Celebrate the Annual Event
UNCOVERING THE UNDERWORLD
When I began planning my historic gangster vampire novel Drawing Dead, I knew that I was in for a lot of research. However, what surprised me was the amount of digging and sifting through contradictory information I had to do. I’d always been interested in the gangsters of the 1920s and 30s, and I thought I had a fairly solid grip on the major figures of the period.
Continue reading “Historical Division: Uncovering the Underworld by Brian McKinley”
To increase suspense in a scene where a dangerous person is about to do something nasty, slow down the pace and describe their hands. This is perfect for when the evil overlord signs the order to exterminate the children, or when the torturer readies his instruments.
This technique works especially well in thrillers. Show the killer’s (or the suspect’s) hands, especially when the point-of-view character is helpless to do anything. This will send creepy shivers across the reader’s skin.
Continue reading “Writer’s Craft: Cruel Claws: Describing the Killer’s Hands by Rayne Hall”
I cast an idle eye over the TV in my landlady’s living room. A handsome cop in a car enraptured her. The cop radioed his partner back at HQ to tell his wife he’d be back late that night.
‘That’s rude’, I mumbled, ‘… text her yourself’.
The camera shot widened and, from the shape of the car, I saw the era predated the mobile phone. My landlady snorted.
“OK then”, said I, leaving the rent money on an expectant table. Fingering the remote, she turned the volume up as I edged out the door.
Photo: Pinterest: Fargo Season 2
Mystery Thriller Week 