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Reader Discussions & Insights
Twenty Seconds of Courage
If I'm still thinking about the characters in a book or movie long after the final chapter or the end of the credits have rolled, then I'd say the author or actors did their job. Several years ago, I saw the movie We Bought a Zoo and something the main character (Matt Damon) said is still rattling around in my head. He told his kids to "Just give me 20 seconds of courage and I'll guarantee you something great will happen." I find that line compelling, especially when I feel u
Apr 8
The Allure of Family Mysteries in Fiction
Secrets are the lifeblood of every mystery, but there’s a reason why social issues like adoption and genetic testing now shape many suspense novels. These topics do more than provide fresh plot twists—they reach into our everyday uncertainties about who we are and where we belong. The tension between truth revealed and the status quo infuses contemporary suspense stories with a new urgency. Mystery writers recognize that personal histories are intrinsically suspenseful when c
Mar 18
The Journey Continues...
When I first started writing, I was fortunate to meet an agent at the Pacific NW Writers’ Conference who agreed to represent my first novel. Since then, I’ve had five other novels published, but my agent has switched to representing screenwriters. I’m now in the position of having to secure new representation for my seventh novel, VOWS OF SECRECY, and I’m finding the process quite daunting. The publishing world has gone through a lot of changes since the 1990s and securing an
Jan 14
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