EVERYONE WANTS TO BE AN AUTHOR

Hi, all my great friends and followers.

The photo with this post was taken by an unknown photographer of the front of the high school that is the setting for much of  my novel BRIDGETOWN HIGH.

A looooong time ago (I won't say how long) I took a college creative writing course. The professor gave us many techniques to create believable characters, settings, etc., and to create a plot. Since it's been so many years, I've forgotten most of what I learned there, though I'm sure I have internalized most of it anyway, but one thing that still sticks out at me is what he made us do for the final test. It was a "blue-book" essay, or rather short story writing final. He wrote one sentence on the chalk board, obscure, seemingly meaningless, and told us that it had to be the first sentence in our story. Then he wrote another sentence, seemingly unrelated and equally obscure, and told us it had to be the last sentence in our story. Our task was to fill in the middle and make it sound logical. It had to be 500 words. It was tough. I struggled with it for nearly 20 minutes. Then I outlined what I thought could be a possible connection between the two sentences, then wrote the story. It took me about an hour to write it (we had an hour-and-a-half), but I got an "A" on the final, and in the class.

I only mention that because I've found it to be one technique in creating a plot -- know the beginning and know where you want to end up. Then, connect the dots. Do I get side-tracked? Sure. But I make sure all the stray plot lines eventually come home again, and I make sure they really contribute to the overall theme of the story I'm writing. If not, they get cut.

Yes, I write a rudimentary outline of the plot in paragraph form, and I try to keep to it, but sometimes I have to modify it. But that's okay. As they say, "Rome wasn't built in a day."

If you want to see what has become of using that technique, get a copy of BRIDGETOWN HIGH and read it. You can either get an electronic (Kindle) copy or paperback copy at Amazon. Or, if you are reading this post on FaceBook, check out my blog at www.paulwwest.com.

After reading my book, it would be great, and helpful, if you would write a short review on Amazon and Goodreads. Many thanks.

Hi again, to all my wonderful friends and followers.

I thought today I would talk a little bit about creating memorable characters.

I suppose everyone has a slightly different technique in getting to know their characters. Mine is probably as unique as anyone's.

My novel "BRIDGETOWN HIGH" is character driven. I prefer to write and read this kind of fiction. If one writes plot-driven stories, a strong well-defined character isn't always needed and may even get in the way of the suspenseful plot. But in character-driven fiction, it's imperative to know your characters, how they think, how they react to circumstances, their background, goals, fears, loves, hates, etc.

When I began writing my novel, I tried to create characters using the personality traits of people I knew. Of course, I had to modify them so the actual people wouldn't recognize themselves. As I did this, I tried to get into their heads. I tried to imagine myself in their shoes. How would I think, act, react, feel, etc., if I were them? From trying to empathize with my characters, I've been able to write not only from the protagonist's point of view, but also from the antagonist's. I think my main antagonist is as real as my protagonists. My female characters are as real to me as the male characters. I know it's perhaps difficult for a man to think like a female, and vice-versa, but I think it can be done if we're truly sympathetic and empathetic to what makes the opposite sex tick.

Try this in your writing. It makes your work stand out and enjoyable to read. If you want some good examples, check out "BRIDGETOWN HIGH." It's garnered several great reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

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Hi, to all my friends and family


While I've been gone for several weeks, a question was raised, should novel endings always be happy?

Happy or sad, I think isn't the proper question. In my opinion, the story's ending must resolve satisfactorily all the questions and problems that have been posed.

Right now, I'm struggling with the ending of my next novel BRIDGETOWN MURDERS. Should I let the heroine live or die?

If my heroine dies, it would be horrible, heart wrenching, but a realistic outcome of all that had gone on before. But would it solve the main problem, that of my hero overcoming his phobia? As one critiquer suggested, having her die on the bridge would likely make his phobia worse.

If she lives, however, I fear it could read too much like a cheap romance novel, all hearts and flowers, and would not be realistic. But it could have the effect of helping the hero to overcome his phobia, assuming I can write the ending well enough.

Either way, I don't think the question of whether happy versus sad endings is important, as long as it is satisfying. If the reader cries out buckets of tears over the ending, then I as a writer have succeeded in my main purpose, that being to entertain my readers.

While you are pondering that issue,  you can read what led up to this question in my novel BRIDGETOWN HIGH. You can find it in Amazon in either paperback or kindle.

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Welcome to all my faithful followers and newbies, who have only recently found me on this page. For those who are new to my blog, a bit about me. I fancy myself as a fiction writer and will post my thoughts on several issues including fiction writing and marketing.

I live in Utah and until recently worked as an environmental biologist. Over the years, I’ve completed a novel-length manuscript titled BRIDGETOWN HIGH. While I’m trying to market it, I’ve begun another I'm giving it the working title of BRIDGETOWN MURDERS. Both of these novels are targeted toward young adults and so-called baby boomers - I know, a weird combination, but it works.

I grew up in a small town in California's San Francisco Bay Area called Port Costa, and even though I now live in Utah, I still claim to be a native Californian. We liked to joke that Port Costa has a population of 150 if you count the dogs and cats. It’s a picturesque old Huckle Berry Finn kind of town with a colorful history and picturesque countryside. It's from this town that I get a lot of my writing inpiration.

One day, I came across a wonderful site http://www.claytonbailey.com/skycam.htm. The owner of the site, Clayton Bailey, is a resident of Port Costa and seems to share my love of the town and it’s environs. He’s posted pictures of the countryside, the town, and occasionally some of the townsfolk, many of whom I still recall from my childhood. I occasionally refer to his site as I write about the town in which I once lived.

The rustic San Francisco Bay Area countryside, the quaint small town in which I grew up, the colorful people, all have teamed to fertilize my mind with stories that are screaming to be told. From my high school days, my English teachers saw some sort of raw writing ability in me, both for fiction and non-fiction. In college, my professors seemed to see the same ability and encouraged me to mold that ability into a talent. I like to flatter myself into thinking I have done that.

After settling on my career as an environmental biologist, the stories swarming through my head kept crying to get out. So several years ago I began writing my pubfiction, but only as a hobby at first. But now, it’s became an obsession, and 2 1/2 years ago I finally got published through Limitless Publishing, LLC. Since then, it has become a run away best seller, at least among my friends.

In addition to my writing, my wife and I enjoy spending time with our four children and 18 grandchildren. I also love gardening, researching my family history, and reading good books.

I hope you will enjoy this blog as I try to give some writerly tips I've found over the years.

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Hi gang,

How did your holidays go? I hope it went well for all of you and you got everything your heart desired. Now that the holidays are over, it's time to get back to work on that novel you're writing (and I'm writing too).

Right now, I'm in the process of retiring from my day-job, so writing my novels will become my new day-job, and I should be able to devote more time to my writing.

I would like to make this blog interactive. If you have any questions or comments about writing, please send them to me and I'll try to respond as best I can. Sure, there are a lot of better writers  than me, but will they spend the time with your questions like I will? Or they will charge you hundreds of dollars to join one of the many writing groups for information I can give for free.

I say, there are better writers, but that may be up to you, the reader. My first novel "BRIDGETOWN HIGH," received many high reviews (4.43 in Goodreads and 4.2 in Amazon). That's as good as I've found for any of the top 100 writers. In fact, I got a compliment just today from a reader who has begun reading BRIDGETOWN HIGH. She said the opening chapter held her spellbound, and it only gets better as you read on.

Well, that's it for today. Please send me your writing and/or reading questions, and please add your email address to this blog so you can be aware of future developments and release dates.

Thanks, and I hope you have a wonderful New Year.

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Hey hey, to all my faithful followers and family.

This week, I thought I'd get back to teaching about the subject you are most likely here for -- to learn about what it takes to become a published author.

As I read recently written novels, most unpublished, I'm still seeing what I railed on earlier in this series, that being about the lack of capturing the reader's attention early on in the book. I see a lot of back story and setting descriptions that are, may I say BOOOORRRRIIIINNNNGGGG. That is tantamont to telling the reader to give up now before it gets worse. I mean how do you expect a person to keep reading if you turn them off in the first page or two?

Rule of thumb, your opening paragraph should plunge your POV character into some kind of terrible trouble in the first paragraph or first sentence, if possible. That doesn't necessarily mean a life or death situation. It could be some other kind of trouble. If you have ever read "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott you'll find the girls' terrible trouble was that Christmas was coming and their father was away from home with the Union Army during the Civil War, and they had no money for gifts for their mother let along to each other. A heart wrenching scenario.

When I wrote my novel, "Bridgetown High," I went through several opening scenes before settling on the one I finally chose where my POV and MC character, Mark, was bemoaning the deaths of his parents and kid sister, who all died in a fiery crash on the Carquinez Bridge in Northern California. To make matters worse, though he was in the crash, he doesn't remember it, but nevertheless he vows to find the hit-and-run driver who caused the accident.

From the first terrible trouble, the novel or story builds from that, scene by scene until the climax at the end.


Does your story start and build like that? If not, you might want to take a closer look at it. Nothing turns a reader off like a milk toast opening of setting descriptions and back story. Get the story going first, then you can add that stuff between the lines and the story develops. Good luck with it and if you need some help, feel free to email me at paulwwest@yahoo.com or find me on FaceBook.

In case I don't get back to you until after New Years, I wish you wonderful holidays. Keep in mind, my novel would make a wonderful gift for teens and baby boomers alike. Just click on this https://www.amazon.com/dp/1680583093 and it will take you to my book's Amazon page.

-

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Hi to all my friends, followers and family.


I hate to do this, but I need to let you know that this is likely to be my last post for a while. I'm finding it difficult to write these blog posts every week and still find time for actual writing.

Based on the actual number of comments I've gotten from all of you in my audience over the past couple of years, it doesn't appear there are very many people actually reading these posts anyway.

I will probably be back in a few months. I just need some space right now to put into practice what I've been teaching here.


It's been fun, but for now I need to do actual writing, and decide whether I want to continue with my Bridgetown High sequel called The Bridge Beckons, or resume work on another book I've wanted to finish. Some of you might remember me talking about GERTA!


In the meantime, keep going with your own writing and if you need help with something, please feel free to contact me at paulwwest@yahoo.com. I'd love to hear from you, and I'll be happy to answer any questions, or help you with any issues you may have as best I can.


Bye for now,
Paul W. West, Author
Bridgetown High

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Hi Guys and Dolls (sounds like the title of a play, ha ha)

How's your writing going? Anything I can  help with? Don't be shy. I'd love to help. That's why I write this blog.

As a published writer, I still have my struggles too. But I feel that in three-and-a-half months, if nothing goes wrong, I should be able to retire. Once that happens, I should be able to do more writing.

Right now it's tough trying to get in the mood during my 1-hour lunch breaks 3 or 4 days a week. With that consideration, and my struggle to overcome my huge writer's block, my writing ain't goin' as well as I'd like.

See, like I said, we published writers have trouble writing as well.

Here's my problem right now. I have 7 main characters, each with their own individual problems, subplots if you will, and I can't decide how to tie them all together. Based on the word count, I'm probably less than half way through the book, so I have room to do with my characters what I want (or more likely let them do what they want) .

I've found, however, that I do my best writing when I'm bored, ha ha. Can you feature that? But it works, and may work for you, because that's when I let my thoughts wander -- or you can call it daydreaming, and daydreams are where my fiction comes from. It's difficult when I have to rush to put something down on paper, or the computer. I don't have time to do the necessary daydreaming, and that's what is keeping me from writing my best.

So, that's about it for now, and until next week, my best wishes to you for your writing. If any of you have any experiences like mine, I'd love to read about them on my Fan Page on Facebook, or as a comment at the end of this post. If you have any questions you'd like me to answer about writing and publishing, or where I grew up, I'll try to answer as best I can.

In the meantime, I'd love to have your email address so I can send you announcements of upcoming events like the blog tour / media blitz I am scheduling for the first or second week in October. I will possibly reduce the price of my electronic version of my novel  (BRIDGETOWN HIGH), so if you haven't got a copy yet, now would be a great time to buy one. You can also contact me at paulwwest@yaoo.com.

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Hi, to all my faithful friends and followers.

After inundating you all with "how to writing" information I thought maybe today I'd try a different tack. I realize most of you don't have any idea who I am. I know some of you do and well, maybe you've read my bio. That does give you some idea of who I am and where I'm coming from, but I thought for today I'd give you more specifics.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I attended John Swett High School (Class of '65) in Crockett, California. This is the model for the school described in my novel BRIDGETOWN HIGH. I loved that school, and the kids who attended with me, as well as the teachers who were some of the greatest teachers I ever met. I suspect most of them have passed on to the Spirit World by now.

This school is where I earned letters in Track during my Junior and Senior years, and broke the school record in the 440 yard relays. I'm not sure that's ever been broken since then, but probably ha
s.

This is where I played French Horn in the Concert band, and the Alto Sax in the Marching Band. I know. Those are quite different instruments, but I couldn't march with a French Horn, or even the so-called "E-Flat," or "Peck Horn" the director wanted me to play in the marching band. That horn just wasn't cool, but everyone loved a sax player. Those were also the days of Paul Desmond and Dave Brubeck, some cool and great musicians.

These were the days when I met and kissed my first girlfriend. More about that on another day? -- not -- too personal, but she knows who she is, and I think she may be following this blog.

So, that's about it for now. If any of you have any experiences like mine, I'd love to read about them on my Fan Page on Facebook, or as a comment at the end of this post. If you have any questions you'd like me to answer about writing and publishing, or where I grew up, I'll try to answer as best I can.

In the meantime, I'd love to have your email address so I can send you announcements of upcoming events like the blog tour / Media Blitz I am scheduling for the first or second week in October. I will possibly reduce the price of my e'novel (BRIDGETOWN HIGH), so if you haven't got a copy yet, now would be a great time to buy one.

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Hi to all my faithful followers, and family too.


How is your book going?

I apologize for not posting last week but I was out of town tending my twin grandsons. What a delight they are. They're 6 years old and smart as anything. They were like guides and knew everywhere we wanted to take them, and how to get there. I don't think we could have gotten lost if we wanted to.

So, I've been thinking of what writing lesson I could post that would help you with your writing. I know what it's like to be stuck, staring at a blank page on your computer screen. Been there, done that, no fun.

I got this bit of advice from Dean Koontz's book "How to Write Best Selling Fiction." he stated on page 239 and 240, "Do not worry about or be scared by that dreaded nemesis, the Writers' Block." He goes on to say, "... when you sit down to work, begin by retyping the last page or two that you finished the day before. Look for small ways to improve it.... This little trick will put you back into the mood you were in when you were working steadily and happily the previous day...."

But what if you haven't started writing yet, and I suspect some of you are in this category. I can't find it right now, but I'm sure Koontz said something like as well. He said we should play with some wording, some ideas that pop in your head, etc. Go head and put them into your computer. Keep doing that until something of a story develops. Write as much and as fast as you can. Don't stop to make correction, keep writing. Then, when you come to the end of your writing day, save it and leave it until the next day. Then, you can make all the corrections you need until as stated above, you come to where you left off and you're off and writing.

I hope this helps. It helps me, I know.

If you have any concerns about your writing, or any ideas you would like to share, drop me a note in the comments section below.

Until then, keep writing and I want to see your best-selling novel.

If you haven't yet, please get a copy of my novel, BRIDGETOWN HIGH where you can see how all my techniques I've written about in this blog have worked. And, if you feel so inclined, leave a review on both Amazon and Goodreads.

So, until next week, I wish you happy writing. It truly is addicting, the good kind.

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Hi, to all my faithful followers and friends (all the same).


Today's post won't be long. I just want to inform you of two exciting events coming up. No, it's not about a cover reveal for my next novel. Rather, it's about two almost as exciting events, at least I think so, and that is two upcoming blog tours/media blitz for my novel BRIDGETOWN HIGH. Also, my book is being sent out again for reader's review. I'm hoping these events will make my book more visible that will, hopefully, turn into sales. At least it should help my book to raise higher on Amazon's ranking. The first  tour will be done from September 14 thru 20, and the second will be the first week of October.


Another exciting thing is that YOU can help.

How?


If you sign up by sending me your email address you will be entered. Then, when the events are happening, the tour companies will send you an (for want of an better term) advertisement. Then, all you need to do is forward it to all your Facebook and Twitter "friends," or anyone else you can think of. That's it.


Just send your email address to paulwwest@yahoo.com.


Thanks in advance as I'm sure all of you will be willing to help.

And, in case you haven't yet, BRIDGETOWN HIGH is still available at Amazon in both paperback and Kindle.

Thanks, EVERYONE.

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A great afternoon to all my faithful family and friends (yah that means you).

So, how is your novel going? I know many of you may not have begun writing, but you want to. There's a remedy for that?

Grab a pen/pencil and some pads of lined paper and just put down the first thing that comes to your mind. (well, OK. You can do this with a computer instead, ha ha). But that's how I started. I think I had nearly 50 pages handwritten before I finally acquired a computer (just fyi, that was more than 30 years ago).

The point is, write something every day. Once you begin, your subconscious will urge you to keep going. Even if you only write for 10 minutes a day, that's OK. At lest your doing it. Now, keep going for as long each day as you can. Have you heard of the term BIC? It means, "butt in chair." You have to get your BIC and just begin and keep going. Soon it will become a passion. It is with me, anyway. Keep in mind, it ain't gonna get writ, if you don't write it.

So, now for the news: This week I finally paid a promotion site to run a media blitz for "BRIDGETOWN HIGH." It will be held the first week in September. I'm excited to see if she will be able to recoup my money for me. If so, I may keep hiring promo agencies to do my marketing. We'll see.

Then, the irony. Another lady from another promo service offered her promo services for free. I think she's trying to get publicity for her promo business. In spite of her services being free, she's been very helpful and she already showed me what her media  blitz is going to look like. Her blitz will be held the first week in October.

Needless to say, I'm super excited about both promos. Good or bad experience, I'll keep you posted.

So, until next week, keep working on your novel and take a minute to read mine, if you haven't already https://www.amazon.com/dp/1680583093/, and it would be great if you would write a review to help Amazon and Goodreads rate my novel at a level it is worth. The higher my ranking the more likely my book is to sell, and you can say you were a part of it.

Thanks to all of you for your support.

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A wonderful high to all my great friends and family (er. that should be "hi" not "high). I'm sure most of you will understand, ha ha.

First, before I proceed,  I need to let you know that I won't be here next week. But keep checking and come back every week and even re-read some of my older posts so you can make fun of all my goofs, he he.

 

I saw an interesting discussion this last week on Goodreads. The title of the discussion was "Should life lessons be part of YA novels?" What do you think? Should they, or not? Have any of you thought about that in your writing? I have, and I think the answer is "yes," BUT!

A huge BUT here. If you are to do that, keep in mind, kids aren't stupid. They can usually see through the lesson material, so make sure you're not being preachy. Most kids are looking for answers to life's problems, especially their problems.

One commenter (me) offered the following: "In every novel I've read, and had any real impression on me, the main character (and possibly others) have had a life changing experience by the end of the novel. If it didn't, the book was meaningless.

That being said, the reader should be able to somehow identify with the main character(s) and gain a lesson vicariously.

In my novel, Bridgetown High," the main character "Mark" starts out hurt and angry. He wants to get revenge on the person who killed his family. By the end of the book, he learns who the killer is and it's like a rug was pulled out from under his feet. He doesn't know how to react.

That same commenter (me) also stated: "In almost every novel, there's a protagonist and an antagonist. Hopefully, by the end of the book, the protagonist overcomes s the antagonist and in that effort he/she learns something or grows as a result."

OK, so until two weeks from now, keep reading and writing, and thanks for following me and my novel's success. I hope you've enjoyed "Bridgetown High." If you haven't yet, you still can by going to Amazon

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Hi Everyone

I hope you're having a wonderful first part of summer. So far, here in Utah, it's been hot, but today was quite mild, mid-80s. But by Independence Day, it's supposed to bet up to near 100.

I apologize for not writing anything last week. It was a crazy week.

Anyway, today I want to ask you a question and get some feedback from you, all my faithful followers.

In my new novel that I'm calling, "The Bridge Beckons," I have 3 or 4 girls who are murdered. Of course I don't know who the murderer is, but I do know the victims. So, is it possible to write a scene from the viewpoint of the victim? Experience her being stalked in the dark by someone. Experience her being snatched. Experience her feeling the sharp blade to her neck....

What do you think? She died.

The main problem I see is how can she tell us about it if she's dead?

I hope you will add a comment to this blog post and let me know what you think. If you do, consider that you are helping to write a novel. I know you are probably doing that anyway, aren't you? Right?

So, until next week (I hope) thanks for following me and my novel's success. I hope you've enjoyed "Bridgetown High." If you haven't yet, you still can by going to Amazon

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Hello, all my favorite boys and girls.

Are you ready for some more of my wisdom about writing?


Well, I don't know how much is wisdom and how much is desperation, ha ha.


When I began writing fiction, the first thing I did was go to the library to see what it had in the way of  helps. I searched the card catalog (this was before the spread of the internet) for "How to write" and found several great books on the subject. Books by Dean Koontz, Jack Bickham, Ronald Tobias, among others I can't recall right now. To me, the best was "How to Write Best Selling Fiction," by Dean Koontz. That may be the reason I quote him so much.

As I thought about a story line, I realized I needed to do some research. The first things I consulted, believe it or not, were my high school year books. Since I'd decided I wanted my novel to be set there, I wanted to make sure I described things as accurately as I could. Several of you have commented in your reviews how they could visualize the places and events I described in "Bridgetown High." Then, knowing I would likely portray kids with drugs, I did research into drug addiction and effects of taking mentamphetamines with alcohol. That research brought me to write one of the most dramatic scenes in the book, but it also let me know when I've overdone it.

Here is an exerpt of that scene. To give you a bit of lead up, Alan had bought meth and stole some beer for a drug party. Then he and Jeff, Genie, and Chris went for a joy ride across the Carquinez Bridge. There's more, but I have to keep something for you to wonder about, he he he. I also won't give you the outcome of this little chase scene, he he he. Enjoy!

“No! Bobby, no!” Chris yelled as Alan leaned over the steering wheel so Bobby could push the door open and get out.

Bobby didn’t answer. Then Genie saw the pistol in his hand.

“Bobby,” Chris screamed. “Where you get that?”

 

Chris grabbed Bobby’s shirt as he climbed out, “Bobby, No! Don’ do it. Get back in here!” Tears were streaming down Chris’s face as she tried to hold onto his shirt, but he pulled away from her. Then she screamed again, this time in Spanish.

“Bobby,” Genie screamed too. “Get back in here. You’re going to get hurt.” She wanted to say killed, but couldn’t bring herself to say it.

Horns blared as cars passed, barely brushing past Bobby and Alan’s open door. He dodged one car, then another, then dashed to the front of Alan’s car, then to the narrow sidewalk.

Chris reverted to English. “Bobby! In the name of God, get back in here. You acting crazy,” she yelled at him. “You loco man!” But he just stared down at the ship under the bridge. “You going get kill out there,” she kept yelling. “Please! Get back here. Oh, my God, Mother Mary, and Joseph!” Chris and Genie made the sign of the cross together.

“I got to see this too,” Jeff said, as he pushed Linda’s seat forward and climbed out to join his friend.

Genie dropped her face into her hands, forgetting for the moment her migraine. Then popping noises made her look up again. Bobby was shooting at the ship as more cars passed by, honking.

Alan rolled his window down and shouted, “Get in, quick! Cops are coming!”

Genie glanced behind them and saw the red flashing lights from an approaching squad car. Above the noise from the stereo, she could faintly hear the wail of its siren. She prayed the officer would stop them before somebody got hurt.

Jeff jumped back in next to Genie while Bobby ran back around the front of the car. As he darted to the door, another car passed at that same moment. Genie felt and heard the hard, dull thump, and she and Chris screamed as Bobby’s body hurtled into the air, into the path of another car.

Genie’s stomach wrenched as Bobby’s blood splattered across the windshields of both cars and his body bounced again on the pavement where another car screeched to a halt over his lifeless body.

Bobby’s gun slid across the freeway toward Alan’s car. He opened the car door to retrieve it and tossed it to Jeff. “Here. Hold on to it.”

Traffic on the northbound span came to a quick halt. Through her tears, Genie could see the highway patrol car struggling through the tangled traffic. Please hurry! she prayed.

Alan swore and stomped on the gas pedal, peeling rubber.

“Alan, stop!” Chris screamed, slapping the back of Alan’s head. “You leave Bobby. You can no leave him. Stop!”

“No way,” Alan said, ducking forward and swearing. “He’s dead. We got to get out of here before that cop gets us.”

At the toll booth at the end of the bridge, two black-and-white highway patrol cars waited with red lights flashing, ready to intercept Alan.

Alan swore again as he hit the brakes and spun a sharp left. He slid into the turn out before the toll plaza’s office building. It was designed for people to turn around if they’d gotten on the bridge by accident. Alan skidded on some loose gravel, then merged with the southbound traffic back to Crockett.

While Chris screamed, Genie glanced out the back window again. As she hoped, the officers had joined the chase.

Turning back to the front, she held on tight as Alan cut in-and-out of traffic again. He had a crazed look in his eyes.

The bridge, cars, and everything passed in a blur. Alan was going to kill all of them. Genie knew it.

All the while, Linda just stared out the front window, a blank expression on her face, while Chris screamed at Alan, in Spanish again.

 

Genie was too frightened to speak, or even scream. She knew Alan wasn’t in his right mind, and she struggled to keep bile from rising in her throat.

Jeff, bouncing in his seat, yelled, “Turn off, Al. I know a place we can hide in Crockett where they can’t find us.”

Alan cut across two traffic lanes in front of other cars that honked as he did, and veered off onto the exit.

The highway patrol cars were a half-mile behind them. Please hurry! she prayed again.

Alan and Jeff both swore and Genie looked back to the front. A county sheriff’s squad car was blocking the end of the off-ramp, a deputy stood beside the car with his gun in one hand, and a high-powered flashlight in the other. He aimed both it at Alan.

Alan targeted his car to the rear end of the squad car, like a demolition derby, and stomped on the gas pedal. “AAAAAHHHHH!” he screamed.

Genie dropped to the floor and Chris fell on top of her, still screaming in Spanish. This was it.

Genie felt a strong jolt and heard breaking glass and clashing metal. Unable to control it any longer, she vomited on the floor, then felt the car accelerate again. It wasn’t over.

Chris fell silent for a moment and sat back up.

Ignoring the sickening slime on her hands and chin, Genie crawled back to her seat, too.

The hood of Alan’s car was crumpled, but the collision hadn’t been enough to stop him.

Genie looked out the rear window as the squad car’s gas tank exploded, and the sheriff’s deputy ran from the flames.

Chris prayed her rosary in Spanish, and Genie decided a prayer wouldn’t hurt her either. Dear God, help! She couldn’t think of anything more to say, but kept repeating the words in her mind, genuflecting with each repetition.

So, did you enjoy that? There's more like that in the book, "Bridgetown High." Check it out.

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Hi, everyone.

A good friend of mine recently disagreed with the title of this blog. He said, he doesn't want to be an author. Well, I think he just hasn't realized it yet.

This week's blog/news letter will be short. I recently read an article on how to gain followers and boost book sales, and I'm needing to digest it before I do much more.

In the meantime, I'll give you another bit of wisdom from Dean Koontz. This one will be short and sweet: "You must have at least some familiarity with the rules of English grammar and syntax -- the more familiarity the better, of course."

I can't express how important that is if you expect people to read your stuff. I think that is the biggest reason I give for poor reviews when someone asks me to review their novel. I recently reviewed a science fiction novel that was almost unreadable due to poor grammar and syntax. I struggled through the first 4 or 5 chapters and just couldn't go on. I had to tell the poor author the bad news that he needed to get with a good critique group, or at least go back to school and learn English (which was his native language -- well I didn't really say that to him). That book was almost as bad as the book I reviewed about a killer who was the protagonist and got into several gun fights with numerous other bad guys and even though they're only feet apart, and both fighters took several bullets, neither of them died. Duhh!

It's gotta make sense. But that's another issue called be logical.

Well, I need to quit for today. I don't know if any of you took advantage of my give-away last weekend. No? I didn't think so. I wasn't made aware my publisher was doing one until it was practically done and too late to announce it. Sorry. Keep posted and maybe another one will come up soon.

In the mean time, thanks for following me and my novel's success. I hope you've enjoyed "Bridgetown High." If you haven't yet, you still can by going to Amazon.

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Hello to all my wonderful family and friends (and if you're reading this, you are one or the other in my mind).

Today, I have to brag, just a bit. Last week's blog post got nearly 1,000 readers. WOW! Now, if everyone would get a copy of my book, and sign up for my email, that would be wonderful.


Today, I want to cover the next thing Dean Koonts said is what the average reader demands if you want to write best-selling fiction. That is: "Colorful, imaginative, and convincing characterizations."


I remember when I first read that, I realized my characters were pretty much vanilla pudding. Mark was so, so, and Genie didn't exist, neither did Gary. As soon as I read that, I realized I needed to do something to make my characters people that other people would care about.

First thing I did was to I change Mark, making him more aggressive, more of a boy who would be tough in a fight, though the only fights he ever got into was when three other boys attacked him. In his big fight scene, Mark tries to fight, but with 3 on 1 that's kind of tough, and Jeff, the antagonist nearly kills him. You'll have to read Bridgetown High to see what I mean.

Second, I invented Gary. Gary is a colorful character, being a hippy and a draft dodger. In spite of that, to make him of value to the story, I decided to make him Mark's cousin, and that role plays in some serious interaction with Mark throughout the book, but mostly at the end. 'Nuff said for now.

Third, I created Genie, but she started out as a real problem to Mark. She went from a bad girl, a druggie, and a rape victim, to the pretty, sweet, talented girl with a lot of spunk and in the end, the girl who, due to her great love for Mark, took the bullet meant for him. Did she live or die? You'll have to read Bridgetown High to find out.

And, that brings me to Jeff, the hated antagonist. He's a poor boy from across the proverbial tracks. I spent a lot of time in his head, making him as real as I could. Through his head, and some of his friends, we learn to empathize and actually feel sorry, for him. We learn he lives in a broken home, had an abusive father, and so on. By the time I got through with him, most readers actually sympathize with him as well as empathize with him, though they don't condone his actions. Again, if you haven't read the Bridgetown High, Get a copy so you'll see what I mean.


There are other characters, of course, but I'll leave of their descriptions off for now. Just remember, your characters need to resonate with the reader. Brainstorm and see if you can't make your characters more real, and someone the reader can love, or like Jeff, someone the readers can hate.

Okay. So, until next week,  as always, if you like this blog, please remember to "Share" and "Like"it on Facebook , and "Tweet" it on Twitter. Then PLEASE, take five minutes to write a review and post it on Amazon or Goodreads. Also have you signed up for my email letters on my Blog Site? I would love to see you there and have you introduce yourself and give comments, good or bad, to this blog. And also keep in mind "BRIDGETOWN HIGH" is still available on Amazon, Goodreads and Barnes&Noble and several other places I can't remember. Also, you can read some GREAT reviews of BRIDGETOWN HIGH on Amazon and Goodreads in case you need more info about my novel. And keep in mind, if I ever get some free time, I have a sequel in the works.

(By-the-way, the above blued words are clickable links. Just hold down the Control key and click on the blue words.)

See y'all next week.

Paul

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Hello "EVERYONE." After reading my blog messages, do you still want to be an "AUTHOR?" I hope so. It's an exciting journey. Often frustrating, but even if you never get published, it's a rewarding experience.


For those of you who are new to following me and who I am, I wrote the selling novel, Bridgetown High. Today, I thought I'd tell a little bit about the novel and maybe encourage you in your writing, that if I could write and get published by a traditional publisher, maybe you can too.

BRIDGETOWN HIGH is a suspenseful look at how conditions were in the mid-1960s. The Vietnam War, drugs, alcohol, teen romance, first loves, etc. A lot has changed sine then, but in the long run not much has really changed if you compare both eras.


It's a story about Seventeen year old Mark Wilkerson who has no memory of the fiery crash that killed his family on the Carquinez Bridge in the San Francisco Bay Area. Now living with his grandmother and burdened with guilt that he may have helped to cause the accident, Mark vows to find the hit-and-run driver and take his revenge. But, the only detail he remembers is round taillights swerving in front of his family’s car. He is shocked when he notices that Jeff Marino's car, has identical taillights—and a suspicious dent in his rear fender. Jeff Marino is the school's bully. Now Mark wants revenge more than ever… On the other hand, Jeff believes Mark is an anti-Vietnam War activist like Mark's cousin Gary and despises him for it. To make matters worse, when Jeff’s girlfriend, Genie Lombardi, dumps him for Mark, it kicks Jeff’s hatred for him to a dangerous new level. Lies and threats escalate, until drugs and alcohol, and a shocking death, send Jeff over the edge and his campaign to get Genie back, any way he can, turns violent. When Mark’s memory starts to return, it leads to a terrifying confrontation between Mark and Jeff. Will Mark finally prove the identity of the guilty driver? Or will he and Genie become one more tragedy associated with the Carquinez Bridge?

This book took me quite a long time to write, edit, re-edit, re-re-edit, and once more, edit. I actually tossed in the garbage can several times, but I still believed in it and just couldn't just let it rest. Finally, after hundreds of agent rejections, I found Limitless Publishing who was willing to publish BRIDGETOWN HIGH. I can't say they will publish your novel, but it's worth a try. I'm willing to review your book, if you want, and decide whether or not to recommend your book to them.

I hope that encourages you, not discourages you. For me, writing is in my blood. I just can't quit. I hope my next novel, a sequel to BRIDGETOWN HIGH, will be as well written.

So, until next week,  as always, if you like this blog/message, please remember to "Share" and "Like"it on Facebook , and "Tweet" or "Retweet" it on Twitter. Then PLEASE, take five minutes to write a review and post it on Amazon. I need all the reviews I can get to make this book a success. Also have you signed up for my email letters on my Blog Site? I would love to see you there and have you introduce yourself and give comments, good or bad, to this blog. And also keep in mind "BRIDGETOWN HIGH" is still available at Amazon, Goodreads and Barnes&Noble and several other places I can't remember. You can read some GREAT reviews of BRIDGETOWN HIGH on Amazon and Goodreads in case you need more info about my novel. Almost everyone who has read it, loved it.

(By-the-way, if you are reading this on my blog (www.paulwwest.com) the above blued words are clickable links. Just hold down the Control key and click on the blue words.)

See y'all next week, and happy writing.

Paul

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Hi all my faithful family and friends:


Today, I want to talk about writer's block. Everyone experiences it, and I suspect there are as many solutions as there are writers. So, what is an effective method to overcome it?

I often experience writer's block because I don't get a chance to write every day, thus I lose track of what I wrote last and where I intended the story to go.

The method that I find that works best for me is to go back two or three pages and begin reviewing what you last wrote. By the time you get to where you left off, you should be able to remember what you intended to write. Only, this time, I'm at a total block.


Before, I had a critique group to bounce ideas off of. But I don't have that support any more (Hint to myself: join another group).


I'm dealing with how to write the sequel to Bridgetown High, and only get to write about every two weeks or so. That makes it hard to keep track of what I last wrote and where I left off. Does anyone know of a "good" critique group?


Oh, and by the way, I'm still considering doing another blog tour, but I'm hoping they are worth the money -- something around $100.00. Does anyone know of a "good" blog tour company?


So, until next week,  as always, if you like this blog, please "Share" and "Like"it on Facebook , and "Tweet" it on Twitter. Then PLEASE, take five minutes to write a short review of "Bridgetown High" and post it on my correct author page at Amazon.

Also, remember to sign up for my email letters on my Blog Site. I would love to see you there and have you introduce yourself and give comments to this blog. Have a wonderful week.

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Hey, Gang (all my family and friends):


I hope everyone is well and busy writing in your spare time -- which is most everyone's desire. I believe everyone has a book or two in them. I proved it by writing Bridgetown High.

I love this review by Josie Melendez on posted on December 3, 2015

She gave me 5 stars, and I like what she said about me and my writing:

"It is hard to believe that this book is this author’s debut novel. I have to say the author’s note referencing that the setting behind this story takes place in the mid-1960’s, had me nervous going in. However, I have to be honest, the way this author wrote this story I didn’t feel lost or unaware of the surroundings within. The start to this story nearly broke my heart. AND THAT WAS ONLY THE FIRST PAGE! After that I knew I would not be able to put this book down. The story is told in multiple POV’s which I happened to enjoy a great deal.

"I do not want to say much or give anything away because this one needs to be read going in blindly. I will say, once I got to that Aha moment I was floored. I really enjoyed how the author used words, landmarks and life events to describe a setting or scene so that I really could imagine how it was in the 60’s. I can tell that this author researched a lot and put a lot of effort into this book. The conversations and language used in the book is how I would have expected it to be like in the 60’s. Like the close family unit, people’s view points on the Vietnam War and music.

"Mark’s pain, anguish, grief, rage and guilt over the loss of his parents and sister is felt on every page. I can’t imagine losing my family in such a tragic way, but his author was able to have me emotionally connect so much that I felt like I was there with him sharing his pain. Mark’s need for revenge of the person responsible for their death was palpable. The three characters that surround this book were very well developed. Mark, Gina and Jeff each have a story to tell and their lives are connected in some way. As the year unfolds secrets, manipulation and danger will follow the lives of these 3 teenagers.

"I got more than what I imagined I would have when I started this book. The drama and angst level was over the top. If you love a book that has drama, action, suspense, jealously and fast cars then this is your book. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I can’t wait to see what this author brings us next."

Isn't that a great review?

Now, guess what?

I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE that my publisher, Limitless Publishing, and I are going to do another Blog Tour for Bridgetown High. Along with the tour, we're going to give away some electronic versions of the book. Keep posted as I haven't set it up yet, but will soon and want to be able to let you know. Maybe you can join in the tour and gain some publicity as well.

So, until next week,  as always, if you like this blog, please "Share" and "Like"it on Facebook , and "Tweet" it on Twitter. Then PLEASE, take five minutes to write a short review of "Bridgetown High" and post it on my correct author page at Amazon.

Also, remember to sign up for my email letters on my Blog Site. I would love to see you there and have you introduce yourself and give comments to this blog. Have a wonderful week.

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