By Chris Goff I love doing research. When I’m in the throes of writing a book, I spend a lot of time going down various rabbit holes. Some may say too much time. And I dig up all sorts of interesting shi…. information. Take my current work-in-progress, Operation Gentoo. The story starts out in...
TRAVEL ADVENTURE: Living in the Moment
By Chris Goff Sometimes called “mindfulness,” living in the moment is the state of active, open and intentional focus on the present. It’s something learned, something practiced, and EASY to do on a travel adventure. It just happens. When your immersed in the thermal baths in Budapest, you...
TRAVEL: RESEARCH OR FUN?
By Chris Goff As a writer and avid traveler, I'm often asked, "Do you travel for research or fun?" Good question! Of course, the answer is both. What starts as travel for a variety of reasons often turns into research, and--for me--travel is always fun. I think most writers find it hard to go...
CRANBERRY RELISH: A Thanksgiving Treat!
By Chris Goff My mother was a “holiday cook.” While my father was master of the kitchen, making amazing gourmet creations, always by memory, my mother's specialties were Thanksgiving and Christmas. Again, no recipes. So, when I married my husband, I happily collected the family recipes my...
TRAVEL NOW, VACATION LATER
By Chris Goff How many of you have gone on vacation and felt more like you needed a vacation once you got home? My hand is raised. Gone are the days of visiting Grandma—kids hanging out with cousins at the beach, Dad fishing or sailing, Mom working on her tan and reading books. Today’s vacations...
BLOGS TO DIE FOR: A Revisiting
By Chris Goff On May 18, 2016, the first Rogue Women Writers blog was posted by Gayle Lynds,introducing our group to the world. Since then, we’ve lost members, gained members,hosted panels at the mystery conventions, and expanded our offerings to include RogueReads, a monthly showcase for mystery...
RITES OF PASSAGE
By Chris Goff Officially, Spring began on March 19th and, if I'm being honest, it's beautiful in Western Michigan. We moved here a year ago and I'm still acclimating. The transition from Coloradan to Michigander has been more difficult than I ever imagined. I am a mountain girl at heart. I grew up...
HOLIDAYS: COMMEMORATION, CELEBRATION, AND JUST PLAIN FUN!
By Chris Goff On January 15th, the United States honored Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a great man, a Baptist minister and a social activist who played a key role in the American civil rights movement. Through peaceful protest, he sought equality and human rights for African Americans, the...
TOTAL IMMERSION II
The Art of Going Deep: Part II By Chris Goff In Part I, I talked about digging DEEP to find the BIG concept, the right Point of View, and getting to know your characters. So, how do you get into your character’s head? Use your own experiences. Thomas Harris in Silence of the Lambs gave...
TOTAL IMMERSION
The Art of Going DEEP: Part 1 By Chris Goff ThrillerFest 2017 when RED SKY launched Over the years, I’ve spoken at writer’s conferences ad nauseum about plotting the novel, researching the novel, creating characters, writing realistic dialogue and boots on the ground settings. All very important...