A miscellany of thoughts about dogs, cats, writing, life in the Ozarks, & occasional book reviews
Among the late bestselling author Elmore Leonard ‘s widely quoted 10 Rules of Writing is this gem: “Try to leave out all the parts readers skip.” And what, you may ask, did he believe readers tended to skip? “Thick paragraphs of prose you can see have too many words in them.” Personally, I’m one of those …
Continue reading Writing For Readers
Copper Waters by Marlene M. Bell A New Zealand Cottage Mystery May 29 - June 23, 2023 Virtual Book Tour Marlene Bell’s Copper Waters is the fourth in the series featuring an antiquities expert and amateur sleuth who compulsively involves herself in investigations of murder, mayhem, and mystery. If you’re interested in mystery and suspense …
Continue reading Mayhem and Mystery
I always appreciate authors who can draw upon their professional experiences, research skills, and love of books to create a fictional world that's uniquely their own. Today's featured author, Cindy Quayle, has done just that, combining her passion for mystery fiction—and cozy mysteries in particular—with a love of travel and adventure. To my way of thinking, …
Continue reading Showcase: Death On Cozumel Island
In the interest of supporting authors who have encouraged and inspired me, I enjoy highlighting a variety of great books by terrific writers here on this website. That trend continues with Libby Fischer Hellmann, who is an incredibly prolific and award-winning author of both long and short fiction. Libby's books cross the spectrum of crime …
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The Accidental Spy by David Gardner January 9 - February 3, 2023 Virtual Book Tour What can you do when you’re fifty-six, unemployed, broke, and lonely? That’s just one of the questions tormenting Harvey Hudson, former professor, academic author, and self-described “speculative historian” who’s spent decades pondering the “What-Ifs and Whys” of life. With no …
Continue reading A Rollicking Thriller