Here’s a surprising twist on crime and mystery writers that you might not know: these writers who deal with some of the darkest crimes that the human mind can conjure are also some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. I think it’s because we get our darkness onto the page and let it bleed […]
The Light Enables Mystery Writers to Explore the Dark by Bobby Mathews Read More »
When people hear I’m both a veterinarian and a cozy mystery author, their eyes widen. A veterinary career is surprisingly great training for writing about amateur sleuths, quirky characters, and hidden clues. I love puzzles, but I also love a happy ending. Life can be unpredictable, but the satisfaction I get from treating patients and
You’re supposed to write about what you know. So what do you do if you’re a banker and you write about crime? You have to make up a few things if you want to keep your job. In my first book, Murderabilia, the protagonist’s father was a serial killer. No, that wasn’t part of my
Writing What You Know, Or Writing What You Want to Know by Carl Vonderau Read More »
Valerie Burns and Debra will teach a workshop on “The Long and Short of Writing Fiction: How to write long, short, and sell it!”
AWC Conference – September 12-14 – Orange Beach, AL Read More »
Reading the past contributions, I thought I’d talk about one thing no one ever mentioned to me when I started out – keeping track of the chaos that is publishing. First up, my story. I have always dreamed of being a writer but thought that was something someone else did. I was a rural Idaho
Keeping Track of Chaos by Lynn Cahoon Read More »
Debra, a former Silver Falchion winner, will be a panelist on several craft related panels.
Killer Nashville – August 21-24 – Nashville TN Read More »
Thanks so much, Debra for having me back to your blog. My next Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery, Murder at Cape Costumers, releases August 26th. It’s the seventh in the series of stories that take place in fictional Westham on upper Cape Cod. Bike shop owner Mac Almeida and her Cozy Capers book group sometimes
Will They or Won’t They? By Maddie Day/Edith Maxwell Read More »
Triangle Sisters in Crime Chapter will host Debra on Zoom to teach a “Conflict” workshop
Triangle Sisters in Crime – August 9 Read More »
I discovered juvenile mystery series when I was ten or eleven. My introduction to them was The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene. I was immediately entranced. I eagerly looked for more Nancy Drew books, and I discovered many other series like the Hardy Boys, the Dana Girls, Judy Bolton, Biff Brewster, and another
Reading the World by Miranda James Read More »
Cozy mysteries almost always feature an amateur sleuth. These individuals aren’t trained members of law enforcement and aren’t getting paid to solve mysteries and bring down evil doers. Critics of the genre often disparage the use of amateurs to solve crime as “unrealistic.” But is it? I would argue that the most important skill needed
The Joy of the Amateur Sleuth by Valerie (V.M.) Burns Read More »