I’m continuing my summaries of sessions I attended during Sleuthfest 2017 with the Saturday afternoon session titled “Different Paths to Publication.” This panel included Lynnette Hallberg, Sharon Potts, John Keyse-Walker, and Dan Ames with Gregg Brickman moderating. Dan Ames started the conversation by comparing the three common ways of being published today: traditional (large publishing […] [ ... ]
David Baldacci was the Saturday keynote luncheon speaker at Sleuthfest 2017. He began his talk by relaying a humorous story about why he won’t go up to anyone reading his book. He said he saw a man reading one of his books and offered to sign it for the man. The man told him, “No […] [ ... ]
Saturday morning (February 25), I had a meeting so I didn’t get to “Shooting Solutions, Part 1,” presented by Sharon Plotkin, until it was more than halfway over; nevertheless, I still picked up some interesting information to add to my mysteries. For one thing, Sharon said, “Use gloves to pick up a gun at a […] [ ... ]
You know you’re at a mystery writers’ conference when the luncheon speaker entertains with pictures of dead bodies. (Gruesome pictures.) Dr. Vincent Di Maio, a Forensic Pathologist who has performed over nine thousand autopsies, “entertained” us with a few cases where the murderer hoped the police would classify the death as accidental or suicide. (He […] [ ... ]
MARCH 22, 2017 Today is a special day for me. It’s release day for ECHOES OF TERROR my thriller set in Skagway, Alaska. I’m sure Sergeant Kenneth Cox (who spent over an hour with me in 2007 explaining what the Skagway police department would do if a teenage girl was reported missing) long ago gave […] [ ... ]
The guest editors attending Sleuthfest were Emily Giglierano (Mulholland Books), Juliet Grames (Associate Publisher: Soho Press), Annette Rogers (Poison Pen Press), and Neil Nyren (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, a division of Penguin Random House). Diane Stuckart moderated the panel. All four editors said they (generally) only accept submissions through an agent. Annette said Poison Pen is […] [ ... ]
The agents’ panel at Sleuthfest 2017 started at 8:30 a.m. Friday. I missed a few minutes right at the start (I had to bring some books to the book store, and it didn’t open until 8:30), but I heard most of what the agents had to say. The four agents were: Sandy Harding (Spencerhill Associates), […] [ ... ]
At Sleuthfest 2017, held in Boca Rotan, Florida last week, I heard both encouraging and discouraging words about the publishing industry. Some presenters (agents, editors, and authors) listed the increase in small, but viable, publishing houses as a plus and that many writers were now going hybrid (published by traditional publishing houses and self-publishing their […] [ ... ]
Tomorrow evening, if the stars are aligned correctly, I will be in Boca Raton attending the welcoming session at Sleuthfest 2017. This is my 4th (maybe 5th, I’m not sure) time to attend a Sleuthfest conference. Put on by the Florida MWA (Mystery Writers of America) chapter, it’s a three or four day conference, depending […] [ ... ]
For the last week I’ve been reading cozy mysteries. For anyone who doesn’t know what a cozy is, think of Agatha Christie’s books or the TV series, “Murder She Wrote.” The books usually involve a small town or community, an off-stage murder, some quirky characters, and an animal—a dog, cat, or whatever the author chooses […] [ ... ]
Years ago I had an editor ask me to change my point-of-view (pov) character from a female to a male. I’d written some books where I’d used both povs, but I wasn’t sure I could pull off a story written completely in the male pov. What I discovered was I had to go deeper into […] [ ... ]
Last week a unique voice died. Actually, each of us has a unique voice, but writers often hear that agents and editors are looking for a “new” voice, or that it’s “voice” they’re interested. I’m never quite sure what that means, and I’m not sure they know, either. What I do know is I like […] [ ... ]
The question should be: Do you have your business card with you? Twice last year I met writers at social events (events not connected with writing) who had newly published books. One was independently published while the other woman had been published by one of the Big Four’s imprints. Each lady was excited about her […] [ ... ]
Have you told your favorite author how much you like her (or his) book(s)? No, I’m not looking for compliments, but in the last few weeks I’ve had various people (people I barely know) tell me how much they enjoyed a particular book I wrote, and it has been a marvelous feeling. (What’s been really […] [ ... ]
I’ve been having trouble coming up with a topic to blog about. No, that’s not true. I’ve had plenty of ideas. I thought about blogging about agents—but then I realized I’ve done that several times (Agents1, Agents2 ,). Then I decided I’d write about titles. Oops, done that. (Titles Blog 1, Titles Blog2 ) Goal setting? Not […] [ ... ]
Verbose: adjective. Using or expressed in more words than are needed. “Much academic language is obscure and verbose.: synonym: wordy, loquacious, garrulous, talkative, voluble. I’ve been told I write tight, but my critique partners and editors can usually find ways to tighten my writing. Often I’ve read books (some being bestsellers) where I wished an […] [ ... ]
Last year at this time I wrote a blog about not putting off what you really want to do. My 2015 blog: Just Do It That advice is as good this year as it was December 30, 2015. Lately all I’ve been hearing is news about another actor/singer/writer/sports person/politician/friend who has died. Suddenly died, in many […] [ ... ]
My husband and I have communication problems. He’ll ask, “What do you think of it?” I believe he’s talking about the book I’m reading, but he’s talking about the wine I’m drinking. After a couple comments back and forth that make no sense to either of us, I discover what “it” is. IT, is a […] [ ... ]
First, I want to report that my interview with Jim Christina and Bobbi Bell on LATalkRadio “The Writer’s Block” went well and was fun. I always like talking about my books and writing in general. Also it was great that they both liked A Killer Past. (Wouldn’t it be terrible if the hosts said something […] [ ... ]
I’ve seen several discussions regarding writers losing the initial excitement they had when they started writing. Some of that loss, I believe, is due to reality replacing the anticipated results of being published; i.e., our book hitting best seller charts, awards, TV and radio interviews, instant recognition. On December 8, 2016,I will be interviewed on LA […] [ ... ]