Author, Compulsively Readable Thrillers
If you’re a traditionally published author, a self-published author, a hybrid author, an aspiring author, a publisher, or anything else connected to the business, this blogpost by Hugh Howey is a must-read. Particularly if you’ve jumped aboard the “Bash Amazon” wagon without really understanding what’s at stake or what the issues are (You know who … Read more
A couple of months ago mystery author Sujata Massey approached me about doing a “Bundle.” For the uninitiated, a Bundle is a collection of novels by several authors, usually sold at a discount. I didn’t say no (story of my life, but that’s another story), and the result is Killer Femmes. The reason I accepted is that the … Read more
When you’re trying to figure out why a character is about to do or say something (or already has), don’t forget they could be ashamed. Just as in real life, characters and people act out from shame and do both wonderful and evil deeds.
A sting is a suspense technique designed to encourage readers to keep on reading, i.e., go to the next chapter. Think “cliff-hanger” and you’ve got it. But it can also introduce a character, action, or thought that makes the entire chapter that preceded it be viewed in a different light. For example, you’ve just written … Read more
Some of you may remember I created a “Glossi” for Havana Lost. Well, we did it again, this time for Killer Femmes which is now available on Amazon, Nook, iBooks, and Kobo. Would love you to take a look… it’s a little book about the book. Kind of like the “play within a play” concept … Read more
If you’re writing mystery or thrillers, plot is usually as important, perhaps more so, than character development, setting, and narrative. I find three carefully crafted sentences are more than enough to describe something new, whether it’s a person, a place, or a mood. It’s the crafting that’s critical, though. More on that later. … Read more
I’m going out of order of our itinerary…mostly because Vienna was my favorite of the four cities we visited. Unfortunately, it was also the one we spent the least time in. It’s a little slower than the other cities, more sophisticated and charming, and the pastries are, of course, out of this world. I love … Read more
This is a very common mistake, and it gets back to simple grammar. Use “who” in the subject of a sentence, “whom” in the object of a sentence. Not sure what’s the subject and what’s the object? Google it. An easy way to figure it out is to substitute the following for “who” and “whom” … Read more
First off, many thanks (I think) to my good friend Stacy Juba for inviting me into “The Writing Process” blog tour. It just so happens I’m about to start a new project, so I’m thinking a lot about my process. Next week, Sujata Massey, Lenny Kleinfeld, and Christine Kling will post their responses to the questions … Read more
A couple of months ago, I was honored to be included in the “Mystery Marathon”, an entire weekend of mystery shows sponsored by WYCC, a Chicago public station. Over the weekend they interviewed me during some of the breaks between the shows. I’ve tried to edit out the pledge parts, so what remains is about 20 minutes of a … Read more