Alice Munro’s winning the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature brought notice to the thriving short fiction community. Due to electronic publishing and online markets, the opportunities for placing short stories have multiplied. Authors are encouraged to write stories involving recurring characters in order to keep readers satisfied while waiting for the next book’s release. Consider […]
I met Susan F. Craft when I joined the local Inkplots critique group. She spent a lifetime wanting to be a writer. She has said, “I cannot remember a time when I did not want to write. Somewhere in my attic I have a book, The Mystery of the Whistling Cave, which I wrote and […]
Phyllis A. Whitney I am constantly looking for a writing craft book or article, organized notebook, online class, or writing conference that will bring all the elements together to make me the writer I want to be. I search the computer and scope out the writing sections of bookstores and libraries, certain the magical resource […]
Sasscer Hill Sasscer Hill’s horse racing mysteries have been compared with those of Dick Francis. Her debut novel, Full Mortality, was nominated for an Agatha and a Macavity. She has written additional novels featuring Nikki Latrelle and also published a number of short stories. Recently, she signed a multiple book deal with St. Martin’s Press […]
In January, I wrote a blog about “Resolution as Metaphor” where I spoke about my two New Year’s resolutions (to carry less in my purse and drink more water) and wondered what those resolutions said about me. I decided, “Lightness and water are two ideas associated with movement and flow. They enable the journey and […]
I feel fortunate this year to have had several opportunities to teach (and learn) about dialogue. I come from a theatre background, so I’ve always felt comfortable writing what characters say. It wasn’t until I studied the mechanics of what makes dialogue readable, that I realized there are a few techniques that can really improve […]
Each year at Malice Domestic, writing excellence is recognized by the Agatha awards. This year’s nominees for Best Short Story are: “The Blessing Witch” (PDF) by Kathy Lynn Emerson, Best New England Crime Stories 2015: Rogue Wave (Level Best Books) “Just Desserts for Johnny” (PDF) by Edith Maxwell (Kings River Life Magazine) “The Shadow Knows” […]
Each year at Malice Domestic, writing excellence is recognized by the Agatha awards. This year’s nominees for Best First Novel are: Circle of Influence by Annette Dashofy (Henery Press) Tagged for Death by Sherry Harris (Kensington Publishing) Finding Sky by Susan O’Brien (Henery Press) Well Read, Then Dead by Terrie Farley Moran (Berkley Prime Crime) […]
2015 Celebrity Apprentice Cast with Donald Trump I don’t watch many reality shows, but Donald Trump’s The Apprentice has always fascinated me. When it first premiered, with non-celebrities participating, I followed the program until Bill Rancic won the initial challenge. Each episode, I remained glued to the screen. Then, afterward, I would berate myself for […]
This year, I made two New Year’s resolutions. The first was to carry only the essentials in my purse. I’m a person who delights in handbags. In particular, I like to carry totes, which accommodate lots of extra stuff. As a result, my shoulder and back are constantly aching from the weight I carry. Hence, […]