Terry Shames's Blog: 7 Criminal Minds, page 101

Let Me Not Tell You How to Write

 Q: Not everything works for everybody. Give us some examples of writing advice, given to you in good faith, which just didn’t work for you. Tell us why you think it didn’t work.

- from Susan

Yes, these pieces of advice are always given in good faith by people who have benefited from finding them and are being generous in sharing them with other writers. But our brains work differently, and so the tricks and mental dances that spark our creativity, help us sweat out the stalled moments, and give u...

Rise Up, My Fellow Uglies!

  

Interesting question this week, and a timely one too, seeing as how all the video nonsense is here to stay.

 

 

I’m launching my new book next month, and the marketing campaign is being tailored to this new hybrid world. We’re still doing a book tour – but pared down – six venues as opposed to more than ten last time. But we’ll be filling the gap by doing a lot more online and international stuff. I’ll be doing online chats with US book groups and stores, media interviews and appearing online on ...

Being Fearless with Your Darlings from Heather Levy

Jim here. Today we’re hosting Heather Levy, whose fabulous debut novel, Walking Through Needles, has garnered the highest praise from all sides, including the New York Times, the LA Times, and bestselling author S. A. Cosby.



A spellbinding novel at the nexus of power, desire and abuse that portends a bright future." ―Sarah Weinman, New York Times 

"WALKING THROUGH NEEDLES is a challenging but worthwhile read, a standout for its frank but sensitive exploration of trauma and desire." ―Paula Woods, L...

Guest post by Rob Brunet

Rob Brunet writes stories that find humour in the dark, the twisted, and the criminal. He’s the author of Stinking Rich , and if you haven’t read his debut novel, you’re missing out. His short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Thuglit, Shotgun Honey, Out of the Gutter, Noir Nation, Crimespree Magazine, and Exiles: An Outsider Anthology, among others.

Rob’s also a digital media producer who is prone to overindulge in travel — especially where dirt roads are involved — and he’ll...

Hi, Everyone!

 

Terry Shames here. This week we’re talking about the best practices for video-conferencing. Most of us have been doing a lot of video-conferencing in the past 18 months and have found it to be a mixed blessing. 
 The good part is that you can convene with people all over the world and attend events you could never attend in person because of the time/expense involved in getting there. You can choose from a wide variety of educational opportunities, entertainment, book launches, readings, panel...

On Becoming a Video Star

Do you have any tricks/advice/hacks/best practices for effective video conferencing? Please share them with us.

Brenda Chapman starting off the week.

The pandemic has made video stars of us all, whether we wanted to be or not. Our first Zoom calls had us scrambling for the right backdrop and angle, and this became even more important for book-related events. I went to the font of all knowledge to learn some tricks -- YouTube.

1.  Camera position: The best spot is to have the camera slightly elevate...

Not All Darlings Need Killing. By Josh Stallings

 Q: Show us your darlings. Give us five or ten lines of your own work that you think shine.

“There is nothing quite like the cold taste of gun oil on a stainless steel barrel to bring your life into focus.”

That is the opening line of my debut novel, “Beautiful, Naked & Dead.” It remains the favorite opening I’ve written. The next paragraph is;

 

“I was six years old the first time I honestly considered suicide, not as some cry for help, touchy huggy bullshit. No, for me death was a gift, an escape....

Lustrous Darlings (sarcasm), by Catriona

Q: Show us your darlings. Give us five or ten lines of your own work that you think shine.

A: Oh goody. My favourite: blowing my own trumpet. 

Well, I'm not going to and you can't make me. Instead, I'm going to show a typical bit of my own work, i.e. a bit that took five or ten goes to get into publishable shape.

Note, I’m writing this before I’ve looked for one. That’s how sure I am that finding an example won’t be any trouble.

(10 minutes later) Found one

In this scene, what’s happeningis Hel...

EARLY PUBLICATION DATE NEWS...vs 'Show and Shine' by Cathy Ace

Please forgive me for ignoring this week's question - I'm keen to show you something else!

I wanted to take the chance to share with you the cover of, and some exciting news about, my forthcoming novel, THE CORPSE WITH THE GRANITE HEART. This will be the eleventh Cait Morgan Mystery, and this time Cait and Bud are in London, just before Christmas. The cover was recently revealed with a fanfare, thanks to Dru Ann Love who also interviewed me here: author interview 

The book is now available for pre...

Guest Post from Jim Doherty

Q: Show us your darlings. Give us five or ten lines of your own work that you think shine.

From Frank

I'm turning my slot over to Jim Doherty today to show some of his "dah-lings" that survived getting killed during the revision process. Check out Jim's new short story collection  The Big Game and Other Crime Stories .
Take it away, Jim!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Many thanks to my brother cop, and fellow mystery writer, Frank Zafiro, for loaning me ...