Thursday, October 20, 2011

Dust Jacket Blurb for Death Angel; An Exercise from Randy Wayne White

Death Angel



Dust Jacket Blurb for my upcoming book, Death Angel

Mycology Professor Colin McHaggerty is equally well-loved by undergrads, parents, grad students, TAs, faculty and administration, or so it seems to Marcy Elmsford when she first returns to the College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry to study for her PhD and work as Dr. McHaggerty’s teaching assistant. Suddenly, Marcy’s life revolves around McHaggerty.  The other professors, teaching assistants and even her own research project seem to take a back seat to the all-encompassing McHaggerty.  When McHaggerty turns up in the hospital with mushroom poisoning, Marcy refuses to believe the poisoning was “a terrible accident.” She recognizes that McHaggerty knows better than to poison himself.  But someone smashes into Marcy on her motorcycle—hit and run—when she begins poking around to find out what really happened to Dr. McHaggerty. Smashing up her motorcycle is just one of the warnings Marcy gets to “mind her own business.”  Marcy survives the crash and continues looking.  She discovers that the well-loved McHaggerty has many enemies and that the college is rife with unsuspected excitement and sordid intrigue.  Marcy’s trust, damaged by a recent divorce, is further damaged by what she learns about McHaggerty and others at the college, but receives a boost from Silas, a lucky witness and from Bart, one of the other TAs, who, in spite of the danger, joins her in the search for an attempted murderer. Though the police refuse to help, Marcy continues searching, never imagining she might find the answer to a 13-year-old quadruple murder.

This Synopsis and "dust jacket blurb" was written from the following "exercise" which I copied directly from Randy Wayne Whites page for writers:

Write the dust jacket copy for the book you hope to write. Write as if your book has already been accepted, as if you've already received your advance payment, and as if what you write will appear on the book when it is published. The well schooled PR people in New York write the jacket copy, not the authors but it does not matter in this exercise. The prose is often florid but, when professionally done, it emphasizes key why-you-must-read-this-book elements that will put you, the author, in better touch with your novel or work of non-fiction. Do not start this exercise immediately. Today or tonight, take down some favorite books and ready the jacket copy. Read it over and over. Even if the writing is hyperbolic, it should portray the story line accurately. It should establish key characters and plot elements. Also note that the word count is structured to fit. No more than 250 words, no fewer than 225 words. No exceptions. I suggest, later tonight, or tomorrow morning, you go into a space alone, turn off the TV and the Internet, and dedicate your full attention to this exercise: Write your dust jacket copy as described above.A deadline demands that you set your story free!

I am reading Randy Wayne White's book, Night Vision, and I love it!!!! (I hated it at first, and I am glad I stuck with it!!!!)

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