Make sure your reader wants to solve your mystery

Posted on August 22, 2019 at 4:37 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Zara Altair wants to ensure your reader is just as invested as your sleuth is in solving the mystery in...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Mystery, Plot / narrative, Writing advice, Zara Altair

What to expect when basing a novel on real-life drama

Posted on August 13, 2019 at 3:43 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Stephanie Kane knows, from experience, the risks and rewards of using real-life events as inspiration for fiction. Her novel Quiet...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Mystery, Thriller, Writer's Digest, Writing advice

Author Q&A: Debbie De Louise

Posted on August 13, 2019 at 8:00 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Mystery author Debbie De Louise's photo and website URL.

Today we're interviewing Debbie De Louise, who writes novels in addition to working as a reference librarian at a public library.

Categories: Author Interview

Tagged As: Author interview, Mystery

Happy 115th birthday to Dorothy B. Hughes

Posted on August 10, 2019 at 4:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Dorothy B. Hughes, the queen of noir, was born on this day in 1904. She produced the majority of her...

Tagged As: Mystery, Women in literature

Author Q&A: James J. Cudney

Posted on August 7, 2019 at 8:00 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Contemporary fiction author James J. Cudney’s photo and website URL.

Today we’re interviewing contemporary-fiction author James J. Cudney.

Categories: Author Interview

Tagged As: Author interview, Mystery

Start your mystery out strong

Posted on August 6, 2019 at 4:24 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

It’s a toss-up whether the beginning or ending of a story is the toughest part to write. But there’s no...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: First lines and first chapters, Mystery, Writing advice, Zara Altair

Author Q&A: Hannah Howe

Posted on August 2, 2019 at 8:00 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Mystery author Hannah Howe's avatar and website URL.

Today we’re interviewing mystery writer Hannah Howe.

Categories: Author Interview

Tagged As: Author interview, Mystery

Author Q&A: Rachael Wright

Posted on August 1, 2019 at 8:00 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Mystery author Rachael Wright's photo and website URL.

Today we’re interviewing Rachael Wright, an author of international mysteries.

Categories: Author Interview

Tagged As: Author interview, Mystery

The four acts of your mystery plot

Posted on July 30, 2019 at 3:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Writers who seek middle ground between full-blown outlines and complete improvisation have another option. Zara Altair compares the four-act structure...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Mystery, Plot / narrative, Writing advice, Zara Altair

A true-crime book for every state

Posted on July 30, 2019 at 2:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

The New York Times book section is on a real murder streak lately. We recently shared its list of authors’...

Categories: Today in Books

Tagged As: Book lists, Mystery, The New York Times