Tag Archives: Tips for Writers

WHY THIRTEEN: AN ANTHOLOGY OF CRIME FICTION?

Posted on March 15, 2014 by mesdamesofmayhem

Greeting readers! The Mesdames of Mayhem are coming up to their first anniversary so I thought it was timely to reprint my guest blog from Mme Rosemary McCracken’s website. What’s even more exciting is that Rosemary’s story, The Sweetheart Scamster, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged advice for authors, anthology, Canadian authors, crime, crime stories, crime writers, free Kindle e-books, mesdames of mayhem, mystery, short stories, Thirteen, Tips for Writers | Leave a comment

Standalones vs. Series ~ Vicki Delany

Posted on February 18, 2014 by mesdamesofmayhem

There are, basically, two types of mystery novels: standalones, in which characters appear once, never to be seen again, and series, in which characters feature in book after book. As a reader as well as a writer, I am torn … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged advice for writers, award winning writers, Canadian authors, Canadian Crime writers, crime, crime fiction, crime writers, fiction, Klondike & Trafalgar series, mesdames of mayhem, murder, mystery, One Woman Crime Wave, series, stand-alone, suspense, thriller, Tips for Writers, Vicki Delany, Writing | 1 Comment

Murder by the Book — the mystery of playwriting, by Mat Kelly

Posted on January 17, 2014 by mesdamesofmayhem

Blackmail, greed, jealousy, a body in the library, and a locked door. Recently one of my plays, about a murder that takes place in an all-women’s mystery writers club was put on by the Village Theatre in Waterdown. The Mesdames … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged authors, Canadian writers, crime writers, Mat Kelly, mesdames of mayhem, murder, Murder by the Book, mystery, plays, show, Tips for Writers, Village Players, Waterdown, writing plays | 1 Comment

Music, Music, Music…and Books ~ by Catherine Astolfo

Posted on January 7, 2014 by mesdamesofmayhem

“She looks like a jigsaw puzzle with a couple of pieces gone.” What does this tell you about the character of a woman who thinks this about her friend? (Especially since that friend has just careened off their balcony to … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged authors, books, Canadian Crime writers, Catherine Astolfo, crime, drama, e-books, family saga, literature, mesdames of mayhem, music, music in books, mysteries, suspense, Sweet Karoline, Thirteen, thrillers, Tips for Writers | Leave a comment

Sex in Fiction ~ Caro Soles, December 3, 2013

Posted on December 3, 2013 by mesdamesofmayhem

There is a word in the English language that is capable of turning perfectly articulate people into stammering, red-faced teenaged versions of their adult selves. I found this out early when I began teaching the Writing a Novel course I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged advice for writers, anthology, authors, award winning writers, Canadian authors, Canadian Crime writers, Caro Soles, crime fiction, crime stories, crime writers, e-books, e-publishing, fiction, independent publishing, mesdames of mayhem, murder, mystery, sex, sex scenes, suspense, teaching writing, Tips for Writers, Writing, writing class | 2 Comments

BOOKS AND THE ART OF THEFT ~ Melodie Campbell, Nov. 19

Posted on November 19, 2013 by mesdamesofmayhem

Puzzled by the title? It’s simple. In high school, I had to read Lord of the Flies, The Chrysalids, On the Beach, To Kill a Mocking Bird, and a whack of Shakespeare. Yuck. Way to kill the love of reading. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged adventure, advice for writers, award winning writers, books, crime, e-books, funny, humor, inspiration, Melodie Campbell, mesdames of mayhem, reading, Tips for Writers, Writing | 1 Comment

The Funny Side of Crime ~ Lynne Murphy, November 12, 2013

Posted on November 12, 2013 by mesdamesofmayhem

Humour is like sex. Once you start to analyze it, you take all the fun out of it. Be that as it may, The Mesdames have asked me to write about humour in crime and I decided to think about … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged anthology, authors, book, Canadian authors, crime, e-book, funny, funny stories, humor, Lynne Murphy, mesdames of mayhem, mystery, short stories, Thirteen, thrillers, Tips for Writers | Leave a comment

From the Desk of the Editor: When You Can’t Afford an Editor ~ Cheryl Freedman, Nov.8/13

Posted on November 8, 2013 by mesdamesofmayhem

Hiring an editor can be very expensive , especially if you hire the editor too early in the writing process, i.e., when your manuscript is in very rough first draft form. I’m talking here about such basic writing mistakes as … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged advice for writers, authors, award winning writers, books, Canadian authors, Canadian Crime writers, Cheryl Freedman, copy edit, cozies, crime, crime fiction, crime stories, crime writers, e-books, e-publishing, edit, hiring an editor, independent publishing, mesdames of mayhem, murder, mystery, professional editors, professional writers, proof read, publishing, suspense, thrillers, Tips for Writers, Writing courses | Leave a comment

Party-Hearty (Cyber-Style) ~ Joan O’Callaghan, September 24, 2013

Posted on September 24, 2013 by mesdamesofmayhem

With more books being published electronically, a host of new words has entered our everyday vocabulary, and with them, some interesting challenges! How does an author generate buzz about a newly published e-book and gain sales, aside from notifying all … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged advice for writers, anthology, authors, award winning writers, book launches, book promotion, books, Canadian authors, Canadian Crime writers, creating buzz, creative writing, crime, crime fiction, crime stories, crime writers, cyber book launches, cyber-parties, e-book launches, e-book promotion, e-books, e-publishing, fiction, independent publishing, Joan O'Callaghan, Kindle, mesdames of mayhem, mystery, publishing, selling books, suspense, thriller, Tips for Writers, Writing | Leave a comment

Bad Girl’s Tricks for Writing with Kids ~ Melodie Campbell, September 20

Posted on September 20, 2013 by mesdamesofmayhem

IN THE WRITING TRENCHES: Rules for Moms Okay, these are not the definitive rules for Writer-Moms. I would never claim to be an expert. But I did raise two kids while writing stand-up on the side and penning a syndicated … Continue reading →