Chance Encounters and Other Stories
(2026)How An Author Finds Her Characters
A non fiction book by Terry Odell
Where do characters come from? This author advertises for hers.
Wouldn’t it be great to eavesdrop on their interviews?
Chance Encounters is a peek behind the curtain, a tongue-in-cheek collection of twenty vignettes chronicling the author’s job interviews with characters aiming for a spot in her next book. They’ve all got their own lives, and their own reasons for wanting—or needing—the job.
In fiction, ‘Only Trouble is Interesting,’ and some characters aren’t thrilled with the trouble they’ll be walking into. They offer their own opinions. Make suggestions. Does the author listen?
Spanning the Pine Hills Police, Blackthorne, Inc., Triple-D Ranch and Mapleton Mystery series, these light-hearted peeks behind the scenes let you look at where characters really come from.
Wouldn’t it be great to eavesdrop on their interviews?
Chance Encounters is a peek behind the curtain, a tongue-in-cheek collection of twenty vignettes chronicling the author’s job interviews with characters aiming for a spot in her next book. They’ve all got their own lives, and their own reasons for wanting—or needing—the job.
In fiction, ‘Only Trouble is Interesting,’ and some characters aren’t thrilled with the trouble they’ll be walking into. They offer their own opinions. Make suggestions. Does the author listen?
Spanning the Pine Hills Police, Blackthorne, Inc., Triple-D Ranch and Mapleton Mystery series, these light-hearted peeks behind the scenes let you look at where characters really come from.
Used availability for Terry Odell's Chance Encounters and Other Stories