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

Just in Time for Tax Season -- A Crooked Accountant!

It's been fun reminiscing about the men and women who have come to life through the pages of my writing, and gotten me excited about the new ideas I have planned for the future.  Today I would like to return to my very first novel, Lifetime Loser, and share with you two of the characters that I created for that book. 

Walter Hancock comes across as a fidgeting, nerdy accountant. But, he is not the type of guy you want taking care of your business ledger or life savings.  He is part of a group of con artists who swindle the estate of an elderly widow. He crafted an intricate plan that involved first winning the trust of the family and therefore earning their tax business.  He then forged the signature of a grieving widow, the matriarch of her family, on a power of attorney form after the death of her husband. His ability to push the envelope on tax returns made him a popular accountant around town and allowed him an (at least marginally) above board profession while he kept his other efforts a secret. His reputation attracted many shady characters who sought relief from the IRS and he was more than happy to oblige.

Elinor Hackett is the U S Attorney who fights against people like Walter Hancock. She is a tall and intimidating woman, with impressive biceps and other features that many consider stereotypically masculine. Her aggressive approach to law enforcement makes it clear to the crooks in her district that they are not welcome. Ellie understands tax law well and is anxious to nab those who run counter to the straight and narrow.  Watch out, Walter Hancock! 

As a side note -- it's too bad that today does not feature "B" in the A to Z Blog Challenge in which I'm participating, because Bubba Watson's win at the Masters yesterday sure would have been a great topic.  What a great golf story!

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