After reading a great blog post on Wordplay about establishing tone, I thought it might be a good idea to work on a scene using two different tones.

Here we have a scene from a wedding. As you look at the picture you can easily identify the bride, but which guy is the groom?  Is it the one holding the lady in pink’s hand or is it the other man with the glasses?  As you look at this photo think about all of the relationships that might occur between these people.  Notice the man who is standing off to the side watching the whole scene.  Who is he?  A long lost love?  The guy with the bill from the caterer?  Use your imagination and create the characters in this scene.

Once your characters are created,  write the scene–twice.  The first time you write about the wedding make your tone light and upbeat.   Maybe there is some jealousy going on but because the bride and groom are in love they will simply laugh about it later.  Maybe the lady in pink is a real pain in a funny way and the characters have to deal with her.

The second time make your tone dark.  The bride is all smiles but what is she really hiding?  Who is the man at a distance?  What’s really going on with this lady in pink?

I still have my book giveaway going on for my second book Overdue For Murder.  I am giving away three copies in a random drawing being done over at Goodreads.  Please go over and put in an entry.  The giveaway ends on July 31, so hurry!

Click here to go to Goodreads For Your Chance To Win! 

Writing Can Be Murder!
When local writers present their books on romance, vampires, chick lit and alien abductions at the Pecan Bayou Library, one author gets a killer review.  Betsy Livingston, there to talk about her book on helpful hints, finds herself point at for the murder.  Join Betsy in her second mystery as she tries to clear her own name in this hilarious tale of small town Texas life and murder. Available at Amazon.

Photo Submitted by Clarita at Morgue File.