The Truth About Being a Writer

Imagine a doctor opening a clinic and having no patients.

Imagine an attorney passing the bar but his grand office has no clients.

Imagine a builder developing an idyllic neighborhood but it remains a ghost town.

Imagine a grocer stocking all the shelves but no one ventures inside.

This is what a writer's life can be like. In the wake of a down-turned economy, I saw scores of people putting pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard) believing all they had to do was put their thoughts into words and they would be firmly established with a lucrative career as an author.

But placing words on paper does not create a professional career any more than stocking a medicine chest makes one a doctor.

The truth is, no one needs fiction to live. Unlike medical treatment, a roof over our heads or food in our bellies, fiction does not sustain life. In a weakened economy as disposable income becomes more rare, often we must wisely select where our money goes, and reading for pleasure can be easily discarded.

When my computer books were released, they flew off the shelves; the personal computer industry was in its infancy, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs hadn't yet made their millions (or billions) and people needed to learn computers to remain viable in the workforce.

So how does an author of fiction sustain an audience?

First and foremost, by writing something so compelling that readers will spread the word. When you hear someone say, "You have to read this!" there's a good chance that book will sell some copies.

Second, by giving readers what they want. Reading is highly subjective; some people relax with a western, others with true adventure, still others with romance or suspense or a sci-fi trip to an uncharted galaxy. Write something that no one cares about and the book will flounder.

Third, by making it easy for readers to find them. This is where the largest publishers excel because they can afford the sales forces needed for maximum exposure. Even if a publisher does not spend a great deal of money on media advertising, they still hold all the clout in placing their titles where readers can spot them.

Fourth, an author is only as relevant as their latest title. I can't think of an author since Harper Lee who has been able to earn a sustained income from one book title. Today, the market is all about producing; some authors have even begun writing novellas in lieu of full-length novels so they can get as many as a dozen titles a year in front of their audience.

Fifth, by constantly perfecting their craft. Each book must be better than the last one or that climb to the summit will result in a few brief moments at the peak before plummeting back to base camp. I've met many New York Times bestselling authors who don't have two pennies to rub together today because their moment in the spotlight was all too fleeting.

Sixth, keep your eyes on the market. A downside to the largest publishers is their focus on constantly increasing book sales; one dip can mean a cancelled contract. Small and mid-size publishers have far less overhead than the big guys, but they still need books that sell to keep them in business. This means constantly viewing the market and assessing what will sell and what won't and making adjustments where necessary.

Seventh, understand each author is a brand. When Fifty Shades was released, I saw countless authors leave a set of genre fans behind in the pursuit of becoming the next millionaire author in another genre. Even more interesting were those authors who left the mainstream in order to write for a small niche market, believing that would be their claim to fame.

For every author who earns a living writing, there are thousands who can't sell books to anyone outside their immediate circle.

So considering the odds, why write?

First, don't write for the income. If it comes, it's icing on the cake but don't expect it.

Second, write because you love the process. Write because that story inside you absolutely has to come out, even if no one else ever reads it.

Third, write even if no one notices. If you are writing for the constant accolades, you'll be disappointed. If the attention comes, that should be an unexpected bonus.

Fourth, understand your words may never die. In this age of technology, it is possible for books to remain in print long after the author has died, even if they are not profitable. I've seen many authors dropped by traditional publishers who have re-released their titles as self-published eBooks. It is possible that long after the author is gone, the book could find an audience. One need only look at the authors we revere today who were unappreciated in their own time.

The Titanic

Most of us are familiar with the story of the Titanic; a British passenger ship unparalleled in its size and décor, it sank on its maiden voyage in the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912, killing more than 1,500 passengers and crew. But here are some things you might not have known:

The RMS Titanic was built in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was the second the three Olympic class ocean liners built by the White Star Line.

The Titanic Museum in Belfast was built in the shape of a white star.

The Titanic Museum covers much more than the building of the Titanic; it begins with the history of Belfast. Belfast linen, for example, has been sought after the world over, and was just one of the exports that needed ships departing for Europe and America. As industry expanded in Belfast, so did the population, bringing scores of people who worked not only in the textile industry but in metals, iron works, furniture and buildings. All of these industries played an integral part in the building and outfitting of the Titanic.

Workers on the Titanic were often divided into very small groups overseen by a foreman. Because of animosity between the Catholics (Unionists) and Protestants (Loyalists), there was a time in which workers entered the shipyard through the entrance bearing the name of their faith. They were kept separated while they worked.

The Museum is built in what is known today as the Titanic Quarter, and it is the best known attraction in Belfast. http://www.titanicbelfast.com/The-Experience.aspx It is built at the original site, and from the windows shown below, the visitor can view the location where the Titanic was built:

There are so many things to do and see at the Titanic Museum that the visitor should plan on at least one full day there. You can tour the multi-level museum, take part in a Titanic walking tour, take one of the Boat Tours, take the Wee Tram around the shipyard, and tour the Nomadic, one of the three Olympic class ocean liners and the last remaining White Star Line ship in the world.

Hours of operation: 9 am to 7 pm during the summer tourist season (June, July, August). Purchase the tickets online at www.titanicbelfast.com to save 5% and avoid the queues.

The shipyard is still in operation today. In addition to shipbuilding, repairs are made here on oil rigs. Belfast is very close to some of the richest off-shore oil operations in the world.

 

Belfast, Northern Ireland

I grew up in America during the times of The Troubles in Belfast and Northern Ireland. Though the issues are complex, a simple explanation is the conflict between the Protestants or Loyalists (those who tend to be loyal to the British throne and who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom) and the Catholics or Unionists (those who want a united Ireland and a separation from the United Kingdom).

So when I traveled to Belfast recently, I was more than a bit apprehensive about going there. I worried about venturing into the wrong neighborhood, saying the wrong thing, or wearing the wrong colors.

Yes, you read that correctly. You can spot at a glance whether you’re in the Protestant section or the Catholic section by the colors displayed. The British Jack in its red, white and blue can be seen flying proudly over the Protestant areas, along with pictures of the Queen of England and other monarchy. Cross into the Catholic section and you could be verbally or physically assaulted if you flew the Union Jack. There you’ll see the Irish colors of green, white and orange flying proudly.

The most curious thing that happened to me while visiting Northern Ireland was a trip to the post office to purchase stamps for a friend in the States who wanted them for his collection. On the first day I went in, I asked the lady behind the counter for some postage stamps. She stared at me as if I had arrived from Mars. I asked her again, more slowly in case my accent made me difficult to understand. She said they didn’t have any and she turned and walked away.

When I told my sister of the problem, we returned together. This time, my sister asked her for postage stamps. Again, she said they didn’t have any. We must have had an expression like Elaine on an episode of Seinfeld because a gentleman came from a back office and asked us what we wanted. When we told him we were simply looking for postage stamps for a collector friend back home, he took us to another area where he sold us the stamps.

It turns out that every stamp in the United Kingdom is exactly the same except for the color: they all display the Queen of England. And it also turns out that Unionists or Catholics would never, ever collect anything with the Queen’s likeness on it. I had mistakenly stepped over the line when I asked to buy postage stamps but didn’t have a letter to mail.

In 1997, then-President Bill Clinton forged an agreement between the Unionists and the Loyalists to end thirty years of violence. Though the bombings stopped, the animosity between the two groups did not end overnight. In 2015, the vast majority of school-age children are raised completely separated by their religion—Catholic or Protestant—and integrated neighborhoods are nearly non-existent. It has only been recently that adults have begun working together in business, side by side.

The neighborhoods are separated by a wall. On one side there is a wrought iron gate behind which the Protestants live. On the other side is a graffiti-covered concrete wall behind which the Catholics live. The graffiti has risen to an art level, and even the most beautiful or poignant among them can be there today and gone tomorrow as they are continually covered over by newer images.

In this film clip of the Peace Wall (which is the name given to it after the peace agreement was signed) I was riding in a tour bus, which is the best method for seeing the city without the risk of venturing into the wrong neighborhood.

When I arrived in Belfast on the Ulster Bus, we stopped where every bus stops that ventures into Belfast: at the Europa Hotel. Little did I know at the time that the Europa Hotel held the distinction of being the most bombed building in the world until the Baghdad Hotel took that title after the start of the Iraq War.

I asked a Catholic lady in a village outside of Belfast how The Troubles had affected her family and friends, because it occurred to me that when I arrived at the Europa, I was amidst a number of people (predominantly women on my bus) who had come to the city to work or to shop. They were civilians. A bomb going off in the bus terminal would have killed or maimed primarily civilians of both faiths.

The lady I questioned told me that no one ventured into Belfast during that time; it had become too dangerous. The Troubles, she went on to say, hadn’t done anyone any favors and the violence had only made everything worse. If they couldn’t find what they were looking for outside of Belfast, they simply went without.

Belfast is growing today as a result of 17+ years without the bombings. It is a beautiful city about the size of Richmond, Virginia. One of the more impressive sights is the Titanic Museum, which I’ll cover in detail next week.

If you plan to visit Belfast, I suggest the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus. The tickets are good for 48 hours after you first use them, and you have the ability to hop off at any of the stops and hop back on when the next bus arrives, which is anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour later. In addition to the Peace Wall, it tours the Shankill Memorial Garden, Crumlin Road and Donegal Street, Falls Road, Queens University, cathedrals and the Titanic.

Colors to avoid wearing in Belfast: red, white and blue; green, white and orange. They represent the flags of Britain and of the Republic of Ireland.

Symbols to avoid wearing: the crown, the poppy flower, an orange ribbon or orange sash, a bowler hat, the star of David, and the red clenched fist are all symbols of the Loyalists. IRA slogans (representing the Irish Republican Army), the Crest of the O'Neills, the Celtic emblem, the Crest of the United Irishmen, the Easter Lily (symbolizing the Easter Rising of 1916 which led to Irish Independence), and the green ribbon all symbolize the Unionists. 

Subjects to avoid while in Belfast: religion and politics.

Next week: The Titanic, one of Belfast's newest attractions.

The Magic that is Ireland - Part 1: Dublin

I have been receiving a lot of comments about my blog series regarding Ireland and searching for my Irish roots. I traveled to Ireland recently and plan another trip in a few weeks. I've been asked by numerous people about my trip, so I am starting this series about travel to Ireland - what to see, what to do, and tips on traveling there.

My first stop was Dublin for the simple reason that it's where most international flights arrive. There are some international flights in and out of Shannon on the west coast (Dublin is on the east coast). Belfast, in Northern Ireland, is north of Dublin and I learned that travel there from the U.S. goes through England - either Heathrow (which I understand is a madhouse) or Manchester.

Tips on Dublin

Here are a few tips when traveling to Dublin:

1. Get your money exchanged at the airport. The Republic of Ireland uses the Euro. You can search around Dublin for banks to exchange your dollars, but why waste the time and effort when you'll want to be experiencing Ireland?

2. Take the bus. If you are staying in Dublin, try to choose a hotel that has a free shuttle service to and from the airport. If you don't, I suggest taking the bus. (http://www.dublinsightseeing.ie/airlink/index.aspx) It cost us 6 Euro one-way, which is much cheaper than the taxi's 40 Euro.

Irish terminology: when taking the bus, you'll need to state whether you want a single (one-way ticket) or a double (round-trip ticket).

3. Stay in Dublin's City Centre if you can. You'll be within walking distance of scores of museums, restaurants, pubs, shopping and much more. I used http://www.hotels.com/ and searched on City Centre Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.

4. Note the time you're arriving. Our plane landed at 5:00 AM. By the time we reached the hotel, we were completely exhausted and jet-lagged. But once we arrived, we discovered check-in wasn't until 3:00 PM. We ended up sleeping in the lobby until a room became available. You can remedy this by booking the room for the previous night and making sure there is a notation regarding your arrival time the next morning. You'll definitely want to get at least 2-3 hours' sleep.

5. Learn about Ireland in Dublin. You'll learn the history of Ireland while you're in Dublin; many museums are free and others are a nominal charge. Plan on spending 2 days in Dublin, not counting your day of arrival.

6. But discover Ireland outside of the city. I was surprised to discover that hearing an Irish accent in downtown Dublin was quite difficult. It has become an international city and you'll hear languages from around the globe. So once you've learned about Irish history, get out of the city to a small village (coming up in another blog next week) and that's when you'll discover the real, mystical and magical Ireland.

Things to See and Do in Dublin

1. Make the Hop On, Hop Off Bus your first activity. It's fabulous, and you ride at your own schedule. You can get on at any stop, get off at any stop, and spend as much time as you'd like anywhere. A tour host narrates as you ride so you get a sense of the history and where to go and what to do. It's a two-day ticket for 18 Euro, and well worth it: http://www.dublinsightseeing.ie/citytour.aspx

Below is an example of the tour. I was sitting in the front row on the second level of the double-decker:

2. Tour the Dublin Castle. Take the narrated tour with the guide, and you'll learn a lot of history about the Vikings' rule over Dublin, Ireland's history and the Easter Rising, which led to Ireland's independence from Britain: http://www.dublincastle.ie/visitorfacilities/

3. Kilmainham Gaol. This is where the political prisoners were executed from the Easter Rising. The uprising might have been considered a failure except when Britain executed all the main organizers, their executions led to world pressure and the independence of Ireland: http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/kilmainhamgaol/

4. The Post Office. This was one of the buildings where the Easter Rising took place, and there are still bullet holes in the side of the building from the event. Mounted on the wall are permanent pictures of the organizers of the uprising; these men were the ones executed at the gaol.

5. Writers Museum. If you enjoy reading, you'll enjoy Ireland's authors. I learned a great deal about their backgrounds and became quite fascinated by Oscar Wilde's ordeals: http://www.virtualvisittours.com/dublin-writers-museum/

6. St Stevens Green (http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/dublin/ststephensgreen/) is a public park right in the middle of the City Centre. 

7. Shopping. St Stevens Green is directly across the street from the mall and Grafton Street, which is the main shopping district in downtown Dublin. There are restaurants, pubs and shops for several blocks: http://graftonstreet.ie/

8. The National Museum of Ireland. It is closed on Mondays, but it's free and well worth touring: http://www.museum.ie/en/homepage.aspx

9. The Guinness Museum is not just for beer lovers. You'll definitely want to stop in their pub overlooking the city: http://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en/Index.aspx

If you have traveled to Dublin and you don't see a site posted here that you enjoyed visiting, leave a comment below and let me know what it is and why you liked it.

Next week: Finding Ireland's soul in a small village. Coming up later: why Northern Ireland broke away from the Republic of Ireland.

And for 13 Things Not to Do in Ireland, this is a great read:
http://www.destinationtips.com/advice/13-things-not-to-do-in-ireland/1/

Visit my website at www.pmterrell.com for a list of my books set in Ireland, including my latest, A Thin Slice of Heaven, set in a castle in Northern Ireland.

The Perfect Man

They say that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, and definitely one of the perks in writing your own books is the ability to interject that beauty whenever and wherever you wish.

So when I began the Black Swamp Mysteries series, I decided one of the characters would appear to be the perfect man. Of course, no one is perfect, even in books, so as the layers were peeled back, he becomes more than a little flawed. But it turned out, he also became downright irresistible.

His name is Dylan Maguire and he makes his first appearance in Vicki's Key. He was only meant to be in that one book but I must have done my job a little too well because the editors and advance readers convinced me this guy had to be in the entire series. And I happen to agree.

The body type was easy. Dylan, an Irishman who moves to America, would be taller than most men. Large, with broad shoulders, muscular arms, strong thighs. A man's man. And also a woman's dream lover.

If the book was made into a movie, the perfect actor would be Russell Crowe, looking like he did in the movie Master and Commander (shown at right). Who, incidentally, was my pick for the role of Ramses the Great if Anne Rice's book, The Mummy, was ever made into a movie. Too bad it hasn't. But there's always time...

Dylan's eyes are hazel, which means in some lights and some moods, they appear greener while in others they have tints of gold flecks. The most captivating characteristic about them is when he smiles; they form half-moons which show his inner spirit, his love of life itself and his eternal optimism. His hair is deep brown, not quite black, and his brows heavy and masculine. For his eyes, I turned to Pierce Brosnan, who also happens to be an Irishman...

Interestingly enough, in the picture on the left, Pierce also has a five o'clock shadow. And in researching "the perfect man" I discovered a treasure trove of surveys and studies in which women overwhelmingly selected men with five o'clock shadows as the sexiest... Not clean shaven, not bearded or mustached... but just the hint that they culd grow a beard easily if they wanted to. So Dylan sports a five o'clock shadow, of course.

In Vicki's Key, Vicki Boyd arrives at a new job assisting an elderly woman only to find out Laurel Maguire had suffered a stroke and her nephew had arrived from Ireland to care for her. Dylan is quite the handyman around the house, seemingly everywhere at once. And while he can be gentle and incredibly sexy, he is also a champion kickboxer. A quick, hot temper begins to emerge and so does a ruthlessness that Vicki finds can be terrifying.  And as Vicki's past begins to collide with her future and Dylan's secrets begin to emerge, they find themselves on a collision course - to murder.

As I was working on the book, I heard Dylan's Irish brogue in my head as easily as I heard my own voice. I knew it was important for the reader to hear that same voice, so I made his character so he is not well educated. He is from the working class, using words and phrases in a cadence uniquely his own. His father, he tells Vicki, left his mother and himself when he was only three years old. His mother cried every night. He asks Vicki why she is crying, and when she answers "I don't know" he responds, "Same thin' me mum used to say. 'What are you cryin' for, Mum?' I'd say. 'I don't know.' 'Well, you do it every night. Seems like you'd 'ave figured it out by now.' "

While I was writing, I had the television set on low at one point and I heard Dylan's voice popping out of the tube. Glancing up, I found the movie Leap Year was on HBO. Matthew Goode, an Englishman by birth, didn't think he did a good job with an Irish accent but I think he captured Dylan's voice, as heard in this clip below:



Dylan turns into a complex man with deeply ingrained flaws. But that is what makes him even more interesting and even intriguing. His story is so complex that you'll find it unveiled throughout the series, layer by enticing layer.

If you could create your perfect man, who would he be? What would he sound like, look like, act like?

Vicki's Key, p.m.terrell's 13th book, will be released in March 2012 in trade paperback and in eBook format. It is available now for pre-order at www.pmterrell.com. Bengal Book Reviews says it is "riveting, spellbinding...sexy, intense, stay-up-all-night until you are done thriller... terrell's best book yet!" Part ghost story, part romance, part international intrigue... and ALL p.m.terrell!

Entertaining, Engaging... and Surprising at Every Turn!

I could never be one of those authors who writes by a formula. My fans deserve better. And I have the kind of mind that fast-forwards a hundred steps and needs a lot to keep me engaged and interested. So I am constantly on the lookout for new ideas, different characters, detailed, engaging plots with twists and turns at every angle...

So when I decided to write a series, it was a huge step for me. Write about the same characters? In the same town? Me?

So, what makes Vicki's Key different from all my other books? And why was I confident this IS the series to write?

Vicki's Key is a cross-over genre. It's the mystery and suspense my fans have come to love. But unlike my other books, it starts off more slowly. Then like a ball rolling downhill, it gathers momentum until it has you by the throat, hurling you along at roller coaster speeds. Everything means something. EVERYTHING. Every piece of information comes together as you head toward the climactic scene.

It is also a ghost story. And Vicki Boyd, one of the main characters, is a psychic spy for the CIA. This crosses into the paranormal realm, but it's done so seamlessly that you'll feel like you are traveling from Lumberton, North Carolina to Afghanistan and back as Vicki unravels a plot against the United States Government.

Vicki saw her parents' deaths before it occurred. She was only 12 years old at the time and the adults around her either ignored her, chalked it up to an overactive imagination, or thought she might be losing her mind. But within weeks, her parents were dead and Vicki, along with her sister and two brothers, were placed into foster homes, scattered and separated for the rest of their childhoods. The incident attracted the CIA's attention and Vicki became the ward of the U.S.Government and trained as a psychic spy.

But when a mission known as the Amazon Incident goes horribly wrong, she decides to leave the CIA and start over in a small town, working for an elderly woman. It's only a summer job but it takes her out of Washington to a small town in southeastern North Carolina, where she can emotionally recover and decide what she wants to do for the rest of her life.

But when she arrives, she finds that Laurel Maguire has suffered a stroke and remains isolated on the third floor of a rambling mansion. And her nephew Dylan has arrived from Ireland to care for her.

The house comes alive with ghostly sightings - ice cold spots, icy hands at her back, visions of blood in the bathtub, a woman screaming at her to run... And Vicki begins to wonder whether she is losing her mind.

But she is also falling in love with the handsome and charming Dylan Maguire. He seems to be everything she is not: outgoing, unafraid, eager to experience life... seductive, protective... and mysterious. Vicki's Key is also a romance, filling requests from my fans to show more..

Vicki soon begins to realize that all is not what it seems at Aunt Laurel's home. And when the CIA comes calling with one more mission for her, she soon finds the haunted house with its deep, foreboding secrets is about to collide with her CIA assignment... in murder.

In coming weeks, find out who inspired the characters of Vicki Boyd, Dylan Maguire, and others...

What are you reading these days? What genre is it, and how it is attracting and keeping your attention?

Vicki's Key debuts as an eBook on February 1, 2012 and in trade paperback in March 2012. Advance orders for the printed edition are now being taken at www.pmterrell.com.