My Aunt Nancy read through With Good Behavior in the summer of 2009, and was very encouraging about the story’s potential. She advised me to choose unique, poetic words as a writer. Instead of “he stuck by her side like white on rice”, I’m now trying to write phrases like “he stuck by her side like sauce on spaghetti”. I hadn’t noticed that I chose tired, overused descriptions at times, and I’m striving to be more careful in my word choice since receiving that feedback. It’s wonderful to receive constructive criticism.
Nancy told me “In the way you wrote it, the connection among the brothers and Sophie is revealed early on but with that revelation comes the dread that the vulnerable couple is going to get further tangled with the members of his toxic family. And the dread is visceral.” Yeah! Just what I wanted my readers to feel…visceral dread! I want some serious fingernail-chewing happening. (And perhaps some hopeful anticipation about the budding romance between Grant and Sophie as well).
