Patricia M Osborne

I’m delighted to welcome back the lovely author, Lisette Brodey, to Patricia’s Pen. On this blog, Lisette discusses her latest release Twice A Broken Breath. Without further ado, it’s over to Lisette.

Writing Twice A Broken Breath

Lisette Brodey

DO WE TELL STORIES … or do stories tell us?

I’ve been interviewing authors, both indie and traditionally published, for over a dozen years. One of the most interesting things is how very differently we all approach the writing process. Many authors say that their characters often lead them down a different path than expected. Others believe that approach is nonsense, and that as authors, we have complete control over our characters. Honestly, I think both views are correct.

I would hope that every author does have final control over what ends up in their manuscript. Some finish with a story as originally envisioned. Others end up with one that is very different because, during the writing process, the characters and their interactions go in surprising directions. Does the story have a mind of its own? Who knows? But, I believe that no matter how we choose to define the process, yes, in the end, we do control what we put out there. I’d be lying, however, if I didn’t say some surprising elements creep into my stories that I don’t always credit myself for having written. As many authors have said, “It’s like taking dictation.”

I’ve published thirteen books. For me, the writing of each novel has been different. A few of them I thought I couldn’t possibly finish (but I did), and some books are easier than others.

GETTING TO KNOW OUR CHARACTERS

My latest novel, Twice a Broken Breath, is a suspense thriller, which begins in Trenton, New Jersey, where Liam lives with his wife, Carly, and their eight-year-old daughter, Rayelle. The story takes off when Liam learns that Carly has cleaned out their bank accounts, taken Rayelle, and plans to leave the country in twenty-four hours with her first love. Hopping on a train to New York City, Carly’s home town, Liam begins a frantic search through the never-ending rain to find his beloved daughter.

Neither Liam nor I knew what would happen once he arrived in New York. I put the ball in his court, and he came through. As he gets off the train at Penn Station, he says, “I’m in a huge hurry. If only I knew where I was going.”

In my own life, when things are overwhelming, I subscribe to the one-day-at-a-time adage. It’s tough not to catastrophize when worried, but focusing solely on the next step is often the only sane way to reel in our fear. And this is what Liam does. He finds a place to start. And he keeps going. Step by frantic step.

Before I wrote the first page, I spent a full month on Liam’s back story.

That was a necessity. Of course, as I got to know him throughout the writing, his backstory changed to align with his character. He’s one of the most interesting characters I’ve created in my books, unlike anyone I know. He didn’t let me in right away. I wrote and deleted a great deal of dialogue until his character was clear—or as clear as it could be during such a time of turmoil. And when a character doesn’t know themselves, that can make an author’s job tougher.

WHERE TO SET THE STORY

I couldn’t imagine setting this story anywhere but New York City, where I lived for ten years. With a ubiquitous electric air and a frenetic pace unlike any other city I’ve known, Twice A Broken Breath belonged here. My previous novel, All That Was Taken, is set in a sleepy beach town on the California coast. The settings couldn’t be more different, but each setting called to the respective stories and the secrets long held.

Lastly, as my characters help me a great deal while writing books, I must admit, they’ve been utterly useless in writing this blog. I think it’s time we have a chat.

About Lisette Brodey

Lisette Brodey was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. She spent ten years in New York City, and now resides in Los Angeles. She’s a multigenre author of thirteen novels, writing character-driven stories about flawed people. Having worked in the entertainment industry off and on throughout her life, she has been member of SAG-AFTRA since 2012 and works occasionally as a background actor.

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