Bringing the Quirky to My Characters

My writing began with a failing effort by my main character, J Dub Schroeder, at a PGA qualifying event in Texas. Also known as Q-School to professional golfers, the week pits the best golfers in the world against each other to distinguish which new rookies will play on the professional tour. If the players finish in the top twenty after six grueling days of competitive golf, then they earn their badge and take their place on the tour.

J Dub falls just short in his bid to play on the tour. He then becomes a local club pro and operates a public golf facility known as Prairie Winds on the east side of suburban St. Louis. The southern Illinois course is popular with the golfers from Missouri and is one of the busiest stops for local golf enthusiasts. Without J Dub's disappointment at Q-School, Prairie Winds would have been a very different place.

One of my favorite tasks in writing is creating diverse personalities that have quirky character traits, as I think it makes the people on my pages more memorable . . . and it's just fun! My stories are filled with dysfunctional men and women. They chain smoke, overeat, suffer from a variety of afflictions, struggle with sexuality, and have unusual ways of handling the circumstances in their lives.

A barber who hails from Beirut is in the clubhouse at Prairie Winds frequently. A Hispanic landscaper from Chihuahua, Mexico is also a regular. A Japanese businessman spends time in the clubhouse whenever he is in town and has developed strong friendships with the local guys. There are retired and ornery old-timers and a professional comedian that uses his friendly audience to relive his vaudeville days.

There are so many unique individuals with whom we have the opportunity to come into contact every day. How often do we take a chance to strike up a conversation with someone new?  Maybe you can start by meetig some of the characters in my books. And, you just may find one who reminds you of someone you know.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Colorful Men Find Themselves on My "P" Page

 One of the con artists in my first book, Lifetime Loser, is the owner of a title company named George Pierce. He is instrumental in obtaining a power-of-attorney form and subsequently forging the signature of an old lady on many real estate documents. He ultimately flees the country after collecting all of the loot on the property transactions.

A character that I have fallen in love with is a regular at Prairie Winds Golf Course named Andrew. Half of the world calls him Andy and the other half calls him Drew. However, after a sudden U-turn in an interstate median during a golf vacation the guys at the golf course nicknamed him Pork Chop to commemorate the pork chop and eggs special featured at the highway diner that had caught his attention while behind the wheel. The short, heavy set character is an eating machine and can often be counted on to share remnants of his previous meal on the front of his shirt.

The title character in Pabby’s Score, my fifth and most recent novel, is an autistic teen. The fourteen-year-old who lives at Footprints of Hope foster care center shows up at Prairie Winds for an orientation program into life away from the orphanage. His personality is magnetic and the regulars quickly adopt him as one of their own. But Pabby’s adventure is not without its ups and downs. I hope that many readers will be cheering for him as the story unfolds.

Peel It Backe was the stage name I created for Tyrone Munroe, who is also known as BowTye to the guys at Prairie Winds. He first appears in Finish Line. The diminutive black man made American history as the king of the rockabilly blues as he played the honky-tonk bars up and down the Mississippi river. After the Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans, a church program relocated the legend to St. Louis where J Dub and the guys at Prairie Winds adopted him.

Oliver Pudge made his debut in Pabby’s Score and his physique fits his name. He looks like a pumpkin on two toothpick legs and is as soft as the cream in a doughnut. Pudge is an attorney who is easily swayed, inefficient, and essentially a product of a failed legal system. His role in the story is fairly minor but he is a character that I will surely use in future works.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Title Characters are Highlighted When the Letter "O" is Discussed

Opur is the main character of my fourth novel. The young boy is dropped off at the golf course for summer lessons and his very first swing broadcasts his gift to the head pro. The ball clangs off the 100-yard marker and the lad is deemed a prodigy. We follow his journey to discover himself by way of his talent throughout Opur’s Blade. The story is as much about teen strife as it is the adventure and desire planted in all of us that drives us to overcome obstacles. Opur’s path eventually takes him to The Classic--The Masters--America’s golf pinnacle. But, golf proves to be only a sideshow considering the other events that unfold.

Ostrahemial Puld is a black evangelist preacher that I created in Tuey’s Course. He relocated to the St. Louis area from the banks of the Red River in Arkansas and Oklahoma. We find the local pulpit is merely a conduit for his true desire, which is to spread the gospel via satellite TV. Praise the Lord!

The main character in this same novel is a man named Tuey O’Tweety. His professionals aspirations are continually hindered by the powers-that-be at City Hall. The harassment by these elected officials becomes too much for the impoverished minority businessman. He reacts in ways that make sense to him but are radical to the mayor and aldermen. With a growing sense of solitude, depression follows. How will Tuey O’Tweety handle the pressure?

Finally, Owen Purler is the name of both father and son in my fourth book, Opur’s Blade. Owen, Sr. is an over-the-road owner/operator of an eighteen-wheeler who is away from home for weeks at a time. Not surprisingly, Owen, Jr. finds himself in need of a better and more present father figure. The head golf pro at Prairie Winds Golf Course enters the picture and their relationship flourishes. Will Owen, Sr. abandon his son forever, feeling that his abandonment is justified by this new replacement? Read the surprising outcome.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Networking -- A Word Most Authors Know Well

Before I focus today's post on two important topics beginning with the letter "N," I wanted at least to share one character associated with the letter as well.

The father of the title character in my fourth novel, Opur's Blade, is nicknamed Nada. Owen Purler, Sr. is only a teenager when he impregnates his high school girlfriend, who is upset by his lack of motivation and chides him about his excessive beer drinking. She insists that if Owen doesn’t change his ways, then he won’t amount to anything in life. In a moment of anger leveled at her unborn baby's father, she blurts that he’ll be nothing--Nada. And the nickname stuck.

Nada becomes an over-the-road truck driver and eventually files for a divorce after he falls for a younger girl from Russia during his travels. One unfortunate result, as is so often the case with divorce, is that Owen strands his son during a critical time. Nada never disappears entirely, though, and the storyline eventually comes full circle.

Now, on to two issues are important to all authors, I believe--names and networking.

Naming characters gives me about as much pleasure as dreaming up plots. I love to create memorable men and women to occupy the pages of my novels. I want them to be so off-the-wall that any reader will forever remember their actions. One of the ways to etch that creation in the reader’s mind is to dream up a name that is so catchy and impressive that it is instantly unforgettable. If you've read any or all of my books, I would love to hear if one of my characters stuck with you in a particular way.

And, every writer who wishes to share his work must become familiar with networking. Our world has changed. It used to be that an author sought an agent who then opened doors to publishing houses. The Internet has changed that. Now anyone can get his manuscript published. That’s the easy part.
Driving sales is where the hard work truly lies. Through the use of keywords, fresh content (such as that provided by this blog challenge!) and social networking sites, authors have the opportunity to spread their work and go viral. It takes patience and organization but getting the message to readers is an important step in the sales process, and the efforts online can be quite rewarding at very little cost. 

If you are a writer, what has proven to be your most effective networking outlet?

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Memories with the Letter M

The letter “M” in the A to Z blog challenge brings back (appropriately enough) fun Memories for me. Some of my favorite characters start with the letter M and I am happy to share a few of them with you in this post.

Margaret Morton is an elderly widow who was conned out of her life savings in Lifetime Loser. Every snake needs prey to devour and she is the unsuspecting victim in the smooth swindling of her entire estate. After the death of her husband, professional crooks forged the power-of-attorney document that led to accounts being completely cleaned out. The heirs to her state were left with a mess on their hands.  With the recent scandals such as Bernie Madoff's stealing of millions of dollars, altering the retirement plans for so many people, this is a tragedy to which too many people can relate.

Marcia is the backbone for the main character who runs throughout my novels. She is J Dub’s wife and she is solid for him through the pinnacle of his career and when he needs support as his dreams crumble in an instant. Her role is most prominent in Lifetime Loser but makes her presence known in all of my books. If people try to take advantage of her husband, Marcia can be very protective. Look out!

Perhaps the favorite name that came out of my head is MiSSuS CuLe BReeZe SiSTa GiNeLLe. She is a five-foot-tall ball of energy. This rapper got the promotional gig at Hoof and Bridle Park and did not miss the opportunity to make a name for herself. Dressed in hot pants and a blue jean vest and covered in sequins, her pipes brought patrons to the track time and again. Her first appearance is in Finish Line and she returns for more entertaining in Tuey’s Course.

Tomorrow is a day off in this efforts of bloggers to tour the alphabet, but I'll be back on Monday to start on the second half of this fun challenge!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Villians of the Political and Business Variety

 The letter “L” in this current A to Z blog tour gives me the opportunity to feature a lot of the supporting characters in my novels. Only one to date has a recurring role, but each was pivotal to the storyline in which he or she appeared.

Lewferd E. Zerrmann is featured in my first novel, Lifetime Loser. He is an unscrupulous businessman who is hated by almost everyone who crosses his path. His greed, unhappiness and loneliness breed misery. Those who get in his way are crushed. It was fun to create such a pathetic villain.  On the one hand, you almost feel sorry for him because his evil behavior is obviously caused by self-loathing, but that sympathy quickly subsides with your next encounter with the man.

Lew’s girlfriend . . . yes, he manages to have one . . . is Lois. I suppose every snake in life needs support. With her tattoos and bleached blonde hair, Lois became a manipulated prize on his arm--a brainwashed beauty that is controlled to death.

Mayor Leavitt is the ringleader at City Hall in Tuey’s Course. So many small towns have people with inflated egos in charge, don't they? Mayor Leavitt assumes this role with eagerness.  He's a great example of someone who manages to take just a small amount of power and balloon into something unbearable.

LeVournique O’Tweety is the wife of Tuey O’Tweety and is also featured in Tuey’s Course. As the harassment of her husband by the mayor and others continues to escalate, LeVournique offers support in her own limited and questionably helpful way. With an infectious smile, polished nails, fake eyelashes and costume jewelry, LeVournique holds down the fort in the cashier cage of the local casino and her work schedule largely isolates her from the frustrations that face her childhood sweetheart until the water spills over the levee.

Finally Morgan Langdon surfaced as a character in Opur’s Blade. Out of nowhere she appears as the young lover of the main character in that story. The whirlwind courtship blossoms and plays an important part in the final pages of the novel. Her Southern roots, charming good looks and brains made Morgan Langdon somewhat of a favorite of mine, which perhaps accounts for the fact that I made sure she resurfaced in Pabby's Score.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Reaching Young Readers Through Characters Like Them

 Keith Pucchio is one of two teenage boys who found himself experiencing a coming-of-age experience during one summer at the golf course in my novel Finish Line. After getting into some mischief with his buddy involving vandalism and an unsympathetic elderly neighbor, he had to work to pay off a debt. This obligation led Keith to Prairie Winds Golf Course for the summer. What started as a dawn to dusk job ended up being a lesson in life as he got to hang around the guys in the clubhouse. What he learned that summer was more valuable than what any book in any school could teach and he returned to school that fall a different young man.

Also regarding the letter "K" is the emphasis that I try to place on making my books accessible and interesting to kids. The Young Adult literary market is exploding and it's exciting to be a part of an effort to get preteens and teenagers excited about reading. My novels have been analyzed by Lexile and Renaissance Learning for their Accelerated Reader program. Most of my subject matter is suitable for kids ages thirteen and up, with the reading level around a fifth-grade level to reach as large an audience as possible. Admittedly, there are some adult situations in my stories but I'm hoping this offers an opportunity for young people to grapple with mature topics while graphic detail to a minimum.

Whether it be the story of Keith Pucchio, a boy who struggles to find love and encouragement in a difficult home life and comes upon a mentor right when he needs one the most, or another of the story lines that I weave into my novels, I hope that younger readers find some characters or concepts that mean something to them.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

The Letter "J" Offers the Cornerstones of Prairie Winds

Those that are familiar with my books realize that the clubhouse at Prairie Winds Golf Course is where the regulars congregate, and the owner/operator of the facility is a main character who offers a thread through all five novels.  J. W. Schroeder, nicknamed J Dub, is the head golf professional who oversees the daily activities and keeps everyone in line. The men and women who call Prairie Winds their second home all seem to have complicated lives and J Dub seems to be in the middle of all the action.

In Lifetime Loser, J Dub's story unfolds and we learn the heartbreak he experienced in coming so close to his own professional dreams. His strength and determination to forge ahead are on full display.  Finish Line demonstrates his compassion as his brother Curt is stricken with cancer. In Tuey’s Course, J Dub tries to be helpful to a minority businessman who is harassed and ridiculed by the powers-that-be at City Hall. Opur’s Blade enables him to tutor a young prodigy and help guide him to the top of his profession. In my last novel, Pabby’s Score, J Dub is touched by two special needs teens. He helps them acclimate to broader society by allowing them complete access to the golf course from their foster home environment.

As we all know the main character in any book or movie plot needs to have a right-hand man. In this case the “man” is actually a gal named Julie. Between her bookkeeping chores and high-profile counter duty, Julie is as much of a fixture at Prairie Winds as the head golf pro. She’s a favorite of the guys, with her quick wit and ability to go head-to-head with the antics of the male golfers.  I've really enjoyed writing for this strong female character and watching her develop her confidence and find direction in her life through the pages of my books.

So, as you can tell, "J" is quite the pivotal letter in my writing.  J Dub and Julie are two of the few characters you will find in all of my work and I can't imagine Prairie Winds without them!

What is your favorite duo, either on screen or in literature?

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

IRS Needs Some Positive Stories This Time of Year

Up to this point in the A to Z Blog Challenge I have concentrated my postings on characters that I’ve created for one or more of my five published novels. With the letter “I,” I'm going to deviate from this pattern and instead of sharing specific characters I am going to write about the IRS and the Iroquois today as both groups are featured in my work.

With tax filing deadline fast approaching, this is a wonderful time to spend a few moments on the Internal Revenue Service.  This government agency, specifically the Criminal Investigative Division (CID), plays an important role in my first book, Lifetime Loser. Whether you are in the "one percent" or busy occupying with the other ninety-nine percent, we all might have had a few unkind words to say about the taxman, especially in the middle of April. However, in this instance, the agents representing the IRS work to uncover fraud and bring the crooks to justice. 

A wealthy businessman with shady practices catches the attention of the government in Lifetime Loser.  Through his schemes, his partners are damaged as well as an innocent elderly woman trying to live out her years with dignity and, in the end, the U.S. tax payers in general.  Readers who want a white-collar thriller that is full of drama and unexpected betrayals should pick up a copy of Lifetime Loser.

In my latest novel, Pabby’s Score, a secret society has found its way into the underbelly of the plot. The clandestine operation has roots in Native American culture and organization. As events unfold and facts are collected it is discovered that the Iroquois tribe is obscurely involved and the consequences may tarnish the image of a great Nation. 

Government corruption and the dangers of power are themes that run throughout my novels and our country's treatment of the Iroquois and other Native American tribes is certainly an example of abuse in leadership.  Perhaps readers will make those connections or think about tribal history when going through the pages of Pabby's Score and considering some of the actions taken by the characters in today's society.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

A Few Figures Who Start with "F"

 One of the clubhouse regulars at Prairie Winds Golf Course is a portly redhead named Fred. He is normally the first one through the door with a dozen doughnuts and is an everyday golfer that head pro J Dub Schroeder spends a few minutes talking to in the morning. Fred works as a night supervisor at the auto plant, clocks out early, heads straight to the golf course to play a round, and then uses the rest of his day to sleep before starting the routine all over again.

Fred is often the catalyst for discussions about current events that unfold in my novels, as the blue-collar worker and golf pro exchange opinions over a fresh pot of coffee with the sunrise as their backdrop.  My hope is that the honest conversations these guys share start other conversations between readers.  Those who have read any of my books no that I don't have any off-limit topics, and Fred and J Dub introduce many of them with mutual respect and practical sense.

Festus came to me as I was writing Tuey’s Course. He is a round man with hunched shoulders who works as the late shift cop in town and doubles as the security guard during the meetings at City Hall. While his exposure in my writing is limited to Tuey's Course, he is part of what I consider to be one of the most gripping and emotional scenes I've created, as tension between a disenfranchised member of the community and the powers-that-be in local government come to a head.

Callum Foss is a colorful sportscaster who made his debut in Opur’s Blade. I had a lot of fun creating this character. He hails from England and one-liners flow easily out of his mouth with that distinct British dialogue as he teams with Trent Tee to describe the events that occur at The Classic, which is America’s greatest golf tournament.

Pabby’s Score is the book in which readers meet Farley Bend. This character is an alderman in town but works primarily as the night supervisor at the sewage treatment plant. He is carrying on a torrid affair with Pamela Porter who is the headmistress at Footprints of Hope foster care center.  Pamela employs Farley to do odd jobs around the orphanage in order to keep him close and for their relationship to have a place to flourish in private.

See you around the A to Z blogosphere!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

The Fourth Letter Brings Four Characters of Note

 Welcome to the letter "D" and the opportunity I am taking to review some of the characters I've created over the past several years with my five published novels.  I'm enjoying this exercise so far and hope that you are learning more about how I approach my work.

One of the mainstays in the clubhouse at Prairie Winds Golf Course is Doc. His real name is Everett Rhymes and he hails from the area of the United States where Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado intersect. He has a veterinarian practice and, after focusing on farm animals for a good part of his career, he has shifted his attention to domestic animals. He is a very good golfer and, more importantly, a stabilizing influence on the unusual personalities around him.

Dickie Doo made his debut in Opur’s Blade. He is a good golfer in his own right but his full-time job now is as the caddy for Tank Oglethorp, the number one player in the world. During a tense round of golf Dickie Doo serves as a cocky alter-ego to the best player the game has seen.

Daddy Mack is a character I created to lead the house band at Stub’s Missing Digit. The bar is located on the banks of the Mississippi river and the water serves as the backdrop to the stage. Daddy Mack is noted for his cowboy hat and he has a bass voice that makes the women melt. He first appeared in Opur’s Blade and also steals a few scenes in Pabby’s Score.

D. Wayne Smith, who readers meet in Tuey's Course is considerably luckier than many others in his neighborhood. He owns his own business and referees college football games in his spare time. He is accused of sharing an “better than you” air with his peers, as his character is intended to provoke discussion about the controversial and unfair notion those who are successful out of poor circumstances have somehow betrayed their community.

On a serious note, the medical condition of dementia plays an important role in Pabby’s Score. An elderly relative of one of my regular characters is afflicted by this descent into confusion and forgetfulness. The disease offers pause to those who come in contact with this person and serves as a reminder that one person's illness affects so many friends and family around them.

See you tomorrow!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Todays Brings Us Characters to Love . . . or Love to Hate!

If I was able to look at each person who is reading this blog post and today and ask you to raise your hand if you had a friend or family member who had been diagnosed with cancer, I imagine that I would see most of you with a hand in the air.  The "C word" has affected all of us, and each person's story about the disease is compelling and unique.  Finish Line is a novel about one man’s struggle with cancer. He is stricken in the prime of his life and he struggles to combat the disease while acting as a big brother to two teens who have troubled home lives and both desperately need a strong male role model.  In this coming-of-age story, both the young men and the lead character, Curt, end their summer together having learned some important lessons about their own strength and potential.

Whether you are a star quarterback who just received national attention as you decided with which team you would end your career or a writer who sits in front of the computer on the weekends dreaming of the day your first book is published, you probably have spent time with a coach who has made a difference in your life.  This is a person who encourages you, guides you, and offers some honest criticism when needed.  Prairie Winds Golf Couse has its own coach as well. You probably can picture him -- he's the one who lives and breathes his sport, can always be found wearing a track suit or other athletic gear, and is the assumed go-to guy for all things physical.  This coach character I've developed has roles in Lifetime Loser and Tuey’s Course and loves to share his opinions with the other guys in the clubhouse on his days off.

One of my favorite, and perhaps most memorable, characters is Captain Jerry Stafford, aka Captain Jer. The retired pilot is the drunk that occupies the clubhouse and any foursome that will have him. His golf game is lousy but his quick wit and off-the-wall comments are fuel for anyone that wants to argue. He’s definitely opinionated and you really cannot guess what offensive or obscene statement might come out of his mouth next. This character was created in my second novel, Finish Line, and has had a large part in all of the succeeding stories.

I've enjoyed these first few days of using the alphabet to share some of my characters and storylines and I look forward to working through the letters over the month of April as part of this blogging challenge!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Today's Characters are Brought to You By the Letter "B"!

The letter "B" takes center stage as the A to Z Blog Challenge begins its second day. When it comes to sharing characters from my novels who can claim this letter as an initial, I have no shortage of options.  Here are just a few.

Every fairway needs a dog as its faithful mascot and Prairie Winds Golf Course on the east side of St. Louis has one named Bogey. The bull terrier with a long snout and black marking over one eye is a friend to every regular who plays the course as well as to those who choose to spend their time drinking and gossiping in the clubhouse. In Lifetime Loser, the head pro, J Dub Schroeder, and Bogey are the best of friends and the canine plays an essential role in the story.  Bogey is there as for constant comfort and support through J Dub's ascent in his profession and then through a emotional downward spiral that causes him to question everything.

Tuey’s Course features the (hopefully!) memorable character Big Bertha. This satire mocks hypocrites and stereotypes as its plot weaves between the moral criminals at City Hall and those who occupy our communities and streets. Big Bertha is the local meter maid who shows up to harass Tuey for a truck that is parked in an unsanctioned spot. With a large frame and a dose of sympathy, she faithfully follows the orders that are given by her superiors in the police department.

BowTye, aka Tyrone Munroe, was created to fill an important role in Finish Line. The short black man, who religiously wears a long-sleeved white dress shirt and burgundy beret, is a transplant from New Orleans. He migrated up the Mississippi following the Hurricane Katrina disaster and landed in the St. Louis area through a church program. Earlier in his life, BowTye played the honky-tonk bars up and down the banks of the mighty river until he reached prominence as the king of the rockabilly blues under the stage name of Peel It Backe. He’s a regular in the clubhouse, a jack-of-all-trades and a fixture in many of my novels.

Until tomorrow, and the letter "C," have a great day!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Cyberbullying Reaches the Courts

I've never shied away from tackling controversial subjects in my novels.  I want readers to be entertained by my work, but I also want them to close the pages and perhaps start a conversation prompted by one of my characters or the scenarios in which they find themselves.

In my latest release, Pabby's Score, I bring the phenomenon of Internet dating into my focus.  However, there is another type of interaction through social media that is much more negative in its intentions and the entire country was talking about it thanks to a New Jersey courtroom this past week.  I'm referring to the epidemic of cyberbullying.

Former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi was found guilty of invasion of privacy and bias intimidation, as well as multiple other offenses, after he spying on his roommate using a webcam and witnessed the student having sex with another man.  The roommate, Tyler Clementi, took his own life by jumping off the George Washington Bridge in New York City, after he discovered that his sex life was now the source of amusement for Ravi and his friends.

Ravi now faces up to ten years in prison and possible deportation to his native India.  His sentence will be determined in May.

I am sure that most of you have heard about this case and probably have your own opinions about it.  Was the spying and subsequent "tweeting" just the act of an immature college student, as Ravi's attorney argued, or malicious and criminal behavior, as was determined by the jury?  How does this case reflect a larger issue about the impact that technology is having on this young generation to interact with others appropriately?

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Reviews are Coming in and they Are Great

"I just finished reading Lifetime Loser. What a book! I really did enjoy it very much. How in the world did you get all the research done? It was incredible. Thanks for sharing these titles with us, I will be looking forward to Finish Line and Tuey's Course. Keep up the good work"
Reader from Oregon.

Want to Improve Relations Between the Sexes? Become a Writer!

There are countless books available that offer advice on how better to communicate with the opposite sex. Whether it’s learning from which planet a particular gender originates the foods that best symbolize men and women, or the ways to decode what a particular comment REALLY means when coming from the mouth of the opposite sex.

If you are not a fan of reading self-help books, couples’ therapists, talk show hosts, and even your mom are ready to give advice on how to improve the quality of communication between men and women. However, I am pleased to report that I found my own way of building bridges with the opposite sex. I stopped talking and instead shared my ideas through my writing.

In an article I recently had published, I explain how my three novels have opened doors of discussion with female readers:

Maybe my fan base is based on the fact that women read more than men. Or maybe it is because the social commentary that I include about American life is appealing to women. Even though many of the characters are male and the common activity is golf, the topics of my books hit home to the everyday people in this country regardless of gender.

So, in my relationship efforts with women, it was the voice coming from my fingers and not my lips that has allowed for me to connect better with the opposite sex. Who was it who said that it’s better to keep your mouth closed and have people think you’re stupid than open it and confirm it?

Please check out the entire article here and email me at james@authorjamesross.com to let me know what you think!