This piece is a work of fiction. The names were changed, but what the hell? I’m a writer I make shit up. I love this sentence. It’s a survivors prayer. I love this photo because my husband, Pussy Kat, is in the group shot. He’s the vato in the green shirt. He accompanies me […]
Judy Penz Sheluk reporting in with news of my latest book and an ARC Giveaway! I’m beyond excited to announce that Past & Present, the second book in my Marketville Mystery series, is now available for pre-order on Amazon for the special introductory price of $2.99. This is the sequel to Skeletons in the Attic, […]
By Sparkle Abbey Comfort Zone noun “The level at which one functions with ease and familiarity”-Merriam Dictionary Have you ever felt stagnant, like your treading water? Have you thought that it was possibly time to get out of your comfort zone? But what does it really mean? In a nutshell – doing something you […]
Dear Reader, Today, I’m sharing more of my notes on writing that I’ve taken since I began this journey to teach myself how to write a mystery. My notes are from the following books on writing mysteries: Linda Rodriguez’ Plotting the Character Driven Novel recommends these books on writing: Carolyn See’s Making a Literary Life, […]
by Shari Randall I have to admit that my favorite cooking utensils are the take-out menu and the phone. I do occasionally enjoy baking and I can follow a recipe like nobody’s business. That’s why I’ve been surprised to discover that some folks have categorized my mystery series as a “culinary cozy.” Cue laughter from my […]
Dear Readers, I’ve taken some notes in my study of how to write a mystery and today I share some of them with you. These may be from one writer or several. I’ve read books by the following writers on writing mysteries: Linda Rodriguez’ Plotting the Character Driven Novel recommends these books on writing: […]
by Sparkle Abbey What did you do to celebrate Independence Day? Here in the Midwest, there were small-town parades, fireworks, and cookouts. We decorated bikes, ate potato salad, and listened to Yankee Doodle Pops. Other parts of the country may celebrate in other ways. But whether you celebrate at the beach or in the backyard, poolside […]
By Guest Author Loretta Wheeler Thanks to Loretta for stepping up to fill my first Monday of the month spot. I’m away for most of July, sitting on the dock of the bay, wasting time. Judy Penz Sheluk. The phrase writing what you knowis almost a cliché for writers. But, I thought I’d address it a […]
This post from my website was posted in 2015. Recognition, you better recognize: as a community of writers we reinforced and reinvigorated each other, shared our experiences and created an atmosphere of trust. We gave the art a voice and wrote ekphrastic prose from our experience with the art. It was my first time in […]
My friend Dianne Freeman visits the blog today. We met through a miracle called Authors 18, an online group of writers who are all debuting novels in 2018. I’m so pleased she’s here to talk about finding, or sometimes making, your own writers tribe. –Shari Randall Before the ink was even dry on my book contract […]