Tag: crime fiction

One of my resolutions for 2011 was to read more, so here’s a list of the books I hope to read next year.

Books I have and intend to read first

• The Advocate’s Betrayal …by Theresa Burell (good friend, good writer)
• The Pot Thief Who Studied Ptolemy …by Michael Orenduff (I won this!)
• Case Histories …by Kate Atkinson (I started this and want to finish it.) Read more

This question comes up dozens of times while I’m writing a novel. Almost every character is given two names (and sometimes a nickname), but what you do you call them most consistently? First name or last? Does their gender and/or role in the story dictate which treatment they get?

I’m reading a John Sandford novel now (one of my favorites!), and I noticed patterns that made me wonder how authors make these choices. Read more