I used to enjoy The X Files. You probably remember it. It’s the science fiction series that ran from 1993 through, I think, 2004. It starred David Duchovny as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder, Gillian Anderson as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully and Mitch Pileggi as their boss, FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner. Mulder and Scully were partners assigned to investigate cases that defied traditional … Continue reading Didn’t See that Coming…
As I was pondering possible subjects for today’s post, I thought back to the wide variety of things I’ve talked about here over the past few years, including: the Earth’s mass, the word “gals,” my newest books, mystery conventions, the Mozart Requiem, life in Hawai‘i, life in Santa Cruz, favorite books as a child, the ups and downs of writing, and even the actor Anthony … Continue reading What Do YOU Want?
Dialogue can make or break a story. Would you agree?
There are so many rules to writing good dialogue. Characters have to sound different enough from each other that readers would know who’s speaking without reading the dialogue tags. Continue reading Talk to Me
If you have a union job, you may make a bigger deal out of Labor Day than hubs and I do each year. In the U.S. Labor unions brought us the weekend. Working most of the past 30+ years for newspapers, and not for union presses, my husband and I haven’t always had the pleasure of having Labor Day off. Or, even weekends, for that … Continue reading Gather your clan, large or small for a family reunion
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
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
Several years ago at a former job, I was promoted to a supervisory position. The transition was rough. Management was making stupid decisions. Direct reports were (understandably) rebelling. I was in the middle. Fun times. One morning, I was leaving for work. I turned the key in my ignition—and nothing happened. My first thought was, “OMG! Someone planted a bomb in my car!” Yes, that … Continue reading Where’s the Crime?
It’s been a pretty mild winter for us here in the U.P., so far. We’ll continue to have some snow through April, and it’s not at all unlikely that we’ll still have some chunks of ice floating in Lake Superior in June. I’m not complaining. The city keeps our streets ploughed. Our heating works well where we live. A few inches of fresh snow last … Continue reading When weather gets scary
If I woke up one morning, let’s say it’s Feb. 2, and found myself living in an endless loop, what would I want to happen over and over? Would I relive a favorite day? My wedding day, for example? No. It was a lovely day. And back then my husband could, and did, actually pick me up and carry me over the threshold. But, we … Continue reading Let’s just do it — again
Like many people I start each January with a list of resolutions of all the things I’m going to accomplish during this calendar year. You know the list – ambitious, optimistic, unrealistic goals. Most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions by March and have forgotten all about them by April. Not me. I stop actively pursuing those goals by March, but I tell (lie to) … Continue reading Never too late to start writing
A warm welcome to Phyllis Betz, who’s the editor of the Writing the Cozy Mystery anthology! Read on to find out why she thinks this collection of essays is so important. Why I Put Writing the Cozy Together Phyllis M. Betz Sherry Harris’ essay in the anthology demands that the cozy be treated with respect. This is the reason why I thought bringing together cozy … Continue reading Guest Chick: Phyllis Betz
I Things I love about October: leaves changing color, widely available pumpkin spice options, and Halloween decorations and movies. Leaves are ablaze with color here in the Marquette area. The most spectacular fall displays in the Upper Peninsula are actually in the Keweenaw Peninsula, in case you’re planning a visit. It’s a couple of hours drive from our home to the middle of the Keweenaw. … Continue reading Pumpkin Spice and everything nice
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