#authorlife

Behind the scenes of the writing life, including protips and personal best practices

2023 in Review: Highs, Lows and Turning Points

2023 in Review: Highs, Lows and Turning Points

How did your 2023 go? Mine went something like this. High I won the 2023 Silver Falchion award for Best Historical at the Killer Nashville International Writer’s Conference this year. The award banquet was Saturday evening, after 2.5 days of non-stop seminars,...

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Life Lessons from a Christmas Nutcracker

Life Lessons from a Christmas Nutcracker

When I was 11, I made a nutcracker for my mother for Christmas. As a child, I was entranced by Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. I’d never seen a real nutcracker but loved the music and a glimpse into a faraway place so different from my hometown of Rome, New York. That...

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Jailbirds

Jailbirds

While chatting with fellow author Shelley Blanton-Stroud (grab her free book, COPY BOY) for an upcoming episode of Mystery Crew Reviews, she asked if my villainous great-grandfather was the impetus for my love of mystery. “No,” I replied, because I was well into my...

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Killer Nashville’s success story

Killer Nashville’s success story

There is a success story behind the Killer Nashville International Mystery Writer’s Conference. The weekend among my fellow writers always inspires and recharges. This was my 4th time attending. The schedule is geared to help attendees connect with other authors as...

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Mini Masterclass: How to Write a Mystery Series

Mini Masterclass: How to Write a Mystery Series

Did you ever want to write a mystery series? Have an idea for a character but nothing else? Maybe you need a blueprint for finally getting that mystery series written. True Story When I worked for the CIA, diving into real-life mysteries, I loved reading mysteries...

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The Beast - The Angler - Who's Who Guide to the Series

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