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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Darynda Jones: Writers Are A Curious Lot



Yep, it’s true, writers are strange creatures, and we are surprisingly accepting of this fact. We’re different and that’s okay. The reason we are so blasé about our uniqueness is because without it we would not have the rabidly creative minds it takes to write book after book. We are like Russell Crowe in that movie A Beautiful Mind only without all the math. Our thoughts bounce at warp speed from one idea to the next. We have so many more plots for great books than we will ever be able to write, and that saddens us. Some stories just need to be told. And when someone tells us they DON’T want to write a book, we gasp. We are taken aback.

What? You DON’T want to write? Are you insane?

It’s a concept we can’t quite grasp, kind of like the math from that movie. And yet, it’s one we’re secretly grateful for. If everyone wanted to write, think how much harder it would be to get published. The competition’s bad enough as it is. I mean, JR Ward? Jeaniene Frost? Jacquelyn Frank? Get outta here.

And that brings me to our favorite kinds of people. Readers! Ah, how we love readers. They make all of our dreams come true. They are brutally honest and get genuinely upset when our characters are hurt. They suffer right along with them. They expect a lot and force us to deliver our best work. Because we don’t want to let them down. Because we strive to make their lives a little better. Their day a little brighter.

And with that, I would love to know who makes your day brighter. Who gets you through the week and spices up your nights? But more importantly, if the Earth were about to explode and you were on the last spaceship to salvation, but you could only take ONE book with you, which would you take?

One lucky commenter will get a signed copy of his or her choice of my books. 

Excerpt from Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet

With renewed energy, I pulled back onto Academy— after hitting a drive- through for a mocha latte— and had just started for home when
my phone rang.
“Yes?” I said, illegally talking on the phone while driving within the city limits. Scoping for cops, I waited for Uncle Bob to stop talking to whomever he was talking to and get back to me.
My uncle Bob, or Ubie as I most often referred to him, was a detective for APD, and I helped him on cases from time to time. He knew I could see the departed and used that to his advantage. Not that I could blame him.
“Get that to her, then call the ME ay- sap.”
“Okay,” I said, “but I’m not sure what calling the medical examiner ay- sap is going to accomplish. I’m pretty sure his name is George.”
“Oh, hey, Charley.”
“Hey, Uncle Bob. What’s up?”
“Are you driving?”
“No.”
“Have you heard anything?”
Our conversations often went like this. Uncle Bob with his random questions. Me with my trying to come up with answers just as random. Not that I had to try very hard. “I heard that Tiff any Gorham, a girl I knew in grade school, still stuff s her bra. But that’s just a rumor.”
“About the case,” he said through clenched teeth. I could tell his teeth were clenched because his words were suddenly forced. That meant he was frustrated. Too bad I had no idea what he was talking about.
“I wasn’t aware that we had a case.”
“Oh, didn’t Cookie call you?”
“She called me a doody- head once.”
“About the case.” His teeth were totally clenched again.
“We have a case?”
But I’d lost him. He was talking to another officer. Or a detective. Or a hooker, depending on his location and accessibility to cash. Though I doubted he would tell a hooker to check the status of the DOA’s autopsy report. Unless he was way kinkier than I’d ever given him credit for. I found his calling me only to talk to other people very challenging.
“I’ll call you right back,” he said. No idea to whom.
The call disconnected as I sat at a light, wondering what guacamole would look like if avocados were orange.
I finally shifted my attention to the dead kid in my backseat. He had shoulder- length blond hair and bright blue eyes and looked somewhere between fifteen and seventeen.
“You come here often?” I asked him, but my phone rang before he could say anything. That was okay. He had a vacant stare, so I doubted he would have answered me anyway.
“Sorry about that,” Uncle Bob said. “Do you want to discuss the case?”
“We have a case?” I said again, perking up.
“How are you?”
He asked me that every time he called now. “Peachy. Am I the case? If so, I can solve this puppy in about three seconds. I’m heading down San Mateo toward Central in a cherry red Jeep Wrangler with a questionable exhaust system.”
“Charley.”
“Hurry, before I get away!”

Also check out a Rafflecopter giveaway!



New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a RITA®, and a Daphne du Maurier. As a born storyteller, she grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. Darynda lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.

21 comments:

Pimpin' Reads said...

Thanks so much for hosting Darynda. I always love to read about her and the series. Mama Grimlet

Unknown said...

Couldn't I just take say....1 e-reader???? That way I would have my entire library with me? It's the size of 1 book so that counts right?

Nope, you're not going to let me get away with that? Drat! Trying to pick just one is way to hard! I'm going to have to ponder that for a while.

Terrific post!

Amber Hughes said...

I'm one of those people that have no desire to be a writer (Lol)), but I'm a reading addict! As long as you're writing books Darynda, I will be reading them!

I'm not entering the giveaway, but that question is really hard! One book only?! I might have to take "Z" with me from the BDB :-)

awilliams said...

I am an avid reader who would love to be a writer, just never have put the pen to paper - so to speak. As for my "ONE" favorite book, gosh - that is just way to difficult to call! Hopefully it will never come down to having to make that choice!

alainala said...

thats tough! i dont think i could ever narrow it down to just ONE book.. i tend to bring books with me everytwhere!! i might have to go with shelly laurenson.. she makes me laugh

thanks for the chance to win! i love this series, and am desperately waiting to get fourth (need to wait till i come back from vacation)

susan317 said...

Wow- that's like asking which one of your children would you keep- impossible! I sure wouldn't want to be floating in space without Charley & Reyes, though!

okcatherine said...

Thank you for hosting Darynda! Love her series of books. I really thought about the "There can only be one" book question lol. Although I wanted to protest that there was NO FREAKING WAY to only take one book, I forced myself to choose. I have decided on "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. It has so many lessons that humans should remember, plus it talks in depth about my southern heritage. Being from Georgia, I can actually REMEMBER some of the traditions and ways detailed in this book. Even though I am not forty yet, the southern ways are slow to die. I regret that my children will not experience the good parts of my childhood. Or, maybe I will just sneak out my Kindle lol

Unknown said...

Absolutely love this series! Witty and sarcastic with lots of laughs and sexy men.

GLORIA said...

I'm going to cheat and say my Nook so I can have my collection with me!! LOL
I love Charley and the way she sees things and her ADD :-) I am a proud Grimlet!

Unknown said...

Bad Darynda! You cannot ask book lovers to choose one book, that's like asking me to pick my favorite child. It just can't be done! Well, since everyone is cheating, I will too, LOL. I'm taking my Kindle! Which, incidentally, would probably be the first thing I grabbed if my house was on fire. Well, after the kids of course!

And of course all of your books are on there. Love both series!

Unknown said...

Oh! Loved this, thanks for sharing! Now on to that question...picking my jaw up off the floor because that is the craziest question ever, heck, I can't even walk out if the bookstore with one book! :) I have decided to dwindle my choices down to two and I guess if that time came I would just toss a coin. LOL! I would either take First Grave on the Right by (the fabulous) Darynda Jones OR Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward. I love both books, First Grave because its hot, exciting and hilarious all at the same time and Lover Awakened because I am totally in love with Zsadist and his story.

Cathy Shouse said...

Who brightens my day? My 13-year-old daughter. That is not an easy age and our relationship is far from smooth, but we have many laughs, and my husband and I laughed a lot with her just tonight.

My exact reaction to choosing one book was like everyone else's. No! Please don't make me choose! I can't!

I love fiction too much to choose one but an exploding world might call for a nonfiction dose of Dr. Phil's "Life Strategies," the best advice he ever gave, before he went all HOLLYWOOD!

Congratulations on all of your successes, Darynda! From one RWA member to another, I am wondering how long it took you to come up with this unique series idea and how long you had been writing before getting "discovered." :) Pick me to win, please! lol

Barbara E. said...

Who makes my day brighter, as well as spices up my nights? It's not a specific who, it's all the wonderful characters in the great books I read. If the Earth were about to explode, I would probably be late to the last spaceship because I'd be trying to decide which of the many fantastic books to take with me. There just isn't any one book I can pick out, there are so many that I haven't read yet that I would be frozen in indecision. Can't I just bring a bunch? It would probably save my life. :D

Pat Cochran said...

Can't choose just one book, please don't
make me choose! That's torture to me, try-
ing to make me decide! Aaaak!

Pat C.

Scarlet Wilson said...

I'm going to shame myself by announcing a book I've never read but always meant to - pride and prejudice. There, I've said it. Now I'm slinking off hanging my head in shame.....

Unknown said...

I Don't know if i could just pick one book I think I would just have to stay behind and die cause just living with one book is a crime. There are far to many book's that I really love just to leave behind. I read a little bit of everyone from Kresley Cole and Charlaine Harris to Darynda Jones of course all week. I really can't pick one.

Isis M. Nocturne said...

There is NO way I could possibly choose a single book to take with me! I have a list about a mile lone of books that would have to come with me.

traveler said...

I would take Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. Memorable. Love your books and post.

petite said...

All my books are treasures and meaningful. It is hard to part from them and pick just one. Best wishes for your great success and your wonderful series.

Darynda said...

Thank you so much for having me!!!! And thanks, all, for the comments and answers. <3

donnas said...

Congrats on the release! There is no way I could pick one book, unless I could count the complete works of Shakespeare.