A Sunny, Literary Break

We don’t mean to rub it in, but Linda and I managed to escape the cold north and our flood recovery woes for a few days at the Key West Literary Seminar.  I was invited to join eleven other writers in a workshop/critique group led by Paula Alden, with the purpose of “taking your writing to the next level.”

The workshop was very helpful as I work to put the finishing touches on a prequel to my historical novel, Mariano’s Crossing.  The new book’s working title is Mariano’s Choice.  Mariano Medina falls for Takansy when they first meet at Fort Bridger in 1842, then must choose between abandoning her or betraying his friend, and her husband, Louis Papin.

Paula Alden is the author of The Answer To Your Question, a literary thriller.  Linda and I are half way through it, and are totally in its grip.  A devoted mother is awakened by police looking for her college-age son, who they claim is a serial killer.  The harrowing hunt unfolds in alternating chapters, first through the eyes of the mother, then from the point of view of a poor, uneducated young woman seeking the mother’s help to resolve her own troubles.  Each point of view is authentically rendered, each with a distinct, and very believable, voice.  We find ourselves caring about these people, even the son, and can’t wait to keep reading.

David J