Eyes on the Road (The Tow Truck Murder Mysteries)
by Karen C. Whalen
It is my pleasure to Welcome Karen C. Whalen
to Escape With Dollycas today!
The First Decision a Writer Makes
by Karen C. Whalen
Choosing the narrator of the story, or Point of View (POV), is the first decision an author considers when starting a novel.
These are the POV options: first-person, second-person, third-person omniscient, third-person limited, and third-person objective. Keeping it simple, 1st person POV uses “I,” 2nd person uses “you,” and 3rd person uses “he/she.” 2nd person is unusual. As for the different types of 3rd person, the most common is “limited,” which means only the narrator’s thoughts are shared with the reader.
Then, there are multiple POVs. That’s when the story is told from more than one person’s perspective. The rule of thumb is to present only one POV narrator per scene, or better yet per chapter, to prevent what is referred to as “head hopping.”
In my Dinner Club Murder Mystery
This is an excerpt from my recently released, Eyes on the Road
I rushed at him. “Gimme that!”
He held my key chain with the cute stiletto charm above my head. I made the mistake of jumping several times for the key, but he was over six feet tall. I’m five-two, so you get the picture.
Note in the last sentence Delaney is aiming her comment at the reader : I’m five-two, so you get the picture.
And this excerpt:
“Delaney, you were right to trust your instincts.”
“Lopez?” I dropped my purse on the counter. It was unusual for him to call at this late hour. He didn’t actually know where we’d been, did he? He couldn’t know what we were up to.
He said, “Maarja never made it home.”
This was not a surprise. Amiright? I totally expected this, but to be honest, I wasn’t doing well. I felt shaky and scared and thought my knees would buckle at any moment like I was in shock. But at least my suspicions were confirmed, and I knew the truth now.
Here she’s asking the reader to agree: Amiright?
The POV in the tow truck books is the thing I enjoyed most about writing them, and I think my readers enjoy it, too. This is from an Amazon review: “There are hilarious asides in the middle of crisis where she is talking to herself and the reader.”
I’ve been contemplating a new series set at the beach. So, the first consideration is POV, and I’m thinking of multiple POVs this time. Fully developing one POV character can be hard enough, but two or more can be daunting. And using more than one POV can confuse the reader, but there are good reasons to attempt this difficult POV if the story calls for it. The writer can present more than one perspective on what’s happening. It allows for cliff-hangers when one scene leaves off and another narrator picks up the story.
There are many technical and academic articles written on this topic, but in my point of view (Ha, did you see what I did there?) I go with my gut feeling. What is the protagonist telling me? What does she sound like in my mind? Is there more than one voice? Do multiple characters need to tell this story?
There should be a good reason for picking a certain POV. When it’s right, it’s seamless. I’d love to know what you think. Which POV do you prefer to read?
Thank you, Karen, for visiting today!
Keep reading for info about Karen’s new book.
About Eyes on the Road
Eyes on the Road (The Tow Truck Murder Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Colorado
Wild Rose Press (February 20, 2023)
Paperback : 310 pages
ISBN-10 : 1509246592
ISBN-13 : 978-1509246595
Digital ASIN : B0BQGRDVRT
Many businesses in Spruce Ridge, Colorado hire temporary international workers during the hectic ski season. One temp, Jaana Ivanov from Estonia, is found dead in her car at the bottom of a cliff, but the car crash was not an accident. Jaana didn’t just take her eyes off the road. She was murdered. Delaney Morran often feels vulnerable herself as the lone female tow truck driver in town, so when the victim’s sister asks Delaney to help find the killer, Delaney eyes everyone with suspicion. Delaney may not be the best at towing vehicles, but she’s pretty good at digging up clues.
Great Escapes Praise for Eyes on the Road (The Tow Truck Murder Mysteries)
by Karen C. Whalen
This is the third in the Tow Truck Murder Mysteries but was easily read as a standalone. If you enjoy light cozy mysteries, you’ll enjoy this one.
~Christa Reads and Writes
This is one of the best cozy mystery series I have ever read. Excellent storytelling. Gripping murder mysteries. An interesting mix of characters.
~The Book Decoder
About Karen C. Whalen
Karen C. Whalen is the author of two mystery series for The Wild Rose Press: the Dinner Club Mysteries featuring Jane Marsh, an empty nester who hosts a gourmet dinner club, and the Tow Truck Mysteries starring Delaney Morran, a super feminine shoe-a-holic who drives a tow truck. Both are cozy mysteries about strong friendships and family ties set in Colorado. The first book in the Dinner Club series tied for First Place in the Suspense Novel category of the 2017 IDA Contest sponsored by Oklahoma Romance Writers of America. Whalen worked for many years as a paralegal at a law firm in Denver, Colorado and was a columnist and regular contributor to The National Paralegal Reporter magazine. Whalen loves to host dinner parties, entertain friends, ride bicycles, hike in the mountains, walk on the beach, and read cozy murder mysteries.
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Also by Karen C. Whalen
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Thanks for offering this! This is a new series to me.