I’m sitting at my computer this early Friday morning trying to think of the perfect blog for this week, when suddenly this woman breaks through the door, pounds up the steps, pushes me out of my chair, and before I know what’s happening, she uploads the following…

“I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.”

I know what you mean.

Last year, my taekwondo instructor and I discussed his training for his upcoming test for his 7th Degree Black Belt. He mentioned his commitment to practicing his form, a daily exercise routine, and always looking toward the goal. Only recently before that conversation I had begun a new exercise regimen to…

I finish up Will Lavender’s seminar with the last five aspects to plotting the puzzling thriller.

1. Play fair with the evidence. Don’t hide evidence to later be revealed as always having been there.

Don’t cheat. No baseball bat lurking in the corner that you didn’t mention in chapter 3 which shows up in chapter 23. The protagonist has to have all the evidence before the final solution. Mentioning Queen again, he did this with the readers. Before the final couple…

Last week, I expanded a little on Will Lavender's presentation of plot aspects. In the second half of his seminar he focused more on thrillers and the ten aspects of this genre.

1. What’s the large puzzle and what are the smaller pieces/puzzles/evidence?

You have to have the main puzzle – the game played by the murderer and his threat to blow up a major building if he's not paid a…