Susan Van Kirk
  • Home
  • About Me
  • My Blog
  • Books
    • Endurance Mysteries
    • Harlequin Mysteries
    • Art Center Mysteries
  • Contact Me
Select Page

A little old lady walks into a conference… by A.M. Loweecey

by Susan Van Kirk | Apr 28, 2025 | Blog, suspense, writing novels

Several years ago, I was at a writer/fan conference which focused mainly on cozy mysteries. I did indeed have a cozy out. I also had my first horror out. I was in the lobby talking about books to readers I’d just met. I’m fine with talking to a roomful or...

Reviews and Reviewer Opinions by Debra H. Goldstein

by Susan Van Kirk | Mar 31, 2025 | Blog, book reviews, mysteries, suspense, writing

Authors are often told not to read reviews. I don’t fully subscribe to that philosophy because I believe that there is something to be gained from reviews and learning what impresses a given reviewer. A one-star review that says “I didn’t read the book because I...

Gargoyles, Hunky Punks, and Apotropaics by Sharon Lynn

by Susan Van Kirk | Mar 10, 2025 | Blog, mystery, suspense, writing

One of the joys of doing research for A Cotswold Crimes Mystery Series is that I find things that I didn’t know that I didn’t know. Even though I lived in England as a teen, I think I’m familiar with how Great Britain works. But whenever I go, I find something...

He who dies with the most toys wins. Except when it ends with murder. by Rebecca Saltzer

by Susan Van Kirk | Feb 24, 2025 | Blog, mysteries, reading, suspense

Working on Wall Street is not for the faint of heart, but for a writer, the cutthroat nature of the business provides the perfect setting for murder. The traders are extremely intense individuals, basically a breed unto themselves. They often resort to bullying if...

The Substance of Fear by Richard F. McGonegal

by Susan Van Kirk | Feb 10, 2025 | Blog, mysteries, suspense

First, thank you to my fellow readers and authors for embracing and promoting the value of literacy. Recent statistics about readership in the U.S. alarm me, and I appreciate your example. I am Richard F. McGonegal, author of four books in the Sheriff Francis Hood...

One Gun: Writing as Catharsis by Vinnie Hansen

by Susan Van Kirk | Feb 3, 2025 | Blog, mystery, reading, suspense, writing novels

It’s probably not a good idea to chase an armed burglar. But, in my husband’s defense, he didn’t know the man fleeing our house had a gun. At least not at first. Then the young man stopped, pulled a semi-automatic, aimed it at Danny’s head, and threatened to kill him....

Why My Amateur Sleuth is an Archaeologist by Rose Kerr

by Susan Van Kirk | Jan 27, 2025 | Blog, mysteries, reading, suspense, writing

I enjoy learning about different subjects, and several years ago, I took some online courses through Open University about archaeology and antiquity/artifact smuggling. The speaker was an archaeologist and her lectures on archaeology were interesting and informative....

Recycling a Character by Sharon Marchisello

by Susan Van Kirk | Jan 20, 2025 | Blog, mystery, suspense, writing

Have you ever created a great character for a story you never finished? If so, have you thought about reusing that character in another book? After my first published mystery, Going Home, came out in 2014, I started writing a sequel. In that novel, my protagonist,...

The Opera House: Perfect Setting for Mischief and Mayhem by Erica Miner

by Susan Van Kirk | Oct 28, 2024 | fiction, mystery, suspense, writing novels

When it comes to real world mysteries, certain settings stand out as the most compelling. An opera house is one, and in my Julia Kogan Opera Mystery series I use the mischief and mayhem found behind those golden curtains to portray the setting as an important...

Larceny & Last Chances: Aiming to Tease by Judy Penz Sheluk

by Susan Van Kirk | Jun 16, 2024 | fiction, mysteries, suspense, writing

Judy Penz Sheluk, whom I met at a Malice Domestic Conference, is a Canadian author who writes mysteries. Judy’s been a great writing friend to me, and she’s helped me considerably at various times in my own writing career. She collects, edits, and...
« Older Entries

Subscribe to Newsletter

Newsletter Sign Up

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt-out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

© 2025 Susan Van Kirk

Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Disclaimer