Where Crime, Horror, and Science Fiction Meet – Discussing new discoveries, old mysteries, creepy tales, and dark storytelling
Well, kids, that’s it for Agatha Christie. I hope that you found something interesting to use for your own work from this bestsellingest of authors. Stuff that I’ll take away: 1. You don’t have to be all organized in your notebooks. I know that seems like a really silly thing to take away, but I…
Okay, so I’ve decided to add in this as a new blog feature. I’ve been doing Random Posts of Accountability…but I realized that I only posted those when I had done something. (Was I gonna post about doing nothing? Don’t think so.) Now, every Tuesday you will be subjected to regaled by the writing progress…
I just finished reading Curtain, Poirot’s last case. (I promise I won’t give away the end.) And recently I’d also read Sleeping Murder, which is Marple’s last case. In both cases the books were written years (decades) before they were published. Also in both cases the sleuths are still sharp, still the same old human-observers,…
“‘I was thinking,’ I said, ‘that when my time comes, I should be sorry if the only plea I had to offer was that of justice. Because it might mean that only justice would be meted out to me.'”~The Vicar Leonard Clement in Murder at the Vicarage, discussing the necessity of mercy when considering a…
Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie My rating: 3 of 5 stars This book was written waaaay before it was published in 1976. It sat in a deposit box waiting for the light of day. So there may be some inconsistancies with the rest of the series…but Miss Marple is not a series that you have…
Read more Thursday Reviews: Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie (A Mentor Review!)
Strange that I should be talking about the accusations leveled against genre and literary writers when, lo, I come across an article by George Grella entitled “Murder and Manners: The Formal Detective Novel,” published in NOVEL: A Forum on Fiction, which contains an example of exactly the type of rhetoric aimed at genre writing in…
A recent post, and the comments that followed, on Nathan Bransford’s blog reminded me of an article by David Ropeik that I’d also recently come across via The Huffington Post regarding the professionality (is that even a word?) of today’s book reviewing culture. Basically, book reviews have turned into something that Just Anyone Can Do. GASP! Being an active member of…
“I cannot say that I have at any time a great admiration for Mr. Raymond West. He is, I know, supposed to be a brilliant novelist, and has made quite a name as a poet. His poems have no capital letters in them, which is, I believe, the height of modernity. His books are about…
It’s the hubby’s birthday today. I’m sure you’ll forgive me if I keep this short and start partying early? ‘Kay? Kay. Have a great weekend!
Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern My rating: 4 of 5 stars On Writing a Memoir Via Twitter: A creative idea that is surprisingly well-executed. Halpern’s Twitter feed, Sh*t My Dad Says, is a great idea for a twitter feed in general, and translated well into this short memoir in particular. I was concerned…
Read more Thursday Reviews: Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
Other Worlds, and This 