WHAT'S IN A NOVEL (4)

Plotting is for me, the trickiest part of writing a novel. What do I mean by plot? These are the events/activities which carry the characters through from start to finish and are the basic building blocks on which to demonstrate personalities, flaws etc. Let me take, as an example, my novel THE TROUBLE WITH NEIGHBOURS. This is about a leafy cul-de-sac where house prices keep rising. When an obnoxious young woman, Chloe, moves in, house prices plummet and neighbours get angry. To demonstrate the personality of this obnoxious newcomer, one of the plot points is a lingerie party which she holds to earn money. Another neighbour, Valerie, runs a high class lingerie shop on the high street. So there is immediate tension as Chloe denigrates the classy underwear.

EXCERPT

Chloe pulled out a silk bra which Valerie instantly recognised.

'Now look at this. Lovely innit?'

Sounds of approval went round the room.

'If yer wanted to buy it in a smart shop, it'd set yer back thirty-five quid.'

There were gasps of amazement from the audience.

'Yer see I bought it from a fancy lingerie shop in Middlehowe High Street. You're not paying for the bra, are you? Yer paying for the postcode and the boss's fancy holiday.'

Everyone stayed calm except for Valerie. Her eyes flashed with anger, her lips pressed together.........................

I will take another novel, DEATH OF MISS WETHERBY, as a further illustration. This is about a nosy school teacher, Julia, who travels north to pay her respects and finds herself involved in mystery and mayhem. I establish her nosiness, right at the start, with a chapter which involves a neighbour. Somehow, Julia feels she has to monitor everything that goes on.

EXCERPT

'Do come away from the window,' implored Robin, watching wife, Julia, peer round the curtain for the umpteenth time. 'You've been there for ages.'

Julia was monitoring the Dobson's Bakery van parked across the road. Robin called it nosiness, but Julia saw herself more as a good Samaritan believing it was her duty to know everything that happened down leafy Victoria Avenue in Twickenham. ....................................

.....'Robin! Look! Come and look at this.' Julia beckoned while keeping a keen eye on the house opposite. 'He's coming out...and look, she's following.' Julia turned abruptly, srutted towards the front door and continued her covert observation from there.

A more vicious event in MURDER ON THE CARDS, serves to show the fear, frustration and stupidity of main character, Peter, who finds himself being blackmailed by Sophie after flirting with her online and arranging what he expected would be a harmless meeting.

EXCERPT

'Give me the cash now or I'll scream. I'll scream rape! Then see how clever you are. Then see what your wonderful lady has to say, when she finds out.'

'You wouldn't dare,' he challenged her.

It was like a red rag to a bull. She opened her mouth. He imagined a piercing, high-pitched scream. Terrified, he pushed her down onto the bed and spread his hand forcefully over her mouth. 'Shut up will you, bitch! Just shut up!'

She pushed and kicked.

'Aaah Christ! You cow.' He wrenched his bitten hand from her face. Now her eyes were blazing, her face was red and her mouth opened again.

It was blind panic. He grabbed a pillow and thrust it against her face, fighting to shut her up.

These are just three of hundreds of events I have conjured up to move the stories along and demonstrate the personalities of the characters involved.

END