If readers ever think about how writers work, I suppose they imagine someone sitting at a desk and slaving away over a computer keyboard. That’s not me. I’m six-one. I have long legs which provide an excellent lap for a laptop. So yes, there’s plenty of typing in writing books, but I work on a keyboard that rests on my thighs rather than on a desk, seated in a comfy chair in the family room. But writing books involves a lot more than typing, namely thinking and making friends with whoever’s about to show up in the next story.
As the author of more than sixty books, I’ve told a lot of stories over the past forty years. In the process, I’ve created a lot of characters. It’s not enough to just give a character a name and be good to go. You have to create a background for that individual—where and when were they born, how were they raised. That’s how I know J.P. Beaumont was raised by a single mom, a seamstress, while living in an apartment over a bakery. That aspect of his life, one where dogs were not allowed, came into play some 32 years and two dozen books later when, while in his seventies and during the course of book called Proof of Life, Beau unexpectedly encountered an Irish wolfhound named Lucy and became a dog owner for the first time. How did I know he was in his seventies? Because I gave him my birthday. As long as I know how old I am, I know how old he is.
In writing all those books, I’ve created lots of major characters and lots of minor ones as well. But sometimes, it’s the minor ones who really capture the imaginations of individual readers and mine, too. Since I’ve already gone to the trouble of creating them, why not go ahead and see what they’ve done over the years while I’ve been occupied with other stories and characters. A guy named Alan Dale had a seemingly one-and-done role in Beaumont number four, Taking the Fifth. But decades later, when Alan shows up in Sins of the Fathers, he was front and center. And what was he doing during all those years when no one was watching? He was busy raising the daughter J.P. Beaumont never knew he had!
In Breach of Duty, Beau’s partner, Sue Danielson, dies tragically in an horrific act of domestic violence, while her two young sons were hiding blocks away in fear of their lives. Years later, in a book called Nothing to Lose, my readers and I found out what happened to those two young orphans. In the course writing that book, I chanced across a character named Twinkle Winkleman, who turned out to be a real CHARACTER, in every sense of the word. Twink is someone who simply refused to leave the story when I thought it was time for her to exit stage left. Instead of going away and staying gone, she’s now made encore appearances in both Girls’ Night Out and again in my upcoming The Taken Ones.
In other words, once I’ve gone to the trouble of creating a character, why let them go to waste? Why not recycle them? Why not revisit them, and find out what’s been going on in their lives while my back’s been turned? While I was writing The Girl From Devil’s Lake, a long time reader wrote to me asking, “Whatever happened to the Ignacio Ybarra, the boy who was wrongly accused of murdering his girlfriend in Skeleton Canyon? Did he ever become a doctor? So what did I do? I had my inner muse check in with Ignacio after all those intervening years, and sure enough, not only had he gone on to medical school and become a physician, he and his wife, also a doctor, were now living and working in Bisbee. A grown up Ignacio is the ER doc who comes to the scene to council Joanna at the end of The Girl from Devil’s Lake.
Right now I’m trying to think my way into the next Joanna Brady book. I haven’t come up with a name or an actual plot line yet, but one of my former characters has been tapping me on the shoulder and saying, “Hey, what about me? Wouldn’t you like to know what I’ve been up to?” Turns out I would, and I suspect some of my readers feel the same way.
Shortly after Field of Bones was published, one of my readers, a woman named Nancy, told me, “Last night, when I was saying my prayers, I said, ‘and please keep Latisha safe.’ Then I realized that she was a fictional character.” Well, Nancy, your prayer has been answered. Not only is Latisha Marcum alive and well, she’ll be turning up in the next Joanna book.
I’ve got my eye on someone else who may make an appearance there as well, but before I sit down to write the story, I need to reread both Field of Bones and Downfall, just to make sure what I think I wrote in them is actually there. Why would I do that? Let’s see.
In Beaumont number nine, Payment in Kind, in the course of a short passage of internal dialogue, Beau admits to not serving in the military during the Vietnam war. Years later, I decided to write Second Watch, a book in which I entwined Beau’s fictional life with that of Douglas Davis, an amazing young man who graduated from Bisbee High School as the Valedictorian for the class of 1961. After graduation, he left Bisbee High for West Point before eventually being deployed to Vietnam where he died months before his twenty-third birthday. Once Second Watch was published, a number of my SERs (Sharp-eyed readers) wrote to remind me of that earlier off-the-cuff statement in Payment in Kind. By the way, that passage has now been edited out of current editions of that book. Believe me, I don’t want to make that mistake again!
So that’s what I’ll be doing this weekend—rereading those two older books, Field of Bones and Downfall. By the time I finish doing that, maybe I’ll have an idea about what the rest of the story should be.
Stay tuned.
I can’t imagine the goings on inside your brain with all those characters. It still amazes me how you talk as if they are real. But maybe not so much now since I too get to thinking about them as real people.
Your book, Second Watch, was my first of yours. I had been reading almost exclusively books on the Vietnam war (I served there with the Marines). I had searched Amazon and your book came up. Since then I’ve read all your series twice, maybe a third to come.
I so look forward to your next book(s).
I was enjoying your comments when wham, “my next Joanna Brady book” literally jumped out at me. Well, figuratively really. And Latisha also?! Can’t wait!
By the way, I had no idea you are so tall!
I hit six feet in seventh grade. Being that tall in junior high and high school was hell. My mother had a number of things stored on top shelves that she reach, so it was my job to get them down and put them away.
Since I am older than you, Judy, I doubt if I will be around in 20 years or so to see the comeback of my character, but just the idea of it will keep me happy for the rest of the years I have.
Blessing to you and Bill.
That’s what makes your characters so real…not only do they exist in your mind and books, but they are real in our lives as well.
Thank you for introducing them and keeping them alive.
Ive often wondered what ever happened to Leticia, thank you for bringing her back.
There are a few others.
For years, I’ve devoured your books. At my age (72), I need to go back and reread all the books and pay attention to detail! I’m so anxious to know what happens next, I don’t pick up on some of the smallest details!
Thanks, J.A.!
Cheers,
Jackie Olsen
QUEEN OF THE NIGHT, a white epiphyllum…is the character that popped into my mind as I read through this morning’s blog. I know that is the title of a Walker series book, but, it seems it was also a “character” in a Joanna Brady book. Help??? Now, I’m on a mission to figure this out.
I was so taken by your description of this gorgeous night blooming flower that soon after, when I saw a small cutting for sale at the Spring Flower Show at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, California, I bought it, hoping I could keep it alive. Yes…it loved its home in my patio by the beach…and actually produced lovely blooms for 2-3 years, the center of attention for evening neighbor visits. I have a photo of it I could post, if only I could figure out how! This memory has inspired me to grow another QUEEN OF THE NIGHT white epiphyllum and to explore your books for its first introduction. Many thanks!!
Years ago I asked you how you kept track of all your characters. As I recall at the time you didn’t really get into telling me about it. I still want to know, do you keep a chart? Does each character have a description of some kind in a file of yours? When you come up with an outline for a story, how do you go about it? Is it all in your head or do you also first write an outline of the plot that you keep somewhere so that you can reference it when you need to?
Some writers are more free flowing without an outline; others are more structured. I really can’t imagine how you keep track of everything.
Not being a writer, it’s a mystery to me how writers go about these things. You might not want to divulge your writing secrets, but this reader is still dying to know.
I hope everything went well in Arizona and that you had a fun time and a safe journey back home. Your weekend sounds very cozy. I picture you in front of a fire reading. How can you read 2 books over the weekend?
Dear Judith,
I get really depressed when I finish a book you have written. I love your characters (people to me) and when I find them in another book I feel they came back so I could say hello and I missed you. You are my favorite writter and thanks for keeping my people alive and mostly well.
Sincerely,
Judi Champion
My treatment for post Jance depression is to reread almost immediately (usually the book is from the library with a queue of readers waiting for its return). That way I pick up nuances I missed the first time reading pell mell to find out what happens.
Ceci
If you ever do a movie, Twinkle would be the best character.
What a delightful read this morning!
I am a member of OLLI (classes for those of us in our golden- or at least silver- years!)
I attend a few writing classes there.
Our instructor is always curious about people’s “process,” so I am going to share yours in class today!
Thank you!
I keep a name file. It keeps some details—like birthdates, current vehicles, and how tall they are. (I had to do that. Joanna’s height kept going up and down.). Everything else is stored between my ears
I do not outline. I write murder mysteries, so I usually start with someone dead and spend the rest of the book trying to figure out who did it and how come.
Someone in our hoa clubhouse left one of your JoAnna Brady books. Looked interesting. After reading that i went on Thrift books and ordered all of the Joanna Brady books. The of course the Beaumont books Loved them all. I love your blogs and look forward to Fridays. I am a fairly young 85 years old and enjoy a good mystery. I have also enjoyed your 3rd character whose name I can’t think of now…I think the Beaumont books are my favorite. I especially loved Twinkle and am happy she has made more appearances. I look forward to more of your books and your blogs. Always interesting to read. Keep up the excellent work.
Great blog as usual. I didn’t realize that there was a book that featured Twinkle. I’m going to get it and get it read. Thanks
Girls’ Night Out is a novella. It’s only available in ebook.
Thanks
I agree with Nancy, your fictional characters are so real I found myself quoting Joanna Brady to local police officers I was working with.
Keep writing fantastic books and I’ll keep reading and recommending them.
Retired (EMT & Librarian- you spoke at my library in Bandon, Oregon).
I agree with Nancy, your fictional characters are so real I found myself quoting Joanna Brady to local police officers I was working with.
Keep writing fantastic books and I’ll keep reading and recommending them.
Retired (EMT & Librarian- you spoke at my library in Bandon, Oregon).
One of the reasons I love to read is to marvel at the author’s creativity and imagination that goes into creating and developing characters. Your characters are so very real. (I must confess, as a 70 something single lady, I am in love with Beau.)
It thrills me when a character from a previous book shows up and it is especially fun when they cross over from another series. These people are friends. It’s good to see them again.
I can’t remember which of your books I read first, but I have read all of them so far and preorder any new ones. I also ordered a set of the Beaumont and Brady books for my best friend for Christmas. Thank you for sharing your talent and your “friends.” PS: I was also the tallest girl in class from 5th grade until 10th or 11th grade. Not fun.
I had no idea that you were as tall as 6’1″, which is neither here or there! Just love all your books and all series. But I really enjoyed reading about how you write, catch up with interest characters. As you, I’m going to have to read some over. Thanks for your blog, I so enjoyed it.
Like everyone else, I sure enjoy your books and have read most of them several times. Please don’t let your main characters die! Just don’t write about them anymore. I enjoy your humor too!
I have to recheck my Beaumont books. I have missed some books or forgotten plot about the books.
Oooo… so excited! Can’t wait to read how the story rolls out. Have a great weekend!!!
I love that you bring characters or their children back in later books! And reading this blog reminded me of a favorite, Lars – when I was listening to the Beau books, the reader did his voice so well, I could see him – love that he married Beau’s grandma and was featured in many books.
I also wanted to remark on the house post from last week – I found the picture, amazing we can look at an address anywhere in the US! It looks like a nice house, love the stone outer walls. That post reminded me of my childhood home – my parents built it after WWII and we lived there until I was 19 when they bought a newer home. I actually rented it from the new buyer for a few years. It had a fire just before my mom died at 92 (she had dementia) and I didn’t tell her, glad she didn’t have to see what they built get torn down.
Very excited to hear there is a new Joanna book coming out, she is how I got started with you, although I must admit, Beau became a favorite once I found him! Thank you for keeping us entertained as well as informed of your real life adventures!
You have such a great mind for y
story writing . I would never remember who was who if I had to be creating a story . Those post a notes you left for your husbands caregivers would be what I would have all over my house reminding me of what came next and who done it 🙂
Thank you for your great stories .
I love when you bring back characters. I’m always excited when one pops up in a new book. Looking forward to the books due this year and woohoo a new Joanna!
All that “stuff” in your head! No wonder you can write the way you do, JA! I’m patiently awaiting THE TAKEN ONES.
Best to you and Bill. <3
I’m a bit behind in reading your blog but since you are revisiting old characters I’ve decided I should too. I’ll be doing the same in audio version while doing deliveries this weekend.
I appreciate your dedication to your craft and characters. Please include Jenny Brady in the next book and maybe a new Butch writing achievements.