Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book, free of charge,from the author, via Pump up Your Book book tours, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it, all opinions are my own.
I'll be sharing Greg's new book, San FranciscoNights AND a giveaway in a few minutes, but first a Guest Post from one of our favorite writers!
A commonly asked question is how often I write and what is my routine.
I live in Seattle, which is a beautiful, wonderful place to live. I live close to the beach of
the Puget Sound and I love to be outside enjoying it all.
September is a spectacular month—probably my favorite. However, after that the fall
begins and most days it’s rainy, blustery and cool. This is why cups of coffee are very
important to Seattlelites. It’s that kind of vibe and that kind of weather. Put on your
sweater, grab a good cup of coffee.
Maybe go cozy up to a good book or go see a movie-- two other favorite past times of
people who live in Seattle.
As the leaves turn in the fall and the rains move in, that’s when I begin my serious
writing season. I usually spend the summer contemplating and planning my next novel.
This summer I’m very busy promoting my new book “San Francisco Nights.”
When it turns cool and rainy, I become immersed in the new world I’m creating in my
new novel. This is my favorite part of the entire journey as an author.
Marketing not so much, but when I’m creating a new world and new characters it is a
magical high. I can live in a time and place where I’ve never been.
The world which now exists in my mind is 1959 in San Francisco. As I research what life
was like in that time and place, it’s amazing to realize how much the world has changed.
I did live in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1958 but I was eight years old.
I’ve heard writers describe the development of their book as somewhat “organic.” I was
always a little puzzled by that term in regards to writing but I have discovered what that
means.
I start with a basic outline of where I thought I wanted to go with the story and
characters. As you start putting flesh on the bones of the outline, the details add a
richness to the story and , chapters start tumbling out. Following the outline can help you
realize you need to make some changes and the story and characters may need to go a
different direction.
It is hard to describe how that happens to someone who is not a writer. I heard a story
about a wood carver. He was asked by an admirer how he made these wonderful
carvings. The wood carver simply explained, “I take a piece of wood and just start
making some chips.”
I’m at the point where the chips are flying on my new novel. Ultimately, I hope it will be
the best thing I’ve ever written. Next year, I hope it’s finds an audience and readers enjoy it.
However, for now, it’s that wonderful time when I’m promoting my new book “San
Francisco Nights” and I’m in the process of writing two new novels, where the characters
live only in my imagination. They are my private property for a few months this winter.
Then they will become public and everyone will start giving their opinion of my story
and the characters.
This process is what keeps urging me on to write on these rainy days in Seattle.
It's Magic!
Standby, our review post and giveaway is next!
Standby, our review post and giveaway is next!
About the Author
Greg Messel has spent most of his adult life interested in writing, including a career in the newspaper business. He won a Wyoming Press Association Award as a columnist and has contributed articles to various magazines. Greg lives in Edmonds , Washington Puget Sound with his wife Jean DeFond.
Greg has written ten novels. His latest is "San Francisco Nights" which is the seventh in a series of mysteries set in 1959 San Francisco . "Shadows In The Fog," "Fog City Strangler," "San Francisco Secrets," "Deadly Plunge" are sequels to the first book in the series "Last of the Seals." His other three novels are "Sunbreaks," "Expiation" and "The Illusion of Certainty." For a more detailed summary of Greg's novels go to www.gregmessel.com
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