Calling Dr. Freud, or Novel Writing for Fun and Psychoanalysis

 Over the course of my novel-writing career, it has occurred to me to wonder about the psychology of those of us who create whole worlds on paper and populate them with characters who do more or less what we want them to do. Are we indulging in self-psychoanalysis without being aware of it? I've often noted that what readers say about my books tells me more about them than it does about the books. So I'd better admit that what I write says a lot about what's going on in my unfathomable (to me) brain.

I like to write historical novels. My first series consisted of historical mysteries set in rural Okalahoma at the turn of the twentieth century, featuring Alafair Tucker, a farm wife with a very large family. The historical novel I'm working on now stars a young Irish woman named Katy, who is working her way across America from New York to San Francisco in the 1870s and '80s. How I conjured up these characters I don't really know, for neither is like me in the least. And yet they obviously are me to some extent, since they both live in my head.

Both characters live a life I never could. I couldn't abide it. I don't have the slightest desire to romanticize their lives. It was tough, and so were they, in entirely different ways. I imbue Alafair with virtues I don't have. She's self assured and doesn't second-guess herself. She's kind and tolerant of human weakness. She takes care of everyone and is patient with the follies of others – which Katy is not. Alafair is tethered to her life. Katy is tethered to nothing, not even honesty, virtue, or morality if they don't further her goal – to survive at whatever cost.

I never set out to deliver a message or make a statement when I write. I just want to tell a ripping yarn. However, I do find myself wondering what Dr. Freud would say about my stories. Both Alafair and Katy are more successful at confronting their fears than I am. They're not afraid to fail. They stick themselves out there.

Both Alafair and Katy and all the other characters I create are much more than the sum of their parts. The great British mystery novelist Graham Greene said, "The moment comes when a character says or does something you hand't shout of. At that moment, he's alive and you leave it to him." I put Alafair and Katy on the page, but then they stood up and walked away, and now I just follow where they lead. What that tells me about myself, I do not know. 

Conquering the messy middle

 As you might guess, I am in the middle of my latest Inspector Green novel, at about the halfway mark of the first draft, and I am floundering around. Not for want of story ideas but from too any. After starting off my writing career as a pantser (from the "let's dive in and see where this goes" school) I have gradually, over the course of about twenty books, become a "modified pantser". By that I mean, I dive in and see where the story goes but usually project about three or four scenes ahead. I still don't know what will happen or how it will all end, but I'm no longer flying blind from scene to scene. The reason for this is not that I have fallen in love with outlines, but that I have two or three storylines developing simultaneously, with different POV characters, and to keep this juggling act going, I have to keep track of where those storylines are going next so that timelines match up and plot revelations don't trip over each other. It really does feel like juggling, and at the moment, in this messy middle, I've got way too may balls up in the air and I'm at risk of dropping them or having them land on my head.

My creative muse visits not when I'm sitting in "outline" mode, which is bare bones and plot only, but in the creative process of writing the scene itself. Ideas come from several sources. When I'm deep in that zone, "what if" ideas fly at me from left field, often more brilliant than the one I had planned. Other times, I realize I need something to fill a void in a character's day or a reason to get him from Point A to Point B. Or in order to maintain the balance of the story, I need Character Y to do something for a few pages before we rejoin Character X. Solving these dilemmas often gives me my best ideas ever.  If I were writing entirely from outline, none of these serendipitous, unpredictable ideas would happen and the book would be the poorer for it.

But this brings me back to the surfeit of ideas I mentioned earlier. In order to keep track of these brainwaves, I pause long enough to jot them down so I don't forget them. I sometimes end up with too many possibilities for where the story could go next and what Characters X and Y should be doing. This is the real challenge of my messy middle. Do I go in this direction or that? Which will generate the most surprising, exciting story? Which will ultimately lead me out of this maze and reach the end of the book? Like any maze, there are dead ends and blind alleys, and at times the whole exercise feels overwhelming and insoluble. 

But after twenty books in which I did ultimately find the way out of the maze, I have to trust myself. Stay tune, I will report back.

Who Needs This Madness, Anyway?

by Catherine Dilts

I have asked myself, why write fiction? This pursuit feels so anonymous and unrewarding at times. I could settle into retirement. Enjoy travel, hobbies, and leisure.

During the past month and a half, my writing routine has been disrupted multiple times. First, by our two-week Alaska trip, next various writing meetings and workshops, and finally, participating in the 24 Hours of Palmer Lake endurance event. Did I mention downsizing our rarely used fifth wheel trailer for a more manageable RV, and the wheeling and dealing that required?

Obviously, more travel is in our future.

Catherine, husband Leonard, and traveling companion George

So why keep writing? Why spend time on attending writing events and zoom meetings? Not to mention outlining, endless revisions, seeking publication, and self-promotion?

During the most recent five-day hiatus, I discovered the answer. I am miserable if I’m away from my writing for too long. I have projects on my agenda that have great meaning. To me, if to no one else.

The travel and the time off? It doesn’t reduce my appetite for artistic agony. It fuels the desire to create, giving me new energy and ideas. 

Late August in Alaska is not summer

Without those breaks, I’ll admit I do get burned out. So I suppose I have to accept that life isn’t all work. Time must be carved out for fun and relaxation. Our friends and community have wondered lately why I haven’t made it to recent gatherings. I’m trying to remedy that.

We’re told life requires balance. Sometimes that balance is forced into our schedules. I’ve enjoyed the “disruptions” to my routine. The Alaska trip was wonderful. Connecting with other writers is inspiring. The 24 Hours of Palmer Lake endurance run is insanely fun.

Catherine, daughter Merida, and new friend Andrea in the middle of the night at 24 Hours of Palmer Lake

I had a revelation during the race. Writers and distance runners both share the trait of persistence. The goal may seem far away, but we pursue it anyway. It doesn't matter whether we come in first. It only matters that we complete our personal goals. With relentless determination. Occasional despair. Mild hallucinations. When we cross the finish line, or write The End, all the pain suddenly fades.

We’re ready to tackle the next race. The next short story. The next novel.

Falling Into Plot Holes.

 by Thomas Kies

I not only love reading good books, but I love watching movies.  I love the art of storytelling.  

But I hate plot holes.  A few nights ago, I tuned into a new movie on one of the streaming channels (there are so many of them now) that had gotten some “buzz” and featured some well-known actors.  I loved the way it started.  It was fast, the dialogue crisp, the storyline was dark, and I thought I would be enjoying film noir at its best. Something reminiscent of Reservoir Dogs.

I was sorely disappointed.  It was filled with action, much of it improbable, but even worse, it was chock full of plot holes.  It was as if the writers, producers, and director just didn’t care.  They wanted to throw in escalating violence and action without any thought to plot.  

It was an awful mess.  

And don’t get me started on all the unlikable characters.

Back to plot holes.  What are they…exactly? According to Wikipedia it’s: an inconsistency in a storyline that goes against the flow of logic established by the story's plot. Plot holes are usually created unintentionally, often as a result of editing or the writers simply forgetting that a new event would contradict previous events.

Or it’s being lazy.  For example, if a historical novel takes place in the mid-1880s and a character reached out to a switch to turn on the lights. That’s a pretty big plot hole. 

Or, for the sake of argument, there’s a space battle, like in Star Wars, and a ship gets blown up in space and there’s a deafening explosion.  Well, there’s no air in space, so there’s no sound. But flames and explosions are cool on film, so…

Or there’s one that really drives me crazy.  When someone hits someone else on the head and knocks them out.  Then a few minutes later, they get up, shake it off, and get back into the action. 

I’m pretty sure there would be a resultant concussion. 

I recall catching a plot hole in my first book, RANDOM ROAD, where my protagonist gets a ride with her boyfriend to someone’s house.  Intense dialogue takes place, then my heroine jumps in her car and drives off.  

After rereading the manuscript for the fifteenth time, I realized her car wasn’t there.  I had to rewrite the chapter.  

In the dinner theater I wrote, and the theater troupe is performing next week, the whole thing takes place in 1953 during the Cold War. Even though it's a comedy, I tried to get it as close to historical accuracy as possible.  Except for one line.  And I put it in to see if anyone catches it.  It's a throwaway bit of dialogue but wouldn't be accurate for another ten years.  

I don't know.  Maybe sometimes a plot hole is on purpose to see if the reader or the audience is paying attention?

Plot holes can be jarring.  They disrupt the reader of a book or the person watching the movie. When you're lost in a good story, you've suspended your disbelief.  A plot hole just brings you out of it and makes you say, "What the heck?"

  They happen.  But when they’re glaring, it tells me that the writer or movie maker didn’t really care.  

What plot holes have driven you crazy?

Television Publicity: We Can Do Scary Things

 Hello, Shelley Burbank here, still in my home state of Maine and absolutely loving the fall foliage and glorious weather. Also "enjoying" a mini-publicity tour of two events in two weeks. Stressing the "mini" aspect because I know two events is really very modest. However, both events stretched me as an author and public speaker. 

Have you ever been interviewed on your local news? I hadn't. Not until this week when I was the guest author on WABI TV Channel 5's Book Club segment on the 4 o'clock news. I spoke with Brian Sullivan at the studio--my first time in a tv studio. Before my spot, I could see the meteorologist standing at the weather map in her dress and tall boots. So chic. So cool. 

Then I was escorted into the studio and mic'd up--yes a wire run under my sweater and little mic attached to the collar. I had a quick 12345 soundcheck for my voice and after a bit of small talk to warm up, we were live on the air. Brian asked me questions, and I was able to sound somewhat coherent on the topic of my Olivia Lively series and synopses of each of the two novels and the upcoming novella. 

In 3.5 minutes, it was over. Watch the whole clip at https://www.wabi.tv/2025/10/02/mystery-womens-fiction-author-discusses-olivia-lively-mystery-series/

Here I am before the interview with PR guru, Melissa Gerety of BookMarks-Maine. She sets up the Book Club interview schedule, and I am so thankful for her because I never would have reached out to my hometown TV channel on my own. I grew up in Bangor, Maine. Yes, I know the world's most famous horror author also lived in town. Stephen King sightings were rare, but thrilling. Also, if you haven't read Tabitha King's Nodd's Ridge series of books, you are missing out! 

You can follow BookMarks-Maine on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bookmarksmaine and Facebook. 

This wasn't my only event this month. Last week I spoke at the South Freeport Church's author luncheon. They hold these four times a year, and I heard that the last speaker was none other than Tess Gerritsen. Tess. Gerritsen! Okay, that was also intimidating, but the people were so welcoming and kind. They served a fantastic lunch, and then I spoke about external versus internal storylines and how to create a character arc over a series. 

Members of the Freeport Woman's Club also attended and took this lovely photo. If I lived in Freeport I would certainly join both these groups. I had such a good time talking with everyone about Olivia Lively.

Both of my recent events caused me a little bit of stress. It's been awhile since I've had a public speaking engagement. But, my friends, we can do hard things. 

This is the lesson I'm taking from the tv interview and the author talk. I can be scared. I can prepare. I can practice. I can think deeply about what I want to say and the best way to say it. I can mess up. But the important thing to remember is, I can do hard things. I will survive them. And sometimes I might even surprise myself and do better than I expected. 

And so can you!