Word Refiner
  • Start Here
  • Word Refining
  • Learn More
  • Books I Have Refined
  • Promote Your Book
  • Acclaim from Authors
  • Book Reviews
  • Previous Book Reviews
  • Blog: Words For Thought
  • Highly Regarded Blogs
  • Guest Blogs
  • Contact
  • Hyper-Speller Humor
  • The Hyper-Speller interviewed
  • In memory of Grizz
  • Start Here
  • Word Refining
  • Learn More
  • Books I Have Refined
  • Promote Your Book
  • Acclaim from Authors
  • Book Reviews
  • Previous Book Reviews
  • Blog: Words For Thought
  • Highly Regarded Blogs
  • Guest Blogs
  • Contact
  • Hyper-Speller Humor
  • The Hyper-Speller interviewed
  • In memory of Grizz

​book reviews

Psychos Anonymous by Cedrick E. Wilson

1/23/2021

79 Comments

 
Multi-volume author, Cedrick E. Wilson, introduces us to his latest story, “Psychos Anonymous”:
A serial killer thinks he overstepped his bounds on his last murder. He attempts to seek help on the serial killer website REDRUM. A psychiatrist who believes he can help psychotic killers through counseling sets up a group therapy meeting dubbed Psychos Anonymous. Six masked murderers attend the meeting but one of them is not there to be counseled.

Picture
So much passion and psychoses, murder and manslaughter. Whether physical or mental, the mayhem barely stops to take a breath.
I am an old, retired guy and must be getting soft. I normally read in the evening, but I had to read this book in the mornings; it was giving me nightmares and disturbing my sleep. This book really drew me in quite deep.
This is not just guts and gore; this book is quite well written. The main characters are fully developed and have serious struggles, some of them are in a lot of emotional pain. Some don’t handle the pain very well. Do any of us? The settings are pretty good, and the dialogue is excellent. The action is gruesome enough for serious fans of the genre. The squeamish might want to avoid the worst parts.
I award 4.7 stars to “Psychos Anonymous”. 
Picture
You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Psychos-Anonymous-Killer-Network-trilogy-book-1
https://www.goodreads.com/-psychos-anonymous
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Psychos-Anonymous-Killer-Network-trilogy-book-1
You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/WordsOfCedrick
WordsofCedrick.com
https://www.instagram.com/wordsofcedrick
 
Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz, except for the author’s introduction

79 Comments
Cedrick link
1/24/2021 10:36:34 am

Thanks for the review.

Reply
Mark
1/24/2021 02:37:45 pm

You are welcome. Your book took me to places I don’t often go.
First question.
Please tell us a bit more about yourself, beyond what is in your bio.

Reply
Cedrick link
1/24/2021 03:09:27 pm

Hello. I'm from Texas and as a teenager my family moved to Florida. That being the case, I'm a Dallas Cowboys and Miami Heat fan. I love reading about the history that they didn't teach in school. I'm simple and boring.

Reply
Mark
1/24/2021 07:42:19 pm

I have been to San Antonio Texas, for basic training. That is the sum total of my experience in Texas. I have also been to Disneyworld once, we are planning to move to Florida, near the Mouse House, in a few months.
New questions.
Are you a full-time or part-time writer?
If you are, how long have you been a full-time writer, and how much time did it take you to make the transition from part time?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/24/2021 07:55:59 pm

Well, due to health reasons I can write some days and sometimes I can go weeks or months without writing.

Reply
Mark
1/24/2021 08:31:35 pm

It sounds like writing is something that you enjoy, but you don't always have the energy for it. Not every writer even has the use of all of their limbs. Some writers are blind and use a dictation system to write and read websites on the internet.
The urge to write is very powerful for many authors.
New questions.
How long have you been writing fiction?
Are you in the writing business for love of writing or for money?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/25/2021 01:13:33 pm

I wrote my first screenplay around 1995 and my first book in 2018. I'm actually losing money, so it has to be for the love of it. lol

Reply
Mark
1/25/2021 01:30:32 pm

Very few authors make any money in the early years of their writing career. Almost all go into the whole for quite awhile.
Writing a lot and publishing wide seem to be some of the key factors in achieving any kind of financial success.
We will talk more about that in the next week.
New questions.
Are you still writing screenplays?
Does your work, or past work if you are retired, have any influence on your writing?
What inspired you to write this book?
Why did you choose this genre, or do you feel the genre chose you?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/25/2021 01:46:44 pm

Yes. I still write screenplays. My dream would be to see one of them on a movie screen or even a streaming service with my name in the credits. No, my work or my past work have any influence on my writing. It's weird, I can tell you what inspired just about every one of my stories but Psychos Anonymous just kind of popped in there. Maybe my fascination with Korean crime thrillers and there is a movie called the Five Deadly Venoms where the fighters wear masks when they were training and once they left they didn't know each other's real identity. I always wanted to do something like that.

Reply
Mark
1/25/2021 02:33:57 pm

Just as there is an active writers' community on Twitter, there is also an active community of screenwriters. I follow a number of them and even have a list of them on my Twitter page. I have also proofed a number of screenplays, as well.
I have watched a lot of martial arts movies, most oriented towards Chinese martial arts, mainly because they are so plentiful. I have seen a number of Japanese, Thai and Korean as well. I enjoy them all for the ballet-like action scenes.
New questions.
Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.
This next question might seem obvious, except that I sometimes miss something the author intended. What do the elements on the cover represent?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/25/2021 03:09:38 pm

A guy that goes by Renzero. I found him on Fiverr. He redid my first book as well. I chose the white background because when you watch movies, the insane person is usually in a padded white room. The chairs in the circle represent a support group. The various weapons were supposed to represent the murder weapon that each killer used.

Reply
Mark
1/25/2021 04:15:34 pm

The white cover is great, very stark.
We hear throughout our lives to not judge a book by its cover, and that advice works pretty well until we get to a book. The title and the cover are the first things we see and decide whether to take a longer look or not. A cover is one of the most important things to get right for a book, right after the title.
New questions.
Was it hard to come up with the title? What was the process?
Were the character names difficult to develop? How did you choose them?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/25/2021 04:46:04 pm

Coming up with the title was somewhat easy. I think the first title I had was Serial Killers Anonymous but; I looked it up to see if anyone else had the name and if I remember correctly it was the title of a video game club or something. I had Killer in every variation but there were too many titles with the word. After the process of elimination, it just became Psychos Anonymous. I'm horrible at naming characters. I usually just make something up out of nowhere. The major character's last name was Troy because of the story and movie where the gift of the Trojan Horse wasn't what it seemed. It's lame, but I like I said I'm just not good with giving names. I just tried to think of names that were attached to despicable people or relative to the theme of the story. I named Lilith after the female demon. Other than that, they were just random names.

Reply
Mark
1/25/2021 06:18:43 pm

Good process for the title, it works well.
Many authors struggle with character names. Some books have specific historical settings and name integrity gets important for those authors. Did you know there are websites that specialize in the popular names for each year or decade? Some of them go back many generations. I would assume that some of the websites are specific to certain countries also.
New questions.
Your book is available as an e-book and a paperback. Are you planning any other formats?
This is your second book on Amazon. What is the status of your next book and what is it about?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/25/2021 06:57:38 pm

I'm not planning any other formats as of yet. My third book is being edited. I'm working on ideas for the cover as we speak. It should be out in a few months. It's about the 2008 bank bailout. Ex-cons come home to find their city is in a recession and how the banks received help, but the citizens didn't. They go back to robbing banks, but this time they give the money to the people who need it.

Reply
Mark
1/26/2021 09:26:38 am

A modern day take on Robin Hood. It sounds interesting.
Psychos Anonymous could translate well into a graphic novel format. I think your experience with writing screenplays and portraying scenes would make that transition easier than many other books.
I imagine that would be expensive, but there is a well established funding platform for this type of expansion. Many Graphic novels are paid for through crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter. Here is an extreme example of what can happen on Kickstarter: https://kriswrites.com/2020/07/22/business-musings-the-kickstarted-game-changer-part-two/ You can also put kickstarter in the search box below and see several blogs about it.
New questions.
Have you entered any writing contests?
Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/26/2021 09:53:54 am

Thanks for the info. I entered a few screenplay contests. The last one I entered was about 10 years ago. I never won anything, but I've made Honorable Mentions a few times. I'm always close but never get the cigar.

Reply
Mark
1/26/2021 10:28:59 am

An honorable mention is nice and almost a win. That puts you ahead of a lot of others.
Some authors use contests to strengthen their writing skills or gain some publicity for their story. Of course, a medal looks good on the cover.
There is inherent danger in entering some contests. Some scammers are not content to extract as much money as possible from your wallet, the really nasty ones will try to steal your IP rights also. Anne Allen is one of my favorite bloggers, she always has a list of safe contests near the bottom of her blogs.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America hosts a great blog called Writer Beware, it has a lot of information about scams, here is a copy-and-paste link: https://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/
New questions.
Every genre's fans have expectations about what they are going to want to read. Fans of cozy mysteries have a set of expectations that can differ greatly from the expectations of fans of hard-boiled murder mysteries.
What expectations do fans of the genre of Psychos Anonymous have in mind?
If you were going to launch into a different genre, which one interests you the most?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/26/2021 11:10:34 am

Uh, that's a tough one. I would guess they would expect a lot of serial killers who murder for different reasons. Some who are just outright evil and some that they may empathize with. Murderers who have their own world where they communicate with each other through technology. That along with a story that is never what it seems. I hope that's what they're looking for, because that's what I'm going to give them. I have a horror story, apocalyptic, and two science fiction stories I've been working on. Apocalyptic stories probably interest me most because every time I read or watch the news, it seems that it's close to being possible.

Reply
Mark
1/26/2021 11:34:44 am

I hope that is what they are looking for also. Your story has some interesting twists and turns.
I think that is very smart to have multiple projects going on at the same time. If the muse gets dry in one story jumping to another project can be a good refresh.
The news has an apocalyptic feel to it at times, no doubt. But I think that is more a function of the announcers than the actual day to day news. Apocalyptic stories are very popular with young adults.
New questions.
I noticed that your book is in Kindle Unlimited. How is that working out for you? How many books have you put in KU?
Have you ever gone through the query process, seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers or did you go straight to indie publishing or self-publishing, and why?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/26/2021 12:20:12 pm

KU seems to work okay, I guess. Being that my marketing budget is next to zero, it's the only way I can think of to get a few downloads and hope that a person or two reads my book and leave a review. I have both of my books available in KU. As of now, I can't really say if it helps or hurts. Never been through the query process, but I think it's the same headache of trying to sell a script. Someone telling you that what you worked on for years is not good enough, or they want you to change some things to make it more palatable for a certain audience. I didn't want to go through that at this stage in my life. It's probably not as bad as I envision it, but for now I'll just do my own thing.

Reply
Mark
1/26/2021 02:39:41 pm

Many authors think (hope) that if they find the right promoter or marketer all of their worries will be over. Other authors think (hope) the traditional publisher will take care of all the marketing. Neither of those ideas are true. Marketing a book or other product is far more akin to an ultra-marathon rather than an imagined sprint.
Publishers have found their profit margins stripped to the bare bones, that is why so many have disappeared. Those that remain will invest as little as possible to recoup their costs of publishing a book. No matter who publishes a book, the onus for selling it remains firmly on the shoulders of the author. Unless that author hires someone to promote it for them.
Amazon is the biggest player in publishing now. They work hard at maintaining that position. When an author licenses their book into Kindle Unlimited it is an exclusive license. The author is limited from using any other platform to sell their book.
Querying a manuscript is very much the same as selling a screenplay. A publisher has an audience for the books they publish and they think they know what will sell to their customers for a given book. They want that book to sell the maximum number of copies so they can make a lot of money and pay their bills.
I think that most authors are better off avoiding having someone else publish their book. Then the author keeps all of the profits and has all of the responsibility for the book. The author makes all of the decisions.
New questions.
Have you had contact with a vanity publisher or a company you thought might be trying to scam you?
After rejecting traditional publishing, did you consider an independent or hybrid publisher?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/26/2021 03:23:53 pm

No to both questions.

Reply
Mark
1/26/2021 04:56:40 pm

Okay. I am glad you haven't run into a scammer, they certainly are plentiful and constantly upgrading their game. Recently, some of them have started impersonating real agents and publishers, and sending out unsolicited requests for manuscripts to evaluate them. What a thrill for an indie author, to have a major publisher knocking on their door. Still your racing heart, otherwise you will wind up on a ride to nowhere.
New questions.
Have you started your own imprint? Here is a good article about that idea: https://www.janefriedman.com/why-self-publishing-authors-should-consider-establishing-their-own-imprint
How was the experience publishing your book with Amazon?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/26/2021 06:02:26 pm

No, I haven't started my own imprint. Maybe in the future. The experience of publishing my book with Amazon is frustrating at times. I mean, you can do everything right on your end, but when you upload somehow some things get out of whack. It's usually an easy fix. Uploading a cover is the devil. That never seems to go well for me. Some times it takes me weeks to get the cover uploaded. Other than that, it’s not too bad. 

Reply
Mark
1/26/2021 10:18:24 pm

You are way ahead of me. I have never uploaded a book much less written one. I would imagine that like most things it gets easier the more you do it.
The title and the cover are so important also. That has to be right. It's worth it to get it one correctly, no matter how long it takes.
New questions.
Is using Twitter and other social media part of your marketing strategy?
Did you use ads on Amazon or other platforms such as Facebook?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/27/2021 08:58:54 am

Yes. Twitter has been very helpful for marketing. I found Wordrefiner using Twitter. I also use Instagram but I haven't got a hold of that yet. I've never used Amazon ads or Facebook. I have used other sites to promote my book such as Bookzio, Bargain Booksy and others. I'm always looking for alternative places to advertise my book.

Reply
Mark
1/27/2021 09:32:20 am

Ads on the major platform are a mixed bag for a lot of authors. Some do great and others have a different experience. Many blogs have been written about ads on Amazon and Facebook.
You may want to take a look at the blogs written by Dave Chesson at Kindlepreneur.com. He has some good information about choosing the categories for your book on Amazon.
New questions.
Do you subscribe to any author newsletters?
Do you have a newsletter you send out to fans? Why or why not?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/27/2021 09:56:07 am

No, I don't subscribe to any author's newsletters. I don't have a newsletter that I send out to fans. The biggest reason I don't have a newsletter is because I don't have many fans as of yet. Also, I do not know what I would tell them. In the future, who knows? As of now, I'm more concerned with putting my work out there.

Reply
Mark
1/27/2021 11:11:55 am

It might be to your advantage to subscribe to author newsletters to see what others are doing. Newsletters are another hot topic for bloggers. A newsletter is a good way to build up your fanbase. It doesn't happen overnight, but one thing for sure, nothing will happen if you do nothing.
Your website is an important part of this equation. It gives your fans a place to connect with you directly. If you start selling your books on your website it gives readers another place to buy. Not everyone does business on Amazon.
New questions.
What kind of marketing are you doing or planning on doing for your book?
In your experience, which marketing avenues have been the most rewarding or profitable?
Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/27/2021 03:40:27 pm

I'm probably going to do a book giveaway and a lot of promotion on different websites. So far, the most rewarding avenues have been sites that promote free books or books on sale. I always get good returns from them. Why did I pick you? Why not you? It's been awhile since I found out about Wordrefiner.com but I probably came across this site on Twitter and I researched it and liked what I saw. You review the book, promote the book, conduct interviews and offer your services to look over the book for mistakes. What's not to like?

Reply
Mark
1/27/2021 04:14:00 pm

Glad to hear you have a plan. Many authors don't. Keep up the good work.
There are a lot of ways to promote a book. Some authors miss opportunities in their community. Eventually flea markets and farmers markets will return. In the meantime, an author can seek out local newspapers, TV and radio stations for interview possibilities. In larger towns there may be a cable access channel or two, they are always eager for interview content. Some high schools and colleges have classes or clubs for TV and radio also. Don't ignore service organizations such as Lions or Kiwanis. Search for book clubs also.
Thank you. I love to help authors, they write books that I love to read.
New questions.
How do you think your book compares to a book published by a major publisher?
There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/27/2021 05:39:43 pm

How does my book compare to a book published by a major publisher? Well, I guess coming from screenwriting to book writing, my stories seem quick and to the point and not overly descriptive. Most people don’t mind that, but avid readers tend to want a lot more detail. Story wise, I think my book is right up there in the big leagues. Where I dropped the ball was editing. It wasn’t a huge problem, but it could be better and it will be from here on out. Unethical practices? I haven’t been in the game long enough, but I guess it would be these people on Twitter sending you DMs to review your book for hundreds of dollars. 

Reply
Mark Schultz
1/27/2021 08:30:50 pm

I think you might be onto something there. A lot of readers of action genres do like fast action. You do that quite well. Your screenwriting experience has helped without question.
I have recommended to more than one author to take a course in screenwriting to learn to describe better in fewer words.
Editing and proofreading are where a lot of writers fall short. I read over 60 books a year, not counting my proofreading. Each year for the last six years every book has had spelling errors, except for one. Once a year I get lucky and read a book with on spelling errors.
Hundreds of dollars for a review? Wow! That certainly sounds excessive. Amazon is death on paid reviews also. Disclaimer: my reviews are free, the week long promotion is what I get paid for.
New questions.
Have you thought about trying to get your book into libraries?
Here is a copy-and-paste link for more information about that:Tips about how to get your books into libraries, including academic and public https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2019/06/12/book-marketing-how-to-get-your-book-into-libraries
Have you thought about doing an audio book?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/27/2021 09:24:22 pm

I have thought about getting my books into libraries, and I definitely need to do more research on that. I also have thought about audio books, but as of now it's too costly. Once I establish myself, then I will definitely dive in that pool.

Reply
Mark
1/27/2021 11:14:21 pm

Audio books are expensive to produce. You might want to check out the interview that included the narrator of an audio book. Put Green into the search box below.
If you think you have a good voice maybe you could do it yourself. One of my favorite bloggers, Joanna Penn, wrote a blog on that topic, copy and paste time again: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2019/08/07/build-your-own-audio-sound-booth
She has also blogged about the intersection of artificial intelligence and audio books. Perhaps in a few years you will be able to rent an AI with a famous voice to produce your audio book.
If you don't want to wait try using crowdfunding for the production costs.
New questions.
For reading fun or pleasure, what is your favorite genre?
Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/28/2021 09:57:04 am

My favorite genre is probably horror. My favorite author is Walter Mosley. I love the Easy Rawlins series.

Reply
Mark
1/28/2021 10:16:36 am

I guess I am not surprised that horror is your favorite genre.
My favorite is Science fiction, followed by fantasy. I read only science fiction for years. Until a relative gave me Tolkien's Lord of The Rings. I read it three times before graduating from high school. I read The Hobbit also, once or twice. A few years after that, I began switching between sci-fi and fantasy regularly.
New questions.
Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired at the end of a good writing session?
Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/28/2021 11:33:34 am

Well, they say writing is thinking, so, If I have a good writing session then I feel energized afterwards. It's a great feeling when you're able to get your thoughts down on paper in the way that you imagined. I think tapping into the emotions of your characters gives the readers a better experience. I believe most people whether they're watching television or reading a book fall for the characters first.

Reply
Mark
1/28/2021 12:33:26 pm

Most writers report having feeling of satisfaction even if they are tired. Accomplishment is its own reward.
If the characters are relatable the reader is drawn into the story and very likely to finish it.
New questions.
How does a writer ensure the reader will connect with the characters?
What was your goal in writing this book? Did you achieve it?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/28/2021 09:19:35 pm

A writer should pay attention to the world and the different cultures that live within it. They should always put themselves in other people's shoes and try to understand why people do the things they do. I think if we as writers do that then we will create genuine characters and not stereotypes that readers will enjoy. My first goal is to always entertain the reader. My second goal was to pose the question of are Serial Killers born evil or does the society we live in make them evil? And can they be counseled to not be violent? I wanted this to be a three-part series where I pose a different question in each book. Did I achieve it? I think so only because I just posed questions. The difficult part would be answering those questions and that what makes serial killers intriguing because we don’t know the answers.

Reply
Mark
1/28/2021 09:33:38 pm

You hit all those marks pretty well. That is the task of the novelist, wrap fiction around truth so the reader can see the truth better.
How are serial killers made? A question with many guesses and no definitive answer.
I read a book last year that you might find interesting, Superego by Frank Fleming. It was a good story, the protagonist was a psychopathic killer. It was written in first person POV which made it more intimate and more interesting for me.
New questions.
Has your life turned out differently than expected or planned?
Have you ever done NaNoWriMo?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/29/2021 09:45:03 am

I would say it turned out a bit differently. I didn't expect to be diagnosed with Meniere's at all, especially early in my life. I expected to be further along in my writing career. But as the saying goes, you make plans and God laughs. No, I have never done NaNoWriMo.

Reply
Mark
1/29/2021 10:28:52 am

Very true, no one expects to be diagnosed with a potentially debilitating disease like Meniere's. It can be brutal.
NaNoWriMo, National November Writing Month is a fascinating event for writers. A 30 day contest to write 50,000 words of a first draft. A lot of writers join groups on Twitter or other social media for mutual support and encouragement.
New questions.
Are you an under-writer or an over-writer?
When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?
What type of material is that most often, action, description or dialogue?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/29/2021 11:07:53 am

I'm definitely an under-writer. I always need to add more to flesh it out. It's usually more or just different action scenes. Some scenes work and others don't or maybe I have to shuffle the order around. I always go over the dialogue multiple times and adjust it to make it more organic.

Reply
Mark
1/29/2021 02:10:52 pm

I am not sure, but it might be easier to be the under-writer. Taking out words seems harder to me than adding them.
It has been said that a book is not written, it is rewritten many times to make it shine like it can. It makes a lot of sense that there are lots of adjustments to be made.
The first draft only has to exist to be valid, that is the sole purpose of the first draft, because it's impossible to edit a book in your head.
New questions.
Do you prefer dialogue tags or action beats in your books?
What do you do to flesh out the characters for your stories? How do you give them depth?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/29/2021 02:34:45 pm

I prefer action beats, but I try to mix a little of both. How do I flesh out characters? Good question. It depends on the story and what I need for it to make sense. For example, Justice, the Badge Burier, I needed a reason for him to seek help so I had to give him a bit of empathy and a code which I think pushed the story forward. Or for Detective Douglas, I needed a reason for what he did at the end of the story, so I added stress of the job and family problems. There's usually always a reason why people do things and once you can pinpoint the reasons, then you can add depth to their characters.

Reply
Mark
1/29/2021 03:25:32 pm

I prefer action beats also. They serve to move the story forward without a lot of contortions trying to avoid a plethora of he said and she said. Those things are so ubiquitous I don't even notice them when I am reading.
Those are good examples, thank you. That is exactly how it is done. Create an issue the character has to struggle to overcome. Plotting is all about the journey and the struggle.
New questions.
Do you base your characters on people you know or have met, or is it easier to just invent them completely?
Have you ever used yourself as a character for a starting point in a story?
Would a friend or family member recognize you in the story?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/29/2021 04:58:10 pm

I think for me, basing a character on someone I know or met would be weird. It's easier to invent characters and worlds. I have never used myself as a character for a starting point in a story. My politics may show up in a story that they would recognize. For instance, my next book deals with the 2008 recession. I believe people should've been bailed out and not the Banks who caused the mess. After reading that, the people who know me might say it sounds like something I would write.

Reply
Mark
1/29/2021 06:23:43 pm

Many authors say almost the same thing. They don't use someone they know to create a character. A few have admitted to using quirks or interesting foibles to help flesh out a character, but that is as far as they went.
One of my guest bloggers and a promotion client created a website for writers to use freely. It is a neat bit of programming. It uses a variety of popular psychological profile tools, famous literary characters and actors to illustrate characters and help the author to keep characters psychologically congruent. Here is a copy-and-paste link to the blog on my website: https://www.wordrefiner.com/guest-blogs/character-creation
That sounds like an interesting story. A lot of people were hurt in that crisis because they panicked and sold their investments.
New questions.
There is a journey that a hero/protagonist must complete in a story. How do you frame the quest or challenge for your protagonist in this book?
What do you use to cause problems for the anti-hero in this book?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/29/2021 07:27:09 pm

Well, I didn't want the reader to know what the character's quest was. You could even say the reader doesn't even know who the main character is until halfway through the story. Once there, all the reader knows is that one serial killer is stalking other serial murderers. The anti-hero's major problem is himself. He's in a world he doesn't understand. Dealing with people he doesn't understand. I tried to use his naivete, recklessness, and sorrow to cause trouble for him. Tough questions. I hope I answered them.

Reply
Mark
1/29/2021 09:20:35 pm

That explains my confusion while reading the book. I wasn't supposed to know who the protagonist was. A lot like Agatha Christie's books. A modified who dunnit. Well done. I expected one of the detectives to be the protagonist, you certainly had me fooled.
New questions.
Villain, antagonist, every story and hero needs a villain. Who is the main villain in this book?
Which is more fun to write, the protagonist or the antagonist, and why?

Reply
Robert Baker link
1/29/2021 10:05:41 pm

Mark, I think it's unfair that you marked down your review of this book due to "the handful of spelling errors" you found. You ALWAYS find errors in any book! :)

Reply
Mark
1/30/2021 09:12:27 am

Thanks for visiting, Robert. You are almost right. I find spelling errors in almost every book. Once a year I find a book that has no spelling errors. That rate has held for the last 6 years.
Finding a spelling error in a book is like hitting a speed bump that you didn't see coming. It shocks me out of the book and ruins the story at that moment. I can get back into the story, but I cannot ignore the spelling errors.

Reply
Cedrick link
1/30/2021 07:58:47 am

There are so many, but the main baddie would be the politician. If it wasn't for him, then the protag wouldn't be on his quest. In this case, the antagonist was more fun. Lew was always ten steps ahead of everyone else and when the walls started to close in, he did what rich people always do. He bought his way out. So, writing him, I was taking a stab at our society.

Reply
Mark
1/30/2021 09:07:08 am

Lew was a good antagonist. He good partially bring his psychosis out into the open. Some of his constituency appreciated his public message and encouraged him. His money kept him out of trouble. A touch of cynical reality.
New questions.
What is one thing you hate about your protagonist and one thing you love about the antagonist?
What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/30/2021 10:05:24 am

The one thing I hate about my protagonist is he didn't follow through with his plan. He was already in so deep, but at the end he wanted to do the right thing and it backfired. The one thing I love about my antagonist is, he's not the smartest guy in the room, but he pays attention to everyone in the room. Everyone is a genius at something and he was good at reading people, which in the end kept him ten steps ahead of them. My writing routine depends on what stage I'm at in the process. Once I get an idea, I’ll research it. Once that’s done, I move on to writing the first draft, which I like to write on paper. From there, I’ll type it up and edit a bit as I go. More than likely, after that, I’ll toss the second draft into the closet for a few months and work on something else. After a few months pass, I’ll drag the project out of the closet and by then I’ll have more ideas to flesh it out. Then the process is rewriting, back into the closet, and rewriting again. This could take months or even years until I feel it’s right. 

Reply
Mark
1/30/2021 10:37:43 am

Your routine works well for you. It is very close to what I have recommended for quite some time, minus the writing-by-hand part. Write a draft and then put it out of sight for a time. Work on another project. After several months, your eyes and brain treat it as a new document and it's much easier to see what is going on.
New questions.
Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?
Do you ever experience writer’s block and what do you do if you get stuck?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/30/2021 11:11:44 am

I write in a straight line, but in my head sometimes I have a scene or two I think would be cool, but I won't write it down until I'm at that point. No, I have never experienced writer's block, but I may get to a part of my story where it needs to make sense and it doesn't. When this happens, I just listen to music, and that usually does the trick. The type of music depends on the story or the character that I need inspiration for.

Reply
Mark
1/30/2021 03:51:46 pm

You are a blessed man, many writers have struggled with writer's block. They deal with it in different ways. Some engage in outdoor activity such as hiking or bicycle riding. Others do a common household chore, something that doesn't require a lot of decisions. Others work on different projects. There seem to be many ways to beat the block.
New questions.
Which is more important to a story pace or flow? How do you control it?
Did your writing process change much from your early writing to your current book or did it stay the same?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/30/2021 06:39:44 pm

I believe the pace and the flow of a story are equally important. If a story takes too long to get going or takes awhile with having interesting bits in between, then most readers will check-out. At the same time, if a story is incoherent, then this will cause confusion and frustration to the reader and they will check-out. I think the only way to control it is to do a numerous amount of rewrites. Get a second pair of eyes on it if you have to. Be honest with yourself and brutal and cut scenes that aren't working and constantly go over dialogue to make things organic. My writing process stayed the same, it's just that I learn more about the craft as time goes on.

Reply
Mark
1/30/2021 07:05:54 pm

I had a hunch you would have a good answer. You didn't let me down. Both, pace and flow are important. It was a trick question. The author controls it.
Numerous rewrites are important and make a big difference. Beta readers can serve a good function for this also. I always recommend the use of beta readers whenever possible.
There is always more to learn about the writing craft, also the writing business. Two different things.
New questions.
Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?
How do you think your book relates to the world we live in today?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/30/2021 09:12:39 pm

I'm probably going to get it professionally edited. I just paid someone to proofread for grammatical errors the first go round and you still found some spelling errors. My story seems to read more like a script than a book, and I want to get it as close to perfection as possible. But story wise it's done. How does it relate to the world we live in today? Some serial killers in my story were created by the bad things that happened to them. That’s also true in society. For example, men who abuse women witnessed their mothers get abused. Racist people usually grew up in a racist household. Your surroundings and environment help mold you to the person you will become. Last but not least, if you have enough money you could avoid all accountability and become whoever you want to be, and it doesn’t matter if you have the experience or not.

Reply
Mark
1/30/2021 09:48:21 pm

A professional edit is a good idea and following that up with a final, proofreading polish will make it as good as it can get. I read 50 to 60 books a year, a lot of them edited, sometimes twice. Like your book, I still find the spelling errors, except once a year. Once a year I read a book without finding any spelling errors. That record has held for six years now.
The sins of the parents are passed down to the children, whether consciously or not. Looking back on my life, my mom divorced my bio-dad when I was four, almost five. I saw him only once every two years or so, after that. I idolized him so much, I grew up a lot like him emotionally.
You are right, the environment a person grows up in has a big part in how they turn out.
New questions.
Are there any authors that influenced you to become a writer?
If you could meet your favorite author, what would you ask them?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/31/2021 08:43:01 am

Oddly enough, my love of storytelling didn't come from authors. As a child, I just loved movies. I would stay up all night watching films on the weekends. And as a teen, when I moved to Florida, while in English class a kid walks up to me and asked did I know how to rap and I told him no. Back in the 80s and early 90s, hip-hop told stories. So I would write a tale and he would rearrange it to make a song. He moved, but I kept writing. After high school, I found an ad in a magazine about the Writing Store. That piqued my interest, so I sent for a brochure and that’s when the world opened up to me. I had no idea; I thought writing was just something rich people did when they were bored. So I ordered a book on screenwriting and wrote my first script. You have to understand the internet wasn’t a thing yet and diversity wasn’t either, so as a Black kid stumbling across a book that jumped at you was scarce. The only stories I read at the time were the ones that we had to read in school. In my early twenties, when I did read, it was mainly autobiographies. So yeah, movies and music influenced my writing. My favorite author came to me by the way of a movie. Devil in a Blue Dress. When I saw that I was blown away. I later found out it was a book first, so I bought it and became hooked on the Easy Rawlins character. If I ever met Walter Mosley, I would ask him how did he get into writing.

Reply
Mark
1/31/2021 09:29:47 am

Great story. Thanks for sharing that.
Many authors are moved and inspired by music, but not many have claimed that music led them into writing stories.
New questions.
Have you ever met a famous author? What happened?
What software do you use to write and publish your books, and why do you use those?
How do you keep track of all the characters and events in your books?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/31/2021 02:25:30 pm

I never met a famous author. Microsoft Word is what I use to write my books. It’s easy to use and I can save my work in OneDrive. Amazon KDP is what I use to publish my books because they just dominate everything. I tried Draft2Digital where you can publish your books to different outlets, but I did not make one sale. I'll try them again in the future. Google Docs is what I use to keep up with characters and events.

Reply
Mark
1/31/2021 05:03:51 pm

MS Word is everywhere. Huge installed user base. That is what I have also. It will do a lot.
Amazon is now THE major publishing force. It seems everyone is dancing around them or running from them.
A lot of authors use a program called Scrivener. It is designed around MS Word and is supposed to make writing a book much easier, because there are a lot of moving parts. I have also heard that it has a stiff learning curve, but there are videos and blogs about it to get started.
New questions.
Are you a plotter, a pantster, or a hybrid?
Have you ever had the experience of the story swerving in a different direction than planned, as if a character was driving it?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/31/2021 06:01:13 pm

Probably a hybrid. I usually know some parts of my story before I write, but I don't know how I'm going to get there until I write. The story never swerves, but the characters sometimes go on a different route than I planned. For example, I didn't plan on Justice and Lilith becoming a couple, but when I was writing the support group scenes, they were telling me to hook them up! The story was always going to be a crime mystery thriller that ended in tragedy, but the characters drove the car.

Reply
Mark
1/31/2021 06:55:28 pm

A lot of writers are a combination of plotter and pantster. I think it makes the writing easier if you know what the ending is supposed to be. But not all authors do. Having the ending in mind allows the writer to stay on target.
I have heard from many authors that stories frequently swerve in one way or another, and it usually improves the story. Justice and Lilith was a surprise and made a difference in the ending.
Your characters performed well.
New questions.
Do you have defined space for writing at home, or are you a coffee-shop writer, if we weren’t dealing with the covid thing?
Do you listen to music or have the TV on when writing at home, or do you need quiet?

Reply
Cedrick link
1/31/2021 09:45:53 pm

Yes. I have three bedrooms, and one of them is my writing space. When I'm writing the rough draft, I listen to film scores. If I'm rewriting, then it's lyrical. The type of music depends on the scene or if I'm focusing on a particular character.

Reply
Mark
1/31/2021 10:29:21 pm

Film is really in your blood.
I really like that you use different music at different times.
Almost three years ago I reviewed two books by Linda Lingle, "Sweet Heart" and "Dear Heart". She used Sinatra's music as vehicle of secret communication between lovers. I found the idea fascinating.
I have seen other authors use music lyrics as context for each chapter in their book, others have a playlist for each character.
That might be something useful to fill out characters in a future book.
New questions.
Action, dialogue, or narration; which is easiest to write?
Of the five senses which is the easiest to write and which is the hardest?

Reply
Cedrick link
2/1/2021 10:46:52 am

I think dialogue is easy to write because there is a class wherever you go. The grocery store, the post office, or pretty much anywhere you can listen to how people speak. Are they vulgar, do they have an accent, or do they just have a way with words? The best part is the classes are free. The easiest sense to write is probably sight. Everything has a certain color or shape. The hardest for me is taste. Something either tastes good or it doesn’t. I don’t know why I just have a hard time describing taste. I guess I’ll never have a job as a taste tester. This is something I need to get better at.

Reply
Mark
2/1/2021 12:29:21 pm

We live in a dialogue laboratory! How true. I never thought of it like that. My wife has a good ear for accents, she is able to mimic several quite well. I am not as good as she is.
Most authors agree with you, vision is the easiest sense to write about. We are visual creatures in so much of our life. Many authors concur about taste being the hardest to write about. However, I love it when food and drink are included in the story because I have tasted so many and it stimulates that sense, connecting me to the story and characters even more.
New questions.
How long does the research process take before you start to write a book or do you do the research as you write the book?
How much time passed from when you got the idea to write your book; then actually starting to write the book?
How long did it take you to write the first draft?

Reply
Cedrick link
2/1/2021 01:09:43 pm

The research process depends on the story. About a week but now and then I research as I write too, in case I want to add a different wrinkle to the story. How much time passes from idea until story depends. One story idea came in 1990, but I didn't start writing it until the late 90s. Other stories had my attention, plus I was working two jobs at the time and still trying to get a handle on the craft. It was a script first, but I decided to turn it into a book around 2016. It was my first book; We Don't Die. Nowadays, I have more time on my hands so, I'd say a few months. I can write a first draft in about a month. The first draft your ideas are flowing and you’re not worried about making mistakes. 

Reply
Mark
2/1/2021 03:32:49 pm

That is not a bad amount of time to research at all. Some genres might require more time, of course. Like historical fiction or maybe science fiction.
That is great for a first draft, you have the right idea, get it down on paper, worry about editing after. I am convinced that is the smartest way to go. Let the muse lead you wherever it wants.
Last questions.
Do you get ideas for future books or stories while writing a book?
When does inspiration strike for you?
What do you do to preserve these ideas?

Reply
Cedrick link
2/1/2021 04:08:25 pm

Yes. I get ideas for a future book in the series while writing. While writing Psychos Anonymous, I got ideas where I want to take the surviving characters in the next book. Inspiration can strike at any time. We Don't Die idea came from an album cover. Another came from an actress walking down the red carpet. Just seeing her gave me an idea for a detective story. It could be a news story or a magazine article. Ideas come from all kinds of weird places. To preserve them, I write them down in an app or think about them when I'm trying to go to sleep.

Reply
Mark
2/1/2021 05:02:38 pm

Inspiration and new ideas can come out of thin air at times. Other times it's a matter of looking at something familiar from a new point of view.
I have a new promotion starting tomorrow, for which I must prepare. Thank you, Cedrick, you have been a fabulous guest on the Wordrefiner channel. I wish you continued success and keep on writing.

Reply
Cedrick link
2/1/2021 05:18:19 pm

I appreciate it, Mark. I had a great time with this interview. Thanks for supporting independent authors. You have created a great space here, and I hope WordRefiner keeps on growing.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Who am I?

    An avid reader, typobuster, and the Hyper-Speller.  I am a husband, father, and grandfather.

    Contact

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

"I'm very pleased with all your efforts. Twitter promotion and proofreading were beyond what I expected with a book review. Your suggestions throughout the process of refining both books helped me immensely. I look forward to working with you again."   A.E.H Veenman “Dial QR for Murder” and “Prepped for the Kill”