First Chapter Back Story - what's too much?

Last weekend, I took a class about back story in a first chapter.  I know, the first answer to how much back story to add is none. Except...

The reader wants to know your character. They want to know your heroine's (We'll call her Deb) track record with men. They want to know she's a twice-widowed woman who in both cases has been a suspect in the guy's untimely death.  Especially if she's walking up the aisle to husband number three.  Her soul mate. The one who got away in college.

The trick is how much information to bring.  Is having the police detective from the suspicious death investigation sitting in the pew as she walks into the church filled with family and friend enough?

Deb's goals right now, first page, is to get through this wedding ceremony without freaking out. Ultimately, she'd like to have a marriage that lasts more than a year and where the man she loves doesn't leave in a hearse. Especially this man.

Christie Craig (award winning romance and young adult writer) says you have to show some back story because our characters, like us, are who we are because of the events and relationships in our past.  And we can't care about Deb as a reader, until we realize she's not the black widow everyone (except husband #3) believes her to be.

And we have to believe in Deb's motivation to marry this guy instead of just shacking up and hopefully keeping him safe. Maybe his job (a pastor, a senator, a principal) requires him to be 'respectable' in the community. And Deb loves him enough to try one more time.

Which we all know, isn't going to work. Which is the promise to the reader.

What do you think? Is romantic relationship status one of those must have's in a first chapter? Or could you have waited until the reception to meet the grizzled police detective who's convinced of Deb's guilt?

Lynn

So--What Do You Do for Fun?

As writers we get so wrapped up in the writing, editing and promoting that sometimes we forget to take a breath and live.

My latest, Dangerous Impulses, available from Amazon in paper or e-book.

 One thing I've found, many of the things that I consider fun are writing related. For instance, I consider going to a conference fun. But the reason it is fun is because I know I'll be seeing writing friends and making new ones.

I went to a Central Coast Sisters in Crime meeting in San Luis Obispo--which meant a nearly three hour drive and two nights in a hotel. I have lots of friend in that chapter I haven't seen for awhile. Besides the meeting which featured a crime scene investigator, we all had lunch together--and that evening dinner with two other couples. (Both the females are mystery writers and good friends.)

CC SinC after lunch. The red head is me. Love these guys.

But what else is there that I do for fun? Hubby and I love movies and we try to go at least two times a month. We're picky though and try to only pay for movies that will be more fun to see on the big screen. We usually combine our movie going with a restaurant meal and have our favorite places. Because we live in a rural area we don't have a lot of choices and tend to favor the Thai and Japanese restaurants.

We also subscribe to Netflix and watch a lot of the series that way--a year later than everyone else, but doesn't make any difference to us.

We have two big weddings coming up--both are for grandsons and their chosen ones. The first will be the end of May. It's our youngest son's eldest boy, Nathan. The wedding is being held up in the mountains at a lodge right in the middle of an old growth forest--giant Sequoias. Most of the wedding party and guests will be staying at the lodge or in cabins. (I feel a setting for a mystery coming on. I'll be taking notes and photos.)

The following weekend is our youngest daughter's middle son's wedding. Gregg is an Aspen police officer. Since both he and his wife came from California and have many friends here, the wedding is in Montecito in Gregg's uncle's backyard.

Besides loving weddings, both will be like family reunions with plenty of relatives to enjoy. And yes, I know that will be fun.

Of course I read for fun too, though not nearly as much as I used to, all this writing and promoting take up a lot of time. I tend to stick to books written by my friends or ones someone has asked me to review.

What do you do for fun?

Marilyn