Creating a Fictional World

“So unleash your creative power, let it flow in all its beauty.

Yes, Novelist, you are in charge of your own bright world.”

~Don Pendleton, The Metaphysics of the Novel

A few years ago, my husband, Don Pendleton, wrote in his nonfiction book, The Metaphysics of the Novel, The Inner Workings of a Novel and a Novelist:

“One thing that every novel needs is credibility, and as a novelist you must never forget that. Your story must be plausible, meaningful, and entertaining.

“Before the final draft of any story is set to paper, you must have resolved all your story problems and structure problems. Then, and only then, can your characters have the freedom they need to carry the story, to handle their conflicts, and to finally reach resolution.

“As you review your manuscript, begin by studying your opening paragraph. Read it and re-read. If it sounds weak as you read it silently, and then out loud, rewrite it. Study it again. Polish it until it shines.

“If you discover you have "padded" your story with unnecessary dribble, or if you come upon a place where you wonder where the hell it is going, it is because you did not know where you were going. So get out the scalpel and start carving away. Do it delicately but deftly until you feel you are in command as god of your novel.

“Watch for the spots where you come across even a page or two of nothing. If nothing was happening, change it, make something happen.

“Make sure your dialogue is sharp, and real. If it is not, beef it up until you hear the voices singing. Be sure those characters talk like real people.

“Are you satisfied that you have properly dimensioned each character? If you have villains in your story make sure you have made them powerful and resourceful, not reduced to the idiot level. In real life, the bad guys are highly formidable and dangerous individuals. Real life is full of grim games played by grim people. So should your fictional world be, if that is the type of story you are presenting. Do not indulge in some juvenile misunderstanding of the forces that move and shake this world. Some people are dangerous, not because a gun is in their hand, but because something cold and deadly is in their hearts. So make sure you are presenting a credible world with the world of your novel.

“The paradox of good fiction is that the fictional world must seem more understandable and coherent to the reader than the world in which he lives daily. So to connect with the readers, the writer had better be in complete charge of the world he creates at the keyboard. Pointless defiance of real world logic is available all the time on television. Don't expose your readers to anything but a setting of characters in a logical cause and effect world.

“When you have edited your manuscript to a high polish, when you love every word you have placed there, set it aside for a few days. When you pick it up again, and you find you still love every word there, you are then ready, novelist, to present it to the world.

“But brace yourself. Your presentation may not be received with the open arms you expect and hope for. The days ahead can be filled with frustration and rejection. In those times, though, the important thing to remember is, you have fulfilled your dream of becoming a novelist, and you have taken your vision from that place inside, to that place where books really are–outside.”

Don went on to write about marketing your book and hopefully selling it. At the time he wrote the book, the only way to publish was via a traditional publisher, or with original vanity publishing which could cost you a small fortune, or self publish and sell your books out of the back of your car, as a few well-known authors have done. James Redfield and The Celestine Prophecy comes to mind, as does Richard Paul Evans who also wrote another best-seller, The Christmas Box; and a more recent book, The Shack.

Today we consider the Internet and the incredible technology to be so much a part of our lives, and I believe if Don were still alive he would be in favor of what many authors are now doing with self-publishing and e-books.

He wrote: “Play the game and give it all the artful attention you possess. I shudder to think of all the talented writers I have known who are still unpublished because they never learned to play the game to their best advantage. In a card game, you know, there is a time to sit tight and a time to fold. Play your publishing moment to its best advantage.

“If you have not yet found that moment then you need to get actively involved in your own destiny. Even a moment that may be pre-ordained needs a willing and active interest in those whispers from the muses, a driving force that propels you into that fateful encounter. It will not come looking for you unless you have already "prepared the soil" for a fertile encounter.

“Develop an understanding of the publishing world. “

Get actively involved in your own destiny. Yes, Don would be in favor of self-publishing especially when you know you have produced a credible and quality work. You have a choice and you don’t have to waste time and seek permission to share your book with the world.

The time can be now! Go for it!

Kindle, Smashwords, Createspace, not only give us darn good royalties that are not found in traditional publishing, but give us opportunity to share our works worldwide.



The Metaphysics of the Novel is available at Kindle, Smashwords, and other ebook online stores and in print at Amazon.com

~Linda

Half Moons and Maiden Names by H. Charles Dilmore ... Interview

I'm pleased to have this interview with author, H. Charles Dilmore. His second novel, Half Moons and Maiden Names has been released and is available at Amazon and autographed copies via his website. And again he has written a unique and unusual story as he did in his first novel, My Quirks and My Compass, published in 2009. His titles alone should give you a clue to the uniqueness. I also find a metaphysical/spiritual touch to his writing.

I wanted to interview Charles after reading his first novel and waiting months for him to complete his second book—I was also interested to see if he could reach his goal on time—a schedule he had set for himself—and I believe he did. His writing reminds me of the writing of Robert James Waller, author of The Bridges of Madison County. I say that because of the style and use of poetic prose and metaphor that both men employ in their writing. Also what is interesting about Charles is how he used his blog to twice a week post a brief excerpt of the books as he was writing them, along with a beautiful photograph for each entry.

Linda: Charles, one of the first questions I usually like to ask is did you write as a kid? When did you know you wanted to write?

Charles: I didn’t realize that I loved to write until I was in high school. It felt peaceful to write, so I went to it often. But more, there was something magical knowing that another would read it and might actually enjoy it. And that aspect caused me to take great care with the writing.

Linda: Who has influenced you the most in your life?

Charles: Probably my dad and older brother. Of course, they had very different ways of influencing me—Dad taught quietly, by demonstrating. My brother was much more expressive, encouraging, and everything he imparted was mixed with wild passion and great humor.

Linda: What books have most influenced your life and/or your world view? What books do you believe have influenced your writing? Favorite author?

Charles: Irwin Shaw was probably the first who consistently made me feel like I was not observing a character, but actually living inside one. I loved his Rich Man, Poor Man and Beggerman, Thief.

Ken Follett, Chuck Palahniuk, and John Irving are favorites. But it Charles Frazer’s first novel (a little number called Cold Mountain) that lit a fire inside me. I’d heard him interviewed on NPR, and will always remember that his intent was to write “the best book in my basement,” since that is where he felt his book would end up.

Linda: I like to ask writers how they receive their inspiration. Many writers feel the inspiration comes from beyond them at times as they are working with their characters. Do you experience that in your writing? Your scenes and descriptions are so visual but I will ask anyway, do you visualize your scenes? Do you “walk” in your character’s shoes?

Charles: great question! Both books, for me, were like watching a nine-month movie. I had to be patient if I wanted them to unfold properly! Of course, at the end, when the lights came on, I could not tell exactly what I had in my hands. “Was that a movie? Does it feel like it’s really a story?” We take leaps!

In both My Quirks and Half Moons, I felt everything to a great degree. The former was challenging because the main character is a woman, but it was a beautiful journey for me. The latter was challenging because I wanted to believe that I had learned from the first book and had improved.

In both books, I cried writing certain passages. No, wept! (The things people have to endure in this life!) Cried again when I edited them. And once more when I read them for the audio book! My wife would know when it was okay to walk in… if I’d pulled the hat over my eyes, it meant that I was into something very sad or touching. There’s an agony and a sweetness to both.

Linda: Tell us a little about Half Moons and Maiden Names and what inspired you to write it.

Charles: When I finished My Quirks and My Compass, there was a story that still needed to be brought to life—that of Carter Monroe, the father of main character. So, I went back three generations to learn what had shaped the modern-day Carter. 1860 is where Half Moons begins.

Linda: Of the elements that go into a novel such as characterizations, dialogue, action scenes, plotting, sex scenes, and setting, among other things, which do you find easiest for you personally in your art of writing? In other words, what do you consider your strength to be?

Charles: Description. Aftershave. A stranger’s hand on the arm. The angle of the autumn sun. Crickets. Once I get it staged, I pull back and observe. And I try to report what I observe without editing. As you said, it does come from a place far away… and deep inside at the same time.

It’s relatively easy for me to write a scene, and very challenging to carry it for 6-9 months and make it a coherent, worthy story.

Linda: You have chosen to do what many of us are now doing—self-publishing. What motivated you to publish under your own imprint rather than going the traditional route of finding a publisher? Would you like to tell us about your next project?

Charles: When I finished My Quirks, I sent the typical stack of inquiries. After a while, I sensed that it wasn’t going to happen the traditional way. So, I researched starting a publishing company, and Pensive Pony Media was born. We currently have three books available—not bad for 1 year old.

I wrote My Quirks and Half Moons quickly—each took about nine months from page one to print. That took a fair amount of sacrifice. Come home from work and get right into the writing chair. Everything else fell to the side because this was vital to me.

You mentioned the deadlines that I set for both books. When you announce an availability date nine months out, you are driven to achieve it!

Book three? I’m fiddling with some ideas, but am not quite ready to draw that line in the sand, yet! I’ve planted some seeds. Let’s see which one calls to me.

Linda: I understand you will have an audio book available soon. I enjoyed listening to My Quirks and my Compass on DVD. Have you enjoyed recording your books? Tell me about the beautiful photographs you have used on your blogs. Did you take those pictures?

Charles: Yes, both books are available as audio books at www.PensivePonyMedia.com. The recording process is fun, demanding. And when I finish, I always go back and add as many sound effects as possible, create the ambiance. I was a little perfection-crazed with Half Moons. I also included the outtakes in both books, as well as a cameo appearance from a voice I enjoy impersonating—the late Barry White.

I took all the photographs on both sites. I’m fortunate to live in Western NY, where hills and lakes are plentiful.

Linda: One last question—what is your favorite quote?

Charles: Thank you for this, Linda!
“Men live in a world of illusion, peopled by the phantasms of their own creation.” Wisdom of the Mystic Masters by Joseph J. Weed

“Do, or do not. There is no try.”
Yoda

Linda: Charles, thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions and share your thoughts on writing. I love your answers! Good luck with both books, and I look forward to more beautiful photography and more excerpts of your writing as the next book unfolds.

40th Anniversary of Don Pendleton's The Executioner: Mack Bolan Series, Part Three

In Part Three of The Birth of Don Pendleton’s The Executioner: Mack Bolan Series of Novels 40 Years Ago, we are looking at Don Pendleton's Creative Writing Style. You may want to read Part One and Part Two before this one. He taped this originally in 1973 and mentions his lawsuit with his publisher, Pinnacle Books, who at the time was trying to claim the Executioner series as their own. Don won the lawsuit and his copyrights were returned to him.

Don Pendleton’s Creative Writing Style of The Executioner SeriesNow a word or two regarding the creative style used in these books. I was asked in an interview recently [about 1973] if I thought this particular formula had reached its logical end. My response to that question was that I simply don’t use a formula so I couldn’t answer the question. Because the Executioner was a trend setter, there are now a lot of imitating series which have become a sort of normal thing in the trade–a lot of publishers developed trending series, that’s all. There is actually no formula involved primarily because of the creative style used by me. My old publisher, Pinnacle, in the present litigation that we’re in [1973], one of his claims is that the Executioner is a House Series, that it was created by Pinnacle and that the character, plot, the situation, what he calls the concept, was given to me to develop. This is ridiculous. I couldn’t begin to work along anything like that. He tried to use the synopsis that I submitted to him of the original book, the first book, to show the differences between the synopsis and the completed book as evidence that they had exerted a great influence in the nature of changes and revisions as evidence that I was working under their direction. But here again, the difference between the original format of story idea and the final version of the work was the inevitable result of the way I work. A synopsis is nothing more than the skeleton of a story idea that establishes mood and thematic movement in somewhat the nature of a motion picture story treatment. It’s not a plot outline which details specific story elements to show how these elements interact to produce a story. I don’t even use the outline method for story development at any time. My method constitutes an evolution of theme and movement through character into a story which is not even conceptualized until it is told. And the characters are seldom more than un-dimensioned shadows until they are confronted with the story elements. That is to say the story does not exist. It does not exist even in the author’s mind until they [the characters] are confronted with the story elements. That is to say that the story does not exist even in the author’s mind until the book has been written.

Now using this method, it is the telling of the story that actually develops the characters and produces the various elements of style, plot, suspense, even the action. In this particular instance, the Executioner books, the story idea which first became expressed in the synopsis was nothing more than a vague thematic treatment concerning a combat trained and highly capable young man with a strong sense of duty who is confronted with a terribly unjust human situation which just may be within his abilities to correct. He accepts the challenge, this call to duty, with clearly no chance, no chance whatsoever, for his own survival, unless, now unless, he can rise to a level of human excellence and greatness, and this rise of the hero, his efforts to maintain that almost impossible level of excellence, are the story elements that provide suspense and action in the unraveling of the story.

Working within such a framework, naturally the author himself is in continual crisis as he attempts to unfold a story which has not even been formulated. The fragments of plot and scene which were necessarily perceived to synopsize the proposed work for a perspective publisher–in my case, anyway, are always abandoned or at least greatly altered as the story unfoldment picks up momentum and begins to propel itself. So it is because of this that Pinnacle’s allegations that they are directing my work and calling the shots and everything, are so ridiculous. Not only has my work never been directed by other persons, it has never been fully directed by myself. There is just no way under the sun that anyone, anyone, could direct my work. Any attempts to do so would be absolutely antithetical–antithetical to the creativity which has produced the Executioner.

I don’t take full credit for the success of the books because I constantly amaze myself with the things that come out in the completed manuscript because I never know where I’m going when I start, where I’m headed. I simply begin with a tense situation and put the guy in jeopardy and allow his own character, his own established modus operandi, his quest for excellence, for justice, to tell the story, to get him out of the trouble, and hell, I never know what is going to happen in the books until I get to the very final shot of the story. So this is about as close as I can come to a description of the creative style of this author, Don Pendleton.


Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

© Copyright Don Pendleton, Linda Pendleton.

40th Anniversary of Don Pendleton's The Executioner: Mack Bolan Series, Part One

The Birth of Don Pendleton’s The Executioner: Mack Bolan Series of Novels 40 Years Ago,

Part One

In March of 1969, the first paperback novel of Don Pendleton’s The Executioner Series was published. Soon after, the second book, and those to follow, became a publishing phenomenon with the success of the continuing fast-hitting adventures of Mack Bolan’s fight to destroy the Mafia. The books were published worldwide in many languages. Don Pendleton is acknowledged as the "father of the modern Action/Adventure novel." His Mack Bolan, The Executioner, theme is "Live Large" and recently the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Volume II (H-O) gives derivation credit for "live large" to Don Pendleton and his Executioner Series.

At the height of the Executioner success many publishers and writers attempted to ride on the coattails of Don's success. Some succeeded. Others did not. In many of those books, what appeared to be missing were the elements that Don had so skillfully crafted with his presentation of his fictional hero.

Don wrote the first novel in the series, War Against the Mafia out of his desire to express his discomfort with the reaction of many Americans to our soldiers who were dying for our country in the jungles of Vietnam and those coming home to outrageous verbal and physical abuse. So Mack Bolan became Don's symbolic statement. He also became every soldier's voice. Don created a heroic character in Bolan, a true hero who was dedicated to justice. The enemy that Bolan had to fight was no longer on the battlefields of Vietnam but right here on American soil, and that enemy was the Mafia.

Within his Bolan stories are strong values with an underlying theme of a higher morality that Bolan follows. More than once Don said about the Executioner novels, "My biggest job throughout writing the series was to keep faith with Bolan–that what he is doing is right. I wanted an enemy beyond redemption–an enemy that all civilized procedures had failed to put down. The Mafia was ready-made. They embodied all the evils of mankind."

In 1980, Don franchised his Executioner characters to Harlequin's Gold Eagle Imprint after writing Executioner thirty-eight, Satan's Sabbath. Gold Eagle's program has resulted in close to 600 Executioner Mack Bolan books published since with several spin-off series: Able Team, Phoenix Force, Stony Man, and Super Bolan. Don was Consulting Editor with the Harlequin program until his death but did not write any of the Harlequin books, which have all been written by a team of writers. Mack Bolan’s fight then became terrorists.
In an effort to explain his Mack Bolan Executioner character and his own style of writing “heroic” fiction, Don Pendleton had this to say:

In the first Executioner novel, War Against the Mafia, the hero, Mack Bolan is quickly established as a superb combat soldier dedicated to a lonely “one man war” against the Mafia. This is a war of attrition...” the same as in ‘Nam.” Bolan uses a variety of heavy military weaponry in a relentless assault against “this new enemy” wherever he may discover their presence. Characterization of the character is to present this very violent figure as a highly motivated, heroic, and sympathetic man.

The books are narrated as the closest thing to docudrama, with an authoritative third-person objective viewpoint occasionally shifting into stream of consciousness via Bolan and other characters. The emphasis is to explain the action as an approving, historical account in a stirring presentation, and to dimension as much as possible the violent activities of the hero.

Styling of the Mack Bolan stories requires a structure for carrying fast-paced hard-hitting action sequences. The writing is punchy, declarative, stirringly graphic. The reach is toward the reader’s belly, designed to evoke visceral response and rousing empathy. This is “heroic” fiction.

Premising the Bolan stories are the ideas that a good offense is the best defense, and that human violence can have positive social values–that, indeed, the goals of mankind can sometimes best be dignified through violent confrontation. The first novel, War Against the Mafia, employed a quote from Nietzsche on the theme page: “You say that a good cause will even sanctify war! I tell you, it is the good war that sanctifies every cause!” These are frankly and consciously violent books because they intend to illustrate the violent themes of mankind.

The Mack Bolan books are prototypical Action/Adventure. A good “action-adventure” book is forever in a hurry, breathless, bursting with movement and activity. I try to keep my hero clean. I try to give him all the higher human attributes. I try to depict his war as a crusade–a very highly motivated crusade, with high ideals, very strong human overtones. I show this man in almost continuous conflict with himself. I show that his course through life is no bed of roses. I’m not exhorting anyone to emulate this man by his example. Certainly there is nothing in the Mack Bolan adventures which exhort anyone, young, old, male or female, to follow in his footsteps. This guy lives a pretty grim life. He’s no James Bond, with all the gourmet foods and the luxury living. He does have an occasional fling at romance but he doesn’t even have the time to appreciate that. The guy has a pretty rough life.

Of course, the character of Mack Bolan is built around this idea–that this is a man who has submerged his own life into his mission. He has sacrificed everything that he holds dear, all his own ambitions. After all he is a man with dreams, and all these things he’s forgone in order to fling himself into this holy war.

I believe, in the deeper theme values, my Executioner books reflect my values–and that something very, very important is taking place here on this obscure little planet. I do feel that life has tremendous meaning. I feel most sincerely that the good life is the challenged life and not the easy one. I think that in their deeper theme values my Executioner books reflect this philosophy. The books are not sheer blood and guts. Sure, there is plenty of that in there, deliberately so.

I do believe that I have managed to utilize highly, highly dramatic situations, perhaps bordering on the melodramatic to bring out the deeper values that are inherent in all human life. I’m very strongly aware that many young and impressionable readers read my books and I feel a sense of responsibility there. I work very hard to see that my hero is a truly three dimensional person with very high purpose. I try to present the things he does in the context of tremendous meaning.

I will never apologize to anyone for my Executioner books. I feel they are a testament to the human spirit of mankind and I find it personally gratifying that the books have evoked such a wide response in the American reader. And it has been a wide response, not just in the numbers of books sold but in the cross section of American society who happen to be reading the books. The readers are professional people, white collar workers, blue collar people, military people, men, women, children from age twelve to age ninety four. The books are more than simple escape literature. The books do actually involve the reader in a rather high cause–the perpetration of human excellence, high human values, and besides that, they are just entertaining, that’s all.

Beyond that, I don’t know how to evaluate the books. I doubt very much that any writer can really give a purely objective evaluation of his work. The only sort of gauge I have is in the way I feel when I write those final words, The End. If I have a good feeling when I put those words down, then I feel I have accomplished my objective. I’ve said what I’ve started out to say and told the story I started out to tell, and if I finish the book feeling good then I have to assume that the reader will finish the book feeling the same way–and that’s really my primary goal.

I want to entertain and along with the entertainment, I do want to include something that does dignify the work a bit. That doesn’t mean that the time spent reading the book is lost time-completely frittered away–but that along with the entertainment there has been a few moments of perhaps introspection on the part of the reader, perhaps a little bit of understanding of the world about him.

I don’t suppose the books will ever go down in the big registry of great literary masterpieces, as certainly, they’re not that. I could only hope that Mack Bolan will take his place along with such American fictional heroes as Mike Hammer, Travis McGee, Perry Mason, Matt Helm, and of course James Bond, who is not an American hero but an Englishman, but nevertheless, in the same genre. And I hope it can be said that Mack Bolan is his own man–his own type–and he does stand apart from the other heroes, perhaps no better than they are but unique in his own right, and aside from the hope that the books will have continuing acceptance, that they will continue to sell, this is about the most I could ask for.

Don Pendleton, left, with Artist Gil Cohen. Gil did Executioner covers for a number of years.

Photo Copyright 1985 by Linda Pendleton.

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

© Copyright Don Pendleton, Linda Pendleton.
All Rights Reserved. 

Novel Writing, Character Flow

After completing my latest nonfiction ebook , How Thin the Veil! 150 Years of Spiritualism and the gift ebooks that go along with it, most in celebration of Lincoln’s bicentennial birthday this month, I began a new novel. I had intended to do some writing today but did not. Sunday evening is one night that I watch certain programs, my favorite being “Big Love” on HBO. The acting is tremendous on that show. Although the story line is unique, and may not seem to be approved of by many, you really learn immediately to overlook that with the incredible acting, not just by one or two of the characters but by every one on that show. My other favorite is “Brothers and Sisters.” And of course it is hard to let a Sunday night go by without watching what is happening on Wisteria Lane with those Housewives.

So tonight thanks to my DVR I was able to see the Grammy Awards and the three programs.

So, no writing tonight. I stopped late last night at page 98. I write at night for the most part as my days are too busy. I’m usually still going strong at 1:00 am or later. It seems with the writing of this story I have been getting into a character flow...where the character or characters take over the story and “write” it. As usual, I do not know where my story is going. I have this vague idea of the overall story, but that is about it. After all it is their story to tell, so hopefully it will continue to unfold at an even pace. I hope I can keep up this momentum with the manuscript. I go to bed thinking about it, have even dreamed about it. I usually listen to the radio, Coast to Coast AM, George Noory, which is on until 4:00 am. Often I fall asleep soon after going to bed, but when Coast to Coast goes off at 4, I almost always wake up about 4:10, when the infomercials are on.... special vitamins, herbal products, and there is something so irritating with the voices of the “doctor” and interviewer, and announcer for the 800 numbers. I turn the radio off and then about that time I hear the train whistle blowing.... and then I again think about my characters in my book and what they are doing next.... and sometimes have to talk myself out of getting up and going to the computer for more story telling.

So now instead of writing page 99 and more, late tonight, I decided to write this blog....and then go listen to the radio...and the rain.

~Linda