Tag Archives: Maine

The Challenges of Writing an Amateur Sleuth Mystery

There are multiple subgenres of mysteries, such as police procedurals, private investigator mysteries, and legal mysteries. I, however, write “amateur sleuth” on the “cozy adjacent” spectrum, emphasizing community and relationships over violence. The most famous amateur sleuth is Miss Marple, … Continue reading

Posted in Allison's Posts | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Dressing it Maine

John Clark considering an aspect of fiction that I find quite intriguing-smells and sounds. Aside from their ability to set or frame a scene in a story, they can do other things like help the reader to sense a mood, … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

It’s Mainely a Maine Thing

By Kait Carson One of the many things I love about Maine is that it’s seasonal. We have a minimum of seven, with variations on each theme: Mud, Spring, Black Fly, Summer, Summer in the desert without the breeze, Autumn, … Continue reading

Posted in Kait's posts | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Gratitude

I love it when my turn to blog straddles the November and December holidays. Though it’s dark early and cold often, this time of year puts me in a grateful mood, something to celebrate in these times. It’s easier to … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Small Town, Fact or Fiction

Living in a small town while writing about a small town has its challenges. The questions and concerns about my novel swing from “Am I in it?” to “Where did this take place?” — and the inquiries have been pouring … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Exploring the Language of Fall

Kate Flora: Sometimes to create a mood, sometimes looking for a theme for a character, and sometimes searching for the perfect epigraph for a chapter, I dive into one of the many books of poetry on my shelves. Often at … Continue reading

Posted in Kate's Posts | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Summer and Fall Opportunities

Summer is here, the season of long days, beautiful sunsets, strawberries with breakfast, lunch and dinner and blueberry season ahead. I’m doing my best to ignore the heat dome, the humidity index and all of the rainy Saturdays. Soon we’ll … Continue reading

Posted in Brenda's Posts | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Risk Placing Real Emotion at the Center of Your Work

Yes, it’s all melting, but if we close our eyes we might remember, standing in the same spot …  what we loved. Onward into my post! “If something inside of you is real, we will probably find it interesting, and … Continue reading

Posted in Sandra's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Welcome Yourself Back Into Your Writing

Sandra Neily here:   The challenge! After a long break, how to reenter a manuscript? (Or a report or anything that’s been sitting for a while.) How to re-engage with the original urge to tell a particular story? I use … Continue reading

Posted in Sandra's Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Fiction and Truth. Together? Not An Oxymoron.

Sandra Neily here: “Since we cannot expect truth from our institutions, we must expect it from our writers.”  Edward Abbey, quoted in my 2018 post, reprinted below. (OK. Here goes. Trump is the only president to have removed more protections … Continue reading

Posted in Sandra's Posts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments