Writers Who Kill

The Summer of My Content by Martha Reed

2026-07-28T05:30:00.000-04:00

Because the neighborhood kids are out of school for the summer, my usually serene mornings are now punctuated by their horseplay, laughter, and shouts as they enjoy my apartment complex’s nearby swimming pool. With our recent series of oppressive Western Pennsylvania heat waves, I can’t blame them for enjoying the water. I grab my noise-cancelling headphones and settle in to reach my daily writing word count.

But one morning I woke up in a pensive mood. I enjoyed a stroll down memory lane recalling the summers of my youth while I finished my lemon-ginger tea. I was a lucky kid although I didn’t appreciate it at the time. I lived on a lake while growing up in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and spent at least a month each year, usually August visiting my grandfather’s place on Lake Muskoka, Ontario, Canada.

I don’t remember ever learning to swim. Surrounded by that much water, I’m sure we must have learned to swim as toddlers. I do faintly recall an added incentive that once we ‘passed the test’ by dog-paddling solo from the dock ladder to the shore we were released from the perpetually enforced requirement of being strapped into a ghastly, mold-covered orange canvas life vest that blocked my ears and put a crushing chokehold on my throat.

I also recall a homemade lodge-pole pine log raft my boy cousins built one summer. That raft was so tippy that swimming up to it and climbing aboard was like playing an insane 3D game of Twister. Each one of us desperately tried to stay balanced before the unstable contraption bucked us off. We needed to dive deeply into the lake to survive because that raft threatened to brain us as it flipped.

At my present age, and with my passionate interest in crime motivation, I do wonder where the adults were, and why no one ever tried to stop us. We won’t even talk about the frayed rope swing.

Enough rabbit-hole reminiscence. My topic today is that after hearing the kids' joyful laughter outside, I spontaneously decided to take July 2026 off. Without guilt.

Yes, I kept my 2026 responsibilities outlined on my calendar. I put my daily manuscript word count on hold. This action almost sounds treasonous, but it has liberated my days. I finished polishing and submitted three short stories that had been patiently waiting in the wings for their turn at some of my previously non-existent free time. I’ve spontaneously visited two local Pittsburgh sites that I’ve wanted to see for decades, invited a godchild out to lunch, and enjoyed a new French Modern Art exhibit. I’ve discovered a lovely shady spot down on the Allegheny Riverbank for my afternoon reading. The benefit is that I can feel a returning life balance. My creative well-spring is filling back up.

In our modern day social media world, taking a break without guilt may be a mentally healthy thing to do. It’s all too easy to get discouraged when we see our worthy peers announcing their latest multi-book contracts and their new book launches, or when the year-end awards come out without listing our titles. To feel like whatever we’re doing as writers isn’t good enough.

“I’m not happy. I’m cheerful. There is a difference. A happy woman has no cares at all. A cheerful woman has cares but has learned how to deal with them.” – Beverly Sills

Do you ever take a break? What’s your trick for refilling your creative well?

Procrastination and Fear by Nancy L. Eady

2026-07-27T01:00:00.000-04:00

I have mentioned this before, but on my list of necessary evils, housework falls somewhere between doing my tax returns and getting a tetanus shot. There is only one time that changes. If I am up against a writing deadline, or need to study for a test of some kind, or prepare for a hearing, housework shoots right up to the top of my list of priorities. Housecleaning is the perfect procrastination tool. Physical work, little thought, and the righteous satisfaction of seeing the dust and grime yield before me will squash any lingering concerns about the looming deadline. Until I stop cleaning house and the worry floods right back into me. The only drawback to housekeeping-as-procrastination is that no matter how hard I clean, the deadline remains, looming closer.

Are there good ways to deal with procrastination? I haven’t found many that work for me beyond the drop-dead deadline. (Not the fake deadline you set up to try to get something done early, but the drop-dead/your-case-will-be-thrown-out-of-court deadline.) The best thing about a deadline is that you reach a point, whether you want to be there or not, where you just have to start writing or working on whatever it is you have been avoiding. When the deadline involves a writing project, I may be thinking the entire time, “This is the worst paragraph/story/essay/brief/scene I’ve ever written,” but at least I am putting words on paper. (I am, of course, speaking metaphorically since most of my writing now is done on a laptop or desktop computer with a keyboard, but the principle is the same.)

I have been to a couple of seminars on the issue, and they have dangled the tantalizing possibility that procrastination has psychological roots. That has two advantages. First, if it is a psychological problem, then I can believe that it’s not really my fault that I like to procrastinate. Second, it gives me even more rabbit holes to go down while I’m trying to procrastinate by looking up stuff on the internet. (Once, during an extended three-week writer’s block session, I googled such interesting topics as who was Elizabeth II of England’s sister’s husband, whether “redeemability” is a word and if so, the definition thereof, the list of daily specials at the local cafe, and the cost of the law office for sale one block from my house. I also confirmed that neither I nor my husband had uveal melanoma, congenital heart disease, eosinophilic asthma, defective automatic levelers in our camper, or unexplained hair loss.)

I do find that procrastination can be based in part on fear—fear that my work won’t be any good, fear that I am not capable of doing the task I have been set, and the fear of failing are just a few I can come up with. In my life, I have discovered only two ways to deal with fear. The first is to go through it. I could look it squarely in the face, take a deep breath, and walk through it with my head held high. That sounds quite noble, doesn’t it? I’d be impressed with myself if I had ever managed to do that more than a smattering of times when it really mattered. Most of the time, if I am in the “go through it to the other side” mode, I do it with my eyes closed, shuffling my feet slowly forward inch by inch, grabbing every handhold I can find. It’s not nearly as noble, but it still gets me where I need to go.

The other technique is to avoid the thing that causes the fear. Avoidance works really well with things like spiders and cockroaches. I was 40 before I ever killed a spider, and that was only because Mark was at work, it was just me and a five-year-old Kayla in the house, and she was more terrified than I was. And before you laugh and try to point out to me that said insects are much smaller than me, so it shouldn’t be a problem, you obviously don’t know your natural history very well. It is a proven fact that any insect you try to kill has the ability, should it wish, to morph into a creature six feet tall with slathering fangs and the ability to smash you into smithereens and then boil you for lunch. Avoidance doesn’t work nearly as well when the thing that causes fear is a task that has to be accomplished, like doing your taxes. Trust me, the IRS doesn’t care how scared you are; it wants your return filed correctly and by the appointed date and time.

So I’m curious, fellow writers and gentle readers, what techniques have you found to help you deal with procrastination, especially the fear-based variety? Does procrastination or fear affect your writing? Any advice would be welcome.

Hell Hath No Fury by Annette Dashofy

2026-07-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

My nineteenth novel is coming out in just a few short weeks. Nineteenth. I never dreamed I’d ever reach that number.

Hell Hath No Fury is the fifth in my Detective Honeywell series. Back when I had to come up with a proposal for the third, fourth, and fifth, I looked into my writerly crystal ball to give my publisher a paragraph summarizing the plots of each book. The third (The Devil Comes Calling) was no problem. The fourth (No Stone Left Unturned) drifted a little farther away as I put words on the page, but the basic premise clung to the proposed story.

But this one? Not even close. The change was partly because of research I did on what I’d intended to write. Or more specifically, where it was to be set. I had proposed transporting Matthias and Emma out of downtown Erie, to a nearby wooded gorge for a romantic get-away, only to have murder interrupt their plans.

A research trip revealed the location where the mystery was to take place was not the sprawling, secluded park I’d pictured. It was too small for anyone to realistically get hopelessly lost in. Nope, this wouldn’t work. I considered exploring the area further to find a better spot.

Before that happened, I finished writing No Stone Left Unturned, which ended with a bit of a cliffhanger, providing the perfect location for the next book, although the romantic getaway was off the table.

Hell Hath No Fury picks up where Stone leaves off. Matthias and Emma are summoned back to Emma’s former home in Washington County.

Washington County is where I live. The individual locations in the book are vague and mostly fictional, but the county is real. In fact, for those of you who have read my Zoe Chambers series, the fictional Monongahela County of Zoe’s world is based on Washington County. Not that I expect this tidbit to come up in any game of Trivial Pursuit, but there you have it.

No sooner do Matthias and Emma arrive, than they manage to stumble across a dead body—someone with whom Emma has just had a very public argument. Being off his home turf, Matthias is limited as to how much investigating he can “legally” do. Keyword: “legally.” Plus, he comes face to face with an old nemesis, who is now the lead detective on the case.

There’s a lot of history in this story. Not “history” as in historical fiction. History as in Matthias’s history with this investigator. Emma’s history with the victim, her sister, and a couple of her childhood friends. Their pasts are all coming back to bite them.

I’m so eager for this one to be out in the world. I just received an email notice that my author copies have been shipped! Release Day is coming!

A Life on Vacation

2026-07-25T03:00:00.000-04:00

By Kait Carson

I was casting around for a last-minute blog topic this morning so I could finalize my Newsletter this afternoon and coming up empty. What a surprise, I thought. My brain is on vacation. That’s when the light bulb lit and pulsed. Vacations. Past. Present. Future. How perfect.

My Dad worked for the Otis Elevator Company. Like most 1950s kids, I’m clueless about how much annual vacation my father received, but I knew that somewhere in the two-week period that surrounded my July birthday, we’d be packing the car for a road trip.

Road trips were the quintessential defining events of the era. We drove from our New Jersey home to Miami, Cuba (the auto ferry assisted with the watery parts), Washington D.C., Northern Virginia, Upstate New York, Montreal, the 10,000 Islands, Boston, Philadelphia, and of course, the Jersey Shore (pronounced goin’ dinna shore). Many of these trips were pre-interstate highway systems. Traveling back roads was a joy for a kid, and Dad turned off at any place the AAA TripTik suggested a historical or scientific location. Sometimes he even found them! I didn’t appreciate the magic of those trips until I became an adult and air travel replaced the open road.

By the time my generation was self-supporting, recessions, sky-rocketing oil prices, and economic downturns plagued the world. So, let me begin by saying unless you consider retirement a vacation, I may hold the record for taking a grand total of one during my working life. Quite the accomplishment when you consider my work life began in 1974. But don’t hang out the hankies for me. My lack of vacations didn’t equal a lack of travel. Between 1980 and 1989, I had a part-time job running a friend’s company in Europe and the Caribbean. Every weekend and most holidays found me in St. Thomas, Sint Maarten, Saba, Stasia, Milan, Florence, Paris, and London. Cue the hankies. It was exhausting.

During the 1990s, I became a rabid scuba diver and spent most weekends in the Florida Keys. This hobby led to my only real vacation. A live-aboard dive trip to Belize in 2004. Maine beckoned soon after, followed by a return to Florida. The pandemic brought me full-circle with a return to Maine. In many ways, life turned into a vacation. Talk about good fortune.

These days, I’m retired, living in Maine and grateful for the journals I kept of my travels. When you’re a writer, no experience goes unrewarded, or unplundered. I’m in the vicarious vacation stage of my life. Giving the odd nuggets of past events to my characters and watching them grow into scenes and plots.

Writers: Do you plunder your past in the service of your art? Readers: Do you enjoy ripped from real-life events in fiction?

Kait Carson writes the Hayden Kent Mysteries, set in the Fabulous Florida Keys, and is at work on a new mystery series set in her adopted state of Maine. Her short fiction has been nationally published in the True Confessions magazines and in Woman’s World. Kait’s short story, “Gutted, Filleted, and Fried”, appeared in the Silver Falchion Award-nominated Guppy Anthology Hook, Line, and Sinker. Her nonfiction essay was included in the Agatha Award-winning book Writing the Cozy Mystery. She is a former President of the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and a current member of Sisters in Crime and Guppies.

Ritual, Routine and Dialogue by Nancy L. Eady

2026-07-24T01:00:00.000-04:00

When I first started writing legal briefs a couple of decades ago, almost every brief started with the phrase “Comes now the plaintiff/defendant….” As legal writing evolved, legalese (rightfully) lost ground to readability. But to this day, when I start the first draft of a brief, whether I write the words or just think them, that first draft starts with that phrase. I have no intention of keeping the phrase, but those first four words give me a formula that settles any nerves I have about what I’m writing and helps me get over the mental block of deciding how to start. It is a routine that comforts me.

With every brief I have finished – and by finish, I mean it is written, proofread, edited, and edited again – the very last thing I do before filing it with the Court, even if I’ve done it throughout the writing process, is go through the brief one last time and check that every single one of my cites is still valid. I think it’s good luck to do so. So, checking the cites that one last time is a ritual.

In my creative writing, dialogue is something I am still struggling with. It doesn’t come naturally to me. I have to remind myself that dialogue in fiction should be thought of as a “greatest hits” version of the dialogue we hear around us every day. If you don’t believe me, count the number of “ums”, pauses, “likes” and various other filler words you hear in the normal conversations around you and then imagine seeing those same conversations in print verbatim. Worse, imagine having to read those conversations. (If you are in the legal field, you already know lawyers do that every time we have to read a deposition – testimony taken by a court reporter outside of court. Trust me; it can make reading and listening difficult.)

Dialogue not only needs to be a “greatest hits" version of real-life conversation, but it also needs to be broken up periodically. Dialogue tags (“Sally said,” “Eric shouted,” “William asked”) help keep the reader straight on who is speaking. But an individual’s routines and personal rituals also can break a large block of dialogue into digestible chunks. For example, if two of your characters are discussing the latest murder in the kitchen at breakfast, one of them might be fixing coffee during the conversation while the other person is toasting a bagel. Both activities call for short actions that can be interspersed with the dialogue to set the pace and flow you want your characters’ dialogue to maintain.

What suggestions do you have to help break up chunks of dialogue and make your work more readable?

Have You Tried a Dialogue Sprint? by Connie Berry

2026-07-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

"Writing Tips & Tricks" is a Popular Search Phrase

And there’s plenty of advice to be had:

23 Lessons on Storytelling

Writing Tips from Famous Authors

Your Very Best Writing Tips!

10 Best Writing Tips I’ve Ever Heard

I tried it this morning and got 52,400,000 hits. Even AI had something to say on the subject—quite a bit, actually. But have you ever tried a dialogue sprint?

I’ve Been Using Dialogue Sprints for a While Now

I didn’t intend to do it or think it through in advance. It just happened, mainly because I’m impatient. Stopping to add dialogue tags or action beats slows me down. Thinking about grounding the reader in setting breaks my train of thought.

What is a Dialogue Sprint?

Simply put, a dialogue sprint means quickly typing out a conversation between, say, two or three people, using only the actual words spoken.

Here’s a brief example from my WIP, just a snippet.

Three women are having a conversation in an English village tearoom. Kate Hamilton (my sleuth) is sitting at a table with Jilly Steele and Daisy Hogg, two elderly villagers who knew a curmudgeonly old woman (Lovie) who died under mysterious circumstances:

THE SPRINT:

“Mr. Tweedy and I will be back on Monday to begin our inventory. Today I’m here to find out what I can about Lovie.”

“Whatever for? I can tell you what you need to know. She was mad. But so are lots of us, come to think of it.”

“What do you want to know?”

“I told you, dear, remember? She wants to know if Lovie ever had a child.”

“You mean a baby? The last time that happened, a star appeared in the east, and three wise men showed up.”

“Lovie wasn’t interested in men?”

“She wasn’t interested in people. If you didn’t have whiskers and claws, Lovie had no time for you.”

THE FINISHED PRODUCT:

“Mr. Tweedy and I will be back on Monday to begin our inventory,” I said. “Today I’m here to find out what I can about Lovie.”

“Whatever for?” Jilly asked. “I can tell you what you need to know. She was mad.” She cackled. “But so are lots of us, come to think of it.”

The apron-clad waitress arrived. “What’ll it be, ladies?” She hadn’t offered menus. I looked around unsuccessfully for a chalkboard. The tea shop obviously catered to locals.

“We’ll have the Calico Kitten as usual,” Daisy said. “China tea. Plenty of honey.”

“Same thing for me,” I said, seeing no benefit in creating a fuss.

“All right.” Jilly spread a snowy white napkin on her lap. “What do you want to know?”

“I told you, dear, remember?” Daisy said. “She wants to know if Lovie ever had a child.”

“You mean a baby?” Jilly snorted. “The last time that happened, a star appeared in the east, and three wise men showed up.”

“Lovie wasn’t interested in men?”

“She wasn’t interested in people,” Daisy said. “If you didn’t have whiskers and claws, Lovie had no time for you.”

Six Ways a Dialogue Sprint Can Help

1. Speeds up my writing (I’m a perfectionist)

2. Gives me something to improve (which I love)

3. Helps me see inconsistencies in logic

4. Reveals character in a subliminal way

5. Helps me control pacing

6. Suggests plot points I hadn’t thought of before

Will a Dialogue Sprint Work for You?

No idea. Every brain works in a unique way. But after you’ve tried the other 52 million tips and tricks, maybe you’ll give dialogue sprints a go.

If you do, let me know how it works out.

An Interview With Rose Stack Bock

2026-07-22T02:00:00.000-04:00

by Grace Topping

Dunbar Road

When real estate broker Alex Boston’s friend since childhood, Pebble Connelly, is murdered on the seawall in front of Alex’s home on St. Simons Island, Alex vows to find the killer, no matter how long it takes. Alex’s planned reunion of her four remaining life-long friends will still take place at Alex’s home as Alex enlists the help of her friends and her trusted housekeeper, Truly Lewis, to find the murderer.

As Alex Boston does her own investigation of suspects she imagines to be killers, even the Island’s new police chief faces her scrutiny. Did Pebble’s work as a reporter put a target on her back? Is the murderer close to Alex or at least living on the Island? Alex and her four remaining friends seek answers to even more questions as the weekend continues. www.amazon.com

Everyone has a story, and we often hear people say they would like to tell that story in a book. Not always an easy task. Studies show that of the people who start writing, only three percent will complete a manuscript. And of those, only six percent will go on to have it published. Astounding statistics.

So when you learn of a writer who toiled for years to write a book and then have it published, it’s impressive—it showed they never gave up. One of those writers is Rose Stack Bock. She worked for years on her book and joins us to talk about her first mystery, Dunbar Road, which was released on Memorial Day.

Welcome, Rose, to Writers Who Kill.

You’ve said, “I’ve arrived late to the world of publishing although I've hung around the door to it for decades.” Did hanging around a high school teaching English influence you to write?

I have been a writer since I learned how to put a sentence together. My mother took me to see the movie, Gone with the Wind, and my friend Gloria and I immediately started writing a sequel. I was swept away by the beauty of Tara and the events that took place there. We did our best to create a setting much like Tara.

I remember always encouraging my high school students who showed an interest in writing or who were already writers to keep up their good work. I was impressed with the work of several of them over the years. While I haven’t heard that any of my former students are now writers, I’ve had the pleasure of receiving thanks from some of my students who did not show an interest in writing but have thanked me for setting fire to their interest in reading fiction. That is so rewarding.

What prompted you to write crime fiction?

One of my first attempts to draft a novel was based on a murder that happened in a close friend’s family. I was totally drawn into that event, and I took the seed of the story and created my first full-length novel. I was fascinated with the way the Philadelphia detectives found the killer in that murder, and I used information in newspapers to build the story.

My husband and I are drawn to mysteries in movies, television shows, and in novels. After my first attempt to write a murder mystery, I was hooked on the genre. I’m the type of reader who sits back and waits for the identity of a killer in a movie, television show, or novel. I enjoy the red herrings the author inserts, but I try not to be fooled by them. I enjoy the final reveal of the killer.

I understand that you worked on Dunbar Road for a number of years. Writing and publishing can be challenging. What kept you motivated to persevere?

I did work on Dunbar Road for years. When I had the first inkling of the story, I shared my idea with my sister-in-law while we were on a family visit to an aquarium with our two-year-old niece. That was 14 years ago.

I'm an avid reader of mysteries, and I was actually encouraged over and over by mysteries that were published while I was working on my book. I was confident that Alex Boston's tale would be a well-received story. I had faith that my protagonist's story was one that readers would enjoy and even hope to see other mysteries involving Alex. A writer's product, the novel, has to be seen to be enjoyed. After years with Alex, I had to share her story with readers. Looking back, I'm so glad I persevered. Did I mention that writing a murder mystery can be fun? The writer is in a powerful position, adding and subtracting characters, sometimes killing or kidnapping others.

Your main character, Alex Boston, hosts a gathering of her childhood friends. When murder joins the mix, how does Alex remain neutral and not discount any of them being the murderer?

Being an only child, Alex longed for siblings. Without those siblings, her group of friends enriched her life since she was an infant. She thinks of them as the siblings she chose to be with instead of siblings she received at birth.

Alex cherishes her chosen siblings. While she might imagine how one of them could commit a murder, her love for her family won’t allow her to totally accept that one of these siblings could be Pebble’s killer. In spite of her feelings for her life-long friends, her sense of right and wrong won’t let her excuse any one of the group if that person was guilty of murder.

Alex is the daughter of a prominent politician. Has that impacted or complicated her life?

In the years leading up to Pebble’s murder on Alex’s seawall at St. Simons, Alex has always been aware of the public’s interest in her life. Her father was governor of Georgia for a full term, and her mother was the owner and president of the largest flooring manufacturer in the United States.

Each parent has been the object of scrutiny during Alex’s life. As a result, she has heard the opinions of the public on many of her parent’s occupations. Her father has managed to be a politician who sincerely listens to the opinions of his constituents. Alex tries to stay one step ahead of public opinion when she can see that her actions might impact her parents' lives. Alex doesn’t see this communication with her parents as restrictive. Instead, she sees it as showing respect for her parents, and she sees them do the same for her.

Alex absolutely doesn’t like surprises. Is there anything in particular that caused that dislike?

That is an interesting question. Sometimes an author allows one of his/her own quirks to be demonstrated in a character. However, I don’t share Alex’s feelings about surprises, especially if they are carried out with love and joy.

Alex has probably spent her lifetime becoming accustomed to surprise attacks from people who criticized the decisions her parents made in their careers. Her dislike for surprises can be seen every time she updated her parents about a new development in the search for Pebble Connolly’s killer.

Like you, Alex is a life-long resident of a southern state and involved in real estate. Other than that, how much is Alex like you?

Other than those two similarities, I don’t think Alex and I resemble each other. I am one of three children. My parents did not have careers that would result in public comments about their actions.

Similarities beyond those two are that we both earned college degrees that were not related to a future career in real estate. I differ from Alex in that I did earn a master’s degree in secondary education. Right now, we don’t have information on what career Alex pursued after college and during her failed marriage. I’m fairly sure we’ll learn more about that in the future, but it’s not important now.

Writing can be a very isolating activity, especially when you are just starting out. What did you do to counter that isolation and become connected to other writers? Do you have any recommendations for new writers?

I have tried to organize my writing career, even while involved in another career, which was teaching at one time and in real estate later. I set goals for myself; all tied to the story I’m writing. I try to devote the needed amount of time to writing in order to set up a scene in a chapter or to tidy up a scene that is part of the story. I find that I usually approach my writing of a work-in-progress by allowing myself time to move the plot along. When an idea or an action is in my head, I need to get it on paper before it’s gone. That can be isolating.

To ward off isolation, I attend writer’s conferences, and I belong to several organizations for murder mystery writers. As I join a group as a member, I begin to receive email news from those organizations. When Zoom came into our lives, we began to be able to widen our network of fellow writers because a number of functions these organizations hold are available virtually.

Over the years, did your initial story change that much?

The story of Dunbar Road did change quite a bit. In the beginning, Alex’s father was a U.S. Senator and her mother was a non-working wife who became an alcoholic after the death of Alex’s twin sister who was kidnapped and murdered at the family’s summer home on St. Simons. Alex was very involved emotionally and physically in helping to find her sister’s killer. As a result, there was too much going on in the story. With the help of my reliable group of readers who critique my work, the story underwent some revisions that ultimately made it a better read.

What is the most valuable thing you learned since you started writing?

My most valuable lesson since I started writing is the need for connection. A writer needs to be connected to any number of people who can help a story develop.

For example, I have become friends with the officer in charge of jails in our area. I have visited the jail and spent time there, in the central control room of the jail, in order to accurately insert a jail into my writing. I’ve visited and spent time with a detective at our local police station. I learned so much about a day in the life of that individual, and it helped me write about lock-ups, laws governing jailing, etc. I had to reach out of my domain to find these people and others so that there was authenticity in my novel. I have one individual who is my go-to-car guy. If I am using an auto in a scene in a novel, he makes sure I properly describe the vehicle.

What’s next for Alex Boston and you?

There have been several requests and suggestions for a second Alex Boston mystery, and she and I are thinking this over as I write. I am no different than these fans of Alex Boston. When a series I follow in television is over, I miss that series and long for another season. So, Alex and I will stay in touch until we get the right vibe for her next adventure. There are so many aspects of Alex’s life that can possibly change or grow. She’ll be popping up again before too long.

Thank you, Rose. I look forward to the further adventures of Alex and Truly.

Bio

Rose Stack Bock launched her first published novel, Dunbar Road, on Memorial Day 2026. It was an appropriate date because the story takes place Memorial Day weekend.

The author and her main character, Alex Boston, have some similarities. Both have lived in the southern United States for their entire lives, and both are real estate brokers with their own companies; but similarities end there.

Bock’s love of murder mysteries is the driving force behind the birth of Dunbar Road, a fictional road and a place that will serve as the basis of more happenings for Alex, her housekeeper Truly Lewis, and her four best friends. Watch this author as she looks forward to the next adventure with Alex Boston.

Grace Topping is the author of the Laura Bishop Mystery Series.

From Book to Movie to Merchandise

2026-07-21T00:30:00.000-04:00

DVD Cover

by Paula Gail Benson

I first heard about The Sheep Detectives when I saw a promotion by Hugh Jackman saying he had agreed to appear in the project. I was intrigued by the subject: a shepherd is killed and his flock of sheep decide they must find the murderer. Most people at this point would question what type of movie this was: (1) animated, (2) for children, or, (3) as one of my friends asked when I described it, “is this like George Orwell’s Animal Farm”?

To take those questions in order: (1) yes, there is animation; (2) no, it’s not written for children, although adults might decide they could share it with their children; and (3) no, it’s not another Animal Farm, although there are some satiric elements in the story.

Here’s a brief summary: George, the shepherd, takes good care of his flock, including reading to them from classic murder mysteries at the end of the day. While George assumes the sheep cannot understand, they actually do. In particular, Lilly, the smartest sheep, has become adept at solving the mysteries before they hear the end. When Lilly discovers George lying still in the meadow just outside his trailer home, she finally accepts the fact that he is dead and that the local law enforcement officer will need help to solve the crime. With the assistance of other members of the flock, Lilly investigates and maneuvers the clues so the officer will discover them. Fortunately, the officer comes to appreciate and rely upon their detective skills and finds the true killer.

The Sheep Detectives comes from Amazon studios and is available through Amazon Prime. Along with Hugh Jackman as the shepherd George, the cast includes Emma Thompson as the lawyer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the voice of Lily, Bryan Cranston as the voice of a reclusive sheep Sebastian, Patrick Stewart as the voice of an aristocratic and unyielding elder sheep Sir Ritchfield, and Brett Goldstein as the voice of twin rams, Reggie and Ronnie, who enjoy bashing things.

I must admit I had to watch the film a couple of times just to be able to identify everyone. There are two casts, sheep and human, each with numerous characters.

Multiple viewings helped me to appreciate the witty lines and funny bits. For instance, when the sheep first must cross the road to leave their pasture, they are terrified by it. As they cower on one side, a chicken walks confidently over the asphalt.

The more I watched the film, the more I wondered about its basis. Checking on Amazon, I learned the source material was a German author’s book, Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann. It had been translated into English and had a sequel, Big Bad Wool. Swann grew up in Munich and has degrees from Munich University. She also has written a series of mysteries about Agnes Sharp, a senior detective.

As I looked through Amazon, I realized an industry had developed to promote The Sheep Detectives. You can buy guides to explain the book and movie symbolism, stuffed animals, tee shirts, tumblers, cups, totes, and pins. An incredible variety.

It made me wonder, could this type of commercial enterprise have developed around George Orwell’s Animal Farm? I ran a search on Amazon. It’s out there. Posters, tee shirts, vintage collectors’ editions.

Tin Decor as sold on Amazon

Have you ever been surprised by literary merchandizing?

Lily as sold on Amazon

Winter Lamb Tumbler as sold on Amazon

Slowing Down Has Its Benefits

2026-07-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

Slowing Down Has Its Benefits by Debra H. Goldstein

Recently, I had surgery. It ended up neither as extensive as expected nor as painful as predicted (Tylenol and a few muscle relaxers took care of everything for the first few days). Recovery has gone very well as I’ve worked to be a model patient – walking, drinking water, being kind to myself, and pacing my return to my regular Energizer Bunny status. Still, there are restrictions, including no lifting over ten pounds or flying for eight weeks.

Being forced to slow down has had some benefits. I’ve read a book from my TBR pile each day or two days since I stopped taking the muscle relaxers, become a pro at doing online jigsaw puzzles up to 300 pieces in an amazingly quick amount of time, gotten ahead on some of my behind-the-scenes-blog obligations, printed out lots of short story calls, caught up on my backlog of magazines, and made notes on the two longer pieces I’m working on. I’ve also enjoyed leisurely visits from friends (who, based upon the cookies and other treats they have brought, know how much I enjoy chocolate) and, of course, the grandkids (I did have to take a nap after the first one of those).

What I haven’t done is much actual writing. It isn’t a matter of writer’s block or post-surgery brain fog, but more of the need to slowly think things through respecting the pieces I’m working on. It has been exciting to consider different approaches to what I’m writing. The result is that what I have produced has been more thoughtful and I think better written.

For example, I had a short story, “Musicians of Bremen,” published in early June in the Wish Upon a Crime anthology edited by Michael Bracken and Stacy Woodson. Each story in the book is inspired by a fairy tale. In my case, I took the characteristics of the four animal characters from the original story and transferred them into the four main human characters of my tale, which incorporates the Holocaust, October 7th, and the Violins of Hope project. After my surgery, Art Taylor allowed me to explain my process for coming up with the story in his wonderful “The First Two Pages” blog ( https://arttaylorwriter.com/2026/06/23/the-first-two-pages-musicians-of-bremen-by-debra-h-goldstein/ ) In writing my piece, I realized that slowing down the story and the action before reaching a big bang instead of beginning with the bang is what makes this story all the more powerful. (true confession: I think it is one of my best stories).

It’s funny, but in writing the blog for Art, I understood that the slower process of my recovery is much like the analysis necessary to make my work better. Consequently, although I’m not writing as much per day, I’m much more satisfied with the words I’m producing.

Have you ever found that slowing down helps you produce a better product whether it’s writing or something else in your life?

When Release Day Becomes Just Another Tuesday by Sarah E. Burr

2026-07-19T00:30:00.000-04:00

My twenty-sixth book comes out this Tuesday, July 21. Even typing that sentence feels surreal because there was once a time when I couldn’t imagine having one published book, let alone enough of them to fill an entire bookcase. You might think I’m counting down the hours until release day with butterflies in my stomach, constantly refreshing my sales dashboard and planning an elaborate celebration. Truthfully, those butterflies flew off ages ago. While Get a Candle on Crime prepares to make its official debut, I’m already focused on my next project and feeling stressed because I’m behind on my word count.

These days, release week looks surprisingly similar to any other workweek. I have another mystery underway, a daily writing goal looming over me, and all those empty pages waiting to be filled. My newest book is about to enter the world, yet most of my attention is fixed on the story that comes after it. I’ll spend release day answering emails, sharing promotional posts, updating links, and attempting to meet my word count. Such is the occasionally strange and highly mechanical nature of being a writer by trade.

I remember the giddy anticipation surrounding my earliest book releases. Books one, two, and three felt like enormous events because I had spent years dreaming of becoming a published author, and suddenly, I could hold the proof of that achievement in my hands. Each release carried the weight of a major milestone, and I could hardly believe a story that had once existed only in my imagination was available for someone else to read. There were nerves, too, because I had no idea whether anyone would buy the book, enjoy it, or discover a typo on page three and immediately alert the authorities. Every click, comment, review, and sale felt momentous.

I’m not sure exactly when that feeling began to change. Maybe it happened around book sixteen, when I realized I had developed a reliable publishing routine and knew what needed to happen at every stage. Somewhere along the way, publishing became less mysterious and more procedural. Finish the manuscript, revise it, send it to editors, review the edits, format the files, upload them, order proof copies, schedule promotional posts, send newsletters, and update the website. Then, almost before the current book has had a chance to stretch its legs, begin writing the next one.

A book release used to feel like the grand finale, but now it often feels like one more deadline on a calendar crowded with deadlines. The publishing machine keeps moving, and writers must keep moving with it. There’s always another manuscript to write, another promotion to plan, another email to answer, and another empty document blinking impatiently from the computer screen. For a while, I worried that this shift meant I had lost something important. Was I no longer excited about my own books, or had I begun taking an extraordinary accomplishment for granted simply because I had been fortunate enough to experience it so many times?

I don’t think that’s what happened. I think the magic moved. The moment a retailer changes a book’s status from “preorder” to “available” no longer makes my heart race, but hearing from a reader who stayed up too late because they needed to know what happened next certainly does. The magic is in receiving a message from someone who connected with a character or seeing a photo of my book beside a reader’s favorite mug or beloved pet. It’s learning that one of my jokes made someone laugh during a difficult week or that one of my fictional friendships reminded them of someone they love.

A book becoming available for purchase is ultimately a technical event, but a book being read is a human one. Perhaps that’s why release day feels different after twenty-six books. At the beginning of my career, publication itself was the dream, and seeing my book listed for sale was the culmination of years of hope and work. Now, publication is the mechanism that allows the real dream to happen. It creates the opportunity to connect with readers through stories and to discover what those stories become once they no longer belong only to me.

I’m still learning how to make peace with the more mechanical parts of this profession. I’m trying to pause long enough to recognize what each release represents, even while another word count waits impatiently in the wings. So, on Tuesday, I’ll raise a glass to Get a Candle on Crime, but I’ll probably also write, check emails, update a few links, and worry about whether I’m making enough progress on my next mystery. Release day may not feel the way those first few releases did, and there may be fewer butterflies and more boxes to check. But somewhere, a reader will open the book for the first time, and that’s when the magic begins.

Authors, has the experience of release day changed over the course of your career? Readers, what makes a new book release feel special to you?

Read Get a Candle on Crime today: https://books2read.com/u/3Gn0jL

Reflection on Kindness and Character Development by Judy L. Murray

2026-07-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

With August quickly approaching and summertime being a favorite for most everyone, I decided to make a couple of reflections. They may even encourage your character writing progress while reducing a bit of stress.

As writers we tend to be very aware of our surroundings and the people we come across, either friends or strangers. Today, I’m focusing on instances that remind me this world is full of kindness.

*My husband and I belong to a local yacht club of about three hundred members. It’s been on the northern Chesapeake Bay for over a hundred years. It isn’t glitzy. It depends upon volunteers to keep the shrubs clipped, the docks power washed, the moorings dropped and pulled. We live about ten minutes away. Others live out of the area. Some within walking distance. If we have a big storm threatening the coastline I’ll ask my husband if we should drive to the club to check our boat’s lines in order to weather the sea changes. “No need,” John says. “There’s always someone walking up and down the docks and checking their neighbors’ lines.”

*Our neighborhood is uniquely surrounded by Elk Neck State Park, Maryland. Each time a neighbor is faced with a challenging illness or the loss of a loved one an email message is sent out to everyone. We call it the Extend-A-Hand program. A struggling neighbor can count on cards, phone calls, and dropped off meals. They know they’ve not been forgotten.

*It is 90 degrees and the woman in front of me is driving past the entrance of a grocery store. Two raggedy men are sitting under an overhang on a nearby sidewalk. The woman stops then parks in the fire lane. She jumps out, hands each of them a bottle of water, then jumps into her car and pulls away.

*I am antilitter obsessed. It’s just one of my ‘things’. It’s my habit to keep kitchen bags and rubber gloves in the rear seat pockets so I can pull over and pick up litter when I spot it on a town roadway or anywhere I’m traveling. As I sit at a red light approaching an intersection far from my home, I watch two men picking up litter along the shoulder. I can’t help but smile. I’m not alone in my efforts. I give them a thumbs up.

Can you tell me a story in ‘Comments’ of a recent kindness you witnessed? Or is there a scene in one of your stories that demonstrates a character’s kindness and helps strengthen the depiction of their personality?

Happy summer!

Judy L. Murray, author of the award-winning Chesapeake Bay Mystery Series

P.S. If you are seeking a mystery with a summer setting my Peril in the Pool House might be perfect for you! “Be prepared for a long night. You won’t be able to put it down!” – a reader

The Twist by Nancy L. Eady

2026-07-17T01:00:00.000-04:00

When I was in the ninth grade, my family lived in a Northern Virginia suburb. I was standing on our back deck one Saturday afternoon in the fall, enjoying the sight of the meadow at the back of our house surrounded by colorful leaves while I leaned into the cool, crisp breeze blowing towards me. Above me was one of those perfect cerulean blue skies you only see in October. But then I heard an unearthly, wailing sound that reminded me of whale song. For about two beats of my heart, it was eerily beautiful. I won’t ever forget the shock I felt in my stomach when I realized I was hearing the howling of a dog in pain. I whirled inside, found my mom, and the two of us tried to figure out where the sound was coming from, and if there was an animal that needed help. About the time we figured out the sound was coming from behind a house across the street and up the hill a little bit, it had stopped. When we got to the house, we knocked on the door and the man who came to the door told us that everything was fine and there were no problems. Mom asked around and found out the next day that the neighbors on either side of the man suspected him of beating his dog, a beautiful 1 year old golden retriever and wanted to report him to the Humane Society. I immediately agreed to testify to whoever I needed to about the sound I had heard. Fortunately, the shelter didn’t need my help, but very quickly the dog was removed and re-homed.

What I experienced in that second of shock was the twist, a shift in my perspective, a turn from the reality I thought I was living in to the reality that was.

A couple of years later, we had moved to Alabama, my parents had gotten a difficult divorce, and my mom had full custody of myself and my sisters. Burning with filial piety and the desire to do something really nice for her, the three of us very inexperienced cooks decided we would surprise her when she got home from work with Crepes Suzette for supper. It didn’t go well. By the time Mom got home, the kitchen looked like the Swedish Chef and the garbage disposal had gotten into a food fight with pancake batter and cream. She smiled, showed us how to finish the dish correctly, and told us how much she appreciated our efforts. We were so proud to have done something nice for her.

I never knew how much that moment cost her until I walked into my own house twenty years later after a long day at work to see the mess my daughter had made while trying to make me a cake. To be fair, her mess was a lot worse even than ours had been because she believed recipes were unnecessary. Flour mixed randomly with eggs and sugar and scorched at 400 degrees for an hour in the oven has a very distinctive smell. Just as with the more horrifying incident with the golden retriever, I experienced the twist, my brain latching on to the existing reality rather than the reality I thought I had been living in when I tried to make my mother Crepes Suzette.

Good mystery writers have mastered the twist. Carefully, they send us down a cultivated trail of clues, red herrings and misdirection guiding us to believe one thing, then showing us at the end how the truth was something else entirely.

What techniques have you found helpful when plotting (or editing, for you pantsters out there who were just as surprised as everyone else to find out who the culprit was when you finished your first draft) your own mysteries to send the reader in one direction while making sure the truth lies in another? Are there any hard and set rules you like to follow? What was the best twist you ever read in a mystery novel?

Some Thoughts About Murderers by Marilyn Levinson

2026-07-16T01:00:00.000-04:00

As a mystery author, I get to decide which of my characters will be murdered. I also get to decide who will do the murdering. The big payoff for mystery readers is discovering the killer's identity at the end of the novel. Equally intriguing is learning why he or she committed the crime.

Murderers in traditional and cozy mysteries are not always the most obvious characters. While some are inherently malevolent and carefully plot their misdeeds, others are ordinary except for the reason why they see killing someone as the necessary solution to their problem.

Why does a character murder? A simple list might be reduced to revenge, jealousy, money, and the fear of being exposed. But unless the murderer's a serial killer or a hired assassin, his or her reason for killing is personal and driven by strong emotions, misguided information, or despair. Or possibly madness. Then there are characters who become murderers through so-called accidents and explain: "I didn't mean to hit him so hard," or "I only meant to teach him a lesson."

Sometimes a character murders for reasons that have roots in the past. The impact of an earlier murder affects the present and another victim is murdered. This occurs in Death Overdue and Checked Out for Murder in my Haunted Library series as well as in Death on Dickens Island.

I make sure that my murderers play an active role in my mysteries. I once stopped reading a well-known author because in one of her books the murderer rarely appeared. Not fair. Readers should have the opportunity to get to know the murderer as well as he reveals himself to the other characters. And he'd better have a darn good reason for killing.

How do you decide who your murderers will be?

Killer Questions - Favorite Word Games

2026-07-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

Killer Questions – Favorite Word Games

Are you obsessed with playing word games on your phone? Most of the Writers Who Kill are, too. Here are our respective favorite games:

Molly MacRae: Boggle, Wordle, and a game my dad and I played where we’d trick each other into saying something that sounded like thank you so we could then say you’re welcome. It worked best if we let days or weeks or months go by to lull the other into unsuspecting. As an example, one day, I pretended to forget what armored vehicles are called and asked Dad, saying, “You know what I mean—the ones with the treads.” “Tanks,” Dad said. Dad started the game by giving me a math problem one day—“What’s 5Q plus 5Q?”

Mary Dutta: The NY Times Spelling Bee and Wordle

Debra H. Goldstein: The NY Times Mini and Midi Crossword Puzzles and Wordle

Shari Randall: Every morning I do the Wordle, and my hubby and I do Connections at lunchtime. For group games, I adore Scrabble, and even though I don’t have a competitive bone in my body, if you play Scrabble with me, look out! I play to win.

Lori Roberts Herbst: Cryptogram. Addictive and fun.

Grace Topping: Scrapple

Korina Moss: I play the NY Times daily games – Connections, Wordle, and Letter Boxed.

K.M. Rockwood: NYT crossword (not that I finish it often)

Margaret Hamilton: Pictionary

Elaine Douts: Word Search and Cryptograms in the weekly newspaper.

Susan Van Kirk: Connections and Strands (NYT)

Kait Carson: Wordle, Spelling Bee.

Sarah E. Burr: I do enjoy Wheel of Fortune, which I guess is a glorified Hangman.

Martha Reed: Completing my current manuscript (joke).

James M. Jackson: Wordle—when I remember to play.

Heather Weidner: Scrabble, Wordle, and crossword puzzles

Annette Dashofy: Wordle

What Can I Get You to Drink? By KM Rockwood

2026-07-14T00:01:23.103-04:00

I love Dashiell Hammet’s Nick and Nora Charles mysteries.

He only wrote one as a novel, The Thin Man, but the characters lived on in a series of movies, radio broadcasts, TV shows, a Broadway presentation, and another stage play.

A quick aside—originally, the thin man referenced in the title was not Nick himself, who was described as overweight and out of shape. The thin man was the victim, Clyde Wynant. When the novel was adapted for a movie, William Powell, a much more attractive man than the written description might imply, was selected to play Nick Charles. Nora was played by Myrna Loy.

With the dashing, svelte Powell as Nick, the “thin man” soon became synonymous with Nick Charles in the public’s eyes.

One thing that caught my attention was the constant consumption of alcohol by the characters. As all creative works, the stories are products of their time.

Prohibition had just ended in 1933. The country was in the throes of the Great Depression. A glamorous couple, especially one with a character (Nick) who rose from a poor immigrant background to great wealth, appealed to the public.

Nick and Nora’s drinking reflect their identity. Urbane, witty, and effortlessly stylish. Along with other comic aspects, their tipsy exchanges lighten the tone of the murder investigations, making the stories feel more entertaining than grim. Nick’s perpetual drinking, and his casual side exploits in search of a drink at inopportune times, display nonchalance in the face of danger.

Alcohol drenches much of the Golden Age detective fiction, although its purpose was often functional rather than psychological.

Agatha Christie used drinks, both alcoholic and non-, as a murder vehicle. In Sparkling Cyanide, poisoned champagne shows up at a dinner party. Death in the Clouds brings us murder by coffee.

Dorothy Sayer’s Lord Peter Wimsey is particular about his wine and port, signaling

education, wealth, cultural sophistication, and a casual acceptance of class structure, with him decidedly in the upper echelons.

Ngaio Marsh often used drinking parties to create crowded, chaotic environments where motives and opportunities for crime were rampant. In Vintage Murder, a celebration featuring wine sets the stage.

As the mystery genre advances, we see more characters turning to alcohol as a crutch or an escape, sometimes to the point of interfering with their ability to proceed with the tasks at hand.

Is the consumption of alcohol important to your characters? Do they drink to socialize? To celebrate? To forget? Or do they abstain?

Give 'Em Back: A Guest Post by Patricia Sargeant

2026-07-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

Many thanks to the Writers Who Kill authors for inviting me to visit. I’m thrilled to be here.

I love the sound of the term “reversion of rights.” It’s not just the alliteration but also the definition. In publishing, reversion of rights—also referred to as “termination of transfer”; more alliteration—means authors get their work back. Quoting from the University of Houston Libraries website, “In the U.S., termination of transfers laws enable authors to regain rights in their works that might have been signed away—even if their contracts contain language to the contrary.” (Emphasis by University of Houston Libraries.)

Some authors don’t see the point of getting back the rights to a book that already has been published. What would they do with it?

Tell me why

Here are a few of the reasons reversion of rights is important to me (no particular order):

· It’s my work and I want it back.

· I can reissue the book to generate additional income.

· I can use the book as a reader magnet for my e-newsletter.

· It’s my work and I want it back.

· I can continue the series.

· I can repackage/rebrand the series.

Did I mention it’s my work and I want it back? So, how do we do that?

Step 1: The book is mine.

One of the first things I do after signing a publishing contract is put my reversion of rights date on a calendar. Yes, it’s that serious to me.

Years ago, one of the professional writer organizations I used to belong to provided members with a template reversion of rights letter. Each time I send a reversion of rights request, I personalize the content and email it to the publisher’s contracts lawyer. Usually, I receive an insultingly rapid response, confirming my rights reversion. (They could at least pretend to be sorry to see me go.)

That confirmation email is important. Some platforms require authors verify they’ve received the rights to their book back.

Step 2: All the words

In most cases, publishers no longer have the production file for your book. Ask for it, but be prepared to hear it’s been destroyed. Sadness. But never fear. You’ve got plenty of options for recreating your text files.

· I always keep two author copies of my books. I use one to break apart and scan when I’m ready to reissue it. I’ve purchased a low-cost, serviceable scanner.

· If you’ve kept your final manuscript electronic file, you can update it.

· There are services you can pay to scan a copy of your book.

Worst-case scenario, you retype your manuscript. I can hear your screams.

Step 3: Cover me

In most cases, reversion of rights refers only to the text of your book. Usually authors don’t have any claim to the cover. I know; tragic. But again, you have options, including:

· Sites on which you can find designers to create your cover;

· Online companies that offer template covers;

· Product-specific videos that teach you to design your own covers.

One final comment as I hope our Writers Who Kill authors don’t notice I’m going over my word count. (More contractions!) Please make sure your book is copyright protected.

Thank you again for this opportunity to visit with the Writers Who Kill community. I’m so grateful.

This post is a brief overview of the process for reissuing your book. If you have any questions, I’ll do my best to answer.

Bio: Patricia Sargeant writes romantic suspense. She also writes cozy mysteries as Olivia Matthews and romance as Regina Hart. Her work has been featured in national publications such as Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Kirkus Reviews, Suspense Magazine, Mystery Scene Magazine, and Library Journal. Patricia is a member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Color, Cozy Mystery Crew, and Chicks on the Case. Visit her online at PatriciaSargeant.com and check out her Peach Coast Library books here.

AUTHOR BRANDING: WAS MINE A MISTAKE?

2026-07-12T00:15:00.000-04:00

by Korina Moss

Branding. It’s a word that I’m sure writers have heard after they’ve signed their first publishing contract or are writing their first novel. As an author, you want to stand out from the crowded field, which means you have to do more than market your book, you have to market yourself. This is where branding comes in. Branding helps readers identify you, helps them to feel a connection with you and your books, and lets them know what they might expect from your writing.

Consistency is the key to branding. Ideally, you want to be easily identified. You should attempt to maintain a consistent look on all your social media, your website, and in your newsletter. You can do this by choosing a color palette (ideally similar to your books), color tone, fonts, and even creating your own logo.

The background of my website has
a huge cheeseboard

For instance, if you use bright jewel tones as your signature colors, readers will know to stop and look for you when those colors show up on their timeline. They’re more likely not to miss an event you’re attending or when you have a preorder sale.

Is there’s something from your genre that readers can associate with you? If you write British cozy mysteries, perhaps you could make a quick “good morning” reel every Monday morning while drinking a cup of tea. If a dog or cat is featured in your mysteries, you’ll want to feature your own dog or cat on your platforms.

Is there something featured in your series that will make you stand out? Lucy Burdette (the pen name for Roberta Isleib) has a long-running Key West Food Critic Mystery series. She also happens to spend most of the year in Key West, so much of her social media features her life in Key West. We get to see the places she mentions in her books, and we get a little peek into her life too. It’s definitely a plus to set your series in the area where you live, even if it’s a fictional town.

Lucy Burdette's IG post with a photo of the
Key West restaurant from a snippet from her book.

When I was deciding how to brand myself before my Cheese Shop Mystery series came out, I had to consider what I wanted my identity to be. I’d hoped I would have a long and varied career, so although cheese was the obvious branding choice, going all in with it might not be a smart move in the long run. Ultimately, I decided to heed a variation of the advice editors give to new writers when starting a series: Don’t save anything for later. I was writing a Cheese Shop Mystery series, and I wanted to stand out and be noticed. I decided not to worry about later and go all in on cheese.

Wearing my cheese earrings
my publicist gave me

I named my newsletter subscribers Team Cheese and used the hashtag #teamcheese in most of my social media posts until eventually, most reviewers and bloggers who mentioned me on social media also used the hashtag. My first year at the Malice Domestic fan convention after my book had released the month before (and I’d already been branding myself for many months), I was regularly called “the cheese lady” by readers when they’d forgotten my name. It was ok—they knew my book! I've received wonderful cheese-related gifts from readers. I can’t tell you how many cheese memes, funny cheese reels, and cheese board posts I still get tagged in and messaged to me. And the message always says, “I saw this and thought of you.” It was exactly what I wanted—when cozy mystery readers see cheese, they think of me.

My St. Martin's editor and me in my cheese shirt
at Malice Domestic

I was shocked when my first book and I were well known enough in the mystery community to be nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel, and two more books were nominated for Best Contemporary Novel the following two years. I’ve had a lot of great opportunities and decent sales.

However, now that my Cheese Shop Mystery series has ended, do I still want to be known as the cheese lady? Probably not. Oops. I still go to events and sell my books, and I don’t have another series coming out imminently, so I’m backing away slowly from the cheese. I still post on National Cheese Day (and all the variations of it), but I’ve changed my newsletter sign-off from “Cheers to Cheese” to “Keep it Cozy.” I’ve left the Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen blogging group where recipes and cheese played a big role and focused on my author role in the Facebook group Cozy Mystery Crew. Every three weeks, I spend a day with our members, where we chat about what’s going on in my life and theirs. Cheese isn’t totally off the table (pun intended), but it takes a backseat now when I speak about my life and my books.

In a way, I’m back to step one in deciding how to brand myself. It’s not exactly where I want to be, but on the other hand, I can’t deny that my strategy worked in the moment.

You get to decide what’s right for you, but you can’t go wrong with these simple steps for starting your branding journey:

1. Take time to decide how you want to define yourself. Try to identify your point of difference, the thing that sets you apart from other authors in your genre. What kind of vibe do you want to give off?

2. Build your presence – Start with two platforms and decide how many you can handle. (They take more time than you think.) Create a website. Join online groups and organizations in your genre to interact with readers and writers in a personal way, not as a salesperson. Get to know your target audience, which will help you make decisions about your branding.

3. Be consistent – Use the same profile photo across all author platforms. On social media, your website, and your newsletter, consider using the same color palette, fonts, type of music, illustration elements, and perhaps even a logo. Consistency will lead to recognition.

Readers: Think of your favorite author. What elements make up their brand? How does it match up with their book(s)?

KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series, which includes the winner of the Agatha Award for Best First Novel, as well as two novels short-listed for Best Contemporary Novel. Listed as one of USA Today’s “Best Cozy Mystery Series,” her books have also been featured in PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World, and Writer’s Digest. Korina is also a freelance developmental editor specializing in cozy mysteries. To learn more or subscribe to her free seasonal newsletter, visit her website korinamossauthor.com.

WRITERS ORGANIZATIONS: The Importance of Bringing Back In-person Meetings

2026-07-11T02:00:00.000-04:00

By Lisa Malice, Ph.D.

My daughter’s best friend was recently in town for a few days from Atlanta, where she works for a major home improvement company headquartered there. Hired during the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked from home for four years until last year, when every house-bound employee was ordered back into the office during the regular workweek.

Anne was initially reticent about the change in work environment. She’d been used to working flexible hours from home and other locations (such as my daughter’s home in Florida). She got used to the isolation, meeting up with co-workers and bosses virtually, completing tasks on her own without anyone’s help, working days without wearing business clothes or make-up.

Now, a year later, Anne knows that returning to the office was the right thing to do for the company, and more importantly, for herself.

Why do I bring this up? For one simple reason. When Covid-19 hit with the mandate to isolate, our writing community did exactly what corporate America did—told everyone to stay home. Mystery Writers of America (MWA) and Sisters in Crime (SinC), two crime-writers’ organizations with chapters across the globe, did their best it could to keep everyone connected by harnessing the power of video streaming services, such as Zoom and Google Meet. These virtual meetup platforms ensured its members could easily connect, learn, and support each other, as well as offer programming to mystery, suspense, and thriller readers everywhere.

My FL Sisters in Crime Chapter hosted virtual programming in January 2021 as part of the Southwest FL Book Festival, highlighting the work of authors from all across the U.S.A.

The best of these programs outlasted the pandemic because they offer something uniquely enjoyable that is impossible to offer in-person.

Virtual book clubs, such as The Back Room (TOP), a 90-minute program twice per month that brings readers face-to-face to with four authors to learn about their latest book, talk about their writing processes, and otherwise discuss their life as writers (https://the-back-room.org).

(BOTTOM) I enjoyed talking with members of the Delta Sigma Pi alumni book club after the launch of my debut thriller, Lest She Forget.

The lingering use of Zoom for chapter meetings, however, leaves me with mixed emotions. On the positive side, these hybrid meetings allow me to attend in-person when the location is within a ninety-minute drive, otherwise, I join in virtually to avoid a three-hours roundtrip on the road. What I miss is the opportunity to hang out with my fellow writers, grab lunch, discuss opportunities to work together, and best of all, share what’s going on in our lives—as friends do! If chapter meetings consistently drew good crowds, I would make that time-consuming round trip.

Unfortunately, this hybrid format has made many chapter members complacent, like corporate office workers, too comfortable to meet up in person for meetings. Like returning to work in corporate America, there are so many benefits, both personally and productively, to in-person meetings.

Fortunately, my MWA chapter here in Florida is taking charge to create regions across the state to encourage members meeting up, getting to know one another, and supporting each other with local events and programming, while keeping chapter meetings online for all to engage in virtually.

The Forbes Human Resources Council (www.Forbes.com) recently published an online article on 18 Overlooked Benefits of Returning to the Office for Work. Many of the points apply to hanging out together after meetings, such as over lunch, or using other opportunities to get to know one another better, such sharing a book fair booth. Here’s my take as a writer and psychologist on the five most relevant benefits for writers getting back together in person as much as possible:

1) BEING LIVE CAN'T BEAT LOOKING AT SOMEONE’S HEAD ON A COMPUTER SCREEN

Virtual meetups cannot offer anything near what in-person experiences can when it comes to building strong human connections. Being physically close, able to sense emotions, observe nonverbal cues, and even offer the occasional hug, are key to growing strong, stable trusting relationships. Isn’t that what we all need to advance our writing careers?

2) SHARED EXPERIENCES

We make friends by sharing our experiences as writers, and to do so in-person nurtures our shared identities, values, and spirit that we are all in this writing and publishing business together.

3) MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS

Connecting with other writers in-person is a healthy coping mechanism. Writers can be isolated, even around their own family and friends, who can’t possibly relate to the emotional and psychological needs that it takes to publish fiction like other writers can. Whether you’re a novice writer or a NY Times bestselling author, we all need to talk to others in the business as a form of stress relief from frustrations and doubts, as well as joys and successes.

4) MENTORS FOR NEWEST WRITERS

I felt like the newbie author that I am last week meeting up in Tampa with three area MWA authors with hundreds of books published among them. They enjoyed getting to know me, giving me tips and encouragement for getting that next book done.

That same week, I had dinner with five other MWA members, two authors and three emerging writers at very different stages of their careers. It felt great hearing about their writing journeys and offering advice to reach that next milestone, whether it was reviewing a query letter to send to agents and editors, or suggesting resources for learning to edit that first draft. These young writers were very appreciative, just as I was when I was just starting out.

5) GOAL CONTAGION.

Goal contagion is exactly what it sounds like—people catching on to the excitement of what you’re trying to achieve—in this case, write, publish, and sell books—and jumping in to help make it happen.

For me, being an active member of the writing community, especially as a volunteer, helped me land not just an agent, but got me a bigger advance from my publisher once that contract was on the table. Why? Because having friends in the business helps sell books. Even before the launch of my debut novel, I had friends offering blurbs, reviews, marketing help, social media exposure, even a spot on a local TV news channel.

As an active chapter leader for SinC and MWA, my enthusiasm and hard work putting together for a variety of community outreach programs caught on with other members, who were glad to join in and help get the job done. Over the course of two years, we grew our chapter from 30 people to nearly 100.

I would be nowhere on my writer’s journey without getting to know people in the business and energizing them to join me in the adventure of a lifetime. I hope we all will continue to make it happened for each other.

What about you? How have connections built in-person made a difference in your life with regard to achieving your goals in life?

2026-07-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

By Heather Weidner

I have taken quite a few aptitude and personality assessments throughout my work career as team-building exercises, and mine tend to show a strong aptitude and inclination for traits that relate to harmony, strong communications, and building relationships. In the day gig in IT, it’s great. We try to solve problems and provide the best product to meet the customer’s needs, so my skills fit my work. These traits may not be what you want when you are writing your mystery. Conflict is a key for good storytelling. Here’s why you need conflict and lots of it.

Years ago, the wonderful Mary Burton told me never to end a chapter where everything is wrapped up neatly. It’s boring when everything works out seamlessly and your character is too perfect. You need those moments that make everyone’s heartrate tick up a few beats, and you want to keep your reader reading past bedtime.

No one’s life is rainbows and roses all the time, and that goes for your protagonist. Your character should have flaws or circumstances that hinder him or her from time to time. There should be situations that the sleuth needs to overcome. The characters should have personal battles that cause issues and pop up at the worst possible time. There need to be bad decisions with consequences. And sometimes, there are circumstances beyond their control that they must resolve.

Make things personal for your protagonist. Allow your readers to see the depth of your character and his or her struggles and fears. When things are happy and comfortable, pile on the disruptions. Isolate your sleuth and take away what the character needs or wants. You may even have to up the body count.

Conflict creates tension that keeps your readers wondering about what is going to happen next. It also moves your story forward and keeps your readers engaged.

As a writer, what are some of the things you do to add conflict to your work, and as a reader, what frustrates you about conflict in your favorite character’s life?

Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She writes the Pearly Girls Mysteries, the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries.

Her short stories appear in a variety of anthologies, and she has non-fiction pieces in Promophobia and The Secret Ingredient: A Mystery Writers’ Cookbook.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a crazy Mini Aussie Shepherd.

ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK

2026-07-09T02:00:00.000-04:00

By Margaret S. Hamilton

At ten years old he [Patch] realized that people were born whole, and that the bad things peeled layers from the person you once were, thinning compassion and empathy and the ability to construct a future. At thirteen he knew those layers could sometimes be rebuilt when people loved you. When you loved. (ch 39, 16%).

Whitaker’s book is a tale of obsession, a hero’s quest, a missing girls mystery, and the hunt for a serial killer, bundled into six hundred pages of excellent (but not literary) prose, set between 1975 and 2001 in a rural Missouri farm town.

Patch Macauley is a bright, imaginative boy born with one eye. To help him compensate for his deformity, his mother makes distinctive eyepatches and a pirate outfit. Patch thrives on tales of pirates, and considers himself a pirate, albeit a landlocked Missouri one. Patch is a loveable, credible, and brave boy with artistic talent.

Saint Brown is his contemporary, like Patch a misfit. She’s academically successful, a talented pianist, and a beekeeper, raised by her nonconformist bus-driving grandmother.

As the book opens, Patch defends a local girl, Misty, from a potential serial killer. Misty escapes but Patch does not. He is locked for many months in an underground prison, alone except for visits from another captive, Grace. She entertains Patch with endless stories about ballet productions and places across America, including her unnamed hometown. Patch’s interior monologues and Grace’s descriptions are the best parts of the book.

Saint’s heroic actions lead to Patch’s escape and recovery from his trauma. Patch’s quest to find Grace (is she real or a figment of his traumatized imagination?) consumes the rest of the book, spanning his boyhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

Saint continues to be Patch’s close friend. She forgoes a college education to join the local police department and then the FBI. For most of her career, she protects and assists Patch while searching for the serial killer who had imprisoned him.

The ending of this twenty-six year saga touches every plot element, combining sadness with hope. The book is in development as a television series.

Readers and writers, do you enjoy or have you written a saga type of book?

Margaret S. Hamilton is the author of the first two books in the Jericho Mystery series, a novella, and forty published short stories.

Home - The Official Website of Margaret S. Hamilton

An Interview With Tina deBellegarde

2026-07-08T02:00:00.000-04:00

by Grace Topping

It’s always a delight to read mysteries set in exotic locations, but it is even better when the author actually lives in the location or setting, even if only part of the year. Tina deBellegarde joins me at Writers Who Kill to talk about her experience living in and writing mysteries set in Japan.

Autumn Embers

Bianca St. Denis travels to Kyoto to return a priceless artifact recovered in Batavia-on-Hudson during last summer's flood. It's late October, and the city of 2,000 shrines is in full autumn splendor. While she's in Japan's ancient capital, Bianca visits with her son, a student at Kyoto University. Ian shows her the sights and introduces her to his circle of friends—his chosen family.

On the night of her welcome party, Bianca thinks she witnesses a struggle in the garden, perhaps even a murder. When the police investigate and find no body, she is stumped, yet alarm bells won't stop ringing. She knows she's witnessed something. When a dead body surfaces and suspicion falls on her son, Bianca's maternal instincts spring to action to protect Ian and clear his name. Meanwhile, things in Batavia-on-Hudson are tense. Sheriff Mike Riley is losing his re-election while tackling devastating news about his dead partner and wavering about his troubled marriage.

Autumn Embers explores the malleable nature of our identities and reminds us that chosen families can be stronger than we think, and that true friendship can bridge any distance.

www.tinadebellegarde.com

Welcome to Writers Who Kill, Tina.

The first two books of your Batavia-on-Hudson series are set in the Hudson Valley. However, you have set Autumn Embers partially in Japan. What prompted you to make a change in setting?

My main character, Bianca St. Denis, and I have a few things in common, and one of those is a son who lives in Kyoto, Japan. Her son was introduced in the first book, Winter Witness, along with Ishikawa, a Japanese expat living in Bianca’s town of Batavia-on-Hudson. They were planted in the series early just so I could get her to Japan. I always knew when I started the series that the third or fourth book would be set there. Once I had experienced Kyoto, I had to write about it—the sights and sounds are so rich and so compelling that I wanted Bianca to have the same experience I had had.

Why the dual setting in Batavia-on-Hudson and Kyoto? Why not just start another series with the setting entirely in Japan?

I have actually started working on a series set in Kyoto about a woman who moves from New York to live closer to her son in Kyoto where she opens an Italian café and cooking school. While working on the first series, I had not envisioned a second series, and like I said, I had planned to bring Bianca there all along. But the experience of writing Autumn Embers made me want to write more in that setting.

As far as the dual time-line is concerned, I felt I owed it to my readers not to stray too far from Batavia, so I made sure that Bianca needs the Sheriff’s help and he in turn has his own headaches at home that we could follow. Bianca and Mike had already developed a strong connection in the first two books, and that connection bridges the physical distance in the third book through frequent phone calls. And in order to keep the reader centered in Batavia, I also have Bianca send dispatches home that are posted in the small local paper and often read aloud at the local diner. In these dispatches she shares her adventures with her friends back home.

Was the dual setting hard to pull off?

I never thought it would have been as hard as it was. I figured all I needed to do was bridge the time difference between them (14 hours) and find reasons for them to need each other. The time difference was hard. The relationship was not. We need our people when we are dealing with struggles, and Mike and Bianca naturally turned to each other. Remembering which day was which, and where, and coordinating the timing required some creativity however.

You travel frequently to Kyoto. Is Autumn Embers partially autobiographical based on your experiences in Japan?

Definitely. Bianca walked in my shoes in that beautiful city. Almost every establishment they frequent in Autumn Embers is a place I have been, including some of my favorite spots. The expat community is very much as I have described it—close knit, festive and supportive. Naturally there are a few strained relationships, as would be expected in any group, but no murder of course. Basically, a chosen family.

What do you enjoy most about Japan?

That is a very hard question. I can only speak about Kyoto. I have been to a few other cities but Kyoto is the only one I truly know. There is so much that is special about that city. It’s the cultural center of the country, so the traditions and the arts are in full display there. I love how much they pay attention to detail, and how they respect, celebrate and incorporate the seasons into their lives. I love how quiet and considerate everyone is of others, and how clean it is. I love that I could find a different café to read and write in every day of a six-week visit and still not get to all of them. I love that jazz is playing everywhere. And I love that my son is at home and happy there.

One reviewer said that Bianca, your main character, thinks about how well mythology can capture the paradoxes of our personalities. How we are two people at once—maybe even several people. Can you talk a little about that?

Bianca is a mother and a former teacher. She is a very observant and introspective person. The type of person who isn’t afraid of getting involved in things to help find a resolution—this is, of course, how she ends up a sleuth. In many ways she is very wise, and her experience tells her that we all try on identities as the years go on. Some are obvious, such as daughter, sister, wife, mother. Others less so. They take more daring, like artist, writer, expat. We try one identity on and we keep it. We try another and discard it. A third we tweak until it suits us, and so on until eventually we have filled out the whole picture of us. And it takes all these iterations of ourselves to begin to understand what resonates with us, and how we can be our true selves. Hopefully, anyway. Bianca continues to evolve as do many of my characters, but not all of them. And often it is the perpetrator in these mysteries who is the one who stopped growing, who stopped trying on identities, and stopped developing as a person. These stunted people often lash out and blame others for their own shortcomings. The perpetrator in Autumn Embers is just that sort of person.

Is Autumn Embers available in Japan? If so, how has it been received.

Yes, it is available in Japan. I have had several book events in Kyoto including my launch for Autumn Embers, and it seems to have been well received there. Most importantly to me, I belong to a group called Writers in Kyoto and they have welcomed the book and approved of my depiction of the city. It was a huge relief to me. When writing the first book and planning Autumn Embers, I never expected to find myself a member of a group of professional writers there. So, when they celebrate my book, it is a true validation for me.

Do you plan to do a Japanese translation?

I certainly hope there will be one someday. No plans so far on that front.

You spend your year in different locations, including New York, Florida, and Japan. Do you find your creativity and productivity differ based on where you are?

Absolutely. I am most productive in Florida, most inspired in Japan, and most organized in Catskill, New York.

My creative juices are encouraged most when I’m in Japan, and I do plenty of writing and notetaking there, especially at my favorite cafés (I also have the most time because I have fewer responsibilities while I’m there.)

In Catskill, I have my writing cottage behind the house which is a wonderful writing space, but the property and house need a lot of attention—it’s basically a small farm with a garden, fruit trees, bee hives, mushroom logs, even chickens at one time.

In Florida, I happen to be a few miles from the beautiful Morikami Japanese Gardens where I take flower arranging classes and write. So basically, Japan all over again.

Japan is where I plan the most. Catskill is where I start, finish and revise. Florida is where I write the most.

The first two books in your series were nominated for two different Agatha Awards. Did the early recognition of your work put pressure on you for subsequent works?

I never expected to be nominated either time and was shocked (and thrilled, of course.) But I have always been very realistic about where my work fits in the enormous industry that is today’s publishing world. When I was writing the first book, Winter Witness, my head spun with all the contradictory advice. I must do this. I absolutely can’t do that. I need this, I can’t have that. It made me question my own ideas and my own sense of what I write just at the time I was most vulnerable. So, subsequently I have tried hard to follow my own instincts. My first priority is to write what I want to write and what I like to read. I think I have done that and continue to do so. So thankfully, no, I didn’t feel any pressure from the nominations.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned since you started writing?

I touched on this in the last question. I have learned to trust my gut more. To listen to advice from those who know more, but to assess it in relationship to what I am trying to accomplish. Advice that will lead me to write someone else’s book is not useful. I need to be open to guidance and also confident enough to follow my own instincts.

What’s next for Bianca? Are you working on anything new?

There are several more books sketched out for Bianca, but no release dates yet. Stay tuned. In the meantime, I hope to release the first book in the new series.

Thank you, Tina. I’m envious of your travels to Japan.

To learn more about Tina and her books, visit www.tinadebellegarde.com

Bio

Tina deBellegarde is a two-time Agatha Award nominee for her Batavia-on-Hudson Mysteries. Autumn Embers, the most recent addition to the series, takes place in Kyoto. Her short stories have been nominated for an Agatha Award and a Derringer Award. Tina co-chairs the Murderous March virtual writers conference. She enjoys reviewing Japanese fiction for Books on Asia, and is the Membership Coordinator of Writers in Kyoto.

Tina lives and writes in Catskill, New York with her husband Denis, and their cat Shelby. When she isn’t writing she is helping Denis tend their beehives, harvest shiitakes from their mushroom logs, or tend their vegetable garden. She makes lampworked glass beads and contributes to her husband’s jewelry designs. For Tina, baking and cooking are meditations that allow her to plan her writing. She travels to Kyoto, Japan regularly to visit with her son Alessandro, who has lived there for many years running his media production company.

Tina most recently worked at the Catskill Public Library. She is a former middle school teacher, paralegal, and exporter.

Grace Topping is the author of the Laura Bishop Mystery Series.

All in the family?

2026-07-07T01:00:00.000-04:00

By James M. Jackson

Later this year, I will publish Niki Unbound (Niki Undercover Thriller #3). It will be my eleventh novel. In addition, I have written one non-fiction book and two novellas—a reasonable output for someone whose first book wasn’t published until his sixties.

However, that oeuvre does not make me the most prolific author in my family. And I am far from the most notable. Here’s the scoop:

Dr. James C. Jackson

My great-great-great-grandfather James Caleb Jackson is the most notable. He was a well-known abolitionist speaker in the 1840s; in the 1850s his attention turned to health, and he founded a “health resort” focused on good water, exercise, and a vegetarian diet. He invented the first “ready-to-eat cereal,” Granula. (You know granola because the Jacksons sued the Kelloggs for patent infringement and won, and Kellogg had to change the name of his product.)

In addition to his work as editor and owner of various anti-slavery newspapers, he published 11 books (per Wikipedia), all nonfiction, including titles such as How to Treat the Sick Without Medicine, and Dancing: Its Evils and its Benefits. Some of those books, like Dancing are quite short.

In the Jackson line, we skip four generations to the next published author, my father. His textbook, A User’s Guide to Principal Components, published by Wiley in 2003, is still used for graduate-statistics courses. He also published a variety of historical pamphlets and the book, The Castles on the Hill, which detailed the history of the Jackson Health Resort and its subsequent lives.

Dr. Albert Tracy Leffingwell

Looking at my family writ large, I have prolific cousins as well. Dr. Albert Tracy Leffingwell was James Caleb Jackson’s nephew; therefore, my first cousin four times removed. He founded the American Society for the Regulation of Vivisection and served as president of the American Humane Society. Pertinent to this article, Wikipedia attributes twelve publications to him. I have Rambles Through Japan Without a Guide, but none of his other books (which include Vivisection in America, Does Science Need Secrecy, and American Meat).

The grand prize for number of publications goes to Albert Tracy’s son, Albert Fear Leffingwell—my second cousin three times removed. He published a book of poetry while still a Harvard student. After graduation, he became a New York advertising executive. He wrote three early nonfiction works, and then, starting in 1939, he published thirteen noir crime novels under his name and the pen names Dana Chambers and Giles Jackson.

That’s seventeen published works. He died at age fifty-one. I didn’t have my first book published until I was sixty-one! Such a sluggard, I am. In fairness to me, his novels are less than half as long as mine, so I might have the family record for the number of published words!

His novels are being republished by Stark House Press. Last month, Curtis Evans, who wrote the introduction to the republication of the first two novels, contacted me. Curt is a retired history professor, specializing in the antebellum US and post-Civil War era. He found the link between the Leffingwells and the Jacksons, ran across a blog I had written about James Caleb Jackson, and discovered I wrote crime fiction.

Long story (somewhat) short: he’s invited me to write an introduction to one of the future republications. Details remain to be worked out, but that’s one way to keep it all in the family.

Writers: do you have a history of authors in your family? Readers: is this kind of information interesting, or TMI?

* * *

James M. Jackson writes justice-driven thrillers with brains and bite, including the Niki Undercover Thriller series and the Seamus McCree series. To learn more information about Jim and his books, check out his website, https://jamesmjackson.com. You can sign up for his newsletter (and get to read Low Tide at Tybee, a novella featuring Seamus, his darts-throwing mother, and six-year-old granddaughter, Megan).

Marilyn Monroe: A Life in 100 Takes & Years by Teresa Inge

2026-07-06T05:00:00.000-04:00

If Marilyn Monroe had lived to see 2026, she would have turned 100 on June 1—a milestone that invites us to look beyond the platinum hair, camera flashes, and famous white dress. Born Norma Jeane Mortenson in Los Angeles in 1926, she entered the world with little security. Her childhood was marred by living in 10 foster homes, an orphanage, and, at age 16, marriage to her next-door neighbor, James Dougherty, to avoid returning to foster care. Dougherty later recalled that although he knew Norma Jeane Dougherty, he never knew Marilyn Monroe—the star she would become, to escape her early life.

I first learned about Monroe as a child, watching her movies with my mother. Years later, after reading her biography, I understood why fans remain fascinated by her life. It’s not only her beauty, but vulnerability, screen presence, and the star she carefully crafted to interest people.

Becoming Marilyn Monroe
After divorcing Dougherty in 1946, Monroe’s transformation from factory worker and model to Hollywood legend was not simply luck. She studied acting, the camera, literature, and music, while critics underestimated her. By the 1950s, films such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Seven Year Itch, and Some Like It Hot made her the most recognized performer on Earth.

Marriages & Production Company
Monroe later founded a production company to seek serious roles in an industry eager to package her as fantasy. Her marriages to Joe DiMaggio in 1954 and Arthur Miller in 1956 did not survive, strained by jealousy, pressure, and the glare of fame.

Creative Control
During that period, Monroe clashed with Hollywood studios over typecasting, low pay, lack of creative control, suspensions, and contract disputes. Her reputation for arriving late to set, keeping crews waiting, and reliance on acting coach Paula Strasberg after each take, made it hard for studios to take her seriously. Yet those struggles show how she was fighting to be understood, respected, and shape her own career.

Happy Birthday, Mr. President
In May 1962, Monroe sang "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden. Shortly after, 20^thCentury-Fox fired her in June 1962, due to her absences from filming Something’s Got to Give, and the studio’s frustration over her going to New York for Kennedy’s event, despite production issues.

Death
Marilyn Monroe died on August 5, 1962. Her death was officially ruled a probable suicide from an overdose of barbiturates.

Legacy
At 100, Marilyn Monroe remains a cultural icon. She stands as a symbol of beauty, ambition, vulnerability, and reinvention. A self-made artist who understood the power of image and celebrity long before the modern world had language for it. Her performances, photographs, and public persona continue to invite fascination because they hold radiance and mystery.

Diet Killers: Recipes for Readers and Writers – Day Late Firecrackers

2026-07-05T01:30:00.000-04:00

Photo by Trevor 205 from Pixabay

Welcome back to Diet Killers, my series that’s become a bit sporadic and doesn’t always (as I’d originally intended) spotlight a chocolate dessert. This month I have a 1970s recipe for a fruity, icy, slushy, refreshing drink called a Firecracker. It gets Its bang from a bit of rum.

My husband and I were introduced to Firecrackers at a 4th of July picnic in Abilene, Texas. Abilene is hot and dry, and if you have cats they bring lizards and horned toads in the house. Snakes, too, if they can wrestle them through the door. The wind blows so much red dust you can taste it in the air—in your living room. It’s the kind of place where you can really enjoy a drink like a Firecracker.

We lived in Abilene for four years and I’ve only made Firecrackers once since then. Without the wind and the snakes and the dust they seem frivolous. Try them yourself, though, because your mileage may vary.

Mileage varies when it comes to books, too, so take what I’m about to say with a pinch of salt. Margarita salt if you’re so inclined. All Shell Breaks Loose, my latest Haunted Shell Shop Mystery, came out this past week and I think it’s a real firecracker of a story. The series takes place on Ocracoke Island, off the coast of North Carolina. Ocracoke is a real place with a real history as a pirate haven.

The series is about Maureen Nash, a shell scientist, who finds a new life running a shell shop in Ocracoke. She also finds herself solving murders with the help of the octogenarian Weaver siblings, Glady and Burt, and Emrys Lloyd, the ghost of a Welsh pirate. In the new book, all shell breaks loose when the island’s eccentric doctor claims he’s bought a haunted sword. It takes Maureen, Emrys, Glady, Burt, a bulldog named Ben, and the ghost from the haunted sword to set things right.

So here’s my recipe for a spot of post-holiday relaxation. Stir up a pitcher of Firecrackers and sit back with a copy of All Shell Breaks Loose. It’s available in print, e-book, and audio editions and also at your local library.

Firecrackers

Ingredients

1 small can frozen orange juice

1 small can frozen lemonade

32 once jar cranberry juice

4 shots rum (more or less, depending on how piratical you’re feeling)

7-Up (chilled)

Directions

Mix all the ingredients, except the 7-Up together and freeze in plastic container you can scoop from. The mixture will freeze into a slush.

For individual drinks or a pitcher, mix equal parts slush and chilled 7-Up.

Molly MacRae writes the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries, the Highland Bookshop Mysteries, and the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries. Visit Molly on Facebook and Pinterest, connect with her on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky.

The End Is Just The Beginning by Mary Dutta

2026-07-04T01:00:00.000-04:00

Sometimes a story begins at the end.

Not usually for me. When I write a story, I start at the beginning and develop the plot until I reach a satisfying conclusion, usually one with a twist.

Other writers do it differently. Some write the ending they want, then craft a story to get them there. Some start with an inspired bit of dialogue and build a story around it. Some have a scene in mind, then work out the story that best supports it.

A recent local news story, though, gave me an end complete with a twist. A motorist reported a pickup truck parked on the side of the road, driver’s door open and engine running. When the police arrived to investigate, they followed drag marks from the pickup bed into the woods where they discovered two bodies, a man and a woman.

I could easily imagine a scenario where a murderer wants to dispose of his victims where they wouldn’t be found. But how to explain the idling truck? Did a co-conspirator spirit away the driver, leaving the truck because it could be traced to him or her? Why leave it running then, rather than abandoning it in the woods? Did another car come along, causing the body dumper to leap into his partner-in-crime’s vehicle and flee? Or did that other car contain an inadvertent witness, whom the criminal then forced to drive away at gunpoint to be disposed of?

Further investigation of the real-life incident revealed that the woman had been strangled. The police believe that the man found with her had killed her and intended to hide her body in the woods. Only he had a heart attack and died while executing his plan, never to return to the truck he had left running to make his escape.

Now that’s a real-life plot twist, one that has inspired me to begin writing a story at the end for a change. I know who died and how, now it’s up to my imagination to lead the reader back to the beginning.

How important are beginnings and endings in your own reading and writing?