Emerson Ward Mysteries

It’s a requirement of fiction (if writers truly want readers to indulge them and buy their books) to suspend the reader’s disbelief. That is, to make the characters’ actions plausible. Readers don’t have to believe; in fact, in many cases we want them to doubt, to misjudge, to be misdirected. But (more…)

Interesting thing happened the other day. A fellow working on his doctorate at the University of Edinburgh sent me a message on Facebook asking if I'd be willing to answer some questions about crime writing.

Why not, I thought. It' what I do--crime writing, that is--and a topic most crime fiction authors enjoy discussing. (more…)

Show of hands: Who wants to be on “Oprah”? Who wants their book mentioned as Oprah’s selection of the month? (I do, I do!)

The benefits of being on Oprah’s show are manifestly evident to anyone who’s ever heard of Spanx. I dutifully send a press kit out to Oprah’s (more…)

Ever worry about something so much you forget to worry about the important stuff? Lose sight of the big picture? Like that old saying, "don't sweat the details; and it's all details."

And worry, it turns out--that endless negative feedback loop--gets in the way of doing what needs to be done. It gets in (more…)

Up around 6:30. Wet and cold outside; didn't feel like running.

Checked e-mail. No paper--Labor Day.

Watched a little U.S. Open. Worked on the WIP; actually wrote two pages in between games of mahjong and spider solitaire.

Went to town to mail some birthday cards and pick up a few things at the store.

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Blogs: Wasteful use of time to bloviate on self-centered inanity.

Why do we blog? To fulfill some sense of self-importance? Because everyone else is doing it? Fact is, I can't think of much to write about that might be meaningful to others, especially if I avoid the three taboos--politics, religion and sex.

Title first. (more…)