borden case a skeleton crew of underpaid, poorly-skilled sleuths failed to immediately secure the scene and a head-to-toe search of the premises wasn’t conducted for days to follow. This ineptitude left much room for the contamination, destruction and/or removal of any evidence not yet collected.

Body temperatures, levels of food digestion and stages of blood drying and coagulation were used to determine the times of death of the victims. This data was gathered with the use of nothing more than human hands and the findings were applied to an ancient suggested set of standards. Clearly, a clinical thermometer would have provided more accurate readings of the body temperatures while the knowledge of, or willingness to recognize new literature available at the time would have altered other findings. The latest studies showed that each of these postmortem events would occur on different levels depending upon human individuality and upon circumstances. Also based on the results of these studies were newly introduced numbers proven to be the standard.

Performances in the lab at a local medical school demonstrated an even broader scope of deficiency in crime scene investigating. Among the evidence ultimately collected were the stomachs of the victims and a hatchet. The stomach linings were searched for scar tissue caused by poisoning because the victims were allegedly ill prior to the murders. Because the hatchet was believed to have caused the fractures in the victims’ skulls, it was studied for the presence of blood. The single instrument used to perform these searches, a magnifying glass, detected no scar tissue, nor did it determine whether a substance found on the hatchet was rust or blood. Some innovative technological and scientific alternatives might have provided more certainty about the evidentiary findings. The spectroscope would have offered significantly more magnification while the introduction of certain metals and minerals to the stomach contents may have detected the presence of poison. Similarly, the simple act of infusing water or fire with the matter on the hatchet would have proven the nature of the substance.

The discounted evidence in the Borden case arguably contained the most probative value. It consisted of the prime suspect, Lizzie’s own damning words. Spoken to a rookie investigator who failed to inform Lizzie of her rights before tuning in, the evidence was deemed inadmissible by the court based on constitutional grounds. Had a more seasoned, forward-thinking investigator interviewed Lizzie, she might have been informed of her rights.

Additionally, the court excluded a local druggist’s statement that Lizzie attempted to buy poison in his store on the day before the murders occurred. Lizzie’s counsel argued that the idea of poisoning was unrelated to the nature of the crimes actually committed. Had the scientist at the lab possessed the knowledge of and willingness to rely upon modern techniques, the druggist’s statement may have been utilized, and Lizzie’s intentions revealed.

Lizzie Borden was acquitted of the murders of her father and stepmother in June of 1893 after just over an hour of deliberation by a twelve-man jury.

Lizzie was exonerated of the crimes based on the evidence both presented and not presented at trial. All evidence in this case was a product of contemporary practices which consisted of widely varying and inconsistent crime scene investigation methods. Many believe a lack of application of common standards based on the best of accepted practices at the time in the gathering and processing of crime scene evidence may have contributed to a guilty person getting away with murder.

 

One of My Famous Ancesters: Lizzie Borden

Lizzie Borden took an axe

And gave her mother forty whacks

When she saw what she had done

She gave her father forty-one

The poem, however inaccurate (she was found not guilty, only nineteen blows were counted, the nature of the murder weapon—thought to be a hatchet; not an axe—and the fact that Abby Borden was her step-mother) has kept Lizzie Borden (my 5^th cousin, twice removed) a part of Americana since the murders of her father and her step-mother, Abby Durfee Gray Borden, on August 4, 1892 in Fall River, Massachusetts. But few know little more than the poem. So who was Lizzie Borden and why she was considered the prime suspect in a crime for which she was found not guilty on June 20, 1893.

Lizzie Andrew Borden (1860 – 1927) was the youngest of three daughters of Andrew Jackson Borden and Sarah Anthony Morse. Her mother died shortly after Lizzie’s birth and Andrew married Abby Durfee Gray, who took over the task of raising his two daughters (Lizzie had an older sister Emma Lenora Borden and there was a middle sister who died at the age of two) and running the household. The Bordens were solid upper-middle class and nowhere near the richest family in Fall River as is generally thought. Lizzie grew up in an atmosphere of idle, not gentile living. She was never to hold a job, although she did volunteer work for church missions, temperance unions and various charities.

Andrew Borden was known to be stingy with a Scrooge-like attitude toward his customers, tenants, and those who borrowed money from him. During her trial, the prosecution attempted to depict Lizzie as a person who would not only kill for an inheritance, but would do so the avenge years of deprivation (both material and psychological) she had endured in her father’s household. There was evidence of friction between the sisters and their father over the way he catered to Abby’s relatives (or so the girls believed). It was during this time that Lizzie stopped calling Abby mother and began calling her “Mrs. Borden”.

Lizzie was considered a suspect in the killings by a number of police officers from the moment they were notified. At the time of the killings only Lizzie, Bridget Sullivan (the Borden’s domestic servant) and the victims were home. It has been thought that Lizzie murdered her step-mother while Bridget was outside the house washing windows. She later told her father that Abby had received a note about a sick friend and she was out of the house. She then encouraged her father to take a nap. Bridget, finished with her chores, went to her room to take a nap. Lizzie said that she then went out to the barn on an errand. According to Lizzie, she returned to the house after hearing a groan, a scraping noise or a call of distress (she related several contradictory stories to the police). Eventually she settled on the story that she went to check on her father and found him slain, his head mutilated.

On August 11^th after appearing before an inquest she was arrested for the murders. In December a Grand Jury handed down three indictments against Lizzie Borden: one for the murder of her father, one for the murder of her step-mother, and one for the murder of both. She was removed to a Taunton jail where she remained until her trial in June 1893.

A jury of twelve, mostly Republican men, average age fifty-three, found her not guilty on all counts.

At first public opinion about the verdict was favorable—possibly because it was generally believed that Lizzie would leave Fall River and live someplace where she was less known. She did not, she returned to her home and remained in the city. The absence of closure about the murders caused Lizzie’s and Emma’s position in society to fall. The sisters had become wealthy women because Abby died before Andrew, the step-mother’s family was deprived of her estate and, as a legal matter, it fell into the sisters’s possession. The final blow to her status came when Lizzie (who had a history of stealing) was accused of shoplifting two paintings from a Providence, Rhode Island company. A warrant was never served and the matter was settled privately and Lizzie’s reputation was diminished and she became more isolated.

In 1905, Emma moved out with no public explanation. There is speculation that Emma learned something about the 1892 murders. The sisters never saw nor spoke with each other again.

Lizzie Andrew Borden spent the last twenty-two years of her life an aging spinster surrounded by faithful servants who have never broken their silence. She was quite generous with their salaries and even purchased a house as a residence for some of them.

Lizzie died on June 1, 1927, after suffering complications after a gall bladder operation. Emma died nine days later in Newmarket, New Hampshire. Neither had begotten children so the Andrew Borden branch of the family (the Borden family includes such well-know people as Sir Winston Churchill and Marilyn Monroe) came to an end.

Lizzie’s infamous name has endured and become iconic, spawning numerous books and at least one movie, starring Elizabeth Montgomery as Lizzie. Whether or not she committed the murders the unanswered questions continue to fascinate mystery lovers throughout the world.

In a subsequent blog, I'll look closely at Lizzie's trial and why it is still considered to be of great importance.

For more information about Lizzie visit http://www.thelizziebordencollection.com

Getting Back On Track

As anyone who follows my blog knows, I've been away for a while, almost six months to be exact. There are a number of reasons why I haven't blogged since last March...but they are all really excuses and we all know that excuses always sound good to the person making them. Let's suffice to say, it's darned hard to come up with things to blog about on a continual basis.

During my Blogging Sabbatical, I did however, publish my novel Elephant Valley as an eBook. Available through Barnes and Noble as well as Smashwords.com . It's a novel loosely based on my experiences as a helicopter machine-gunner in Vietnam. Although it's not yet available through Amazon, Smashwords does have a Kindle-friendly version in .mobi format as well as the popular Adobe Epub format used by many e-readers.

I have also published several short stories during this period. Among them are Net Profit (co-authored with a long-time friend, Paulette Littlefield Clark) in The Storyteller Magazine (January/February/March 2011 issue) and several others in Breathe; Volume II an anthology of short stories and poetry by northern Maine writers.
The New England CrimeBake is coming up on November 11 through 13. If you haven't registered, it may be too late. The conference limits registration to about 250 attendees and those slots filled withing three weeks of registration opening. There are however, always cancellations so you may want to get on the Waiting List.

I'm also closing in on the completion of The Black Orchid, the second Ed Traynor novel (the first, My Brother's Keeper is available in eBook format from Barnes and Noble, Smashwords and Amazon .

Guns In Fiction Part 1

If you are a writer of mysteries, suspense or thrillers, sooner or later you will have to bring firearms into your story. Over the years I have read more mystery and suspense fiction than I could ever recall. I have, however found one thing that writers continually confuse and that is the uses and capabilities of firearms, both hand and long guns. So, I've decided to do a few posts on the various types of weapons, their operational characteristics. In this post I'd like to discuss the differences between various handguns and some of what I consider to be common misconceptions that I've seen writers have.

This posting will deal with handguns, specifically revolvers.

First, let's discuss some common terms.

Revolver: a weapon, usually a handgun, in which the ammunition (cartridge) is loaded into a cylinder. The cylinder revolves aligning the cartridge with the chamber and the firing pin.

Single Action: A type of handgun in which the shooter must manually pull back or cock the hammer to place another cartridge in the firing position. Single Action handguns can usually be identified by one of two loading mechanisms. On many there is a gate on the right side of the cylinder through which cartridges are loaded and spent casings ejected.

Double Action: A handgun in which the hammer is cocked and the cylinder rotates with each pull of the trigger. Double Action revolvers can usually be identified by the fact that the entire cylinder rolls out so the handgun can be easily loaded.

Break Action: A pistol in which the barrel and cylinder are released as a unit to allow loading.

Cartridge: Commonly misidentified as being a bullet or a shell. It is a single round of ammunition.

Bullet: Projectile portion of a cartridge.

Shell: A shotgun cartridge.

Chamber: The portion of the barrel into which an unfired cartridge (round) is either aligned (revolvers) or inserted (pistols).

There are a couple of characteristics of revolvers that movies and television seem to routinely ignore and it drives me crazy! Silencers DO NOT work on revolvers--there are too many openings through which sound can escape! Another pet peeve of mine is the absolute misconception that six-shooters have more than six cartridges in them. We all remember the B westerns and crime movies we saw as kids where the hero and the villain seem to shoot forever without having to reload. If you have a gunfight in your story count the times your characters discharge their weapons and ensure that the rounds fired do not exceed the capacity of the weapon.

For a detailed description of various types of weapons consult the ATF Guidebook - Importation & Verification of Firearms.

Ammunition, and Implements of War
In the next post I'll talk about revolvers in more detail.

There Is Hope For Thin Ice

In my last post I wrote that Level Best Books has notified those of us who have either been published in or submitted stories for their anthologies that they will no longer be publishing. The correspondence also stated that if anyone wanted to take on the project they would assist by sharing their design templates and information.

I've seen discussion on several Yahoo groups about the demise of Level Best so to end all confusion I've pasted the email I received:

Dear Writer:
Level Best Books grew out of a belief in the importance of giving voice to local writers and offering opportunities that might not otherwise be available. For seven years, we have sought out and supported New England writers of crime fiction through our annual anthologies, publicity sent to bookstores and libraries, and signing events throughout the region. Thanks to you and other writers, we have accomplished a great deal.

As we began work this year, we knew we were facing even greater challenges, and when we looked realistically at our current circumstances, we realized that we could not complete another anthology.
We are grateful to the many writers who have sent us their best work, set up their own readings and book signings, and by word of mouth spread news of our anthologies. As editors we have enjoyed working with every writer we have published. It has been a privilege to publish the work of some of the region’s best established writers. Our special joy has been discovering new writers, and encouraging beginning writers building their careers.

We regret bringing you discouraging news. This has been a gratifying experience for all of us, and we wish you well in continuing your career in crime fiction.

Finally, we would like the mystery community to know that if a group of writers is interested in continuing the project we have begun, we would be willing to share our design templates and other information, and pass the Level Best name on.

Sincerely,
Kate Flora,
for the editors

Now, the good news. All is not lost yet. I have been in contact with a publisher who is very interested in publishing the anthology and stated that if I can get him the manuscript by late September, THIN ICE can be published on time. Based upon his interest, I have assembled a team of writers to assist me in the editorial process. The problem at this time is that I have been unable to reach either Kate or Susan to discuss this and make arrangements for them to provide me with this years submissions. I'm assuming they are on vacation and incommunicado. We are still trying to reach them. Should this occur it is the intent of myself and my team to keep everything as Level Best designed it, including publishing the Al Blanchard winning story.

Stand by. I'll be posting further developments as they occur.

LEVEL BEST BOOKS CEASING PUBLICATION OF ANNUAL ANTHOLOGY

New England writers of mystery and crime fiction have just suffered a major loss. I have been notified by Kate Flora, one of Level Best Books editors, that they will not be publishing their 8th anthology Thin Ice. Kate did not go into specifics, but they aren't needed. What is important is that yet another short story market has bit the dust.

Level Best published its 1st anthology, Undertow, in 2003. Since then they have published a number of new New England writers and many who have been published. I was fortunate to have my story, Bagging The Trophy, included in the 6th, DEADFALL, available either from Level Best Books or my website.

If you are interested in ordering copies of the anthologies they are available via Level Best's web site: http://levelbestbooks.com.

I am particularly affected by this because I know the editors of this terrific anthology and consider them to be friends. Kate Flora, Susan Oleksiw, and Ruth McCarty (Skye Alexander co-edited the 1st three anthologies) have all been instrumental in my endeavors to be a writer. Susan and Skye were members of my very 1st writer group and (although I left many meetings limping) were the first professional editors (along with Paula Munier of Adams Media) to critique my writing...as much as it hurt--I learned more in the first two months than I had in the previous ten years! Kate and I served on the planning committee for four New England CrimeBake writer/reader conferences. I will miss working with her.

My Brother's Keeper Available For Kindle

My mystery novel, My Brother's Keeper is now available in Amazon's Kindle Store. To obtain a copy go to the Kindle Store and search on Hardacker. Or you can use the following URL: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=node%3D154606011&field-keywords=Hardacker&x=17&y=19

The novel is a mystery thriller and the first in my Ed Traynor series. Ed is confused when he's called to a murder scene on a remote road in New Hampshire's Rockingham County. Shortly after arriving on site his long-time friend, Sheriff 'Buck' Buchanan, asks him to identify the victim--Ed's brother John. Ed vows to find the killer and his investigation will lead him to a vicious drug lord and into the world of strip clubs. If that isn't enough, Ed must deal with his turbulent relationship with his brother, who was a suspect in a multi-million dollar rip-off of a drug dealer.

My Brother's Keeper is also available for PC and other platforms through Smashword.com. Follow the link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13886

C IS FOR CRIMEBAKE

The 8th annual New England CrimeBake is only 3 months away! The conference, which features Sue Grafton as special guest of honor, will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Dedham, MA from November 13th through the 15th. In these tough economic times most writers are trying to save money and still attend a conference. If you are a New England writer, I believe the CrimeBake is the ideal choice. It is geared for New England writers, is held close to Boston and has been described as being as good as the big ones by at least one literary agent.

Past guests of honor have included: Janet Evanovich, Robert B. Parker, Tess Gerritsen, Lee Child and Harlan Coburn. The conference also affords the following services for writers: Master classes, free seminars, and (most importantly) the opportunity to pitch your work to an agent.

For more information and registration visit the New England CrimeBake's website.

SHOULD I WRITE A NOVEL OR SHORT STORY FIRST?

At several recent writing events, I've received questions about the difference between a short story and a novel. This question is usually followed by a statement such as: "If the markets for short stories is rapidly diminishing, why should I write them?"

The answer is simple, writing has been defined as saying the most in as few words as possible. A novel allows the writer to drift off in any direction they wish (provided the new path passes the key test: does it move the story forward). The short story, on the other hand, makes the writer stay on task. Most periodicals and e-zines place strict word requirements on submissions (usually no more than 4000 or 5000 words) and failure to follow the restriction will result in immediate rejection. I've yet to meet an editor who is impressed by the length of a submission. Quality not quantity is the key here. As an editor friend of mine says, "Is that writer selling books by the pound?" I also remember sitting in a restaurant reading a rather lengthy novel by a highly successful mystery writer when a literary agent passed by my table and asked, "What are you reading?" I showed her the book and she said, "Looks like a door stop to me." Bottom line, read the periodical or e-zine to which you're submitting and then look closely at the submission guidelines, they are not there because the editor felt they make the magazine look professional.

So what is a short story? A short story is a convenience store robbery. The writer must get in, get the loot, and then get out in a finite number of words. A novel on the other hand is a caper or bank robbery, it requires much more planning and the writer has the ability to use as many words as he/she feels are required to communicate with the reader. (This leads to another problem: How do I write enough to have my work considered a novel--usually 50,000 words or more?)

I've read a number of novels that were in reality expanded short stories. I can usually tell when I'm reading one of these. I jump ahead 10 pages and see if I still know what's going on. In other words, did the 10 pages move the story forward? If not, those pages could have been deleted.

One of my favorite writers is Robert B. Parker. I am hard pressed to think of any other best selling writer who says as much as he does in as few words as he uses. I usually can read a Spenser, Jesse Stone, or Sonny Randall novel in 3 hours and come away knowing all I needed to know about the characters and the plot.

So, what is the answer to the title question? If you can write as tight as Robert B. Parker, then by all means jump right in there and write a novel. If, however, you are like me and most writers, writing short stories will hone your skills at putting the story on paper in a way that you don't waste the reader's time (if they stick with you and don't throw your book down) by including a lot of good writing that doesn't belong in that particular piece. I recall my first experience with a professional critique group (only I would join a group that consisted of 3 editors/published writers and a single unpublished writer--yours truly). I read the intro chapter of a novel I was working on and sat back waiting for the great feedback and flowing praises from my audience. The first comment I got was: "That was a great piece of crime writing; however, it doesn't move the story along--get rid of it..." I was devastated, but I quickly learned that something I'd learned years ago also applies to a GOOD critique group (by good I mean effective): Your true friends will always tell you what you need to hear; not what you want to hear.

So, write that novel if you want, but even if you never send them out for publication, hone your skills and develop your craft with short stories...

DEADFALL EVENTS SCHEDULED IN MAY

Level Best Books has scheduled two events featuring DEADFALL their latest anthology of mystery and crime stories by New England writers.

At 6:00 PM on May 9, 2009 a number of DEADFALL writers will be at Water Street Books in Exeter, NH and at 7:30 PM on Monday, May 11, 2009 Level Best will be at the Freeport, ME Public Library. Come on out and support a talented bunch of writers.

Also keep in mind that Level Best is accepting submissions for their 7th anthology. For submission guidelines visit their web site at http://www.levelbestbooks.com/

MAKE YOUR HERO (AND VILLAIN) HUMAN!

Ever read a book in which the hero is perfect? Did it bore you? Did you place the book down saying "No way would this ever happen..."? I read a couple of books by a best selling author (I'll keep the name to myself) and will probably never pick up another by him. Why not, you ask, it is a best selling author? My answer is simple, I find his hero to be unbelievable and the most boring character since Tom Swift (remember him? At least Tom was written for an adolescent audience, not an adult one...). His hero was an all-American quarterback in college, lives in an aircraft hangar filled with antique cars and airplanes, and (the most incredulous thing of all to me) is an expert at anything he tries! If deep sea diving is called for the hero can do it (and he'll probably parachute into the ocean for the dive). There is no machine he cannot operate, drive, or fly... To top it all off, this character owns all those priceless cars and planes while working for the government! (Maybe that part is believable...it seems you have to be independently wealthy to be in U. S. government anymore!) The character is about as believable as Batman, Superman, and Spiderman all of whom are fantasy characters. To me the cardinal sin of this author is that the writer leaves me with the impression that I should believe his character could exist. My response to this "Pllleeeeeeeaaaasssssse! Give me some credit." I cannot abide a writer who thinks of his/her audience as a bunch of pliant, mindless drones who will accept and believe anything that appears in print.

If you want me to read your book and enjoy it, give me a hero that has bad as well as good traits. If the character has to use specialized skills at least let him/her struggle a bit as they learn and master that skill.

Everyone loves Batman (well those of us who love dark fantasy anyway). However, the biggest Batman hits were Batman Begins in which we actually see the years of suffering and training Bruce Wayne had to endure to become the Caped Crusader. You can actually make a case for a multi-millionaire who roams the world and becomes a martial arts expert, who will use his bucks to develop special technology. Like I said possible if unlikely.

So, above all else make your hero human. Instill character flaws and fears (remember young Bruce Wayne's fear of bats?) into your hero. While you're at it, give your villain a redeeming characteristic or two... It will add suspense to your plot and make the characters believable...

Mysteryman

Mark Your Calendar

The public library in Freeport, Maine has scheduled a book reading/signing with Level Best Books to be held on May 11, 2009. Authors whose work has appeared in Deadfall, the 6th annual anthology of stories by New England writers will be there to read portions of their story and to sign books.

Level Best is currently accepting submissions for the seventh anthology, current untitled. They are seeking original crime stories by New England writers in the following genres: mystery, thriller, suspense, caper, and horror. They will consider stories with elements of the supernatural. The book is usually launched in November at the New England Crime Bake, a writer/reader conference sponsored by the New England Chapters of Mystery Writers of American and Sisters in Crime. Submission guidelines are pretty basic and can be found on their website: http://levelbestbooks.com/.
The guidelines are:

• Original stories should be no more than 5,000 words in length and should not have been previously published anywhere, including on the web via an e-zine or your own website.
• Stories should not have torture, cruelty to animals, or depict violence toward children.
• Each story should be 12 pt., double-spaced. Please number your pages.
• In the upper right-hand corner, please include your name and address, phone number, e-mail address, and word count.
• Please submit hard copy with a SASE and include a brief cover letter describing your publishing experience. We do not accept electronic submissions.
• Level Best Books will accept submissions from January 1, 2009 to March 31, 2009.
• If you have any questions about whether you qualify as a New England writer, please query before submitting, info@levelbestbooks.com

Mail submissions to: Level Best Books, P.O. Box 161, Prides Crossing, MA 01965

Breaking News

Due to an unexpected turn in my personal life, I'll be relocating back to northern Maine. As a result, blog updates will be sporatic at best through the month of February. I promise that by March 1st I'll be back.

First-Person Protagonist Narrator (2nd In A Series)

In this viewpoint, the narrator is the protagonist singular. There are many advantages to this viewpoint, especially to the first-time novelist. These are:

1. Writing in 1st person comes easily since it is the most common way in which we communicate with each other. It offers a self-imposed discipline that the writer obeys. Use on the pronoun I confines the writer to the protagonist's POV and avoids inadvertent POV shifts.

2. The protagonist is the center of attention, which allows the reader to participate in all the events.

3. Since the reader shares the protagonist's most intimate thoughts, feelings and attitudes, they easily identify with the protagonist.

4. The protagonist shares his/her personal experience thereby nullifying any reader resistance to the story's credibility. It enables the narrator to speak with conviction and adds realism to the story.

So, what are the disadvantages?

1. The writer's omniscient power is restricted. He/she must confine themself to those things the protaganist sees, feels and experiences first hand. Since the protagonist can only be in one location at a time, this restriction is physical as well as mental.

2. Modesty is forced upon the narrator. While he/she can act brave and heroic, he/she cannot say they are brave.

3. There is a danger that you cannot hold the reader's interest, forcing the writer to make the protagonist colorful and exciting.

4. Description of the protagonist is confined. The protagonist cannot describe the expression on his/her face while experiencing an event.

In summary, the advantages of First-Person Protagonist Narrator, out weigh the disadvantages. More novelists employ this POV than any other and it is the predominant one in mystery novels.

Over The Fence: Plot Continued

"How's it going?" Larry asked.

"Okay, just finished working on a scene in my latest novel."

"The last time we chatted you mentioned scenes. I thought scenes were something you see in a movie."

I sipped from my can of soda. "Actually novels, and to a smaller extent short stories, are full of scenes. I think Robert McKee uses the best definition of scene in his book, STORY. He defined a scene as: ...an action through conflict in more or less continuous time and space that turns the value-charged condition of a character's life on at least one value with a degree of perceptible significance. Ideally, every scene is a STORY EVENT."

"That's a long definition," Larry said, "can you simplify it a bit?"

"Sure, a scene is is a sequence of events that seem to happen as if the reader were watching and listening to it happen; it's built on talk and action."

"I see, so a scene is like a chapter?"

"Nope. Although there are a number of popular writers, James Patterson comes to mind, who make each and every scene a chapter; others may have several scenes in a single chapter. Chapters are just a way to divide a book into pieces. Think of a book, any book in which there are no chapter breaks. "

"I don't think I've ever come across one," Larry said.

"Stephen King used no chapter breaks in Dolores Claiborne. I believe if any one but a writer of his stature had done it the reader would struggle to finish the book. How many times have you said, I'm going to finish this chapter and call it a night? We'll get into chapters later when we discuss structure of your novel."

"Okay, getting back to scene," Larry said, "a scene is a story within the story?"

"That may or may not be true," I said, "a scene isn't random; it must have a meaning. The true measure of whether or not a scene belongs in the book is to ask yourself one simple question: Does this scene move the story forward? If it doesn't scratch it."

"Hmmmm, there's a lot to this writing stuff that I've never thought about."

I glanced at the sky and saw the sun was hovering on the western horizon. "See you tomorrow? We'll talk some more about structure."

"Wouldn't miss it."