Sense of Scents
Whether it’s a bus belching fumes as it rounds a corner, or the sweet scent at the back of a[…]
Read moreA Blog for Readers and Writers of Mystery, Crime, and Suspense Fiction
Whether it’s a bus belching fumes as it rounds a corner, or the sweet scent at the back of a[…]
Read moreFor the past year and change I’ve worked on a new novel. I loved the story. I loved writing it.[…]
Read moreWhen Elmore Leonard advised leaving out the parts that readers skip, he was probably referring to long, boring location descriptions that bring the story to a screeching halt.
But a rich setting is necessary to ground the reader in the story world. Readers want to feel immersed in the fictional universe, experiencing the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and sensations the characters do.
So how do you write setting descriptions that people won’t skip?
Read moreWe’ve all heard stories about successful authors who could literally wallpaper their offices with rejection letters. We’ve also heard about first-time authors whose manuscript was snapped up on their very first attempt at querying. Querying an agent or acquiring editor at a publishing house can be a complicated, lengthy, and frustrating experience. But are there proven strategies for giving your manuscript the very best chance of acceptance? Turns out there are.
Read moreIt’s been about a year since ChatGPT demonstrated our scariest science fiction scenarios were looming on the horizon. And yet,[…]
Read more“What parts of yourself do you have to sacrifice to earn a killer’s trust?” That’s the question Cal Lovett, the[…]
Read moreIf you’ve read Alan Orloff, you’ll know that he has a unique, and sometimes, quirky approach to storytelling. I wanted to know, so I asked: Alan, where do you get your ideas?
This is what he said:
Read moreI always thought that the best kind of writing prompts are those that come from outside of my own mind and that are extremely minimal. Sometimes a single word given to me by a writing partner is all I need to get going.
Read moreAny of us who’ve ever read about best-selling author Colleen Hoover know that TikTok has a vibrant book culture. I’ve[…]
Read moreI first met Andrew Welsh-Huggins when he spoke years ago to our local Sisters in Crime chapter. At the time[…]
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