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Book reviews, writing tips, and guidance on writing, publishing, and getting published from Ross Browne, owner of publishing’s oldest freelance editorial firm.

How Dean Koontz Creates Dramatic Character Arc (and Convincingly Humanizes a Golden Retriever) in His Best-Loved Novel

[by Ross Browne]

Dean Koontz is a very funny guy who while contemplating his future as a geriatric (bunny slippers are involved) says he expects to feel then as he does now: that Watchers is the most satisfying book he’s ever written. He also believes many readers will think it to be his best, no matter how […]

By |2024-01-18T17:28:27+00:00June 19th, 2020|Behind The Bestsellers|Comments Off on How Dean Koontz Creates Dramatic Character Arc (and Convincingly Humanizes a Golden Retriever) in His Best-Loved Novel
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How Stephen King and Alexandra Sokoloff Cultivate Willing Suspension of Disbelief in Crime Fiction Tips and techniques based on two hit novels

[by Ross Browne]

A recent article in The New Yorker defines the willing suspension of disbelief as “the reader’s decision to put the argumentative, quibbling part of his mind into neutral and go along for the narrative ride.”

Stephen King is a master at this, and I’m sure I’m not alone in admiring how easy he makes it […]

By |2024-01-22T17:18:16+00:00June 19th, 2020|Behind The Bestsellers|Comments Off on How Stephen King and Alexandra Sokoloff Cultivate Willing Suspension of Disbelief in Crime Fiction Tips and techniques based on two hit novels
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Reviewing BLUE MOON by Lee Child Considering what works and what could work better in Jack Reacher # 24

[by Ross Browne]

Author’s note: As a reader, I’m a loyal fan of the Jack Reacher series, awaiting each release with rabid anticipation. As a professional editor, I’m a longtime admirer of what Lee Child does well and, at times, a constructive critic of what I believe he could do better. I write about Lee Child often […]

By |2024-01-06T22:42:02+00:00|Book Reviews|Comments Off on Reviewing BLUE MOON by Lee Child Considering what works and what could work better in Jack Reacher # 24
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GRISHAM vs. GRISHAM: How a Master Storyteller Honors (and Flaunts) Convention Within the Confines of Genre Fiction

[by Ross Browne]

Did a bestselling master of his genre write the same novel twice?

On first glance, it might look that way. The premise and plot setups of John Grisham’s 1999 release The Testament and his 2013 release Sycamore Row are remarkably similar. Both novels feature:

  • The suicide of a wealthy man with a terminal disease, right […]
By |2024-02-08T19:09:03+00:00September 10th, 2019|Behind The Bestsellers|Comments Off on GRISHAM vs. GRISHAM: How a Master Storyteller Honors (and Flaunts) Convention Within the Confines of Genre Fiction
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How Susie Steiner Handles Characterization, Craft, and the Conventions of Mystery Writing in a Stunning Series Debut

[by Ross Browne with Susie Steiner]

One thing the editor in me loves about mysteries is seeing how successful authors navigate the challenge of writing entertainingly in a style of novel that’s inherently formulaic. For all its boundless appeal, mystery is a genre whose stories can be very similar in plot and structure, […]

By |2024-01-06T20:52:50+00:00June 14th, 2018|Behind The Bestsellers|Comments Off on How Susie Steiner Handles Characterization, Craft, and the Conventions of Mystery Writing in a Stunning Series Debut
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Reviewing SUDDEN PREY by John Sandford Considering characterization and its impact on story in a bestselling crime series

[by Ross Browne]

Anyone familiar with my taste in books probably knows how much I love John Sandford and admire his skills as a writer. One reason I like his Lucas Davenport series so much is that these deftly plotted novels usually go deep into the minds of deranged killers in seriously […]

By |2024-01-19T23:23:47+00:00|Book Reviews|Comments Off on Reviewing SUDDEN PREY by John Sandford Considering characterization and its impact on story in a bestselling crime series
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