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    First person versus third person …

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    As those of you who’ve read my books know, I write in what is called first person. Basicaly, it means that the story is told from one character’s point of view. In first person books, the lines are usually something like this: I went to the store. I drove home. I cooked steaks.

    On the other hand, third person books are (or can be) written from the view of several different characters: Jill went to the store. Jill drove home. Jack was glad that she bought steaks.

    There’s been tons of debate over the years about which is better, first person books or those written in third person. Some people love first person books, but they are others that won’t touch them with a ten-foot pole.

    Frankly, I just don’t get what the big deal is. When I read, I’m looking for two things — interesting characters and a great story. I don’t care whether the book is written in first person or third person. I don’t care whether the author is a man, woman, or an alien from another planet. I want to be entertained — that’s it. That’s my only requirement. Make me smile, make me laugh, make me cheer for your hero, and curse your villain. That’s all that I want.

    So why do I write in first person if it’s so unpopular with some folks? Well, because that’s the point of view that speaks to me. That’s the one that lets me get inside a character’s head and really find her voice. That’s the one that just works for me. I always think that my books and characters feel flat when I try to write them in third person.

    I have to write in the voice that speaks to me, and for now at least, that voice is first person. I hope my books, my characters, my stories entertain folks. That’s all that I want as a writer. Well, okay, fame and fortune would be nice too, but I’m not holding my breath about those things.

    As for those who won’t read books simply because they’re written in first person, you guys really don’t know that you’re missing — great characters and great stories. I hope you change your mind and give first person a try. You’ll be glad that you did.

    What about you guys? Which do you prefer, first person or third? Share in the comments.

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    Spoilers, no more …

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    Spoiler alert: This post talks about spoilers for my Elemental Assassin books. So don’t read if you don’t want to be spoiled …

    I think I’m going to have to implement some sort of spoiler policy.

    Now that Web of Lies is out, I’ve been getting a lot of e-mails from folks who want to know what happens next — and mainly, who Gin winds up with in Venom (due out Sept. 28).

    For those of you who have read Web of Lies, you know that in addition to Detective Donovan Caine, there’s also a new love interest in town for our girl Gin — sexy businessman Owen Grayson. And given what happens at the end of Web of Lies, with Donovan basically dumping Gin and hightailing it out of Ashland, well, let’s just say that folks want to know who Gin’s going to be spending time with in the future. So far, most folks seem to be on Team Owen, although I have heard from a few Team Donovan fans.

    It’s very flattering that folks like Gin so much that they want to know what happens next — and they want to know right now. But spoilers are kind of a gray area for me. Personally, I like mild spoilers, like if someone has been cast on one of my favorite TV shows or if one of the characters might die before the season is over. I regularly troll over to Entertainment Weekly to get those kinds of spoilers.

    But I don’t like spoilers that ruin a big, big twist in a TV show or movie, like in The Sixth Sense or The Usual Suspects (which I think is a truly awesome flick). If the whole point of a movie is to surprise you, then, well, I want to be surprised.

    And I never know how much of a spoiler a reader wants. Do they want to know what happens in the next book? Do they want to know who Gin ends up with at the end of book 5? I just never know how much to tell people. Also, I don’t want someone who doesn’t want to be spoiled to come across the info online and feel like the book has been ruined for them.

    So from now on, I don’t think that I’ll be giving out any kind of spoilers at all. My lips are sealed. Although I’ll admit that the back cover copy for the books can be a bit spoilery at times. But there’s nothing that I can do about that. So for all you folks out there who like spoilers, read the back cover copy, which is posted here on the website, to get a hint about what’s coming up next for Gin. For those of you who don’t like spoilers, you may want to stay away from the description until Venom comes out … if you can. 😉

    What about you guys? Do you like spoilers or not? Share in the comments.

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    Where to find me on the web …

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    In addition to the blog here, you can find me on the web at the following social media sites:

    My personal Facebook page

    My Facebook fan page

    Goodreads

    Twitter

    Usually, I’ll post quick links and random thoughts to these sites, or direct traffic over here to the blog if I have a new post up. For Goodreads, I do short book reviews of everything that I read.

    All of this stuff is listed in the blog sidebar, but I thought it would be a good reminder to post the links again. Also, I do a free e-newletter every month with my latest news, reading recommendations, a recipe, and a contest for subscribers. To sign up, fill out the form on the sidebar on my home page.

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    Updates, updates, updates …

    11 Comments

    With all the guest blogs that I’ve been doing for Web of Lies, it’s been a while since I’ve done an update post on what I’m working on. Here goes:

    1. As most of you know, Venom, the third book in the Elemental Assassin series, comes out on Sept. 28. I’ve finally gotten the final cover art, which is posted here. Huzzah! The book is also available for pre-order at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

    2. What’s even better is that I now have Venom bookmarks as well. As always, these are free to readers/bookstores/libraries/etc. However, I do ask that folks send me a SASE to help me cover postage costs. If you want some bookmarks, send me an e-mail, and I’ll tell you how to get them.

    3. During the summer, I plan to write at least one free short story (maybe two) to go along with Venom, just like the free stories that I’ve done for Spider’s Bite and Web of Lies. I’m also hoping to get the website updated this summer. We’ll see how it goes.

    4. In other news, reader response to Web of Lies has been really great. I just want to say thanks to everyone who’s taken a moment to drop me an e-mail and let me know how much they enjoyed the book. Thanks, everyone!

    5. As for what I’m writing, I just turned in the final page proofs for Venom, so I have a bit of a break from the Elemental Assassin series right now. I’m using the down time to try something new — a contemporary romance. It’s set in a small Tennessee town and focuses on an event planner who’s so strapped for cash that she agrees to plan her ex-boyfriend’s engagement party to another woman — and ends up falling for the other woman’s brother along the way.

    After that, I have an idea for a romantic suspense/heist book about a woman who gets mixed up with a group of thieves. After that, I have an idea for another urban fantasy series … I think I’m going to have a busy summer, writing-wise. LOL.

    Okay, I think that’s a wrap for now. Happy reading! 😉