Just released! The Clock Strikes Midnight by Joan C. Curtis
Tips for Using Animals in Your Stories
I love to read about characters who
have pets. Whenever there is a cat or a dog in a book, my interest peaks. I do
not, however, like it when animals do things that are superhuman. I don't like
for the animals to talk nor do I like it when they solve crimes. The one
exception for me was the fascinating book, The Art of Racing in the
Rain by Garth Stein. The author wrote the entire book from the dog's point
of view. He did a great job of getting into the mind of the dog. The dog
couldn't do super-dog things, but he did see things from a dog's perspective.
What I don't like is to see animals
hurt. When an author uses an animal to demonstrate a character's cruelness, I
consider that a cheap method. I loved The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, but I hated when Stieg Larsson
killed a cat. After experiencing what this killer did to women, why kill a cat?
It was unnecessary.
Joan's cat Caramella
To contrast this misuse of animals
with a great demonstration of how to use an animal to show a character's
humanity, William Boyd in Ordinary
Thunderstorms created a
sociopathic villain with a dog. As the book progressed, it became clear that
the dog jeopardized the killer's life. He had to kill it. I skipped ahead
because I couldn't experience him shooting the dog. I’m a total wimp as far as
animals and children are concerned. Once I skipped ahead, however, I realized
the dog was still alive. The villain
couldn't kill the dog. He did abandon him, but at a home where he
knew the dog would be cared for. What an amazing thing for Boyd to do! Although
I disliked the killer, the author showed a bit of humanity that still remained
in this villain--a multidimensional character. That's awesome writing.
In my own books, my characters have
animals. In The Clock Strikes
Midnight both main characters have pets. Janie has a yellow lab
named Charlie and Marlene has a cat named Nellie. Neither play prominent parts,
but both demonstrate each character’s compassion for their four-legged
creatures.
To all the authors out there, I
say, please
don't kill your animals to make a point. Find a better way to do it!
Dr. Joan Curtis is an award winning writer who has published 5 books and numerous stories.
"There is a feeling of the great southern author, Fannie Flagg in The Clock Strikes Midnight," said the Rabid Reviewer. "Curtis beautifully highlights the complexity of relationships when mental illness is a player. She, in a move nothing short of brilliant, introduces us to the mother as a teen. Eloise's internal dialogue is fascinating. Her development shows how a young girl spirals out of control...
Thank you, Joan, for being on my blog today with your great post! Readers, any questions for Joan or tales of stories with animals gone horribly--or wonderfully?
