I am doing something hard

And that would be this:  writing a mystery.

I love mysteries.  Mysteries are my go-to pleasure reading.  But I have never written one, mostly because I was afraid of the plot thing.  Mostly because I still AM afraid of the plot thing.  Mysteries rely a lot on plot.  And so here I am.  Afraid of plotting.  Writing a mystery.

Here's the deal.  Actions MUST grow out of character and not the need to advance a plotline.  If you violate this rule, then you have a mess.  If you're lucky you have a hot mess, which is what REVENGE  (a pretty good show at one time) has degenerated into.

And yet you must advance the action, as you must in all stories.  But especially in mysteries.

So right now I am trying to balance character with plotti-ness.

Please light a candle and pray for the soul of my book.  Thank you.