tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6973117169323556846.post1219445127408226797..comments2023-10-28T21:14:49.539-07:00Comments on On the edge of the chair of literature: Geez, not another Mafia don disguised as a priest!Gayle Carlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15783449240138097315noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6973117169323556846.post-9279091355824248592009-05-27T06:33:19.322-07:002009-05-27T06:33:19.322-07:00The divorced cop with a drinking problem. This was...The divorced cop with a drinking problem. This was the stock and trade of the pulps.Karen Breeshttp://www.karenkbrees.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6973117169323556846.post-11698303641988491502009-05-19T15:36:34.047-07:002009-05-19T15:36:34.047-07:00My least favorite is the stereotyper.My least favorite is the stereotyper.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6973117169323556846.post-27855772718637513762009-05-14T18:56:00.000-07:002009-05-14T18:56:00.000-07:00Well, conflict is always at the heart of an intere...Well, conflict is always at the heart of an interesting character. If we have a happy and well-adjusted character, where's the drama? It helps to give her something that shakes her world -- revelations about a trusted family friend, or a temptation for a long-married person, for example.<br /><br />I have to say, living in the south for four years cured me of stereotypical southern characters that too many Northerners indulge in. I'm so sick of people making regional stereotypes -- too many people who've never lived anywhere but where they grew up indulge in those stereotypes. Travel a little and see the world. I've lived in the north, the south, the east coast and the west, as well as in Europe. Develop individuals. Sure, your sheriff might be overweight -- how does he feel about it? Is he embarrassed or does he ignore it? What if he's trying a fad diet? His mind might be on grapefruit rather than the case and that would be interesting.C. Margery Kempehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15910282257993793334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6973117169323556846.post-41196711235931900362009-05-14T07:53:00.000-07:002009-05-14T07:53:00.000-07:00I love Monk, too. Me, I tire of the alcoholic, ove...I love Monk, too. Me, I tire of the alcoholic, over-worked workaholic sleuth or cop with issues and bad relationships with ex's. Somebody please have a normal, sane, married with children, good man for a hero for a change? Lousy habits and bad attitudes aren't the only good sub-plots in the world,Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6973117169323556846.post-31480830157984297542009-05-13T20:51:00.000-07:002009-05-13T20:51:00.000-07:00It's tough trying to make your character what you ...It's tough trying to make your character what you actually know them to be and still avoid the stereotype...sometimes it just fits him or her. <br /><br />I agree with you, I hate when I figure out "whodunnit" or how it was done, in the first scene. Yet, I can't stop analyzing it in my head. Sometimes I'll be watching a show on television with my sister and I'll sigh. She'll say, "You know what happens, don't you?" And you're right then it's ruined and a lot of the time it's because of the actor. I never tell her though, unless she asks. <br /><br />Good blog, Gayle. <br />Teresa<br />http://www.teresaburrell.comTeresa Burrell, Author, Attorney, Advocatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00008721460499855699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6973117169323556846.post-25013174085884727752009-05-13T20:11:00.000-07:002009-05-13T20:11:00.000-07:00This is a great post, and I also love the comments...This is a great post, and I also love the comments.<br /><br />A least favorite character for me is one I would not care to know in real life. I'll get flack, I know, but examples are the two main characters in "A Confederacy of Dunces." Never got into them. I love quirky. So that wasn't the problem.<br /><br />I just thought they indulged the author too much. Or the author indulged them too much. (And yes, I know about how the story was published, the author's untimely death and the awards...) I just could not get emotionally involved or connected...<br /><br />Only meant to leave a nice little comment...<br /><br />Hmmm...Perhaps I indulged MYSELF!<br /><br />Diana<br />http://www.basicblackblog.blogspot.comDiana Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06177915857090560626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6973117169323556846.post-5427850442618895222009-05-13T19:35:00.000-07:002009-05-13T19:35:00.000-07:00There are so many vanilla flavored cookie cutter s...There are so many vanilla flavored cookie cutter stereo-types that exist in television, movies, literature... I like the quirky, unpredictable characters that bring something new to the story. I like my characers flawed and human. <br /><br />NA Sharpe<br />http://nasharpe.blogspot.comN A Sharpehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09535316802416841336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6973117169323556846.post-2095978454537414562009-05-13T16:12:00.000-07:002009-05-13T16:12:00.000-07:00I don't like the psycho character capable of unspe...I don't like the psycho character capable of unspeakable crimes. I've given up those books, and stop reading as soon as I realize what I've gotten myself into. Unfortunately, that's usually after the first victim bites the dust.<br /><br />Patricia<br />http://patriciastoltey.blogspot.comPatricia Stolteyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6973117169323556846.post-12721914825032274882009-05-13T14:27:00.000-07:002009-05-13T14:27:00.000-07:00The flawless female character - she's the bombsell...The flawless female character - she's the bombsell that can do everything from cooking a ten course meal for 20 people on 15 minutes notice to rounding up and tackling the villian. Somehow she never has a bad hair day or breaks a nail!<br /><br />Jane Kennedy Sutton<br />http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com/Jane Kennedy Suttonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12519340747761460017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6973117169323556846.post-60059478315521512762009-05-13T12:57:00.000-07:002009-05-13T12:57:00.000-07:00It's easy to write stock characters...I find mysel...It's easy to write stock characters...I find myself doing the same thing. There was a great post on the Mysterious Matters blog on this same topic (editors talking about characters they don't like.) http://tinyurl.com/cxzmpx Some they mentioned: the pill-popping, cold society woman; the overly garrulous neighbor; and the wise-cracking detective.<br />Elizabeth<br />http://www.mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.com