Guest Post: Siri Mitchell – EVERYWHERE TO HIDE

Happy Saturday, my bookish peeps! Over the years, I’ve learned quite a bit from reading fiction. I’ve seen glimpses into the past, into other cultures, and learned to empathize with everyone, no matter their race, creed, religion, or ethnicity. If I’ve learned simply by being a reader over 55 years, it’s not a stretch to imagine that authors might learn from writing fiction as well. I’m pleased to welcome Siri Mitchell, author of Everywhere to Hide, to the blog. Ms. Mitchell will be sharing what she’s learned from her characters with us today. I hope you’ll enjoy her visit and perhaps add Everywhere to Hide to your TBR list. Without further adieu, I give you, Siri Mitchell.

What My Characters Have Taught Me

I started writing in 1994 and I haven’t stopped since. During that time, I’ve learned a lot from my characters. They’ve taught me to:

1. Let go of what used to be. One of the best lessons I learned as a writer was to use the first few pages of the book to kick the main character out of the life that used to be and then to lock the door behind her so she can’t get back in. In a story, as in life, momentum comes from living in the present, from moving forward. It doesn’t come from sitting around, longing for the past.

2. Make choices and then commit to them. The most engaging characters don’t dither when they’re faced with a decision. They don’t draw decision trees. They don’t even play rock-paper-scissors. (At least, not normally.) They make the best decisions they can with the information they have at the moment. Do they get it wrong? Sometimes. But at least they don’t let others make decisions for them and they don’t wait around to get rescued by someone else.

3. Be the person you are. Every person, every character, has flaws. Magic happens in a story when a character, who has tried for so long to hide or compensate for a weakness, has to fall back on that very thing in order to survive. My characters have taught me that those things you hate about yourself, those things that make you different than everyone else, can also become your salvation. You just have to lean into who you are instead of trying to run away from it.

4. Keep on going. You don’t get to the end of a story by taking a breather, throwing a tantrum, or creating a fantasy world to live in where people aren’t out to get you. Characters who react to trouble by cowering tend to be secondary characters. Know why? Because they’re not likable. They might be pitiable, but they’re not courageous. When life gets hard, get harder. When things are tough? Be tougher. Meet the moment. Take the risk. The only way out of a story is to keep walking through it.

It’s funny: when I first started writing, I had so many things I wanted to tell people through the characters in my stories. But as I look back, I realize I wasn’t as smart as I thought. And my characters were much more clever than I knew.

Everywhere to Hide

by Siri Mitchell

on Tour October 1-31, 2020

Synopsis:

How can she protect herself from an enemy she can’t see?

Law school graduate Whitney Garrison is a survivor. She admirably deals with an abusive boyfriend, her mother’s death, mounting student debt, dwindling job opportunities, and a rare neurological condition that prevents her from recognizing human faces.

But witnessing a murder might be the crisis she can’t overcome.

The killer has every advantage. Though Whitney saw him, she has no idea what he looks like. He knows where she lives and works. He anticipates her every move. Worst of all, he’s hiding in plain sight and believes she has information he needs. Information worth killing for. Again.

As the hunter drives his prey into a net of terror and international intrigue, Whitney’s only ally, Detective Leo Baroni, is taken off the case. Stripped of all semblance of safety, Whitney must suspect everyone and trust no one—and hope to come out alive.

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense
Published by: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: October 6th 2020
Number of Pages: 352
ISBN: 0785228640 (ISBN13: 9780785228646)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook.com® | Goodreads

Author Bio:

Siri Mitchell is the author of 16 novels. She has also written 2 novels under the pseudonym of Iris Anthony. She graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and has worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she lived all over the world, including Paris and Tokyo.

Visit her online:

www.SiriMitchell.com, Goodreads, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

Giveaway!:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Siri Mitchell. There will be 3 winners. Each winner will receive one (1) physical copy of Everywhere To Hide by Siri Mitchell (U.S. addresses only). The giveaway begins on October 1, 2020, and runs through November 2, 2020. Void where prohibited.

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Author: thebookdivasreads

I'm a reader, an avid reader, or perhaps a rabid reader (at least according to my family). I enjoy reading from a variety of different genres but particularly enjoy fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, ChickLit, romance and classics. I also enjoy reading about numerous non-fiction subjects including aromatherapy, comparative religions, herbalism, naturopathic medicine, and tea. View all posts by thebookdivasreads