Writing English Suspense (article) by Nancy S. Madison on AuthorsDen

This is a short article of points to consider when writing a suspense that takes place in England. I learned some things while writing Clues to Love, my first English suspense that I'd like to pass on to other writers considering such a project. (1)We're told to write about what we know. English suspense is no exception to this rule. It's helpful if you can visit the setting of your story, but if that's not possible all is not lost. Find yourself a guidebook on your area of interest or check out the travel section of your public library's video collection. It may have a video or dvd you can use for background information. (2)Get an English friend or acquaintance to read your work for accuracy before you send it to a publisher. A native of the U.K. might pick up something that you've missed. (3)Study maps of England for interesting geographical features you might use in your book. For instance, I read about Morecombe Bay a few miles south of the Lake District. Its unusual features attracted me as a writer of suspense. For instance, at low tide the water drains completely out of the Bay, leaving shifting pockets of quicksand. High tides roar in like a herd of wild stallions so whistles, flags and sirens warn when a high tide is due. The day we visited the Bay, I came up with the idea of using it in several scenes, including one with the villain. (4)Talk to the English and observe their manner of speaking. The residents of northern England, like their Scot neighbors aren't as chatty as the residents of the Southern regions of England but they're just as charming in their own way. (5)Be careful not to be too critical of the country. You don't want to offend any English readers. Each country has its own culture. It's not for us as writers or tourists to criticize what we do not understand. (6)Don't compare everything to the good old USA. Bigger is not always better. (7) If the English give you permission to use something of theirs in your story, be sure to give credit where credit's due. Lindeth Fell Country House Hotel is the model for the hotel in Clues to Love. The owners graciously gave me permission to incorporate a copy of a postcard with an exterior view of their hotel into my book cover. In the acknowledgement at the end of Clues to Love, I gave their website (www.lindethfell.co.uk) for readers who're interested in learning more about this charming small hotel. (8)A sprinkling of local terminology lends credibility. For instance, in northern England and Scotland a waterfall is a force, a fell is a low mountain. (9)Newspapers and magazines are another potentially useful source. Consider looking at both for tidbits of local happenings. One or two might be interwoven into your story. If anyone would like to read the first chapter of Clues to Love, it's available at: www.EBooksonthe.net and at www.BooksWeLove.net/madison.html Since I wrote Clues to Love, I've done a sequel, Wait for Me which also takes place in the English Lake District. You can find it at the same places as Clues. Happy reading. Nancy Madison�
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