Virtual Tour for Dark Pursuit by Jennifer Chase

Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Book Tour, presented by Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours, for Dark Pursuit by Jennifer Chase.  Please leave a comment or question for Barbara to let her know you stopped by.  You can follow the rest of the stops on Jennifer’s tour by clicking on the banner above. 

Boosting Creativity for Writing by Jennifer Chase

Writing is tough work, but at the same time, it is a bug that I can’t seem to shake.  It gets into your bones and you seem to live, eat and breathe it.  I cannot imagine my life without it even with all of its challenges.  I budget my time for writing projects, clients, and studying crime trends.  Sometimes it is a difficult life to balance and I find that I need to have some other creative outlets to calm and balance my mind.

I haven’t experienced the infamous and sometimes taboo condition of “writer’s block”, but I have experienced difficulty writing high tension scenes (usually involving serial killers) and the feeling of burn out or exhaustion seems to accompany it.

Here is my list of creative mind boosters:

     1.   Take a walk.

It’s simple.  Easy.  Even if you’ve walked your neighborhood a million times and you think that it’s boring or uneventful.  This time, really look at every detail that surrounds you.  Every plant.  Look at the architecture of your neighbor’s houses: windows, doors, fences, porches, and garages.  Look at the sidewalk or road.  What’s changed?  How does it look at this particular time of day?  Imagine how the road was constructed and who might have worked on the construction.  Run a story through your mind.

     2.   Check out your thesaurus.

For me, I find that I like to use similar words when I describe action in my books.  Jot down 10-20 action words that you like to use and then look them up in the thesaurus and make a list of alternative words.  Apply these new versions of your favorite action words into sentences and keep as a handy reference for your projects.

Write down a recent event or dream.

Write freestyle.  Don’t’ worry about grammar or spelling, just go for it.  Write about your trip to the grocery store or friend’s house in as much detail as possible.  Or, write about a dream that seems to stay with you.  Have some fun with this writing task.  Elaborate on your story and use the full extent of your imagination in the process.

     3.  Read a book in a completely different genre.

Pick up a book that’s in a genre that you never read – now really go out on a limb here.  If you like mysteries and thrillers, pick up a historical romance, fantasy, or sci-fi book.  Or, if you only read poetry or memoirs, pick up a high-action thriller.  You can always learn something from every book you read and by reading a genre outside your comfort zone you will find some interesting details in the plot and character development.

     4.  Take time with a favorite hobby.

Do something completely different and take your mind away from your writing. It’s a great way to exercise your mind and creativity, but gives your writing a break.

Dark Pursuit

By Jennifer Chase

Emily Stone Series, Book 5

Publisher:  JEC Press

Release Date: March 13, 2015

Genre:  Crime Thriller/Light Romance

Length; 343 Pages

ISBN:  978-0991096916

ASIN:  B00UPDXN3S

Format: Print/eBook

BUY LINK:  AMAZON PRINT *  KINDLE 

About the book: 

From the International Award Winning EMILY STONE THRILLER SERIES.

Vigilante detective Emily Stone has covertly hunted down killers and closed more serial cases than most seasoned homicide cops combined. Her exceptional profiling skills and forensic techniques, along with deductive crime scene investigations, have made her a compelling force that cannot be beat. 

She has reached her ultimate breaking point and now must face her toughest opponent yet – her biggest fears.

With preciseness, the Tick-Tock Killer has taken his next child victim and promised to dump the body precisely four days later, mocking police and the community. Stone struggles to balance her inner demons and ghosts from the past, against the wits of a brutal and cunning serial killer in an all-out battle of psychological warfare. 

Can Stone save the next child in time? Dark Pursuit is an action-packed cat and mouse game that will take you to dark places rarely explored.

About Jennifer Chase

Jennifer Chase is an award-winning author and consulting criminologist.  She has authored six crime fiction novels, including the award-winning Emily Stone thriller series along with a screenwriting workbook.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor degree in police forensics and a Master's degree in criminology.  These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent sociopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling.  She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists.

More info: www.authorjenniferchase.com

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