Cathy Perkins's Blog, page 3

So You Want to Write a Book

By Sparkle Abbey

Part 2: Old School Research

Welcome back to So You Want to Write a Book!

There’s a book in everyone, right? If you’ve decided that there’s a book in you and you’re ready to embark on that journey, we’re excited for you!

Last month we talked about where to start when writing a book for the first time. We asked you a lot of questions, such as:

Are you passionate about a particular storyline? What type of book are you interested in writing? What idea is constantly on your mind?

...

Clicking Our Heels - Physically Moving Outside Our Comfort Zones?

Clicking Our Heels – Physically Moving Outside Our Comfort Zones?

In last month’s Clicking Our Heels blog post we discussed our favorite forms of exercise. Our answers were quite varied, but what if we had an opportunity to physically move outside our comfort zones? What if we had the option to skydive, bungee jump, mountain climb, or ??? – would we or would we opt to be couch potatoes?

 

Mary Lee Ashford: Oh, no. No skydiving, bungee jumping, or mountain climbing for me. Boating could be a yes,...

Writer, humanist, dog-mom, horse servant and ca...

 

Writer, humanist,

          dog-mom, horse servant and cat-slave,

       Lover of solitude

          and the company of good friends,

        new places, new ideas

           and old wisdom.

 

Today, I delve into the decade I was born into but have only a vague recollection of—the 1950s. The vehicle for time travel was Lynn McPherson’s delightful The Girls Dressed for Murder. So far, there are three books with Izzy: The Girls' Weekend Murder, The Girls Whispered Murder, and The Girls Dressed for Murde...

Mental Health and the Pandemic by Juliana Aragon Fatula

May 25, 2022

Dear Reader,

This year I’ve written book reviews, judged book contests, entered two manuscripts for publishing and started writing a new novel. My writing has been sporadic, and my submissions have been few, but I continue to write and read and do research and learn every day.

I’ve been writing for the Stiletto Gang for years and have written several posts about my life as a writer and educator. I’ve also written about my genealogy research and stories about my ancestors. I’ve posted b...

Writing as Catharsis

Who would think this cute baby would grow up to be the inspiration
for the woman who makes the Wicked Witch of the West look like
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm?By Lois Winston 

During an interview recently, the interviewer told me she loves Anastasia Pollack, my reluctant amateur sleuth, but the character she really, really loves is Anastasia’s communist mother-in-law. “You write the best antagonists!” she said, then asked me where I came up with the idea of giving my protagonist a communist mother-in...

Interview with Cozy Author, Rose Kerr

By Lynn McPherson

I met Rose Kerr earlier this year at Malice Domestic. We had a few good chats over some delicious cake and I'm delighted to have her here today to talk about her great new book, Death on the Set. It's the first book in the Brenna Flynn Mystery Series, recently published by Touchpoint Press.

Rose, can you tell us about your debut novel, Death on the Set?

Brenna Flynn is my protagonist in Death on the Set. Brenna's had some bad luck. Her husband was killed in a highway accident, and...

Short Story Month and a Diabolical Treat

by Paula Gail Benson

In World News ERA, Ashleigh Durden wrote an article “Why is May Short Story Month?” that delves into the history and practices to celebrate short fiction. She traces declaring May short story month to Dan Wickett, the founder and editor of the Emerging Writers Network (EWN), who on April 7, 2007, posted an article suggesting a short story month, just as April had been designated National Poetry Month. That following May, Wickett read and reviewed a short story a day. Due to ...

Book Babies: A Guest Post by Rosalie Spielman

I want to wish a very warm Stiletto Gang welcome to Rosalie Spielman. Rosalie has committed a portion of the proceeds of the sales of her book, Welcome Home to Murder, to the DAV - Disabled American Veterans. What a worthy cause! Read on to learn more about Rosalie and see how you can take part in this great fundraiser. --Shari Randall

Every author dreams of that day when the story that they labored over and loved into existence is birthed into reality. But what happens when the idea is not origi...

The Truth About True Crime: Why I'll Never Write One Again by Lynn Chandler Willis

My first book was a non-fiction account of a headline grabbing murder that happened in my own small town. As the owner, publisher, editor, ad sales (and design) and distribution manager of a small town newspaper, I covered the murder extensively, and often exclusively, in the paper.  Although the paper started small, we had a 13-year run and closed with a circulation of 10 thousand plus. Not too bad for an ad-supported bi-weekly newspaper. 

This murder was the only one I ever covered in the paper...

Look! Life! Time... and The Saturday Evening Post

 

Yesterday, I cleared out my mother's last storage space, and now a dozen boxes and the same number of overflowing paper sacks are stacked three deep in my living room, which now resembles the local Goodwill store. I've given away half the stuff, but the thing that's slowed me down are choosing the special items I want to give to relatives and friends, and a stack of old magazines: Look, Life, Time, and The Saturday Evening Post.

Each publication provides a fascinating glimpse into what the world...