Robert Rex

Cole Matthews wrote a GREAT story here at GA years ago, "Barbed Wire Heart". His writing kept me entranced, and his ending of the tale caught me, and several others here totally off guard. Cole is now a Signature Author here; his work is in the premium section. Not on GA, but years ago I got to work with Erica Spindler when I lived in Dallas as she did research for her (then new) book "See Jane Die". A nice combo of romance and murder, i never recognized the killer up until the last few pages of the book. You may be able to find that online, or in libraries, since it's several years old. Beyond that, life has gotten in my way and I've not been able to read like I'd have liked. But, I'm back, and as I find interesting stories, I'll be glad to pass 'em along to you if you'd like.....just let me know.

I recently read an article for writers that basically said a good murder mystery has a surprise "killer" and/or surprise situation--one that was virtually unpredictable from casual reading of the tale. Or perhaps a very small thread of previously un-followed up clues. Do you agree? Do you prefer a killer that may be unpredictable? Predictable upon very close reading? Or a plot line that confirms you'd known the killer all along? True confession here: I'm working on a new tale and it appears to be moving towards a combination of murder with ESP used to solve it. (And for those who'd read "Lions' Lair" and "Landfall", you'll see many of those same characters again.) Thanks for the comments!

Thanks, Headstall! I took an early retirement to take care of mom, who lost her 4 year battle with Alzheimer's last December. That kept me occupied enough I wasn't able to be here, or to write--but (terrifyingly enough) I'm back....<grin> You'll be seeing more of me around here/! And trust me, I've missed the place and friends like you here- a LOT.

It's was actually "sweet"....(another Southern word of scorn); others labeled it as "cute". It just lacked appropriate marketing--otherwise, the book was absolutely precious.

"Run over a plate for Mrs. Jones." This has nothing to do with a ritual procedure or minor car accident sacrificing china, but sharing your prepared meal with a neighbor/friend, either by walking it over or driving it to them. "That's like ten pounds of potatoes in a five pound sack." Meaning, something is (detrimentally) overstuffed. Used in a sentence: "Did you see the cellulite on that butt? Looked like ten pounds of potatoes in a five-pound sack. Spandex should be off limits for that one!" A great source of "Southernisms" is a small book, "The Southern Belle Primer". I giggled all the way through it--simply because it was so thoroughly accurate.

So glad you picked re-read this tale...and thanks for the compliments on believeable characters and conversational dialogue! That's quite the compliment, and must admit, I'm honored for those assessments! And, sometimes, even manly men deserve a break from responsibilities, and can turn over decision-making to others! <grin> THANK YOU for the comments!

That's one of the highest honors I could receive as a budding writer--to have someone re-read a tale of mine, and STILL enjoy it! THANK YOU for a day brightener! Rex (PS...sorry for the delayed response--major family issues going on pulled me away for the last month or so!)

You've always been such a solid anchor here, and a staunch supporter of new writers and readers...well, this drives me nuts. Glad you're out from under the rock...and looking forward to your next work(s)! I'm confident in your heart's and head's abilities to work around this! And, as others have said--we're here for support/friendly listening ear/vent source! Use us as needed.

You may be on to the right approach for you with your next-to-last paragraph, "prodding the characters". Maybe take that one step further: sit down and do an "interview" with the characters--and take notes on their responses. Where did they grow up? Education? Life experiences that shaped 'em? Their views on politics, faith, social issues? What kind of friends do they run with? Hobbies? In other words, treat 'em like real-life people. Once you do that, perhaps each character will become the distinct personality you want for them to have--and that'll come through in your writing. The key phrase is "what works for you". Every writer approaches their work differently, and you're no different from the rest of the talents in that regard. Hell, we're ALL learning as we go!

Glad you're "officially" here! You already know it's a great place...and with the new system upgrades coming, it'll be even more fun--especially once we (hopefully) get the chat rooms back in place and you can do a meet and greet with everyone! Welcome!

You're certainly speedy in your reading--and I'm so very glad you enjoyed the tale! And, yes, you'll be seeing more of "the gang" soon; I'm working on a new story, and they'll be making guest appearances in it. THANK YOU for the comments and the kind words! I appreciate you!

Thank you for the kind words here! You're absolutely right--Joe is definitely an all-or-nothing kind of guy. One of those men of few words, but they all carry weight. And, since you know they appear in other stories of mine, you've now got the backstory on 'em. THANK YOU for reading and reviewing!

Glad you liked the characters here! I based them on social workers I know--and despite a few "bad apples" of coworkers (who are generally burned out)--the vast majority of them are genuine people who take their roles of helping families seriously. And it's easy for 'em to get burned out too, since it's far to easy to get drawn into the intense emotions of every case. THANK YOU for your comments!

Think the real issue is Joe is seeing everything only through the filter of maintaining his (limited) independence. The thought that it'd be more challenging for Rex to stop by probably hasn't crossed his mind. Regarding the line shifts, it looks like (on my pc) that the chapter is using far narrower margins, but still "flowing" the text within the paragraphs. I can certainly check/adjust the margins, but before I do, is that what you're describing? Or is something else happening? Feel free to PM me if the margins aren't what you see as the issue.

Even though Joe may not necessarily understand all his feelings, he's at least willing to act on 'em now and figure out the repercussions later. Gotta love a man who steps out on his own!