Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Rosalie Spielman, author of the Hometown Mysteries series! We’re so delighted for her visit today. Setting inspirations: New Oslo, Idaho What better place to set books about “coming home” than my old hometown? Have you ever wondered what inspired your favorite fictional locales? As I write this, I am with family in Idaho. They live in … Continue reading Guest Post: Rosalie Spielman
We are thrilled to be hosting Lucy Burdette, author of the Key West food critic mysteries! Please join us in giving her a warm welcome. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS First, thank you for inviting me to be part of the Chicks today! It’s an honor to be here. I know that there are authors who don’t read reviews, especially anything negative. I … Continue reading Guest Post: Lucy Burdette
When I first sat down to pen my debut mystery novella series, I had a head full of tangled plot threads and characters who wouldn’t stop talking to me. Like many writers, I was driven by an almost compulsive need to get these stories out of my mind and onto the page. But as I reflect on my journey as a mystery author over the years, I’ve come to recognize how much my purpose—my “why”—has evolved. Continue reading Guest Chick: Barbara Howard
The Chicks are thrilled to have Delia Pitts as our guest Chick today. The Library Journal touts Death of an Ex as “a literary, absorbing whodunit encompassing murder, human compassion, and grief.” It was just released this month from Macmillan books. Below Delia gives us the author’s scoop of “dropping the body” — a key moment of any whodunit. Take it away, Delia. Where Do … Continue reading Guest Chick: Delia Pitts
It’s always a special day when our fabulous author friend Leslie Budewitz is our guest here on Chicks. Today Leslie discusses “the other” stuff that makes good stories great–and she’s giving away a signed copy of her Spice Shop mystery LAVENDER LIES BLEEDING to one lucky winner! Continue reading Guest Chick: Leslie Budewitz & #Giveaway
We are thrilled to be hosting a special guest today: Randal Brandt is Head of Cataloging and Curator of the California Detective Fiction Collection at The Bancroft Library (University of California, Berkeley). Randal has also been announced as the Fan Guest of Honor at Left Coast Crime in 2026 (where our own Leslie Karst will be the Toastmaster). Please join us in giving Randal a … Continue reading Guest Post: Randal Brandt
Today the Chicks are happy to present the marvelous Jenny Dandy, author of the Houses of Crime mysteries: The Brownstone on E. 83rd and The Penthouse on Park Avenue. Today she’s talking about characters inhabiting her dreams. Take it away, Jenny! What Are All These Characters Doing in My Bed? Well, more accurately, in my dreams. Yes, I dream about my characters. I don’t mean … Continue reading Guest Chick: Jenny Dandy
Happy Wednesday! Patricia here, and it’s truly my pleasure to welcome Ann Claire to Chicks on the Case. I love her post. As a writer and runner, it especially resonated with me. Whether you’re an aspiring author or a published author with millions of words under your fingers, I think you’ll find it inspiring, too. Welcome, Ann! Take it away! Mid-pandemic, my husband confessed. He’d … Continue reading Guest Chick: Ann Claire
Happy to have Molly back on the blog! I’m always excited to hear about origin stories, and Molly has a great one! Clouds in My Bathroom Sink – An Origin Story and a giveaway Origin stories are great. Though the origin of the phrase is a bit nebulous, first appearing in print sometime between 1910 and 1915, origin stories themselves are as old as human … Continue reading Guest Chick: Molly MacRae & #Giveaway
It’s always a pleasure to host our beloved Canadian friend Judy Penz Sheluk, whose career is awe-inspiring. Not only is she an accomplished author, she’s also launched her own publishing imprint to resounding success. Today she’s going to talk about the inspiration for the theme of her latest short story anthology. I’m back visiting the Chicks once again, this time to tell you a bit … Continue reading Guest Chick: Judy Penz Sheluk
Ellen here, and I’m thrilled to welcome my friend and fellow San Fernando Valley dweller Kyra Davis Lurie, who has an exciting release to share. Wait until you hear about it. I cannot wait to pick up a copy of this book! I’ve never been one to keep up with the Kardashians. I don’t care who Selena Gomez is dating or who Jennifer Lopez is … Continue reading Guest Chick: Kyra Davis Lurie
We’re so happy to welcome back the wonderful Michele Drier. Setting is a huge component of mysteries and Michele’s take on the topic is spot on. I’ve always considered setting as a character, both in my reading and my writing. Although I don’t write much detail about my characters—leaving it up to the readers to picture them for themselves—I do include details about where the … Continue reading Guest Chick: Michele Drier
