Terry Shames's Blog: 7 Criminal Minds, page 116

From Sea to Shining Sea, by Catriona

 Business: How have you changed the way you promote and support your work, and generally go about the business of being an author, since “Lockdown Life” began a year ago?

Cathy, yesterday, was counting Lockdown Life in units of time since she's been handed a boarding pass. For me it's baths. We haven't really got a bath here at home - except for one of those titchy ones with a solid screen all the way across (they're the only thing in America that's not bigger). So whenever I'm in a hotel, I try ...

Out and about...but not in a boat! by Cathy Ace

Business: How have you changed the way you promote and support your work, and generally go about the business of being an author, since “Lockdown Life” began a year ago? Anything you’ve learned that will remain in place as we move forward?

This month we’re talking about THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM…indeed, we’re examining it in detail. March 13thwill mark my personal one-year anniversary of being at home. I cannot recall a time in the last thirty years of my life when I’ve gone two months without so...

Business in the Year of Covid

Business: How have you changed the way you promote and support your work, and generally go about the business of being an author, since “Lockdown Life” began a year ago? Anything you’ve learned that will remain in place as we move forward? 

From Frank

This week's answer is simple:  No, not really to the first question. And to the second, I guess but probably not.

Covid-19's impact on my writing life has been minimal. The biggest thing was that I had a crowded house for much of 2020, so my writing o...

"Write the Next Book"

 Q: How have you changed the way you promote and support your work, and generally go about the business of being an author, since “Lockdown Life” began a year ago? Anything you’ve learned that will remain in place as we move forward? 

-from Susan

 

My most recent book came out in 2018, and I’m not under a contract at the moment, which means I haven’t got any sparkly new book to sell and am sliding away from the front row. Both of my French village mysteries are still available (hint, hint) and got ...

Remembering Paul D. Marks

 

Eric Campbell,  from Down and Out Books, said yesterday:

"Earlier this week we lost a great talent in the world of crime fiction. Paul D. Marks passed away, but he left us with a legacy of literature that will live on forever. Paul had the ability to create compelling full-length novels, but was equally adept at writing short stories. His work was nominated for numerous awards, and he won several of them.  Down & Out Books was honored to work with Paul on many projects and sends its deepest symp...

2020 Vision by James W. Ziskin

How has your life, and way of living in general, changed since “Lockdown Life” began a year ago? Are there parts of your life that have changed for the better? Anything that will stick, even when life gets back to “normal”?

Early in the lockdown—in late March of last year—I realized it was “now or never” if I hoped to make anything good of the bad situation. I was working on a new novel—not an Ellie Stone book—with only 2,800 words on the page. I decided to get off my duff and onto my horse.
Over ...

The best of it

Image: Lachmann-AnkeHow has your life, and way of living in general, changed since “Lockdown Life” began a year ago? Are there parts of your life that have changed for the better? Anything that will stick, even when life gets back to “normal”?
by Dietrich

“Lockdown life” has left many of us feeling isolated and dispirited. Yet the question asks if there are aspects that have changed life for the better? 

I always make time to write, but I’ve also found extra time to put paint on canvas. I’ve learne...

Covid B Gone

Terry here. The question this week is: How has your life, and way of living in general, changed since “Lockdown Life” began a year ago? Are there parts of your life that have changed for the better? Anything that will stick, even when life gets back to “normal”? 

 I loved my life before Covid. I loved hunkering down in my office and writing all day, then cooking at the end of the day and reading or watching TV. I loved getting lots of exercise—going to the gym to take my step class; taking walks,...

Life in the Covid Bubble

How has your life, and way of living in general, changed since “Lockdown Life” began a year ago? Are there parts of your life that have changed for the better? Anything that will stick, even when life gets back to “normal”?

Brenda Chapman 
This has been a crazy year as we approach one year of Covid isolation. It was the second week of March, 2020, when our federal government put Canadians into our first lockdown. Since the, we've alternated between total and partial shutdown, staying close to home...

It Was The Best Of Lines, It Was The Worst Of Lines

Paul's taking a bit of a break this week (his treatment is proving to be a bit exhausting, however he WILL be back) so here's a post - following this week's theme about openings - that he posted in August 2019. Depending on your perspective that's either "not every long ago" or is eons ago, in the "pre-COVID period". Either way, it's a fascinating, and insightful post. 

Readers often read the opening few lines or page to a book before deciding to buy. What makes an opening sentence stand out abov...