Okay, I know that rejection is no laughing matter.  But if you’re an active writer (i.e., you have finished a manuscript, article, something else that’s ready to submit), then you’ve probably experienced your [...]

A while back I referenced “Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories” as a great tool for mystery writers to use when working on their manuscript.  It is a great tool and offers advice [...]

Okay, here’s the situation. I’ve just come back from a fun, but busy, weekend out of town. I returned to a bunch of laundry, suitcases to unpack, school forms to sign and return, [...]

There was an interesting post at the Editorial Ass blog recently that you can read here: Editorial Ass: how does a stay-at-home mom go about creating a platform? Want to build a name [...]

I love Agatha Christie stories for lots of reasons:  the familiar sleuths (Miss Marple , Tommy and Tuppence, Hercule Poirot), I love the coziness of the locations (the small village, the large country [...]

I came across an interesting blog entry today, courtesy of the Renegade Writer Blog, that referenced ten common excuses for putting off writing. The author of the original piece is Gina Hiatt, Ph.D., [...]

At the Mysterious Matters blog , a mystery editor shed light on common reasons for manuscript rejection.  Apparently at their office, they keep a database of all the works they turn down.  On [...]

Okay, I know it seems I’m hopping around a lot between topics.  That’s because not only am I starting a new book, but I’ve got a book that’s being published next summer.  Although [...]

Agent Susan Rabiner offers seven tips on getting your book proposal noticed on her client, Penelope Trunk’s, blog . On the other hand, Penelope Trunk writes five reasons why you don’t need to [...]

Check out this blog entry by Moonrat regarding the editorial cycle: Editorial Ass: the Editing Cycle (a confession) . It’s reassuring to know that editors experience the same gamut of feelings that writers [...]

Here is Brian Klems’ article for Writer’s Digest on submission don’ts. He’s recently back from the Maui Writers Conference (apparently a great event, if you’ve got the means) and the five “don’ts” were [...]

Nine-tenths of the advice out there urges writers to obtain an agent before negotiating your book contract with a publisher. Here is an excellent blog (written by editor Moonrat) explaining why having an [...]

  The Carolina Conspiracy had a panel discussion this past weekend at the Gaston County Public Library in Gastonia, North Carolina, on the topic “Murder for Fun and Profit.” The branch sponsors many [...]

I would download this book, but I already have it in my library–have had it in my library since high school, actually.  If you’re not familiar with Elements of Style by William Strunk,  [...]

Okay, I know our time is limited as writers. If you have other big things going on (parenting, aging parents, a time-consuming day-job), then you have even less time. But I really think [...]

I’ll admit that I took a couple of months off this past summer. Our house was on the market (unsuccessfully, I might add! Obviously, the housing market is less than ideal right now). [...]

Today was one of those days where I couldn’t even sit down unless I was in the driver’s seat of my minivan.  Plus, it was like the Fates were throwing every wacky curve [...]

I love reading mysteries.  That’s the whole reason I chose the genre to write for.  But when I’m writing a book, I try not to read books that are similar to my own.  [...]

Is it tough for you to stay focused?  Ever find that, despite your best intentions, you start flirting with another project?  It’s the lure of the forbidden:  you’re actually supposed to be working [...]

Sometimes when you’re a mom, your life just gets incredibly busy and crazy.  Occasionally you can guess when this madness will descend, and others it just bites you in the rear end.  This [...]

Technorati Tags: character development While I’m writing my daily pages (I’m starting at the beginning of the book, but might hop around later), I’m also working at the same time on fleshing out [...]

There are days when churning out my 1-2 pages is a major chore. Today started out that way. I had a flurry of emails, phone calls, and a meeting yesterday which all dealt [...]

Some Mystery Writing Rules: Here’s an important link to review before you get too deep into your plotting: http://www.mysteryinkonline.com/2005/01/twenty_rules_fo.html You’ve got to make sure your mystery is fair. After all, you don’t want [...]

First of all, a disclaimer: this blog will follow what works for me. In fact, I may find that some of these methods DON’T even work for me, which will put me back [...]

You’re invited to come along as I chronicle writing my third cozy mystery. I hope this log will help me with my next book and help anyone else who finds writing a novel [...]