Ah, Those Secondary Characters

Your story sings when your secondary character (SC) is on the scene. Your plot comes alive when your SC is around.Your readers beg to see more of your SC.

Uh oh!

SCs create conflict, throw out obstacles and cause trouble. Or they may offer loving support, friendship and wisdom. They poke at our main characters (MC) with snarky jabs or gentle advice and we LOVE them … sometimes more than our main character. And when that happens, it’s as annoying as a guest getting all the attention at YOUR birthday party.

So what do you do when an SC starts taking over your story? I’m looking for answers.  Here’s what I’ve come up with so far.

1. Your MC may be too passive, simply reacting to everything happening around him. Unless passive behavior is his flaw, give him something proactive to do.

2. Your MC needs more voice. Hilarious first person narration can keep your MC center stage. But whether funny, sober, sassy, or something in between, your MC’s distinctive voice should make readers stand to attention.

3. Your MC may not be “likeable” enough. What makes your MC relatable? Why do we want to spend time with him? The more relatable, sympathetic and likeable your MC, the more we’ll stick with him.

4. Give your MC more. Make him funnier, smarter, kinder, wittier, more loyal, more loving, more sensitive – something – more than your SC

5. Finally, you may have to tone down your party guest. Just a little. And save some of that celebrity for your sequel. How do you think Ramona Quimby got her start?


Now it’s your turn. How do you keep your secondary characters in their place?

Posted & filed under The Writing Process, Tools for the Taking.

TIME OUT FOR MONSTERS! wins the Colorado Book Award! Congratulations to ALL!

I couldn’t be more honored and thrilled. And I’m loving my cover bling!

Congratulations to my fellow finalists and all the winners! Here they are by category. Please join me in a rousing round of applause for all!

Anthology
Reclaiming School in the Aftermath of Trauma , edited by Carolyn Lunsford Mears (Palgrave Macmillian)
Biography
Letters from Berlin: A Story of War, Survival, and the Redeeming Power of Love and Friendship, by Kerstin Lieff and Margarete Dos (Lyons Press)
Children’s Literature
Time Out for Monsters! , by Jean Reidy, illustrated by Robert Neubecker (Disney Hyperion)
Creative Nonfiction
Descanso for My Father: Fragments of a Life, by Harrison Candelaria Fletcher (University of Nebraska Press)
Crime/Mystery
KOP Killer, by Warren Hammond (TOR Books)
General Nonfiction
Full Body Burden , by Kristen Iversen (Crown Publishing Group)
Genre Fiction
The View from Here ,by Cindy Myers (Kensington Books)
History
The Admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King – The Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea , by Walter R. Borneman (Little, Brown and Company)
Juvenile Literature
Katerina’s Wish , by Jeannie Mobley (Simon & Schuster)
Literary Fiction
East of Denver, by Gregory Hill (Penguin Group USA – Dutton)
Pictorial
Crazy: A Creative and Personal Look at Mental Illness, edited by Michael Hanna and Tami Leino Hanna (Adams Place)
Poetry
Second Nature , by Jack Collom (Instance Press)
Young Adult Literature
Kissing Shakespeare, by Pamela Mingle (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)

Posted & filed under News to Use.

Why Novels Matter

“Novels offer us not just a map of the human mind but a way to understand how the individual human mind interacts with the world outside.”

For your Friday enjoyment and thought.

How has technology changed plot and theme? How can we have “distance and delay” in a story when we are so connected.? Chime in here.

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Posted & filed under Pay it Forward Fridays, The Writing Process.

IRA San Antonio 2013 – Finally!

Oh yes! IRA 2013 was back in April. And I am guilty of blog neglect. While I plan to post with some textual substance soon, I did want to share photos of one of the most delightful, “working” weekends I’ve ever had.

With fellow authors and agency mates Liz Garton Scanlon and Kari Anne Holt.
With fellow authors and agency mates Liz Garton Scanlon and Kari Anne Holt.

Spotted on my walk to the Convention Center.

In the bagel shop across the street – A Little Free Library!

With the lovely and talented Salina Yoon at the Bloomsbury booth.

Did I mention that Salina is super-funny too?

Salina and me with the Bloomsbury team. Left to right: Caroline Abbey, Beth Eller, Linette Kim.

Signing at the Bloomsbury Booth – you can see little me in the back to the right of the ALL THROUGH MY TOWN poster.

Signing at the Bloomsbury Booth!

Signing at the Bloomsbury Booth!

In addition to the signing, I met up with many friends, did a podcast and video interview, had a wonderful dinner with the Bloomsbury team, teachers, booksellers and librarians, did a panel presentation with Salina, Michael Hall, and Kirby Larsen and signed at Anderson’s Bookstore.

Everyone was so gracious, enthusiastic and kind. The world of literacy is in GREAT hands.

You’d think that packing SOOOO much into 3 days would be exhausting. But noooo – it was inspiring – inspiring me to write more books … which is what I’ve been doing the last month and a half.

Happy June!
Jean

Posted & filed under Appearances, Stops and Sightings.

Sweet Little Book Cover Video Created in 15-Minutes for FREE!

I’m enrolled in Katie Davis’s Video Idiot Boot Camp. And while I haven’t had time to dive into a larger project, I’ve had a little fun with some quick and easy tools introduced in her class.

Here’s a little Animoto gem created in about 15 minutes for FREE.

For more information on Katie’s fabulous online Video Idiot Boot Camp, check out
http://videoidiotbootcamp.com/

Posted & filed under Marketing Minutes, Tools for the Taking.

Another Idea for Author Spots Bookfair Videos

I’m signing at a Barnes & Noble School Bookfair next week, but I’m not able to visit the school prior to the fair. So, instead, I offered the school an Author Spot. Here’s the Spot they’re showing during the week before their fair.

I’ve already received feedback from the librarian that the kids love it!

For more information on Author Spots or to invite an author to record one for you school, see
https://jeanreidy.com/2012/10/author-spots-for-schools/

Posted & filed under Author Spots.

Picture Book Critiques Auction for One Fund Boston

Today, I heard about a young, self-employed carpenter whose hands were incinerated in the blast at the Boston Marathon. So many lives were greatly touched by this tragedy. How can we not help?

I’ve already donated to One Fund Boston. But now I’m challenging you to do the same. And as my way of saying thanks, I’m giving away a picture book manuscript critique.

GREAT NEWS! The amazingly talented Tara Lazar and Tammi Sauer are “in the house.” They are also offering fiction picture book critiques. NOW YOU CAN WIN ONE OF 3 CRITIQUES!

So please, read about One Fund Boston below. Then enter your donation pledge (in $) and your camouflaged e-mail address in the comment section of this post from now until 4/30/13. For each $5 you pledge, you’ll get an entry into the drawing. So, for example, if you pledge $50, you’ll get 10 chances to win. Then on 5/1/13 (midnight Mountain Time) I’ll draw 3 random entries to each win one of 3 fiction picture book manuscript critiques. The winning donations will be verified by your One Fund Boston Paypal receipt at the end of the auction. Critique pairings will be made by random drawing.

And even if you’re not a critique winner, I hope you’ll still consider donating. Because after all, we are Americans. We may be bruised, but we’re never broken.

Peace,
Jean

One Fund Boston: 2013
 Our hearts continue to go out to those affected by the tragedy in Boston. In the immediate aftermath of the devastation and days since, we’ve witnessed incredible acts of humanity from a community that we are so proud to serve.

In light of this event, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino recently announced the formation of The One Fund Boston. This fund has been established to help the individuals and families most affected.

Please join us and our partners in support of the victims of this tragedy.

To learn more about how you can help, please visit: http://onefundboston.org/

Posted & filed under Contests and Giveaways, Pay it Forward Fridays, Picture Book Peeks.

Light Up the Library 1 Year Later … Win A LIGHT UP THE NIGHT Classroom Pack!

During November-December 2011, a group of awesome book-loving, generous folks came together in the Light Up the Library Auction. Using the proceeds from the auction, thousands of books were shipped via container through the Books for Africa organization to Uganda. And one of the beneficiaries was a new library at Musana Children’s Home – a place that’s near and dear to my heart. See the amazing photos below.

Never, in my wildest dreams, did I imagine the effort of so many to create a space so rich and beautiful.

So to celebrate, I’m giving away a LIGHT UP THE NIGHT classroom pack. All you have to do is leave a comment (and maybe some way to reach you – like a camouflaged e-mail address) from now through April 30, 2013. Then on May 1st I’ll select one commenter (sorry, U.S. only – postage breaks me), via random drawing, to win:

  • A copy of LIGHT UP THE NIGHT signed by the author and illustrator.
  • A LIGHT UP THE NIGHT poster
  • 30 LIGHT UP THE NIGHT activity sheets
  • 30 LIGHT UP THE NIGHT coloring sheets 
  • 30 LIGHT UP THE NIGHT bookmarks

Then please check back on May 1st to find out if you’re the lucky winner!

    Posted & filed under Contests and Giveaways.