Sunday, August 11, 2013

Help! Torn Between Two Men

July 1, 2012, Earl Staggs enchanted us with his tale of teaching kindergartners about being a writer. From Fort Worth he is again adding to our pleasure, as readers and fellow writers, with his ongoing series of two men, different, honorable, intriguing, likable—Adam Kingston and Tall Chambers. After Earl and I discussed what might be a thought-provoking topic for his visit to Crime Writer's Chronicle today, I reread both novels, MEMORY OF A MURDER and JUSTIFIED ACTION, to make sure I had in the front of my mind the two personas that ground his crime novels. This year I've watched several readers storm the barricades, crying to this author, "More, please!"—and am delighted Earl is going to comply—with more of Adam Kingston and Tall Chambers in the near future! I read a lot of NYT bestsellers and find that most of these books lack the touch Earl Staggs has . I do not finish many of the bestsellers—but I have read his books twice! Do you hear a message here?

As a fellow southerner, today I am "mighty pleased" to welcome Earl and Adam and Tall back to our increasingly popular blog—Crime Writer's Chronicle!

Thelma Jacqueline Straw




The title of this post would be great for a Romance novel, don’t you think? Since I write Mystery, not Romance, I suppose I’d better explain who the two men are and why I’m caught in a conundrum. Or is it a quandary? A quagmire, perhaps. Whatever it is, I have an important decision to make and you may be able to help.

Adam Kingston is the first of the two men crying out for my attention. Adam’s a quiet, unassuming kind of guy who doesn’t look for or start trouble. Unfortunately, trouble comes to him. You see, Adam was once an FBI Special Agent.

After a near-fatal auto accident, a strange thing happened. During his recovery, Adam discovered the accident had jarred loose some latent psychic abilities. Doctors and Professors with lots of initials after their names told him it’s not unusual for a traumatic incident to do that. He began to get flashes. Not hot flashes. His flashes were quick mental images of things that happened in the past. For example, if he touches an object related to a crime or visits a crime scene, he may get images containing clues to what happened. Sometimes the images are so vague, confusing and enigmatic he has no idea what they mean. Those experts with all those initials also told him that’s not unusual for psychic images. It’s not an exact science, they explained.

Instead of returning to the FBI, Adam became a private investigator. Now he works mostly on cases for the FBI and other law enforcement agencies and they keep him fairly busy. His gift is often helpful in solving cases, but it always comes down to good old fashioned police work.

Adam first entered my life in a short story called “The Missing Sniper.” We hit it off right away and when the story was published, a lot of readers liked him, too. The response was so encouraging, I decided to give Adam his own novel. The result was MEMORY OF A MURDER. Many more readers became fans of Adam and have asked me when there will be a sequel.

That’s part of the problem plaguing me.

The other part of my vexing situation is Tall Chambers. Tall spent twenty years in the Army, mostly in the Middle East as a Special Services officer. After the Army, he joined a secretive agency which made good use of his skills and experience. The agency tracks down terrorists and puts them out of business before innocent people are killed. If the terrorists want to meet Allah and collect their virgins, the agency puts them in the express lane.

Tall Chambers began taking shape in my mind shortly after the horror of 9-11. He was an embryonic fixture in my imagination for several years. At first, his story was about taking out terrorists. Eventually, that became only the backdrop and Tall’s personal life became the focus. While Tall was taking care of business, someone close to him was murdered. He put everything else aside and devoted his skills and experience to finding the killer and setting things right. Writing Tall’s story was a great opportunity to explore people who do what he does and how it affects their everyday lives.

A few months ago, Tall’s story was published as a novel called JUSTIFIED ACTION. Reaction from readers and reviewers has been fantastic. That, of course, raises the question of a sequel. Will there be one? Of course. Tall and his crew have a lot of stories to tell, so there is no reason why there can’t be a series.

Adam Kingston is also a perfect candidate for a series.

The two men are quite different, but both are exciting, challenging, and fun to write. While Adam is more of a laid-back kind of guy, Tall’s responsibilities require him to go where the action is and meet it head on. Adam is more the cerebral type. He looks before he leaps. Tall leaps and shouts “Look out!” on the way down.

And therein lies my conundrum. Or my quandary. Or quagmire, or whatever you want to call it.

Which sequel should I write first? I can’t do them at the same time. I don’t write that way. I have to concentrate solely on one project until it’s finished.

Should I spend the next few months on a sequel for Adam because he came into my life first? Or, since Tall is new and fresher, should I concentrate my time and efforts on getting him out there again in a new story?

If you’ve ever had to choose between two men in one way or another, maybe you have some advice or suggestions to offer.

Earl Staggs
earlstaggs@sbcglobal.net
http://earlwstaggs.wordpress.com



Earl Staggs earned a long list of Five Star reviews for his novels MEMORY OF A MURDER and JUSTIFIED ACTION and has twice received a Derringer Award for Best Short Story of the Year. He served as Managing Editor of Futures Mystery Magazine, as President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, is a contributing blog member of Murderous Musings and Make Mine Mystery and a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars.

28 comments:

  1. Honey! You do have a conundrum, quandary, quagmire don't you?

    Now, you know I love both these men.

    But.

    But.

    I feel a strong loyalty to your Adam. Or maybe I just want to visit Ocean City again, vicariously. Whatever.

    Here's my suggestion (not that I expect it to be worth 10 fiddles). Adam first and then write like the wind so we can also have more Tall. That's it - you just have to write faster, Earl! (teasing, of course! I think one or the other of those guys will bully their way into your head and let you know which should come first).

    Sending all three of you a hug!

    Kaye

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    1. Kate, Darlin', you know how much Adam, Tall and I love you, and we all want to keep you happy. Your advice is worth a lot more than 10 fiddles. More like an entire orchestra. Looks like I need to work harder and faster and get them both out there as soon as I can.

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    1. Tall and I thanks you very much, Marilyn. I know he would love you. Who knows? He may show up in Rocky Bluff some day.

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  3. Memory of a Murder was a novel I very much enjoyed reading. But I haven't read Tall's book yet, so I can't offer advice. I'm certain both are fine choices.

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed Memory, Jacqueline. That's an encouraging vote for Adam.

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  4. I know how it is when characters demand attention.
    I'd get inspired, start writing another book than what I was working on, and never finish the first. I had three going at once. Then, I put the brakes on, and decided to finish the one I started first, which was Forever Young:Blessing or Curse. I had some extra characters in that book, which I decided to yank from there and put them into a collection, called Blessing or Curse, which will soon be available. I still have a third book to write, since I promised a trilogy. Problem is, I'm tempted to do a sequel to another of my books in between. I need to apply discipline before going off the beaten path.

    It's so much more fun to start a new story than to follow through with one!

    Morgan Mandel
    http://www.morganmandel.com

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    1. Morgan, I'm amazed you can jump around like that. I have to stay with one until I finish it. That's probably because you're smarter than I am. Oh, well, I get them done in the long run. Thanks for coming by.

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  5. As as a writer, I totally understand your tornness (new word). I love all my main characters and want to get back to their lives quickly. But as a reader, I'd rather read a second Adam story now, then wait for the second Tall one because that's the traditional way for writers who write more than once series to order them. I have three series going, and the second in the first, Breakout, will be out soon. Then the second in the second and the second in the third. After I've seen reader reaction to all three, I'll further make the decision to keep writing on any or all of them. Good luck, no matter what you decide!

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    1. Jan, I envy your organization and your planningness (another new word). Look like Adam is gaining more votes. Good luck with your plan, too,

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    1. Well, Sylvia, looks like your mind is made up. Adam is grinning all over himself. Thanks for coming by, sweetiepie.

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  7. I'm on the side with your readers who love BOTH of them! But, I'd like to see more of Tall next! I had a thought in the middle of the night... you might want to do what Bill Tapply and Phil Craig used to do... they made it possible for their two heroes to become friends and the two men entered each others' series... it worked and gave us a really warm feeling! Maybe Tall could be looking for someone like Adam - and ask his help on a tough case... etc... to take it another step... the woman Adam likes at the end of Memory could apply to Tall for an assignment... and he falls for her to ease his missing Victoria, and then we have a conflict on another level between Adam and Tall. just a thought. I'll be delighted however you work it out! Thelma

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    1. Ooooooh, Thelma, Adam and Tall hooking up and with a conflict over Brenda. I love it. Thanks for the idea. It's now simmering on a side burner. Somewhere down the road, you just never know.

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  8. You always were a troublemaker weren't you? Just sit down and start writing! Can't wait! PJ

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    1. Of course I'm a troublemaker, PJ. That's what mystery writers do. And thanks for the slap with the velvet glove. I need to sit down and write!

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  9. I vote for Adam. Everyone else is busy hunting terrorists. Adam is laid back and more mysterious and therefore more interesting to this reader.

    Maybe you should write both books at the same time. Work first on one, then on the other. Could be a big help in separating and defining the characters and plots.

    But you know what they say about free advice ..... ((--;

    Your fan,

    Pat Browning

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    1. Adam is pulling ahead in the poll, Pat. I don't think I could work on two books at the same time, but maybe I should give it a try. Thanks. Free advice from a good friend is worth a lot to me.

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  10. IMO, Adam. Way too many Tall Chambers look-alikes out there in the ether at the moment. Adam has a sort of character twist that appeals. Just my opinion, but I've been in the same boat. You can't write them all!

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  11. Good point, Vonnie. A lot of people are doing what Tall does, but Adam is unique. Yup. An excellent point.

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  12. Just as a hunch, I'd say Adam. But the question really is---which one would be the most fun for you? Which character speaks loudest in your head? I know it's not easy to choose--I'm going through
    some of the same issues right now, and since I haven't figured out how to clone myself, I have to make a choice. Maybe you can work on both, but the older I get, the more uncluttered I need things. I just can't concentrate on too many projects at one time anymore like I used to. Whichever you decide, you can be sure people will read it!

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    1. I think your hunch is right, Bobbi. Adam is the most fun to write. As much as I enjoy writing about what Tall Chambers does -- deleting from the universe terrorists and the like who kill innocent people -- Adam gets involved more with everyday people leading everyday lives. In Adam's world, there's more humor, which is something that likes to wiggle into my work. Good luck with your own choices, Bobbi, and thanks for helping me with mine,

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  13. Earl, I vote for cerebral and laid-back. In either case, I wish you the best and look forward to the next book.

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    1. Thanks for your vote, Anita. Cerebral and laid-back is where I'm most comfortable in writing and in life. It's a place where I can have silly fun along the way and take naps when I feel like it. Thanks for dropping in and best wishes to you.

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  14. I love that comment about humor wiggling into your work!! And it's great to have such delightful choices in this life when it come to reading. From these comments I'm reminded of lyrics from a song that says, "love the one your with." Maybe not such a good idea in a real life relationship, but when it come to books...anything goes!!

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  15. I agree about choices, Margaret, in reading and writing. My short story collection contains 16 tales of mystery ranging from hardboiled to humorous. One of the things I love about writing is, as you said, anything goes! Thanks for your comment.

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  16. Earl, I want to publicly thank you for visiting the group here Sunday! You are so generous in sharing your time and expertise as well as your advice - writers find you a well of inspiration - this is so evident in the responses you get here and on many , many other posts! All the best to you as you walk along the path of success with Adam and Tall - it will be a treat to read your next books! Thelma

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  17. Thanks a Texas ton, Thelma, for your kind comments and for inviting me here again. This is one of my favorite places to visit and I hope you'll ask me back again. Thanks also to everyone who commented and helped me with my problem. Much appreciated. Best regards to all.

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