I thought it would be fun to pick gifs for certain characters of mine. Some were easier than others. Not that the characters necessarily look like the gif, but it fits their personality.
Freddie, for example:
Motts:
Vina:
Remi:
Francis:
Also, Freddie:
Scottie:
In 2016, I wrote a post about writing advice that boiled down to simply sitting in a chair and writing. Still true. But I can think of a few more things I’ve learned in the last five years so I thought I’d revisit the post.
First, Do Not Respond To Reviews. And especially don’t respond to bad reviews. Don’t call the readers out. Stay off Goodreads if it’s bad for your mental health. Nothing good ever comes from responding to a negative review.
So, just don’t. Don’t track the reviewers down either. It’s unhealthy, at the very least.
Second, take all advice on writing with a grain of salt because what works for one author might not work for you.
Third, toxic productivity is a thing. Don’t get sucked into the idea you have to write/publish at a particular pace. It will only lead to burn out.
Fourth, read your contracts carefully.
Fifth, find people who want to support you with no strings attached. It’s brilliant when you have a healthy connection to other authors or people in the writing community. Just be careful about expectations.
Sixth, there are many paths to publishing. Find one that works for you.
Seventh, a good editor is worth their weight in gold.
Eighth, not every story is yours to tell.
Ninth, don’t steal images from photographers. Seriously. Don’t. If plagiarism in books bothers you, stealing from photographers should as well.
Tenth, or maybe 9.5, learn what you can about copyrights. It can help you avoid a lot of scary legal trouble.
….in Ghost Light Killer.
The first inspiration for Ghost Light Killer came from this dance choreography from the brilliant Travis Wall on So You Think You Can Dance. It introduced me to the concept of ghost lights within the theatre world something I’d never heard about.
The idea of lights being left on stage to greet or fend off ghosts is intriguing.
In general, I have mixed thoughts about ghosts and paranormal stuff. I’m not entirely convinced in the concept. Yet, I’ve had strange experiences that I can’t explain.
As a child, there were lights that used to go up the stairs into my bedroom. They’d reach my room and I’d toss and turn. My parents claim it happened several times.
Weird.
There are loads of ghost stories from the West End.
There’s even a travel guide to the most haunted theatres: https://www.westendtheatre.com/21739/visitinglondon/travel-guide/londons-most-haunted-theatres/.
I won’t spoil anything from Ghost Light Killer. Though, it does make writing this post tricky. I can’t give all the inspiration because it might give something away.
The theatre in the novel is one I’ve made up. I took inspiration from the iconic Drury Lane. The Theatre Royal was also a visual inspiration for my made-up one.
(Don’t take a shot every time I write inspiration or theatre.)
The theatre had to be an older one. The vibe in a newer one wouldn’t have been right at all. There’s not enough life and history in a new building.
How about you? Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever had a paranormal experience?
….for Ghost Light Killer.
Before Ghost Light Killer became Ghost Light Killer, I went through a series of other ideas for the title. I thought it might be fun to share them.
In the end, when I hit on Ghost Light Killer, I immediately knew I’d found the perfect title for the next adventure for Osian and Dannel.
….in Ghost Light Killer.
Before I write any book (and particularly when starting a new series,) I fill out several pages of character notes for the main characters. It includes two pages of questions along with one for details about their friends and families.
One section involving personal appearance includes tattoos.
Tattoos, I feel, can tell you a lot about a person. For Osian and Dannel, they definitely tell a story about them. I didn’t see them as people who’d get random ones without there being a meaning behind them.
Even if the meaning might be silly to some people.
So, what are there tattoos?
First? Osian and Dannel have the same tattoo inked on their ankles. A jam-covered toast with a smiley face and a little heart. It’s the tattoo they’ve had the longest.
The rest of their tattoos are more personal to each of them. Osian has two gaming related tattoos—one for a PlayStation controller and the other from the game Assassin’s creed. Dannel’s main tattoo is one connected to being a firefighter.
They’ve both considered getting other tattoos but haven’t made the decision yet. I’m sure at some point they’d get one connected to musicals or true crime since that’s their joint passions.
As for me personally? I don’t have any tattoos. I’m absolutely terrified of needles. I’ve always wanted to get one but can’t see myself being able to get through the experience.
How about you? Do you have any tattoos?
You can find visual representations of the tattoos on my pinterest page: https://www.pinterest.com/dahliadonovan/the-london-podcast-cosy-mystery-mm-cozy-series/mc/
I’ve binge-watched all the seasons of Hotel Impossible on Discovery+. I thought it would be fun to share the things I’ve learned from watching it.
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