You’ve just tossed a handful of popcorn into your mouth when “Bam!” the killer jumps out of the closet. You jump, choke, and rush to the kitchen for a cool drink to clear the cough and curb your adrenaline. While that movie success is the result of a million-dollar budget, authors don’t have that luxury. […]
Tag Archives | suspense
Five “Killer” Genres Unpacked: The Difference Between a Mystery, Detective, Crime, Thriller, and Suspense Novel
Someone is killed in the book, therefore it’s a thriller. Or is it a mystery? A killer left a string of clues, so it’s a suspense. No, it must be a mystery. Right and wrong. Now you get why this can be so darn confusing! The “Killer Genres” are one of those tricky, sticky, picky […]
Rogue the Durum (Ezra James Mystery Book One)
What does an FBI Special Agent, a Chicago detective, a Rwandan Priest, and a Finnish national all have in common? Sounds like the beginning of a joke. It’s not. Rather, it’s the premise behind the entertaining mystery Rogue the Durum by Stephen J. Kolbe. When a social network executive is found stabbed to death and […]
Fantastic Online Courses for Authors and Writers
The busy life of a writer and author leaves little time for learning. Still, continuous improvement and professional development is critical in any professional endeavor. It’s important that authors interact with their fans, friends, fellows, and industry professionals. But it’s not always easy. Conferences, signings, and other events take a toll. Time away from family, […]
Nourishing Seeds of Inspiration
We are inspired all the time by actions we take, mistakes we made, things we observe, people we meet, and well, life. These seeds of inspiration are often the impetus of a fascinating story. All authors weave personal experiences into their books, and many write entire tomes around these experiences. It’s funny how my interest […]
Author Q&A With Randy Overbeck
Dr. Randy Overbeck is the author of the bestselling series, the Haunted Shores Mysteries, winner of nine national awards. This fall the Wild Rose Press will release his newest work, an atmospheric amateur sleuth mystery, Cruel Lessons, the first installment in a new series set in schools, “Lessons in Peril.” He is the host of […]
So Close
This book took my breath away. The cover was gorgeous, the writing was enthralling, the plot and point of views, incredible. Sylvia Day is a master storyteller and this first installment in her new Blacklist series has me hooked. Wealthy, successful widower, Kane Black is hailed as the sexiest, most eligible bachelor in Manhattan. Women […]
How Writing a Novel is Like Being an Amateur Chef
Guest Post: How Writing a Novel is Like Being an Amateur Chef by Entrepreneur and Author, Brent J. Ludwig “Ok,” you’re thinking, “Brent put too much Baileys in his coffee this morning.” Either that or he’s still feeling the effects of the wine from the night before. But in fact, neither of those scenarios, though […]
Use of Quotes in a Book
Guest Post: Use of Quotes in a Book by Best-Selling Author Joseph Lewis Now and then, when you open a book and begin to read, do you ever notice some books have a quote or two before the first chapter begins? Authors might use a quote to inform or focus the reader on what his/her […]
Cultivating Inspirational Happenstance
Continuing my author’s journey of nourishing seeds of inspiration, I’ll share the second person who cultivated my interest in suspense and the protective services industry: My neighbor. When I was nine, we moved to a new home. My neighbor was a busy working professional, his wife was unfortunately bedridden, and their children lived out of […]