Gloria Ferris and I have a new project underway. We are co-authoring a mystery that takes
place in the exotic setting of Roatan, Honduras. A locale we visited on a Caribbean cruise where
we had the wonderful experience of swimming with dolphins.
I’ve had the privilege of editing Gloria’s fiction
manuscripts for years. Now, the shoe is
on the other foot, so to speak. We are
taking turns writing and editing each other’s drafts. Since we live only seven kilometers apart, we
get together every couple of weeks, sometimes over a glass of wine, to brainstorm
plot ideas and discuss ways to make our characters as likeable to readers as
they are to us. Soon, we will pass our
manuscript to Dr. Donna Houghton, third member of our writing group, for her
critique and editing suggestions. Donna H. has written an amazing fantasy
romance novel and will be seeking agency representation in the New Year.
As an award winning fiction author, Gloria has been an
excellent mentor and writing partner. It hasn’t hurt that she is patient, a
good sport, and can’t fire me since there’s the family connection. I was initially unsure if our varied writing styles
would mesh well. Gloria is known for her
humorous writing style whereas I tend to write more on the dark side of
fiction. As our project nears the finish
line, I must say that I’ve had fun, learned a lot about character development,
and am delighted with the outcome.
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| Left to right: Donna Warner, Gloria Ferris, Donna Houghton |
