Welcome, guest Chick Julie Mulhern! Julie writes the oh-so-fun and witty Country Club Murders for Henery Press. She joins us today to talk about her happy childhood (yes, they actually exist) and how it inspired her series. Happy Childhoods, Lack of Angst, and Murder I had an idyllic childhood. There, I said it. Mine was a childhood filled with horses, and tennis, and a happy … Continue reading Guest Chick: Julie Mulhern
Our last post about Broadway triggered this trip down memory lane for me… In the nineteen-eighties as I was transitioning from performer to playwright, my friend Jenna who worked at The Dramatists Guild helped me get a job as the assistant to the assistant to the Executive Director (no joke, that was my title). The DG is a professional organization for playwrights, composers, and lyricists … Continue reading Side by Side… with Sondheim
This past week brought two semi-miracles for me: I handed in final edits on my latest manuscript and submitted my first short story (well, second, actually, but we won’t count that one). And then I found myself faced with an unusual dilemma: What to Write Next? Continue reading Crossroads
Summer’s here and the time is right for a little R&R. Here’s how we do it, Chicks style…
When I was ten, we moved from Queens, NY, to Scarsdale, NY, as those of you who read my post, My Parents Almost Bought the Gatsby House, may remember. Our street in Queens was familial. Everyone knew each other. Parent socialized, kids played on the street, and ran in and out of each other’s houses. Scarsdale was the polar opposite. The streets were quiet and … Continue reading The dad with the gun.
We may not want to admit it, but sibling order within our families can affect our personalities for life–and even our worldviews as writers. Read on to find out where each of us Chicks fits in–and whether our “special” traits fit the chart!
Okay, mystery fans, raise your hands if you’ve seen that meme of a hot beverage mug that says, “Please do not annoy the writer. She may put you in a book and kill you.” Yep, that’s just about all of you. And you thought the quote was clever and adorable, right? Of course you did. Maybe you bought the very same mug for a favorite writer … Continue reading Big Little Writer Lies–and Truths
On Thursday, I take off for the Malice Domestic mystery convention. Four years ago, I didn’t know what the h-e-double hockey sticks Malice was. This year, I’m a nominee and a mentor – along with author Susan Van Kirk – to some poor, unsuspecting author. (Hi, Mary Feliz!) As my mother would say, “Go figure.” Now that I’ve discovered mystery conventions, I’ve been traveling so … Continue reading Malice Bound! Or Unbound???
Of all us Chicks, I seem to be the one who’s always under the wire, holding on for dear life by one claw. Sure, I do plenty of chirping, but it takes a while sometimes for me to work up to the flying part. And of course that includes the business of writing a manuscript, typing “The End,” and sending it winging its way to … Continue reading Hoping for Feathers
So, here’s a conversation I had recently with my main character, party planner Liv McKay. (WARNING: Making sausage can be hard to watch. Some of you may enjoy the books more if you’re blissfully unaware of the author’s process). Me: The writing is going painfully slow. Why are you not talking to me? Liv: Do you really have to ask? Me: Apparently. Liv: You are … Continue reading Liv Inside a Mystery Writer’s Head
Whether it’s a chance meeting in an elevator or an unexpected image as you’re walking down the street, inspiration can strike in the weirdest ways. The Chicks share some of the life moments that created fictional ones. Kellye Garrett I actually got my idea for Hollywood Homicide from a billboard. At the time I was basically broke and trying to figure out the next stage … Continue reading Inspiration Strikes When You Least Expect It…
As I scrolled through celebratory messages on my birthday, I noticed an email forwarded from my website. Usually people getting in touch this way are readers letting me know they enjoyed my books or asking for travel advice on an upcoming Cajun Country vacation. Figuring this email fit into one of those two categories, I opened it. The reader – I’ll call her Betsy – … Continue reading I Hated Your Book.
Chicks on the Case 