by Kathy Waller Today is Memorial Day, the last Monday in May, when we remember the men and women of the military to whom we cannot say,...

by Helen Currie Foster We read to learn, we read to be entertained. We begged at age three, “Tell me a story.” The stories began, “Once...

By N. M. Cedeño Previously, I wrote a post covering some of the basic rules for submitting short stories to anthologies, magazines, and...

by Helen Currie Foster In the back of the closet I recently unearthed my mother’s old Caswell Massey “Gardenia” bubble bath. The...

Authors, how do you name your characters? Name Cloud by Wordcloud The average person only has to come up with names when they are naming...

by Renee Kimball “Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.” ― Ray Bradbury “. . . And what, you ask, does writing teach...

by N. M. Cedeño Writers, if you don’t already assess your writing habits at the end of the year, you should consider doing it. Many...

by Kathy Waller “Long before I wrote stories, I listened for stories. Listening for them is something more acute than listening to them....

by Renee Kimball Ex Libris, Confessions of a Common Reader, author Anne Fadiman explains the origin of the term, “common reader”—which...

By N. M. Cedeño Most people find it hard to concentrate on work when their stress levels rise. Meeting work goals becomes a challenge,...

I know, you’re asking yourself what barbecue has to do with mystery writing, my other beloved topic. Barbecuing, like writing (see K.P....

by K.P. Gresham This pandemic thing is getting really old. (A quote from Captain Obvious, obviously) But we writers have one thing in our...

Why, exactly, do we take such interest in what our favorite detectives eat or what a character like Aunt Agatha grabs for first at...

“Alice’s ghost is rumored to haunt the dorm, but don’t worry, she’s a benevolent ghost. She likes to watch over students. Here is her...

by K.P. Gresham The Texas Governor’s Mansion is the perfect setting for my next book in the Pastor Matt Hayden Mystery Series. I’ve said...

By K.P. Gresham The spring of 2020 has provided me with the opportunity to return to one of my favorite pastimes…and escapes. READING!...

By Helen Currie Foster So, did you dress up for Halloween? Did you buy a mask in New Orleans, or Venice, perhaps one with feathers? What...

Sometimes, as an author I am asked where I get ideas for my short stories. I get my inspiration from books and articles I read, places I...

by Renee Kimball Neil Richard Gaiman will turn 60 this year. Gaiman’s stories and characters are now in our hearts and embedded in our...

Have you ever fallen down the research rabbit hole when looking for details for your writing? by Pixabay I have. Because I read...