I have a book coming out in January called Macbeth's Niece. I don't know where my idea for the story came from, but most writers don't, I suppose. We don't choose to write about a particular subject. A plot forms in your head and you can't stop thinking about it until you write it down.

Anyway, Macbeth's Niece sold, so now I'm asked all the time, "What's the name of your book?" The first thing I noticed is that "Macbeth's Niece" is very hard to get across verbally…

Two days to go on my 'Touring the World' virtual book tour. Today, I have to remind those of you who ordered Whale Song on August 12th as part of my 44 Prizes contest to remember to email me with your Amazon shipping confirmation. The first 44 emails I receive will WIN FREE BOOKS! For more info, please check my contests page.…

After much debate, we've decided to implement an annual award through Spinetingler Magazine. Two things were paramount in my mind when considering this:

1. I didn't want us to just duplicate what others were doing. 2. I wanted the awards to invite the participation of readers and authors.

As a result, October 1, 2007 we'll open up the nominating process. I will have information about this on our site and post more (assuming that's okay with the moderators) when the…

Hello -

I'm Amy Alessio, the Teen Coordinator of the Schaumburg Twp. Library and a writer. I've been lucky enough to be a panelist the past two years at LIM and was a participant before that. I'm going to be blogging about writing, mysteries and more over the next few months to help tide us all over until the big event. I look forward to good discussions and comments on this blog!

Obviously, in addition to my own pleasure reading of mysteries and non-fiction, I read a great…

I'm straddling publishers at the moment: Grand Central Publishing will put out my second Annie Seymour book, SECONDHAND SMOKE, in paperback in November, and NAL/Obsidian will be publishing the third in the series, DEAD OF THE DAY, at the same time.

But their covers will make them look like they're from two different series.

My editor told me that my new book covers were going to get a makeover because of the publisher changeover, and I was pretty excited about it. And…

Troy didn't like to be rushed. Didn't like that the paparazzi was all over the place on this one. But he was a free-lancer, so it came with the territory. He prefered close-up work, but his employer wanted a distance shot at a celebrity wedding. So he waited from his balcony.

He'd been enjoying the purrs and moans of a raven-haired, well endowed beauty when the call came in to his Manhatten apartment. They needed the shoot done today. In Malibu. He had three hours to catch a flight,…

posted by Jeanne Munn Bracken

Back in the Old Days, before the internet brought us "instant communications" and the ability to distribute "mail" with the drop of a hat, I received an occasional chain letter.

All I had to do was copy a letter so-many-times, which wasn't all that easy either by hand or typewriter, and send it to so-many-friends, which wasn't all that cheap, either, and usually required a trip to the post office for stamps. Then I was instructed to send some…

I was pretty quiet about wanting to publish until I got my first contract. In a small town, announcing that you've written a book is an invitation to "Who does she think she is?" comments behind your back. Once I got that contract, however, it became necessary to come out of the book closet and start down the endless road of marketing and promotion.

The most surprising thing is how many phone calls I've gotten from people who have also written a book. They want to know how I got…

The grouse stands dead still as I approach, banking on the notion I haven't seen her, her feathers resembling the pattern of bark on the tree.

I love the sound these grouse make in the woods. I must find a way to explain it -- it's more like a soft pressure on the eardrums, the sound an owl…

On The Road Again

Bestselling author Cheryl Kaye Tardif is nearing the end of her 'Touring the World' virtual book tour, so she decided to do something she doesn't usually do. She is giving you a sneak peek at an UNpublished novel, one that she is very excited about and one that Kunati Books is currently considering. If you enjoy it, please sign Cheryl's guestbook and tell her (and her publisher).…