Kassandra Lamb's Blog, page 32

6 Reasons Why a Little Free Library is a Wonderful Idea

by Kassandra Lamb

Have you heard of the little free library movement? Here’s the one that sprang up in my neighborhood recently. The idea is that anyone can take a book or leave a book.

The first Little Free Library was built by Todd H. Bol in honor of his mother, a schoolteacher who loved books. Todd then went on to establish a not-for-profit organization to spread these little libraries everywhere.

So here are 6 reasons why having one in your neighborhood is a great idea.

First Little Free...

“Off” Week Treat: What’s Your Favorite 1st Line of a Novel?

by Kassandra Lamb

One of my favorite blogs for writers is Anne R. Allen’s Blog…with Ruth Harris. Their post (by Ruth) last Sunday was particularly fun. It talks about first sentences in novels, and gives a lot of awesome examples.

Some are quite simple, and yet they inspire curiosity and encourage the reader to read on.

Now, if you’re not a writer, you might want to skip on down to the examples in her post, after reading the opening, which is itself an excellent example of how to hook someone...

A Crime Writers Interview: Leslie Karst

Prepare to have your appetite whetted, for both Leslie Karst’s books and for a good meal.

The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie learned early, during family dinner conversations, the value of both careful analysis and the arts—ideal ingredients for a mystery story. She now writes the Sally Solari Mysteries (Dying for a Taste, A Measure of Murder, Death al Fresco), a culinary series set in Santa Cruz, California. An ex-lawyer like her sleuth, Leslie also has degrees in English...

The Magic is in the Process

Hey, all! Gilian here. We don’t always publish something here on our “off” weeks, but this week, you got lucky.

Have You Ever Been Haunted by a Goddess?

by S.O. Esposito

Have you ever been haunted by a goddess?

Over the past few years, a character named Alice has haunted me. She made her debut in a piece of flash fiction I wrote in 2011 called Mario’s Goddess. She now officially has her very own full-length story in my new psychological suspense, THE BURNING.

This book came to me differently than my cozy mysteries, and it’s a much darker tale. In the flash fiction story, Alice is the goddess of war and is locked up in a mental institution. O...

5 (+ 2 Bonus) Tips for a Fun and Fit Dog Walk

by Kassandra Lamb

For our “off” week this week, I thought I’d share a post I put up on my own blog…

I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while, as I’ve observed that my style of dog-walking is a bit different from most people’s. Too often the dog walks I see are really dog “strolls” with frequent dog “stops.”

I spend a lot of time sitting at my computer developing what we authors not so lovingly call “writer’s butt.” So I’m always looking for fun ways to get more exercise.

Watson NOT...

A Crime Writers Interview: Jenna Harte

Welcome to another Crime Writers Interview!

We try to draw out what is unique and special about each author we interview. There are some real gems tucked away in this chat I had with Jenna Harte, especially at the end when I asked what question she wished interviewers would ask her. I just loved her answer!

Please give a warm welcome to Jenna Harte!

Jenna is a total romantic who also loves a good mystery. The first of her Valentine Mysteries, Deadly Valentine, reached the quarter-finals in...

True Crime and Criminals

Happy First Day of Spring!!

We’re using this “off” week to announce something special for you all.

We’re in the process of gathering the most fascinating tidbits from our archived posts into topic pages.

The first of these are now live under the parent page: True Crime and Criminals.  Check them out!

Sophie Lyons (1848-1924) thief, pickpocket and con woman

True Crime and Crime-fighters in History by K.B. Owen

The Making of a Psychopath by Kass Lamb

Here are the other parent pages (with some...

The Ides of March: more than the Shakespeare play you read in school

I first heard the phrase “the ides of March” in ninth grade, when we were assigned Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. It’s a great play for your average teen, full of intrigue, deceit, betrayal, prophecy, political power, and murder. The soothsayer’s prognostication in the play is now legendary:

Beware the ides of March.

That’s it: short and sweet. Ever notice that most soothsayers in these stories are cryptic old men? A little more information would have been handy for Julius, who was assassinat...

Laugh Lines Make the Best Wrinkles #BOAW2018

by Kassandra Lamb

This would normally be an “off” week for our blog, but I’m participating in the Beauty of a Woman Blogfest VII this week, as I’ve done each year since its inception (or maybe I jumped in at year 2; I can’t remember for sure). This wonderful celebration of women is sponsored by the beautiful-inside-and-out August McLaughlin.

So here’s a short and hopefully amusing post in honor of humorous women. Please hop over to the BOAW site when you’re finished reading and check out the...