VODKA O’CLOCK 1503
ROB BRUNET ON WRITING
AMBER LOVE 19-JAN-2015 On today’s Vodka O’Clock episode, author of STINKING RICH, ROB BRUNET joined me to talk all about developing fictional characters in crime fiction. We explored some interesting topics we discovered through research we needed for stories. For Rob, that involved religions and the lengths they go to in order to recruit new members. We also banter the notion that animals in fiction are generally considered precious and that if you kill one off, you’ve designated who the villain is.
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Rob has had short stories published on places like Shotgun Honey and in Thuglit; he shares his experiences regarding submitting to them and how he sees his comedic approach to crime vastly different from his peers who delve into the darkness of gritty noir.
“A lot of what I write, when the violence happens, you’re supposed to get a chuckle out of it.†Rob Brunet
When it comes to character development, Rob says he creates them organically. He doesn’t have character worksheets, instead opting to load up the history and personality within the story which may be deleted later.
“I find if I’ve sketched out a whole bunch of things about a character and then I go to write them, I’m just not as curious about them.â€
“My favorite moments in writing are when I get to channel and watch what’s happening.†Rob Brunet
Rob said he usually sticks with topics that don’t require too much research, however, there’s one story he’s working on where he engaged in conversations with Jehovah’s Witnesses who came to his door for a year and a half.
Writing regrets.
Do you have any? Have you ever received feedback that made you regret something you put down in a story? Rob revealed plot points he thinks he probably should regret, but doesn’t and ultimately bears whatever that burden of social responsibility is.
“A lot of my short stories are darker and I sometimes think it’s because I don’t want to stay – and there are a couple of them – there’s no way I’d want to stay in that dark place longer than it took to write them but then again they’re not as dark as some that I’ve read.â€
LINKS:
WEBSITE: http://www.robbrunet.com
TWITTER: @rrbrunet
Rob’s short stories can be found at the following:
Crimespree Magazine: http://crimespreemag.com/jons-book-picks-for-2014/
MysteryPeople: https://mysterypeople.wordpress.com/2014/12/07/scotts-top-6-debut-novels-of-2014/
Shotgun Honey http://shotgunhoney.net/fiction/honey-truck-by-rob-brunet.html
Shotgun Honey http://shotgunhoney.net/fiction/road-rage-by-rob-brunet.html
Out of the Gutter Online http://www.outofthegutteronline.com/2014/01/pitch-perfect.html
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.