I Hear Voices! by Diane Kelly

On Tuesday, March 15th at 7:00 pm, I’ll be the featured guest on romance author Chanta Rand’s radio show. Chanta’s show is all about romance and is both informative and fun. Check out Chanta Rand and her great romance novels at: http://www.fishbowlradionetwork.com/crs.html and www.chantarand.com.

Here’s the “Featured Guest” info on the show’s site: http://www.thechantarandshow.com/Featured_Guests.html

To listen to the show:
1. Logon to www.fishbowlradionetwork.com.
2. Click on the RED BOWL.

You can call in with questions by dialing (214) 717-4678.

All of this leads me to the subject of my blog for today, which is VOICE.

As you can tell by listening to Chanta on the radio, the woman has a smooth and intelligent voice that just begs to be heard. What’s more, that voice carries over into her books. I’m reading her book “The Highest Bidder” right now, and enjoying every delicious minute of it.

A writer’s voice, just like a radio personality’s voice, is incredibly important. For me, it has been a defining factor of my work. Invariably when I entered writing contests before selling my first novel, the judges would comment on my “funny voice,” “humorous voice,” or “LOL voice.” One told me I’d nearly made her wet her pants. To know I’d almost made someone lose bladder control was extremely – though perhaps oddly – flattering.

Voice can be an elusive concept. It’s a combination of tone, outlook, word choices, rhythm, and theme. A voice can be soothing, edgy, humorous, or poignant. But, in the end, it’s a reflection of the person behind the words and what that person wants to offer to their readers.

Me? I want to make people laugh. Life can be tough. Life can be hard. Life can be heart-breaking. But a little bit of laughter can lighten the load.

Admittedly, writing funny things lightens my own load, too. When I write, I can escape the harsh realities of the world and go into a crazy world of my own creation where zany things happen. Sometimes I find myself laughing out loud as I write. I honestly don’t know where some of the humorous bits come from. They just seem to flow out of my subconscious and onto the page. I’m guessing it’s the same for my fellow Killer Fiction writers, who are recognized for their voices as well.

Whether a voice is spoken or written, the effect is the same. Some voices will appeal to you and others will not. As far as the spoken (or sung) voice, I’ve always admired the voices of Kate Pierson of The B-52s and Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders. Their voices are unique, both strong and feminine. On paper, I like the funny, southern voice of humor writers Jill Conner Browne (of Sweet Potato Queens fame) and Celia Rivenbark. Their voices, too, are strong, yet feminine. They make it clear that, while they are capable of good manners and perfect etiquette, they are not going to take any crap. I respect that.

Who are some of your favorite voices in music and books, and why?