Paige Hawthorne: Blog

I have a cousin on my mother's side, let's think of him as Greg. He's a Thanksgiving / Christmas acquaintance. And not all that popular within our insular family. Unmarried, socially awkward. But I kind of like him. Sometime we go on walks when football follows a holiday dinner.

Greg told me about his love for science fiction. Not my cuppa, but I appreciated his genre zeal as well as his enthusiasm for SOL.

So I came here and read some stories. Probably like a lot of people I thought, 'hey, I can do this.'

We'll see.

How did you guys stumble in?

Paige

Better than the previous ones?

I so completely don't. I write all 12 chapters of my stories before I start posting them. By that time, I've lost all rational ability to evaluate. The words make sense, they read. But whether it's a good read or an indifferent one, I can no longer tell.

Of course when I begin each story I'm filled with admiration. Knee-slapping enjoyment. "Boy, I finally nailed it!"

Yeah.

Paige

I don't. Never have, never will. I don't think. Unless I change my mind.

The analogy has been made that politicians vote for themselves. I believe they do and that they should.

But voting for my own story feels different. Somehow. A little sneaky. A little déclassé. Although "Winter's Wonderland" is teetering back and forth between 7.9 and 8.0 ... no, I still won't vote for myself.

I have so damn few opportunities to feel morally superior.

Oh, my editor, thornfoote, has finally made a positive contribution. … Hang on, I'll think of it. Sooner or later. Maybe.

Paige

I enjoy reading most of my SOL email whether it's in response to a story or a blog.

It's interesting, when I've been quiet for a few days, the volume really drops off. I guess that's understandable … the squeaky wheel and all of that.

Maybe I'll check someday - - is there more mail generated by stories or blogs? Be sort of sad if an entire story has fewer responses than some quirky little blogs. Although, I guess a vote is a response, so never mind!

Paige

As many of you boys have noted, some accusatory, some laudatory, I crib shamelessly from some of my favorite authors, most notably Robert B. Parker.

Winter Jennings is, of course, modeled on Parker's Sunny Randall with some Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanovich mixed in. Plus a little of Thomas Perry's Jane Whitefield.

Vanessa Henderson nods to Parker's Susan Silverman. Bear is based on Sunny's friend, Spike.

Winter's son, Walker, owes something to Parker's sort-of son, Paul Giacomin. But a lot more to my own damn son.

Who else?

Well, Sergeant Louise Finch (without the 5 o'clock shadow) is an homage to Parker's Sgt. Frank Belson. Winter's father takes after Belson's boss, Matin Quirk.

Everyone and everything else in my stories flows my own creative genius.

Oh, the Unicorn Club echoes Lawrence Sanders' Pelican Club. And the Unicorn family - - the Cuthberts - - may owe a little to the Pelican's Pettibone clan. Or a lot.

Okay, perhaps my dialogue style is a poor imitation of Elmore Leonard's. With some of Sanders' breeziness.

And that's it. Except for stolen plot lines, sidebar characters, sex scenes and so many other things I can't remember them.

Someone said there are only two plots - - a person goes on a journey / a stranger comes to town. Don't know it that's accurate, but I sort of hope it is. Why? Because it would mean that other tale-tellers might be as cheesy as I am.

Dream on.

Paige