• Books
    • Bailey Flynn FBI Mystery Thrillers
    • Bridget Bishop FBI Thrillers
    • Detective Nessa Ainsley Novellas
    • Mercy Harbor Thrillers
    • Veronica Lee Thrillers
    • Frankie Dawson P.I. Thrillers
    • Newsletter
  • BLOG: Write it. Read it. Love it.
  • Contact
  • Reading Order Book List
MELINDA WOODHALL THRILLERS
  • Books
    • Bailey Flynn FBI Mystery Thrillers
    • Bridget Bishop FBI Thrillers
    • Detective Nessa Ainsley Novellas
    • Mercy Harbor Thrillers
    • Veronica Lee Thrillers
    • Frankie Dawson P.I. Thrillers
    • Newsletter
  • BLOG: Write it. Read it. Love it.
  • Contact
  • Reading Order Book List

Compelling Characters: Good vs. Evil

9/20/2019

0 Comments

 
As a writer of thrillers, I often flinch when I have to create a scene that depicts the type of character, and the level of violence, that we all fear meeting up with in real life. But without that twisted, damaged character that sends chills up my back and makes me look behind doors at night, I wouldn’t be able to write about the bravery and heroics of the character who, despite adversity (and usually some very bad luck) overcomes her own flaws to save the day.

​How boring Stephen King’s book, It, would be without Pennywise the Clown. And would we have cared about Clarice Starling quite so much in Thomas Harris’ The Silence of the Lambs if she wasn’t going up against monsters like Buffalo Bill and Hannibal Lecter? Both books were written decades ago, but the authors created such terrifying characters that they left an indelible impression on me and the millions of people who read, and probably had nightmares about, these books.  

​I’ve always been fascinated by the parallels and contrasts between people who are evil and do horrific things and those who struggle courageously to overcome evil and do amazing things. In my books, I try to weave that contrast of dark and light throughout the plot and the complex characters who, I hope, will stay with you once you’ve put the book down. 

Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Melinda Woodhall is the author of over twenty page-turning thrillers. She also writes women's contemporary fiction as M.M. Arvin.

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018

    TOPICS

    All

    RSS Feed

M.M.Arvin

BLOG: Write it. Read it. Love it.

Contact

Copyright © 2024
  • Books
    • Bailey Flynn FBI Mystery Thrillers
    • Bridget Bishop FBI Thrillers
    • Detective Nessa Ainsley Novellas
    • Mercy Harbor Thrillers
    • Veronica Lee Thrillers
    • Frankie Dawson P.I. Thrillers
    • Newsletter
  • BLOG: Write it. Read it. Love it.
  • Contact
  • Reading Order Book List