INSIDE A WRITER\’S HEAD

Do you ever wonder what it is like inside a writer\’s head? If you knew what went on in mine, you would want to put me in a padded room. I\’m so glad that God is the only one who knows. He knows me better than anyone, and He knows how I think. Let me give you a sneak peak.

The one thing I think most about are my characters. They are with me all day long, thinking, talking, doing something. They never stop. James Patterson calls them, \”the boys in the basement.\” Even when I sleep I dream about my characters.

For the women, I think about the clothes they will wear, their make-up, their hair styles, and the way they walk. Walking is very important.  Does my character have a profession? What do I have to learn about it? I always find research fascinating.  My current character is Cuban/American, gluten-free, and her profession is a recipe creator. I\’ve eaten very little Cuban food, but I do like Mexican. I am gluten-free, and I\’m always looking for recipes. I miss bread. People have to be hired by companies to create recipes.

The research that I\’ve had to search the hardest for is her father\’s profession. He salvaged sunken ships, a treasure hunter. Of course, he gets killed, so there is another subject to think about. How do I murder him? Who murders him? There are all kinds of questions there. I love writing about murders, and that\’s why I\’m thankful no one can see in my head but God.

The male character is handsome, of course. He studied law enforcement in college. Right now, he is a waiter in a local restaurant. The area is not overflowing with law enforcement officers. The jobs are very few in the area where he lives. He has been in the armed forces, so he is not a young, young guy. He is kind and caring, which qualifies him for the male lead and maybe a new job. I won\’t tell yet.

The murderer is still telling me things about himself. He has told me he is selfish, wants his own way, wants one thing, and will do anything to get what he wants. He changes his facial features constantly. I told him if he is that good, he should be a makeup artist. I never know who he will show up as next, but he is an interesting character. Right now, he is showing his jealousy. He is constantly showing up as a different person with a different disguise. So far, he has had three  different names, and I have no idea how many disguises. He keeps my writing interesting.

Yes, I know how it will end. It will be a different ending than any book I\’ve written. It has been fun to get to know these \”characters.\” They keep my life interesting. Now you know what goes on in my head.