Picking Up The Pebbles

  

As I’m nearing completion of the first draft for my fifth novel, “Light Riders and the Fleur-de-lis Murder,” I’m doing something I like to call “picking up the pebbles.”  I’m sure there’s a more articulate, literary term for this, but the image that springs to my mind for this essential process is a very visual one – someone bending down to pick up the tiny pebbles that they have managed to strew everywhere. And if they don’t pick them up, someone is bound to trip and fall. 

So what is it I’m doing exactly? Well, as I write a mystery-suspense novel, I toss in a number of hints, clues, facts and concealed bits of information as I move along. At the end of the book, these little “pebbles” need to be picked up, i.e. linked to an action, explained, dismissed or further developed. If I neglect to do that, the reader is left hanging. Or worse yet, really annoyed with me!

What I’m doing is not exactly editing, but substantiating. If, for example, I mention a mysterious note written on the back of a matchbook, then I can’t just forget about it. And, if my “pebbles” really aren’t needed, then I have to re-visit and re-write.

I think I’ve managed to scatter an assortment of pebbles so I expect to be lingering with this part of my project for a bit. It’s like detective work, only with my own creation and that’s part of the fun. Can’t wait till you finally get to read the finished product! Stay tuned.