Last year, I judged the Edgar Awards for the Mystery Writers of America. I was on the committee that selected Best Novel. My committee was nine judges to start with, including me. One judge dropped out somewhere around August, perhaps overwhelmed by the number of books or underwhelmed by the stories he was reading. I’ll…
Tag: Genre
Meet the WOTY Finalist: Gwen Florio
For all that is good and holy in the world, what possessed you to become an author? Because I can’t afford really good drugs, so I thought I’d destroy my sanity this way instead? That’s the only reason that makes even a shred of sense. Are you a plotter or a pantser? Pantser! Pantser! Pantser!…
Meet the IWOTY Finalist: Sue Duff
Are you a plotter or a pantser? I am a pantser! When I first sat in front of the computer to write, I never dreamt I had a novel in me. But I heard and visualized the story in my head like a movie playing. Luckily, I type fast (thank you Ms. Irwin, my high…
Meet the WOTY Finalist: Curtis Craddock
For all that is good and holy in the world, what possessed you to become an author? I was told there would be no math. Are you a plotter or a pantser? Being a pantser technically requires pants, which is a level of organization to which I can only aspire. If you were a taco…
Historical Research for Your Historical Novel
Whether you write historical romance, historical fantasy, steampunk, or good old-fashioned historical fiction, there comes a time in the creation process when you have to do research. We love the element of history because it reminds us of different times and cultures we will never be able to visit, while giving us a sense of…