Author Archives: Brenda Buchanan

The Stack

Posted on January 6, 2022 by Brenda Buchanan

Here it is folks, my Christmas Stack. My family and friends know what I like, and bless them, they come through year after year. I received a boodle of wonderful books this holiday season, perfect timing because with Covid surging … Continue reading →

Posted in Brenda's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged Chaser, Dharma Kelleher, holiday books, Kathleen Kent, Midnight Hour, Richard Osman, Soup of the Day, The Left-Handed Twin, The Man Who Died Twice, The Pledge, Thomas Perry, Under The Thumb, Vanishing Act, Whitstable Pearl | 9 Comments

O Tannenbaum, Revived!

Posted on December 6, 2021 by Brenda Buchanan

When contemplating this month’s blog post I re-read a few of my past December offerings and decided this evergreen one, originally published on December 19, 2019, deserved a reprint. The ongoing pandemic has, of course, forced some changes in how … Continue reading →

Posted in Brenda's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged birds, Christmas tree, holidays, lights, ornaments | 14 Comments

Bloodroot: Best New England Crime Stories 2021

Posted on November 4, 2021 by Brenda Buchanan

During my teenage years I went through a long period when I immersed myself in the short stories of great writers such as Shirley Jackson, Flannery O’Connor, James Baldwin and John Steinbeck. I read their full-length books as well, devoured … Continue reading →

Posted in Brenda's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged Best New England Crime Stories 2021, Bloodroot, Bruce Coffin, Crime Spell Books, Judith Green, Kate Flora, Sarah Smith, Vaughn Hardacker | 2 Comments

New England Crime Bake Update

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Brenda Buchanan

The ongoing pandemic is forcing us to ask the same plaintive question we’ve been asking since March, 2020— is whatever it is we’ve been yearning for actually going to happen? Is there a suitable outdoor venue so our favorite concert series … Continue reading →

Posted in Brenda's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged conferences, crime writers, New England Crime Bake | Leave a comment

I Read Ruth Moore

Posted on September 15, 2021 by Brenda Buchanan

I’ve been re-reading Ruth Moore lately, inspired to revisit her novels by a familiar bumper sticker I spotted when we were in Deer Isle in May looking for migrating warblers. These blue and white declarations of literary loyalty are a … Continue reading →

Posted in Brenda's Posts | Tagged Gott's Island, Hancock County, Ruth Moore, Spoonhandle, The Weir | 11 Comments

BALANCE, STORY GENRE AND HOW MUCH ROOM DOES BACKSTORY GET?

Posted on August 9, 2021 by Brenda Buchanan

Today I’m pleased to introduce MWC blog readers to Jule Selbo, a multi-talented writer who recently has made Portland her permanent home. Jule is a former screenwriter (with film and television credits), a playwright (her most-recent play BOXES premiered at … Continue reading →

Posted in Guest Blog, Uncategorized | Tagged Jule Selbo, Ten Days | 7 Comments

Putting Food on the Page

Posted on July 8, 2021 by Brenda Buchanan

When writing my own stories and reading those written by others, I’m always keen to know what the characters are eating. This has nothing to do with the fact that like many of us in the culinary paradise that is … Continue reading →

Posted in Brenda's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged Barbara Ross, food, Joe Gale, Louise Penny, Maine, maine clambake mysteries, Neva Pierce, Robert B. Parker, Three Pines | 6 Comments

So, What Cha’ Doing This Weekend?

Posted on June 4, 2021 by Brenda Buchanan

A bevy of top-notch crime writers will be in Maine this weekend and we writers and readers of crime fiction get to hang out with them. Virtually, that is. Maine Crime Wave is tomorrow. It’s happening on Zoom, and as … Continue reading →

Posted in Brenda's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged Maine Crime Wave, Noir@TheBar | 2 Comments

How a Post-Pandemic Road Trip is like Writing a Book

Posted on May 6, 2021 by Brenda Buchanan

This past weekend my spouse and I set doubt and fear aside and took a road trip. Like many others who live distant from kin, it had been a too long since we’d seen our families in person. We kept … Continue reading →

Posted in Brenda's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged Kathy Lynn Emerson, Maine Crime Wave, New England Crime Bake, road trips, writing | 7 Comments

Writing After The Pandemic

Posted on April 6, 2021 by Brenda Buchanan

I’ve been thinking lately about a literature class I took in high school that focused on the work of some of the most well-known writers of the early twentieth century. While the old-school denizens of the English Department marched us … Continue reading →