Category Archives: Allison’s Posts

Where’d That Word Come From?

Posted on April 17, 2026 by Allison Keeton

Writers love words, and the English language is a rich challenge. Like the United States, the English language is a melting pot. In my undergraduate years at UConn, despite being a Business major (to please my father by pursuing a … Continue reading →

Posted in Allison's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged english, etymology, keeton, midcoast maine, mystery writer, word origins | 7 Comments

“Writing Tip Wednesday”

Posted on April 8, 2026 by Allison Keeton

Welcome to Writing Tip Wednesday! I’m still on a grammar kick. I was beginning to think I was “old-fashioned” in being a stickler for where the period or the comma went when using quotation marks, especially in seeing modern pieces … Continue reading →

Posted in Allison's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged grammar, Maine writer, mystery writer, quotation marks | 5 Comments

Using the Feelings of a Memory

Posted on January 20, 2026 by Allison Keeton

Last month, when I saw photographer April Morrison’s beautiful photograph of milkweed pods in snow, I was instantly brought back to my childhood. One fall, my mother, along with my sisters and me, collected dozens of dried out pods. She … Continue reading →

Posted in Allison's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged Allison Keeton, April Morrison, character-driven, cozy mystery, Maine author, Maine writer, memory, midcoast maine, milkweed pods, mystery writer, photograph, show not tell, writer | 6 Comments

Writing Tip Wednesday: Comp Titles? What’s that?

Posted on January 14, 2026 by Allison Keeton

Ok, so Comp Titles, also known as Comparison Titles, are officially used in query letters once you’ve written your book and are seeking a literary agent or a small press. They are needed for the sales pitch, but I hope … Continue reading →

Posted in Allison's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged Allison Keeton, comp titles, Maine Crime Writers, Maine mystery, Maine mystery authors, Maine writer, midcoast maine, mystery writing, writer, writing, writing tip wednesday, writing tips | 4 Comments

The Return of Cabot Cove

Posted on December 18, 2025 by Allison Keeton

Hollywood has been teasing that a new Murder, She Wrote is on its way this Christmas. The fandom write-ups have Jamie Lee Curtis playing Jessica Fletcher’s niece. AI-generated material also show Tom Selleck as the sheriff and George Clooney as … Continue reading →

Posted in Allison's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged Allison Keeton, angela lansbury, cozy mystery, jamie curtis, Maine Crime Writers news, Maine Historical Society Museum, midcoast maine, murder, Murder She Wrote, mystery writer, mystery writing, she wrote | 17 Comments

The Life of a Bookmark

Posted on October 28, 2025 by Allison Keeton

First, thank you to the Maine Crime Writers blog for inviting me into the fold. I have been reading this blog from the moment I learned of it at the New England Crime Bake conference, many years ago. It is … Continue reading →