What makes a mystery great? I grew up reading mysteries by Agatha Christie; I own each one she wrote. What about them appealed to me and millions of other readers? How does one write a great mystery? I don’t write mysteries, but I know what I like to read. Below I have listed things that,…
Massive flocks of birds fall out of the sky, and then all the birds disappear. Insects multiply at an alarming rate since there are no birds to keep their numbers down. David’s wife dies, and he is left alone with his daughter. But now they want his daughter. And the disease is spreading. Those who…
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but it is up to the author to write those thousand words. (Richard Petracca) What do you see when you look at a picture of a cat? Do you just see a pretty cat or do you see more? What can you read into this picture?…
The Nightly Visit series continues with its second book, From 12 to 6 (More Nightly Visits). Released, July 5th, 2016, the book continues down the trail of dreams. Readers will be taken on a journey of horror, suspense, and fantasy that includes witches and ghosts. These stories reflect on the scarier side of the human mind.…
Would a gofer or a gopher dig holes in your yard? During a bullfight, does the matador run a risk of being gored or gourd? When you visit the zoo, would you see a gorilla or a guerilla? After completing twelve years of school, do you participate in a gradation or graduation? gofer, gopher A…
A flood, according to the dictionary, is a great flowing or overflowing of water, especially over land not usually submerged. Floods are a natural occurrence. Violent thunderstorms pour massive amounts of water down on a town or city. When the ground is saturated, the water just stays on top, and you might need to live…
If you think that a historical fiction novel could never have you pacing the floors or hurriedly turning to the next page to find out what happened, this book is proof that you are mistaken. The Last Days of Night takes place in New York City at a time when light bulbs were new. Electricity…
Did a glacier, a glazer, or a glazier knock a hole in the Titanic? Are you gneiss to others, or are you nice to them? Is a gnu, a knew, or a new an antelope? Do you see current events on the gnus, news, or noose? glacier, glazer, glazier A glacier is a slowly moving…
The beautiful flower graces my yard with its presence during the spring, and you might even find it in yours. Its large, upright stems are called pipes, and from them hang sweet-smelling, bell-shaped, white or sometimes pink flowers, and its berries are orange-red. Don’t be fooled by its beauty; all parts of this plant are…
Do they really listen to music while they write? Why did they choose to include the Boston Molasses Flood of 1919? How did they go about developing the wide array of characters in the book? How do they manage to keep all the different storylines straight? Before each episode of your book, you named a…
