The Ins and Outs of Paranormal Forensic Investigations

About fifteen years ago, I wrote three manuscripts in a mystery series with a psychic detective and a contemporary setting. The sentiment I heard from editors and agents at conferences was, “People aren’t reading about psychic detectives. What publisher would … Continue reading

Five Flights, Four Days: the Daphne du Maurier Awards Ceremony, 16 July 2009

July has been a blur of activity for me, starting the Fourth of July at Colonial Williamsburg, where I again sold books at the visitors center bookstore all day, and my family conducted musket firing demos just outside, to the … Continue reading

Moonlight & Magnolias 2008, Day 1

Herein begins the four-day adventure of a mystery/suspense author in the World of Romance. Before I left Raleigh on Thursday 2 October to head for Norcross, GA (metro-Atlanta) and the Moonlight & Magnolias conference, I’d been forewarned that there was … Continue reading

Moonlight & Magnolias 2008, Day 2

For most writers on the get-published track, a huge hurdle is pitching a book concept and obtaining buy-in from an agent or editor. The art of pitching is so in-demand as a topic that writers conferences often provide attendees the … Continue reading

Moonlight & Magnolias 2008, Day 3

Saturday dawned early. Too early. What was amazing was how wide-awake and sensational Anna DeStefano looked while welcoming the crowd of hundreds during the continental breakfast. I’m a morning person, but I don’t look sensational in the morning, you know? … Continue reading

Moonlight & Magnolias 2008, Day 4

Sunday dawned even earlier than Saturday. Spirits at the continental breakfast were subdued, as if by then all attendees felt “rode hard and put away wet,” as the Southern saying goes. Nicki Salcedo ‘fessed up that she’d gone to bed … Continue reading

I Have Been Selected as a Speaker for 2008 Moonlight and Magnolias (M&M)

In my email in-box Friday, I found a congratulatory message from the program director for 2008 M&M. The programming committee selected my proposal to teach a workshop at the conference. My workshop is entitled “Writing the Hero’s Journey: 12 Steps … Continue reading