Birthdays: Georges Bernanos (1888), Rene Dubos (1901), Pierre Boulle (1912), Richard Matheson (1926), Sidney Poitier (1927), Ellen Gilchrist (1935), William Bayer (1939), Alan Furst (1941), David Kertzer (1948), Sean Wilentz (1951), Kenn Nesbitt (1962).

Pierre Boulle was best known for his books “The Bridge over the River Kwai” and “Planet of the Apes”

Richard Matheson writes fantasy, science fiction, and horror like “I am Legend”.

David Kertzer won the 2015 Pulitzer for Biography for “The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe”

Quote: “Once you have your characters, they tell you what to write, you don’t tell them.” – Alan Furst

Tip: Go through your latest manuscript and use a colored pen (or different colors of highlighters) to mark all your main character’s dialogue. Use different colors to mark other characters’ dialogue. Your hero/heroine should be the one with the most to say.

Jumpstart: What might you find in your main character’s trash? In the fridge? Glove compartment? Medicine cabinet, junk drawer, nightstand, pocket or purse?