20 posts from 2007

Grifter Movies

I've seen
The Grifters
The Lady Eve
Paper Moon
The Sting
House of Cards
The Spanish Prisoner
Big Hand for a Little Lady
Catch Me if You Can
Heartbreakers
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Six Degrees of Separation

To watch
Nine Queens (AKA Nueve reinas)
Confidence
Matchstick Men
Hustle (tv)

This isn't meant to be comprehensive, it's all off the top of my head.  I'm sure I've forgotten some both that I've seen and that I know of and would like to see.  

Sometimes you think your work is The Shit, sometimes you think your work ain't shit.  Sometimes you pinball between those two extremes a dozen times within a couple seconds.

Tomorrow is the 15th.  It's all but assurred I won't make my goal of a complete contiguous draft by then.  I'm not beating myself up though, progress has been good and I am still really close. 

I wrote the last line of my novel.

Hold that applause.  It's not the end of this draft.  I have several scenes in the middle that I have yet to write and a few transitions as well.  But I am getting close to finishing this draft and it's exciting as hell.  My goal is to have it complete and contigous  by the 15th of this month.  Back when I set that goal I knew it was ambitious.  Now that I am closer to the date I now know that the word is actually "ludicrous."

I have a list of things to do, various items to fix before the complete contiguous drafts is officially called done.  Then I am going to set it aside for a week or so before beginning revisions.  During that time I might write nothing, but I am chomping at the bit to get started on the sequel.  I have come up with just a kick-ass ending for book two.  I'm also excited at the prospect of a writing the next book in a more intentional way with more preparation and more understanding of how to write a novel.

Bouchercon, the big mystery conference of each year is in Anchorage this year.  There are panels of course, but the real point of most of these sorts of conventions is getting face time with editors and agents.

I think I am going. 

Perhaps a bit more dubious.

Yesterday for the first time I successfully picked a regular pin-tumbler lock.  I was able to repeat the feat a couple of times too.  

The things we do in the name of research.  Not for actual research, but that's our excuse. 

I've never had faith that I could finish this book.   That's actually been one of my biggest obstacles to finishing.  Kind of like punching yourself in the crotch.

But this weekend for the first time ever, I started to believe I might actually finish.   I can taste it... though I have tons more to write and re-write I am creeping up on the final page.  When I write that final page, I have to go back and fill in some scenes I skipped over and then I can start re-writes. 

I had been hoping that a better ending would come to me as I approached the end of the book.  One hasn't, though my basic idea has gotten a bit refined and I might be able to build up more support when I re-write so that when the reader gets there it will feel right. 

My brain has had to go to more extreme measures to try to distract me from working on the book.  It's most cunning plan to date; it's started to give me some ideas for book 2.  I've noted them down and haven't been able to help but think about the theme of that book and where Nick will be at the beginning and end of it.  

And then it happened.  I thought of a truly kick-ass killer ending.  Unfortunately, this seriously tasty idea can only be the ending of book 2 (or possibly later). 

I really think book 2 will not take as long to write as this one is taking.   Of course, this creative flow concerning it may actually dry up fast when that becomes the novel I am supposed to be focusing on.   I'm no genius, but my brain is freaking Hannibal Lector when it comes to distracting me.   Currently though, I'm winning.  I believe I will finish this book and write another.   A massive change in fortunes from last year.

I haven't been around.  I apologize, but it's kind of a good sign.  

I got moved.  I got unpacked/stowed enough to have a housewarming party while my sister was in town.  I got sick and then better.   I got writing done.   Not the whole time.  I took a couple week hiatus before and after the move and another week's break just before the party, but I'm making progress.

See my next entry for details.   This one is one of those I'm not sorry, but I apologize notes.  Usually that's a  passive-aggressive thing.  It's nice for it to be good news all around.

Laura Lippman is a mystery novelist with a series, and several standalones one of which "What the Dead Know" just broke her for the first time on the NYT Bestsellers list.  I met her both years at Writers in Paradise and she so bright you can tell it without her saying a word.  She is a former newspaper writer from Baltimore and is married to David Simon creator/producer of the best police show in the history of television, The Wire.

Now, go ahead and check out her blog entry for today.  In case the links change, today's entry is titled "Nepotism."

Last weekend our local chapter of the Mystery Writers of America had a Seattle Police Department detective come and speak with us.  He was an interesting guest.  He'd been a patrolman, worked in on the sexual assault and child abuse crimes squad and now worked as a CSI tech.  One thing he mentioned almost in passing caught my attention; The Reid Technique of Interview and Interrogation.

The detective described it as an analysis of indicators guilt or innocence in interrogations.  An example he used (which he mentioned was simplistic) involved asking a suspect "Why did you rob that bank?"  The innocent suspect would likely say something like "I never robbed any bank." while the guilty one might be more prone to respond "What bank?".

After reading  this wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reid_technique) and much of the Reid Institute site (http://www.reid.com) however it seems to me as if much of the technique is aimed more at making certain that statements in interrogations make strong prosecution evidence than it is at determining guilt or innocence. 

The nine steps of the Reid technique are listed below.  For contrast and amusement, I have listed the title of each step according to the Reid Technique site followed by the Wikipedia description of that step.  Perhaps this will be useful for some of you.

Reid.com:    The Positive Confrontation
Wikipedia:  Tell the suspect that there is overwhelming evidence, even witnesses, of their guilt. This may be a lie to force the suspect towards confession.

Reid.com:    Theme Development
Wikipedia:  Try to shift the blame away from the suspect to some other person or set of circumstances that prompted the suspect to commit the crime. That is, develop themes containing reasons that will justify or excuse the crime. Themes may be developed or changed to find one to which the accused is most responsive.

Reid.com:    Handling Denials
Wikipedia:  Never allow the suspect to deny guilt. Reid training video: "If you’ve let him talk and say the words ‘I didn’t do it’, and the more often a person says ‘I didn’t do it’, the more difficult it is to get a confession." Stopping them talking also stops them asking for a lawyer.

Reid.com:    Overcoming Objections
Wikipedia:  At this point, the accused will often give a reason why he or she did not or could not commit the crime. Try to use this to move towards the confession.

Reid.com:    Procuring and Retaining the Suspect's Attention
Wikipedia:  Reinforce sincerity to ensure that the suspect is receptive.

Reid.com:    Handling the Suspect's Passive Mood
Wikipedia:  The suspect will become quieter and listen. Move the theme discussion towards offering alternatives. If the suspect cries at this point, infer guilt.

Reid.com:    Presenting an Alternative Question
Wikipedia:  Pose the “alternative question”, giving two choices for what happened; one more socially acceptable than the other. The suspect is expected to choose the easier option but whichever alternative the suspect chooses, guilt is admitted.

Reid.com:    Detailing the Offense
Wikipedia:  Lead the suspect to repeat the admission of guilt in front of witnesses.

Reid.com:    Elements of Oral and Written Statements
Wikipedia:  Document the suspect's admission and have them sign as a confession.

        Best wishes,

               Michael Jacobs