Kassandra Lamb's Blog, page 7

Some Rad Reads Book Reviews! (plus a New Release)

by Kassandra Lamb ~ While I’m prepping for a trip tomorrow to an exciting writers’ conference (I’ll tell you all about it when I get back), I figured I’d drop these “Rad Reads” book reviews here, for your reading pleasure. You can find somewhat more detailed versions of these reviews on my website HERE.

A Corpse at the Castle: A Highland Horse Whisperer Mystery, Book 1, by R.B. Marshall, Free

Horses, the Scottish countryside, and Queen Elizabeth…what’s not to like in this cozy mystery?

...

An Off-Week Warning: The Risk of Secondary Drowning

by Kassandra Lamb ~ A couple years ago, Kathy Owen posted about the risk of children drowning, and how it is easy to miss the signs. A drowning person doesn’t always flail around. But I recently heard about another risk that’s rare…but even scarier. The risk of Secondary Drowning, especially in children.

photo by Lavi Perchik on Unsplash.com

Secondary drowning can occur when a person breathes in small amounts of water while swimming. This aspirated water can then irritate the lungs, causing...

Embracing the Unconventional: Exploring Experimental Fiction in the Mystery Genre (Plus a New Release)

by Kirsten Weiss ~ My new book, The Mysteries of Tarot, isn’t my usual cozy mystery. It’s experimental fiction. Ostensibly a Tarot guidebook (which you can really use to learn Tarot), it’s also a murder mystery.

I’ve played with experimental fiction in short stories and have used elements of it in my cozy mysteries. But this is my first full-length experimental piece.

Experimental fiction, as the name suggests, challenges traditional narrative conventions and seeks to break free from th...

A Memorial Day Salute to All our Heroes, Including Our Readers!! (an encore)

by Kassandra Lamb ~ This seemed like a good time to re-run our Memorial Day post from 2020! (Otherwise known as the year from hell.)

This Memorial Day, we would like to honor three groups: our fallen warriors, our first responders/ healthcare workers, and our readers.

photo by Lawrence Hookham on Unpslash

First, we’d like to recognize all those who have given their all to defend our country! It is hard to even find words (and I’m a writer so words are my thing) to express our deepest app...

Where the Research Takes Us: Trapped Ghosts, Guns on Planes, and Killer Microphones

by Kassandra Lamb (on behalf of the whole gang) ~ We writers frequently encounter situations in our stories where we might not know all the necessary details to make the scene realistic. So we turn to research (which is a lot easier today with the internet). Where does the research take us? To some pretty interesting places sometimes. But also, occasionally, some frustrating and/or scary places!

Guns On Planes…Oh my!

When I was writing my last C.o.P. on the Scene mystery, I was sending Chi...

3 Reasons Why Fictional Sleuths Can Never Take True Vacations (an Encore)

by Kathy (K.B.) Owen ~ Ahh, May is here; time to think about our summer vacations. But sadly fictional sleuths can never take true vacations. Here’s why…

Just like everyone else, our sleuth (amateur or otherwise) is more than ready to leave the hustle and bustle behind and relax, dig toes in the sand, perhaps sip a cool beverage beside the water. Not a care in the world.

Nope. Not gonna happen. The mystery writer is there to ruthlessly yank that illusion away. Bwahaha. 

Why are we m...

Wedding Tropes (Plus a New Release)

(Jeremy Wong Weddings, Unsplash.com)

by Kirsten Weiss ~ Weddings are beautiful and joyous occasions, and an important part of our shared traditions. But they can also be ripe with comedic potential. From the chaotic planning process to the awkward speeches, weddings provide plenty of fodder for laughs and fun. It’s no surprise that wedding tropes have become a staple in books and on the screen.

We just can’t seem to get enough of the hilarious hijinks that can ensue when two people tie th...

Wacky Relatives and Other Wedding Woes (an encore) ~ Plus a New Release

by Kassandra Lamb ~ With wedding season rapidly approaching, and a wedding featured in Kirsten Weiss’s new release this month, I thought it might be a good time to rerun this post I wrote in 2013…back when Kirsten was releasing her fourth book in her first series ~ Wacky Relatives and Other Wedding Woes.

First, the Wacky Relatives

When my husband and I were planning our wedding, a few of his, shall we say, less stable family members were being a bit problematic. For the sake of cordial rel...

4 Ways to Conquer the Murky Middle

by Kassandra Lamb ~ For all writers, the middle of a novel is usually the hardest to write. The pace often slows as you struggle to keep readers engaged and to move the plot forward…but not too fast or then you will only have a novella. Conquering the “murky middle,” for many of us, is our greatest challenge as writers.

Negotiating the murky middle sometimes feels like you are lost in a fog bank. (photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash.com)

For pantsers—those of us who write by the seat of our pa...

Happy Easter! Happy Passover!

photo by Sebastian Staines on Unsplash.com

The post Happy Easter! Happy Passover! appeared first on Misterio Press.