Authors Electric

I haven’t written on the craft of writing for a while but yesterday morning as I watched a morning show and the cast of the cop drama, Blue Bloods were on which reminded me of the tried and true aspects of character development. When asked what kept it alive and fresh, all 3 guest stars, Tom Selleck, Bridget Moynahan, and Will Estes claimed it was the writing. In Blue Bloods, Tom Selleck plays NYPD Commissioner Frank Reagan, a widower and patriarch of a law enforcement-steeped family. His character is macho, stubborn and lives by a double standard. With three grown children, he steps in to make sure his sons, a detective and a patrol cop that never get any favoritism while he makes deals behind the scenes with his daughter, an Assistant D.A., ensuring he gets what he asks for. Although the show portrays family values of loyalty, mutual respect and they congregate weekly to have a family dinner together its main attraction is that it’s a character driven show. Chara...

One of my friends gave me a healthy living magazine recently. She passed it on as there were some gluten free recipes that she thought I might like. Inside was a small article extolling the benefits of reading. Seemingly reading can reduce stress levels and prevent anxiety. I am sure all readers knew this anyway but, heck, it's always good to have these things backed up by research. I would have loved to have been one of the subjects for this particular research study. Anyway I digress slightly.  So what of reading as a writer. I read a blog post this morning which got me thinking about the different ways in which I read. Also the variety of books I read. The first, and I feel more important, way in which I read, is purely as a reader. I read to get enjoyment from the novels written by others. I immerse myself in the story and spend time in another world. I read for enjoyment and the thrill of being swept away by the story. I would have said that I had catholic tastes in r...