Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Today's Mystery Author Guest: Donnell Ann Bell


As promised yesterday, fellow Colorado mystery author Donnell Ann Bell is visiting my blog today. To read her bio and see her photo, please page down to yesterday's post. The photo above is the cover for Donnell's most recent release, Deadly Recall. It is her second novel. Seventeen years prior to when the book begins, Eden Moran blocked out a murder. Heaven help her, she’s about to remember. Nine-year-old Eden Moran thought she was saying good-bye to her mentor that fateful day in St. Patrick’s. She had no idea she’d witness the nun’s demise, or that her child’s mind would compensate. Now seventeen years later, Albuquerque cops have unearthed human remains, and the evidence points to Eden as being the key to solving Sister Beatrice’s murder. When a hell-bent cop applies pressure, Eden stands firm. She doesn’t remember the woman. Unfortunately for Eden, Sister Beatrice’s killer will do whatever it takes to keep it that way.

Scary stuff!  Below is Donnell's guest article. Please leave a comment for her, and if you have a question for her, ask it!

Listen to your Mother. . .and Donald Maass

Hi, Beth:  Thanks so much for inviting me to your wonderful blog. I’m particularly excited to be here because, unlike my debut book, The Past Came Hunting, which is romantic suspense, Deadly Recall is a full-blown mystery. I had so much fun writing Deadly Recall, with the exception of one little burr in the keyboard. Let’s call him Donald Maass.

Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘listen to your mother?’ or watched the old sitcom, ‘Father Knows Best?’ If you’re a writer, somewhere in there you need to throw in, ‘Listen to Donald Maass.’

For you readers out there, Donald Maass is a veteran literary agent and speaker who has written bestselling nonfiction books for writers, including Writing the Break Out Novel, The Fire in Fiction, and most recently, The Breakout Novelist: Craft and Strategies for Career Fiction Writers. Most might call him an expert in guiding authors to writing the best book that’s in them.

I’m no exception. I’ve bought Mr. Maass’s books. I even attended a two-day workshop in Albuquerque, New Mexico (incidentally, where Deadly Recall is set). I agreed wholeheartedly with his statements:  Eliminate needless backstory; every passage, every word you write must belong in that book—or get rid of it; and you must have tension on every page.

Yes, I was fully in his camp of devoted followers until he made a comment that sent my tightly plotted novel into a tailspin. He said if you’re writing a mystery, and you know who your killer is from the start chances are your reader will, too. His advice to attendees in the room—when you reach the end of your novel, turn your killer. Make your antagonist someone your reader will never see coming.

I sat with my head in my hands thinking this guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I’ve plotted my book; it works. I KNOW who the killer is. It HAS to be this person. Like a stubborn teenager unwilling to listen to her parents, I went home and went about my business and the way I wanted to write Deadly Recall. The killer who I envisioned in my synopsis stayed my killer.

But darned if Donald Maass hadn’t planted the seeds of uncertainty, and as I proofed that document and prepared to submit to agents and to enter the Golden Heart®, his words led to many a sleepless night. If you know who your killer is from the start, chances are your reader will, too. He taunted me like a construction worker walking into a two by four.

So I went back to my already perfect manuscript and got back to work. I sulked all the way as I took Mr. Maass’s stupid advice and I made my killer somebody else. Then, to my surprise, something magical happened. If I didn’t know who the killer was from the start, maybe my readers wouldn’t know, either.  (Okay, so I’m a slow learner.)

I sent my work through critique, and as my very discerning critique partners read through the numerous red herrings I’d set up, I relished their comments: “Who on earth is the killer?” “I have no idea.” Finally when they were getting toward the end of the book, they took out an envelope and wrote who they suspected. When we opened the envelope upon reading the ending, only one critique partner out of six had gotten it right.

I jumped up and down with glee, particularly when Deadly Recall became a 2010 Golden Heart® finalist and Bell Bridge Books made an offer to buy it. So who does that Donald Maass think he is, anyway? In my mind, and countless others, he’s somebody brilliant and worth listening to.



Thanks, Donnell! Now, readers, have you ever tried to ignore advice that proved to be the best thing you ever heard? Tell us! Also, if anyone else has had an experience with Donald Maass, Donnell and I would love to hear about it. And, if you have a question for Donnell, ask away!

52 comments:

Barb Han said...

Great post, Donell! I can't wait to read this!!

Larissa Reinhart said...

Hey Beth & Donnell,
Your new book sounds fantastic, Donnell. Love the blocked memory idea. Congrats on the release!

Angi Morgan said...

I hate that! And love it all at the same time. Congrats on another success! I'm sure of it. I adore a good book that keeps me guessing.
~Angi

Melissa said...

Ahh! Donald Maass...it's a love, hate relationship. LOL He's coming to our conference in Houston this year and I can't wait to see how much better my WIP becomes afterward. Not looking forward to the extra hard work, but it will be so worth it. :) Congratulations on the new book! Sounds awesome, Donnell!!

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Hello everyone, and thanks again, Beth for hosting my complaint against Mr. Maass :) I appreciate all of you stopping by! Melissa, he does make you work and think. It's money well spent in my opinion! Happy Wednesday, all!

Lisa Potocar said...

I loved your first book, Donnell, and I'm looking forward to reading this next one!

No experience with Donald Maass, but before I embarked upon my journey to write YA historical fiction, the research kept telling me that it should be written in first person--I don't remember exactly why--but I think it had something to do with this being the best method for bringing alive the imagery and emotions of a period.

Anyhow, I had started the story in third person and then I switched to first based upon this advice. When I attended a Highlights for Children Conference, an historical fiction author took me under her wing and said she thought my writing style would work better with third person. So, I switched back and I've never looked back--my instincts were right from the start.

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Lisa, thank you. How wishy-washy a response is this.... Trust your instincts, but ... listen to the experts. Actually your experience is not much different than mine. Donald Maass has seen virtually, I would guess tens of thousands of manuscripts. I have written... er... seven ;)

I'm guessing this historical fiction author you mention had loads of experience under her belt as well. Can you imagine doing this business alone? What did Dickens and du Maurier and Hemingway and the rest do without the Internet and access to these professionals? Makes you wonder.

Terri Herman-Ponce said...

Terrific post, Donnell. Thoroughly enjoyed the insight. As an fyi, my only interaction with Maass was a rejection. LOL

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Thank you, Terri. I think a rejection from Donald Maass is a rite of passage. ;) Thanks for stopping by!

Susan said...

We'll be seeing Donald Maass in Pgh this spring too!

Loved your post!

susan meier

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Thanks, Susan! Lucky Penn Writers!

Kaki Warner said...

GADS. I never thought of it that way--I assumed you had to leave little crumbs along the way for your reader to munch on. Guess that's why I don't write mysteries. LOVED your first book, Donnell, and am looking forward to this one. Thanks for sharing and good luck!

Polly Iyer said...

Great post, Donnell. I know one of my books has an obvious killer, but so be it. Then I thought, hey, wait! I have more than one killer, more than two bad guys. I left it alone. I'm sure your second book will be as successful as your first.

Christina Lasswell said...

Hi Donnell! I don't read a lot of mysteries anymore, but am looking forward to yours! I guess I was fortunate in that when I seriously started my writing journey a year ago, The Fire in Fiction was one of the first craft books I picked up. It was a guidebook in how to write-- and even now the things he said stick with me as I'm writing. I know that my first draft has been better just because I read that early on. I also remember scowling at a lot of what he said, so I get the love/hate thing. :0)

Beth Groundwater said...

I'm loving these comments, folks! Keep them coming! Thanks for visiting, Donnell, and I'm looking forward to seeing you soon at Left Coast Crime.

Donnell Ann Bell said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Donnell Ann Bell said...

Kaki, yes, writing a mystery is exactly like leaving bread crumbs. I know you could, and I'd hang on every word! Thanks for stopping by ;)


Polly, everything I've read of yours is amazing. I believe some writers have an intrinsic ability to plot, pace and more. You fit into that category. Thanks for commenting!

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Christina, thank you! If you do read Deadly Recall, I hope you enjoy it. Love/hate is such a good analogy. We writers work so hard on our projects, we lose objectivity. I certainly do.

Robert Crais said at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference, "Don't fall in love with your words." That is so true, and it's one of the hardest things for some writers to respect.

Fire in Fiction is excellent. Often writers can see mistakes in other people's work but not our own. Another super thing Mr. Maass's books do for us is make us look at our work in an objective fashion. Thanks for stopping by!

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Beth, me too, at Left Coast Crime. I have so many boxes being delivered to my house -- if I don't show up, come get me!

Eve Gaddy said...

Really interesting, Donnell. I can't wait to read Deadly Recall. I'm sure I'll love it as I thought The Past Came Hunting was a great book!

Jodi Anderson said...

Great advice, Donnell! Love the book cover.

Rashda Khan said...

Love the post, Donnell! Your humor & point shines through :)

And I'm a big Maass fan too!

Happy writing!

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Thanks Eve, back atcha. Huge fan of your writing.

Thank you, Jodi!

And Rashda, I was being SERIOUS :)))) Okay maybe a little tongue in cheek. Glad you enjoyed it!

Jennifer McAndrews said...

Okay, Donald Maass, blah blah. Donnell has a new book out!!! How did I miss that news up to this point!? Off to the (virtual) shops!

Hope Clark said...

Looking forward to the read, Donnell. I know what you're saying! Went through that same exercise in my first mystery. Changed the bad guys. Wow....what a difference.

Great post!

Hope Clark
www.chopeclark.com

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Jennifer, Yep, blah blah... Book is pre-released. Aren't Beth and I Johnny on the Spot. Hey, how often do I have anything to say? :) Thanks for thecking it out when it's available. Happy Wednesday

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Hi, Hope, Amazing the difference it makes in changing your antagonist. Opens up a whole new world of possibilities, and in my mind it even enriches the plot. So....do you think Donald Maass is the only one who's come up with this idea? At least for me I'd never heard it before. Thanks for stopping by to visit!

Leslie Budewitz said...

I attended Don's week-long Breakout Novel Intensive workshop last April in Hood River, Oregon. Whoa. Exhausting and exciting. I went home and started the ms. over -- with an August deadline. Didn't change the killer, but relied heavily on Don's exercises on building your character, especially through adding reversals and contradictions. I highly recommend a workshop with him.

Mark W. Danielson said...

Must agree with Don. I let my characters write their stories and never know until late "who did it". Seems to work quite well.

Cynthia D'Alba said...

Very interesting, Donnell. It's hard to change our minds to look at something from another angle, but darn if you didn't do that! Congrats on the the book. Love love love the cover.

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Leslie, Whoa. Donald Maass emphatically said change your killer. All right. Maybe not emphatically. But somehow I took it that way. ;)

Mark, I think many people agree with him. Thanks for commenting, you two.

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Cyndi, well, ahem, I was definitely a hard sale. Thanks so much, Debra Dixon designed the cover. I am beyond pleased. Thanks for swinging by!

Loralee said...

Donnell, I think you've given me the answer to my stymied plot. Gonna pull out my Maass book and read it again. Thanks! I'm anxiously waiting for your new book to be released. The first one was fabulous!

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Loralee :)))) Then my work is done here .... Oh, I hope this helps you. As much as I fought it, I *think* it worked. Thanks so much for your positive feedback! Let me know when I can read your un-stymied book in print! Thanks for stopping by.

Marilyn Levinson said...

Beth and Donnell,
I know that Donald Maass is full of good ideas, but I must admit I never heard that a mystery writer shouldn't know the identity of the killer from the start of a book. I learned something new today. Great post.

Theresa said...

Hi Donnell,
Yeah, I just hate it when the voice of success and experience is right! I've learned that the more annoyed I get at some advice like that, the more it burns my stomach . . . the more right it is.
I think it's a blessing to have people like that to continue to challenge us to be better writers. Yes, I'll try to remember that the next time you "challenge" me with wonderful feedback . Can't wait to read your latest release!

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Hi, Marilyn: I believe it's more of a suggestion... after all, it's our baby, right? But it was a pretty strong suggestion, or it wouldn't have impacted me as much. Great to see you!

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Theresa, I know, it so annoying to hear something we've written doesn't work -- or it might work better if you switched this or did that. Vice versa on the challenging, friend. Thanks for stopping by!

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Beth, thank you so much for hosting me today. So great to see everyone and so excited about this release. See you at Left Coast Crime!

Jessica Aspen said...

Loved The Past Came Hunting and I can't wait to read a full blown Donell Bell mystery! Especially one influenced by Donald Maass!

Leslie Ann aka LA said...

Hi Donnell,
I'm so excited your second book is here.

I loved your post. I'm about to work on a cozy mystery series after Stone of Heaven is released, so your advice, and of course that of Donald Maass is super timely.

Now, tell me which book of his had such advice, pretty please!! And I'll go check. I know my killer too, and I don't want it NOT to be a surprise.

Got to learn how to do that. It sounds impossible. Really, sounds impossible.

Hugs
LA

Sparkle Abbey said...

What a great post, Donnell. Can't wait to read Deadly Recall! We've done a couple of full-day workshops with The Donald and have to say there's always an ah-ha moment. The most recent was in Minneapolis and the take-away was "micro-tension." Looking forward to seeing you and Beth at our first Left Coast Crime!

Unknown said...

Hi Donnell,
Loved your post and you provided good food for thought. Not knowing who the killer is, interesting. I would love to do a workshop with D.M. but he's never where I am. Sigh.
How's your foot?
"Gotta" read your new release!

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Jessica, thank you so much for your nice thoughts on The Past Came Hunting! Yes, D.M. certainly makes an impression, no matter how much you try to ignore him ;)

L.A. I believe the book we worked on in that workshop was The Breakout Novel. Thanks for stopping by!

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Yay, Sparkle Abbey's in the house! Micro tension, another useful term. See you soon at Left Coast Crime. It will be my first, too!



Hi, Unknown! (wish I knew who you were If you ever get the chance to take his workshop, well worth the time and money and even to travel if you can. My foot is healing, slowly. Right now we call it, "franken foot" ;) Thanks so much. If you do read Deadly Recall, I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by!

Cynthia Becker said...

Donnell, you made my day! I've been frustrated by the dead body that appears in the opening scene of my story and, after months of attempted plotting, I still don't know who killed the guy. You have lifted that load from my shoulders. Now I can happily go back to writing and wait to find out who did it.

Cynthia Becker

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Cynthia, fantastic! I assume you thought you HAD to know who killed the victim? Maybe in ACTUAL police procedure, but never in fiction. Yours must be a great story with plenty of red herrings. Good luck finding out who it is! Thanks for commenting.

Karin Huxman - Romance Author said...

Great post, Donnell. As someone working on her first romantic suspense, it resonated with me. Can't wait to get my copy of Deadly Recall.

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Thank you, Karin! I think one of the things that we forget in fiction is it's not black and white, and we as the creator have the power to change. We get so set on an idea--at least I did. This was the first book I had totally plotted and it got in the way with my muse. Donald Maass saying, oh, by the way, just change it, was an important reminder that, well, guess what? It's fiction!

I hope you enjoy Deadly Recall! Thanks for commenting!

Anonymous said...

Donnell, I have had that experience - writing all the way to The End, and then realizing I had the wrong person as the killer. I didn't know that was a good thing! Thanks for a great article.
Catherine Dilts

Norma Huss said...

Donnell, I couldn't figure out who my killer was. I went through at least three drafts and always stopped before the end, as I didn't know who did the deed. So I wrote a half page in each of my suspects viewpoints, and darned if one of them didn't say, "So I killed her." (And I've gotten comments/reviews saying - "I could not figure out who the killer was!" - So it works that way too.

Donnell Ann Bell said...

Cathy, Thank goodness you hadn't submitted yet, right? Thank you for commenting!


Norma, that is a great idea, interviewing your characters. How cool that one fessed up. Thanks for stopping by!