Can't Judge a Book by its Cover

Have you ever wondered where parables come from? One of my favorites is “Never judge a book by its cover.” One of the reasons it catches my eye, aside from being a novelist, is that it’s a phrase that brings meaning on many levels and conjures a mental image to go with it.


I’m sure everyone has picked up a book with a great cover and began reading it; only to discover that the story was poorly written or just a bad story in general! Then, there are those gems that have a plain book cover and is a real page turner. That’s where the reference becomes interesting. For example, in my book, “The Pond,” I purposely chose characters that were seemingly warm, gentle, friendly and engaging. Those characters upon first glance were wonderful until I created their “true” personalities of dark, rough and seething anger only to be discovered through time and consequences.

Good writing is creating a good story. What I hope is great writing, is creating characters with depth and other layers of personality traits that become memorable and most importantly, real. I hope I was able to accomplish that in “The Pond.

"The Pond" can be purchased in Paperback for $16.95  BUY HERE
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Dentistry and the Vulnerability of being the Patient

As I was plotting and planning the characters and plot of “The Pond,” I began to wonder about what vocation Mike Adams, the main character would have.

Taking into account that his family was well-to-do when he was growing up, I considered the usual employment ideas; doctor, lawyer, stockbroker, entrepreneur etc. Then I began to wonder about what some consider to be a step below a doctor, either a dentist or a chiropractor.

For some reason, dentistry provides interesting character development. Consider the number of people who have dental phobias and movies that have perpetuated that fear even further by creating films like Marathon Man. Watching Dustin Hoffman’s character is particularly horrifying as he is tortured with dental procedures.
While I didn’t push the envelope to that extreme, I did plant the suggestion by having Adams be a dentist. And, surprise! One day, he is paid a visit by long lost childhood friend, Bill Simpson. Discussions of the past and certain neighbors cause Simpson to feel vulnerable as “Little Mikey Adams is messing with his teeth.”

Some fears are never outgrown. They simply intensify with age.

"The Pond" is available in Paperback for $16.95 and can be PURCHASED HERE

"The Pond" is available in Kindle Format for $2.95 and can be PURCHASED HERE

What Comes Next?

That is the most asked question I get about writing fiction! Most people can’t imagine sitting down in front of a laptop and writing a story from the depths of your imagination. While “The Pond” is fiction, the beginning was actually based on an actual event. The idea of I wonder what would happen when one of the children grew up? Would he wonder about possible motives? Perhaps the innocence of the event in his memory would tarnish with age? There were quite a few “what ifs?” that I found to be interesting.

I think that is how most writers construct a fiction book; by being inquisitive and have the imagination to allow your mind to conjure a plot. The revisions, changes and tweaks will most definitely be many, but at least there is the proverbial lump of clay to massage that will eventually morph into a polished, piece of art. The idea of letting your imagination run wild is both exhilarating and necessary. Sometimes I think young writers may be at a disadvantage in this area. It seems that as technology continues to explode, children become more interested in computer games and gadgets than reading or developing their imagination. I loved reading Laura Ingalls Wilder books as I was growing up, and am greatly influenced by her writing style. She was a master of telling a story, no matter how simple or delicate.

My advice to younger writers is to explore your imagination! And, if you are interested in gadgets, buy a Kindle and download my book (now available on Kindle), “The Pond.” Kindle $2.99

Have You Made Peace with YOUR Demons?

No matter how wonderful our childhoods may have been, there are still certain memories, places, people, relatives or experiences that cause some anxiety for us. Now, consider if we’ve had difficult childhoods laced with abuse, bullying, or any number of unpleasant experiences. How would you react if someone told you, “You will move back into your childhood home.”

Does it give you a warm fuzzy? Or does it make you feel ill? For those of us who have suffered traumatic or unpleasant childhoods, the idea will be dismissed immediately. If you’re one of those fortunate people that had a wonderful childhood, the idea sounds extremely tempting.

I thought it was an interesting concept. Why? Because in my book, “The Pond,” the main character feels that overall, he had a pleasant childhood. Of course, it wouldn’t be real life unless he experienced some hardships. But, his overall opinion of his childhood was pleasant. What if he moves back into his childhood home and begins to recall repressed memories? Did they happen? Or, is he simply feeling strange about living in his childhood home as a man?
Either way, the idea is intriguing. Memories can be sparked from a scent, a visual scene, temperature and a variety of other ways. Going back home may mean facing new memories which will certainly cause reflection. Will it change the core of your belief system? That’s something to consider. Find out how the main character in “The Pond” handles this situation.

The Trials & Tribulations of Newlyweds

For those of you that are married, do you remember the first several months of wedded bliss? When I think of newlyweds, the classic movie, “Barefoot in the Park” comes to mind. It’s a cute film about a couple that begins life blissfully happy with pollyanna dreams and as time passes, they become settled into real life.


What is real life? The usual points of contention which is how to spend money, bills, credit card debt, household duties and parenting issues. Oh, and a small issue known as problems with the in-laws! This problem has been parodied on countless television sitcoms such as Roseanne, The Honeymooners, The Dick Van Dyke show and more. While television has poked fun at this issue, the problem can be very real.
As a writer, I took this common issue and decided to use it to build tension in my book, “The Pond.” Although the mother-in-law is briefly mentioned in the beginning of the book, I find it lends the type of emotion I wanted for the opening. And, the fact that the main character and his family are moving back into his mother’s home causes the daughter-in-law additional anxiety. Of course, her husband fails to see the true extent of his mother’s short comings which makes it all the more exasperating. Can she remove the stigma of living in her mother-in-law’s home? Can she make it her own? Can she finally put her in-law issues to rest? Find out by reading my book, “The Pond.”

Some Reviews of the Mystery Novel "THE POND"

*****The Pond: just 'jump in'!



This review is from: "The Pond" (Paperback) - "The Pond" Kindle Format - download today for $2.99


What a wonderful, engaging novel by Tammy Lawrence--"The Pond" is a fast-moving,edge-of-your-seat mystery with lots of dialogue and family dynamics to add to the tension. I couldn't help but think of various theories of my own to solve the mystery of what REALLY happened at the pond, and was engaged all the way through to the end. I think you will be surprised with the ending, too!

**** Good Read!

By Kelly Schuknecht "Outskirts Press, Director" 

This review is from: "The Pond" (Paperback) "The Pond" (Kindle Format)


Something strange is going on in the Adams' family home! Michael Adams and his wife and daughter move back to his childhood home - an old home in a rural area with odd neighbors across the street where a young boy had drowned many years ago. Unexplainable things begin to happen around the house, such as a grandfather clock being overturned in a room by itself, objects getting broken or moved and strange appearances of frogs. Donna Adams finds herself investigating these occurrences to get to the bottom of what is happening to her family, and find out what really happened to Carl Weber that day.

"The Pond" is a suspenseful thriller, sure to keep you interested until the very end. By Lisa Tomarelli 

The Circle of Life and the ashes of innocence

As adults, we have learned the process of grieving for those who have passed away. The process of being born, living life and dying is often referred to as The Circle of Life, as it is a constant . Someone, somewhere is being born, someone, somewhere is living and someone, somewhere is dying. And, it is also one of the most difficult aspects of being a human being – especially if someone’s life is taken tragically. Especially that of a child. It’s very difficult for an adult to deal with a child’s death, and I know it is extraordinarily difficult for other children to grapple with.

As an author, you will find bits and pieces of my life experiences in my books. In “The Pond,” I wrote about a boy who drowned in an almost frozen pond. As I was writing the story, I was taken back to the first time I experienced a classmate’s death as a child. I felt the confusion, shock and disbelief. Yet, I wasn’t able to verbalize these cumbersome emotions yet. Why? Because I was a child trying to understand something that seemed so much bigger than me.

I was one step closer to being an adult and it pained me to realize that my childhood innocence was one step further behind me. I guess I felt as if I was watching the ashes of my innocence smolder.

"The Pond" is available in Paperback at $16.95 and Kindle Format at $2.99!

It is a must read!