Every writer struggles with creating conflict and strong characters–stories and protagonists our readers can identify with and root for. In fiction, perfection is boring and Trouble is king. What Conflict and Strong Characters are All About Newbie writers are always told to ensure their stories contain conflict. But what is conflict and how does one … Read more
You might be wondering what a mystery making event is. Well, let me explain… Mystery Making is the brainchild of Sisters in Crime New England, a writers organization of which I’m a member. Back when we writers made live presentations, mystery making events were primarily conducted in libraries. A panel of four writers would work … Read more
Join me and fellow mystery writers Debra H. Goldstein, Tilia Klebenov Jacobs, and Clea Simon brainstorm together to create a brand new mystery. Give us your audience suggestions and help make a mystery! The Lucius Beebe Memorial Library in Wakefield, MA hosts the event in coordination with Sisters in Crime New England. In the past, … Read more
No, I’m not drinking two beers. One was my sister’s (she’s the photographer) and, in fact, I was drinking a soda. The photo was taken during a writer’s conference where I learned exactly what Writing Community means to me. Conferences I love going to writers’ conferences. Ironically, the best ones I attended were in New … Read more
The first book in Debra Bokur’s mystery series, The Fire Thief, was released last month to rave reviews. The series is set in Hawaii and you can check it out on her website at https://www.debrabokur.com/. Debra visited with me on The Writer’s Voice this week, and we talked about how her career as a celebrated … Read more
I recently sat down with Sarah Osborne to discuss cozy mysteries, pantsing versus plotting, and her take on writing the first draft so many writers dread. You can: Listen to the podcast episode here View an excerpt of the interview on YouTube here Visit Sarah online at: https://doctorosborne.com/ The most recent book in the series, … Read more
Connie Johnson Hambley is the author of tense, twisting thrillers with a strong moral code. She visited with me earlier this week on The Writer’s Voice podcast to discuss writing and the community of writers. Connie currently serves as the president of Sisters in Crime New England and two her award-winning books, which are part … Read more
You can ask 10 different people what “success” is and you’ll get 10 different answers. However, most people agree about how you arrive at success, the destination, regardless of what your definition of the term is. In my 40+ years working in the insurance industry, I’ve made my share of mistakes and learned my share … Read more
In light of shelter in place orders, those of us who have published books in the past couple of months have found it difficult to share the word about our new releases. Even without social distancing, marketing ourselves can be difficult. I just launched The Writer’s Voice podcast, which is a forum to discuss their … Read more
Pre-Order and Save! If you pre-order the eBook now, your cost will be $2.99. Beginning May 26, the full price for the eBook will be $3.99. Click here to pre-order on Amazon Relationships People, and how you get along with them, define your professional reputation. Do people like you? Do they trust you? Do they … Read more