tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post8523185172259325085..comments2024-03-29T05:45:39.184-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Family ConnectionsDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-40059435255606810252015-06-14T17:42:10.279-06:002015-06-14T17:42:10.279-06:00Great suggestions, Marilyn. Thank you. I'll ex...Great suggestions, Marilyn. Thank you. I'll explore that site tonight.<br />Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-54391254188735469032015-06-14T11:03:46.598-06:002015-06-14T11:03:46.598-06:00Linda, I always suggest that a writer who can’t gu...Linda, I always suggest that a writer who can’t guess her genre go to a site like RTBookclub which covers most of the popular genre and subgenre and read reviews until she finds writers telling the kind of stories and note the genre. In your case, I'd suggest starting with the "Mainstream" category.<br /><br />A faster way to figure this out is to think about books you've read that are similar and see what they are classified as.Marilynn Byerlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16720129999636676998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-55705599193798462312015-06-14T05:25:06.535-06:002015-06-14T05:25:06.535-06:00Yes, Marilynn, "cozy thriller" is a non-...Yes, Marilynn, "cozy thriller" is a non-existent genre. I've struggled with categorizing this story because it has elements of a thriller but doesn't meet all the criteria of that genre. I don't want to mislabel it, so your observation is much appreciated. The scenes quoted here depict some of the pain and conflict that occur in the story, but the family is not as dysfunctional as those scenes may suggest. Reeling from the untimely death of the husband/father, they are unaware of the events leading up to his demise. Then they must deal with his conniving brother when the man resurfaces in their lives and demonstrates his determination to get what he deems to be his rightful inheritance. Individual strengths and family cohesiveness are not addressed in the excerpts, but they are an integral part of the story. Again, thank you for your comment; it has been taken to heart. :-)Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-2189508786885128072015-06-14T04:43:52.439-06:002015-06-14T04:43:52.439-06:00I do agree, Diana. There is a lot of healing in th...I do agree, Diana. There is a lot of healing in this story, as well as a positive ending. I should have included at least one of the numerous scenes that show its members uniting to overcome the tragedies that threaten to destroy it and emerging with new strengths and directions that leave the reader satisfied that "all's well that ends well." Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-76743747618696060252015-06-13T11:25:55.906-06:002015-06-13T11:25:55.906-06:00There is no such thing as a "cosy thriller.&q...There is no such thing as a "cosy thriller." A cozy and a thriller are as near exact opposites as you can get in the mystery genre. <br /><br />I'm not trying to mean. I'm saying that you can't find an audience if you mislabel your book. <br /><br />Maybe, "domestic thriller" would be a better term although I question using the term "thriller" for a novel about a dysfunctional family from Hell. Marilynn Byerlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16720129999636676998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-33621406498754672342015-06-13T08:49:55.439-06:002015-06-13T08:49:55.439-06:00I believe we need to see more healing and positive...I believe we need to see more healing and positive ways to resolve conflict in our storytelling. There are enough examples of serious dysfunction on "reality" TV. That's why I love shows like Blue Bloods.Diana Hurwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18216220574149672733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-72727897339394645482015-06-12T10:56:40.630-06:002015-06-12T10:56:40.630-06:00Oh, yeah. I think we all have the occasional scary...Oh, yeah. I think we all have the occasional scary ones hidden in our family trees. <br />Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-28859685153255680672015-06-12T10:28:25.804-06:002015-06-12T10:28:25.804-06:00Reminds me of that great scientific theory, Linda:...Reminds me of that great scientific theory, Linda: The Fear of Relatives.Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-46139842786367233562015-06-12T10:07:30.062-06:002015-06-12T10:07:30.062-06:00Best friends, worst enemies, and the whole gamut i...Best friends, worst enemies, and the whole gamut in between can define families. The examples above depict some of the negatives in my story, but they're balanced by positives that space limitations here did not allow me to include. While families can be destroyed by tragedy, misunderstandings, assumptions, and self-interests, they can also be strengthened when these are overcome. I like to explore both scenarios -- and I like positive endings that result from my characters' growth.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-32314967694761411992015-06-12T09:27:21.911-06:002015-06-12T09:27:21.911-06:00Boil, boil, toil, and trouble, that is quite the c...Boil, boil, toil, and trouble, that is quite the cauldron!Diana Hurwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18216220574149672733noreply@blogger.com