Working Dogs in Crime Fiction
I recently returned home from Left Coast Crime (LCC) in Denver, a well-organized and delightful conference that occurs annually in different cities in the western region of the United States.…
Fiction Writing
Stash the Stiff
By Vinnie Hansen Last year, when registration for Left Coast Crime 2024 rolled around, my 70th birthday prompted me to seize new experiences. I took on moderating a panel and…
The Mystery of History
by Marilyn Todd Today marks a milestone in my writing career. I’m celebrating—big time, I might add—the publication of four books and short stories in the space of a fortnight.…
It’s Harder to Write Short than Long, but Well Worth It
by Linda Kay Hardie We’ve all heard this quote and its variations: “I have made this [letter] longer than usual because I have not had time to make it shorter.”…
Approaches to Janie’s Got a Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Aerosmith
by Avram Levinsky At a recent crime fiction conference, I heard a well-established writer explain that when contributing to music-inspired anthologies, all you need to do is match the title.…
On the Other Side of the Pond
by Karen Keeley Coming from Canada, I have been asked when travelling in the States if I parked my dogsled at the border—is my igloo in safe hands? Okay, I…
How to keep a series fresh
by Nina Wachman Mystery readers are a loyal bunch. Once they discover a story with a setting and characters they like, they’ll read every book in the series. A receptive…
Playing By the Rules
by Lorie Lewis Ham I’ve written most of my life. I published my first poem and my first song at thirteen, and continued to publish poems, short stories, and articles…
Be Ready: Querying, Submissions, Writer Encouragement
by Kathleen Marple Kalb, reprinted with permission Short story submissions are different. For one thing, the piece usually must be much closer to publication-ready than a novel-length manuscript. Once in…
Kill Your Darlings, Writers, but Do It My Way
by Linda Kay Hardie I’ve killed off a lot of people lately, and I feel better for it. No, I’m not some sort of mass murderer, although Google might think…