Author: Elizabeth Spann Craig

When I’m meeting people for the first time as a mom and a writer, I invariably get the question, “Aren’t your children just so proud of you?”

I don’t ever hesitate when answering. Yes, they are proud of me. Of course! I’m Mama. But the truth is, they’re not any prouder of me than they are of my husband (who is a computer engineer.)

There are times, though, when they find my insights and career more interesting:

When I go with them into the local bookstore and I answer to ‘Riley’ when an employee there calls out my pen name. (I always remind them when we go in that the bookstore employees call me by a different name.)

When my editor emails me the book covers.

When I get new promotional materials (bookmarks, etc.)

As a writer, I’m influencing them in some ways:

The other day my son mentioned that he might be interested in journalism, so I must be having some sort of influence! :) Although I had to blink at the journalism…not sure how that industry will be holding up in the future.

When they don’t enjoy a book, I always want to know why. They’re able to give a critical review of a book and where the writer went wrong (in their opinion.)

They see writing as a business as well as a form of expression. They realize how important it can be to a writer.

Because books are so important to me, I make sure to hook them up with good reads. When I hear of something I think they’ll be interested in, I get it. Although I take them to the library and bookstore to encourage them to find books, I spend a lot of time making a targeted search for the kinds of books I think they’ll enjoy—I want them to find a treasure (which means they’ll continue being eager to read.) I don’t leave finding books up to them—and because I’m plugged into the industry, I’m finding some amazing books for them.

Where they get it wrong:

Because I know so many writers, they think I know all the writers. They’ll hold up their current books and ask if I know the author. Funnily enough, a couple of times I have. Which just goes to show how amazing social media is. Of course, though, 9 times out of 10 I have no idea who the writer is.

Summing up:

I think it again just proves the point that when we’re writing a book, we definitely need to be writing for ourselves and our readers. Family loves us no matter what—but may not love our writing quite as much as we do!

What does your family think about your writing? Are they supportive? Enthusiastic? Interested? Ambivalent? Does the fact you’re writing change the way they look at books and reading? Who are you writing for?

It’s a good thing my guest post today was only 5 easy questions! I think my brain is still a little fried from my blog tour. :)  Hope you’ll pop over to Jill Kemerer’s blog today for a fun, short interview.

I’m probably not the easiest friend to have.

That’s because I really don’t enjoy going out.

Honestly, if it weren’t for my children and their plethora of activities (and multitudinous errands), I’d probably rarely leave the house.

The funny thing is that the types of friends that I tend to attract are extroverts. This is probably because my fellow introverts are too busy being mellow inside their own houses. And maybe extroverts see me as a challenge. :)

I have one particular extroverted friend—we’ll call her Karen. She absolutely adores people and events and feeds off them. She has many, many, many friends and she treats them all wonderfully—she finds these fun, frequently inexpensive events to attend, calls her friends, they have a happy time, many pictures are taken and shared on Facebook.

Of course, though, when Karen calls me up and asks me to go somewhere (at least twice a week), my automatic reaction is, “No.” Right out of the gate.

Usually, Karen can get me to recant the no. “Elizabeth! Have you got something else to do then? Because it’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s free, the band is supposed to be great, the weather is going to be perfect, our girls can play at the playground there at the park. Why don’t we go? You can always leave early if you’re not having fun. You’ll probably find some characters there.”

And I do usually go. I’ll frequently be a little grouchy at the start, but trying to hide it (with varying degrees of success.) Then…the event is almost always fun, something interesting always happens, my children will have fun. There will be more people I know there. I’ll end up talking to them, too. Frequently, characters and ideas and just raw life will pop out at me at these things and demand to be written.

Then I go home and am completely exhausted and withdraw for the entire next day. And Karen will have already gotten a commitment from me to attend some other event. :)

The thing about Karen is the kind of reactions that she can bring out of me. There’s that desperate way I seize onto that ‘no’ at the very beginning (knowing the likely futility of it). And when she pushes me out of my comfort zone, there’s my usual irritation. But then, when I’m at these events that I never would have attended on my own, I end up with an odd feeling of accomplishment by the end of it. And I’ve frequently surprised myself at how much I enjoyed it. Then I crash. :)

I’ve recognized lately, that I always have a character like Karen in my books. They’re secondary characters to my protagonist and always make something interesting happen. They function almost as antagonists (but aren’t…the antagonists in my books are murderers.) These characters can create some pretty amazing elements in a book:

Maybe the secondary character provides tension in a scene as they push our protagonists in directions they don’t want to go in.

Maybe this supporting character provides some humor (we know the protagonist is avoiding him and what he represents. It’s fun to see them encounter the character.)

This character is frequently someone that the protagonist can’t quite figure out. And can’t really avoid or resist.

Maybe the push that this supporting character gives is actually more of a pull. That’s because many protagonists are extroverts and the conflict would be more effective if it was a holding back instead of a push ahead.

Maybe the character is someone who embarrasses the protagonist in public by saying whatever comes into her head, but ultimately presents the protagonist with a truth.

Ultimately, these types of characters can also bring out the best in a protagonist or actually change the protagonist in some way by pushing the character in a new direction. And this is great for a story because it means a deeper, more realistic protagonist.

Have you got any pushy secondary characters or read any you’ve enjoyed? What kind of effect did they have in the story?

Happy 4th of July to my friends in the States (and Happy Monday to everyone else!) :)

Hope everyone has a great day.  I think I’ve got some fireworks fatigue (late night last night watching them at the pictured event at the outdoor symphony and looks to be another late one tonight), so I think I’ll take a small breather today.

But I will link over to the Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen, which has had some great cookout/picnic food recently! (I’m Riley there and post every Wednesday if you enjoy quick and easy recipes.)

For  barbecue-related recipes try:
Riley’s Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce
Avery’s Burgers and Blue
Cleo’s Fire-fighters Ribs
Avery’s Strawberry Shortcake (Gluten-free)

Today’s post has a nice round-up of recipes for cookouts.

And Cleo Coyle has an amazing cake for the 4th.

To the non-cooks—happy writing!  Hope you’ll have lots of ideas percolating today. :)

Below are writing links that I’ve posted to Twitter in the past week.

Hope you’ll enter this month’s WKB giveaway for a chance to win the “Butt-in-Chair” writer productivity eBook by Jennifer Blanchard.
Two copies to give away! Enter the drawing

Finger Lickin’ Dead released on the 7th. Hope you’ll consider it if you enjoy mysteries, or know someone who does.Download it on Kindle: http://amzn.to/kh7MAp Mass market paperback: http://amzn.to/lfUE2N ($6.99)

What Your Cover Should Not Do: http://bit.ly/jE9iSE

5 Things More Important Than Talent: http://bit.ly/mtuc0U

How to shine at a writing conference: http://bit.ly/kukVuq

Better Queries Through Movie Trailers: http://bit.ly/iyv4ok

The screenwriters’ trick for plotting: http://bit.ly/kogLaW

The Games We (Don’t) Play: How Authors Stay Offline (PW): http://bit.ly/mbjiwb

How Do We Stay Content With Our Own Writing Journeys? http://bit.ly/js0nsc

Possible tax deductions for US writers: http://bit.ly/l421qy

It’s all been done before: http://bit.ly/kD069B @lisagailgreen

Creating an author website? A run-down of the top 13 web hosts: http://bit.ly/ilQ6At

10 Things 1 Writer Learned About Writing By Walking Her Dog: http://bit.ly/lkyqP7

Search my tweets– http://dld.bz/KPgS

How to sell e-books to mobile Twitter users: http://bit.ly/ikgt8m

Quicker Release Times With E-Publishing Doesn’t Mean a Faster Publishing World: http://bit.ly/mStsDP

Can Your Heroine Be Too Strong? http://bit.ly/mg3LBx

Writing for Parenting Publications: http://bit.ly/lfCc0v

What’s holding you back from writing? http://bit.ly/jfDut3 @rachellegardner

7 tips for writing better sex scenes: http://bit.ly/k2Cqdr

Wonder about getting an agent after self-publishing? Links on the subject: http://bit.ly/kZfAql

Magic in Fantasy: Real Magic: http://bit.ly/jAeBcK

Real Life Diagnostics: Voice, Tone, and a Little Bit of Scary: http://bit.ly/ii5TC9 @JaniceHardy

9 ways for writers to use Twitter: http://bit.ly/lub8EP @hopeclark

Contrasting beauty and ugliness in our writing: http://bit.ly/k8D8fU

2011 Online Summer Reading Lists: http://bit.ly/kfKuCU

Dystopian Rites of Passage: http://bit.ly/jTpERv

Does the fact that epublishing doesn’t require expensive paper, mean that word counts may rise? http://bit.ly/j0TDhJ

7 tips for meeting an agent at a conference: http://bit.ly/iy54Gd

5 Tips for Disorganized, Distracted Writers: http://bit.ly/juJS5B

Twitterific–my week in tweets: http://bit.ly/kVQYdZ

3 Dimensions of Character: http://bit.ly/mdTSzC

Threshold Guardians at the Forbidden Door: http://bit.ly/iz30Cr

10 Varieties of Syntax to Improve Your Writing: http://bit.ly/j0KvK5

An agent on email etiquette: http://bit.ly/meqtn7

Literary Agents Try New Role as Self-Publishing Consultants (PBS): http://to.pbs.org/iRTCIT

Best Book Publicists on Twitter: http://bit.ly/lWLXrw

Plots, subplots, and nonplots: http://bit.ly/k4uYSt

How 20 Bad Ideas Can Kick-Start Your Imagination: http://bit.ly/mUnyA0 @TheCreativePenn

Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood (WSJ): http://on.wsj.com/kfh47W

The Mental Cleanse For Writers: http://bit.ly/jdtvLh @Wordstrumpet

Romance novel cliches that can be dealbreakers for readers: http://bit.ly/imIWEd @Sarafurlong

Do you need help with your scene transitions? 261 helpful links: http://bit.ly/fivggV

10 Tips for Spotting Bogus and Predatory Agents: http://bit.ly/iCZg7c @annerallen

Novel Planning Worksheets: http://bit.ly/liW6Bv @traineePRwriter

How to write like no one is watching: http://bit.ly/jIutKm

Promotion Begins With the First Word: http://bit.ly/kxTWEJ @spunkonastick

AOL Hell: An AOL Content Slave Speaks Out: http://bit.ly/jYF2y9

Using ancillary products to promote your book: http://bit.ly/jPADTD

The awkwardness of asking authors for blurbs: http://bit.ly/lGzfty

7 tips for giving a workshop: http://bit.ly/iZAibs @authorterryo

5 tips for your book trailer: http://bit.ly/j4I8xl

50 Things a Writer Shouldn’t Do: http://bit.ly/kEhJx8 @ThreeGuys1Book

Keeping motivated–give yourself a deadline: http://bit.ly/iSiaJk

How to Write Faster Prose (And Why): http://bit.ly/ervbti @GeoffreyCubbage

How publishing acquisitions meetings work: http://bit.ly/lE6AxC

Literary Agents: An Endangered Species? http://bit.ly/mu3gFo @annerallen

Fighting the good fight in part 3 of your book: http://bit.ly/jXrm5I

Don’t keep your distance – capture the experience: http://bit.ly/lWJnXg @dirtywhitecandy

Are Writers Really A Company of One? http://bit.ly/jn65g6 @jhansenwrites

Narrative focus: http://bit.ly/kqcnwz

23 questions to ask about your plot: http://bit.ly/lCd7pj

How to Outline Your Novel in 30 Minutes http://bit.ly/la4Tem RT @Writtled

Do publishers edit books anymore? http://bit.ly/il8hTx

Less Obvious Channels of Description: http://bit.ly/lZikIE

Has spoiler culture changed the way writers write? http://bit.ly/lrrN24

Heightening Emotional Impact: http://bit.ly/kXJBSG @JulietteWade

SF/F Publications and Social Media: http://bit.ly/j2k5iE

4 Types of Blog Posts That Will Always be Popular: http://bit.ly/iqCC2w

How to Get a Gravatar: http://bit.ly/kB3FwL

Word Count or Why Passive Sentences are Evil: http://bit.ly/jP8G1Y

Defining fantasy subgenres: http://bit.ly/m5yy4U

Freelancers: Avoid Hassles With A Writer’s Basic Assignment Checklist: http://bit.ly/lEoQgD

Is Writing A Dream Job, or Just a Dream? http://bit.ly/iypFzE

Are You Making These 10 Mistakes on Facebook? http://bit.ly/lHjXaF

5 Ridiculously Easy Ways To Unblock Writer’s Block: http://bit.ly/kYsUgy

2,068 links to help you format & write queries and to help you know if you’re *ready* to query: http://bit.ly/fYkgJA

10 Cardinal Rules of Book Blogging: http://bit.ly/jEbx2Z

Plan ahead, writers. Tax links: http://bit.ly/iW3lfN & 1 writer’s 5 stages of tax grief: http://bit.ly/mi3SUS @GeoffreyCubbage

50 Things Publishers Shouldn’t Do: http://bit.ly/lV0Uus @ThreeGuys1Book

On finding beauty in writing again: http://bit.ly/mM7f11

Get the biggest bang for your buck from your conference–after it’s over: http://bit.ly/ix9ybC @ExcuseEditor

Tips for building a blog tour: http://bit.ly/jaSHXe

8 Secrets for Getting into Bookstores: http://bit.ly/k50J23

Does Thinking Count As Writing? http://bit.ly/l30mzh @storyadaymay

20 Practical Tips for Freelance Writers: http://bit.ly/kYfWCO

8 Simple Ways To Share Data Online: http://rww.to/l3Kixw

For the perfectionist writer: 5 ways of tackling perfectionism: http://bit.ly/lZlS2T

8 Ways to Think More Like a Publisher & Less Like a Marketer: http://bit.ly/k9jLIg

The power of social networking: 5 easy-to-remember points for writers: http://bit.ly/leEQZu

What Publishers & Writers Need To Know About Google+ : http://bit.ly/mKuggM @GalleyCat

The art of being different: don’t compare and compete, but seek to change the game: http://bit.ly/lVUi77

What theater can teach about storytelling: http://bit.ly/lo0n5b

Dare To Be A High Maintenance Writer: http://bit.ly/jLIoUL

Why Going Without An Advance Might Be A Good Thing: http://bit.ly/mrAF99 @ajackwriting

The 11th Commandment: calleth not editors: http://bit.ly/ipsEAA

9 Ways to Use Social Media to Launch a Book: http://bit.ly/jHcxui

804 links to help you write your synopsis: http://bit.ly/eWeJtB

6 Benefits of Having an Agent in Today’s Publishing World: http://bit.ly/m563KX

How to Find a Mentor in 10 Not-So-Easy Steps: http://bit.ly/ipoVjP @jeffgoins

Kicking Out a Fast First Draft: http://bit.ly/iCS4ny

A Writer’s Guide to Organizing a Literary Estate: http://bit.ly/iRiR3z

Writing schedules, writing setbacks (squeeze writing into a crazy day): http://bit.ly/j01DPw @MaggieBarbieri

How To Break Into Ghostwriting: http://bit.ly/kBsgHU @dirtywhitecandy

How Do You Keep Track of Subplots When You Write? http://bit.ly/lcPOun

Tips for using Excel as a writer: part 1: http://bit.ly/mDmRt0 & 2: http://bit.ly/m8dh4O @jhansenwrites

Should Authors Be Amazon Reviewers? http://bit.ly/msoXjy

The difference Between Plot and Subplot: http://bit.ly/jfbt5s

5 tips for getting a publishing internship: http://bit.ly/ktESni @inkpop

Obtaining Cover Blurbs: http://bit.ly/m011xp

The publishing industry is changing…but agents are still needed: http://bit.ly/iorSTP

Why Your Lack of Focus Is A Good Thing: http://bit.ly/iXhBsH

Building a Slow Burning Romance: http://bit.ly/kbRDlq @RoniLoren

7 Things You Can Do Today to Improve Your Book Design: http://bit.ly/jtMDQL

Query Writing 101: http://bit.ly/kAAd3j

The Most Crucial Step To Effective Book Marketing http://dld.bz/Qf7r @tonyeldridge

How Genuine Are Online Friendships? http://bit.ly/lH1657

What mint chocolate can tell us about writing and finding an agent: http://bit.ly/mhU6AF @alisonwells

How to Build Your Writing Team: http://bit.ly/l8xJTh @jhansenwrites

How to vanquish page fright: http://bit.ly/mnc1yv

4 Novels A Year: The Math of It: http://bit.ly/pC8mH @DeanWesleySmith

How to be Productive and Still Get 8 Hours Sleep: http://bit.ly/md0dRq

Conflict and Structure: http://bit.ly/iKXaU7 @JoanSwan

Tension or Frustration? http://bit.ly/kWEQaG

Magazine Layouts and Your Blog/Website: http://bit.ly/khzxZR @jillkemerer

Making Readers Care About Plot-Centric Characters: http://bit.ly/mR2L4s @JaniceHardy

The Hero’s Journey in Kung Fu Panda: http://bit.ly/jego8t @PAShortt

Where does a fan’s responsibility lie? Amazon’s screw-up with a release: http://bit.ly/lfGuBh @JamieTR

Branding your books with cover art: http://bit.ly/iITorE

The Oxford comma is alive and well at Oxford University Press: http://oxford.ly/mnx8XK RT @BJMuntain

When writers hold a review hostage “for a stellar review of their own.” By @lornasuzuki http://ow.ly/5tuD2 RT @Porter_Anderson

Providing Value on Twitter http://dld.bz/aeMqk RT @Bookgal

Using Your Time Wisely on Facebook and Twitter: http://bit.ly/mDnr3X

An Author’s Plan for Social Media: http://bit.ly/j9JNIw @chrisbrogan

Is your blog eating you alive? http://bit.ly/ledvvT @jhansenwrites

Floating Body Parts or Her Eyes Flew to His: http://bit.ly/miOusc @Grammar_Diva

3 writing tools 1 writer can’t live without: http://bit.ly/jmbtS7#

Varying your sentence length doesn’t have to be frustrating: http://bit.ly/j3zXrKRT @WritersRelief @simplywriting

5 Reasons Photography Will Save Your Life (And Writing): http://bit.ly/kKaw56 @BTMargins

For writing quotes and inspiration: Advice to Writers: http://bit.ly/kaOOvq @AdviceToWriters

How to format for Smashwords: http://bit.ly/jC7Mds

Remember the point of your story…don’t get carried away by the language: http://bit.ly/iIgAi0 @erinlthomas

Thoughts and tips on blog touring: http://bit.ly/mUNdTd

Using archaeology & human history artifacts to find and design stories: http://bit.ly/kpU7Xe @GeneLempp

Why You Should Read Short SF/F Fiction: http://bit.ly/ifDSVl @sfsignal

Putting the Gender in Genre: http://bit.ly/j6gMAq

Speaking at libraries: http://bit.ly/lEgSgl @JohnBetcher

Crime fiction sleuths who hold their relationships together: http://bit.ly/mrGMaW @mkinberg

Writing Advice ~ Overcoming Fear: http://bit.ly/mNHlNw @shelli_johnson

The value in red pens of death: http://bit.ly/lNyW9y @KarenVTavares

Are you accidentally dismembering your characters? http://bit.ly/ltHkUZ @p2p_editor

3 Feedback Traits 1 Writer Loves: http://bit.ly/kwFxwE @marybaka

8 Steps to More Concise Writing: http://bit.ly/lWfOtL#

10 Tips For Building Your Writing Checklist: http://bit.ly/j0N76Q

Agents as publishers: http://bit.ly/m4S8OO

Top 10 ways to make or break your relationship with your agent (after you sign): http://bit.ly/lIMn0G

A mystery writer shares her annual income and expenses: http://bit.ly/mBzgEv

Creativity Tweets of the Week — 7/1/11: http://bit.ly/iGylQe @on_creativity

The vanishing advance: http://bit.ly/jGL9EZ

Things you can safely leave out of your query: http://bit.ly/k9jwGK

Best Articles This Week for Writers 7/1/11: http://bit.ly/liI3XU @4kidlit

The Arc of Your Story: http://bit.ly/mPEbNI

5 Reasons to Blog Anonymously (and 5 Reasons Not To): http://bit.ly/kYPyXN

The Secret to Mastering Plot–Getting Primal: http://bit.ly/m4A52Y

Reaching Out to Bookclubs: http://bit.ly/kMCfZF

Misplaced Modifiers: How Not To Lose Your Reader: http://bit.ly/mqbLP8

Isolating and Understanding the First “Pinch Point”: http://bit.ly/ijNUIU

Prepping for the Market: http://bit.ly/mCpikT

Examples of dangerous delusions in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/jvM86k @mkinberg

7 Reasons Why Your Writing Dreams Aren’t Coming True: http://bit.ly/mk2FkH

Will Self-Pubbing Hurt My Chances? An agent answers: http://bit.ly/lZkchG

Is It Time to Hit the Reset Button on Your Blog? http://bit.ly/jWBPi4

When to Capitalize Words for Compass Points: http://bit.ly/lZGu6K

Transitions from scene to scene: http://bit.ly/mj1cNB

6 things NOT to do during TV and radio interviews: http://bit.ly/iPtFrj

Show versus Tell: Macro-, Micro-, and When to Use It: http://bit.ly/l2l5YU @stdennard

5 ways to write when we’re not actually writing: http://bit.ly/kgc1sz @JulieMusil

How to write fiction that reads fast: http://bit.ly/mexyiC @JaneFriedman

5 Traits That Foster Success: http://bit.ly/jHhze0

7 Ways to Help Others with Your Writing: http://bit.ly/k9Otqm

Feedback on Your Work: Knowing What to Ignore: http://bit.ly/l8QMEA

Reasons manuscripts get rejected: http://bit.ly/j5jSFE

5 Telltale Signs of an Amateur Writer : http://bit.ly/mrvcQQ

Indistinguishable From Magic: http://bit.ly/kZw15Y

7 Ways Freelance Writers Can Find Better Pay: http://bit.ly/k5tuqn

9 Tips for Emailing Important People: http://bit.ly/ijx6hl

Protecting Your Online Life With Secure Passwords: http://bit.ly/jk3ttd

Procrastination: The Ultimate Writing Tool: http://bit.ly/kYmtLN

Extreme vs Mundane Protagonists: http://bit.ly/jcDX44

The Hero’s Journey: A Thumbnail Sketch of Real Life: http://bit.ly/jKzwm9

Writing About Faith And Religion: http://bit.ly/iPNNnr @thecreativepenn

DRM and e-publishing: http://bit.ly/kcDRyN

Slowly, Alzheimer’s Erases a Poet’s Gifts and Memories (NY Times): http://nyti.ms/k9KH1v