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Short Story and Novel Writing with Same Characters

01 May
Amazon.com link to Sharon A.'s short story collection

Amazon.com link to Sharon A.’s short story collection

You can’t write a novel all at once, any more than you can swallow a whale in one gulp. You do have to break it up into smaller chunks. But those smaller chunks aren’t good old familiar short stories. Novels aren’t built out of short stories. They are built out of scenes.

—Orson Scott Card, September 1980

Transitioning series characters from short story to novel or vice-versa presents challenges for fiction writers. It requires the combination of imagination and keeping facts straight.

Unless you are time-travelling with your stories or are deliberating putting them at an earlier or later age, time-lines can be tricky. Where in your characters’ story timeline do you want the short stories to appear? Or if the short stories came first, then your novel needs to be kept in the time-line. That can affect your characters development. For example, you don’t want one character to be divorced in the short story and newly married to the same person in a novel obviously set at a later date. You need to be consistent and realistic. If you mess up, your readers will find it.

My story situation has the timeline and consistency problem in spades (and I don’t mean the spade that digs the graves for bodies dead from murder). My short story collection Beyond the Tripping Point was published first. In it are four linked stories featuring fraternal twin PIs Dana Bowman and Bast Overture, Dana’s son David and a few other series’ characters. It is David I have to be concerned with because these four stories happened after the novel Beyond Blood, which I call the pre-quel novel. The four stories occurred in 1999 and the novel in the summer of 1998.

David is psychologically mute in Beyond the Tripping Point. In Beyond Blood, the reader finds out why. So, obviously he is talking at least for the first part of Beyond Blood.

Then there are the other characters, such as the ones I kill off in Beyond Blood. Obviously they didn’t appear in Beyond the Tripping Point.

Characters are supposed to grow and develop, so in a prequel novel, the characters have to be a few steps behind in that area. For example, in Beyond Blood, Dana could not be at the point where she is dealing with a mute David – that comes in BTTP. Things happen to characters and that’s what changes them one way or the other. But the event must happen before the change – something to keep in mind when transitioning from novel to short story or vice-versa.

To make the situation more complicated with me, I had actually written an earlier version of the pre-quel novel before those four linked short stories. So, when writing the stories, I had to keep the novel’s content in mind. When I returned to rewriting the novel for the publisher (after BTTP was published) I then had to make sure I was consistent – even though I was expanding the plot, making it more complicated. One of my base lines was why David became psychologically mute and when he is mute.

There is also the obvious difference in short stories and novels – length. The short story has to be more succinct because you do not have novel-length. You can’t have multiple plots in a short story or multiple points of view. How much about characters do you include?

Next week’s blog post will deal with some of those issues.

Meantime, you can read more about the characters and their stories in Beyond the Tripping Point (Blue Denim Press, 2012). Click on the book at the top and it takes you to Sharon A. Crawford’s profile – including book reviews – at http://www.amazon.com. The book is available there in print and Kindle. For Kobo e-book go to http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/beyond-the-tripping-point or go to any bricks and mortar store and order in a print copy. Spread the word.
More info on Sharon A.’s upcoming gigs, workshops, guest blog posts, etc. at http://www.samcraw.com/Articles/BeyondtheTrippingPoint.html

Sharon A. Crawford’s prequel novel Beyond Blood, featuring the fraternal twins will be published fall 2014 by Blue Denim Press. Stay tuned.

Cheers.

Sharon A. Crawford

 
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Posted by on May 1, 2014 in Beyond Blood, Beyond the Tripping Point, Credible Fiction Characters, Fiction Characters, Plot and Characters, Writing

 

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Interview with Fiction Characters by Fiction Characters Part 43

10 Apr
Cover of Sharon A. Crawford's mystery short story collection

Cover of Sharon A. Crawford’s mystery short story collection

There is no Idea Dump, no Story Central, no Island of the Buried Bestsellers. Your job isn’t to find these ideas, but to recognize them when they show up.
— Stephen King, On Writing

In the last post, suspect Cory Swan suddenly appeared pointing a gun at the interviewing/séance session with Dana Bowman, Detective Sergeant Donald Fielding, Detective Larry Hutchinson, Robbie Stuart and the spirits of Roger Stuart and Susan Stuart. PC Oliver is still present but has remained silent, as if in a stupor, from seeing the spirits.

Hutchinson: Put that gun down, Swan before someone gets hurt.

Swan: Why? So you can arrest me? No. I have something to say and I’m going to say it.

Dana: You’re going to tell us all.

Swan: That’s right.

Dana: You’re going to tell Detective Hutchinson, Detective Sergeant Fielding, PC Oliver, Robbie Stuart, and me.

Swan: Of course. You’re all here, all five of you.

Dana (looking at Susan’s spirit. They nod at each other as if in cahoots): Very well. Speak.

Fielding, clearing his throat: Okay, please sit down over there and put that gun down.

Swan: No, no, no, no. I remain standing and keep the gun. You three cops though, take out your guns slowly and put them on the side table over there. Or I start shooting you one by one and Robbie Stuart is first.

The three police officers comply.

Swan: Good choice. Okay, I heard you discuss my story – so far, but not all of it. And I want immunity before I go any further.

Hutchinson: We can’t promise you that.

Swan: Then I don’t talk.

Fielding: We can probably reduce the blackmail charges to a plea bargain.

Swan: A good start, but I expect more.

Dana: And I expect my brother back safe and sound and alive.

Swan: All in due time, Ms Private Eye. Okay. What you guys were talking about is somewhat correct as far as it goes. Sure I blackmailed Roger Stuart and made a pretty penny until he had the audacity to croak. (He looks at Dana). That’s your brother’s fault for interviewing him and getting a lot more details from him.

Dana: And were you there hovering and hiding for that interview.

Swan moves closer to Dana and waves the gun a few inches from her face: Shut up. This is my story.
Dana, her voice shaking: Very well. Continue.

Swan: Thank you. Yes, I was around when your brother interviewed Roger but not hiding. Bast and I arrived together as he wanted me to take pictures of Roger. But that’s not all I did. I took photos of her, too.

Dana: Her?

Swan: Yeah, the second bogus Mrs. Roger Stuart. She walked in right near the end of the interview. She was furious, ranting and raging about Roger blabbing family secrets. She threatened him and Bast if the story got printed and me if the photos got printed. Then the bitch grabbed my camera and pulled out the film. Too bad we didn’t have digital then but I guess she would have just smashed the camera. Then she went after Roger. She picked up a lamp and charged towards him. Bast and I managed to grab the lamp and stop her. We were going to call the police but Roger said, “No, please don’t do that. I can calm her down.”

Roger’s spirit is nodding “yes” at this.

Swan: Bast and I left when she appeared to be sitting calmly at the table. But… we should have stayed because Roger Stuart died later that evening of a heart attack.

Hutchinson: Are you saying that the second Mrs. Stuart scared her husband into a heart attack?

Swan shrugs his shoulders.

Roger Stuart is nodding again: She attacked me again that evening. She knew I had a heart condition. She hated my first wife and my kids. I couldn’t take it and so I died.

Hutchinson: So, you wanted all this to be suppressed in Robbie Stuart’s memoir? And so that’s why you kidnapped Bast Overture?

Swan: No, you got that all wrong. I wanted the memoir to be published. But Mrs. Stuart No. 2 got wind of it and…

Dana: She’s in prison.

Fielding: Ms Bowman, you should know that doesn’t stop anyone.

Swan: You got that right Detective.

Fielding: So, where does Bast Overture fit into all this?

Dana: Yes, why did you kidnap my brother after he returned from his first disappearance?

Swan: I didn’t kidnap your brother. He suddenly appeared in my office demanding answers. He didn’t want to co-operate with me…
Dana: So you tied him up and kept him prisoner?

Swan: What choice did I have? He was going to have me arrested? And that didn’t fit in with my plan.

Dana: But he got away.

Swan: Yes, damn him.

Fielding: But that’s when you started threatening Doris Bowman and David Bowman?

Swan (smiling): Of course. Nothing like a little family pressure to get someone to come round.

Dana (standing up): You scum.

Swan: Sit down Ms Bowman or you’ll meet the same fate as your brother.

Dana: What’s that? What have you done to Bast?

Swan: Not telling right now. First, I need police co-operation – no charges against me and you put me in witness protection – or whatever you call it here in Canada.

Hutchinson: No, you’re wrong. First you tell us where Bast Overture is now because it is obvious you have him somewhere.

Swan: Not yet. I still need him.

Dana: What for?

Swan: Why he is going to come out of retirement and write another newspaper story about the Stuart saga, sort of a preliminary to Robbie’s memoir and also with some updates about what really happened during that other interview.

Susan’s spirit, looking at Dana: Time for Dad and me to step in.

Roger’s spirit, Robbie and Dana nod. Detective Sergeant Fielding and Detective Hutchinson both stand up. Swan raises the gun and fires into the air.

PC Joseph Oliver suddenly becomes alert to what is happening.

Cheers.

Sharon A. Crawford

Sharon A. Crawford’s prequel novel Beyond Blood, featuring the fraternal twins will be published fall 2014 by Blue Denim Press. Stay tuned.

Meantime, you can read more about the characters and their stories in from Beyond the Tripping Point (Blue Denim Press, 2012). Click on the book at the top and it takes you to Sharon A. Crawford’s profile – including book reviews – at http://www.amazon.com. The book is available there in print and Kindle. For Kobo e-book go to http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/beyond-the-tripping-point or go to any bricks and mortar store and order in a print copy. Spread the word.
More info on Sharon A.’s upcoming gigs, workshops, guest blog posts, etc. at http://www.samcraw.com/Articles/BeyondtheTrippingPoint.html

 
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Posted by on April 10, 2014 in Beyond the Tripping Point, Blue Denim Press, Interviewing fictional characters, Plot and Characters, Sharon A. Crawford, Short Story Collection, Writing

 

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Interview with Fiction Characters by Fiction Characters – Part 39

13 Mar

Amazon.com link to Sharon A.'s short story collection

Amazon.com link to Sharon A.’s short story collection

An artist is his own fault.

            – John O’Hara

The lights went out and the painting started vibrating in the Thurston Library board room just as PC Joseph Oliver was showing some information to Dana Bowman. Now, one minute later, the lights go back on and the painting is still. But there is a different character sitting at the board room table. All characters except Cory Swan are from short stories in Beyond the Tripping Point  by Sharon A. Crawford (Blue Denim Press, 2012)

Dana, looking around and almost jumping up at the woman sitting in the chair beside her. Susan Stuart? No, it can’t be. You’re dead. I mean…

Susan’s ghost: True, but I did mention that I do get around in spirit. Sometimes I can manifest myself to a few people.

Dana: And that’s why the lights went out – while you were er, manifesting?

PC Oliver: It’s gone.

Dana, turning to Oliver on her left: What’s gone? The paper you were showing me?

Oliver: Yes. I had it right in front of me.

Dana, glaring at Susan’s ghost: You took it. What did you do with it?

Susan: No, I didn’t.

Dana: Well, no one else was here.

Susan: Are you sure. The lights went out.

Dana: But that was you.

Susan: No. I don’t need lights turning out to manifest myself. Just people to believe I am real.

Oliver: Then who took the paper? Who was in here? I didn’t see anyone. Dana, did you?

Dana: No, but it was dark.

Susan: I might be able to answer that. I’m not the only spirit involved.

Dana: Right. So now we have multitudes of spirits running around and interfering.

Susan: No, just one other besides me.

Oliver: Who?

Susan: Can’t you guess? Who is also dead?

Dana: Roger Stuart?

Susan: Bingo.

Oliver: Okay, I’ll bite. What interest would Roger Stuart have in all this?

Susan: If you will remember, when Dad was still alive, just before he disappeared, he was involved in a sort of blackmail scheme with Cory Swan.

Dana: And I suppose you know what that all involves?

Oliver (interrupting): I think I do. The paper I was just going to show you was a document. It was a marriage certificate between Roger Stuart and his secretary.

Dana: But he was still married to Susan and Robbie’s mother.

Oliver: Yes, but the marriage certificate was issued in Mexico.

Dana: But it wouldn’t be valid in Canada? I mean with Roger still married to your mother. (Dana nods at Susan).

Oliver: No, not valid in Canada or the US for that matter.

Dana: How did they get it in Mexico?

Susan: By not giving any info about prior marriages.

Oliver: You could get away with that there.

Dana: So, Roger Stuart was a bigamist and he didn’t want his second marriage known.

Oliver: Or the fact that he had two so-called marriages with no divorce for the first one.

Susan: Exactly, to both. And Cory Swan wheedled this out of Dad and I believe threatened to tell all if Dad didn’t pay him. Which he did, for awhile, until he decided to disappear with the wicked secretary of the well, south.

Dana: And you know this how?

Susan: I just do.

Dana: You’ve connected with your father’s spirit.

Susan: Oh, all right. I’ve been talking to Dad.

Oliver: If this is so, then it has to be his spirit that took the document.

Susan: Actually not. Dad can’t get around like me. He’s stuck in our old house. I have to go to him.

Dana and Oliver: Then it was you. You lied.

Susan: Yup. A girl has to protect herself.

Susan then disappears.

Dana: What was that all about? She’s obviously got her own hidden agenda? Now we don’t have that document.

Oliver: Yes we do. There’s an electronic copy on the police computer and a photocopy at police headquarters. But I better call Fielding to let him know that Susan is not to be trusted.

Dana’s cell phone rings. She picks it up.

Dana: Yes.

Voice on the phone: Dana, it’s Bast. I’m okay. But we need to talk. You and a few others are in danger.

Cheers.

Sharon A. Crawford

You can read more about the characters and their stories in from Beyond the Tripping Point (Blue Denim Press, 2012). Click on the book at the top and it takes you to Sharon A. Crawford’s profile – including book reviews – at www.amazon.com. The book is available there in print and Kindle. For Kobo e-book  go to http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/beyond-the-tripping-point or go to any bricks and mortar store and order in a print copy. Spread the word.

Also see more of See Sharon A.’s Upcoming Gigs, workshops, guest blog posts, etc. at http://www.samcraw.com/Articles/BeyondtheTrippingPoint.html

 
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Posted by on March 13, 2014 in Beyond the Tripping Point, Blue Denim Press, Credible Fiction Characters, Interviewing fictional characters, Plot anc Character Development, Sharon A. Crawford

 

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Fiction Characters Interviewing Fiction Characters – Part 35

13 Feb

Amazon.com link to Sharon A.'s short story collection
Amazon.com link to Sharon A.’s short story collection

Storytelling is about two things; it’s about character and plot.

–         –  George Lucas

In this post Beyond the Tripping Point by Sharon A. Crawford (Blue Denim Press, 2012) scenario, Detective Sergeant Donald Fielding is back from Barrie where he interviewed Doris Bowman’s next door neighbour, Mr. Crankshaw. Cory Swan the photographer was not in his Barrie home. Detective Larry Hutchinson joined Fielding and Cooks Regional Police backup to check out the premises where Bast and Dana had originally looked for office space for The Attic Investigative Agency. Cory Swan, photographer no longer has offices there and the space is vacant. Dana was allowed to enter the building after police gave it the all clear. The three are now meeting at the actual Agency offices at 10 Maitland in Thurston to check out Bast’s published crime stories for any possible connection to his kidnapping. Dana, as usual, is trying to get “police business” information from the two detectives. Aunt Doris has been placed in a safe house with a constable posted outside.

Dana is booting up Bast’s desktop PC. while Fielding and Hutchinson search Bast’s print files of published stories.

Dana: Bast might have this password protected but I’ll see what I can find about his story notes. Meantime, Detective Fielding, I’d like to know what Aunt Doris’ neighbour had to say for himself.

Fielding, rifling through files: Ms Bowman that is police business.

Dana: Oh for Christ’s sake, you let me see that photographer’s former office and I helped you there. I identified the watch on the floor as belonging to Bast so we know he was there and… So now it’s your turn to give me something.

Fielding: We let you into the room. That’s what we gave you.

Dana: Might I remind you that it is my brother, my fraternal twin who is missing. This isn’t the first time somebody in my family was kidnapped. When David was kidnapped, you were shall we say a little moreforthcoming.

Fielding: David is a child.

Dana: So, my brother doesn’t count because he’s an adult?

Fielding: D…Dana that’s not what I’m saying.

Dana: Then why won’t you tell me?

Fielding: Very well. I will tell you this much. Mr. Joseph Crankshaw saw Cory Swan put something into your Aunt Doris’ mailbox within the time frame Doris received that envelop. He also said he doesn’t trust Cory Swan because he’s heard car doors slamming shut at all hours of the night and when he got up he would see a car that wasn’t Swan’s speed out of the driveway.

Dana: Did he actually see a person? And get a licence plate number?

Fielding: No and No. And that’s all I will say.

Dana, gritting her teeth: Fielding …

Hutchinson: I think I found something.

Fielding and Dana join him. Hutchinson holds up a photo of a young man in a hoodie and a young woman sitting at a table on either side of Bast. Bast’s tape recorder rests in front of him. Hutchinson flips the photograph. On the back is stamped Cory Swan Photographer.

Hutchinson: I know the two people with Bast. The fellow in the hoodie is Robbie Stuart. The woman is his sister, Susan Stuart. Susan was murdered and I investigated her homicide.

Dana: Susan Stuart? Isn’t that the name scrawled on that abstract painting in the library boardroom?

Cheers.

Sharon A. Crawford

You can read more about the characters and their stories in from Beyond the Tripping Point (Blue Denim Press, 2012). Click on the book at the top and it takes you to Sharon A. Crawford’s profile – including book reviews – at www.amazon.com. The book is available there in print and Kindle. For Kobo e-book  go to http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/beyond-the-tripping-point or go to any bricks and mortar store and order in a print copy. Spread the word.

Sharon A. is teaching Getting Your Memoir off the Ground Workshop, Saturday, February 22, 2014 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Details at http://www.samcraw.com/Articles/SpeakersBureau.html

Also see more of See Sharon A.’s Upcoming Gigs, workshops, guest blog posts, etc. at http://www.samcraw.com/Articles/BeyondtheTrippingPoint.html

 
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Posted by on February 13, 2014 in Interviewing fictional characters, Plot and Characters, Sharon A. Crawford, Short Story Collection, Uncategorized, Writing

 

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Fiction Character Interviewing Fiction Character – Part 28 – David

26 Dec

Cover of Sharon A. Crawford's mystery short story collection

Cover of Sharon A. Crawford’s mystery short story collection

The story…must be a conflict, and specifically, a conflict between the forces of good and evil within a single person.

 

– Maxwell Anderson

Bast Overture is still missing. His fraternal twin and PI partner Dana Bowman is determined to find him. She has decided to interview everyone Bast interviewed from some of the short stories in Beyond the Tripping Point by Sharon A. Crawford (Blue Denim Press, Oct. 2012).

Dana has spent a horrible Christmas Day in the dark – widespread power outages caused by an ice storm hit southern Ontario early morning December 22. Thurston, Ontario just north of Toronto where Dana and her son David live got hit and power wasn’t restored there until 8 p.m. Christmas Day. She and David also spent a bleak Christmas without her fraternal twin, Bast Overture who has been missing since Halloween.

Today, Boxing Day, she is back in the library boardroom. After David drew a dark picture of the inside of the room and Bast’s head – drawn kid style but she can’t mistake the red hair and beard – in that abstract picture on the wall, and David’s continual pointing at the picture, Dana has no choice. She calls her friend, Sara, the head librarian, and Sara lets them into the boardroom, where they now sit.

Dana: David, I wish you could tell me what you mean by that picture.

David continues to point at his drawing and then at the abstract on the far wall.

Dana: I can see anything but the abstract – the lines, squares, colours. Nothing. What do you mean?

David continues pointing at his picture and the abstract. Dana looks back and forth between the two.

Dana: David, I can’t see anything on the painting on the wall. What do you see?

David starts nodding his head frantically and pointing back and forth.

Dana: Still nothing.

David grabs Dana’s hand and lifts it up so her fingers are pointing forward towards the painting on the wall.

Dana, shaking her head and looking straight ahead, then down at David’s painting: Still nothing, son. Sorry.

The lights suddenly go out.

Dana: Shit, not again. Sorry David.

Dana feels David gripping her hand harder. She looks up and across at the painting.

The abstract painting lights up in the dark and Bast’s face suddenly appears to be coming from the painting.

Dana:  Bast? Is that you? Are you there?

The lights come back on. Dana continues to look at the painting on the far wall. It is only an abstract.

Happy New Year to all and hope 2014 is much better for all than crappy 2013 was and is.

Cheers.

Sharon A. Crawford

You can read more about the characters and their stories in Beyond the Tripping Point (Blue Denim Press, 2012). Click on the book at the top and it takes you to my profile – including book reviews – at www.amazon.com. The book is available there in print and Kindle. For Kobo e-book  go to http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/beyond-the-tripping-point or go to any bricks and mortar store and order in a print copy. Spread the word.

 
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Posted by on December 26, 2013 in Beyond the Tripping Point, Credible Fiction Characters, Sharon A. Crawford

 

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Interview of Fiction Character by Fiction Character – Part 27 – Robbie

19 Dec

Amazon.com link to Sharon A.'s short story collection

Amazon.com link to Sharon A.’s short story collection

I try to leave out the parts that people skip.

–           Elmore Leonard

Bast Overture is still missing. His fraternal twin and PI partner Dana Bowman is determined to find him. She has decided to interview everyone Bast interviewed from some of the short stories in Beyond the Tripping Point by Sharon A. Crawford (Blue Denim Press, Oct. 2012). Last week she talked to Todd, Chrissie’s somewhat mysterious co-worker in “Missing in Action.” Dana is still trying to get another interview with Detective Larry Hutchison but he is still not returning her calls. However, she has tracked down Chrissie’s elusive cousin Robbie Stewart and today she will be talking to him – if he bothers to show up.

Dana taps her fingers on the boardroom table and glances at her digital watch for at least the tenth time. Robbie Stewart is 15 minutes late but what did she expect of a guy who disappears regularly and shows up only when someone in the family dies. She stares at the abstract painting at the end of the room. Yet again, she wonders what everyone else seems to be seeing there and for some reason she can’t see. Maybe she’ll have to bring David back in – although she hesitates to do so considering all he’s been through. But children can often see things grownups can’t.

Dana muttering to herself: Come on Robbie. The sooner you get here the sooner we get the interview done.

Robbie (from behind Dana): I’m here. Sorry, had transportation problems with the GO.

Dana (swinging around). Robbie, you startled me. Thanks for coming. Yeah, this is Thurston, not Toronto but you know there is that new bus transit system for the area. You don’t need to take the GO.

Robbie shrugs: Whatever. So, what did you want with me?

Dana: As you know my fraternal twin and business partner, Bast Overture has disappeared and…

Robbie: What’s that got to do with me?

Dana: Well, for starters, just before he vanished he was interviewing the characters from “Missing in Action” and that includes you.

Robbie: Yeah, but I wasn’t the last one he talked to. That would be that detective, what’s his name – Hutch something or other.

Dana: Detective Hutchinson. And I’ve already talked to him.

Robbie: So, what do you need me for? Nothing.

Robbie turns to go. Dana grabs his arm.

Dana:  Not so fast. Sit down, Robbie. You just might know something you don’t know you know that can help.

Robbie: Fine. But get your paws off me.

Dana complies and Robbie sits down on the right side of the table, three chairs down from Dana’s end.

Dana: Thank you. Now Robbie, you were close to your cousin Chrissie when you two were growing up. But then you did your own disappearing act somewhere in your late teens. Why was that?

Robbie: You know damn well why. My father left my mother, my little sister Susie and me and ran away with his secretary.

Dana: How did that make you feel?

Robbie shrugs his shoulder: What do you think. Abandoned, betrayed.

Dana: Yes, but you still had your mother and sister Susie and of course, Chrissie.

Robbie: Not now. Some of those people are now dead.

Dana: Did you ever try to find your father?

Robbie: Didn’t have to. The old buzzard showed up back in Toronto.

Dana: But then he died too.

Robbie: Good for him.

Dana: Did you see him before he died?

Robbie: Why would I want to?

Dana: I repeat – did you see him before he died?

Robbie: No.

Dana: What about your sister Susie?

Robbie: What about Susie?

Dana: Did she see your dad before he died?

Robbie shrugs his shoulders.

Dana: Come on. Don’t play stupid with me. I know you and Susie re-connected before Chrissie found out. Why did you send Chrissie that cryptic email?

Robbie: Because I wanted her to know that none of us still living in this family were safe.

Dana: Not safe from what?

Robbie:  Read the damn story.

Dana: I have.

Robbie: Well?

Dana: Tell me about your sister Susie.

Robbie: She was my younger sister. I missed her. What do you want me to say?

Dana: Just the truth. How long before you emailed Chrissie did you re-connect with Susie and what did you two talk about?

Robbie: None of your damn business. This was all before your brother disappeared. Take it from one who knows about this disappearing business. Maybe your brother wanted to disappear and just did it all by himself.

Dana: I don’t think so. I know my brother better than you do and Bast and I were close. He would tell me if for some reason he had to “disappear.”

Robbie: Suit yourself, but it’s something to consider.

Dana pointing to the end of the room: What do you know about that painting on the wall down there?

Robbie: Painting? Looks like an abstract to me. Never seen it before. What does it have to do with me or even your brother?

Dana: That’s what I’m trying to find out. I don’t see anything odd about it, but everyone else whom I’ve talked to has seen something in it and runs out the door.

Robbie: Not me. It’s a painting. Still. An abstract. It’s not going anywhere. It’s not vibrating. Nothing happening there.

Dana: I find that surprising; I mean you do write novels so do use your imagination.

Robbie: Well, my imagination on that painting is zilch. Is there anything else? Because if not, I’m out of here.

Dana: That’s all for now. But I may call you back.

Robbie: Whatever.

Robbie stands up and leaves. Dana is left staring at the painting and scratching her head. She has about made up her mind to bring David back in here. But Christmas is almost here, so she wants to spend a normal Christmas with her son – and not here in this boardroom.

Cheers and Merry Christmas.

Sharon A. Crawford

You can read more about the characters and their stories in from Beyond the Tripping Point (Blue Denim Press, 2012). Click on the book at the top and it takes you to my profile – including book reviews – at www.amazon.com. The book is available there in print and Kindle. For Kobo e-book  go to http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/beyond-the-tripping-point or go to any bricks and mortar store and order in a print copy. Spread the word.

See Sharon A.’s Upcoming Gigs, workshops, guest blog posts, etc. at http://www.samcraw.com/Articles/BeyondtheTrippingPoint.html  

 
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Posted by on December 19, 2013 in Beyond the Tripping Point, Credible Fiction Characters, Interviewing fictional characters, Sharon A. Crawford, Uncategorized, Writing

 

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Interview of Fiction Character by Fiction Character – Part 23 – David Bowman

14 Nov

Amazon.com link to Sharon A.'s short story collection

Amazon.com link to Sharon A.’s short story collection

f you look at anything long enough, say just that wall in front of you — it will come out of that wall.

– Anton Chekhov

Before proceeding with interviewing the story characters her twin brother Bast interviewed in Beyond the Tripping Point by Sharon A. Crawford (Blue Denim Press, 2012), Dana Bowman has to tell her psychologically mute son David that his Uncle Bast is missing. She decides a neutral place, rather than their home, would be best.

Dana and David enter the boardroom of the Thurston Public Library. David has a small backpack on his back. He immediately becomes uneasy.

Dana: David, let’s sit down here. Do you want to sit at the head of the table or the side?

David seems to ignore his mother. He looks around the room and starts to rapidly move his head from side to side.

Dana: Are you all right David? Just nod for “yes” and turn you head sideways for “no.” You know the drill.

David keeps moving his head like he is in another world. He grasps the back of the chair at the head of the table, looks straight ahead, shudders, then with the backpack still on, sits in the chair. He starts tapping his foot.

Dana removes David’s backpack and places it on the table: Are you all right David?

David nods his head but continuous staring ahead.

Dana follows his eyes, but all she sees is the far wall with an abstract painting. She sits down to David’s right. Out of habit, she hauls out her sketch pad and charcoal.

Dana points to David’s backpack. Do you want to draw with your crayons?

David looks up at his mother and nods but makes no move to get out his crayons and sketch pad.

Dana leans over and opens the backpack: Here, let me get out your drawing materials.

David just sits staring at them. Dana begins sketching her brother – a comic representation of Bast with his tape recorder in front of him. Then her hands seem to take over, flipping the page and drawing David and her holding hands and Bast off somewhere up in the top. She takes a deep breath

Dana: David, I guess you are wondering where your Uncle Bast is as he hasn’t been around the past couple of days.

David nods.

Dana: I know I mentioned he had some business to attend to in Toronto, but I didn’t tell you all…

David nods again.

Dana touches her son’s right arm: Actually, your Uncle Bast might be in Toronto and then again he might not. I’m sorry but he has disappeared and I am doing my best to find him. As you know he was interviewing the characters in the stories in Beyond the Tripping Point, well, you know that as he talked to you, too. Anyway, I talked to Detective Larry Hutchinson, the last person to see your Uncle Bast and I’m sorry to say he wasn’t very helpful. He did say that Detective Sergeant Fielding – you remember him?

David nods.

Dana: Well, Detective Sergeant Fielding is in charge of looking for your Uncle Bast. I don’t know all the details here but…

Suddenly David’s chair starts vibrating causing David to shake. His face goes white. Dana gets out of her chair, crouches down beside David and puts her arms around him.

David: What’s the matter? David, are you all right?

David continues shaking. Dana grabs the back of his chair and feels a sharp current run through her hands. Then the chair stops rocking as suddenly as it started. David stops shaking, but the colour doesn’t return to his face. Dana is reluctant to remove her hand from the chair in case it starts up again. But the current has stopped, so she yanks her hand away. The chair and David stay still.

Dana: Whoo. That was strange. I wish you could tell me what that was all about. Anyway, back to your Uncle Bast. Do you understand what I said?

David nods.

Dana: Good. Now, I have to decide if I’m going to work with Fielding or just ask him a few questions and look for your Uncle Bast on my own.

Dana’s hands start sketching something up beside Bast. Fielding’s face appears with a sarcastic grin. She turns to David. David grabs her hand and points to the caricature of Fielding.

David becomes excited, stamping his feet and hitting his finger against Fielding’s face.

Dana: David, do you want me to work with Fielding?

David nods his head up and down rapidly.

Dana: Okay.

Dana hauls out her cell phone and hits some numbers: Detective Fielding, Dana Bowman here. Okay, Don…I need to talk to you about Bast.

Dana doesn’t notice her son staring at the abstract painting on the far wall.

You can read more about the characters and the strange situation in “Missing in Action” from Beyond the Tripping Point (Blue Denim Press, 2012). Click on the book at the top and it takes you to my profile – including book reviews – at www.amazon.com. The book is available there in print and Kindle. For Kobo e-book  go to http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/beyond-the-tripping-point or go to any bricks and mortar store and order in a print copy.

See Sharon A.’s Upcoming Gigs, workshops, etc. at http://www.samcraw.com/Articles/BeyondtheTrippingPoint.html  The next one is this Saturday, November 16, from 4 to 6 p.m. Sharon A. will host (and read) at another Crime Writers of Canada  Murder and Mayhem session at Du Café.

Cheers.

Sharon A. Crawford

 
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Posted by on November 14, 2013 in Beyond the Tripping Point, Blue Denim Press, Credible Fiction Characters, Interviewing fictional characters, Plot and Characters, Writing

 

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Interview of Fiction Character by Fiction Character – Part 17

03 Oct

Cover of Sharon A. Crawford's mystery short story collection

Cover of Sharon A. Crawford’s mystery short story collection

Character gives us qualities, but it is in actions – what we do – that we are happy or the reverse….All human happiness and misery take the form of action.

– Aristotle

Today Bast Overture interviews C.U. Fly. After his previous interviews with Annie Everglades, Ratty, those two wacky sisters-in-law and their dog, Brutus, from “The Couch” by Sharon A. Crawford (Blue Denim Press, 2012)m Bast isn’t sure what to expect. There’s a knock on the door and two people enter. One in trousers and jacket is easy to identify as C.U. Fly.  The other, a middle-aged man going bald and to belly fat is not. However, from his proprietary arm around C.U.’s back, Bast has his own idea. The latter introduces himself as C.U.’s lawyer.

Lawyer: You can understand that at this point, C.U. can’t divulge all. So I will monitor the interview.

Bast: Fair enough. It is not my intention to give away the whole story to the readers. Please sit down.

The two sit down. Bast looks C.U. in the eye, causing the PI to look down.

Bast: Okay, let’s begin. C.U. – may I call you that?

C.U. Nods in the affirmative.

Bast: I’d like to go into your background a bit. I understand you were raised by a single mother. Do you know who your father is?

C.U. No…

Lawyer: What does that have to do with anything?

Bast: The readers would like to know more about C.U.’s background.

Lawyer: The story “The Couch” already gives a lot of that.

C.U. looks at the lawyer: It’s okay. I don’t mind talking about my background. As far as I know my mother was never married. She once told me that my father was someone she dated briefly in high school; they broke up; she found out she was pregnant with me, and he wouldn’t help. And that was that. She never mentioned his name. Fly is my mother’s maiden name.

Bast: Okay. Now, I gather you and your mother were close. How did this affect your adult years?

C.U.: Well, as you know from “The Couch” she used to confide in me and I seemed to be a good listener so I carried that into high school.

Bast: You decided to become a P.I. instead of a psychiatrist because of all the years of university for the latter. What did your mother have to say about that?

C.U. She was supportive. Remember we lived on a tight budget so no money for a long time at university. So I became a PI and opened my business.

Bast: And became rich and overwhelmed with too many clients, many who are shall we say somewhat “shady.” Didn’t this bother you?

Lawyer: You don’t have to answer that.

C.U. But I want to. Yes, it did bother me. So did the time I spent with work. I wanted some free time.

Bast: To spend with Annie Everglades? Tell me about that situation.

C.U. Nothing much to tell. I fell in love with her.

Bast: And she didn’t reciprocate?

C.U. Not at first. But I was sure she would once I got rid of some of these clients.

Bast: Got rid of. That’s an interesting way of putting it when you nearly…

Lawyer: Don’t answer that. (He stands up.) This interview is concluded. Come on C.U. We have a meeting in an hour.

C.U. stands up and looks at Bast as if wanting to say more, but doesn’t.

Lawyer and C.U. exit the office. Bast turns off his recorder. He is glad he at least recorded the interview.

You can read more about  C.U. Fly, Annie Everglades, Honor Rita, Amelia, Brutus II and of course the couch, in Beyond the Tripping Point (Blue Denim Press, 2012). Click on the book at the top and it takes you to my profile – including book reviews – at www.amazon.com. The book is available there in print and Kindle. For Kobo e-book  go to http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/search/?keywords=Beyond%20the%20Tripping%20Point or go to any bricks and mortar store and order in a print copy.

Sharon A. Crawford continues to take Beyond the Tripping Point to several readings this month. For October’s events go to http://www.samcraw.com/Articles/BeyondtheTrippingPoint.html

Cheers.

Sharon A. Crawford

 
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Posted by on October 3, 2013 in Beyond the Tripping Point, Credible Fiction Characters, Interviewing fictional characters, Plot anc Character Development, Sharon A. Crawford, Writing

 

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Interview of Fiction Character by Fiction Character – Part 13

05 Sep

Cover of Sharon A. Crawford's mystery short story collection

Cover of Sharon A. Crawford’s mystery short story collection

The scariest moment is always just before you start.

 – Stephen King

Today Bast is hoping to interview Lilly Clark, the mother of Trish who was interviewed last week. Trish avoids the limelight but Trish promised she would persuade her mother to show up for a brief interview. Bast and Trish have been exchanging texts on the progress Trish has made getting mom to come to the interview.

Note: Trish and Lilly Clark are the main characters in “Unfinished Business” one of the 13 stories in Beyond the Tripping Point (Blue Denim Press, 2012).

Bast’s I-phone buzzes.

Text from Trish: Mom’s coming. See u in 5.

Five minutes later, Trish and Lilly enter the room.

Bast (extends his hand): Bast Overture. Good to meet you Lilly. Have a seat.

Lilly (remains standing): I prefer to stand. And Trish has to stay.

Bast: Hm. Okay, but the interview is with you.

Lilly: I understand. Trish is only here for moral support.

Bast (leans over the table and turns on the recorder): Okay. But feel free to sit down if you wish.

Lilly (points to the recorder): What is that? I don’t want you recording any of this. What are you going to do with it? You’re not going to put it online are you?

Bast: Very well. (He hits the power off button). Now, Lilly, tell me something about your background. You grew up in Toronto, in the east end?

Lilly: Yes.

Bast: Did you have any siblings? I’m asking because your daughter mentioned she wanted to know about your background?

Lilly: Well, she already knows now. I had no brothers and sisters just my parents.

Bast: Sounds like you wish you had a sibling?

Lilly (shrugs): I don’t know.

Bast: Do you think if you had a brother for instance that things would have been different when you were 12?

Lilly: I don’t want to talk about it.

Trish interrupts: Mom, you said you would. And remember what the therapist said – it is part of your heeling. Sorry, Bast. I’ll keep quiet.

Lilly: Very well. I think I’ll sit down now. (She sits down and so does Bast). Maybe a big brother would have helped. Maybe with a big brother that awful er “thing” wouldn’t have happened.

Bast: Do you want to talk about that awful thing?

Lilly: Not really.

Trish interrupts again: That would be telling the reader. Oops sorry. I’ll shut up.

Lilly: Yes, the reader does have a sort of intimate relationship with me when he or she reads my story, so spinning it out in my story for the reader I guess is okay. But I can’t talk about it in an interview.

Bast: Fine. So, let’s talk about the after effects. You moved around the US and Canada a lot. Can you explain why?

Lilly: Well, obviously because of what happened. But in therapy I’m learning that I was acting “normally” for someone in my position. I was trying to block out, run away from what happened because if I could block it out then maybe it never happened. But it isn’t like that at all. It followed me around and I had to return to Toronto. My parents were both dead by now and Trish was turning 12 and I kept thinking what if something like that happened to her?

Bast: And you had to confront this because your demon showed up? How did this affect you?

Lilly: I think it scared me but it also shook me up. No way was that creep going to hurt Trish. So I faced him and I think in doing so, I started to get it out of my system.

Bast: Sort of mother protecting the cub?

Trish snorts.

Lilly: Of course. A mother will do what she has to do for her child even though she won’t…won’t do it for herself. (She starts crying). Sorry.

Bast: That’s okay. One more question. And I’m going to apologize ahead of time, but I have to ask. Do you forgive your parents for not being there for you?

Lilly stares right at Bast. No. Never. (She stands up.) Come on Trish. We are out of here.

You can read more about Trish Clark and her mother Lilly Clark in Beyond the Tripping Point (Blue Denim Press, 2012). Click on the book at the top and it takes you to my profile – including book reviews – at www.amazon.com. The book is available there in print and Kindle. For Kobo e-book  go to http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/search/?keywords=Beyond%20the%20Tripping%20Point or go to any bricks and mortar store and order in a print copy.

Sharon A. Crawford will be taking Beyond the Tripping Point to several readings and even using it in a workshop she will be teaching with Brian Henry – all September events. For Sharon A.’s September 2013 gigs, go to http://www.samcraw.com/Articles/BeyondtheTrippingPoint.html

Cheers.

Sharon A. Crawford

 
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Posted by on September 5, 2013 in Beyond the Tripping Point, Credible Fiction Characters, Interviewing fictional characters, Sharon A. Crawford

 

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Interview of Fictional Character by Fictional Character: Part 10

15 Aug

Cover of Sharon A. Crawford's mystery short story collection

Cover of Sharon A. Crawford’s mystery short story collection

What is character but the determination of incident? What is incident but the illustration of character?

— Henry James

For this interview, Bast tackles Clara’s father William Everett Clarke in “For the Love of Wills.” “For the Love of Wills” is one of 13 stories in my mystery collection Beyond the Tripping Point (Blue Denim Press, 2012).Clara’s father has dumped her mother for a much younger secretary nicknamed behind his back as “The Bimbo.” Hopefully his wife, Heidi Anastasia Clarke will stay out of the picture today,  but she is a loose cannon so you never know.

Bast (seated at a table): Please sit down Mr. Clarke. I don’t bite.

Clarke: You are a reporter.

Bast: Not any more, I’m now a private investigator and with my sister, Dana, I run the Attic Investigative Agency. But right now I’m more concerned with you and your situation.

Clarke (looking around the room): What do you mean my “situation?” Hey, you don’t have any hidden cameras or bugs anywhere here.

Bast: Nope, just my trusty digital recorder.

Clarke (jumping back): Shut that thing off.

Bast: Why, you got something to hide?  Okay, sorry. I just use the recorder for accuracy. Now, let’s get down to some basics. And please sit down. Now, Mr. Clarke, you were married for how many years?

Clarke (now seated across the table from Bast): Forty.

Bast: Tell me something about your wife, Heidi.

Clarke: What do you mean?

Bast: Where did you meet? Your children, that sort of thing.

Clarke (sighing audibly): Heidi was a secretary where I worked as a clerk. We went out on a few dates and seemed to hit it off. We were married a year and a half later. William Jr. came along four years later and then Clara was born a few years after that. William is a lawyer and Clara, well she is Clara. She likes climbing up walls, did you know that?

Bast: Yes, and it seems that she got your wife involved in that in the beginning of “For the Love of Wills.”

Clarke: More likely the other way round. (Clarke chuckles).

Bast: In what way?

Clarke: Heidi is well, what they call her own person with a mind of her own. She’s spontaneous and doesn’t take any nonsense from anyone.

Bast: Is that why she and Clara snuck into the matrimonial home via the walls because you threw her out for your secretary? Do I see a pattern here with secretaries?

Clarke (jumping up and leaning over the table). Now see here young man. I still love Heidi but well, when you’ve been married as long as Heidi and I, you get too familiar with each other and you want something different.

Bast: I can see that, but you did more than have an affair. You moved your secretary in with you and Heidi had to leave.

Clarke: Yes, I suppose so, but I was having second thoughts when the m…”

Bast: Sh. We don’t want to give anything away to the readers.

Clarke (now sitting down): Right.

Bast: Did you trust your wife?

Heidi storming into the room: What kind of question is that? Of course he trusted me. My poor William.

Bast: Heidi, you had your turn last week. And William did throw you out of your home?

Clarke: Now wait a minute…

Heidi: But it was only temporary. I was…

Bast: Stop. Heidi, you have to leave. My interview is with your husband.

Heidi: But…

Clarke: No, this interview is over. Come Heidi, we have things to talk about.

The two leave the room. Bast stares after them and then at his tape recorder, muttering, “I’ll get at the truth next week when I talk to William Jr.”

You can read more about the Clarke family in my mystery short story collection Beyond the Tripping Point, (Blue Denim Press, 2012). Click on the book at the top and it takes you to my profile – including book reviews – at www.amazon.com. The book is available there in print and Kindle. For Kobo e-book  go to http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/search/?keywords=Beyond%20the%20Tripping%20Point or go to any bricks and mortar store and order in a print copy.

Cheers.

Sharon A. Crawford

 
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Posted by on August 15, 2013 in Beyond the Tripping Point, Credible Fiction Characters, Fiction Characters, Interviewing fictional characters, Plot and Characters, Sharon A. Crawford, Writing

 

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