I Am Kaiser Sohze.

So, I'm watching The Usual Suspects as I sort and label the kids' school supplies. Damn, it's a good movie. Jana wrote earlier about writing humor - and I've got to agree with her. I think it's too hard to explain or do a workshop on because I can't figure out what makes me funny - it's just how I write.

But plotting a really tight mystery is one workshop I'd love to attend. I admire that gift above all others. I've had a lot of people tell me they were surprised by who the bad guy was in my book (no spoilers here - I swear) and I marvel at the fact I was able to keep them guessing because I'm still not sure how I did it (or if I did it).

I love to read a book where I have no idea what's going on until the end - or where there's a twist so twisted your head hurts for days. I'm thinking Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians or The Murder of Roger Ackroyd; a movie like The Usual Suspects or The Village or Memento; the old tv series Mission Impossible, stuff like that. I love getting blown away - especially if it rends me speechless for hours after. (My family likes that too. Let's just say I can be a bit of an excessive chatter.)

With my second book - I felt a lot of pressure to keep the mystery up to snuff. It doesn't get any easier as you go - in fact, I think it gets harder. What I wouldn't give to be an awesome plotter like Christie or M. Night Shamalyan (sp?). Unfortunately, on my part - it takes a lot of work and I'm learning a little more with each book.

So, I watch movies, read books, etc. trying to learn more and I write, trying to get better. Eventually someone will come up with some magic software that will do this for you, but for now - it's all about putting in the work.

And until then, I'd better get back to the movie so I can do some more research.

Leslie "The Assassin" Langtry