The First Time is the Best

I love writing. Not just the act of putting together a novel but reading and learning about the craft. Every novel I read, I analyze the structure and pacing. The substance and gimmicks, so to speak. I sometimes read novels I don’t really like so I can avoid the same mistake in my own books. I also enjoy reading blogs about what some writers go though. Not necessarily the business angle. We all have problems with copy editors, agents and lack of recognition. I like to read about someone stuck in the middle of a book or caught up in the fifth edit of a novel. There are a number of blogs that cover this sort of thing. It somehow makes me feel like I’m not alone in my concerns. Sure I want support from the publicity department at Putnam. Yeah, I wish my books debuted on the New York Times list. But I’m even more interested in writing a novel that interests readers and tells a good story. I’m fascinated by other writers who strive for the same thing.

One blog I read for this is First Offenders First Offenders. Hearing about the problems Lori Armstrong, Karen Olsen, Jeff Shelby and Alison Gaylin go through often strikes a chord with me. I’m not the only one who screams in frustration at dialog that doesn’t come or scenes that feel too contrived. One important note is that each of these writers produce excellent books.

The reason I bring this up is that I started a new novel this week. Writing it, not reading it. It may not fly. I’ve written several treatments and fifty pages of novels that either my agent or editor didn’t want to try. It doesn’t dampen my enthusiasm. It’s a magical time when you start to lay out a story and get a feel for the characters. Even if you’ve written about the characters before. What triggers the story? Who’s good? Who’s bad? What will confuse readers and what is clear? How much procedure do I include in the narrative? These are all questions that are vital to me, if not important to the universe in general.

So now, when I take a quick break from figuring out why a hit man would interrupt a gun deal on the streets of West Palm Beach, Florida, I can jump over and write a few paragraphs of my new weekly blog. It’s a nice change.

It also speaks to whether I’m a writer/cop or a cop/writer. For years, as I toiled in secret, I was just a cop. Then, after Walking Money was published, I noticed I was called a cop/writer. Now, four books into my new career, I clearly think of myself as a writer first. Maybe because it took so long to achieve. I don’t take my police job for granted. I worked hard to get it as well but now I like to think of myself as a writer.

Writers get the crap kicked out of them less often.


I had an odd experience this week. Lucky and fun (No, Paul, not that kind of lucky) but odd. The local NBC station, WPTV, followed me with a camera and did a very nice story on my day job and the release of Field of Fire. I'd post it but can't figure out how to post a movie. If anyone can tell me I'll get it up later. The upload a file option didn't work here.

My super smart daughter has posted the video on the Myspace she created for me. www.myspace.com/jamesoborn

I don't know where they got the idea idea that I have won a Pulitzer and I'm often compared to a larger, male, Mother Teresa.


And Finally

To avoid controversy around the Born house and maintain domestic tranquility, as well as being fair, I wanted to mention that jumping on the trampoline with your daughter is as much fun as lifting weights with your son. If you don’t believe me take a look at this photo of Emily doing her stuff.







JIM