Monday, January 13, 2014

Time to Mourn





Terry Shames, author of A Killing at Cotton Hill and (just out) The Last Death of Jack Harbin, is my guest today. Her books are set in small-town Texas and feature ex-chief of police Samuel Craddock. Terry lives in Berkeley, CA and is Vice President of Norcal Sisters in Crime and on the board of MWA Norcal. www.Terryshames.com.



I’m happy to have a chance to do a guest blog for Criminal Minds for author Susan Shea. The topic Criminal Minds is addressing this week is whether as an author I’ve ever had to kill off a character I love.

The short answer is no, but that isn’t saying much since my second novel just came out, giving me only two novels to draw from. I have, however, read several books in which characters I loved were killed, and I think there is a right way to do it. When a best-selling author killed off a character I loved, a few years ago I felt betrayed. Asked if she had any remorse about it, the author said absolutely not. The long-term arc of the series demanded a dramatic change and someone important had to go. I understand her reasoning, but understanding was cold comfort.

The first time I ever read a book in which the main character was killed off was To the Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf. She wrote the book in a response to the anguished loss of a whole generation of men in World War I. The book brought home how wrenching it is to suddenly have a loved one disappear. In Woolf’s case, although I was shocked, I didn’t feel cheated.

Why did I feel betrayed by one writer and not the other? Both writers had good reasons for killing off their characters. Maybe the answer lies in an interview I read recently. Author Mark Pryor said of his third novel, The Blood Promise, “I know some people are going to be upset by this, but one of the major characters doesn’t make it. I’ll be asked, I suspect, why I’d kill off a major character but the truth is, that’s how the story unfolded. And believe me, Hugo will battle with the sadness and distress of that event as much as anyone.” The italics are mine. In Woolf’s novel the reader has the second half of the book to mourn with the characters left behind. In the mystery novel I mentioned earlier, the death happens suddenly at the end, leaving hardly any time for the reader to process the distress of the event. In a way, it feels like a contrivance. Those who watch TV series have gotten used to having a key character die or disappear because the actor’s contract has run out. It’s hard to avoid the feeling those disappearances are contrived.

In my books, several of my characters are “geezers.” Sooner or later I’m going to have to let somebody go. In the third book of my series, which I’m currently writing, one of the characters is starting down that path. Even though the character doesn’t have much going for him, I feel a certain amount of affection for him, and want to give him his proper due before I send him off. It’s the author’s choice how to kill off a beloved character, but when I’m up against it, I’ll remember my feeling of betrayal, and give readers a chance to mourn properly.




9 comments:

Alan Orloff said...

Nice guest post, Terry! It might be tough, but you gotta do what's right for the story, no matter who gets hurt (or killed).

Meredith Cole said...

Thanks for being our guest, Terry! It is interesting how attached we get to other people's characters (and how attached our readers get to ours!). It's definitely challenging to kill off a main character without some complaints--but I'm sure you'll do it with grace and skill (and hopefully minimal grumbling from your fans).

Catriona McPherson said...

Hi, Terry. Great post. I absolutely agree and love the "actor's contract" description. Ever felt the way? At the end of Harry Potter, for instance, I thought she didn't kill enough people. I felt as if after Dumbledore (sob) we were ready for a real walloping that didn't come.

Catriona McPherson said...

The missing word is "other"

Anonymous said...

The question has many answers - all of them depend on how the author feels about that character plus whether the death helps the final denouement. I'll hate to see your "geezers" go - but old age is real... Thelma Straw in Manhattan

Robin Spano said...

Hey thanks for guesting on 7 Criminal Minds. I enjoyed reading your post; I like your thoughtful perspective. Um, and is the character you felt cheated by Lady Helen?

Robin Spano said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Terry Shames said...

I did have some reservations about the way Lady Helen was sort of tossed out on her ear. And she's not the only wife or girlfriend that has been offed.

But I know that when Conan Doyle killed Sherlock, there were practically riots in the streets--okay, I exaggerate, but there was a dramatic reaction.

Thanks to the Criminals for having me as a guest today!

Lori Rader-Day said...

GREAT post, Terry! My Sam Craddock #2 is on the way to me. And I agree with what you're saying. Readers get attached. It's wrong to yank away their chance to experience the death with the characters. Like Downton Abbey? And Matthew? Yank goes the rug, now deal with it. Catriona, JK killed off one of the twins, and I'll never forgive her for that.