How to Write

I just finished Stephen King's writing manual/memoir, On Writing, and it was excellent. I've always been a fan of King's writing, if not his subject matter, and in this book, he gives practical and accessible (and entertaining) instruction. Basically, he says writers have to read and understand Strunk and White, eliminate adverbs, and write honestly. That last one is a vague and elusive concept, but King is right that it's the key and he gives great instruction on how to do it. His publishing suggestions are weak and a little out of touch with the current climate, but he does well by directing aspiring authors to the Literary Marketplace and The Writer's Market (both available in most libraries). And don't tell me you don't like reading horror. This book isn't about horror. It's about how to write, and it's written by a man who is very successful in the field.

On a good note, May Day hasn't fallen off the amazon earth, June Bug preorders are outselling the work of that other Lourey on amazon, I've been invited to speak at another local book club, and my kids are happy and healthy. Zoe turns eight today! She had her party yesterday, and today, we're going to hit Crazy Days at the Library.

First, though, let me tell you that I just finished Monkeewrench, by the mother-daughter team of PJ Tracey. I usually like their stuff, but found Monkeewrench to be just a good thriller as opposed to a great one, like Live Bait. The two major issues--too many characters and a loud and fumbling deux ex machina--can be attributed to this being their first novel in the series. This is called first book disorder (FBD: see, phonetically spelling out Kennie Rogers' Southern accent in May Day). The book was still a good read, and I'm excited to check out Snow Blind when it comes out. The authors will be at Once Upon a Crime in Minneapolis on Monday, August 7, and if you're close, I encourage you to go. The bookstore is fantastic, and it'd be interesting to hear how the two of them collaboratively write these complex thrillers.

Okay, off to Crazy Days!!! Happy week.