Barbara Fradkin's Blog, page 22

Building Your Base

 by Catherine DiltsThe annual Ultra running event 24 Hours of Palmer Lakebegan at 8:00 the morning of September 28. But preparation began long beforeracers crossed the starting line.An Ultra is a footrace that exceeds the marathondistance of 26.2 miles.I registered months before. My younger daughter saysher puppy is a food motivated dog. Will behave for treats. I’m a goalmotivated

Critique Groups

 By Thomas KiesIn my creative writing classes, I often suggest that the participants join the North Carolina Writers Network and the local organization, our Carteret Writers.  It’s good to be in the company of people with similar interests. In addition, I suggest that they join a critique group.  Indeed, when my last class ended last spring, everyone asked if I would stay on

A Writer's Superpower

 by Sybil JohnsonI believe that every writer has a superpower. It might be the ability to craft clever dialog or describe a scene so well the reader feels like they are there. Awhile back, on the Chicks on the Case blog, I talked about my superpower. This originally was posted a little over a year ago on that blog. I thought it worth reposting here. Enjoy.When Worrying Pays OffI am a

Well Shut My Mouth

 by Charlotte HingerYears ago, a lady I think the world of--a dear, dear friend, a native Kansan like me, scolded me after a talk I had given. She said "You really don't like Kansas, much, do you." I was dumbfounded and stricken with remorse. What had I said that gave her that impression?Anyone who knows me and reads my books knows I'm plumb silly about my native state. I've always loved

Introducing Steve Pease

 by Steve Pease (Michael Chandos)Thanks for the invite to join this most interesting writer’s blog. I am Steve Pease and I live in Colorado’s Black Forest. I write mysteries and science fiction under the pen name of Michael Chandos. Why a pen name and why that one will be a future blog. My education is aerospace engineering, astronomy and criminal justice. I spent 34.5 years as an USAF

Never let the truth...

 ...get in the way of a good story.  Mark TwainFiction requires the suspension of disbelief. If we pick up an epic fantasy, we have no problem accepting a world of orcs, dragons, and magic. But it seems the closer the story world is to our own, the more rigid our factual expectations from the author. Years back, I was engrossed in a WW2 historical thriller about a Nazi plot to kill FDR

No Good Tale Should Go Untold

Donis here. Sometimes, we writers wonder about the ethics of using a third party’s actual life experience as a plot line. I use real events, both historical and personal, all the time. When I have used personal events, I either disguise them or ask permission of the individual to whom it happened. I do have the writer’s mind, though, and when I hear an intriguing story, I do not forget it, though

The long journey

 This week, I decided to take up Charlotte's question about managing time and juggling the various aspects of a writer's career. My system has changed immensely over the years. My first novel, DO OR DIE was published 24 years ago, before social media, websites,  goodreads, etc. Many of the readers I was hoping to reach didn't even have email. It's difficult to imagine how we coped, but

The Fun Begins

 by Catherine DiltsDon’t we always want to skip the boring parts and get rightto the fun? When I have a new idea for a story, I’m tempted to dive straightinto the writing. But leaping from the dream phase to the manuscript rarelyworks out well for me. The same goes for my garden. Gardening and writing fiction follow similar paths. Phaseone is imagining the project. Dreaming. Phase two

Bouchercon 2024

 By Thomas KiesWhile it seems like a long time ago, it's only been a couple of weeks that I had the pleasure of attending Bouchercon 2024. The Anthony Boucher Memorial World Mystery Convention, is an annual convention of creators and devotees of mystery and detective fiction. It is named in honor of writer, reviewer, and editor Anthony Boucher, and pronounced the way he pronounced his name,