Grilling a novel...

I have several friends who consider themselves grill masters. I use specific spices when I grill, and of course, that changes depending on the type of meat I will be grilling. For this example, I will be using chicken as my meat of choice since it is very popular for grilling. First I season the meat with Adobo all purpose seasoning. I use this condiment on almost everything I grill or cook. It is very versatile. Next I sprinkle Black Pepper on the chicken breast or wings. Third I like to use Garlic. Usually I prefer the Garlic spice without salt, but if you have garlic salt that's fine too.

Here is where it changes for many people. Lastly, I put Mrs. Dash original blend over my chicken. I have a friend who instead marinates the chicken in Italian Dressing Marinate. Yes, it's usually for salads. However, it can be used for marinating meat as well. Do I use it? No. Does it taste good? Oh yeah. When he grills at his home, we have a good time. Then why don't I use it? Good question.

When he grills you can eat the chicken with any side, and it tastes great. When I grill you can eat the chicken any way you want. I can slice it into strips and place it over my salad. Sliced the same way, I can place it over my favorite pasta, be it Marinara or Alfredo Sauce. I can serve it with rice on the side or potatoes covered with Tomato Sauce or gravy. I can slice it for sandwich meat. And the list goes on.

Many people will tell you how to write and how not to. I have learned throughout life, to take the good and leave what is not helpful out. Should a writer stick to one genre only? Let me explain this. My novel is Science Fiction because it deals with aliens from another planet. It is also a murder mystery because no one knows the identity of the killer. I also consider it an Action Adventure Thriller because it contains several war scenes, several individual fight scenes, and several shootouts within the novel. It can also be placed in the Horror genre because ghosts haunt the military base in search of revenge. And like any good book, there is romance, sex, and lust lurking about.

Is this wise? I don't know but that's how it all came together. Will it work? Well, here's my take on that. You may not like science fiction, but you like romance and sex stories. It could be, you only like horror, blood and guts, or just the thrill of the action. Regardless of your preference, you may buy my book simply because it has a little, if not enough, of what you like in it. You may not like the horror, the killings, or the aliens, but you're a sucker for hot steamy romance. It's in there, just like the Prego sauce.

Does this mean you should do the same? I never tell my friend how to grill his chicken or how to prepare it. I enjoy it just the way he makes it. I won't tell you how to write your story. I'm sure I'll like just the way you write it. Does this make mine's better? Not-at-all. I've read many books and thought, "Man I wish I could write like that." My father always used to tell me, "Son, colors were made for the different tastes." You can write differently than I. This is just the way I grill my novel.

But, by all means tell me if you think it's a mistake or not. You can even tell me why, and where you learned to do it that way, and from whom. Or, you can simply tell what your preferred style of writing is, and why.

And remember… Always stay in your write mind.