On the Spotlight: John H. Byk (pen name, Conrad Johnson), Author of CRYING BULLETS

Don’t forget the Mad Motor City. Detroit, Michigan. USA. A place in the Fourth World where the lines between common sense and criminal behavior blur. This is a story about an ex Vietnam veteran and retired Detroit cop who specializes in school security systems. He works for a private firm that plans to launch a [...]

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Interview with Bill Swears, Author of Zook Country

Bill Swears calls himself a service brat. He was born in Great Falls, Montana. He’s lived in England, Iran, Germany, and nine states. Bill flew military helicopters for twenty-two years, seven in the Army and fifteen in the Coast Guard. He sold his first short story while he was a Coast Guard rescue helicopter pilot, [...]

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“The Balancing Act,” by Jacqueline Paige

I was asked to write about how I’ve managed to write ten books in the past three years and the system I use to keep myself organized and productive. The first part would be having the ideas to write about.  I actually have a note book filled with ideas and partial plots. This way I [...]

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“Quite Spaces,” by Darcy Flynn

When I started writing my novel, my son was in second year in college and my husband had recently begun working from home. I thought, how wonderful, we’ll be working here at the house together. Side by side, having afternoon tea and enjoying our farm. But what I didn’t anticipate were the frequent interruptions I’d [...]

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“Filling the Creative Well,” by Trish McCallan, author of Forged In Fire

I’ve always loved to read. If I’m waiting somewhere and I’ve forgotten a book, I’ve been known to read the back of a match stick booklet, or every single item on the menu. In high school, college and early in my working life, I’d often read a book a day. I was voracious, devouring authors [...]

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“Confessions of a Love Junkie and Chocoholic,” by Nikki Jefford

Between the Sheets I find kiss scenes more challenging to write than sex. BUT, even more than steamy scenes, I love build-up and playful banter. In addition to paranormal YA and historical romance, I write erotica under a nom de plume. Real Life Romance I met my husband, the love of my life, Sébastien, in [...]

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“First Novel Pains,” by JC Andrijeski

I read somewhere that the average apprenticeship for a novelist is ten years. The other I’ve heard is “1 million words” before most can produce a novel worth reading. For some reason, for me, most of those words ended up being spent on the same set of characters. I wrote different books, mind you. That’s [...]

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How Creating an Imaginary Friend Can Make You a Better Writer

Most kids ditch their imaginary friends along with their sippy cups and security blankets. That’s a good thing, right? Well, marketers have discovered a new benefit to finding (and keeping) those imaginary friends again. One top advertising agency –- Organic in Detroit –- even gave its imaginary friends their own office space. Why? Because these [...]

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LASSITER IS BACK: SEVEN E-BOOKS WITH A NEW HARDCOVER ON THE WAY

LASSITER IS BACK: SEVEN E-BOOKS WITH A NEW HARDCOVER ON THE WAY By Paul Levine “When is Jake Lassiter coming back?” I get the question at bookstores and Bouchercon, at Thrillerfest and Sleuthfest, at Left Coast Crime, and even my dentist’s office. I might be promoting one of the “Solomon vs. Lord” books, or “Illegal,” [...]

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“Why I Love (and Write) Mystery Novels,” by Dave Zeltserman

I was seven when I first started reading mysteries with Encyclopedia Brown and Freddy the Pig Detective books, and that must’ve gotten me hooked because by the time I was 13 I was devouring all the Rex Stout Nero Wolfe books and Agatha Christies I could get my hands on, and at some point made [...]

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