I think one of the things that holds new writers back is the idea that a first draft is supposed to be perfect. It’s easy to fall into the trap of self-editing or giving up partway through a manuscript, but first drafts aren’t supposed to be perfect or pretty. They’re supposed to be messy.
I really enjoyed the creative aspect of crafting the magical elements. They often came to me unbidden, whether it was the village backstory of the Jin ancestors or the supernatural talent of Whiskers, the magical bunny (with a nod to Chinese mythology) in the Jin family.
I was impressed by Graff’s attention to detail during the police procedural scenes. The technicalities of crime scene investigation and forensics are well described, without delving into gruesome details, as fits the cozy genre.
Besides technology, what are the main differences from the thrillers of the 50s, 60s, and 70s with today's bestsellers?
On Wednesday April 24th, I was honoured to be the first in a series of author events at the Warkworth Public Library.
The funny thing about history is that for all the reports of the standard mores of behavior, there were always outliers, women who explored Africa, who went on hunger strikes, who spied for the government.
Short stories are challenging because you always have to think up a new beginning, a new character, a new plot. Novels are slightly easier as you have something that you settle in with -- something larger to explore and study.
Here’s to letting the characters take the lead! You never know what will happen.
Read widely and extensively. Good writing should inspire you.
The Dame Was Trouble is noir at its best - and the women are in charge.
Levison skilfully depicts the nostalgia of summers spent by the lake, and juxtaposes this with the horror of murder. Drawing a connection between the recent crime and her family’s experiences in the Holocaust, *The Crate* is a sensitive portrayal of the effects of violence and the importance of remembrance.
