tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post791138525911518594..comments2023-10-31T10:59:03.023-04:00Comments on INKSPOT Crime Fiction Blog | A Place for Mystery, Mayhem, Writing and Life: Please Ignore Common WisdomLinda O. Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512430135042480450noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-54758511887125100592011-08-03T09:32:54.506-04:002011-08-03T09:32:54.506-04:00I prefer them in life, Sebastian, but give me a go...I prefer them in life, Sebastian, but give me a good DSM-IV crackpot in fiction.Robin Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16373722202559066388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-67137843535909172932011-08-03T08:18:38.348-04:002011-08-03T08:18:38.348-04:00Great post! Happy, well-adjusted people are borin...Great post! Happy, well-adjusted people are boring.Sebastian Stuarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07744916225005530030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-59210482514948215762011-08-01T15:31:18.702-04:002011-08-01T15:31:18.702-04:00That's a good strategy from Mr. Krueger!That's a good strategy from Mr. Krueger!Robin Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16373722202559066388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-39963842112874150622011-08-01T14:23:01.066-04:002011-08-01T14:23:01.066-04:00Robin - William Kent Krueger once said this (or s...Robin - William Kent Krueger once said this (or something close to it!) at a signing:<br />The series is called the Cork O'Connor series, so the reader knows that Cork is going to be ok (alive) in the end. So in order to create and maintain suspense, all other series characters can be placed in jeopardy - including Cork's kids. Seems to work for him!!Terri Bischoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04225274844083700505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-44066818726821571822011-07-31T07:27:48.987-04:002011-07-31T07:27:48.987-04:00Agreed!Agreed!Robin Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16373722202559066388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-58900867068438969472011-07-30T19:38:02.636-04:002011-07-30T19:38:02.636-04:00Good post, Robin! One of my writing friends always...Good post, Robin! One of my writing friends always says, "Make sure your characters are alwats getting into terrible troubles. Just when they've extracted themselves from one mess, throw them into another." I think you can have a great character who might be messed up, but can be likable and funny... so long as you include some yuckalicious bad guys for seasoning :-)Jessie Chandlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17963009962065255242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-28837946084905429212011-07-29T20:58:49.990-04:002011-07-29T20:58:49.990-04:00Darrell - Good quote. So much of life is ordinary,...Darrell - Good quote. So much of life is ordinary, but fiction shouldn't be.<br /><br />Vicki - My Poppy Markham is a bit of a loner, too, which makes her a lot like me. <br /><br />Keith - I, too, was disappointed to learn that I wasn't related to Woody Allen.Robin Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16373722202559066388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-22459852179030218022011-07-29T19:39:24.027-04:002011-07-29T19:39:24.027-04:00Very disappointed to learn you are no relative of ...Very disappointed to learn you are no relative of Woody Allen's. I agree with your post but worry about making a character TSTL (to stupid to live.) KeithKeith Raffelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02926077627965529183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-84050700767117415062011-07-29T14:42:00.565-04:002011-07-29T14:42:00.565-04:00Robin, interesting ideas! I've been thinking m...Robin, interesting ideas! I've been thinking my protagonist, Darby Farr, is too much of a loner and that I should give her at least one friend, but perhaps I'll look at this in another light! So she's not a sunny extrovert like her creator... maybe that's a good thing!Vicki Douderahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12683468231378487388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-66797607301481119972011-07-29T12:32:19.210-04:002011-07-29T12:32:19.210-04:00Nice post, Robin! Here's my quote of the day:
...Nice post, Robin! Here's my quote of the day:<br /><br />"Avoid the ordinary and what's left is extraordinary."Darrell Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08394984700734588887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-11053988886844351612011-07-29T10:21:38.141-04:002011-07-29T10:21:38.141-04:00We can do so much more with series characters beca...We can do so much more with series characters because, like real people, they have to learn the same lessons over and over and over.Robin Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16373722202559066388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-343659071427201592011-07-29T09:51:40.021-04:002011-07-29T09:51:40.021-04:00Great post, Robin! I try to give my series sleuths...Great post, Robin! I try to give my series sleuths character flaws, then give them problems that stress those flaws, so the conflict is upped, and eventually the characters learn things and grow and change. However, invariably I get some feedback from readers that they hate the flaws in my protagonists and want them to grow up, do the right thing, see the light, and by God, stop sticking their nose where it doesn't belong. But those characteristics are precisely what makes for good story-telling! Other readers, thank God, understand and enjoy seeing my protagonists stumble along.Beth Groundwaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13999372882748655834noreply@blogger.com