Series Canceled by Marilyn Levinson

 That was the message I received a few days ago regarding the fate of my new cozy mystery series. Certainly not what any writer wants to hear, no matter how kindly the words are strung together.

Death on Dickens Island, the first book in my Books on the Beach series, had been released in October, 2025 in four formats: e-book, hardcover, paperback and audio. The Large Print edition came out this past week. I had high hopes for my new series set on an island I'd created in the middle of the Long Island Sound. I enjoyed writing about my new characters--their adventures, their relationships--and murder and mayhem.

Readers liked the book, judging by the many five-star reviews it received on BookBub. Though I could see by the book's Amazon ratings that sales weren't great, I remained optimistic and started writing the second book in the series.

Learning that my publisher will not be continuing my new series has left me very sad. My first reaction was maybe it was time I stopped writing books and enjoyed a life of leisure. That didn't last long. I began to wonder: should I finish the book I'm writing and find a home for it? Should I start a new series? Too many possibilities, which led me to believe I needed to take a break from writing and writing decisions. For a week or more.

To my relief, this latest development hasn't made me doubt my writing abilities. I've written too many books for that. When I posted about my series' cancelation on Facebook, I was touched by the many who had written to tell me they loved reading Death on Dickens Island. And by the wonderful support I received from many of my fellow authors. So many suggested that I self-publish the series, but I don't have the time or the energy to do that. Eventually, I'll come up with the right decision regarding what's next in my writing career.

Rejections and cancelations are a part of the publishing industry. It can happen to any author. After all, it's not as though we're ever given tenure to keep on writing books until we retire. We write books because that's what we love to do, and we want to get our books out to as many readers as we can. 

Killer Questions - Our Favorite British Crime Shows

Killer Questions – Our Favorite British Crime Shows

Mary Dutta - Broadchurch, Happy Valley, Inspector Morse

Shari Randall - My all-time favorite is the original Marple series starring Joan Hickson. My current favorite is Shetland. 

Grace Topping - There are so many excellent British crime shows that it makes it hard to select just one. I would have to go to an old favorite, Midsomer Murders.

Debra H. Goldstein – Vera

Lori Roberts Herbst - Slow Horses. Love Gary Oldman. The entire entourage cast just works.

Korina Moss - This is a hard one, since I love so many, I know I’ll forget some. I really loved Sherlock (with Benedict Cumberbatch), Dalgliesh, and The Chelsea Detective. Midsomer Murders was a show I could always count on, and I also enjoyed both of M.C. Beaton’s series adaptations: Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth. The early seasons of Father Brown and Death in Paradise were favorites. The show that’s newest to me that I really like is Beyond Paradise. Lately I’ve been re-watching all the Marple episodes on BritBox, which are my comfort shows.

K.M. Rockwood - Hamish MacBeth

Elaine Douts - I wish I had time to watch TV. There are a lot of shows on Brit Box that look really good. But I read for interviews and enjoyment. I’m not sure I could even get to sleep without reading. The last movie I saw was “The Thursday Afternoon Murder Club.” It was fun.

Susan Van Kirk - Line of Duty, Murder Before Evensong, Miss Marple, Sherlock

Kait Carson - Happy Valley, Lynley, Rosemary & Thyme, Midsomer Murders (although I’ll never catch up with it, there’s so many!)

Sarah E. Burr - I’ve been enjoying Death Valley, which features a retired actor who portrays a detective on TV helping out a young upstart detective in her Welsh hometown.

Martha Reed - Either one of the two BBC1 adaptations of the Lord Peter Wimsey novels by Dorothy L. Sayers starring Ian Carmichael or Edward Petherbridge available for free on YouTube. These and Time Team got me through 2020.

James M. Jackson - Shetland, but to be fair, I hardly ever watch TV.

Heather Weidner - Vera, Sherlock, and Broadchurch

The Year of the Fire Horse

by Paula Gail Benson

This year a series of February celebrations follow each other closely on the calendar. Valentine’s Day on February 14, Washington’s Birthday or President’s Day (or Family Day in Canada) on February 16 (see background in my post on The Stiletto Gang), Mardi Gras’ Shrove Tuesday on February 17, and Ash Wednesday on February 18 (I still remember the scene from Julie Smith’s Skip Langdon novel New Orleans Mourning where Skip takes a break from an investigation to go to the service where ashes are imposed at the St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square).

Right in the middle of all these events, also on Tuesday, February 17, is Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, which, this year, is the Year of the Horse. The Smithsonian website indicates that February 17 (when the new moon appears) begins a fifteen-day Spring Festival (celebrating the transition from winter) that ends with the Lantern Festival (where children traditionally go out at night taking lanterns to solve riddles). Many lanterns are simple, with the emperor and nobles having more intricate ones. Often, they are red in color, symbolizing good fortune, and in the shape of animals. According to Wikipedia, “The lanterns can symbolize the people letting go of their past selves and getting new ones, which they will let go of the next year.”

The China Highlights Travel Guide explains that the “Chinese Zodiac or shengxiao (/shnng-sshyao/), [which means] ‘born resembling,’ has a twelve-year cycle of animals, each representative of a successive year. In order, they are the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.” Also, the animals may be characterized by the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.

According to the Smithsonian website, the horse represents hard work, bravery, and resilience. The Year of the Horse occurred in 1990, 2002, 2014, and 2026.

This is a unique Year of the Fire Horse, which takes place every sixty years. The English edition of the Economic Times (indiatimes.com) indicates that fire “is associated with passion, intensity, courage and transformation.” Following a Year of the Wood Snake (wood being associated with trees and growing matter that can fuel fire and snake like a shedding of skin), “astrologers say 2026 could be a year of bold decisions, rapid progress and dramatic change. It is also a Yang year, traditionally linked to outward action and assertiveness.”

Hoping to understand what previous Years of the Fire Horse have brought about, I looked back to see when they occurred: most recently, 1906 and 1966.

Significant events that occurred in 1906 include the San Francisco Earthquake, beginning work on the Panama Canal, the first ever feature film being shown in Melbourne, Australia, the oldest African American Greek letter intercollegiate fraternity opening at Cornell University, and President Theodore Roosevelt winning the Noble Peace Prize. Persons born that year included Bugsy Siegel, Ozzie Nelson, Roberto Rosselini, Josephine Baker, Anne Morrow Lindberg, Estee Lauder, Satchel Paige, and Grace Hopper.

In 1966, several NASA launches took place, “It’s a Small World” ride opened at Disneyland, Walt Disney recorded his final message talking about the plans for EPCOT, the U.S. Supreme Court issued the Miranda warning case, and Ronald Reagan was elected Governor of California. A few well-known actors, directors, musicians, and sports figures were born in 1966, including Helena Boham Carter, Jon Favreau, J.J. Abrams, Janet Jackson, and Kurt Browning.

One development from 1966 that has continued to evolve is the Star Trek franchise, celebrating sixty years in existence with its latest series, Starfleet Academy, which was contemplated in earlier times and explored briefly in J.J. Abrams’ alternative Star Trek with Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Karl Urban. Wouldn’t that be incredible to write something that continues to be a source for the imagination more than a half century after its inception?

Are you a Trekkie or a Star Wars fan? What challenges and opportunities do you foresee for this Year of the Fire Horse?

Fire Horse Journal Available on Amazon

 

Writing Southern Style

Writing Southern Style by Debra H. Goldstein

I am a transplanted Yankee. Although I am proud of my northern roots, I’ve come to love the language and cadence of the south. Being honest, despite loving the writings of many southern authors, I must admit my adoption of the “Southern Style” took me a while.

My first trial as a litigator in the south for the U.S. Department of Labor took place in Mississippi. The day before I was leaving Alabama for the trial, one of my colleagues very seriously asked: “Can you do a bit of Magnolia Lady?”

Sadly, I had to explain to him that I was still working on the difference between y’all and ya’ll. For those who don’t know, y’all is the correct contraction, but it doesn’t always come naturally to northern ears.

Soon though, I learned there were phrases, like “Bless Your Heart,” which when said with a smile were delightfully wicked. Other southern cultural phrases that I learned to work into my daily interactions include: “madder than a wet hen,” “if I had my druthers,” “I’m all tore up,” “hush your mouth,” and “fixin to.” The origins of each of these and many other cultural phrases is the stuff for another blog. 

But, for today, let me tell you the biggest difference of how northern and southern authors tell a fairy tale (with thanks to an unsigned internet meme). The northerner begins by saying, “Once upon a time. . .” The southerner gets right to the point: “Y’all ain’t gonna believe this . . .”

Do you have any favorite cultural phrases?

Love, Mystery, and Murder: Celebrating the Couples of My Series This Valentine’s Day by Sarah E. Burr

Valentine’s Day may bring to mind roses and chocolate, but in my fictional worlds, love is just as likely to bloom in the middle of a crime scene, during a snowstorm, or beneath a glittering chandelier in a royal ballroom.

Over the years, I’ve written about many things—murder, mayhem, secrets, and scandals—but at the heart of every series is something softer and far more enduring: partnership. The couples in my books don’t just fall in love. They weather storms together. They grow. They challenge one another. They choose each other, again and again.

Today, I want to celebrate four couples who hold very special places in my heart.

Coco Cline and Hudson Caruthers: Trending Topic Mysteries

Coco Cline lives her life in the public eye. As a stylish influencer with a sharp eye for branding and trends, she understands the power of perception. Hudson, on the other hand, is steady, grounded, and deeply private. Where Coco sparkles, Hudson steadies.

Their greatest strength is balance.

Coco brings vision and vibrancy into every room. She is bold, ambitious, and unafraid to pivot when things go sideways. Hudson offers calm logic and quiet confidence. He is thoughtful, dependable, and protective in a way that never overshadows her independence.

But that contrast is also where their challenges lie.

Coco’s world moves fast. It is public and performative. Hudson’s instincts lean toward caution and discretion. Navigating a relationship where one partner thrives online and the other values privacy requires communication, trust, and constant recalibration.

Yet what makes them work is that neither tries to shrink the other. Hudson doesn’t dim Coco’s light, and Coco doesn’t push Hudson into a spotlight he doesn’t want. They choose partnership without sacrificing individuality. In a world of viral drama and trending chaos, their love feels like something solid.

Hazel Wickbury and Ezra Walters: Glenmyre Whim Mysteries

Hazel’s life in Crucible may seem warm and steady on the surface. She runs her candle shop, cherishes her community, and carries herself with quiet strength. But beneath that calm exterior lies something she cannot fully share: a secret ability that she calls her “whim.”

Hazel has the power to see when someone will die. Not only must she conceal this morbid gift, but she also carries the knowledge it gives her. That burden shapes her in ways Ezra cannot fully see. It makes her cautious, protective, and at times, distant. Loving someone feels risky when loss is not theoretical, but something you can sense in the air.

Part of Hazel’s struggle throughout the Glenmyre Whim Mysteries is learning how to build intimacy while holding something that heavy inside. The secret creates a subtle wall around her heart. And yet, Ezra remains.

His greatest strength is patience. He does not demand access to every hidden corner of Hazel’s life. He does not push for explanations she is not ready to give. Instead, he offers steadiness. A place where she can set down the weight she carries, even if only for a little while.

Their foundation is friendship. It always has been. That friendship becomes their saving grace. Hazel may feel she has built walls around her heart, but Ezra does not try to tear them down. He waits. And in doing so, he gives her the courage to open the door herself.

Their love is not flashy. It is chosen, quietly and consistently, in the spaces between doubt and devotion. And for Hazel, that choice means everything.

Winnie Lark and Teddy Caine: Book Blogger Mysteries

Winnie Lark lives in a world of stories. As a book blogger with a thoughtful heart and a curious mind, she processes life through narrative. She sees symbolism in everyday moments and finds comfort in fictional worlds.

Teddy brings her back to the present.

Winnie is introspective, occasionally anxious, and deeply empathetic. She feels everything. Teddy offers grounding energy and practical support. He believes in her intellect and her instincts, even when she doubts herself. Their strength lies in emotional honesty.

Winnie’s world is shaped by family dynamics, personal insecurities, and the ever-present pull of her past. Teddy does not attempt to “fix” her. Instead, he listens. He reassures. He shows up.

But their relationship is not without strain.

Winnie’s investigations put her in risky situations. Her drive to uncover the truth sometimes overrides caution. Teddy must reconcile his worry about her safety with his respect for her autonomy. That tension creates real, human moments between them.

What makes Winnie and Teddy so dear to me is that their love feels gentle and intentional. It is rooted in shared laughter and quiet understanding. In a world of twists and suspects, they are each other’s constant.

Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier and Lord Perry Pettraud: Court of Mystery

Jax and Perry inhabit a world of politics, alliances, and dangerous ambition. Their love story unfolds against a backdrop of power struggles and royal expectations. Nothing about their relationship is simple. And that is precisely what makes it compelling.

Jax is formidable. Intelligent, strategic, and fiercely protective of her realm, she carries the weight of leadership with grace and steel. Perry matches her strength, not by overpowering it, but by respecting it. He is ambitious in his own right, yet deeply loyal.

Their greatest strength is mutual respect.

Perry does not see Jax as a symbol or a crown. He sees the woman beneath it. Jax, in turn, trusts Perry with her vulnerabilities, something she offers very few people. But love in a royal court comes with consequences.

Every decision is scrutinized. Every alliance questioned. Their challenges are not merely emotional; they are political. Trust must extend beyond the personal into matters of state. Missteps could cost more than heartbreak.

And yet, their partnership thrives because it is built on choice. In a world where marriages are often strategic, theirs is intentional. They stand beside one another not out of obligation, but out of devotion.

As you may have noticed, across my contemporary small towns and glittering fantasy courts, my couples share one common thread: love is not passive. It is active. It requires courage. They communicate. They stumble. They forgive. They grow.

In stories filled with secrets and suspense, romance becomes the emotional anchor. It reminds us that even in dark moments, connection endures.

So, this Valentine’s Day, I’m celebrating not just fictional love, but the kind of partnership that supports growth, respects individuality, and stands firm when life becomes unpredictable. After all, even in a mystery, love might just be the greatest plot twist of all.

Who are your favorite couples in literature? 

St. Valentine’s Day: A Gift for All . . . Except the Day’s Namesake

 By Lisa Malice, Ph.D.

Happy Valentine’s Day! As my gift to you, I offer a murky tale, one alleging crimes against the state, two murky suspects, summary judgment of guilt without a trial, and hasty and bloody execution. “What the heck?” you might exclaim. “Why would you post something so gruesome on this day of all days, which is devoted to love and brotherhood?

Because, my dear friends, this is the tale of the day’s namesake—St. Valentine.

The identity of the man who would be canonized as St. Valentine by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD and later celebrated as the patron saint of lovers (epileptics and beekeepers, too) is not just murky, but dark—blood red dark. The Catholic church canonized more than thirty historical and religious figures throughout its early history with the name Valentine, but only two are connected specifically to February 14, two men, who were martyred for evangelizing Christian beliefs, a crime against the Roman empire throughout the four centuries that followed Jesus’ birth. 

The first suspect claiming the honor as St. Valentine was a physician and Catholic bishop of Terni, who was put under house arrest in the palatial estate of Judge Asterius for spreading Jesus’ teachings. The two educated men found much to talk about, especially Valentine’s beliefs in the healing power of Christianity, so Asterius called for proof. As the legend goes, the judge said, “If your God is so powerful, heal my daughter of her blindness, and I will do whatever you ask.” Valentine complied, laid his hands on the young woman’s eyes, and prayed. Her sight instantly returned.

The judge, humbled at the miracle he had a just witnessed, stayed true to his word. At Valentine’s behest, Asterius freed his Christian slaves and those he’d jailed for evangelizing, destroyed every pagan (Roman) idol on his estate, fasted for three days, then underwent the sacrament of Christian baptism with forty-four members of his family and estate.

Once released Valentine continued to evangelize, leading again to his arrest at the hands of the Roman guard. This time, however, he was hauled into the court of emperor Claudius II and asked to renounce his Christian beliefs. Valentine not only refused, but he tried to convert Claudius. Enraged, the emperor sentenced Valentine to death. Later that night, under cover of darkness, Valentine was executed—taken beyond the gates of the city, beaten with clubs, then beheaded, and left by the side of the road (the famed Flaminian Way). The date of his bloody execution? February 14, of course.

There is not much of a story to tell about our second suspect, also a priest from Terni, except that he aggravated the efforts of Emperor Claudius II to rebuild his dwindling army by marrying young men and women in secret Christian ceremonies.

At the time, only single men were eligible to be conscripted into the military, as men with wives and families were deemed not strong enough in devotion, physical prowess, or mental capacity. Claudius had the last laugh, though. He had Valentine arrested for evangelism and executed for refusing to renounce his Chistian religion. The date Valentine was beaten and beheaded? February 14, 269 AD.

What does this have to do with Valentine’s Day as we know it now, a day filled with colorful hearts and expressions of love? Let’s get back to our first suspect and his story. Legend has it that before his execution, the condemned bishop wrote a loving letter to Judge Asterius’ daughter and signed it “from your Valentine.”  

Similarly, legend follows our second suspect. Purportedly, Valentine gave each man he married something to remind him of his vows and God’s love—a heart cut from a sheet of parchment paper.

Fact or fiction? Who knows? It is possible these two suspects are one in the same man, but even the Catholic Church wasn’t convinced enough to official retain February 14 as the feast day of St. Valentine in modern times.

There is more to the story of how St. Valentine came to be associated with romantic love, but it has little to do with the historical reason for his martyrdom. The famed 14^th century poet, Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to record St. Valentine’s Day as to celebrate passionate love in his 1375 poem, “Parliament of Foules,” writing, “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day/Whan every foul commeth there to choose his mate.”

Lovers started exchanging valentines in the 1400s. By the 1600s, Valentine’s Day was readily recognized as the day to celebrate romantic love, so much so that Shakespeare referenced the day celebrating romantic love in three of his plays.

By 1848, the yearly exchange of valentine cards in America was made possible by Esther Howland, who mass-produced and sold handmade cards featuring silk, glitter, and lace.

I hope this little tale fascinated you as it did me. Have a wonderful celebration of love today with those who mean the world to you.

 

Superstitions around My Favorite Number 
by Heather Weidner

It’s my birthday, so I celebrate when it lands on Friday, the 13^th. I was curious about the superstitions around triskaidekaphobia, and not surprisingly, there are still a lot of mysteries and murders that swirl around the possible origins.

The earliest literary reference to the date is in the Revue de Paris in an article by the Marquis de Salvo in 1834. It is about a Sicilian count who killed his daughter on Friday the 13^th. In the same year, the play, Le Chateau de Carini made a reference to the date being unlucky. The date is not considered universally unlucky. In Spain, Tuesday, the 13^th is.

Many tie the superstition to the number 13. Twelve is considered the complete or “perfect” number while 13 can often represent imperfection, the introduction of evil, or even death. In Norse mythology, Loki crashed a banquet of 12 gods, and murder and mayhem ensued. The Code of Hammurabi omitted the thirteenth law, and high-rise buildings to this day usually don’t have a thirteenth floor or a room thirteen. As early as 1565, the Death card in a Tarot deck was numbered thirteen.

There are some Christian traditions that have been linked to the superstition, too. Like Loki, Judas is often considered the thirteenth guest at the Last Supper. Eve was supposed to have tempted Adam on a Friday, and Christ was crucified on a Friday.

Friday the 13^th also is a day tied to a variety of tragedies. In October 1307, King Philip arrested hundreds of the Knights Templar, and many were eventually executed. In 1888, Jack the Ripper killed his last victim on the thirteenth. The Germans bombed Buckingham Palace in September 1940. In November 1970, a cyclone decimated parts of Bangladesh, killing over 300,000 people. Tupac Shakur was murdered in September of 1996. Franklin Roosevelt was so concerned about Friday the 13^th that he refused to travel on that day. Friggatriskaidekaphoia is the term that was coined to describe the fear of the date.

Thirteen also appears in a variety of pop culture references. Thomas William Lawson’s wrote Friday, the Thirteenth in 1907, and the Friday 13^th horror movie franchise launched in 1980, making the serial killer Jason a household name. It also spawned its own cultural references in shows like The Simpsons, Highway to Heaven, South Park, Scream, and scads of video games. Countless songs reference the date or the serial killer, including those by artists, TuPac, Alice Cooper, Elvira, Eminnem, and Lynard Skynard.

The date never bothered me, and I was pleased to discover that people who were born on the thirteenth or celebrate a birthday on the date often feel immune to the superstition.

The tradition of “unlucky” thirteen has permeated our culture for years. Do you have a superstition or something that you regularly avoid?

Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She writes the Pearly Girls Mysteries, the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries. 

Her short stories appear in a variety of anthologies, and she has non-fiction pieces in Promophobia and The Secret Ingredient: A Mystery Writers’ Cookbook.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a crazy Mini Aussie Shepherd. 

BRITISH CRIME TV SHOWS

 

                                                         by Margaret S. Hamilton

 

 

It’s February, Cincinnati has ten inches of snow and below zero temperatures, so it’s time to catch up on British Crime TV shows. Here’s a list of what we’ve been watching before the Olympics:

 

Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials (Netflix), starring Helena Bonham Carter and Martin Freeman. A new remake of the 1929 murder mystery set at a country house. I’m looking forward to comparing the remake to Christie’s original story. Bonham Carter as Bundle’s mother and Freeman as Superintendent Battle deliver memorable performances.

 

The Game (Britbox), starring Robson Green and Jason Watkins. Retired detective Huw is convinced his new neighbor is the serial killer he failed to capture during his law enforcement career. A cat-and-mouse game ensues with the deliciously creepy Robson Green. Some violence.

 

Shetland, season 10 (Britbox), starring Ashley Jensen and Alison O’Donnell. The setting in Shetland always steals the show, accompanied by a present-day murder with roots in the past death of two island boys. Ruth and Tosh identify and arrest the culprit. First rate plot and secondary characters.

 

The Night Manager, season two (Prime), starring Hugh Laurie, Tom Hiddleston, and Olivia Colman. Season One was based on Le Carre’s 1993 espionage novel about an undercover operation to bring down an international arms dealer. Season Two is set primarily in Colombia, ten years later. As soon as Hugh Laurie appears, it becomes a psychological thriller. British intelligence and arms dealing shape the plot. Laurie delivers another outstanding performance as Richard Roper, a powerful and flawed villain.

 

Bookish (PBS), starring Mark Gatiss. Set in post-war 1946 London, antiquarian bookseller Gabriel Book “assists” the police with their investigations. Book is a charming eccentric amateur sleuth.

 

Readers and writers, what crime shows have you enjoyed on TV?

 

Home - The Official Website of Margaret S. Hamilton

Head-Hopping

by Lois Winston

 

This blog is not meant to be controversial. It’s more about my confusion and trying to understand why a style of writing is verboten in one genre but seems perfectly acceptable in others. Let me explain.

 

I began my writing journey thirty-one years ago in the romance genre. The mantra that was beat into us newbies in countless workshops and conferences was that head-hopping is a sign of lazy writing, a no-no that leads to swift rejections. You absolutely MUST stay in one character’s point of view for an entire scene and preferably an entire chapter. If you needed to give another character’s point of view to the events, do so in a new scene or a new chapter. You also needed to keep to a very limited number of POVs – the hero, the heroine, and maybe the antagonist for romantic suspense.

There was one author exempted from the head-hopping rule because she “did it so well.” Or so we were constantly told. We were also told no one else should ever attempt to head-hop. As you can imagine, I was thoroughly confused. I bought one of this author’s books to try to understand what it was she did that no other romance author was allowed to do.

 

Confusion clouded my brain early into the book. Was I reading the thoughts of the hero? The heroine? Both at the same time? I reread the paragraph several time. I flipped back a page and reread. I read beyond the paragraph in question.

 

If I couldn’t figure out who was thinking what, how was this the one author entitled to head-hop? And why was it considered successful? I continued reading to the end of the book, hoping for better insight and understanding. I found none. I felt like the equivalent of the little boy who blurted out that the emperor was butt-naked, but I kept those thoughts to myself. After all, I was a rank amateur. Who was I to question a rule presumably set in stone?

 

As I continued to learn and hone my skills, transitioning from wannabe to published author, I adopted the philosophy that any given scene should be in the point of view of the character with the most to lose at that moment. Doing so raised the stakes and built tension.

 

Still, the warning about head-hopping had become so ingrained in me that I began seeing it in many other books. I found it prevalent, not only in rereading classic literature but in every literary novel and many non-romance novels I’ve read since. 

 

For instance, I’m currently reading a book that landed on multiple Best Books of 2025 lists. (I’ll refrain from mentioning the title.) Many chapters include two, three, or more POVs, often without transitioning with a scene break.

 

And then there’s the insertion of omniscient POV where a disembodied narrator adds his two cents. This also occurred in the above-mentioned book with an unnamed narrator periodically inserting himself into the narrative. There are times when this anonymous POV tells the reader the thoughts of two characters at the same time in the same sentence. To me, that’s both author intrusion and lazy writing, but this book is not an anomaly. I’ve seen it in other contemporary literary novels. Why is this archaic style of writing perfectly acceptable in literary fiction but not in genre fiction?

 

Nowadays, I find the head-hopping more annoying than confusing. I understand whose thoughts I’m reading most of the time. What’s annoying is that head-hopping still stands out like a blinking stop sign due to the indoctrination I received all those years ago. It pulls me from the scene, and when a reader is pulled from a scene – for any reason – it’s never a good thing.

In my own writing, I no longer worry about head-hopping. Since transitioning to writing cozy mysteries years ago, I now write exclusively in first person. Head-hopping is a non-issue because I’m always in my sleuth’s head. I just wish my brain didn’t zero in on head-hopping every time I come across it in a book I’m reading for pleasure. It’s funny how certain lessons, even when filled with misinformation, continue to flit around like gnats in our brain.

Meanwhile, yesterday marked the release of Embroidered Lies and Alibis, Book 15 in my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series. As in many of the books in the series, the plot was inspired by current events. And although so much of our current events are wrapped around politics these days, I can assure you there’s absolutely nothing political about the plot of Embroidered Lies and Alibis. There’s also no head-hopping.

 

Post your thoughts on head-hopping for a chance to win a promo code for a free audiobook download of any of the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries.

 

Embroidered Lies and Alibis

An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 15

 

A Stitch in Time Could Save a Life…

 

When Anastasia’s mother Flora is offered a free spa vacation from Jeremy Dugan, a man connected to her distant past, Anastasia and husband Zack suspect ulterior motives. After all, too-good-to-be-true often spells trouble. Their suspicions are confirmed when the FBI swoops in to apprehend Dugan. However, Dugan isn’t who he claimed to be, and his arrest raises more questions than answers.

 

The Feds link Dugan to a string of cons targeting elderly single women across the country, but his seemingly airtight alibi leaves investigators stumped. Then, shortly after his release on bail, he’s kidnapped. A certain segment of New Jersey’s population is known for delivering deadly messages, and the FBI believes Dugan received one of them.

 

Meanwhile, bodies begin showing up in the newly created public garden across the street from Anastasia and Zack’s home. With two baffling crimes, no clear suspects, scant evidence, and every possible motive unraveling, both the FBI and local law enforcement are once again picking Anastasia’s brain. This time, though, her involvement is far from reluctant. Will she stitch together enough clues before she or someone she loves becomes the killer’s next victim?

 

Craft project included.

 

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~*~

USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry. Learn more about Lois and her books at her website www.loiswinston.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive an Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mini-Mystery.

How Realistic Do Our Details Need to Be? by KM Rockwood

Speculative fiction thrives on wonder, yet even the most fantastical tales need a foundation of recognizable reality.

I love writing Christmas stories centered on the elves who keep Santa’s Village running. Readers will gladly accept flying reindeer, time‑bending sleighs, or a bustling community of elves at the North Pole—but only if the world surrounding those marvels behaves in ways they intuitively understand. Realism becomes the anchor that makes the extraordinary feel believable rather than arbitrary.

That tension becomes even more important when magical or mythical characters step into our contemporary world. I’ve just finished a novella that leans into this blend of whimsy and realism.

The spark for this story came from a news report about children poisoned by lead tainted cinnamon in applesauce. I began to wonder: what if some of that contaminated cinnamon found its way into the warehouses at the North Pole, and the danger was discovered just as the Christmas cookie baking season began? With no time to wait for a replacement shipment, Gunnar—the elf responsible for sourcing ingredients—realizes he must travel to retrieve safe cinnamon himself.

The story evolved itself into a “novella in short stories,” each section reflecting a leg of Gunnar’s journey. That structure raised an important question: how realistic should his travel arrangements be?

Gunnar must reach Baltimore, home to a major spice importer. (I’m always hesitant to name specific companies, even when they’re well known. Maybe especially when they are well known.) The northernmost rail station in North America is in Moosonee, where the delightfully named Polar Bear Express begins its 186 mile trip to Cochrane. From there, Gunnar would need to take a bus to Toronto, then continue by bus or train to New York, and finally on to Baltimore.

Once in Baltimore, he must reach Tradepoint at Sparrows Point, where enormous container ships unload their cargo into sprawling warehouses. To keep the story grounded, I decided that my fictional elf’s journey should follow real transportation options as closely as possible.

That choice immediately introduced complications. Gunnar arrives in Cochrane in the evening, but the next bus to Toronto doesn’t leave until morning. Crossing the border on the Toronto to New York leg brings him face to face with customs officials—and in today’s world of fraught border crossings, an elf without a passport is bound to have difficulties. And once he reaches Baltimore, he must rely on city buses. The 163 line does go to Tradepoint, but it doesn’t come anywhere near the main bus depot. In this case, I allowed myself a small liberty and rerouted it, trusting that readers familiar with Baltimore’s transit system will accept the adjustment as reasonable artistic license.

Since it’s a Christmas story, it has a predictable

happy-ever-after ending. Gunnar gets the cinnamon back to the North Pole and the cookies are baked in a timely manner.

I aimed at a blend of enough realism to make the journey feel authentic, and enough flexibility to let the magic breathe. I just hope readers will see it that way.

How much do you depend upon realistic details in your stories?

To swear or not to swear, that is the question

By Shari Randall

 

Long story short, the other night I tuned into an episode of The Rockford Files titled  “White on White and Nearly Perfect.” It starred James Garner as Jim Rockford, a handsome and charming PI who works out of a trailer, with guest star Tom Selleck, who plays Lance White, an even more handsome and charming PI. Lance is so handsome and charming that no one can resist him - except for Rockford, of course. 

 

One thing that struck me, aside from the fact that Tom Selleck really was very handsome and that the clothes people wore in the '70s were distractingly awful, was the lack of swearing. Throughout heated arguments, vigorous beatings, and tackling lowlife criminals, nobody swore.

 

This struck me because the night before I had watched the highly acclaimed Leonardo DiCaprio film, One Battle After Another. I should’ve counted the number of times the F word was used, but I think it would’ve been over 100 and that was just in the first 15 minutes.

 

I even noticed the F word popping up several times in Louise Penny’s latest, The Black Wolf. 

 

I’m sure the fact that The Rockford Files was filmed in the ‘70s accounts for the lack of swearing. There were FCC rules, community standards, and advertisers to appease, I’m sure.

 

I was around in the 1970s. I don’t remember much swearing, and I went to a public high school. There were certain words that were not nice to use, according to the aforementioned community standards. Remember standards?

 

Frankly, swearing doesn’t shock me that much anymore. It’s so pervasive I think we’re all numbed to it. That means that a well-timed expletive from someone who doesn’t normally swear can drive home a point with delicious force. It’s the constant drip of the F word that’s annoying. A friend who is a kindergarten teacher told me she knew it was time to retire when a five-year-old called her a m*#%&$r.

 

Yes, the F bomb is a very versatile word. It can be used as a noun, verb, adjective, adverb, you name it, but for me hearing it everywhere is tiresome. I know that language evolves and standards change, but I think people have just become lazy.

 

One show I’ve enjoyed lately is Slow Horses. Yes, there is plenty of swearing, but there are also some truly entertaining insults from the main character, Jackson Lamb. At one point, he refers to useless character as a “refrigerator magnet.” Ouch. 

 

As a writer, I strive for realism, especially in dialogue. But because I write on the cozier end of the spectrum, I have to have very good reasons for using a word that many readers might not appreciate. I’ve gotten around that by writing “Character X swears.” But I’m keeping “refrigerator magnet” in my word hoard for when I want a put down that will really sting. 

 

Writers, how do you handle characters in the heat of a moment that calls for spicier language?

Shari Randall is the author of the Agatha Award-winning Lobster Shack Mystery series, and, as Meri Allen, writes the Ice Cream Shop mystery series.

 

 

BIG CHANGES COMING TO THE BOOKS YOU BUY

by Korina Moss

The way some of us read books will be different in the coming year. Two days ago, I read an article in The New York Times about the demise of the mass market paperback. Mass market paperbacks are the smaller paperbacks that sell between $7.99 and $9.99. If you’re a cozy mystery or romance reader, you’re especially familiar with these. But now, publishers have decided to do away with mass market paperbacks, and bookstores will no longer carry them. Anything that would’ve been sold as mass market will soon be in trade paperback size, which will cost between $15.99 and $21.99, which means you’ll have to increase your book budget.

Mass markets of my Cheese Shop Mystery 
(and trade paperback of the Spanish translation of 
Cheddar Off Dead)

Almost all cozy mysteries, like my Cheese Shop Mystery series, are published in mass market, because our books are almost always part of a series and our readers are loyal. Like readers of romance novels, our readers are known to devour several books a month (sometimes more), and the mass market price point allows for it. Along with cozy mysteries and romance, other genres, like thrillers, mysteries, and science fiction, will also feel the effects of doing away with the smaller, less expensive printed copy in favor of trade paperback.

There are several reasons for this decision, one being the introduction of the e-book. According to the NY Times article, “… In the United States, about 103 million mass markets were sold in 2006, the year before the Kindle was introduced. Last year, readers bought fewer than 18 million of them.” Although “physical books still account for about 75 percent of book sales,” mass market paperbacks took a hit. Over the past decade, 10,000 fewer mass market books were published. 

My 5th book, Fondue or Die, on the shelf at
Barnes & Noble with the other mass market cozy mysteries

As a writer and reader of cozy mysteries, this makes me wonder how they will fare. If it’s true, as The NY Times states, that “It wasn’t publishers leading away from mass markets. It was readers,” then it’s up to us. Will cozy mystery readers shell out an extra $6 or more for the pricier trade paperback cozy mystery? Will they accept the new format and higher prices and continue to purchase as many of their beloved books? Or will the cozy mystery genre ultimately pay the price?

If you’d like to read the full New York Times article, click here: So Long to Cheap Books You Could Fit in Your Pocket. 

Readers: How will this affect your book buying? 

KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series, which includes the winner of the Agatha Award for Best First Novel, as well as two novels short-listed for Best Contemporary Novel. Listed as one of USA Today’s “Best Cozy Mystery Series,” her books have also been featured in PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World, and Writer’s Digest. Korina is also a freelance developmental editor specializing in cozy mysteries. To learn more or subscribe to her free monthly newsletter, visit her website korinamossauthor.com.

Korina is also a freelance developmental editor specializing in cozy and traditional mysteries. Using her experience writing her award-winning series for a Big 5 publisher, she has the inside track on what editors, agents, and readers are looking for in a cozy mystery.  Whether you're a new writer hoping to be traditionally or independently published, or you're an established writer wanting some guidance with a manuscript, she can help you strengthen your book. You can find more information on her website and contact her at korinamossauthor@gmail.com

File Under Short Stories by Mary Dutta

Last weekend I took a trip to the local zoo, but not to visit the animals. I went to take advantage of one of my county’s periodic paper-shredding events.

After snaking around the parking lot in a long line, I handed over multiple years’ worth of tax returns, financial statements, and other documents containing personal information. The mobile shredders did their thing, and I drove home lighter both in paper and in mind.

I feel confident that in today’s world of paperless statements, online bill paying, and account histories available with a single click of a mouse, the odds of my accumulating more such paper clutter are very slim. Digital clutter, though, is another story.

I have many files from my short story writing. Many, many files.

There are published stories in multiple versions, including numerous drafts and the final form I submitted for possible publication. Then there’s the revision incorporating the editor’s feedback that became the published version. Sometimes there’s yet another copy with identifying data redacted for contest submissions.

Of course, I also have completed stories that have not (yet) been published. Some are things I haven’t sent out for consideration. Others are stories that were rejected from one publication and that I plan to resubmit elsewhere. In those cases, there might be the original iteration of the story and then a version that I think is improved, or that I have tweaked to fit a different anthology call.

There are plenty of unfinished works as well. Stories that started strong but then don’t quite work. Things I realized I wouldn’t finish to meet a deadline and left incomplete. Some files consist of only a single sentence, a story idea that may one day come to fruition. Others contain notes for works that are a little further along in their development.

It used to be that my personal computer storage was limited to what a hard drive, floppy disc, CD, or flash drive could hold. But with cloud storage that capacity is now virtually unlimited. That may mean I don’t make it back to the zoo any time soon, but then I’ll probably be too busy writing to go.

 What files have you held onto, and are you planning to let them go?