Quakes, Quacks and Queries

Q – Quakes, Quacks and Queries…

So, here I am at my favourite letter – Q.

What can I do with that, I ask myself. Well, first there is the word quack - an interesting noun - as in my kind of thriller writing there is often a quack (fraudster or charlatan) somewhere along the way. The world of the paranormal is littered with them. Introducing a character who is a fraud can enliven a plot and raise the tension – especially if the reader knows he/she is a fraud but the other characters do not. Fabulous! In one of my stories the fraud actually turns out to be the good guy too!

Quake is also a useful word too – as in quake with anger or fear. But there is also the larger than life plot that might well centre around an actual earthquake. This is the kind of natural disaster that often makes for gripping thrillers. Most of us have experienced mild earthquakes but to be in a severe one must be the most frightening thing imaginable.

Lastly my offering today is also about queries. Yes, that most scary of writerly things… I don’t know why most writers are so worried about composing queries. I suppose it is because they are our shop front, window display of what we are about and as such have the kind of importance attached that undoubtedly put the fear of God into most of us. A query is also rich with rules which can be difficult to stick to but without which - if we choose to ignore the said rules - we know our work will not even be read! 

Happy Easter, one and all!