K.P. Gresham's Blog
October 14, 2025
Fall Comes to Paris
By Helen Currie Foster
Travel thoughts.
It’s fall in Paris. The rows of chestnuts flanking the Seine are turning golden-brown; gingko trees sport their distinctive yellow leaves, preparing to fling down, on one afternoon they keep secret, all their leaves at once.
Fall fashion? Long hair for women, slim tan trench coats at mid-calf, midi-length swishy skirts. Anyone can wear jeans and sneakers…
October 7, 2025
HIDDEN GEMS OF HISTORY AND THE STORIES THEY INSPIRE
By F. Della Notte
Ideas for stories are often triggered by research into family members, alive or deceased, strangers and their stories and the histories of different cities, countries, and states. The information may never appear in a book, but it gives the writer a more profound sense of historical events that color the author’s senses. And of course, the older the city, town, or state, the…
September 29, 2025
Naming Characters: Steve Dauchy MacCaskill
I’m working on a mystery novel—I’ve been working on it for years, but am now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel—and am faced with dilemmas too numerous to whine about in only one post, so I’ll move along.
I will instead write about the one pleasure of the writing life: creating and naming characters.
My novel is set in a little town very like my own hometown. I don’t base my plot on real…
September 1, 2025
See You…in September!
by Helen Currie Foster
It’s September 1. New school year! New shoes, after a hot barefoot summer! New outfit, for the first day of school! And then––new classes! New subjects, new teachers, new tools! New friends! New lockers, new classrooms, new hallways…. New season—new teammates, new coach, new plays.
Remember your first day back at school? Back to college, back to university? Do you…
August 26, 2025
THE FELINE WITCHING HOUR
by
Francine Paino, a.k.a. F. Della Notte
According to BondVet.com, cats are among the most intelligent creatures on the planet. Scientists believe that cats are uniquely smart when compared to dogs and other animals, which makes it understandable that, like their human counterparts, cats have witching hours. (PetMed.) During those episodes, which generally take place at dusk or dawn, felines…
August 19, 2025
Review of a Very Very Very Very Very Good Book
I’m rereading novelist Nancy Peacock’s memoir, A Broom of One’s Own: Words on Writing, Housecleaning & Life. I liked the book when I read it the first time, sixteen years ago, and I like it even more now.
I posted the following review on my personal blog in 2009. The disclaimer preceding it is a reference to a recent FTC rule designed to “provide a robust framework that curbs unscrupulous…
July 21, 2025
READING WHILE TRAVELING
by Helen Currie Foster
Just before a trip I get anxious: is there enough stored in my Kindle to keep me happy? You constant readers know that feeling. Did you upload enough for the waiting room at the airport? For the plane? For a sleepless first night, jet-lagging? Enough to keep you happy even if weak (or no) wi-fi at the (tent, cabin, hotel, boat, campsite, rental) precludes another download?…
July 15, 2025
JEWELS AND LEGENDS IN HISTORY
By
Francine Paino, a.k.a. F. Della Notte
Research for book four of the Housekeeper Mystery Series brought me to legends and myths connected to jewels and gemstones, many of which have traveled a long way in storytelling traditions. Often, a mystical aura goes beyond the material value of some precious stones and metals, and these stories show us how jewelry is not only beautiful to look at but…
July 7, 2025
Where Did This Come From?
Today’s post is by our friend and former Austin Mystery Writer Kaye George, author of several successful mystery series. When I asked Kaye to do a guest post, I told her to pick her own topic. She’s chosen to write about her newest project, a departure from the mystery.
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Kathy Waller gave me free rein, so I can write whatever I want here, right? Okay, okay, I’ll stick to writing about…
June 16, 2025
A Well. A Story.
By Dixie Evatt
I recognize that sometimes I can be excessively literal. That’s why when Julia Cameron reminds us to make time to fill our creative well, I picture an actual old-timely water well. In my mind’s eye, ideas, quotes, games, puzzles, cartoons, pictures, and music pour into the well from every direction – a rainstorm of colors, smells and sounds.
I was first introduced to the concept…
