End of school year, so once again we twisted the Judge’s arm, and had Judy write the blog for us.

I have to admit I am not by nature a blogger. It is my turn to write this one, and I have had writer’s block for a week. (o.k., in my defense I have also been sick, but I think that is an excuse). I don’t know how authors manage to meet deadlines and fulfill contracts. My admiration for them, which has always been great, has increased just from the small responsibility of trying to do this blog once a month or so. Thank goodness you guys have more discipline than I; not to mention the talent.
So, I have been trying to come up with a blog topic. Maybe I am missing the point, and there doesn’t need to be a topic? But I have never been a stream of consciousness person, probably because spelling a word like “consciousness” is not something I can do easily. Anyway, it is easier for me to write about something, so here goes.
I just finished reading Lisa Scottoline’s newest release, Look Again, so I’ll talk about it. I always look forward to reading about the lawyers in Philadelphia, who seem to lead much more exciting lives than I have ever done as a lawyer, so imagine my surprise when I started this one and not a lawyer in sight! (I never read blurbs about the book, or the dust jacket, unless it is an author I don’t know) And I have to say that if I had known what the story line was I might not have chosen the book, except for the fact that I know what a great writer Scottoline is. Luckily, I did start reading it, and as always, got hooked into the story. For me, reading any book is about the characters first, then a sense of place, and then the plot. I’m not one who tries to figure out who dun it, but the people involved have to be ones I care about. I like series for this reason; I get to find out what’s going on in the lives of some of my favorite people. So it was disconcerting to start with that I wasn’t going to be reading about anyone in Bennie’s firm, but instead about a newspaper feature writer. I thought for a chapter or two that Ellen would be hiring one of the lawyers I know and love, but no, they never make an appearance. There are lawyers, just not the usual suspects. Also, while this book is set in Philadelphia, as are Scottoline’s others, the city seems less a presence in this book than in most, and I’m not sure why. Maybe it is the absence of Mary’s family, or the rowing, or maybe it is the universal application of the main plot line. However, Scottoline can make you feel you are there with her characters, whether is in a newspaper editor’s office or a single mother’s home, or sledding down a too big hill. Or meeting a grieving mother in the “hood”–you don’t feel you are outside looking in; you feel you are in there with the characters.
If you pick up a Scottoline to read, one thing you can guarantee is that you will find a strong female character driving the action. This time, I’m willing to bet that any mom reading the book will wonder if she would do what Ellen does, when confronted with a question about her son. If all someone knew was the result of what Ellen does, that someone would expect Ellen to be a saintly, goodie-two-shoes, holier-than-thou person you know you should admire, but can’t bring yourself to like. Instead, Ellen is a real person; with some character flaws; with every day problems to handle even as she tackles the major challenge she faces. She is someone I’d like to know, and to have as a friend. I have a feeling she has some of the characteristics of her creator, though I know that is possibly a disingenuous idea. It is one I like to play with, though, and then try to apply when meeting authors. Do you allow your characters to take on some of your own quirks? Or do you try to make them as unlike yourselves as possible? Do you let your protagonist eat your favorite Ben and Jerry flavor, and do you give your flaws to the bad guys? Not that I think you have flaws, you understand. But I know everyone believes there is something about themselves that could be better. I think it would be good therapy to give whatever it is to a character. My bad guys would all be overweight, for example.