Seduction has never been my thing. Not in the real world, in terms of enticing a romantic partner to my boudoir. (Does anyone even have a boudoir these days?) If you’ve seen the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, think about the scene where Kathy Bates imagines answering the door in cling wrap. That would be me on a good day. But […]
For any aspiring novelists out there, how many books do you have on how to write a novel? At least a dozen are sitting on my shelf, with a handful more taking up space on my Kindle – all mocking me. I probably subscribe to the same magazines that you do, and I’ve read many of the same articles that
I spent this past weekend at Creatures, Crimes and Creativity, a genre fiction con in Columbia, Md. Mystery and thriller writers are always well represented. If you were there, you might have attended a workshop on how to write action in thrillers from guest of honor Jamie Freveletti (shown at left, with author, publisher, and conference organizer Austin Camacho). You
“Geez. How can you write a whole book?” I get asked that a lot. Most people see a book as an extended homework assignment or some written report to humanity that has to be done before they take the dirt nap. It’s always presented, from those people who ask, as an obligation—as some onerous task that one has to suffer
What is crime? It begins as a kernel of an idea that metamorphoses itself into a series of thoughts that lead to a transgression against the law and, sometimes, the taking of a human life. It upsets the balance in a safe and ordered world. But this turmoil and chaos are precisely what an author craves and desperately needs when
Is this you? You’re just getting started in the field of mystery writing and eager to hone your craft. You’d like to enroll in a writing course or attend a conference, but don’t know how you can afford it. Perhaps the expense of doing research for your current work in progress is keeping you from your goal. If this sounds
Part III: The Courtroom—Guilty Plea and Trial Part I and Part II of this series explore police procedure and constitutional rights during the investigation phase. Now, on to the really fun part! The courtroom. Writers: Your fictional perp is caught and indicted. It’s time to deal or go to trial. Arraignment and Bail Hearing First stop, arraignment on the indictment.
Part II: Stop & Frisk, Arrest, Identification Procedures, Indictment Last week in Part I: Search and Seizure, I asked (and mostly didn’t answer) the question of whether you should worry about getting the law right in your stories and novels. It’s up to you—after all, we’re writing fiction! For the sake of realism, if you want your fictional perp to end
Part I: Search and Seizure For my novels about a female prosecutor, much of the “legal research” is in my head from a career in criminal justice and the court system. Police work and courtroom drama are great for building suspense. I also strive for accuracy under the law. Authors: Should you be concerned with accuracy? After all, you’re writing
Accidentally In Love – On Series Characters By Angel Colon There’s a kind of magic that happens when a character finally “clicks”. Dialogue and action are second nature—of course he/she would do this because this happened. There’s a familiarity present that feels nearly physical, as if the character were a friend that hasn’t called in a while. That attachment lends
What Are the Elements of a Great PI Series? by Alex Segura I didn’t think I was writing a series when I started working on my debut novel, Silent City. At that point, I was flying blind, toying with the idea of writing my very own crime novel in the same vein as the books that inspired me. But as
Five Bits of Writing Advice That May or May Not Work For You By Rob Hart I want to open this with a caveat: Not all writing advice is good advice. Because it’s all subjective. Like how some people will tell you the only way to be successful is to write every day. I don’t believe that. I don’t
This post appeared in slightly different form on the crime fiction site Do Some Damage on April 3, 2018. *** I remember reading years ago that Jerzy Kosinski had an unusual writing routine. During every twenty four hour period, he would sleep twice for four hours. This allowed him to work during the quietest times of the night and early
This piece appeared in slightly different form on Criminal Element. The opening of Robert Benton’s private eye film The Late Show is chock-full of deception. We first see the Warner Brothers logo, but it’s not the Warner logo of 1977, the year the film was released. It’s a sepia colored 1940’s era Warner logo, and right away we hear soft 40’s style piano music
Sometimes, on panels or at book club visits, I’m asked, “Why mysteries?” Other than that I love to read them, that I grew up spending hours in the company of yet another Agatha Christie or Dick Francis, I like to reply that mysteries, and crime fiction in general, provide the satisfaction of structure. Crime fiction demands a beginning, middle, and
