Carlene O’Neil writes about “Gathering Acorns”

Carlene O'Neil is the author of the Cypress Cove Mystery series of cozies. This is her debut post for the Blackbird Writers. You can find out more about her on her website www.carleneoneil.com, or by clicking here and buy her books here. “My sister’s having babies. She married the guy she lost her virginity to. I’m glad she’s having babies. Now I can breathe a little.” I listen to these few sentences, pure gold to an author. I move closer to hear better. So does half the coffee shop, but the speaker’s done. I’m disappointed, wanting more. Then, before I…

Continue ReadingCarlene O’Neil writes about “Gathering Acorns”

Joy Ann Ribar wants to know, “Are You a Rule Follower or a Writing Rebel?”

            I write cozy mysteries, and by the time this post is published, I will have taken part in a lively panel discussion about the cozy mystery genre presented by the Wisconsin chapter of Sisters in Crime. I wonder what's going to come out of it...             I’m surprised that I still meet readers and bookstore owners who are new to the term “cozy.” Pardon my redundancy if you are already in the know, and feel free to skip the rest of this paragraph. Cozies typically follow specific rules regarding content in which no graphic violence, language, or sex appears…

Continue ReadingJoy Ann Ribar wants to know, “Are You a Rule Follower or a Writing Rebel?”

Jacaranda Street: Gravestone Image (The Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries)

Lenore Valentine Kirby’s cryptic gravestone in a derelict cemetery beckons across centuries. The four Botanic Hill Detectives—Lanny, Lexi, Moki, and Rani—stumble upon a mystery revealed by the deceased woman’s descendant, Mr. Nigel Kirby. Can the teens decipher Lenore Kirby's gravestone image and messages? Their unusual, present-day case, incorporating the life and works of Gothic horror writer Edgar Allan Poe, takes the four out to Ravenswood, the Kirby family’s Victorian home. But one solution leads to more puzzles! Will the detectives successfully decode all the special instructions they discover to help restore Mr. Poe’s reputation, damaged by a real-life enemy, and…

Continue ReadingJacaranda Street: Gravestone Image (The Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries)

Sherrill Joseph on Student, Teacher, Author: Lessons Learned and Applied

Sherrill Joseph is the author of the Botanic Hill Detective Mysteries for middle-grade students (ages 9-12). You can find out more about her on her website www.sherrilljoseph.com, or by clicking here, see her last post here, and buy her books here. What I Learned as a Student “Miss ‘C,’ you tell the best stories from your travel slides!” said starry-eyed eight-year-old me to my pretty second grade teacher. Every Friday afternoon, the dazzling Miss ‘C’ would regale my classmates and me with tales of ancient Egypt as we gazed at her on-screen in the shadow of the Great Pyramid of…

Continue ReadingSherrill Joseph on Student, Teacher, Author: Lessons Learned and Applied

Tim Chapman wants us to “Listen Up”

Tim Chapman is the author of the Sean McKinney mystery series, as well as a short story writer. You can find out more about him on his website www.timchapmanauthor.com, or by clicking here, read his last post here, and buy his books here. I’ve been thinking a lot about dialog lately. The project I’m working on is very dialog heavy, and as I write, I’m saying the lines in my head with, what I imagine are, the accents and inflections the characters would use. Sometimes while writing, I’ll go back a few pages and read the dialog aloud. Of course,…

Continue ReadingTim Chapman wants us to “Listen Up”

Laurie Buchanan believes in “The Healing Power of Writing”

Laurie Buchanan is the author of the Sean McPherson series of thrillers. You can find out more about her on her website, www.lauriebuchanan.com, or by clicking here, read her last post here, and buy her books here. Before I retired from HolEssence—my private practice where I was a holistic health practitioner—I used a wide variety of healing modalities. One of the most effective therapies is therapeutic writing. When integrated as adjunctive therapy in an overall treatment plan, it can promote psychological healing. Most of us write alone. It’s a solitary experience. But in the back of our minds, we have…

Continue ReadingLaurie Buchanan believes in “The Healing Power of Writing”

Carl Vonderau says, “Getting the Setting Right Can be Fun and Dangerous”

Carl Vonderau is the author of Murderabilia and Saving Myles. You can learn more about him at his website, carlvonderau.com/, by clicking here, and you can buy his books here. This is his first post for the Blackbird Writers. When setting is evoked well, it is another character in a story. But how do you get it right if you don’t live in the place you’re writing about? My solution is to go there and walk around. Like Bogota. Or Tijuana. I even strolled through Algiers at the height of North African terrorism. As I walked, I found I not only…

Continue ReadingCarl Vonderau says, “Getting the Setting Right Can be Fun and Dangerous”

At the Ready: Global Security Unlimited 3

What happens when a hunky French-Canadian security executive falls for a feisty Chicago lawyer being stalked by her ex? Micki Press and JL Martin both have complicated lives, but when they come together, the sparks are undeniable. Micki is trying to make it to the top of one of the most conservative corporate law firms in Chicago. JL is the CEO of WatchDog Inc., a successful security company, and is struggling with his own family complications. When Micki's former lover stalks her, JL steps in to protect her, and the two soon realize their feelings go beyond friendship. But with…

Continue ReadingAt the Ready: Global Security Unlimited 3

Sharon Michalove – “Creativity, Thy Name Is …”

Sharon Michalove is the author of romantic suspense and traditional mysteries. You can find out more about her by visiting her website coffeeandeclairs.com or by clicking here, read her last post here, and buy her books here. As a child, I created a world, peopled it with imaginary friends, talked to them, and lived in a space that was filled with books. But as I got older, that imaginative beginning began to fade with realities of high school and preparing for college. I still read as much as ever, but I didn’t insert myself into the world of books the…

Continue ReadingSharon Michalove – “Creativity, Thy Name Is …”

Colleen Winter on The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Volunteering

Colleen Winter is the author of The Gatherer series of speculative thrillers. This is her debut post. You can find out more about her on her website www.colleenwinter.ca, or by clicking here, and buy her books here. Hello! I am a new author in the Blackbird Writers and am excited to join this talented and supportive group. I write speculative thrillers, set in the very new future, and I’m looking forward to adding my books to Blackbird’s impressive list.  I recently concluded ten years of leading several writing organizations within my community of Barrie, Ontario, Canada, and even though it’s…

Continue ReadingColleen Winter on The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Volunteering