How Do you Kill a Six-Foot Teddy Bear?

Building a Cool Cross Genre Story

"Into every life, a little weirdness must fall"

-Detective Cynthia Mallory in Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear

by Dee Stewart

As I prepare to submit my book proposal to agents for consideration I pause to talk with you about a few good book trends I have seen over the years. One is cross genre stories. An example of a cross genre would be People Choice Award Favorite Debut TV Show/ Drama, CBS' Moonlight - part vampire/detective/romance/historical. The lead is quite nice on the eyes.

Or Sharon Dunn's Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear(Random House,) a mystery/romance/comedy/bargain hunting tip builder novel. Yeah. She has bargain hunting tips sprinkled throughout the novel. And there's a sweet romance that builds between the teddy bear and Kindra that is so cinematic I could see this story turn into a movie. The novel is infectious. And that's what I want to talk about.

What makes a story irresistibly cool?















1. Have a great title

Your title should hint to what's behind the book, but also tease us. Death of a Six Foot Teddy Bear surely does that.

The new movie, Jumper excites me to

What others?

2. Write What You Love
Cross genre stories that do well do well because the author has built a story around something they love. Sharon loves clearance racks and snooping for bargains. Of course, writing a cozy mystery suits her personality.

I love man gazing. My novels show this love for the male species. :) Actually I love African American church history and iconography, too. But that sounds so boring.

What do you love more than sunshine? Write about it and see what pops up.

3. Have a sense of Humor

Most great cross overs have humor infused in its tone. You have to have a sense of humor if you think you can couple a caper, art history and political thriller in one book. But Jill Nelson does it well with her To Catch a Thief Series.

4. Write well.

This is a no brainer, but it's a given. Plant your butt in your chair and write your heart out. When you start writing and you get to page 80 your real story begins to shape. Things you didn't think to include you find room for, a better plot twist than before becomes more apparent and you see how making your beloved pastor romantic lead into a fallen angel more fun to read then where he is right now.

5. Have fun.

Finally! That's what cross genre books are about. Having fun. The best writing advice I received from Chuck Pahlaniuk. He sent me a birthday letter and a gift box, as a thank you for participating in his writing workshop. In that letter he gave me more writing encouragement and begged me to have fun when I write. Three years later I finally agree!

More about Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear...

Summary:

When a man turns up dead in a teddy bear costume, Ginger and the other ladies of the Bargain Hunters Network learn a lesson about trusting in God rather than in wealth as they try to solve the crime and clear one of their own.

Dee Stewart is a writing diva mother, Entertainment Editor for Hope for Women Magazine, inspirational book reviewer for Romantic Times Magazine, The Master's Artist Blogger and owner of Christian Fiction Blog. Her writings have appeared in: Spirit Led Woman, Gospel Today, Hope for Women, Anointed, The Dabbling Mum, Atlanta Christian Family, Infuze, Precious Times, just a few. Visit her at Christian Fiction Blog.