November 2007 Blog Posts (171)

Staying Awake

Posted by Sheila Connolly

Now that we've all slogged through the turkey and the mashed potatoes and the gravy, and the last of the pumpkin pie and whipped cream, it's time to turn back to mysteries. In this case, men.

I'm sure we've all suffered (or enjoyed) the phenomenon of pigging out at a big meal and then dozing off in front of whichever football game is on (I understand that the tryptophan in turkey is especially good for producing that…

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Added by Writers Plot on November 26, 2007 at 11:55pm — No Comments

Casting the Net Wide

Where does a mystery author begin? Was it the Agatha Christie novels my mother read while pregnant with me? The Nancy Drew books I devoured as a young girl? The fact that Mom was a charter subscriber to Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and kept stacks of them around the house? Or maybe it was the night Daddy made an inspired exception: even though I had school the next day, I could stay up to watch Alfred Hitchcock Presents on Sundays at 9:30, provided my homework was done.

The seed…

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Added by Sisters In Crime on November 26, 2007 at 10:56pm — No Comments

What's She Got That I Haven't Got?

I was having lunch one day a couple of years ago with an author who'd sold not one but two series of three books each. I was as yet unwanted by any publisher, and I listened carefully to everything she said, hoping to get a hint on how to get a break in publishing. I admit I was a tiny bit jealous of her success. Not that she didn't deserve it, but what am I, chopped liver?

To my surprise, she commented along the lines of what I was thinking. "I used to be so jealous of people who got…

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Added by Peg Herring on November 26, 2007 at 10:36pm — 1 Comment

Short story: Sweet Dreams

Sweet Dreams

©2005 Cheryl Kaye Tardif


I always hated camping—the strange lurking noises in the woods, the bloodsucking mosquitoes that voraciously drilled for blood…the thin canvas of a tent that could be so easily slashed by a bear. Then there were the shadows, pervasive and malignant, hovering in every corner.… Continue

Added by Cheryl Kaye Tardif on November 26, 2007 at 2:18am — 1 Comment

The Writing "Zone"

Once again I have entered the "zone". This is a murky and occasionally colorful part of my existence where the WORK-IN-PROGRESS becomes my reason for breathing. It's sorta like becoming the host to an annoying parasite. I go to bed thinking of scenes, I walk up thinking of scenes. Luckily, I don't ever dream about my books, which is a relief. Still, every spare waking moment is inundated by THE WORK.



It's always this way and I've come to understand that is it best not to fight the… Continue

Added by Jana Oliver on November 25, 2007 at 12:05pm — 2 Comments

EVIL E IS BACK ON THE BLOGO-SPHERE

Hey Mysteryville Lovers -

Come join Evil E and her friends for some fun, some bookbiz gossip, some terrific interviews aka 'Persons of Interest' by a stellar group of interrogrators - David Montgomery, Allison Brennan, Paul Guyot, Louise Ure, Ali Karim, Jason Starr and Nick Stone - and the on-going 'Book Title Saga'.

At the moment - this is a once a month thing, but one never knows, right? Next installment is December 10th when we grill Zoe Sharpe. We had Ken Breun over the…

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Added by Elaine Flinn on November 25, 2007 at 10:12am — 2 Comments

Thanksgiving by Margot Justes

Every year we celebrate Thanksgiving. We enjoy the turkey, the stuffing; all the accoutrements that accompany the gargantuan meal.

We give thanks for everything we hold dear, family, health, friends; all the tangible things…

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Added by Margot Justes on November 25, 2007 at 3:15am — 1 Comment

When Characters Get Out Of Control

by Guest Blogger Felicia Donovan

I’ve created a monster. Four monsters, in fact. It seems the four femme fatales of THE BLACK WIDOW AGENCY have developed a mind of their own and things are getting a bit out of control.

First it started with the idea that the Black Widows should have their own website. Mind you, I already had my own author website (www.feliciadonovan.com) and that was plenty to manage given what little spare…

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Added by Writers Plot on November 25, 2007 at 12:16am — No Comments

Tyger, Tyger

My short story Tyger, Tyger is in the first ever print issue of Mouth Full of Bullets.

BJ is working toward becoming a MWA recognized publisher so I want to encourage you to check out his website and support him in this. We need all the short markets we can get. Especially paying…

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Added by Jean Lauzier on November 24, 2007 at 3:58am — No Comments

Old News, New Beginnings

Last year this time, one of the big things that was on my mind was the forthcoming publication in Spinetingler of my story, "A Tall House."

It was the first short story I'd finished in a very long time, and I

remain very proud of it. Of course it was exciting that it won the

Spinetingler Cozy Noir contest, but for me it was even more exciting

that I finished it at… Continue

Added by Bill Cameron on November 24, 2007 at 3:34am — 2 Comments

New Traditions

posted by Guest Blogger Kate Flora

There can be no writing about food on Thanksgiving night. No recipes, no cute ideas about yummy things to make the holiday brighter or suggestions for clever décor that sets off a stunning table for an afternoon and for which storage space must be found the other 364 days of the year. Now that the last platter is washed and put away, the wine glasses are back in their boxes and I’ve made refrigerator space for the tattered remnants of a twenty…

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Added by Writers Plot on November 24, 2007 at 12:56am — No Comments

Defending Teachers, Final Episode

Today I'm centered on high school teachers, perhaps the most maligned of all. We hear that these people kill the love of reading and turn young people away from reading in general. Let's take a look at a few arguments from a (retired) high school teacher's perspective.

"The teacher's assigned material made me hate reading."

I doubt that anyone or anything can make a person who likes to read feel any differently about it. Reading a book you hate does not make you stop reading…

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Added by Peg Herring on November 23, 2007 at 10:30pm — No Comments

How I lost my virginity this week!



It has been a month since I last posted and, while there aren’t acceptable excuses for it, I do have reasons. First, my grandson, who I haven’t seen in almost 15 years visited from Germany and that allowed me to play tourist with him. Imagine a two-week vacation in Key West!



I survived that and then it was Fantasy Fest week! If you don’t know what Fantasy Fest is, check out…

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Added by Michael Haskins on November 23, 2007 at 1:05pm — No Comments

Talking Turkey

posted by Jeanne Munn Bracken

The holidays are upon us. Instead of blogging, I should be in the kitchen making stuffing for the turkey. I don't use a recipe for that--my stepfather taught me years ago how to saute the onions and celery with a bit of thyme and a lot of sage.

I'm not really a foodie. My family watches the Food Channel, then turn to me in unison and ask what's for dinner. Sheesh!

But you can have 30 Minute Rachel, the South'ren Sweetie Paula, the…

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Added by Writers Plot on November 23, 2007 at 7:04am — No Comments

It ain't gonna spend itself.

I just dropped $25 I could probably use for food or something. Instead, it's going to Ebay for books, of all things. Like I don't have enough of them. Pronzini, Lansdale, McCarthy, and Ellison: I hope you're pleased with yourselves.

Oh, who am I kidding, I can't stay mad at you guys.

Added by Jimmy Callaway on November 23, 2007 at 3:16am — No Comments

Thoughts on the "B" word (no, not the one that rhymes with "witch")

Killer Hobbies received a double bouquet of great news this week.



I had the honor of being listed, along with fellow author and Killer Hobbies co-blogger Linda O. Johnston, on the IMBA’s Bestsellers list for October. (http://www.mysterybooksellers.com/bestsellers.html)



Now, as a relatively new author (I’ve actually been published many…
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Added by Kathryn Lilley on November 22, 2007 at 12:00pm — No Comments

The First American Crime Writers League Mystery Anthology Sold to Twilight Times Books

Season's greetings, friends:

As coeditor of the first American Crime Writers League mystery anthology, MURDER PAST, MURDER PRESENT, I am happy to announce that the short story collection has been sold to Twilight Times Books, owner of the popular Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine, with a tentative publication date of August 2009.

Featuring twenty-five bestselling, award-winning mystery authors, the anthology…

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Added by R. Barri Flowers on November 22, 2007 at 9:46am — No Comments

After The Teeth

posted by Doranna Durgin

It's been a month now--to the day--since the Giant Schnauzer broke loose from her handler, charged across that considerable open ground, and grabbed up Connery. And a month since Belle and her rehabbing spine returned to careful trialing with that obedience and rally weekend. And a month since my wrist was sprained-no-broken. So it seems about time to aim the looking glass that way. I promised I'd let you know, and I am!

Belle, I…

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Added by Writers Plot on November 22, 2007 at 2:29am — No Comments

Giving thanks for what has been

This will be my first Thanksgiving without my father (he passed on this summer) and my mother is in the end stages of Alzheimers. I think it is all finally hitting me now. You have to be strong for your kids, your family, your mother...and you think you're doing just fine until all of a sudden you're on the verge of tears at the oddest times. It gets harder and harder to hold them back and then they start to spill over onto your cheeks while you're at work or in the checkout line or on a…

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Added by Pamela on November 22, 2007 at 2:03am — No Comments

Defending Teachers Part II

The last post concerned elementary teachers who read to their classes. Today I'm thinking of those who teach middle school.

Research has all sorts of things to say about the middle school brain, but anyone who's worked with kids that age knows the basics: they're fluttery. They don't often sit still, they are anxious about themselves and how they fit in with others. So how does that fit with reading?

The most successful teachers I've known in middle school English let students…

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Added by Peg Herring on November 21, 2007 at 10:31pm — 1 Comment

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