March 29, 2017
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 15, 2017
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 […]
March 1, 2017
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 […]
February 22, 2017
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 […]
February 15, 2017
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 […]
March 2, 2016
Sometimes a disaster turns into a great adventure. (Of course that’s because I’m not the one, in this case, who will have to pay for the damage.) Last month, Mary Ann Aug, a fellow sister in Sisters in Crime, responded when I asked if anyone going to Sleuthfest would be willing to share a the […]
March 5, 2014
Last week I attended Sleuthfest 2014 in Orlando, Florida. For four days I was surrounded by writers and bombarded with ideas. Friday and Saturday there were four tracks offered each hour providing information and ideas ranging from basic writing tips to how to keep up with the changes in publishing. (As if that were possible.) […]
February 5, 2014
I’ve always tried to live by the Golden Rule of “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” Last week I read a book by Barry Eisler, and I started thinking of how important it is as a writer to always think about how you treat, talk to, react to, and act around […]
January 1, 2014
What are your goals for 2014? (Notice, I said goals, not resolutions. Resolutions are those promises you make to yourself and then rapidly forget. Goals are what we work toward.) I have several goals in mind for 2014. 1. To work closely with my editor at Robert Hale Ltd. so my “former assassin” book—A KILLER […]
September 18, 2013
A year ago in September I attended the Writers’ Police Academy in Greensboro, NC and had a fantastic time. This year I’ve been reading the postings and blogs by those writers who attended the 2013 WPA. Although I knew I couldn’t go this year (my son’s wedding was last Saturday and there were too many […]
February 20, 2013
The SOS stands for Sleuthfest on Saturday which I attended last Saturday. First of all, it was close by, just a little more than 20 miles away. Second, some of my writer friends were speaking. Two good reasons to go. I arrived at the Hyatt Regency in Sarasota, Florida a little after 8:00 a.m., picked […]
February 13, 2013
I go to the pool to use the hot tub for my back and to listen to people talk. I admire writers who give their characters distinctive voices. Word usage, sentence structure, even the tempo of the speech can distinguish one character from another without the addition of dialogue tags or mentioning their names. Since […]
April 18, 2012
Two more days and we’re heading north. I’m going to miss the sunshine and constant warmth, but it will be great to be close to family and friends. And don’t feel sorry for me, I’m leaving one beautiful location to go to another beautiful location, and soon it will be summer…days of sunshine and warmth. […]
November 2, 2011
For two and a half days I was an author. I mingled with other authors, committee chairs and staff, fans of mystery/suspense novels and short stories, and a few spouses. I smiled, made small talk, sat on a panel, and tried to sound like I knew what I was talking about. The book store present […]