by Susan Van Kirk | Jan 20, 2020 | Blog
Writing “The End” on a manuscript is a luxurious feeling, followed quickly by exhaustion. Tons of anxiety and pressure fall from my shoulders, and I know I have finished another novel. It’s a bit sad because I’ve lived with these characters I love and admire, and then...
by Susan Van Kirk | Oct 31, 2019 | Blog
[I published this post several years ago, but felt it was worth revisiting.] Ever have one of those “Alfred Hitchcock moments” where everything seems totally normal but later turns weird? Such a moment happened to me when flying from Illinois to Phoenix, Arizona. My...
by Susan Van Kirk | Sep 25, 2019 | Blog
In my last post I discussed the plan I was making for the second Sweet Iron mystery. Because I have no imagination when it comes to titles, we are calling it Book #2. Eventually, the spirit will move me, and I’ll have a title. Since I’m going back in time...
by Susan Van Kirk | Sep 4, 2019 | Blog
I always find it interesting that readers wonder how authors write books. What process do they go through? How do they do this or that? How do they manage to write over 300 pages of words that fit together (we hope)? Do they plan out an entire series, or do they...
by Susan Van Kirk | Jul 9, 2019 | Blog, mystery, reading, suspense, writing novels
This spring I discovered a new Midwest mystery writer by reading her second book first, and then doubling back to her debut. Connie Berry lives in Ohio, a state qualifying her to be in my Midwest neighborhood. I highly recommend her series to all mystery readers, but...
by Susan Van Kirk | Jun 15, 2019 | Blog, mystery, reading, suspense, writing
Proud to announce the birthday of my fifth mystery. Dru Ann Love interviewed my main character, Beth Russell, https://drusbookmusing.com/ today. Available at Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com, and from my publisher, Encircle Publications. Available in both ebook and...
by Susan Van Kirk | May 19, 2019 | Blog, mysteries, reading, suspense
I know I have an Events page which is WONDERFUL, but I figure sometimes people might like to plan ahead, and old events drop off the Events page while new ones then appear. But you can’t see more than a few at a time. So here are some of the exciting events...
by Susan Van Kirk | May 15, 2019 | Blog, mysteries, small towns, suspense, writing
When I considered some of the overwhelming pop cultural trends of the period between the early 1960s and mid-1970s, I knew I would have to include the wild fashions and the music. What better way to do this than to have Beth Russell explore the bedroom of fictional...
by Susan Van Kirk | Apr 22, 2019 | Blog, mystery, Susan Van Kirk, suspense
A Death at Tippitt Pond (A Sweet Iron mystery) will be launched this June, beginning a new chapter in my writing life and a new series involving mystery, history, and genealogy. The main character, Beth Russell, is a historical researcher and genealogist. For reasons...
by Susan Van Kirk | Apr 6, 2019 | Blog, mysteries, small towns, Susan Van Kirk, suspense
In a recent post, I discussed the move from my Endurance Mysteries to my little town called Sweet Iron, Illinois, in my upcoming book, A Death at Tippitt Pond. This is the first of three posts about recreating the past and present in the lives of characters in a small...
