The only thing better than discovering an epic fictional character is creating one yourself. How is that done? How did Conan Doyle think up Sherlock Holmes? Did Agatha Christie know a Miss Marple? How did Johnny Depp know that portraying Captain Jack Sparrow like Keith Richards would be more fun than the old "Arghh!" growling pirate? If only we knew the answer we would all be millionaires. but usually the act of timeless character creation is chalked up to "genius" and we assume we can't do it. Can we look at this a bit more? Who flies off the page (or the screen) and grabs you? A great story needs characters that grab you.
Saturday, October 8, 2022
CAPTIVATING CHARACTERS by Maria Hudgins
Saturday, October 1, 2022
SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL: A STORY ABOUT COPYRIGHT AND CHARCTER by Michael D. Rigg
"Excuse me, sir..." |
At its height, the two-story mall offered patrons access to 130 stores, including Sears, J.C. Penney, and Macy’s. (A small third-story contains the mall’s food court.) Today, approximately 50 stores and restaurants remain. J.C. Penny stands as the lone anchor-store. Footsteps from a dwindling number of shoppers echo among the increasing square footage of drywall-covered storefronts. A change in ownership, and plans for strengthening the regional economy, bring hope for a brighter future.
Saturday, September 24, 2022
STRENGTHEN YOUR SUBMISSIONS STRATEGY, PART 1 by Adele Gardner (writing mysteries as Max Jason Peterson)
Saturday, September 17, 2022
THE WRITERLY LIFE: PERCEPTION vs. REALITY by Jayne Ormerod
What society
thinks I do: Spend all day rolling around in my royalty money.
What my
friends think I do: Go to lunch with them (well, yes, I do that a lot) and then
go home and roll around in royalty money.
What my family thinks I do: Binge on Chunky Monkey ice cream while watching TV, reaching out to tap out a few lofty and erudite sentences when the muse hits. (In my defense I do need to “study” the “occasional” movie for plotting and dialogue training. But it’s all under the banner of “continuing education.") And then roll around in royalty money.
Sunday, September 11, 2022
HAMPTON ROADS WRITERS CONFERENCE 2022: NOT JUST FOR WRITERS!
Many Mystery by the Sea members also belong to Hampton Roads Writers (HRW). HRW’s motto is “Where Characters Connect.” So, we thought we might take this opportunity to make an unabashed, unpaid, and heartfelt pitch for our readers to attend the upcoming HRW Conference being held at the Holiday Inn on Greenwich Road from September 22 to 24, 2022.
Founded in 2008, HRW
has grown into a multi-faceted non-profit organization. HRW serves as one of
Southeastern Virginia’s literary hubs and as a welcoming home for all who love
the written word. Aspiring and professional writers in all genres and at all
levels of ability benefit from a variety of programs, services, and events,
often presented in partnership with other cultural organizations. HRW is supported
by government grants, foundations, corporate partners, and the generosity of
our members.
You can learn more about HRW on its website: Hampton Roads Writers – Where Characters Connect.
Saturday, September 3, 2022
What I did this Summer by Teresa Inge
Summer is my favorite season hands-down. As a kid, I always looked forward to summer break, and this year was no different.
Summer Kick-off
My favorite season started with a poolside cookout with my husband, daughters, and dogs Cool Hand Luke,
a Shepherd Lab mix, and Lena, a Shepherd Husky mix. After the cookout, most of
our dinners were spent by the pool this summer.
Summer Happenings
With this being my favorite time, my husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary since we were married the day after the first day of summer. We then moved my just retired brother and his wife to Danville, Virginia during the heatwave and later cleaned out the messy room over my garage. Oh my! A fun time was back while winning a trophy for my 1955 Thunderbird at a car show and cruising the Elizabeth River in my daughter’s boat.
Saturday, August 27, 2022
INTRO: IS THE PEN STILL MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD? By: Kimberly Thorn
A CLOSED CIRCLE OF SUSPECTS by Maria Hudgins
One of the most popular schemes employed by mystery writers can be described as "A Closed Circle of Suspects." This fairly well de...
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What is influencing and who are influencers? Influencing can be applied to any individual who has the ability to influence behavior in their...
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“Stop jumping on the bed before you fall off and crack your head open!” How many times did you hear that when you were young? Or perhaps y...
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No not that Queen! But the Queen of Mystery, Agatha Christie! What self-respecting mystery writer (or reader) doesn’t acknowledge the Quee...