I'm very excited to have the marvelous Carol Kilgore on my blog today. I love her books, and I'm doing a happy dance that she's going to talk about how she writes such brilliant mysteries. Take it away, Carol!
Thanks
so much for hosting me!
When
I asked Christine what she’d like for me to write, she gave me a
short list of possibilities but indicated she would most like to see
a post about how I write the mystery aspect of my novels, especially
whether I plot every detail or if I go back and add clues and red
herrings.
What
I do is the process that works best with the way my brain functions.
I’ve tried to be a total pantser, and I’ve tried to plot all the
details. What happens is I get stuck, or something different happens
from what I’ve planned.
So
what I do is a mishmash. Before I ever begin to write, I learn as
much as possible about the beginning, the major plot points, and the
ending. I also find out as much as possible about my characters
without actually putting them together and writing their story.
When
I write, I use what I know and let their story develop around the
framework. The deeper I get into the story, the more I learn about
the characters, and the more they learn about each other.
The
more I know about the characters and the story, the better I can
mislead the reader.
So
on each successive pass, I add more details. As an example, in
SOLOMON’S COMPASS, one of the characters wears a bracelet. Never
takes it off. It’s just about the only positive means to identify
him. The
bracelet was an extremely late addition.
When
I leave an obvious clue, I try to bury it so it doesn’t stand out.
Many of my clues are subtle--too subtle sometimes, according to my
editor. But together we fix that. I hope! One of my favorite movies
is “The Sixth Sense.” All the clues are there, but most viewers
don’t put them together until near the end of the movie.
That’s
my goal when I write--have the clues come together and make sense
near the end of the book.
===
By
the end of a long evening working as a special set of eyes for the
presidential security detail, all Kat Marengo wants is to kick off
her shoes and stash two not-really-stolen rings in a secure spot.
Plus, maybe sleep with Dave Krizak. No, make that definitely
sleep with Dave Krizak. The next morning, she wishes her new top
priorities were so simple.
As
an operative for a covert agency buried
in the depths of the Department of Homeland Security, Kat is asked
to participate in a matter of life or death—locate a kidnapped girl
believed to be held in Corpus Christi, Texas. Since the person doing
the asking is the wife of the president and the girl is the daughter
of her dearest friend, it’s hard to say no.
Kat
and Dave quickly learn the real stakes are higher than they or the first lady believed and
will require more than any of them bargained for.
The
kicker? They have twenty-four hours to find the girl—or the matter
of life or death will become more than a possibility.
===
Although Carol has
deep Texas roots, she’s lived up and down the eastern seaboard and
in other locations across the U.S. as a Coast Guard wife. She sees
mystery and subterfuge everywhere. And she’s a sucker for a good
love story—especially one with humor and mystery. Crime
Fiction with
a Kiss
gives her the latitude to mix and match throughout the broad mystery
and romance genres. Having flexibility makes her heart happy.
You can
connect with Carol here:
