Terry Shames's Blog: 7 Criminal Minds, page 49

We Need a Hero

 Whom do you consider the greatest hero you’re read, and why?

Brenda starting off the week.

This is a tough question because there are a lot of heroes out there, both in fiction and real life. For me, a hero is someone who risks their own safety or comfort for somebody else, but I also believe heroism comes in many forms, large and small. 

My first thought of a fictional hero who had an effect on me is Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. He stands up to racism in a small Southern Alabama town, ...

“We are all capable of villainy and heroics” by Josh Stallings

 Q: Whom do you consider the most intelligent, diabolical, or frightening criminal you’ve encountered on the page, and why?

A: This question had me stumped. I realize I don’t write and or read looking for or enjoying mastermind criminals. My life experience has taught me that if most of the criminals did the math, added hours spent setting up and pulling off a robbery plus court and jail time ultimately served they would discover they didn’t make minimum wage. Sad truth is working the fryolator...

But you wouldn't vote for them, would you? by Catriona

Who do you consider the most intelligent, diabolical or frighteningcriminal you’ve encountered on the page and why?

Intelligent? Probably a master of heists, a fraud ninja or atech wizard who dismantles something big. But that’s not scary and not very diabolicaleither: those guys must have to keep up to date with their admin, which gets inthe way of visceral terror for me.

D

iabolical? Satan. That was easy

But “frightening” is a great question. I’m going to tryreally hard to hold it down ...

Good baddies by Cathy Ace

Whom do you consider the mostintelligent, diabolical, or frightening criminal you’ve encountered on thepage, and why?

 

Thisis a great question, but should I go back to the early memories I have of charactersthat traumatised me…like the wicked stepmother in Snow White? Or should I fastforward to serial killers without a single redeeming quality from fiction I’veread recently? To be honest, even from my early days, the baddies have oftenattracted me more than the goodies…but maybe that s...

Eyes in the Dark by Gabriel Valjan

 

Whom do you considerthe most intelligent, diabolical, or frightening criminal you’ve encountered onthe page, and why?

 

INTELLIGENT

 

Thisis a two-way tie for me. I’m not convinced many of us can agree on a definitionof intelligence. We now know that there are different forms of intelligence. Weknow individuals who are book-smart and people-stupid; individuals, otherwise brilliantbut would drown if they looked up at the sky when it rained. Then there is Intelligence...

Eyes in the Dark by Gabriel Vlajn

 

Whom do you considerthe most intelligent, diabolical, or frightening criminal you’ve encountered onthe page, and why?

 

INTELLIGENT

 

Thisis a two-way tie for me. I’m not convinced many of us can agree on a definitionof intelligence. We now know that there are different forms of intelligence. Weknow individuals who are book-smart and people-stupid; individuals, otherwise brilliantbut would drown if they looked up at the sky when it rained. Then there is Intelligence...

Do Not Scream

 Q: Whom do you consider the most intelligent, diabolical, or frightening criminal you’ve encountered on the page, and why?

 

- from Susan, the wimp

 

I have to begin by confessing I don’t even begin the books I know are going to scare me into sleepless nights, so Hannibal Lector isn’t in my head. No flesh-eaters, no serial killers of children, no serial killers, period, if I can help it, and definitely not those where the author has invited me into their perverted heads. I do stumble onto a few of ...

Vive La Difference!

 by Abir

 

October is National Book Month in the US. Do you have any plans to celebrate the month?

 

As you probably know, I live in the UK, and while it’s not National Book Month here (I don’t think we have a national book month, though it’s a fantastic thing and, like the All Day Breakfast or the ten-gallon hat, an American idea we should definitely adopt).

 

Nevertheless, October has been a busy month on the book front for me. I’ve spent quite a bit of it in France, at a number of literary festival...

Guest Blog from Criminal Minds Alum Alan Orloff

This week we welcome back our own Alan Orloff. For those with short memories, I inherited Alan’s spot on this blog in 2017. He provided readers with five years of delightful posts about writing before passing the torch to me. Since leaving us, he’s done quite well for himself. Won three of four major industry awards, including the Agatha, Anthony, and a couple of ITW Thriller Awards.

I’m happy to report that Alan is here to tell us about his newest release, Sanctuary Motel.

 

Motels Rock!

 

 

Thanks, ...

Imagination workout

October is National Book Month in the US. Do you have any plans to celebrate the month?

by Dietrich

Well, happy National Book Month to those who celebrate it in the US. In Canada, March is National Reading Month, and we have Canada Book Day on April 23 during Canada Book Week. And there’s ‘I Read Canadian Day’ coming up on November 8, a celebration of Canadian books for young readers.  

No matter what time of year, or your age, or where you live, it’s always wonderful to celebrate books and re...