The Maine Crime Writers
Author Archives: susanvaughan
Book Research Challenges
Book research can mean travel or contacting primary sources or searching online or a combination. Whatever form it takes, I find research always interesting and often fascinating. I have to hold myself back from oversharing in my novels. For Primal … Continue reading
Election Season Crazies
If you’re hoping for an escape from the campaigns, this isn’t it. But my column isn’t about 2020, but a look at past—distant past—election seasons and nasty campaigns with false accusations and sensational claims. I posted this four years ago, … Continue reading
Is the Government Watching Me?
Susan Vaughan here. A recent post by Maggie Robinson about how easy it is to be sucked into detailed research for a book prompted me to consider how research by writers who create fictional murders, terrorist threats and attacks, and … Continue reading
Posted in Susan's posts
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Adventure or Misadventure?
Susan Vaughan here. I’ve written about this misadventure before, but readers and other writers have encouraged me to share it again. I think they need a chuckle or two. Several years ago when the Romance Writers of America conference was … Continue reading
Posted in Susan's posts
Tagged crime writing, Maine Crime Writers, museum, mystery writing, research, Ring of Truth, Susan Vaughan
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Location, Location, Location
No, I’m not writing about real estate, or maybe I am, but I’m not trying to sell you any property, I promise. This is about fiction settings—region, country, state, city, bodies of water, even food and drink. Realistic or real … Continue reading
Dying for Strawberry Pie
Susan Vaughan here, not dying yet. Maybe I wouldn’t literally die for strawberry pie, but eating the delicious fruit whether au naturel or in a pie is “to die for.” Those of you in some states south of Maine already … Continue reading
Posted in Susan's posts
Tagged baking, dessert, Maine, Maine Crime Writers, strawberries, Susan Vaughan
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English Can Be Weird
Being sequestered during this coronavirus crisis is difficult for us all, and will become more so as the weather warms and spring growth explodes. Although I’m working on a new book (set in summer, so maybe this is getting to … Continue reading
Posted in Susan's posts
Tagged English language, language changes, Maine Crime Writers, mystery writing, Susan Vaughan, writing
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My Maine Thing
Susan Vaughan here. Because it’s Saint Patrick’s Day, you probably expect a post about the semi-holiday. Some of this will feature “green” things, but not shamrocks. I’m writing in honor of Maine’s 200th birthday. Maine Public radio is featuring oral … Continue reading
Presidents’ Day Trivia
Susan Vaughan here. I grew up learning the salient facts—and some myths—about presidents of the United States. Rather than rehash that, I delved into little-known or strange facts about some of our presidents. But first, a brief background about this … Continue reading
Charlene D’Avanzo 
Lea Wait/Cornelia Kidd