My Blog
Book Covers with an Artsy Accent by Susan Van Kirk
Just prior to the pandemic, I decided to write a series of stories about an art center in a small town. It’s not surprising since I’d recently toured the art center in our small town of Monmouth, Illinois. It had lots of nooks and crannies, and a basement that had...
How I Choose Secondary Characters by James M. Jackson
I first met Jim Jackson several years ago through the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and he talked me into being the president of the online SinC chapter. (He's very good at that!) It's been a great experience for me, so I'm glad he was so persuasive. Here's a new...
A Real-Life Mystery: the Search for Amelia Earhart’s Plane
Sometimes the most interesting mysteries are the ones that exist in the real world. And those mysteries entice adventurers who want to see them solved. Seventy-seven years ago, in 1937, navigation pioneer Amelia Earhart set off to become the first woman to fly solo...
Inspiration for “Sins Revealed” by Lynn-Steven Johanson
Today, I'm featuring another Level Best Book author, Lynn-Steven Johanson, who lives only forty minutes away from me in the heart of the country--downstate Illinois. It's all yours, Lynn.... People often ask writers where their inspiration comes from, and there is a...
Reeling Them In: Using Red Herrings in Mysteries by Daphne Silver
Today, I'm hosting fellow Level Best Book author, Daphne Silver, on my website blog. Take it away, Daphne... There are so many things I love about cozy mysteries: quirky characters, charming locales, and taking a virtual escape. However, the thing I love most about...
Channeling the Inner Sleuth by DonnaRae Menard
It doesn’t matter where I’m speaking, about what, or to which group, eventually someone wants to know where the stories come from. I really want to say that’s a tough question, but I find inspiration in the darndest places. Mostly because I can’t keep my nose out of...