by Kay Kendall Even though the Bechdel Rule has been around for three decades, I never heard about it until seven years ago when it first popped up in film reviews in the New York Times. Now, I love movies and try hard to keep abreast of trends, so I looked it up pretty quick. […]
by Kay Kendall ~~~~~~~ While I would happily write in a garret—as nineteenth-century authors often did—instead I only use our third bedroom that was originally intended for guests. Since these days I don’t even open the lair’s door and let our cleaner inside, you can guess just how many guests have stayed in it recently. […]
by Kay Kendall Originally I planned another subject for today’s blog post. Then more and more things began hitting me. Not personally, you understand. The damaging stuff is happening out in my world, and yours too. But the last straw was the dreadful conflagration two days ago at the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral. So […]
by Kay Kendall One of the perennial questions asked of us mystery authors at events is whether we use outlines or are we “pantsers.” That is, do we write by the seat of our pants, and just let the outlines be damned? As a published author of six years’ time, having heard this question asked many […]
By Kay Kendall Last week my third mystery launched. My book’s birthday plus my own made it a stellar week. I can’t give you a piece of birthday cake, so here’s a song for you. Fiona Apple sings “After You’ve Gone.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH3tvv-qnrI The song was penned in 1918, remaining popular throughout the next several decades—especially during […]
Now, more than ever it seems, we all need this. Author Kay Kendall is closing out a challenging year and eagerly anticipating 2019. In the month of February she will have her third mystery debut. She lives in Texas with her Canadian husband, three house rabbits, and spaniel Wills. Visit Kay at her website http://www.austinstarr.com/ or on Facebook […]
By Kay Kendall In my Austin Starr mystery series I try not just to entertain but also to portray what an historical era is like. My first two books are set in the tumultuous 1960s: Desolation Row and Rainy Day Women. Due out next February is a prequel, After You’ve Gone. It features Austin Starr’s […]
By Kay Kendall Ah, the ease of the online wish list. I battled against the concept for years. But I finally succumbed. What I GAINED: several hours of my precious time. What I LOST: the joy of watching loved ones delighted by their surprise gifts. If you are a boomer (as I am), then you […]
By Kay Kendall Darned good thing I’m not required to wear stilettos to be part of this magnificent gang of writers. I’m tall, two inches shy of six feet, and have no need whatsoever for sky-high heels. And to boot (hee hee) I don’t wear red shoes—or any other bright color. Nature gifted me with […]
by Kay Kendall Reading is similar to chocolate. It tastes luscious to most people, but not to all. These days, however, we know through research that chocolate is a healthy thing to eat. Scientific researchers have likewise come up with reasons why we should read. Here is a curated list of reasons scientists say […]