What I Learned at Killer Nashville
Killer Nashville was fantastic this year. The conference occupies almost the entire hotel. The food is good. The town is—well, my experience is that downtown is full of drunk people. So entertaining (not), but I did get out of the hotel, which was one of my goals. It seemed all wrong to be in NASHVILLE, and not leave the hotel. So that’s done. (Not my jam!) Next time: Parnassus Books.
Here is the stuff I learned:
- Check with the source to supplement Internet and book research. That is to say, I can look at the website and the photos and the maps and go from there. But I need to do one more thing to be accurate. Call the place and interview the spokesperson. The thought puts fear in my heart. “Hello. I’m an author. May I ask some questions about the jail?”
- True crime authors do an incredible amount of research, interviewing victims’ families, suspects and former suspects, public records, police reports, trial transcripts. I can use all that too, except the stuff I have to pay big bucks for copying each of a zillion pages. Not gonna happen.
- I met an MD, Mary Jumbelic, who writes autopsy books to help writers. I have to check that out. (www.maryjumbelic.com)
- Writing fight scenes. Act it out. Well..I usually turn to the Internet, watch a fight scene, and write what I see. However, most people insert thoughts and descriptions and feelings, which slow things down. That’s something I need to practice.
These are all things I remember from the conference. I didn’t consult my notes because I didn’t learn these things. I just thought I should learn them.
Update on my Second Novel, Secret Lives
I admire people who can predict when their next novel will come out. I can’t. For one thing, such things as plot changes take a long time. Second, with major criticism, it takes me a while to get out of denial and fix the problem. In any case, I just sent the novel out for line edits. I know for sure I need more revisions. And I don’t know if the changes I made work. I may change the plot some more. I know I have to let go some time though. Also, the cover art is in process. Things are limping along. I vow I will not take so long with novel #3, which has already been drafted. I guess that’s the easy part for me.
Lakeside News
I love this time of year because the hills are still green but it’s usually warm and sunny. The rainy season is winding down. Rain is fine as long as it’s sunny in the afternoon so the solar-heated pool is warm. Luxury problems.
The Day of t he Dead is coming up November 1 & 2. A very healing holiday; at least I’ve found it so. November 1 is for children; November 2 is adults. So on the second, I talk to my dead relatives. We all had fraught relationships, and I can change that now. At least, in my imagination. It helps to reframe the past.
