Author Archives: matthewcost

Should characters in books have political leanings? I mean, most people do. Some people claim that they hate politics, politicians, and never vote because they’re all crooks. But that is a political belief as well. Most of the rest of … Continue reading →

I have recently become engaged with the process of turning my novels into audio books. This has been a fascinating journey and has created a few questions in my mind. I believe writers and readers have long thought it was … Continue reading →

On Aug. 4, 2020, Deputy Secretary of Defense David L. Norquist approved the establishment of an Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) Task Force. That’s right. UAPs are the new UFOs. On June 25th, 2021, the task force presented a preliminary report … Continue reading →

To kill or not to kill. That is the question that we all must ask ourselves at one point or another. Well, at least, if we are mystery writers. In a cozy mystery, there is usually no killing on the … Continue reading →

Ken Burns is on to something. But I beat him to the punch. In his new documentary, The U.S. and the Holocaust, he delves into the influence that America had on the Nazi Party and Adolph Hitler through the study … Continue reading →

I’m often asked where the ideas come from for my plots. With my historical fiction, the answer is easy. I pick something of interest to me from the past, research, and write about it. With mysteries, it is not quite … Continue reading →

I like to write. That’s why I do it. But I also like to sell. Promote. Market. Make people aware of what I’ve written and let them decide on whether they are interested. And there is never a better time … Continue reading →

What makes a good book is a conundrum. For many years a good book has been determined by a select few reviewers who dictate whether a book has literary merit. But the truth of the matter is that most (almost … Continue reading →

It took me far too long into my life to realize the significance of place in the writing process. It started off by writing a historical novel about Cuba without ever having gone there. It then evolved into beginning a … Continue reading →

The relationship between writers and reviewers is without a doubt one of love and hate. As I see it, there are four basic types of book reviewers: friends, haters, lovers, and professionals. The friend is probably the most complicated reviewer … Continue reading →