The Ultimate Secret to Productivity
My #1 secret to productivity isn't an app or a clock. But it works better than either. As a...
Fiesta Stories from the Insider’s Guide to the Best of Mexico
Mexico's rich culture is a big part of my Detective Emilia Cruz series set in Acapulco and...
Art Stories from the Insider’s Guide to the Best of Mexico
As a mystery writer, my Detective Emilia Cruz police procedural series usually explores the dark...
“Relevance and immediacy:” A chat with thriller author David Bruns
The #friends section of this website is all about walking and talking with awesome mystery and...
Author to Author: Jinx Schwartz and Carmen Amato
As a mystery author of books set in Mexico, I have been lucky enough to build a great network of...
Author to Author with Penn Wallace
On real life Tell us a bit about your family. I have a rather unconventional family. My father is...
Author to Author: Robert Joe Stout and Carmen Amato
I recently had the chance to have a series of conversations with members of the Mexico Writers...
Friends with Books: Leigh Thelmadatter of Creative Hands of Mexico
As a mystery author of books set in Mexico, I have been lucky enough to build a great network of...
Art and the Greek Economic Crisis
Although many of my books are set in Mexico, and I write frequently about current events there,...
10 Ways to Get a Clue
How many moving parts does it take to build a mystery novel? Do you want the short answer? (lots)...
Leighton Gage’s Legacy
On Wednesday, 13 May, Facebook reminded me that it was Leighton Gage's birthday. I found the...
Film Rights to Acapulco Mystery Series Acquired by Screenwriter
I am thrilled to announce, after weeks of negotiations between lawyers, that a contract for the...
Intention versus Reaction
"Persistence is the master virtue." The quote is attributed to the great thinker Anonymous. As I...
The Elusive Charms of Productivity
I’ve been reading the blog of James Clear, a life coach and productivity expert. While I mostly...
Visiting Norway, Mystery Author Style
Can a mystery author who writes about sunny Mexico really love cold places? Yep. Besides Mexico,...
Thrillers are Tastier on Talavera Pottery
If you read this blog with any regularity you know the following; I am a mystery author I drink...
Mexican Retablos: Prayers on Steel
After a few bites of the cake Raul seemed to realize that she was waiting. “He read about the...
Little Silver Miracles
I’ve been thinking about visual inspiration lately, as I tackle KING PESO, the 4th Emilia Cruz...
A Box, a Mystery Series, and Some Lacquer
She came back a moment later with a box decorated in the traditional rayada carved lacquer...
How to write a political thriller
One of the most often-asked questions for a mystery and thriller author is "Where does your...
One Heart, Three Tragedies
Three places I love are bleeding and all I can do is watch and pray. Mexico As many readers know,...
Theme for 2015: Maximize!
At our family New Year’s Eve dinner, I asked if anyone had made any resolutions. My...
It Goes Without Saying
It wasn’t a high school for the performing arts, but it came darn close. Every year, my Catholic...
The Ghost of Christmas Past
What if you were truly haunted by the ghost of Christmas past?Sometimes I think I might be.That...