‘Tis the time of year when you can’t go ten feet without bumping into a paper heart taped to something, as Lila Maclean once observed. So who makes your heart go pitter pat? Let’s chat about detecting duos–couples solving crimes–friends in forensics. Tagging Sherlock and Dr. Watson first. I am referring here to the characters as played in the BBC series Sherlock specifically, who are full-on delightful … Continue reading Detecting Duos
I really love the process of book cover art and working with my designer. Until recently, that is. I’ve worked with the same designer since I got the rights back to my Mystery Writer’s series. We decided we liked the idea of the chair on the cover of FICTION CAN BE MURDER which the original publisher had used, so we revamped that theme, using a … Continue reading Cover Chaos
Becky here, excited to welcome Galit Gottlieb to Chicks on the Case! As someone who created goofy recipes for my Crossword Mystery series, I can totally relate to this! Want to Test Recipes for My Next Murder Mystery? In culinary mysteries, which I love reading, someone is murdered, the sleuth tries to figure out who did it, and everyone eats breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Over … Continue reading Guest Chick: Galit Gottlieb
It’s Release Day for Wined and Died in New Orleans, the second book in Ellen Byron’s new series, The Vintage Cookbook Mysteries! Says the Library Journal, “Fans of Byron’s award-winning ‘Cajun Country’ mysteries will enjoy her return to New Orleans with an engaging, fun cast of characters.” Congratulations, Ellen! You can pick up a copy through the link below. About WINED AND DIED IN NEW … Continue reading Happy Book Birthday, Ellen Byron!
* With apologies to Carly Simon. We’re all guilty of it. You’ve decided that now is the time to sit down and finally do whatever it is you’ve been putting off: those year-end taxes; that letter to your niece thanking her for a lovely birthday present; or perhaps organizing all those thousands of photos on your computer. But I’m thinking writers have to be the … Continue reading Procrastination… Is Makin’ Me Late*
Welcome to “Behind the Book,” our fun new Chicks on the Case feature! Join us as we Chicks share the real stories behind our stories. Inspiration, motivation, frustration, jubilation–you’ll find them all right here… Hi, Ellen here, pulling back the curtain on my new Vintage Cookbook Mystery. The main plot of Wined and Died in New Orleans is twofold: 1) a valuable cache of 19th … Continue reading Behind the Book: Wined and Died in New Orleans
The Chicks are happy to welcome as-yet unpublished cozy author Pamela Wells, who is currently in the query trenches. Pam is a member of the Colorado Chapter of Sisters in Crime and Rocky Mountain Chapter Mystery Writers of America. Today she shares a bit about her writing journey journey so far. Take it away, Pam! What does the term Groundhog Day mean to you? Do … Continue reading Guest post: Pam Wells
Will robots write our books in the near future? True, we writers spend plenty of time pounding our heads instead of our fingers on the keyboard. But will we hand over our jobs to artificial intelligence? Lisa asked an AI bot to come up with 2 short mystery plots, just for fun … Continue reading Plotting with Robots
As mystery readers and writers, danger is never far from our minds. Turns out, it’s never far from our homes, either. Our collective abodes are rife with hidden risks, like slippery bathtubs, defective wiring, or—if things get interesting—ice cream sprinkled with rat poison. But lesser-known dangers lurk in our lives, as well. Here’s a quick overview featuring my recent brushes with peril. Errant EmojisMaybe it’s … Continue reading Hidden Dangers
Lisa here, delighted along with my fellow Chicks to welcome multi-award-winning author Tracy Clark as our guest today. We’re sure you’ll enjoy hearing about her process for getting her new detective character to talk–or not. Take it away, Tracy! Continue reading Guest Chick: Tracy Clark
I was unexpectedly reduced to tears last week. I’m just getting over Covid, and my eyes are still watering a bit, but without emotion. Mid-January also marks the anniversary of my dad’s death, which also elicits tears – but those were not unexpected. Then Lisa Marie Presley died suddenly. I stared at the TV report and sobbed. I have cried after hearing about the death … Continue reading Lights out in Memphis
I don’t like the rain. There, I said it. Sorry, El…I know you’re a pluviophile. To be fair, I do appreciate the water and the survival of plants. I also like being inside and reading a book on rainy days. I could do without the flooding and severe weather warnings, though. Apparently, I also can’t handle multiple days of rain and sequential weekends spent indoors. … Continue reading All Things Cozy and Warm
Chicks on the Case 