FIGURE 8 on Ten Minute Interviews

Hi all,

I am excited to announce my first author interview on my blog tour. I stopped by Ten Minute Author Interviews to discuss my dark crime thriller, FIGURE 8, in more detail.

Check it out here: tenminuteinterviews.com/lillian-graves/

Read about my inspiration from growing up in a small town, details and secrets on my favorite and most frustrating characters, and what is in store to come in November!

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When Characters Interact With The Scene

There’s a rule in theater – occupy every space on the stage. The same should apply to writing but unfortunately it is usually the first thing we overlook.

The excitement of the fight scene, budding romance, dialogue, and turmoil take precedent because, let’s face it, it’s not the part that’s skipped over. Those scenes need to be tight. However, failing to utilize descriptions of scenes can prove detrimental to your story.

It sets up guidelines

When your characters interact with their setting, it acts as guidelines. They become part of the reader’s imagination instead of just background that fades away as the scene progresses.

Oh, the robber went through the living room to get to the kitchen. The gun was placed in the drawer. Their fights always happen by the couch and stop when they both get too cold from the dying fire.

You orient your reader so that the house isn’t just some house, and the gun doesn’t just appear. They can visualize it and remember where it is.

The little details add value

Little details can tell tremendous details about the setting. Which window is broken. What books are on the shelves. Where the draft slips through the cabin.

Many beginners over explain things because they don’t utilize the weight of subtlety. Don’t tell me she’s an avid reader of literary fiction or she doesn’t have enough money to turn the heat on. Show me.

Good scenes often utilize the setting. It stabilizes the imagery in the story as well as shows little details.

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