The May edition of THE BIG THRILL - the newsletter of the International Thriller Writers - features my review of a moving nonfiction volume from R. Barri Flowers…

At last weekend's mystery conference we talked quite a bit about characters having believable motives. Even the most evil villains should be expected to pursue their objectives the easiest way. For example, if Wile E. Coyote from the Road Runner show had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?

Hello everybody in the wonderful world of Crimespace(: my name is Tatyanna and im pretty much new here. Im happy to be here! Though it would be great to meet new people and make new friends(: So how about it? Please? Request me,message and all that wonderful stuff. Thanks!

I received an e mail from my editor to say that my latest marine mystery crime novel featuring Detective Inspector Andy Horton, Blood on the Sand, has been given a great review in the USA by Booklist. It's always nice to have good reviews and every writer cherishes them. It gives you a boost and spurs you on. Reviews come in three varieties: the good, the bad and the plain ugly. I'd rather…

Some weekends are more fun than others, and this one was super. The fans at Malice Domestic are always warm and welcoming. Parnell Hall was hilarious, and it was moving to meet both Mary Higgins Clark and William Link (the guy who created Columbo, Mannix and tons of other great TV shows.) Aside from the awards banquet, the high point…

Came up with a new character--a cold blooded SOB by the name of Smitty. Hitman by profession. Come over and read this first installment. Tell me what you think.

Find him here:

http://www.noirtaketurner-frank.blogspot.com

I feel just terrible. If you were my children, the DCFS would have hauled you all away by now, and with good reason.

First things last:

The lovely Patti Abbott recently tossed down the gauntlet to write a flash-fiction incorporating that smash hit by The Eurythmics, "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)." Here is my entry, hosted at Powder Burn Flash by the virile Aldo Calcagno: "Everybody's Looking for Elisa…

We left Malice after closing ceremonies on Sunday, tired but happy. The traditional farewell tea was lovely, and I'd like to commend those who work so hard to make Malice a success each year. It's an effort-laden thing, making such an event look effortless.

Malice is a con devoted to (but not exclusive to) cozy writers, those who seldom dismember their vicitms and never in detail. Still, we are mystery writers, and death isn't pretty. At Malice one meets authors who include along…

Have you considered writing an historical or urban fantasy? Today's guest on my main blog writes the ferocious "Dark of kNight" series and is therefore an expert on the victims of lycanthopy. Here she serves up a primer on real wolves and their fictional human subset. -…