A Blog for Readers and Writers of Mystery, Crime, and Suspense Fiction
Thanks to ProWritingAid’s Crime Writers’ Week conference, I can check panel moderator off the list of things I’ve never done. I hosted a Thriller Panel Discussion with Karin Slaughter, Jennifer Hillier, Lisa Gardner, Ian Rankin, and Steve Berry. Was I nervous? Heck, yeah. Should I have been? Nope. All of the panelists were charming and witty and graceful, and a fabulous time was had by all.
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My first time moderating a panel. Whoo boy. I know I won’t be perfect, but I’ll do my best to be good.
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Sticky notes on your back? Oil on the doorknob? Pranks in real life are annoying. Tricks in crime fiction are deadly.
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What real-life story would you like to see fictionalized on page or screen? Maybe a story inspired by a weird fact? History? The odd guy who lives down the street? The woman three doors down who only leaves the house on Thursdays?
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Reading a room, even when you’re not physically in it.
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The history of Black American crime fiction dates back to the 1930s
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I was chatting with my blog-mates earlier about literary feasts—who would we invite and what would we serve, that kind of thing.
The conversation reminded me of real-life literary feasts, like those hosted by Chantal Tseng (@ShinobiPaws). Chantal is a bartender and sherry specialist who earns her living these days by crafting custom cocktails.
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It’s cookie season! Girl Scout cookies, that is. I bought a box or four from a friend’s daughter. Cookie sales have gone high tech. I ordered online and had the sweet treats shipped to me. That’s a big change from my Scouting days, when we had to go door-to-door with a paper order form and had to hand-deliver the cookies.
Since book and booze pairings are also a thing, I decided, why not book and Girl Scout cookies?
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Leaves trade their greens for gold, orange, and red. The chill in the air lures sweaters from closets and cabinets.[…]
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A deadly pandemic. Protests against racial injustice. Unemployment at levels not seen since the Great Depression. Seismic social upheaval. Wrapping[…]
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