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Saturday, May 27, 2017

A CHAT WITH KENNETH WEENE

A CHAT WITH KENNETH WEENE




This month I am deviating from my usual chat with a reader who isn't a writer.  I thought it might be interesting to hear from a writer who is a reader. And to make the reversal complete, I invited a male to share his views. I "met" today's guest some time ago through the blog Fifty Authors from Fifty States.
Welcome to Once Upon A Word, Kenneth (Ken) Weene. Please tell us a little about yourself.

Well, the first thing is I’m what I like to call a Broody New Englander, which is also the title of one of my books—not a memoir, but based on my experiences growing up in New England, especially Maine.
Later, I lived in New York where I practiced as a psychologist. That professional experience underlies a couple of my novels, Memoirs From the Asylum in particular. After a long career, I burned out and fled to the comparative sanity of Phoenix, Arizona, where my wife and I now live. That’s where I started writing. Before that, in New York, I did write some poetry and short non-fiction, but something about the Arizona sunshine has caused my writing to flourish. It may also have to do with joining a writing group.

That group inspired another of my books, Tales From the Dew Drop Inne. The connection isn’t that the group meets in a bar—we go with coffee houses like true artists— but those groups, however we form them, become like families—filled with quirks, jokes, and pathos.
Anyway, enough about me, let’s talk books. And, if your readers want to find my books and more, I hope they’ll stop  by. http://www.kennethweene.com

I think the entire Southwest  could have the effect on creativity you describe. And yes, let's talk books. What kind do you read?

You could say I’m an omnilectorem, that would be the reading equivalent of an omnivore, which I also am. I’ll try any book, or story, poem, essay, or whatever. Right now, I’m reading By More than Providence, a history of American diplomacy in the Pacific. Before that I read The House at the Edge of Night. Let’s see, before that, Paris Is Always a Good Idea. And just to show what I mean about reading everything, there was a book for teens finishing their studies at Montessori schools and entering high school.

Now, that doesn’t count the books that people send me to review either for comment on Amazon and Goodreads or for possible interviews on the internet radio show I co-host, It Matters Radio. Recently, for example, I read a new book, Goodbye My Love, by paranormal romance author Maggie Tideswell from South Africa. However, since those are solicited reads, I guess that’s a different category.

You have convinced me that you are indeed an omnilectorem.  Do you have a preference for  long or short books?

I don’t care about length only quality. It’s like the old joke: How long do your legs have to be? Long enough to reach the ground.

I will say that as a writer I have always tried to keep books short enough so that a good reader could read one on a plane trip from New York City to Los Angeles. Not that the folks who get on planes in Los Angeles can’t read, but I’m hoping that that hypothetical reader has connections in Hollywood. Actually, one of my books, Times To Try The Soul of Man, has been picked up and we’re working on the script. (Yeah, I know, shameless plug)
But, I do have to admit that the book on which I’m currently working will require a longer flight. I think it will probably work for New York to London.

What are the main reasons you buy a certain book and which of these is the most important to you?

Whim and whimsy mostly. I don’t buy a lot of books at bookstores. Most of the time, I get recommendations (and as I said before, requests). If the suggested book sounds good, I give it a go. Sometimes on Kindle, but usually in print. Typically, if it hasn’t been sent to me, I sample it at Amazon—sometimes on an author’s website.

Much as I love bookstores, I don’t get to them often, especially given the paucity here in Phoenix. When I do go shopping for books for fun, usually when we’re out of town, I roam through the store stopping to sample different sections. Strangely, bookstores bring out the primitive hunter and gatherer in me. I feel like I’m sneaking up on that elusive great read, or perhaps I’m more porcine and trying to find as many truffles as I can.

Do you prefer ebooks or print books?                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Print. I love the sensory quality of holding a book in my hands. I have to admit that I don’t treat books too kindly. I write marginalia and bend pages; that is unless it is an old book worth a lot that has somehow found its way to me or a personally dedicated copy from a fellow author. People sometimes wonder about that. “Why so disrespectful?” they ask. It isn’t disrespectful. I in no way want to have that book go on to a used-book store. Quite simply, I want people to buy new books so that authors get royalties. I know many readers love to pass that great story on, but please reconsider. We writers need money; we can’t live on love of words alone. 

Let me add a brief note on used-book stores. Personally, I find them fascinating except for the sneezing—mine not the stores. They are great places to hunt for books that are no longer in the regular stores. Typically, if I find something used that sounds good, my first response is to try to buy it new. If not, then I will resort to buying the used copy. Even if it is available on Kindle and not in print, I will go with the Kindle so the author gets their due.

By the way, why haven’t you asked about audio books? I love them for long car trips. A few of my books are available in that format. For some reason, Memoirs From the Asylum does particularly well as an audiobook.

An oversight on my part not to have included  audiobooks, especially since I have two recently released.  Are there things that please you or turn you off when reading or listening to books?

I love good writing, writing that carries me along in its flow. When I was younger, I did a lot of whitewater rafting. I loved going with the rush of the water. Sometimes, there would be a rock or a place where we’d lose control, which added to the sense of challenge, but in the end, we’d get ourselves right and on the flow would go. I look for that same sense of movement and pace with occasional moment to make me stop and think.

Do you ever read books a second time just because you like them?

Absolutely. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien; I’ve read that a few times. Steinbeck—to whom I’ve been compared—Of Mice and Men and Grapes of Wrath in particular. Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five. And, of course, plays, particularly those of Shakespeare and Mamet.

I wonder if you often read blogs such as this?  And if so, do you leave comments?
I can’t say that I follow many blogs, but I do read them. For a long time, I co-edited one that was quite successful in getting hits, but we decided that it had become flatulent if not moribund. As for comments, I try to leave helpful and positive comments when I can.

Have you ever written an Amazon review of a book you have read?  

Yes. I write many, not only of books but other purchases as well. Sometimes, because I’m friends with an author or because Amazon’s algorithm has identified me with It Matters Radio, my reviews don’t get posted. However, I do write them. By the way, when I do reviews, I try to be honest. If I am really negative about a book, I probably won’t review it at all—in part because I probably haven’t finished reading itMy goal in life is to not harm others.

An admirable goal. A scathing review can do serious damage to a writer who often doesn't realize this is just one person's opinion.

However, if the author contacts me to ask why I never published a review, then I will tell him. If he had asked me to read it before he put it on Kindle, I also would have said something. Which brings me to one of my pet peeves, badly edited books. I don’t mean that occasional grammatical error or formatting flub. I don’t even mean that unusual word choice or slight problem of logic. I mean overall lack of editing and particularly lack of a clear idea of what the book is. I find bad editing to be like getting in my raft at the top of the river only to find that somebody has set a boom across the water, sometimes a boom with sharp spikes to make sure that the raft is not only stopped but that it sinks.

I have heard this from many other readers as well. It seems in our haste to get our book "out there" we often don't take the time to edit properly. And I believe the final responsibility lies with the author who knows the material better than anyone.

So, an unasked for but freely given bit of advice for those of your followers who write: Find yourself a good editor, not just a page editor to check grammar, but a real editor who can help you create a book that truly works for the reader.

Thank you for this suggestion even though it means additional effort for authors. And thank you for chatting with me today, Ken. As always, your wit and candid views are interesting to hear. I hope readers will join in by leaving their own views on our conversation today. If you leave a comment, be sure to click on the blue window that says "Publish" or your comment won't be shown and we do want to hear what you have to say!

Find Linda Swift at these links below:


 MY FACEBOOK PAGE

MY AMAZON BOOKS

MY WEBSITE

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Creating Villains: The Difference Between Sociopath and Psychopath




I love a good villain. The more malicious and conniving the villain, the more the hero or heroine has to rise to meet the dire challenge. The creation of a good villain is no easy thing and, if they are going to seem real, they need to be based on some truth. Truth requires research. One of the best research subjects for villains is the psychological makeup of the character you want to incorporate.

While on my quest for discovering the characteristics of a truly vile villain, I wondered about the psychiatric terms sociopath and psychopath. Early on I believed the difference between these two antisocial disorders was the degree of misconduct they presented. A sort of bad villain must be a sociopath and a very bad villain must be a psychopath. But I was completely wrong.

I read a study done by *John M. Grohol, Psy.D. titled “Differences Between a Psychopath vs Sociopath” which helped me come to a better understanding of these two terms.

Here is what he wrote:

These two terms are not really well-defined in the psychology research literature, and so there is some confusion about them.
Nonetheless, there are some general similarities as well as differences between these two personality types. Both types of personality have a pervasive pattern of disregard for the safety and rights of others. Deceit and manipulation are central features to both types of personality. Contrary to popular belief, a psychopath or sociopath is not necessarily violent.

 The common features of a psychopath and sociopath lie in their shared diagnosis — antisocial personality disorder. The DSM-51 defines antisocial personality as someone have 3 or more of the following traits:
Regularly breaks or flouts the law
Constantly lies and deceives others
Is impulsive and doesn’t plan ahead
Can be prone to fighting and aggressiveness
Has little regard for the safety of others
Irresponsible, can’t meet financial obligations
Doesn’t feel remorse or guilt
In both cases, some signs or symptoms are nearly always present before age 15. By the time a person is an adult, they are well on their way to becoming a psychopath or sociopath.

Traits of a Psychopath:
Psychology researchers generally believe that psychopaths tends to be born — it’s likely a genetic predisposition — while sociopaths tend to be made by their environment. (Which is not to say that psychopaths may not also suffer from some sort of childhood trauma.) Psychopathy might be related to physiological brain differences. Research has shown psychopaths have underdeveloped components of the brain commonly thought to be responsible for emotion regulation and impulse control.

As you can see, according to Dr. Grohol, a psychopath is born with antisocial behavior whereas a sociopath becomes antisocial most likely from environmental influences. The following is a bit more about what I discovered:
Researchers tend to believe that sociopathy is the result of environmental factors, such as a child or teen’s upbringing in a very negative household that resulted in physical abuse, emotional abuse, or childhood trauma.

Signs and Symptoms of a Sociopath: There are a respected range of signs that can identify those who could be labelled sociopaths. These include an outward charm, potentially showing a chameleon like ability to be everything the person they are engaging with wants. As a former wife of a sociopath quoted “he morphed into a perfect being”. This is an indication of another of the traits, sociopaths will be often be deceptive and dishonest, and some would describe them as pathological liars. Sociopaths are by nature manipulative saying and do what is required to deceive those they wish to control. They often believe they are superior to those around them; they will also get bored if not constantly stimulated. Sociopaths appear to have a limited range of feelings, expressing little happiness or sadness, and with no sense of the suffering that they inflict on victims of their actions. At the extreme they can be seen as cold, callous and contemptuous.
Sociopaths, in general, tend to be more impulsive and erratic in their behavior than their psychopath counterparts. While also having difficulties in forming attachments to others, some sociopaths may be able to form an attachment to a like-minded group or person. Unlike psychopaths, most sociopaths don’t hold down long-term jobs or present much of a normal family life to the outside world.

When a sociopath engages in criminal behavior, they may do so in an impulsive and largely unplanned manner, with little regard for the risks or consequences of their actions. They may become agitated and angered easily, sometimes resulting in violent outbursts. These kinds of behaviors increase a sociopath’s chances of being apprehended.

Sociopath Pop Culture Examples: 

The Joker in  The Dark Knight 



Sherlock and Moriarty in the grip of battle

Of course there is the popular example of a “highly functioning sociopath” in the fictional BBC series “Sherlock” in which the main character, Sherlock, admits he is a sociopath. His villainous counterpart, Moriarty, on the other hand, seemed to be more of a psychopath. He would plan some devious and gruesome deed in great detail, taking his time to get it just right and seem to enjoy the discomfort and agony of his victims.

Real life sociopaths: (this list may astound you)

Winston Churchill, Prime Minister

Many people show sociopathic traits in their decisions and actions. For example, in recent history the UK Prime Minister during the Second World War, Winston Churchill, did nothing to stop the city of Coventry to be bombed by the German air force despite having warning from decrypted radio transmissions. He knew that if he had done something, the Germans would have realized that their codes had been broken and the allies would have lost the advantage they had gained. He was prepared to make a decision which cost thousands their lives. If a sociopath is as defined someone who can ignore the feelings of others and believe that their opinion is right such as the UK’s Winston Churchill, this could also apply to many leaders.

In the UK Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher, in the US President George W. Bush could be counted amongst the ranks of high functioning sociopaths.



Famous psychopaths:

Countess Elizabeth Bathory de Ecsed

Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed was a Hungarian socialite who, seeking eternal beauty, bathed in the blood of her victims. Remembered as “The Bloody Countess”, she murdered over 600 girls and young women during her twenty year killing spree.

Jeffery Dahmer

You may recall that Jeffery Dahmer was raised in a normal home by a loving family, and yet, he became one of the most gruesome of serial killers who devoured his victims rather like the fictional character of Hannibal Lecter.

Ed Gein

Ed Gein was the inspiration for the "Texas Chain Saw Murderer". He murdered at least two women, as well as dug up female corpses and wore their body parts. 
Speaking about prison in an interview:

I like this place, everybody treats me nice, some of them are a little crazy though.

When asked if he wore the skin face masks for prolonged periods, he had this to say:
Not too long, I had other things to do.

Even the interviewer purportedly felt ill at ease in Ed's presence. It doesn't take much to get that he was definitely not altogether. Psychopath? Most definitely.

Childhood Clues to Sociopathy and Psychopathy:
  
Clues to psychopathy and sociopathy are usually available in childhood. Most people who can later be diagnosed with sociopathy or psychopathy have had a pattern of behavior where they violate the basic rights or safety of others. They often break the rules (or even laws) and societal norms as a child, too.
Psychologists call these kinds of childhood behaviors a conduct disorder. Conduct disorders involve four categories of problem behavior:
     Aggression to people and animals
     Destruction of property
     Deceitfulness or theft
     Serious violations of rules or laws
These symptoms in a child or young teen predict they’re at greater risk for antisocial personality disorder.

Who is More Dangerous?

Both psychopaths and sociopaths present risks to society, because they will often try and live a normal life while coping with their disorder. But psychopathy is likely the more dangerous disorder, because they experience a much less guilt connected to their actions.
A psychopath also has a greater ability to dissociate from their actions. Without emotional involvement, any pain that others suffer is meaningless to a psychopath. Many famous serial killers have been psychopaths.
Not all people we’d call a psychopath or sociopath are violent. Violence is not a necessary ingredient (nor is it for a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder) — but it is often present.

Do not confuse the terms psychopath with psychotic. They are two different things. A person who is psychotic is one who has lost all touch with reality, and a psychopath is a person who does know reality, but doesn’t have feelings of remorse or follow societal moral codes or ethics.



In my story, FLY AWAY HEART, I wrote about Sid Efford, a young man who became a criminal after years of constant abuse from his father. Sid was more of a victim than a true sociopath, but his father, who showed no remorse whatsoever, was a psychopath.


Also sold in a boxed set of 5 western novels: LOVE’S FIRST TOUCH

So, when you’re writing your next villain, you may want to keep in mind some of these differences between sociopathy and psychopathy to construct the villain you want in your story.

*Foot Note:
About John M. Grohol, Psy.D.
Dr. John Grohol is the founder & CEO of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Computers in Human Behavior and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.
References for Further Research:
The Neuroscientist Who Discovered He Was a Psychopath - Smithsonian magazine
Hare Psychopathy Checklist - Wikipedia
Letter from a psychopath sent to Jon Ronson, author of The Psychopath Test
Sociopathy vs. Psychopathy - Kelly McAleer, Psy. D.
Psychopathy versus sociopathy: Why the distinction has become crucial - Jack Pemment, Psychology Today
Psychopathy – Wikipedia



Sarah J. McNeal is a multi-published author of several genres including time travel, paranormal, western and historical fiction. She is a retired ER and Critical Care nurse who lives in North Carolina with her four-legged children, Lily, the Golden Retriever and Liberty, the cat. Besides her devotion to writing, she also has a great love of music and plays several instruments including violin, bagpipes, guitar and harmonica. Her books and short stories may be found at Prairie Rose Publications and its imprints Painted Pony Books, and Fire Star Press. She welcomes you to her website and social media:

Prairie Rose Publications Blog