Costume Conundrum

The Tricky Business of Being a Fiction Writer

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to become someone else? At this time of year, change is afoot and there are changelings aplenty. Nature itself seems to assume another identity. The poplars outside my window are amber and ochre now, and the larches, deep in the mountains, have turned a dazzling shade of gold. It’s a tricky business, cloaking oneself. I know, I’m a fiction writer.

What is unique about my world is that the vision for a book doesn’t arise from one perspective, but from multiple points of view. As an author, I assume the persona of whomever I am creating, putting on a costume for each character. The challenge is to make sure they maintain their unique identities as they change. It’s not easy, and it takes time.

This is the journey that you and I are on together. I will shape-shift between characters within scenes as the storylines evolve, and you can help set the trajectory for my book through your feedback and support. It’s a process that takes both of us, and I’m grateful for your help.

This was an image of the larches I took last year in Burstall Pass, Kananaskis, AB

Let’s Talk! Private FB Group 📣

As promised, I’ll be announcing exclusive opportunities for my subscribers through my newsletter. Here’s the first: I’ve created a private Facebook group called WRW’s World: Wise Words, where we can converse about the sneak peek of my debut novel. You might recall that in the first edition, I posed the following questions: what did you like best, and what is one thing you’d change? I’ll pop into your inbox with a link to the group soon, so you can share your thoughts, and will post some of the feedback I’ve received already. (For a copy of the sneak peek, see my web page)

Book Recommendation: The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

I fell in love with Amor Towles’ writing in his highly acclaimed second novel, A Gentleman in Moscow, then backtracked to read his first, Rules of Civility. When he released his third book, The Lincoln Highway, I was instantly charmed! This is the story of a young man who hits the road with his younger brother in search of their estranged mother and a new life in California in the 1950’s. The themes in this book resonated with me because they are similar to my novel, most notably, the notion that sometimes one must leave home to find oneself. If you’re looking for an entertaining read, check it out! 📖

L3 Landing Page

Last month, I introduced you to a special project that I’m working on called the Leadership Literary Lab (L3). While it’s still in the early stages of development, I’m creating an online course designed to help others write transformational books, and offering one-on-one mentoring services as well. I’ll have a landing page soon, and you’ll be the first to know when it’s ready. I’ll post the link here, and you can determine if it’s something you’d like to know more about.

One last thing… 👻

How could I possibly sign-off without mentioning this ghoulish delight – if you have a Netflix subscription and a hearty constitution, tune into “The Midnight Club”! It’s based on a 1993 best seller by Christopher Pike, has great reviews, and a friend is a lead actor in it. You can see the trailer by clicking this: (trailer) Happy Halloween!

Warm wishes,

Mary Lynn, The Wild Rose Writer