Murder by 4 (Free subscription) | 11/25/2009
© Marta Stephens 2009 all rights reserved What better thing to write about today than how easily our memories can trigger our senses? Think about a wonderful holiday at home and all of a sudden, you’re there, hearing the joyous laughter throughout the hyouse and smelling whatever is cooking on the stove. When I sat down to write chapter 18 of my second novel in the Sam Harper...
Murder by 4 (Free subscription) | 11/18/2009
© Marta Stephens 2009 all rights reserved Ah, the “What if.” They may not vocalize it as such, but that's exactly what runs through every writer's mind when he or she sits down to write the next book. If you're coming short on the creative side of things, read through these writing prompts. What if … 1. … your car breaks down along a desolate country road,...
Murder by 4 (Free subscription) | 12/02/2009
© Marta Stephens 2009 all rights reserved Have you ever gotten to a point in your writing when the words blur together? They're coming out onto the page, but without directrion? Me too. I’m working on the final edits of a novel I’ve titled SHOURD OF LIES. The edits were going well until I reached a scene that involves my PI, Rhonie Lude, questioning the woman she’s...
Murder by 4 (Free subscription) | 11/11/2009
© Marta Stephens 2009 all rights reserved Whether we have taken formal writing courses or went the self-help route, the need to create is what nudged us forward and to heck with the sacrifices and rejections we’ve endured on the road to getting published. The problem is, during the years we studied plot and character development, imagery and all the other critical components...
Murder by 4 (Free subscription) | 11/04/2009
© Marta Stephens 2009 all rights reserved Growing up, I made a promise to myself to never work in retail or anything else that resembled a sales job. Not that there's anything wrong with sales. My husband's years in sales provided a good living for us. A sales job simply wasn't for me--never thought I could sell a thing. Instead, I worked in secretarial positions for years before...
Murder by 4 (Free subscription) | 10/21/2009
© Marta Stephens 2009 all rights reserved It’s rare to see hundreds of familiar and not so familiar authors in one gathering, but this week, Indianapolis, the capital of Indiana, an hour’s drive from my home, was humming with a host of talent. This was the first time I attended Bouchercon, the largest mystery writers’ conference in the U.S. that ran from October...
