tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69800035913986639362024-03-05T01:07:13.759-06:00Write It AnywayRachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-40164555796141778142012-09-05T18:03:00.003-05:002012-09-05T18:06:01.312-05:00Release Day! MAKING STORY: TWENTY-ONE WRITERS ON HOW THEY PLOT
It's release day for MAKING STORY! This collection of essays from twenty-one writers on how we plot is the first in a series of writing books that will address all sorts of writing topics. Collectively, these books will be known as the Twenty-one Writers Project. Our first installment addresses plotting methods. Some writers are outliners. (I envy them.) Others Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-69201097522214182172012-08-09T18:40:00.002-05:002012-08-09T18:43:32.986-05:00Ebb and flowIt's been an interesting summer, writing-wise. Shortly after I finished the third Emily Locke novel, my publisher discontinued the series. I didn't see that one coming.
But the news isn't all bad. The hole that opened in my schedule offered time after work and on weekends for other pursuits, and it's been an otherwise fun summer with my kids and friends. I slowed down a little and Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-62226393278538484632012-05-17T17:54:00.001-05:002012-05-17T17:54:44.155-05:00I turned in the book!It's a gut-twisty feeling. This must be what a guy feels like right after he asks his girlfriend to marry him. There is the thought, "This could be the best day ever!" but it's mixed with "Pleasepleaseplease don't reject me and make me cry like a little girl."
There is happiness with a finished draft. There is anxiety about the impending revision letter. Like last time I'll post any Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-44124998214675384852012-03-20T20:21:00.003-05:002012-03-20T20:25:34.861-05:00Ode to First Draftby Rachel BradyFirst Draft, our road has never been easyYou wear me down and make me queasyI yearn for you, pursue you stillYou never call when you say you willWe agreed on a year, you showed up in twoWhat the hell is wrong with you?Plot holes, time warps, misspellings, grammarFlat dialogue, word choice, scenes that rambleImplausible twists, sagging middleCannot believe I wrote this drivelSecond Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-46462233607153438132012-02-22T20:30:00.003-06:002012-02-22T20:43:52.164-06:00Win a book contract. Get a free book. And one other thing.Prepare for Random, folks.1. If you are a mystery or suspense writer who is trying to get published, please don't miss an amazing opportunity offered by Poisoned Pen Press. The Discover Mystery Contest is open through April 30th and the publisher is looking for new blood!2. In my last post I mentioned that I received two courtesy copies of Now Write! Mysteries: Suspense, Crime, Thriller, and Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-11537174486524410612012-01-25T20:54:00.004-06:002012-01-25T21:11:36.402-06:00My Guest Appearance in Now Write! MysteriesThe other day I received a package in the mail from a New York publisher. Packages are fun!I wasn't expecting this one, but upon opening it I found two courtesy copies of Now Write! Mysteries: Suspense, Crime, Thriller, and Other Mystery Fiction Exercises from Today's Best Writer's and Teachers. In 2010 I was invited to contribute an exercise for this compilation and it was about this time last Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-79246819997722019292011-09-20T15:36:00.002-05:002011-09-20T15:41:27.850-05:00Mystery Writers of America University: New Orleans, October 1Now a plug for my friendly neighborhood writing organization:Mystery Writers of America University (MWA-U) is a full-day, low-cost writing seminar designed to teach folks the essential skills needed to write a novel. The workshop covers everything from the idea stage to the final edits. Here, college level courses are taught by published mystery writers who are also experienced teachers. Topics Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-52341184530549460892011-08-26T05:00:00.002-05:002011-08-29T08:43:46.055-05:00How to handle life and what to avoid in the school cafeteria, as explained by my little girlThis month at the Stiletto Gang, I turned to my nine-year-old daughter for some life guidance.
Kids are insightful. Also kind of funny.
Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-12286293524006383122011-07-29T05:00:00.001-05:002011-08-25T15:31:29.455-05:00Live Simply, Live Well.Today at the Stiletto Gang, I share my recent impressions about the power of paring down.
Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-90903635513583318102011-07-25T23:22:00.003-05:002011-07-25T23:31:55.342-05:00What happens when you listen to audiobook Disk 2 before Disk 1?Nothing really. Which I found remarkable.I'd never read The Devil Wears Prada (Lauren Weisberger) or seen the film, but plenty of my girlfriends have loved it, so when I saw the audiobook at the library, I picked it up. Rachel Leigh Cook did a fabulous job narrating and I was completely immersed in the story when Disk 1 ended and I reached for Disk 2, which turned out to be the real Disk 1.Huh?Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-54322744053711714182011-07-05T21:28:00.003-05:002011-07-05T21:50:25.157-05:00Book Buzz: Dead Man's Switch by Tammy KaehlerTammy Kaehler delivers a solid debut with Dead Man's Switch, featuring racecar driving protagonist Kate Reilly. The story opens when Kate gets a much needed chance to accelerate her racing career after veteran driver Wade Becker turns up suspiciously dead just days before the American Le Mans Series finale. Kate isn't a total rookie. She's shown her driving skill in earlier races and has made Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-32447104018622538552011-07-01T23:38:00.006-05:002011-07-02T00:21:12.142-05:00The "Heeeyyy! Whatcha doin'?" callI never liked those calls.You know, the ones where somebody calls you up for no reason in particular. When I answer my phone, I expect 1) news or 2) a request.Example of #1: "There's a hurricane coming!"Example of #2: "Will you help me avoid my mother-in-law?"Calls like these serve a purpose and have a natural ending point.The "Heeyyy! Whatcha doin'?" phone call doesn't work for me because I haveRachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-39479850310581549932011-04-29T05:00:00.001-05:002011-05-24T20:45:24.188-05:00Why I Will Survive an Alien AttackToday at the Stiletto Gang I discuss another embarrassing mind game that I play with myself. But this one is potentially useful in the event of an alien attack.In case, you know . . . you're worried about that.Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-18245012910101552462011-04-21T21:48:00.003-05:002011-04-21T21:56:26.130-05:00Book Buzz: The Albuquerque Turkey by John VorhausJohn Vorhaus brings his personable, yet criminal, main character--Radar Hoverlander--back for some schemes-gone-wrong in his new release, The Albuquerque Turkey. Readers met con-man radar and his equally lovable and crooked new girlfriend, Allie, in the series debut, The California Roll. Now the pair is back for their toughest challenge yet: a respectable life as crime-free, upstanding citizens. Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-7368607715078076812011-03-25T05:00:00.001-05:002011-04-25T22:10:02.004-05:00Why a first draft is like a poorly planned paint jobThis post has automagically uploaded today while I'm off chatting up mystery writers at the Left Coast Crime mystery convention in Santa Fe, NM.At the Stiletto Gang today, I talk about first drafts that do not behave. I hope your manuscripts are not as disobedient as my WIP.That's "work in progress" for those of you with dirty minds.Behave yourselves while I'm gone. Write lots of words, use your Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-64204878155056041892011-03-17T21:29:00.004-05:002011-03-17T21:32:14.840-05:00Houston area writers: affordable writers' workshop near you on April 16thA little shout-out to my fellow Houston area writers. Alvin Community College is hosting a writers' workshop on April 16th. It's open to the public, and I'll be one of the speakers. Come on out and get your inspiration on. :)Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-3549367764430841962011-02-26T19:17:00.009-06:002011-02-26T19:50:10.424-06:00What makes a good story, how GPS works, and other questions answered...by a 10-year-old.Sometimes it helps to look outside our own heads for a fresh perspective. So I went to my daughter and we had a chat.RB: When you are working on a story, what has been the hardest part?JB: The quotation marks, because I always forget to put in the "he said" and "she said" parts.RB: The tags.JB: Right. The tags.RB: Tell me why you started writing stories.JB: Because my teacher made me.RB: Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-65599073000945144602011-02-16T21:22:00.002-06:002011-02-16T21:32:28.066-06:00Around the InterwebI'm feeling very spoiled this week because Marshal Zeringue has been kind to host me at a couple of interesting blogs, including The Page 69 Test, which is less perverse than it sounds, but no less fun, and Writers Read, in which I disclose what books I am currently courting.Today I was flattered to be invited to speak at an upcoming writer's workshop. I can't think of anything more enjoyable Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-41055408690111346652011-01-28T05:00:00.001-06:002011-02-16T21:34:19.789-06:00Rachel Brady, Master TricksterI'm up to bat at the Stiletto Gang, talking about the head games I play with myself to get stuff done. Please stop by and chime in, but only if you're a slacker. Super heroes are banned today.Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-76052059816883013242011-01-26T23:42:00.005-06:002011-01-26T23:52:06.621-06:00Wonderful news from Left Coast CrimeDead Lift has been nominated for a Watson, Left Coast Crime's award for the best sidekick in a mystery novel. Thanks to everyone who nominated it! Jeannie wants to buy you a round. :) I'm humbled by the company in the nominee list.At the conference in March, I'll moderate a panel called "Detectives Without Badges." Panelists are Laurie R. King, Annette Mahon, and Lawrence Light. This should Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-43668683206967467162011-01-16T14:20:00.005-06:002011-01-16T14:39:00.669-06:00Thinking about new writersYesterday I attended the monthly local meeting of Mystery Writers of America. Without fully understanding how it happened, I'm now serving as the chapter's vice president. This is an honor, but what scares me about it is knowing that I was recommended for this position because others believed I could infuse "new energy."You know how it goes. Complain enough and somebody eventually says, "Well, ifRachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-2732425978178710082010-12-31T05:00:00.001-06:002011-02-16T21:35:49.746-06:00Rachel's Letter to Teen MeToday at the Stiletto Gang, I've posted a letter to my teen self!What would go in your letter?Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-1196230300930990032010-12-22T22:52:00.003-06:002010-12-22T23:09:09.614-06:00Book Buzz: The Last Innocent Hour by Margot AbbottReviews are often most useful when we're talking about new books, but new books are seldom what I read. I just finished an old book (1991) that I thoroughly loved and suspect some of you will, too--The Last Innocent Hour by Margot Abbott. Set in Berlin circa the 1930s and 40s, this novel is best described as noir meets love story meets Nazis meets journey of personal growth and recovery. Kind of Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-60835240519663119702010-12-10T21:24:00.005-06:002010-12-10T21:43:45.347-06:00Up in Flames. Dead Lift starts a fire.My friend told me a distressing story today!She was getting ready to fry some okra when the mailman pushed her letters through the slot in her front door. The oil was heating on the stove as she stepped away to gather the mail. One of the items was a package from Amazon with her new copy of Dead Lift.But that isn't what got her attention. An envelope was wedged in the slot that had a Sprint Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980003591398663936.post-73184175748926465672010-12-02T20:43:00.004-06:002010-12-02T20:58:43.120-06:00How fast can you reject me?This e-mail came today from my writer friend who is querying agents:I've sent a handful of queries out into the great void. Yesterday I got a response from an agent in New York dated at 2:56pm to a query I'd emailed at 3:35pm. Which means that, due to the vagaries of the internet, my query was, technically, rejected even before I submitted it!Ouch. And yes. This is exactly how much querying Rachel Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10543659454210547858noreply@blogger.com1