P.J. MacLayne - P.J. MacLayne

Mastery of the One-Liner #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne March 7, 2021 March 7, 2021 Open Book

March 8, 2021

How often do you overhear an awesome one-liner or witty comeback, and tell yourself you need to write that down to use for one of your characters?

There was a time, pre-pandemic, when I used to listen in on other people’s conversations when we ate out. But that was in a different time and in a different world. Even than, it was rare to overhear a line worth remembering. Average people discuss average things. Bills, work, other people. I clearly eavesdrop on the wrong people.

It’s been over a year now since we’ve eaten at a restaurant. We’ve saved a lot on food in that year! Sure, we’ve done takeout, but I’m never in a position to listen in to someone else’s conversation.

But fear not, I have several sources for one-liners and cunning lines. Several of the people I’m friends with on Facebook take joy in posting jokes and witticisms. They are a ray of cheerfulness amid the weariness of political posts. And there are websites galore where you can look for today’s equivalent of coffeeshop chatter.

As much as I enjoy them, I rarely use one in my writing. They just don’t ‘fit.’ Or maybe it’s because I don’t want to copy someone else’s effort. It feels like stealing. It’s different than catching a good line when in public. Here’s one I saw today. Sure, it’s an ad, but that’s the kind of humor I appreciate.

May be an image of text that says 'Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love, and got married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent. grammarly'

And no, I can’t work that into one of my stories!

Do you want another one?

I caught my son chewing on electrical cords, so I had to ground him. He’s doing better currently, and now is conducting himself properly.

Okay, I’ll stop now. It’s too easy to get carried away. And neither of those are true one-liners, so please forgive me. But I wonder if the other authors have had the opportunity to ‘borrow’ a line from real life? Let’s clinck in the links below and find out.

And if you want to drop a one-liner in the comments, please do. Let’s make the world a less-serious place.

Until next time, please stay safe!

March 8, 2021

How often do you overhear an awesome one-liner or witty comeback, and tell yourself you need to write that down to use for one of your characters?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

What’s My Favorite Genre? #IWSG

By P.J. MacLayne March 3, 2021 March 2, 2021 IWSG

March 3 question – Everyone has a favorite genre or genres to write. But what about your reading preferences? Do you read widely or only within the genre(s) you create stories for? What motivates your reading choice?
The awesome co-hosts for the March 3 posting of the IWSG are Sarah – The Faux Fountain Pen Jacqui Murray, Chemist Ken, Victoria Marie Lees, Natalie Aguirre, and JQ Rose!

Cereal boxes. Yes, I used to read whatever I could get my hands on, including cereal boxes. I was raised that it was impolite to read at the table, but no one complained about cereal boxes. So, I read them.

I don’t have that kind of time anymore, and I’ve become more selective in my reading. A book’s description has to stand out for me to add it to my TBR list. I’ll also read reviews. The star rating isn’t as important as what the reviewers say. If the book has a cliffhanger ending, I’ll probably pass.

One thing I avoid is reading books in the same genre I am writing. I don’t want my story and characters influenced by someone else’s work. I’ll wait and read that great-sounding mystery after I’ve finished writing mine.

What’s my favorite genre? I don’t think I have one. I’ll read just about anything. Remember those cereal boxes? I am less forgiving of poorly written books, and will set aside a story that doesn’t capture my attention much sooner than I used to.

Writing this post reminds me- I should take the time to read a mystery or two as I wrap up my final Harmony Duprie mystery. I’ve got the next project in my head, but I can indulge myself for a bit!

Check out some other authors on this hop. There’s a long list down below!

Until next time, please stay safe.

A Plot As Old As The Hills #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne February 28, 2021 February 28, 2021 Open Book

March 1,2021

Is ‘genre-bending’ and ‘genre hybrid’ a reality or a fallacy? Has plot changed since Shakespeare or the Bible?

Let’s talk about the Bible first. It’s got it all. It’s filled with stories of love and hate, treachery and loyalty, peace and war, failure and redemption. There are stories of birth and death, and what might have been the first beauty pageant.

Face it, human emotions are messy. No matter how hard we try, they interfere with everything we do. Is it possible to write a fiction book without them?

I would argue the answer is no. At the heart of it, conflict is what makes a story. So what if fantasy bleeds into science fiction? Does it advance the book? Then it’s fine. There’s a touch of an Amish plot in a mystery? Whatever. Because the genre isn’t the important part.

I tried to come up with one—just one—fiction book that doesn’t bleed from one genre to another and can’t. Even books that have non-human main characters use human-like emotions to further the storyline.

Let’s tackle the second half of the question. Has plot changed over all these years? I’ll go back to what I said earlier. At the heart of every story, you’ll find conflict. Whether it’s the Bible or Shakespeare, that’s what makes a story. And genres are just the window-dressing.

Let’s check out what everyone else has to say by following the links below. And, until next time, stay safe!

Is ‘genre-bending’ and ‘genre hybrid’ a reality or a fallacy? Has plot changed since Shakespeare or the Bible?

That Don’t Impress Me Much #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne February 21, 2021 February 21, 2021 Open Book

Feb 22, 2021

What does it take to impress you when you are reading someone else’s book?

First, thanks to Shania Twain and Robert John Lange for the title.

I’ve written here before about the mistakes that make me put down a book. Lots of misspelled words, grammatical errors, a boring storyline. So, what does it take to impress me?

Let’s start with the story. Please give me something fresh. Unlike many readers, I don’t want to know what the end will be before I finish the first chapter. I want to be strung along. Make me guess the ending. Give me an unexpected hero. How about an old lady who saves the day?

While we’re talking about the ending – please don’t disappoint me. If you’ve spent the entire book building up the female MC, having her learn self-defense and how to shoot a gun, let her rescue herself. Don’t have her lover rush in at the end to save her.

I love stumbling across a well-done book in a new (to me) sub-genre. Let’s say a modern interpretation of Greek mythology written as a love story, for example. Maybe a historical thriller, or a time-travel story that isn’t a romance. The first steampunk novel I read blew me away.

The problem with this is I can easily burn out the genre in no time flat. So, I might miss a really well-done book because I’ve read several mediocre ones in the same category, and they all start to blend together. Heck, once I attempted to read all the James Bond books and even that got tiresome.

I’m not against reading classics, either, although I don’t have the same thirst to read them as I used to. I find the style that many of them are written in no longer suits my preference in reading.

Back to the original question – what does it take to impress me? It’s a fresh approach, a new way of looking at a story. One an author has put effort into to make it feel polished without losing touch with the reader. The book needs to be crafted, not just thrown together. It’s hit or miss. I can love one book from an author and only be mildly pleased by another.

How about you? What does it take for a book to impress you? Let’s talk about it in the comments.

Don’t forget to check out the other authors on this hop and see what it takes to impress them. Just follow the links below,

And, until next time, please stay safe.

Feb 22, 2021

What does it take to impress you when you are reading someone else’s book?

And The Second Runner Up Is #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne February 14, 2021 February 14, 2021 Open Book

Feb 15, 2021

Did you ever get picked last in gym or some other class? Have you used that in your writing?

I was never one of the popular girls in school. Too introverted, too nerdy, too weird, I guess. I had my nose in a book most of the time.

But I had the advantage of being from a large family with older brothers. Along with the neighborhood boys who were the same age as them, I joined in playing backyard sports with them. Baseball, touch football, basketball, or whatever else was the flavor of the day. So, I wasn’t afraid to be aggressive when we played sports in gym class. Even if I didn’t have finesse, I wasn’t scared to get in the way of opposing players, and that earned me a defensive spot on a team every time. Still, I wasn’t the top choice either, leaving me with a sense of insecurity until my name was called. (Why were the popular girls always chosen to be the team leaders by the teachers?)

Have I used this in my writing? Not directly, but the experience may have flavored the backgrounds of a few of my characters. Take Tasha from Wolves’ Knight, for example. She’s always trying to prove herself and drive herself to become better. No one asks her do it, it stems from an internal need.

Her lungs screamed from the lack of oxygen, her eyes burned from the sweat streaming into them, and she could no longer feel her legs. She was past pain and moving from sheer force of will. But she wanted to go farther. Her goal was the meeting of the southern and western borders. And past that if she could hold on that long. From Wolves’ Knight

Was Tasha chosen last in gym class? I doubt it. But the strong males of the pack would have been chosen first, if they were in coed classes. And Tasha wasn’t the type to have been one of the popular kids. She was too serious for that to happen.

Lori from Wolves’ Gambit had it worse. She was the runt of the litter, and was left out of everything. As a result, she operates with a chip on her shoulder, but has learned to use her small size as a tool, rather than it being a disadvantage.

“So, what kind of shifter are you?” Turtle asked.

“Wolf.”

“No, really.”

“Wolf.” Lori shrugged. “Even in wolf form, I’m small, but that’s the way it is.”

“Then why can’t we smell or hear you?’

She moved away the mental blocks that kept her secure. “Try now.” From Wolves’ Gambit

I’ve always had a thing for the underdog, having been one, and that’s reflected in my stories. How about the other authors on this hop? We can find out by following the links below.

Until next time, please stay safe.

Feb 15, 2021

Did you ever get picked last in gym or some other class? Have you used that in your writing?

More Ideas Than Time #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne February 7, 2021 February 8, 2021 Open Book

Feb 8, 2021

Do you get story ideas that you know you’ll never write?

I took a nap this afternoon, and woke up from a dream about a Scottish lady returning to the Highlands after being held captive for many years, and deciding whether to go to war and seek revenge. There’s a book in there, but I probably won’t write it. I don’t know enough about the time period (in the way back days) or of Scotland to carry it off. Sure, I could change the location and the time, but then it wouldn’t have the same magic. And what genre would that fit in? Not romance, although I suppose it would be possible to wiggle a love story in there. I don’t see it as sword and sorcery, either.

I’ve got several ideas floating in my head attached to the Free Wolves series. Imagine a special unit of alpha wolves in the US military. They’ve got to find a channel for their aggression somewhere. Those stories would have their share of detailed sex, and I’m not ready to go there—yet. I still have to figure out the story of Counselor Carlson, who lives like a monk despite being the alpha of alphas. And Lori from Wolves’ Gambit has more adventures waiting to be told.

Have I mentioned that Jake from the Harmony Duprie Mysteries finally opened up to me? I thought I was done with the series. (Or will be as soon as I finish editing The Ranger’s Dog Tags and get it released.) What am I going to do with a prequel story written from the anti-hero’s point of view? Well, once I get done writing it. He’s getting impatient because I’m ignoring him and concentrating on Harmony’s last book.

Did I tell you the one about…okay, I’ll quit now. You get the picture. Ideas aren’t my issue. Well, they are because I don’t have enough time to write all of them. Or they aren’t right for me at the moment. I’m sure there are ideas I’ve had that I’ve forgotten. I’ve never made a habit of writing them down to come back to. There was one about a private eye on a cruise ship, chasing the bad guys over the hills of Italy….

Enough already! I need to quit while I’m ahead and go check out the other authors on this hop. Come with me by clicking on the links below.

Until next time, please stay safe.

Do you get story ideas that you know you’ll never write?

Someone to Lean On #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne January 31, 2021 February 1, 2021 Uncategorized

Feb 1, 2021

Do your family and friends support your career as a writer?

This is a tough question to answer because the answer depends upon how I’m feeling at the moment. I’ll give it a shot.

First, the good stuff.

I have one talented sister who is a graphic artist. She’s responsible for making my covers come to life. She’s also been known to gently laugh at my feeble attempts to put together memes for advertising and lead me in a better direction. I appreciate her efforts and tell her so as often as I can. Thanks, K.M.!

Another sister is a faithful reader of this blog. She may not comment, but I’m thinking of her as I write each entry, trying to see it through her eyes. (She was an English major and worked as a technical writer. I’m looking for errors she might point out.)

I have a sister-in-law who is a big fan of The Harmony Duprie books, and I appreciate her quiet support. My mother doesn’t always understand some of the crazier things I include in my books, (the Free Wolves books aren’t her cup of tea) but she reads them, anyway. And comes up with amusing comments. “Joe and Luke (from the Harmony Duprie Mysteries) are “interesting,” aren’t they?”

Then there are my coworkers. They put up with me, and several buy my books even if they aren’t my target audience. One guy admits he’ll never read them, but has bought a paperback copy of each of my books as a way of supporting my efforts. My boss buys copies too, and even cracks them open in his spare time. And then there’s Jenny, who has done photo shoots for me when I needed new author photos. I appreciate it, Jenny, even if you’ve moved away and deserted me.

With all that support, some of you are probably asking how I can have anything to complain about.

Here’s the thing: I come from a large family. And my hubby is from a large family. (Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten to mention him. I’m saving the best for last.) If all of my extended family members bought my books on the day of release, I’d have a top 100 book each time. (Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but only slightly. The families are that big if you include cousins and nieces and nephews.) Most of them are vaguely aware that I am a writer, but I suspect they’ve never picked up a copy of one of my books unless they wandered across one at my mother’s house.

I will accept the blame for that. I moved far away from the rest of my family when I was 18 , and most of them have only met me once or twice. Or not at all, when you count in the spouses and great-nephews and great-nieces. (Geesh, I feel old now.) It’s not like they actually know me.

Not everyone is as lucky as me, so I’ll gladly take what I can get. The complaints stem from that fragile writer’s ego at work. I want everyone to love my stories as much as I do!

Back to the best stuff. My dear hubby. I can’t say he loves the hours and hours that I spend writing, because it takes time away from him, but he doesn’t complain about them either. (Well, not as much as he could!) He tries to understand how important writing is to me, and encourages me to keep at it, even when I’m feeling discouraged. I’m glad he’s stuck around all these years, I like having him around.

Now that I write it all, I feel lucky compared to some other writers I know. I wonder how the other authors on this hop fare? Let’s go find out by following the links below.

Until next time, please stay safe!

Feb 1, 2021

Do your family and friends support your career as a writer?

The Action’s in the Back #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne January 24, 2021 January 24, 2021 Open Book

Jan 25, 2021

What’s your best technique for working around backstory dumps??

The long-winded story of how two clans became mortal enemies. The intricate description of the landscape for miles and miles. The tale of the little girl and her imaginary best friend. Most writers know the pain of trying to figure out where the story really starts.

I’m guilty. I recently chopped off about 600 words from the beginning of The Ranger’s Dog Tags. They weren’t really backstory, but because I referred to the same info later in the chapter, I decided I didn’t need to tell the reader about it twice. It also allowed me to start the story at a more exciting point.

The squad car screamed down the street, its red and blue lights tearing through the darkness. I feathered the gas pedal and waited for a second set of headlights that followed.

Because this is the sixth (and last) book in the Harmony Duprie series, I had to pay close attention to backstory. I never explained why Eli has a house in both Oak Grove, north of Pittsburgh, and in Florida, since it wasn’t important to the plot. (Eli is the main male character in the series.)

But what do I do when I have backstory to work in? I try to attach it to dialogue. Maybe not as part of the dialogue itself, but in conjunction with it.

“Your Chief Sorenson asked me to pass on a message,” Horace said. “Stephen Sallis is out of prison, on compassionate release. He has an untreatable cancer. Sorenson said to be careful.”

I caught my breath. Sallis was the minor crime figure with delusions of grandeur who’d been responsible for the disaster that played out after Jake gave me a replica of a stolen necklace. I’d had a minor part in his capture. Would he show up seeking revenge? “You think I’m in danger?”

Short and sweet. Then I moved on to advance the story.

It’s not always that easy. Sometimes I have to write several paragraphs of backstory. Stories from Eli’s time in the Army Rangers play a prominent part of the book. But rather than tell the tale all at once, I feed it to the reader in little bits and pieces.

On the other hand, I’m toying with Jake’s origin story. I don’t know what I’m going to do with it, but it’s been fun to delve into his history. In a way, the whole darn thing is backstory. (Jake is the anti-hero on the series. The book revolves around his relationship with Harmony Duprie before the events in The Marquesa’s Necklace.)

Anyway, that’s my trick. Try to intersperse dribs and drabs of the backstory throughout the story. Enough to give the reader a sense of the history without overwhelming them. Now, I’m going to follow the links below and see what everyone else does to slip in backstory.

P.S. I haven’t set a release date for The Ranger’s Dog Tags yet, but I’m getting closer. Stay tuned!

Until next time, please stay safe.

Jan 25, 2021

What’s your best technique for working around backstory dumps??

Tools of the Trade #OpenBook Blog Hop

By P.J. MacLayne January 17, 2021 January 18, 2021 Open Book

Jan 18, 2021

What software do you use for your writing? Bookkeeping? Artwork? Calendar?

I believe in sticking to basics, unless a piece of software really can do something exceptional. I’m also frugal, so this list will be short.

I do most of my writing in LibreOffice, a basic but free office suite. It’s all I need to thrash out a story. It has the capability of doing more advanced functions, which I’ve never taken the time to learn. Not only is it a writing program, it also has a spreadsheet portion which I use for my bookkeeping. Again, I’m not using any of the advanced features, but I don’t need to. I have access to Microsoft Word, and will run my document through it to check margins, indents, and other formatting, but it isn’t my primary tool.

Artwork? I leave the majority of that to my graphic artist. Folks, I’m just not good at it. I can throw together something painfully simple using Canva, but I don’t have an eye for anything spectacular. Fonts? Spacing? Balance? Colors? Not my specialty.

First round of editing is done on ProWritingAid. I used to use the free version, and the character limit made it a struggle. I was gifted with a full version of it by my daughter, and it’s a world of difference. Yes, sometimes I disagree with the results and it occasionally skips a misplaced word, but overall, it does everything I need in a first-round check. One warning- it can get confused with commas in some cases, but don’t we all?

I use WordPress for blogging for one simple reason—the amount of documentation out there for help using it, and much of it free. Once I found the right template to use, I’ve stuck with it.

Calendars? I’ve got nothing. I’ve tried several things, and none “stick.” Of course, the past year, I haven’t needed to do much, and I’ve got most of the sticky notes cleared off my desk.

I’ve heard of a new tool called Fictionary. It’s supposed to help with plotting. There’s good “buzz” about it, but I’m waiting until I get my current WIP back from my editor before downloading the free trial.

Want to hear about more? Check out the Alliance of Independent Authors’ (ALLi) guide to ultimate tools and tech. It’s got everything from a favorite pen to distraction eliminating software. I didn’t even know that was a thing! You can find it here The Ultimate Guide to Tools and Tech for Indie Authors — Alliance of Independent Authors: Self-Publishing Advice Center.

Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay

Before I go, I should mention one more set of tools—the good old-fashioned paper and pen. Sometimes, that’s the only thing that will satisfy my creative urge. Scrawling words on paper and watching the loops and dots formed from the ink flow.

Let’s find out what tools the other authors use. Just follow the links below. And if you have a favorite you think I should try, tell me about it in the comments.

Until next time, please stay safe!

Jan 18, 2021

What software do you use for your writing? Bookkeeping? Artwork? Calendar?

Author: P.J. MacLayne

Mastery of the One-Liner #OpenBook Blog Hop

What’s My Favorite Genre? #IWSG

A Plot As Old As The Hills #OpenBook Blog Hop

That Don’t Impress Me Much #OpenBook Blog Hop

And The Second Runner Up Is #OpenBook Blog Hop

More Ideas Than Time #OpenBook Blog Hop

More Than Sharing Stories #IWSG

Someone to Lean On #OpenBook Blog Hop

The Action’s in the Back #OpenBook Blog Hop

Tools of the Trade #OpenBook Blog Hop

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