The Black Stiletto’s Stomping Grounds

Guest Blogger: Raymond Benson They say (who are “they,” anyway?) to write what you know, and while there’s a lot to be said for that adage, I’m not sure those of us who are practitioners of thrillers, mysteries, or other genres such as horror, science fiction, and fantasy—can write what we …

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Cut Off, With Time Running Out

Guest Blogger: Meg Gardiner Thriller writers grumble that in the twenty-first century, it’s tough to create suspense by isolating a character in dangerous circumstances. For decades, authors could easily strand their heroes in a dark alley, or cast them alone onto a deserted shore, and force them to face down …

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Nick Heller’s Boston

Guest Blogger: Joseph Finder When the time came for me to create a series character, I knew right away that whoever that character might turn out to be, he’d have to be from Boston. Nick Heller, as he turned out, is, like me, an adopted son, rather than a native …

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Modern Crime Fiction: Cool Science or Hot Characters?

Guest Blogger: D.P. Lyle Over the past decade I’ve answered literally thousands of medical and forensic questions for fiction writers. I think last count was somewhere north of 6000. One of the questions I’m often asked is: How much do I need to know about forensic science? The short answer …

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Digging for Treasure

Guest Blogger: Lisa See I love to do research for my books. Sometimes, and on certain days, it’s my absolute favorite part of the writing process.  First, I never know what I’m going to find.  Second, I truly never know what I’m going to find.  (You can see I’m passionate …

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Writing is Never Routine

Guest Blogger: Norb Vonnegut Many people ask about my “writing routine.” I think they expect to hear stories about a cone of silence—about me shutting the door on sounds or emails or any one of the million distractions that conspire to make authors unproductive. Well, the truth is I like …

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True Fiction

Guest Blogger: Dennis Tafoya Here is a small sampling of where I’ve been spending my nights: The New Jersey Department of Corrections; The Uniform Crime Report of the FBI for 2010 (The good news, violent crime is down); Bersa Firearms (who offer a .380 semi-automatic with pink grips to support …

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Inspiration through Research

Guest Blogger: David Sakmyster “You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.” – J.R.R. Tolkien My favorite part about the writing process (next to typing ‘The End’ at the appropriate spot, and sending said object of my blood, sweat …

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My Ode to the True Crime Fan

Guest Blogger:   M. William Phelps Janice was kind enough to ask me to blog here (something I don’t do much anymore), and I gratefully appreciate her thinking of me in this regard. This is an important year for me. A moment I have worked toward for nearly a decade. LOVE …

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Writing Powerful and Evocative Settings

Guest Blogger: Allison Brennan Tonight, I’m touring famous Los Angeles crime scenes with none other than James Ellroy. The talented and intriguing Ellroy has a new show with the Discovery Channel called L.A.: City of Demons that premieres January 19. I was thrilled to be invited on a bus tour …

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