The Write Stuff

When authors are interviewed, they are always asked what they’re reading. In a New York Times  interview, Michael Connelly, the terrific thriller and mystery writer, listed some of his favorite books:  Act of War: Lyndon Johnson, North Korea, and the Capture of the Spy Ship Pueblo  by Jack Cheevers;  The Public Burning by Robert Coover;  The Giving Tree  by Shel Silverstein; and  Red Dragon  by Thomas Harris (he apparently prefers it over the more famous Hannibal Lecter sequel,  Silence of the Lambs ). Connelly also likes John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee series. While I tend to overload on thrillers and mysteries, I also try to read a lot of nonfiction:   Chaser , a heartfelt book by John W. Pilley about a border collie that knows an astounding 1,000 words (putting the pooch on my level after I’ve had a couple martinis); Flight of the Eagle , a wonderfully written, one-volume history of the United States by Conrad Black. (Blac...

Having just watched the Ken Burns documentary about the Vietnam War and read "Dereliction of Duty" by H.R. McMaster, I thought I would revisit a great book about Vietnam that I read, and reviewed, a couple of years back. Here are excerpts from my review: *** The Vietnam War cost more than 50,000 American lives and left a generation of our citizens, on both sides of the debate generated by the war, embittered and bewildered. More American wars have been fought since, often promoted by leaders who went out of their way to avoid service in Vietnam, but none have roiled the nation like the conflict in Southeast Asia. Much of the bitterness has eased, as the nation realizes that the soldiers who fought in Vietnam only did their duty; in most cases honorably, in many cases, bravely. Recent surveys indicate that almost 90 percent of Americans now respect — even revere — Vietnam veterans. The bewilderment will probably last a lot longer. How could it not, since almost ...

As not enough of the world knows, I write thrillers in which I kill reams of people in all sorts of ways: guns, knives, ice picks, frog poison, garroting, jellyfish, hagfish, falls from buildings, decapitations. It’s easy. I just think of an editor or publisher who has rejected one of my submissions. Only kidding. Point is, I believe I’m pretty adept at murder, mayhem, and massacre. But nothing could prepare me for what I had to do to my own copy when my son convinced me to turn my first novel, the brilliant, wonderful, insightful masterpiece,  Sound of Blood , into a screenplay. (The adjectives in the previous sentence were picked at random; I’m pretty sure no one else has actually used them to describe my novels before.) Chris, that’s the son, has worked in Hollywood and thinks  Blood  is very “visual” and would make a great movie. We’ve already discussed who will play the major parts, with Jon Hamm and Scarlett Johansson our top choices. (Anyone have their...

Like all authors, I am often asked where I get the plots for my novels. When particularly cranky, I am tempted to say that, like everyone else, I steal them from the Greeks (or maybe a Roman or two). That is to say, there is really nothing new under the sun, fiction-wise, until someone invents a third sex. (I know; they’re working on it.) But, I suppose, what people are really asking is how does one formulate a “new” plot out of the basic ingredients that have been around since man started writing on cave walls: boy meets girl; boy has a thing for Mom; girl dumps boy for his best friend; boy fights saber-toothed tiger (one of the first short stories)? You know, the basics. So here, in no particular order, are wells of inspiration that have led to some of my nine novels. There will be more in future blogs. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: Yes, I know. Many authors, even those who write vampire novels, weave personal experiences into their work. Hopefully, not too personal, sinc...

In my career as a reporter, editor, columnist, reviewer and novelist, I have written millions of words. I have won journalism awards, been nominated for a Pulitzer and have e-published 17 thrillers and mysteries on Amazon. I have a website, and am active on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. And, yet, this is my first blog! Go figure! I'm calling it "The Write Stuff," which is also the name of my column for the Washington Independent Review of Books (WIROB). I debated using another name, but I'm an inveterate punster, so why not? Besides, Sam Shepard, a great actor and playwright, just passed away and it just feels appropriate. His portrayal of Chuck Yeager in "The Right Stuff" movie based on Tom Wolfe's book about the Mercury astronauts (remember them?) is iconic. What I hope to do in this blog is offer tips on writing. Such tips, I believe, will be helpful to fiction and non-fiction writers, and germane to print and electronic pu...