I’m not a fan of cozy mysteries. For those unfamiliar with the term, a cozy is a mystery with an amateur sleuth, no foul language, the sex and violence off the page. As my friend and cozy-mystery writer Mary Feliz puts it, “There’s a murder, but no one gets hurt.” In my world, it means … Read more
I’m supposed to be in Morocco now. My husband and I planned this big trip for months! But in early September, a stressful situation caused Danny to stop sleeping. By the time the situation was resolved a week later, he had developed a pattern of insomnia. He tried remedies from chamomile tea to warm milk, … Read more
I wasn’t planning to attend another writing conference this year! I’ve already been to Left Coast Crime in March and the California Crime Writers Conference in June–one more conference than I usually budget in a year. But then this happened: The Claymore is for best 50 pages of an unpublished crime fiction manuscript. Finalists are … Read more
I started June by attending the California Crime Writers Conference (CCWC) for my first time. I highly recommend this biennial conference. Why? First, this is a small, intimate conference with about 200 attendees. You will not be lost in the crowd! You will rub shoulders and make valuable connections. I ended up seated at a … Read more
You’ve all heard of pop-up restaurants. Come and experience pop-up readers. Many of the authors in Fault Lines, the first anthology from the NorCal Sisters in Crime, will be giving flash readings at Borderlands Books: Sunday, April 28, 3 pmBorderlands Books866 Valencia StreetSan Francisco, CA The Bay Area Book Festival, May 4 & 5 in … Read more
When my husband contemplated coming with me to Left Coast Crime in Vancouver, I said, “It’ll be rainy and cold. It won’t be much fun taking in the sights in March.” Wrong. So wrong. Vancouver was the first highlight of the conference–sunny, abloom and full of wonder. WEDNESDAY HIGHLIGHT: On Wednesday evening, I participated in Hijinx and … Read more
Beautiful Vancouver, BC, here I come: Left Coast Crime Convention, March 28-31st. Five homies from Santa Cruz Women of Mystery will be there–same five as LCC Reno. My schedule is packed. Besides the many events I want to attend like the always hilarious Burning Love: The Sex Panel, I’ll be helping at Registration on Thursday … Read more
Fiction writing doesn’t have the flashy award shows like movies and music. But there are awards for writers that are just as meaningful to them as any Oscar. In the mystery genre, some of these awards–the Agatha, Derringer, Edgar and Macavity–include a category for short story. I am posting “Miscalculation,” my eligible short story here … Read more
It’s been a busy fall with no sign of slowing down. Join me for Story & Song, Thursday, Oct. 18th at Bocci’s Cellar in Santa Cruz. I’ll read a snippet of my story in SANTA CRUZ NOIR to the Santa Cruz Ukulele Club. “Miscalculation” features three nefarious ukulele players and six songs frequently played among … Read more
After a NorCal Sisters in Crime Showcase, an audience member came up to me and asked, “Why are authors such bad readers of their works?” Since I’d been one of the readers, I was mightily offended. The man, however, seemed genuinely curious, and with a little reflection, I realized the comment was not personal. He … Read more