June Shaw's Blog, page 15
February 3, 2015
Guest Blog: Patricia Wynn
Posted by Carola
Patricia Wynn is the award-winning author of 15 published novels, including the Blue Satan mystery series. She has a degree in history from Rice University. Before becoming an author, she tried international commercial banking and pre-veterinarian studies. She worked as a nursemaid in the French Alps and went to school in Guadalajara, Mexico. She loves reading, animals, and travel. An unabashed anglophile, she takes advantage of her novels’ settings to travel to England at ev...
Patricia Wynn is the award-winning author of 15 published novels, including the Blue Satan mystery series. She has a degree in history from Rice University. Before becoming an author, she tried international commercial banking and pre-veterinarian studies. She worked as a nursemaid in the French Alps and went to school in Guadalajara, Mexico. She loves reading, animals, and travel. An unabashed anglophile, she takes advantage of her novels’ settings to travel to England at ev...
January 29, 2015
Hemingway on Writing
by Jean Henry Mead
Ernest Hemingway has always been my writing role model. Not only because his work changed the face of writing, but because he was a fellow novelist and journalist. My interest in him intensified when I learned that I was born on his birthday, July 21. A framed photograph of him sits on my office desk, and I was told by Elmore Leonard, during my interview with him, that a large photo of Hemingway hung in his office because he was also most influenced by his work.
The following...
January 26, 2015
Stick to your theme
By Bill Kirton
Not long ago, I wrote and recorded yet another story for Richard Wood’s excellent Word Count Podcast. One of the things I like about it is that Richard sets a theme and, since I tend to be reactive in most things, I like the challenge of responding to something I might never have thought of. Anyone can send in a story, poem, song (although it’s mostly stories) and if it’s good enough it’ll be included. The intention is to support the short story form as well as authors by giving...
Not long ago, I wrote and recorded yet another story for Richard Wood’s excellent Word Count Podcast. One of the things I like about it is that Richard sets a theme and, since I tend to be reactive in most things, I like the challenge of responding to something I might never have thought of. Anyone can send in a story, poem, song (although it’s mostly stories) and if it’s good enough it’ll be included. The intention is to support the short story form as well as authors by giving...
January 21, 2015
Fun for My Readers: A FREE Short-Short Story HERE
THE MURDER OF A PERFECT WIFE
by Jackie King
“Pastor Wally, I have a confession to make.” Miss Thelma Click clutched her hymnal to her chest as if it were a shield, then glanced around the deserted chapel.
“Yes, Miss Click?” The Reverend Wally Birdsong smiled at his choir director, his sympathy aroused.
“Your wife is such a perfect woman that she makes my best effort seem like a total failure,” Miss Click said. “I find myself disliking her because of it, and I’m so ashamed.”
Pastor Wally’s heart st...
by Jackie King
“Pastor Wally, I have a confession to make.” Miss Thelma Click clutched her hymnal to her chest as if it were a shield, then glanced around the deserted chapel.
“Yes, Miss Click?” The Reverend Wally Birdsong smiled at his choir director, his sympathy aroused.
“Your wife is such a perfect woman that she makes my best effort seem like a total failure,” Miss Click said. “I find myself disliking her because of it, and I’m so ashamed.”
Pastor Wally’s heart st...
January 20, 2015
From nurseries to coal "cellar"
by Carola
One place I visited while researching in England was Audley End House, once the largest stately home in Britain. Too large: The Lord Treasurer built it to impress James I. The King was impressed all right. He had the source of the Lord Treasurer's funds investigated, found he'd been embezzling, and chucked him and his wife in the Tower. They had to pay a huge fine and the family was impoverished. Later they sold the house to Charles II, who used it as a home from home when visi...
One place I visited while researching in England was Audley End House, once the largest stately home in Britain. Too large: The Lord Treasurer built it to impress James I. The King was impressed all right. He had the source of the Lord Treasurer's funds investigated, found he'd been embezzling, and chucked him and his wife in the Tower. They had to pay a huge fine and the family was impoverished. Later they sold the house to Charles II, who used it as a home from home when visi...
January 12, 2015
My Writing Process
by Bill Kirton
Whenever I’m asked questions about my writing, I always seem to find out something new for myself. Here are my answers to some questions I was asked by a blogger friend.
What am I working on?
This is embarrassing because I’ve been working on it for such a long time. It’s the sequel to my novel The Figurehead. That was set in Aberdeen in 1841 and featured John Grant, a figurehead carver, and Helen Anderson, the daughter of a shipowner. It was a crime novel (because that’s what...
Whenever I’m asked questions about my writing, I always seem to find out something new for myself. Here are my answers to some questions I was asked by a blogger friend.
What am I working on?This is embarrassing because I’ve been working on it for such a long time. It’s the sequel to my novel The Figurehead. That was set in Aberdeen in 1841 and featured John Grant, a figurehead carver, and Helen Anderson, the daughter of a shipowner. It was a crime novel (because that’s what...
January 10, 2015
WRITING IN THE NEW YEAR
by June Shaw
A whole new year was given to us. Most of us have choices with what we do with it. Those of us in the writing profession normally need to decide how we will use our time. Will we devote a certain amount of time each day or week to writing?
Will we piddle away time we could spend writing doing other tasks--like checking email, Facebook, Twitter, and all the other online place that steal our minutes and hours? Or will we make a decision that we'll spend our time wisely?
Will you start...
A whole new year was given to us. Most of us have choices with what we do with it. Those of us in the writing profession normally need to decide how we will use our time. Will we devote a certain amount of time each day or week to writing?
Will we piddle away time we could spend writing doing other tasks--like checking email, Facebook, Twitter, and all the other online place that steal our minutes and hours? Or will we make a decision that we'll spend our time wisely?
Will you start...
January 7, 2015
GUEST BLOG: MARY COLEY
Posted by Jackie King
Mary Coley is an Oklahoma writer. During her professional career, she has worked as a journalist, a park planner, an environmental educator and a public relations officer. A native of Enid, Coley lives in Tulsa, where she is an active volunteer for Oxley Nature Center. She holds membership in state and national writers groups, as well as the Tulsa Chapter of the Women in Communications. Coley uses her scientific education to create believable backgrounds for her sus...
Mary Coley is an Oklahoma writer. During her professional career, she has worked as a journalist, a park planner, an environmental educator and a public relations officer. A native of Enid, Coley lives in Tulsa, where she is an active volunteer for Oxley Nature Center. She holds membership in state and national writers groups, as well as the Tulsa Chapter of the Women in Communications. Coley uses her scientific education to create believable backgrounds for her sus...
January 3, 2015
Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel
Bestselling author Hallie Ephron not only writes suspense novels, but how-to-books, including Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel: How to Knock 'Em Dead with Style, nominated for Edgar and Anthony awards. She was also the recipient of the Salt Lake Libraries Readers Choice and David awards and is the Ellen Nehr Award winning crime fiction reviewer for the Boston Globe.
Hallie, how did your early environment influence your career as a journalist and novelist?
I grew u...
December 24, 2014
Joyous Noel
by Jackie King
I haven’t loved every Christmas. I’m an old gal, and looking back through the years, there were many years I just plain faked my 'ho ho ho.' Some of those years were hard and to get through them I had to put on a brave face of unfelt joy for the sake of those who loved me. And oddly enough, for those who didn’t like me much. Why give such people the satisfaction of seeing you’re having a sucky Christmas?
There have been two especially tough Christmases in my life. The first...
I haven’t loved every Christmas. I’m an old gal, and looking back through the years, there were many years I just plain faked my 'ho ho ho.' Some of those years were hard and to get through them I had to put on a brave face of unfelt joy for the sake of those who loved me. And oddly enough, for those who didn’t like me much. Why give such people the satisfaction of seeing you’re having a sucky Christmas?
There have been two especially tough Christmases in my life. The first...
