Confession time: I’m an addict. Every morning, I have to scratch my mental itch. My coffee doesn’t taste right and I don’t feel properly awake until I’ve worked through the Sudoku in the newspaper. My family knows, and fortunately they’re supportive. My Mother’s Day gift was a book of Sudoku puzzles with a handy slot …
Why Sudoku is the Perfect Puzzle for Mystery Lovers Read More »
So far in the Story Inspiration series, we’ve looked at why a book’s setting matters so much, discovered Lundy Island and why it’s a nexus of myth and legend, delved into some of my personal nightmares, and explored the historical Pirate Kings who show up in my island’s backstory. But why is Lundy sometimes …
#StoryInspiration: The Kingdom of Heaven. That’s Mr. Heaven to You. Read More »
Pull up a beach chair and join me at Island Confidential for today’s stop on our blog tour. My fellow mystery author Frankie Bow from Hawaii is hosting me for a guest post all about my philosophy of writing, plus a book excerpt and a recipe for Mottley’s favorite cocktail. Come chill out with me …
Cheers! Mottley’s Favorite Cocktail Recipe, the Gimblet Read More »
The FAQ’s that I get the most F – ly about Dying Fall involve the backstory of Brackmor Island. Particularly, were the L’Amaurys real historical figures? Yes, and no. If you haven’t read the book yet, don’t worry — no spoilers. In the book, the ruins of L’Amaury Castle were originally built by a notorious family …
When readers ask where I get my story ideas, I feel compelled to tell them the truth (mostly). So I cringe inwardly and repeat the dreadful cliche: “Sometimes, from my dreams.” I generally think of myself as an upbeat, even flippant, person. But I do suffer from time to time with vivid nightmares. And sometimes …
![By Silar (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://ellenseltz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/01464_vintage_Russian_Soviet_silver_cup_tea_holder-224x300.jpg)
Along with Sirop de Cassis, cocoa at breakfast, and other drinks considered by Hastings to be “noxious”, Hercule Poirot is often seen drinking his tisane, to which he attributes health and the acuity of his “little gray cells”. This recurring theme led me to wonder, what flavor of tisane would Poirot like best? I often …