Libby Fischer Hellmann

writes the Ellie Foreman mysteries, the Georgia Davis thrillers, and several stand-alone thrillers. Her Ellie books are a cross between “Desperate Housewives” and “24”, but the Georgia Davis PI thrillers are more hard-boiled. Her stand-alones include a “trilogy” of thrillers set during the revolutions of Iran, Cuba, and the turbulent late Sixties in Chicago.

Nanowrimo Video Writing Tip #2 — Beginnings

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Hi, again. Here is Nanowrimo Writing Tip #2 — Beginnings. I’m still talking about suspense, but this time I start at the beginning: The all-powerful first line. I’ll talk explain how to approach it, then give you some of my all-time favorite examples. It is a little longer than I anticipated (at three and a half minutes) but hang … Read more

Nanowrimo Video Writing Tip #1

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Hi, all. In honor of National Novel Writing Month, I decided to repost my Writing Lite video series. I hope you find them useful, even if you’re not participating. There are twelve videos, and none are over four minutes– most are under three. I’ll try to post a few each week so you have them all … Read more

“These Are Not Ordinary Times” — 1968

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  Robert Kennedy spoke those words when he announced he was a candidate for the Presidency in March, 1968. (Apocryphal, no?) Anyway, I just saw the “1968” exhibit at the Chicago History Museum. Here’s a bit of the posters, photos, and signage. If you’re in Chicago, go! There’s also a fabulous exhibit of Vivian Maier’s photography. Great … Read more

Boxed Sets: An Informal Poll

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Hi, all. I want to ask readers a few questions. As you probably know, there are dozens of Boxed (Ebook) Sets on the market. Some (like Killer Femmes) include 5 authors, some as many as 12. Most are priced at 99¢ and sell quite well. The reason we authors create these sets is to, hopefully, … Read more

Writing Lite Tip #35: Save for a developmental and then a copy edit

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Writing Lite Tip #35

We’ve already talked about developmental edits in Tip #34. I just wanted to emphasize them again. Especially if this is your first novel. Although I use a developmental editor for EVERY book. You will also, of course, need to hire a copy editor to make sure your grammar, your punctuation, Proper Nouns, and your style are consistent … Read more

A Motion Picture In Slow Motion

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I’m thrilled to host my friend and fellow writer Deborah Donnelly today. She actually had one of her books made into a TV movie! See? It really can happen. Here’s Deborah’s story.  I used to be a terribly impatient person. Now I have a black belt in waiting. You see, Veiled Threats, the first title in my … Read more

Writing Lite Tip 34: Get a developmental edit once your manuscript is finished

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Writing Lite Tip 34: Get a developmental edit once your manuscript is finished.

You’ve finished your manuscript! You’ve polished and edited and rewritten it five times. You’re ready to publish, right?  Wrong. If you want to be a professional, hire a developmental editor. Yes, it costs money, but that investment will show you where the manuscript’s strengths are, and where there is still room for improvement. A good … Read more

Time For Another Ellis Island?

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There have already been a lot of “what-ifs” and “if we’d known’s” concerning the recent Ebola outbreak and its migration to the US. Every day we’re hearing about conditions in hospitals and their readiness to treat Ebola patients. But it’s clear that while the CDC is putting on a brave front, the health workers who … Read more