Up All Night

 So, I just finished a book by an author I always buy. I’ve read her for several years, always enjoyed her sense of humor and writing style. You’d get into her books, and fall asleep trying to keep reading. Not, of course, because you were bored, but because you literally couldn’t keep your eyes open to read another word.

Many’s the time my husband has come to bed, nudged me ever so gently, and said “You gonna sleep like that?” And I’m sound asleep, book in my hands, head drooped over in a slump. Lights on, but nobody home.

But, this book didn’t do it. It was good, it just wasn’t a page turner. I had no problem setting it aside for the evening and going to bed at a decent hour.

I remember several J.D. Robb novels turning into all night marathons. Reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon? We had just moved into our farm house and I didn’t sleep for two weeks. First because I was terrified the mice were taking over, second because I could not put the book down.

Linda Howard, Dying to Please. I’ve probably read it six times, and six times hubby has turned the light off on me and growled, “Get to bed!”

I’m sure you’ve all had books that you read way past bed time, books that you can’t put down until someone makes you.

And that’s what I want to write.

But someone has to tell me the secret first.

Is it conflict or tension? Pacing or dialogue?

Or is it a combination of all of the above? That’s what I’m leaning towards. And finding that combination is going to be The Key to writing a novel that’s going to make people grumpy all day at work the next morning, make people ingest huge amounts of caffeine or Red Bull, make people call me nasty names for keeping them up so late.

And that’s just what I want to hear.

“Damn that Carrie Spencer! I was reading her latest book last night and was up ‘til 3am!”

So Word Wranglers, what’s the book that’s kept you up until the wee hours?

=)

carrie