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| At Oak Tree Press Booth at Wordstock |
McDonald’s is a good place for a potty stop when you’re on a trip and there’s no rest stops around. TMI? Well, it’s the truth.
It’s also a good place for a quick breakfast when headed out of town on a trip.
So what has this to do with my latest book, Murder in the Worst Degree?
Every time we go in our favorite McD’s these same three guys are sitting around the table solving the world’s problems. We’ve sat close enough to them to know a lot about their early history and a lot of bull. I guess they noticed us too, because the last time we were there, they noticed hubby’s Seabee hat and thanked him for his service. Of course this led to exchanges about when a couple of them had served in Vietnam around the same time as hubby. Next came introductions and handshakes.
I decided to put these fellows into Murder in the Worst Degree. They became best friends of the murder victim who served together in Vietnam. Of course they have taken on different personas and descriptions, but they are now an important part of the plot.See, you can find the best characters in the most common places. It’s just a matter of keeping your eyes and ears open.
Thank you, Holli, for hosting me today.
Marilyn aka F. M. Meredith
Blurb for the lasts RBPD mystery, Murder in the Worst Degree:
The body that washes up on the beach leads Detectives Milligan and Zachary on a murder investigation that includes the victim’s family members, his housekeeper, three long-time friends, and a mystery woman.
Bio:
F. M. Meredith aka Marilyn Meredith is the author of over 35 published books. She enjoys writing about police officers and their families and how what happens on the job affects the family and vice versa. Having several members of her own family involved in law enforcement, as well as many friends, she’s witnessed some of this first-hand.
Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/
Blog: http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.meredith/
Contest:
Once again I am offering the opportunity to have your name used as a character in a book if you comment on the most blogs during this tour for Murder in the Worst Degree.
Tomorrow I’m visiting: http://cncbooksblog.wordpress.com/
Posts
18 comments:
Thank you for hosting me today, Holli! I love visiting you.
I agree, Marilyn, characters for our books are glaring at us from traffic light stops, arguing in the ball game stands, and huddling on public transit. We just need to listen and watch to populate our towns! Thanks for a peek into the personal life of Marilyn.
I flew over Vietnam in 1968 in a Royal Air Cambodia DC3. We could see the fires from the fighting while we ate steak and drank red wine. Surreal.
Enjoy your tour and good luck with your novel sales.
Bet those guys love being included in your book!
Mary Montague Sikes
Thanks for joining me Marilyn. It is always a delight.
Marilyn,
Isn't it wonderful the way people we meet in life often make their way into our fiction? I'm eager to read about the three old guys at McDonald's! I'm ordering your book today.
Sharon, you are right, just opening our eyes no matter where we are will give us ideas for characters.
Wow, JoAnn, what an experience.
Oh, I doubt the McDonald's guys will ever know I included them in a book.
And Patricia, let me know how you like the book.
Marilyn, you should let them know. I often use the names of people I know as characters in my books (although never as victims or suspects.) Without exception so far, they have all talked about how neat it was to see their name in print. (I used one family's last name for an FBI agent who was peripheral to the action. But from the woman's way of talking it up to her friends, you would have thought the agent was the main protagonist.)
But then, remember how we all felt about seeing our name in print for the first time. Those guys will probably have the same reaction.
Terrific post, Marilyn, and I like that you used these men in the story. You've immortalized them in your own way, and added something special to your story.
Marja McGraw
Great post. I bet we all have plenty of McDonald's stories. Now there is an idea for a book. OTP stories from McD's!
Doug
Loved learning how you found your three friends for this book! Glad I took a look at your post today. Have a Great Day!
Mike, I am having a contest for the person who leaves the most comments on blogs on my tour to have a character named for them. However, the three men were just what gave me the idea for the characters, my characters look nothing like the fellows in the McDonald's, they just gave me the idea.
Marja, thank you for stopping by.
Doug,because we stop at so many McDonald's while traveling, I can vouch for the fact they are all different--though most have the three or more old men who gather regularly.
Thanks, Joan, I had fun turning the three guys from McD's into the friends I needed for my book.
Loved the old guys!
Thanks, Lorna, I'm rather fond of them myself.
I seem to be a day behind in following Marilyn's blog tour, but found this to be a very interesting way to find characters to put in one's book. That's something I would never have even thought of. It's nice when those of us with less experience can learn these things from the veterans like Miss Marilyn. Good job, Marilyn and Holli.1089 45945882
Hi, Jackie, glad you found me here. My McDonald's guys play an important part in my book.
Once again, I'm going backwards as I've finally gotten the knack of this, thanks to you. I like how you use McD's as a backdrop. We just took a long car trip to Florida and I don't care if I see another McD's again. My husband loves burgers but I opt for the yogurt/granola—delish! That's great how you put those guys you met in the story.
Okay, Bullybegone, I know it's you Catherine and I've got you checked.
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