Plotters, Pantsers, and Playing the Whodunnit Game

By Skye Alexander

From the very beginnings of our books, mystery writers start setting the scenarios for our stories and planting clues. Mysteries are games we play with our readers. Your job is to try to figure out whodunnit before the reveal. Our job is to trick you, so you don’t guess correctly until the story’s climax. But although the objective is the same, we authors go about it in different ways.

Plotters and Pantsers

Unless you’re a writer, you may not be familiar with the terms “plotter” and “pantser.” Plotters are writers who carefully plan out their stories from the get-go, outline the events that take place, and organize the plot’s details so everything comes together neatly at the finale. Pantsers, on the other hand, fly by the seat of their pants. They dive into their tales without knowing where, when, or how their stories will unfold––and that’s part of the fun. For pantsers, writing a book is an act of faith, and they truly believe it will somehow work out in the end.

When I wrote my first mystery novel, I chose the plotter route. I meticulously outlined every step of the journey before I started writing the book, jotting down a paragraph about each scene in each chapter from beginning to end. This worked out well until an afternoon when I was driving down the highway and one of my characters slid into the passenger seat beside me and said, “We (meaning the characters in my book) have gotten together and decided you need to know whodunnit. I’m here to tell you it was me.” That revelation required me to go back and rewrite the first half of the book. It also changed me into a pantser.

Whose Book Is This Anyway?

Writers and characters work together to produce books. We’re co-creators with a joint goal. Like many of my writer friends, I rely heavily on my characters to tell the story. Sometimes I refer to myself as the “designated typist” who simply listens to them spin out their sagas while I tap the keys as fast as I can. Often it feels like I’m a surrogate mother who’s been chosen to birth the child of the Muse, without knowing what I’m getting myself into. I suspect my colleagues can relate.

Characters have a way of taking over the whodunnit game, surprising us by dropping unexpected information, backstory, and plot twists in our laps. A bit player may push her way into a leading role. A nice guy may reveal he’s a villain in the story’s final lap. I believe characters also send us tips that can help us develop our stories. An overheard snippet of conversation in a restaurant, a picture that pops up during an internet search, or a “found” object might be a hint from a character. Once I discovered a golf tee on the floor of my car. I hadn’t played golf since college and no golfers had ridden in my car in years. However, the tee turned out to be an important clue in one of my books.

The End Game

Do authors know how our books will turn out when we begin writing? Sometime yes, sometimes no. Agatha Christie supposedly carefully planned her stories’ plots before penning her novels, so she could design clever puzzles for her readers to enjoy. Stephen King, on the other hand, believes, “Outlines are the last resource of bad fiction writers who wish to God they were writing masters’ theses.”

Plotters probably don’t waste as much as time as pantsers do writing, editing, deleting, debating with themselves, and rewriting. For me, however, handing over some control and responsibility to my characters takes me down side streets I might not have explored on my own. It also gives me a measure of freedom and a sense of camaraderie. I’m not in this alone, and I trust them to see me through to the finish line.

Sometimes authors think we know where a tale will go and where it will end––but then “the plot thickens” as the saying goes and the path we were following leads somewhere else. That’s what happened to me in When the Blues Come Calling, the fifth novel in my Lizzie Crane Jazz Age mystery series, scheduled for publication in October 2025. The suspects kept changing, and I didn’t know whodunnit until the next to the last chapter of the book. I hope readers won’t either.

For me, writing a novel is an exciting adventure, an escape from the problems of the everyday world, and a search for meaning all rolled into one. Having my characters and my readers along for the ride makes the journey a joy.

Bio

Skye Alexander is the author of more than 50 fiction and nonfiction books. Her stories have appeared in anthologies internationally and her work has been translated into fifteen languages. In 2003, she cofounded Level Best Books with fellow crime writers Kate Flora and Susan Oleksiw. Her Lizzie Crane Jazz Age mystery series includes five traditional historical novels set in the 1920s: Never Try to Catch a Falling Knife, What the Walls Know, The Goddess of Shipwrecked Sailors, Running in the Shadows, and When the Blues Come Calling. Visit her at https://skyealexander.com

 

A Time Capsule by Nancy L. Eady

We are moving again (the last move a couple of years ago ended up not happening due to job changes, etc.), so we are going through the multitude of stuff that accumulates in spite of our best intentions.  While doing so, I came across a box of keepsakes from my grandparents, which I got after they both passed away.  In sharing this with you, I am both indulging in nostalgia, but also reflecting on how sad it will be for future generations looking back at us because most of our communication is electronic and not easily preserved. 

Before you start reading, some explanations will help.   We were living in Taiwan when I wrote this in the early ’70’s.  My grandparents lived in Illinois.  Telephone calls back to the United States were expensive and difficult to make.  Nor were there any tools like the internet, home p.c.’s or e-mail.  Stacy and Cheryl are my sisters, while Debbie Jo is my older cousin whom I hero worshipped.  Clyde was a dog that used to be ours but Mom and Dad had to give him to Grandma and Grandpa when we moved into base housing that didn’t allow pets.  Grandpa and Clyde, in particular, were great buddies.  Finally, an “amah” was a live-in housekeeper.

I cannot, alas, replicate the handwriting on the computer, but I will faithfully follow both the capitalization, color and spelling in the original.

Dear Grandma and Grampa, 

How are you?  I’m fine and am feeling happy.  It’s the Fourth of July here and the time is 18 min. before 9:A.M.

Cheryl is going in to 2nd Grade.  I drew a picture of a Cat and it is good.  Guess what?  We have a dog for a little while.  Stacy is go to kinderegarden.   I have a bulliton board.  How is Clyde?  Cheryl and Stacy are fine.  I am going into fourth grade and know a little division.

Is Debbie Joe there?  Tell her that I’m taking sketching lessons and bowling lessons.  I wish you could call us and say hi and a few other things but most of all I wish you could come over and see us.  Debbie might like to here about Chinese Operas so I will tell abuot them.  They are rather noisy and the singing tone mostly in a high voice.  Shopping at the Exchange is fine, though I have not done it much.  Stacy is bugging me for a peice of paper and just now got on from Dad.  Our Amah is vacuming the rug.  At night I like to listen to the Crickets and sing myself to sleep.  It’s pretty noisy just now.  I’ll write a story for you.

Yours truly,

Nancy Merilynn Linn

The Magic Book

Once when Language had not been invented but was just invented there Lived a Lovly maiden named Napoli.  Now, once she had been free to do what she wanted but a witch locked her up.  There was only one way to get her out of the cell and that was to find the book the Wisard of Os.  Now a handsome prince came galloping along one day and every night came forth and Said “Come forth, Come forth please thee, Sweet Napoli.”

And she would answer

How Can I,

When Can I,

The cell cannot be unlocked by Poetry.

Countined in next Letter

 Note:  Alas, a follow up letter with a story continuation either a) did not survive, or b) was not written, so Napoli remains locked up to this day.

I hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane.  Have you found old letters or stories you wrote in grade school?

Villains By Annette Dashofy

A few days ago, I had a discussion with a friend about the villains in my fiction. It’s a subject I always quickly warm to. Heck, I even teach a workshop about these bad guys. 

One thing I always keep in mind when creating a villain is that everyone is the hero of their own story, including… and maybe especially… the antagonist. They believe they’re right and the hero is dead wrong. The villain’s goal and that of the hero are in direct conflict. 

Another tidbit I try to remember is that every bad guy needs to have some good in him. On the flip side, every good guy needs to have some bad in them. 

One of the characters from my Zoe Chambers series isn’t a “bad guy” in the true sense of the word. I’m talking about Zoe’s self-absorbed, demanding mother, Kimberly. Readers have told me they love to hate her. Zoe tends to revert to being a teenager when Kimberly’s around. However, Kimberly’s backstory explains and perhaps excuses her behavior. And in Under the Radar (2020), we finally get a glimpse of Kimberly’s protective mother side, as well as a peek at where Zoe’s kickass tendencies came from.

 

The conversation with my friend actually started with a question about Charles Davis, another recurring character in the Zoe series. In this case, the question surrounded his origin story. The truth is, he was supposed to be a one-and-done. I introduced the abrasive, pushy know-it-all in Til Death (2020), which was supposed to be the last of the series. I didn’t come up with a character arc for him until my agent wanted to shop the series to other publishers, which meant coming up with a three-book proposal. Charles, while truly despicable, occasionally showed a glimmer of having some redeeming value. He did, after all, help Zoe get elected as county coroner. Granted, he had his own agenda, but don’t we all?

All of this talk about villains with some smidgeon of good in them has led me to think about the bad guy in my upcoming The Devil Comes Calling (Detective Honeywell #3). I’d set up this character in both of the previous books, although a reader might need to be sharp-eyed to catch the hints. I dare not say more for fear of divulging spoilers. Let’s just say the title is justified. My working title was Beyond Redemption, which also speaks volumes.

Fellow Writers Who Kill, do you delve into your villains’ heads and hearts when you write? Or do you prefer to keep them at a safe distance? And readers, can you name any villains you’ve loved to hate?

 

  

I am an Imposter.

By Kait Carson

Imposter syndrome: a psychological condition that is characterized by persistent doubt concerning one’s abilities or accomplishments accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of one’s ongoing success. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.

Okay, it’s not quite that bad. Just a temporary crisis of conscience. I hope. Or maybe it’s a simple case of underachievement. Hard to know. I have writer friends who produce multiple books in a year. One writes three to four well-written and edited books a quarter. Yes. A quarter. I take at least a year to write one book, and that doesn’t include editing. So, right now, I’m feeling less than writerish. Or am I?

I’ve got the first book in a new series out on submission and am midway through the fourth book in an existing series. Clanging around on my to-do list are the partial rewrites and final edits of a fun new series set in Key West. Not too shabby.

Any writer will tell you that imposter syndrome is a thing. I suspect any creative will tell you the same. When I worked in the legal field, we used to say we were only as good as our last billable hour. It’s similar as a creative, but different. No profession has guarantees, but the creative ones are more tenuous. A creative is always working on spec. The space between submitting a finished work and its acceptance or rejection gives birth to imposter syndrome. It matures with some measure of success when you have to do it all over again. Scary stuff.

Every creative overcomes it in their own way. In the words of Brene Brown, “You can choose courage, or you can choose comfort, but you cannot choose both.” When I realize I’m wallowing in imposter syndrome, I do three things. First, I enlist the help of one of the most prolific and successful writers of our time, Stephen King, and re-read his book On Writing. It always gives me energy and perspective. Second, I make a list of what I have accomplished. Third, since we’re talking about writing, I put my butt in the chair and my fingers on the keyboard. Works every time.

What about you? How do you overcome your fear that you just can’t do it again?

Kait Carson writes the Hayden Kent Mysteries, set in the Fabulous Florida Keys, and is at work on a new mystery series set in her adopted state of Maine. Her short fiction has been nationally published in the True Confessions magazines and in Woman’s World. Kait’s short story, “Gutted, Filleted, and Fried”, appeared in the Silver Falchion Award nominated Guppy Anthology Hook, Line, and Sinker. Her nonfiction essay was included in the Agatha Award-winning book Writing the Cozy Mystery. She is a former President of the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime, a member of Sisters in Crime, and Guppies.

 

What is Writing by Nancy L. Eady

I am a champion procrastinator.  To keep that tendency in check, I periodically review what counts as writing, and what does not. 

1)  Sitting down at the computer and typing words that flow from my head is, obviously, writing. 

2)  Sitting down at the computer intending to write but playing games instead is not writing even if I try to con myself by insisting I am considering important plot points while attempting to get three stars on Level 2,341 of Bubble Witch 2.  (If you know how to  get three stars on level 2,341, please use the comment section to give me your secret.)  

3)  Placing a pen or pencil on paper and pouring out words is writing, although hand muscles geared to typing cramp after too much of it.  Writing by hand only occurs when: 

A)  I am bored in a crowded meeting but need to look like I’m paying attention and/or taking notes (I outlined a complete novel during one hellishly dull 8 hour seminar); or 

B)  I mistakenly travel somewhere with none of the electronic gizmos I normally use and I’m desperate.  

4)  Dictating my story into my digital voice recorder while I'm driving, while not winning me "safe driver of the year" award, is writing.  

5)  Thinking about my story is, alas, not writing.  If it were, I'd have a completed work rivaling the unabridged Oxford English Dictionary in length.  (The last published version of the OED was the 2nd edition in 1989; periodically, the OED also publishes single volumes with words that have been added.  Now, the OED is online and is, per its web site, a guide “to the meaning, history and usage of over 500,000 words and phrases across the English-speaking world.")    

6)   Talking about my WIP is not writing.  

7)   Preparing a pitch for a completed work is writing.  In fact, it may be one of the hardest parts of writing. 

8)  Signing up for a writing class without actually attending it is not writing.  

9)  Completing the first writing assignment in a course and then ferrying the rest of the lessons and information into an e-mail folder for that future mythical era where I have time to catch up is not writing.   

10)  Completing a writing course is writing and time well spent.  

11)  Buying books on writing is not writing.  This stricture includes books with topics such as how to complete a novel in 30 days, time management, steps to a writing life, writing exercises and creativity, especially when said books remain on the shelf unopened.  (My husband says I have more time management books than anyone he knows.  He just wishes I'd read at least one of them.)  

12)  Reading such books is writing - to a point.  Reading on how to improve my craft is useful but only if I practice the knowledge I gain by – you guessed it – writing. 

13)  Editing is writing, but I have to keep a close rein on my inner critic, a snarky, surly lass always popping up with the worst comments at the worst time.  

14)  Reading other mysteries is not writing.  I am mesmerized by a good book.  Growing up, my youngest sister would come home from school and talk to me for fifteen minutes before I realized anyone was in the room with me.  My very patient family has learned to say my name three times progressively louder and pull on my arm at least once if they need my attention while I’m reading.  In case of fire, I expect them to save themselves and leave me to my fate.  At least I’ll die happy.  (Reading other people’s work is essential to my development as a writer, so I make time for it.  I just don’t count that time as writing time.)   

What activities do you count as writing versus non-writing? 

The Art of the Plot Twist by Connie Berry

 

People love to be surprised.  

From the early childhood game of Peek-a-Boo to an unexpected bouquet of roses after a hard day at work, the pay-off, neuroscientists tell us, is a rush of dopamine, intensifying our emotions by as much as four hundred percent (https://www.melissahughes.rocks/post/the-science-of-surprise).

When the unexpected happens, we’re pulled into the moment, engaging with the world in an intensified and pleasurable way. I’m obviously not talking about an unpleasant shock. That also intensifies our emotions, but not in a good way. I’m talking about those unforeseen events in our lives that overturn our expectations and send our thinking in an altogether new direction.

The Four States of the Surprise Response

In the book Surprise: Embrace the Unpredictable and Engineer the Unexpected, authors Tania Luna and Leeann Renniger outline four stages of the surprise response:

·         Freeze—something unexpected stops us in our tracks

·         Find—our brains focus on trying to understand what’s going on and why

·         Shift—those new finds prompt us to shift our perspective in some way

·        Share—we feel the desire to share our surprise with others

How do we use this affinity for surprise in our mystery fiction? 

No mystery there. Overturning the expectations of readers, surprising them, is called a “plot twist,” that moment when everything the reader has been led to believe turns out to be wrong. A plot twist is the reversing of expectations. It doesn’t mean the reader has been fooled. That would be cheating. It means the author has led readers down the wrong path but has at the same time provided every clue along the way, telling them the path is wrong—if only they were paying attention. The secret is distraction, drawing the readers’ attention away from the real clues by laying out lots of shiny red herrings.

Ten crime-fiction novels with amazing plot twists (no spoilers!):

·       The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton

·       The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

·       And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

·       The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers

·       Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

·       The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

·       The Likeness by Tana French

·       The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

·       The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson

·       The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

    What Makes a Great Plot Twist

A great plot twist reveals the destination to which the book was always leading.

      The reader just didn’t know it. The question authors want readers to answer isn’t “Did you like it?” but “Did you guess it?” We’re happiest when they answer, “No, but I should have because all the clues were there.”

What is your favorite fictional plot twist? How could you use the four stages of surprise in your writing?

Julie Mulhern's Bad Blood: A Review by E. B. Davis

 

Prudence Davies is one of Ellison Jones' least favorite people on earth. She's vindictive. She's mean. And the two share a twisted history. Or, they did.

When Prudence is murdered after a very public spat, Ellison finds herself a murder suspect. Worse, the investigating officer has it in for Ellison's homicide detective husband.

Old secrets. Old lies. New drama.

Can Ellison find the killer or will the bad blood between her and Prudence mean the end to all she holds dear?

Amazon.com

 

In Bad Blood, main character Ellison Jones is arrested for the murder of Prudence Davies by a homicide detective, who doesn’t like her husband Anarchy, who is also a homicide detective working out of the same station. Ellison has been targeted to take the blame. Someone close, who knew she kept her gun in a nightstand, stole it and used it as the murder weapon. It was common knowledge that she disliked Prudence, who dallied with her late husband. Prudence drew Ellison into a loud argument by the country club swimming pool the day before. Ellison must save herself without Anarchy’s help. He’s been warned not to interfere in the case.      

I hope I’m wrong. But I fear I’m not. Bad Blood is Julie Mulhern’s twentieth novel in the Country Club Murder mystery series, and I think it is the last book. Prudence, the victim, is Ellison Jones’s nemesis, stemming from the first book in the series, The Deep End. Julie has brought the series around full circle. Ellison started out a married woman with low self-esteem in a loveless, conventional marriage. She was henpecked by her domineering mother. After her lousy husband Henry was murdered, Ellison stood firm as a single mother and a financially successful artist. When she was forced to solve murders, her self-esteem grew, as did her ability to stand up to her mother. But she found true love in police detective Anarchy Jones, married him against her mother’s wishes, and solved murders.

 

Ellison Jones’s dilemmas and conflicts have been solved. Even her mother is now a softer, gentler person, treating Ellison with the respect she deserves. Another reason I think this is the last book is that Julie introduces a new historical mystery series at the end of Bad Blood. Although I can understand Julie wanting a new series, I will hate to see this one go. It’s humor and irony made for great reading.

That Old Creative Magic's Got Me Again by Martha Reed

In July, I celebrated the fifth anniversary of my retirement from a forty-year career in the corporate world. When they hear that, people ask me what I do now, or how do I fill my time? Do I play pickleball? No to that, but I can happily and honestly say that I’ve never been busier. The silver lining is that now I’m busy writing full-time, which was my lifetime end goal and the occupation I feel most fulfilled doing. Writing daily adds genuine joy to my day-to-day life.

When I retired, I made a deal with the universe. I promised that I would devote half of each day doing writerly things if the universe kept giving me amazing story ideas. As a side note, ‘writerly things’ includes marketing and promotion efforts, designing bookmarks, writing blog posts, updating my website https://www.reedmenow.com/, editing anthologies, judging contests, mentoring newbie authors, and attending workshops and conferences.

So far, this deal has worked out to the point that I know what my next two writing projects are. Right now they’re on a back burner bubbling away in my imagination while I put the final polish on The Seven Gates of Guinee, my NOLA Mystery No. 3, due to be released shortly. That timing is also a great thing about being indie/self-published. I don’t stress out over trying to meet a hard publishing deadline. This way, I feel like I have the time I need to make the new story the best it can be.

Having the luxury of this extra time also gives me the freedom to do deep research dives which uncover real-life details that I might otherwise have missed. While I do discover some story details through nothing less than hardcore research detective work, I’ve also experienced surprising reveals through what I can only call creative magic.

Here’s an example: My process, when I construct a new mystery, is to start by building a timeline. I’m sure this comes from my old corporate Project Manager days. Give me a legal pad and a calendar and I’ll start framing up my project or my next plot. (See how this fits?) Setting out my new dates, I started filling in the story suggestions and ideas. About three quarters of the way through the first draft of The Seven Gates of Guinee, I decided that I needed a tropical storm or even better, a threatening hurricane to stress out my characters and heighten the tension. Googling the real-time dates to see what had blown through the Gulf Coast in 2017, I discovered that Tropical Storm Cindy had come ashore and nailed New Orleans on the very date I had already set.

I swear I didn’t know that detail before I started writing about it. It’s magic.

I’ll admit that when the magical and creative connection happens I’ll sit hunched in my correctly ergonomic chair and giggle like a mad little gargoyle. I’ve come to believe that when the magic happens the universe is telling me to carry on writing in faith because my story – although raw, uncertain, and unfinished is on the right track and that more magic will be revealed.

In case this sounds too far-fetched, I brought creative magic up as a topic at the Bouchercon 2025 convention this month, handily enough being held in New Orleans. Surprisingly, two different author friends mentioned experiencing the same serendipity. Firstly, we confessed we were glad to hear it happened to other people, and that we weren’t insane. What a relief! And then they both mentioned reading Big Magic, a book on creative writing and creative living written by Elizabeth Gilbert. She’s the author of the Eat, Pray, Love bestseller. In Big Magic, she offers ‘potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration,’ and ‘discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives.’

While I don’t agree with everything she covers, there’s enough parallel thought in her book and in the way I live to give me pause. I’m mentoring a newbie writer as part of a Sisters in Crime Mentoring Program. I would never mention this level of creative trust to her yet. I think it takes a seasoned and veteran writer to confess having this much trust in the creative process. But when I do run into one of these dearly grizzled friends, we can share our hidden secret that this magic sometimes does happen; that we feel creative joy when it does; and we don’t question the ‘How’ or the ‘Why.’ We just let it be.

In his excellent book On Writing, Stephen King writes (and I’m paraphrasing) that stories already exist in the universal unconscious like fossils, and that we writers only excavate them.

The more stories I write, and the deeper I explore the writing craft, the more I agree with him.

Have you encountered magical thinking with your writing efforts? How do you structure your writing life to support your creativity?

Things I've Learned Watching Football by Nancy L. Eady

You’ll never make the team if you don’t try out. 

Never believe your own press. 

You get four tries to make a first down

The individual playmakers get all the attention, but the game is won in the trenches. 

Every team member matters. So does every member of the support staff. 

A team that plays together brilliantly can beat a team with brilliant players. 

It takes six days of practice to play the game on the seventh. 

It takes all four quarters to win the game. 

How you play the game DOES matter. 

Much of this relates to writing, also. What do you think? 

A New Chapter for "A Bookish Moment" by Sarah E. Burr

As mystery authors, J.C. Kenney and I know the thrill of starting a new chapter, whether it’s in a cozy mystery novel or in one of our bookish adventures. This fall, we’re turning the page on a brand-new season of A Bookish Moment, and we couldn’t be more excited to share the changes, updates, and surprises we’ve lined up for our wonderful community.

Growing with Our Readers

When we launched A Bookish Moment as part of our It’s Bookish Time TV programming, our goal was simple: create a welcoming space where readers and writers could come together, celebrate storytelling, and peek behind the curtain of the publishing world. Over the seasons, we’ve had the privilege of chatting with hundreds of fantastic authors, learning about their journeys, and laughing over the quirks and delights that unite us all as book lovers.

This new season takes that spirit and builds on it. We’ve listened to our viewers, reflected on what works best, and made a few thoughtful changes to bring you even more engaging, author-centered conversations.

What’s New This Season

• A Fresh Format. We’re streamlining our A Bookish Moment episodes to make them even more dynamic and conversation-driven, giving our guests plenty of time to shine while still keeping things lively for our audience.
• Behind-the-Scenes Extras. We recently joined Substack and are discovering new ways to utilize its innovative features. Substack allows a paid subscription tier, and we’re giving it a try! While you can still subscribe for free and receive episode notifications, paid subscribers to our Substack newsletter will get access to special bonus content, including behind-the-scenes snippets about the making of the show.
• The Bookish Hour Lives On. While A Bookish Moment is now the heartbeat of our regular programming, The Bookish Hour isn’t going anywhere. We’re reserving the Hours for group chats and special events, keeping that original spirit alive for when we want to bring more voices into the conversation. In fact, we recently held our first Bookish Hour earlier this week, welcoming the authors from the Murder, They Write Facebook group. It was a fabulous, fun time, and a great place to find your next read.
• A Star-Studded Lineup. We have a stellar roster of authors joining us this season, from cozy favorites to fresh new voices making waves in the literary world. Each guest brings their own unique perspective, and we can’t wait to dive into their stories with you.

Join the Conversation

You can catch each episode of A Bookish Moment on our YouTube channel, where all past seasons are available to binge (perfect for when you’re craving a cozy chat on a rainy afternoon). For schedules, special announcements, and more ways to connect, visit www.itsbookishtime.com.

We’re grateful for the community that has grown around our shows. Every comment, every shared link, every question submitted during a live event is what makes this adventure special. This isn’t just about two authors chatting with their peers: it’s about inviting readers and writers alike into the circle.

So, grab a cup of tea, fluff your pillows, and settle in. Season Five of A Bookish Moment is here, and it’s shaping up to be our most exciting yet. We hope you’ll join us for every twist, turn, and bookish laugh along the way. 

Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsbookishtime

Support us on Substack: https://itsbookishtime.substack.com/subscribe

Do I Need An Editor? - by Judy L. Murray

I am asked this question frequently. My opinion is an emphatic yes. But it is advice newer writers often resist. Why? Sir Arthur Conon Doyle through Sherlock Holmes said, “You see, but you do not observe.” That’s a brilliant deduction.

Much of it is our human nature. You dive into a storyline you believe exhibits your special talent and originality. Without that self-confidence, a writer, new or experienced, seldom finishes the project. But I’ve learned rather quickly that my developmental editor is invaluable. I may wince as I run my eyes down the summary. At the same time I rejoice in knowing that the little niggling in the back of my mind of loopholes, missed opportunities, and enhancements I ignored until now just got validated by my editor.

Here is the advice of two very successful authors:

Lisa Scottoline is a #1 Bestselling Author, The New York Times bestselling author and Edgar award-winning author of 36 novels. She says: "Get it down, then get it good.” Lisa believes in working with an editor. “Acknowledge that editing is a crucial process, not an attack on your work…Be open to feedback.” Lisa says willingness to receive critique is a key part of the process. “Trust your experts.” Editors have specific skills that enhance your writing. Find someone you trust and work through the editing process together.

Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of 16 psychological thrillers, a five-time Agatha and Anthony Award winner, and the recipient of the Mary Higgins Clark Award, is also an Emmy-winning investigative reporter. She tells her story of enduring editorial feedback when working on her first novel. Editor Ann Leslie Tuttle at Harlequin initially found the manuscript "too light" but later called Ryan’s agent to express her interest in the memorable plot. One of Ryan’s initial problems was her first draft manuscript. Printed out, it was 723 pages long—a five- or six-inch stack of paper. Ryan was asked to rewrite the entire novel with a more serious tone, which she did in about a month. “I edited relentlessly. Took out everything that was repetitive, unoriginal, overwritten. …I wouldn’t be in the place I am today had Ann Leslie not seen a hidden talent that she encouraged and nurtured so that I could write the best book possible.”

Still not convinced you need a professional’s, not a best friend’s, advice before self-publishing or submitting? Consider these points: • An editor identifies gaps in the narrative • Refines the overall structure • Sharpens the central message • Adds clarity and polish; Protects the writer’s unique voice • Pinpoints a writer’s recurring stylistic weaknesses from passive voice to overused words

We may hire an editor for the developmental edit stage before we submit to a literary agent or publisher. We may hire an editor before we choose the self-publishing option. Regardless, make hiring a professional editor part of your commitment to produce the best you can. Later, you’ll sit back, hold that final manuscript in your hands and be proud. Very, very proud.

Writers, do you have a for instance in using an editor you would like to mention?

Judy

Judy L. Murray, author of the award winning Chesapeake Bay Mystery Series Illustration-Sidney Paiget public archives

What I Do When I Get Stuck by Marilyn Levinson

These days I'm writing more and more as a pantser. It's not something I decided to do, but how my writing method has evolved. I hold to the premise that, as writers, we train our brains to help us come up with creative solutions. Despite this, my brain often needs a bit of help. Here are a few of the "tricks" that work for me.

To begin with, it's always good to sit down to write when you know where you're heading. Even if it's only the next step your character's about to take, if it furthers the plot, it may also lead to the next plot point in your WIP, perhaps one you never considered before. With this in mind, it might be a good idea to stop writing for the day when you know what your characters will be doing next.

When I don't know where I'm going next plot-wise, I often reread the last few pages of my manuscript. This not only brings me directly into the story stream and can act as an impetus for me to continue writing--kinda like when a little kid gets a push on a swing, and then she can start swinging on her own. Rereading the last few pages I've written can help me see if I've headed off on a tangent that's taken me away from the heart of my story. If I can't find where I began to wander off the path of my main plot, now is a good time to look at my outline. My outline will remind me what needs to be covered in my WIP or changed.

What if I'm really stymied and I don't know how to move on? Then it's time to step back and stop focusing on my plot problem. Ideas often come to me in the shower, while walking, and just before I'm going to sleep.

And there's nothing shameful about asking for help. I'm part of a group of mystery writers who help each other out--with title suggestions, plot problems, and tips about pet care. Sometimes, a friend's suggestion will fit right in with my plotline. Other times the group's suggestions will trigger one of my own. Once in a while, I've no sooner written out my problem in an email and the answer comes to me before I can hit "send." Simply asking for help nudges my mind and provides me with the solution.

What do you do when you get stuck?

An Interview with James M. Jackson by E. B. Davis

 

Two years undercover. One phone call. Zero margin for error.

FBI Agent Ashley Prescott has spent two years undercover as Niki Foster, earning the trust of Patriots for Freedom—an extremist militia. As the Bureau’s only window into the group—and their Chinese linguist and arms go-between—she’s the only one who can stop an imminent weapons sale and their plot to tear America apart with targeted assassinations.

Then her estranged billionaire father vanishes after leaking classified intel—details that threaten to expose her and could only have come from inside the FBI.

HQ plans to shut down her op, claiming she blew her cover. Ashley knows what that means: the Bureau will nab a few small fry and proclaim victory, while the militia leaders disappear, the arms shipment remains a threat, and the traitor wrecks other lives.

Racing between Minnesota to track down her father and D.C. to maintain her cover, she has ten days to stop the plot and expose the FBI leaker. With ex-SEALs closing in and her own agency against her, going rogue is her only shot at saving the country—and her own survival.

When the system turns against you, justice becomes a one-woman war.

Amazon.com

 

If you’ve read James M. Jackson’s Seamus McCree mystery series, you know that he doesn’t write simplistic, sentimental books. Niki Undercover, the first book in his new Niki thriller series, exemplifies his complex plots, fast pace, and deep characterization. Set over the course of two weeks, I didn’t always know where the plot would lead. But I always knew each character because they were distinctly drawn.

 

Most people have complex family situations, but I doubt anyone has the family issues that FBI Special Agent Ashley Prescott has—and those issues interfere with her job. Being undercover, that interference could mean her death. But then, someone doesn’t care all that much about her life. She calls her father Robert because she never considered him a dad. One phone call and Ashley’s life is turned upside down, which means she might not be undercover anymore.

 

Niki Undercover is available on Kindle Unlimited.

 

Please welcome WWK’er James M. Jackson!   E. B. Davis 

 

Niki was a supporting character in the Seamus McCree series. How long have you known that you wanted Niki to become the primary character in another series?

 

Niki appeared in Cabin Fever (Seamus McCree #3) when she worked her first undercover assignment. That was 2010. She had a cameo appearance in the novella “Low Tide at Tybee,” and then appeared with Seamus in the short story “Power of Attorney,” which takes place in 2019. (All my stories occur in “real time.”)

 

That’s when Niki began advocating for her own stories. I started writing Niki Undercover, but in between drafts, I completed Granite Oath (Seamus McCree #7) and Hijacked Legacy (Seamus McCree #8). She appears in both stories, which take place after the events in Niki Undercover.

 

“I don’t pretend to be Niki. I become Niki.” (Loc. 127) Although Niki is donning a new persona, she still is an FBI agent—just not herself. Has Ashley taken method acting classes?

 

Not formally, but she’s had acting coaches. FBI training for undercover operators includes lots of role-playing. Niki learned that the best undercover agents don’t role-play; they become the part. It’s one difference that makes her so successful (and keeps her alive).

 

What is a burr haircut? Is it like a buzz cut? Why does Ashley style her hair like that?

 

A burr haircut is a type of military-inspired haircut in which the hair is trimmed evenly all around to less
than an eighth of an inch. Ashley likes it for three reasons (1) it’s super easy to maintain, (2) it gives her a tough-guy vibe that helps her undercover assignment infiltrating militias, and (3) she can wear any wig over it to fit whatever role she is playing.

 

I assume an Accuracy International Arctic Warfare Magnum is some super sniper rifle. Are wind speed and direction really factors in marksmanship?

 

With a sniper rifle that has confirmed kills from over a mile distant, gravity and wind speed have a major effect on where the bullet strikes. Over a quarter mile (easy pickings for a sniper) the bullet drops about four feet. A 15mph perpendicular wind could push the bullet almost a foot. While not as big as gravity, not getting your adjustments correct means a miss, not a hit.

 

What contention does Ashley have with her colleague Special Agent Rick (spelled-with-a-silent-P)? He has family connections, doesn’t he? How did Rick know about Seamus? It seems that even though Ashley doesn’t like Rick, she does trust him. Why?

 

Ashley thinks Rick represents much of what she does not like about the FBI. His father was an FBI big-wig; and she thinks he is a misogynist, always making crude jokes. Rick used his connections to snoop in Niki’s personnel file, where he read the information about her first undercover assignment, when she ran into Seamus. Despite that, Rick is there when she needs him. Willing to admit she might have been wrong, she learns to trust him.

 

In an ambush, Malachi recognizes exSEALS, like himself, trying to kill Ashley. What is a “bone-frog” tattoo?

 

It’s a tattoo of a frog’s X-ray showing only the bones. I tried to find an image I could paste here without violating copyright and couldn’t find one. An internet search will get you lots of pictures.

Some of Malachi’s traits are laughable. After killing a man, Malachi refuses to let Ashley drive the rental car because she isn’t on the rental contract. And Robert made him the corporate conscience. Is he a contradiction or what?

 

Malachi was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has a strong moral core. Robert made him the corporate conscience because he refuses to lie. Ashley soon learns that’s not the same as always telling the truth. Malachi would consider the killing regrettable, but necessary. Cheating on a contract is lying. He does not find those to be contradictions.

 

Ashley is thrust into first professional testing, then a life-threatening ambush—the source of which she is unsure of—and then a complex family situation, which in turn becomes a corporate problem when Robert goes missing. How does Ashley react to becoming CEO of her father’s company, all the while being an FBI undercover agent?

 

Ever since she was a kid and watched the Twin Towers fall, she’s thought her mission in life was to protect her country. That’s why she fought off all Robert’s attempts to bring her into the family business and chose instead to join the FBI. To her, all this other stuff distracts from her life’s work. She’s angry to find herself in such a position and overwhelmed by the responsibilities, and wants to wring Robert’s neck for putting her in a position where she doesn’t feel in control.

 

I loved the little old busybody lady next door to Robert’s house. Does every neighborhood have one?

 

I hope so. They’re the heart and soul of neighborhood-watch committees—especially when they are a committee of only one.

Why did Robert call Ashley Socrates?

 

Robert (like George W. Bush) had nicknames for everyone. He called Ashley “Little Spitfire” because as a kid she was a bundle of unfocused energy. “Socrates” is what he called Tabitha because she is always asking intelligent questions.

 

Ashley becomes aware that there are big problems at Pendergast Holdings, such as bribing federal officials, environmentally unsafe products, and embezzlement. Is this why Ashley brings Seamus into Pendergast Holdings?

 

For years, Seamus led the financial crimes division of Criminal Investigations Group and is an expert forensic accountant. Plus, she has trust issues, and he’s one of the few people in the world she does fully trust.

 

What is a “dark terminal?” What is a TOR?

 

A dark terminal is a device that connects to the dark web—a portion of the internet that standard browser searches can’t find because they require passwords. Often those devices use software like TOR, “The Onion Router,” which is a network designed to provide users with anonymity and privacy while browsing the internet. The U.S. Navy developed it to encrypt messages and split them into pieces that each travel a different route before coming together at the end point. Bad actors often use it to access the dark net.

 

Did Seamus really use the word “sprong?”

 

Yup. The sentence, which refers to Niki is, “What I hear is a coiled spring wound so tight it’ll soon sprong.”

 

How does Ashley function without sleep, especially when she also has a few drinks, such as a Manhattan? In light of all of that, why does she have a no-caffeine resolution? Seems like she needs a lot of caffeine to me.

 

Ashley is younger than you and me, so she can get away with stuff we no longer can. Her aversion to caffeine has nothing to do with health or diet. Caffeine is a stimulant, and when in sniper mode, she cannot have any stimulants in her system. Alcohol in moderation doesn’t affect her shooting nerves.

 

Ashley doesn’t follow rules, which gets her into trouble with the FBI and Pendergast Holdings. Is this also her greatest asset?

 

Ashley’s blood boils whenever she hears “because that’s the way we’ve always done it” or “because those are the rules.” Ignoring what she considers stupid rules frequently gets her into organizational trouble. Yet her success at ignoring rules is a key factor in what has made her so successful as an undercover agent.

 

CFO Gabriella says that Ashley is a “change agent.” What’s that, and why is it important?

 

In business, change agents drive organizational change, which Pendergast Holdings needs in order to transition from being a family-run corporation. Ashley’s bulldozer approach to those who want to “do what we’ve always done” accelerates the pace of necessary change.

 

So, is Ashley a lone wolf or a team player?

 

At heart, she wants to be a team player. And she’s been a successful one, having helped win college softball championships. But outside that sports setting, she has not learned to trust others. She knows that’s a personal failing, but until she learns to overcome it under stress, she goes it alone.

 

What’s next for Ashley or will she also continue to be Niki? Will Seamus be a continuing character? Will Niki be a loose end for the Patriots for Freedom?

 

In Niki Unleashed (Niki Undercover Thriller #2), Ashley remains enmeshed in the family corporation while, as Niki, she must infiltrate an ecoterrorist organization that targets corporate executives—one of which could be Ashley.

East, West, Home’s . . . Where the Mystery Is

by Paula Gail Benson

On Saturday, September 13, 2025, the Capitol Crimes Chapter of Sisters in Crime in conjunction with the Palmetto Chapter of Sisters in Crime and the Southeastern Mystery Writers of America held its first bi-coastal Crime-A-Thon. What is that, you may ask? It’s a gathering of authors, six from each coast, grouped in panels to discuss what makes the settings and characters in their novels unique.

Baron R. Birtcher

Many thanks to Karen Phillips, President of Capitol Crimes, and its board for providing the registration and Zoom forum for this meeting. Special thanks to Richard Meredith and Chris Dreith for their organization and help in keeping track of audience questions. Another grateful shout out to Penny Manson, who moderated the setting panel of West Coast authors Baron R. Birtcher, Robin Burcell, Audrey Lee and East Coast authors Yasmin Angoe, Linda Lovely, and Lynn Chandler Willis.

I had the privilege of moderating the character panel with West Coasters Bruce Borges, Vinnie Hansen, and R. Franklin James and East Coasters Carla Damron, Sally Handley, and Dorothy McFalls. (I also must admit that I was delighted the participants and audience sang “Happy Birthday” to me. I’ll always remember being serenaded coast to coast!)

Bruce Borgos

Penny and I enjoyed taking a “Family Feud” approach with our panelists. We had terrific participation and an engaged audience, and we hope to repeat the coastal face-off again next year.

Some terrific authors were involved. If you haven’t been introduced to their work yet, I urge you to check them out. Here’s a little about each one.

WEST COAST PANELISTS

Baron R. Birtcher divides his time between Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest. He is the author of the hardboiled Mike Travis series (Roadhouse Blues, Ruby Tuesday, Angels Fall, and Hard Latitudes), the Ty Dawson series (South California Purples, Fistful Of Rain, and Reckoning), as well as a stand-alone, Rain Dogs. www.facebook.com/BaronRBirtcher/

Robin Burcell

Bruce Borgos lives in Nevada, writes the Sheriff Porter Beck series, and also has written two stand-alone suspense novels. When in college, he took a course from the screenwriter of The China Syndrome, who complimented his storytelling ability by saying, “You can make a living at this.” Author Bruce Borgos

Robin Burcell, from San Francisco, California, is an FBI-trained forensic artist who has worked in law enforcement for nearly three decades as a police officer, detective and hostage negotiator. She has written thrillers, a mystery series featuring SFPD Homicide Inspector Kate Gillespie, and has co-authored books with Clive Cussler. www.robinburcell.com/

Vinnie Hansen

Vinnie Hansen lives in Santa Cruz, California, and writes the Carol Sabala, baker/sleuth mysteries. In addition, she has written two suspense novels published by Level Best Books and quite a few short stories (in four Guppy anthologies). Her second suspense novel, Crime Writer, has just been released. Vinnie Hansen – Author of ONE GUN and the Carol Sabala mystery series

R. Franklin James (also known as Rae) grew up in San Francisco and lives in Northern California. She writes three series about (1) Johanna Hudson, a genealogist; (2) Hollis Morgan, a white collar criminal who persevered to become a probate attorney; and (3) Remy Loh Bishop, who has been fired as a forensic technician for falsifying results. Author Rae James – Award-winning author of the Hollis Morgan and Remy Loh Bishop Mystery Series

R. Franklin James

Audrey Lee lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and received two degrees (including her master’s in education) from UC Berkeley. Her debut novel, The Mechanics of Memory, was nominated for the Edgar, the Anthony, the Silver Falchion, and the Lefty Award. Never to be Told will be released in May 2026. Author Audrey Lee

Audrey Lee

EAST COAST PANELISTS

Yasmin Angoe

Yasmin Angoe lives in Columbia, S.C. She grew up in Northern Virginia and is a first-generation Ghanaian American. She received the 2020 Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for Emerging Writers of Color from Sisters in Crime. Her Nena Knight series has been optioned for a TV/Film adaptation. Home - Yasmin Angoe, Author

Carla Damron lives in Columbia, S.C., writes the Caleb Knowles and Georgia Thayer series about social workers who become involved in criminal investigations, and also has written The Stone Necklace, women’s fiction that features interconnected stories (one of the last books published for the Pat Conroy imprint of the University of South Carolina Press). Carla Damron

Carla Damron

Sally Handley lives in Mauldin, S.C., and writes the Holly and Ivy series about sisters who garden and solve mysteries. She also has written a stand-alone novel, Stop the Threat, about school security. Home - sallyhandley.com

Linda Lovely lives by a lake in Upstate South Carolina. She has written the HOA mysteries, the Brie Hooker humorous mysteries, the Marley Clark traditional mysteries, a romantic suspense series called “Smart Women, Dumb Luck,” and a 1938 historical mystery. Author Linda Lovely | mystery and suspense author

Sally Handley

Dorothy McFalls (who also writes as Dorothy St. James) lives in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, has written romance, mystery, fantasy, and romantasy, and has three mystery series featuring (1) a White House gardener, (2) the proprietor of a Southern Chocolate Shop, and (3) a librarian operating a secret book room of real books. Cozy Mystery Books | Cozy Mystery Author Dorothy St. James

Lynn Chandler Willis lives in a little cottage on a minifarm in the heart of North Carolina. She has written true crime as well as the Ava Logan mysteries and a Death Doula novel. In 2013, she was the first woman in a decade to win the St. Martin’s Press/Private Eye Writers of America Best First P.I. Novel competition. https://lynnchandlerwillis.com/

Linda Lovely

All these fabulous authors made the event a great success. Many thanks to you all!

The Capitol Crimes Chapter has now posted the video on YouTube. If you would like to watch, here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4UCnoQara8&feature=youtu.be

What do you think? Which coast produces the best mystery protagonists and villains?

Dorothy McFalls/Dorothy St. James

Lynn Chandler Willis