by Sparkle Abbey Reader expectation is a powerful thing. Especially today when readers can jump on the Internet and express with contagious enthusiasm that what we’ve created has met their expectations. Those reviews rock! Or they can write a scathing review on Amazon when they’re upset with a book, promising to never, ever read that […]
2017 Denise Chavez Casa Camino Real, Las Cruces, NM Hello gang! I’m back. I travelled to the border with a great friend, Dr. Judy Noel. I’ll tell you about my adventures and experiences in the bookstore, Casa Camino Real. A brilliant writer, Denise Chavez, invited me to visit her bookstore. You don’t have to ask […]
by Sparkle Abbey “All the effort in the world won’t matter if you’re not inspired.”―Chuck Palahniuk Inspiration is everywhere. As writers, we are always looking for ways to be stirred to greatness… or at least to productivity. Inspiration drives actions. In our case, that means words on the blank page. When we’re on deadline, as […]
Fifty-five and still alive party, five years ago, casa fatula celebrating fifty-five, five years ago Vincent and Juliana Aragon Fatula Ok, so I turned sixty this year and didn’t celebrate due to extenuating circumstances. But this year I saved all my celebrating for the day my cousin, Barb turned sixty-sox on the Fourth of July, […]
I promised you an interview and I have posted it here on this website. Hope you like it. Mi comadre la Denise Chávez A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Denise Elia Chávez, a UNM alumna and Las Cruces, NM resident. Chávez is a novelist, short story writer, playwright, actor and teacher who focuses her […]
It’s my turn again and I have nothing. So I’m going to ramble a bit about nothing. It occurred to me the other day that I’ve been to twice as many conferences this year than ever before. January I was in Honolulu, Hawaii with Left Coast Crime – had a blast and able to cross […]
Phoebe Gomez Mondragon 1970’s. Southern Colorado my maternal grandmother. Juliana Aragon Gomez Gallegos Mondragon Aragon Fatula granddaughter of Phoebe Mondragon Excuse me for my late night blogging. It’s Tuesday and I’ve had a busy week. So busy that I’ve failed to take the time to write a really great post. And I’m tired and it’s […]
by Sparkle Abbey To retreat is an act or a process of withdrawing. At least according to our handy Merriam Webster Dictionary app. However, it has also come to mean a place you go to get away from it all. A place to relax, reflection and recharge. This past weekend we participated in a different […]
by Sparkle Abbey Since we read and write cozy mysteries, there was a high probability that we’d also like British mystery shows. We do. And not just the mysteries, but also the cooking, drama, and comedy shows. In fact, British TV has been popular for a while—well before the smash hit Downton Abbey. Did you […]
Conundrum Press Write what you know. If you don’t know about something read a book, research, ask experts about their field. If you don’t know how to write a murder mystery, and you want to write one, read a few hundred in the genre you like. I’ve read mysteries written by men, women, and to […]