K.P. Gresham's Blog, page 15
July 19, 2021
Judging a Book by Its Cover
Judging a Book by Its Cover
By K.P. Gresham
“Good cover design is not only about beauty… it’s a visual sales pitch. It’s your first contact with a potential reader. Your cover only has around 3 seconds to catch a browsing reader’s attention. You want to stand out and make them pause and consider, and read the synopsis.”― Eeva Lancaster, Being Indie: A No Holds Barred, Self Publishing Guide for Indie Authors
Of course, the…
Judging a Book by Its CoverJudging a Book by Its CoverBy K.P. Gresham“Good cover design is not only...
Judging a Book by Its Cover
By K.P. Gresham
“Good cover design is not only about beauty… it’s a visual sales pitch. It’s your first contact with a potential reader. Your cover only has around 3 seconds to catch a browsing reader’s attention. You want to stand out and make them pause and consider, and read the synopsis.”― Eeva Lancaster, Being Indie: A No Holds Barred, Self Publishing Guide for Indie Authors
Of course, the…
June 7, 2021
Tipper...My Manager Extraordinaire!
By K. P. Gresham
I suspect most of us have our secrets about how we survivedthe Pandemic of ’20-’21. Video games, binge-watching movies, reading like afiend–you get the idea.
My secret was my dog, Tipper. Or should I say my manager.Tip’s a fifteen-pound rescue dog of the Chihuahua meets Terrier variety. Nobodywanted to adopt him because he has bad knees. Really? I’ve had two kneereplacements and nobody ever threw me out on the street. Tipper came home tolive with me and my better half, Kevi...
December 23, 2020
My Go-To Holiday Murder Mystery
By K.P. Gresham
When the holidays come around, I can’t help it. Sometimes I
get so stressed I just wanna kill somebody. (On paper, of course!) It can be
very cathartic.
But if my murderous muse isn’t singing, I turn to my
favorite holiday crime novel, Holiday in Death, by the supreme,
futuristic murder writer, J.D. Robb. (It irks me that some industry
afficionados refer to this series as “romantic suspense.” Sure, it has a
romance in it, BUT, this is a crime novel in every sense!)
Holiday in Death...
October 12, 2020
I Won’t Kill the Governor!
By K.P. Gresham
The Texas Governor’s Mansion is the perfect setting
for my next book in the Pastor Matt Hayden Mystery Series. I’ve said it before,
I LOVE doing research for my stories, and studying up on the Governor’s Mansion
is a blast. Such rich history. So many anecdotes. I just had to share some of
them with you.
First off, I am not a native Texan (though I’ve lived
here for thirty-six years) so most of what I’ve learned is all new territory
for me. To that end, I must credit The FRIENDS of ...
June 30, 2020
Is Joseph Campbell Bossing Me Around?
OR
IS HE EXPLAINING WHAT MAKES A GOOD STORY?
By K.P. Gresham
Writers (at least me) despise the idea of formulaic writing. I am creative! I have my own ideas! Ain’t nobody gonna tell me how to write!
But what if this “formula” came from inside ourselves? What if I create it in my thoughts, my actions, my psyche? What if this “formula” is actually an internal pattern shared by all humans?
Joseph Campbell was a pattern finder. As he studied different cultures, different mythologies, different religions...
May 27, 2020
What Makes a Good Story
Or is Joseph Campbell Bossing Me Around?
By K.P. Gresham
Originally posted in March, 2020
Writers (at least me) despise the idea of formulaic writing.
I am creative! I have my own ideas! Ain’t nobody gonna tell me how to write!
But what if this “formula” came from inside ourselves? What
if I create it in my thoughts, my actions, my psyche? What if this “formula” is
actually an internal pattern shared by all humans?
Joseph Campbell was a pattern finder. As he studied
different cultures, different myt...
March 25, 2020
THE NEW GIRL
Will Scare You Stiff!
By K.P. Gresham
I cant put down The New GirlDaniel Silvas latest book. I have long been a fan of Silvas series featuring Gabriel Allon, art restorer and master spy. The New Girl (Harper Publishing, July 16, 2019) is the 19th book featuring Allon, and, in my opinion, the best. Its a fast-paced, fact-filled, emotional, beautifully written suspense thriller, that mirrors the times we are living in.
It begins with the kidnapping of the Saudi Crown Princes daughter. Allon, head of Israeli...
October 10, 2019
Book Clubs for Authors:
A Doggone Good Time!
I’m a fiction writer, and my world pretty much revolves around my profession. My friends, my colleagues, my editors, my publicists are comprised mostly of people in the writing business. To make that world even smaller, I write mysteries, and I love to read mysteries. Noir, suspense, thriller, cozies, you name it, I’m in. Sisters in Crime, I love you! Writers League of Texas? You’re the best! Austin Mystery Writers? Your support and critiques are off the charts.
I existed in a happy, but small...
August 14, 2019
MURDERCON, 2019
--A Perfect Ménage à Trois!
I’m talking about the recent crime writer’s convention recently held in Raleigh, NC. What did you think I was referring to?
To create this perfect threesome, you combine Lee Lofland and his crew at The Writers Police Academy with Sirchie—the leading manufacturer of criminal investigation, forensic and law enforcement products, and add a few crazy crime writers who want to learn new and innovative ways to kill people. Then you title it, Murdercon, 2019, and put all those three eleme...
