Villains by Deek Rhew

Villains.

Just the thought elicits visions of maniacal 7769531_origlaughter, devilish plots, bumbling sidekicks, and plans to take over / dominate / destroy the Earth. We root for their failure, cringe at their dastardly deeds, and weep at the havoc they wreak.

But to a superhero, these evildoers are as important as ying is to yang. Without them, there would be no dark to offset the light side of the force, no one from whom to rescue Lois Lane, and no one to threaten Gotham City. If the Jedi had been successful at stopping the Emperor, the Empire would have never come to fruition, and OB1 and Anakin would have found themselves unemployable.

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My Mystery Addiction Started with Nancy Drew by Heather Weidner

My Mystery Addiction Started with Nancy Drew

I have loved mysteries since Scooby Doo and Nancy Drew. Saturday morning cartoons in the United States in the 1970s were full of mysteries and sleuths. I adored Scooby Doo, Hong Kong Phooey, Speed Buggy, the Funky Phantom, and Josie and the Pussycats. And as a kid with a newly minted library card, I quickly learned that there were lots of books full of mysteries, crimes, and capers.  

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I’m Going to Post it For the World to See* by Margot Kinberg

I’m Going to Post it For the World to See*

Subtitle: Reading and Writing in the Age of Social Media 

 

One of the most important changes we’ve seen in the last ten years has been the advent of social media. It’s had a profound impact on the way we communicate. If you keep in touch with friends on Facebook, or catch up on news and sports stories through Twitter, or check out someone’s Goodreads reviews, you know what I mean.

It’s no secret that social media has transformed the way people buy, sell, review, and share crime fiction books. For readers, social media has made it possible to learn about books from all over the world in ways that would’ve been impossible just a few years ago. Choosing what to read isn’t just a matter of going to the local bookshop anymore, and being limited to that store’s selection. Now, readers can choose what they want from among many thousands of different places.  

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Guest Post: Writing the Impossible by Jaden Terrell

Readers often ask me, “What’s it like to write a book?”

Amazing, I say. Rewarding. Intoxicating. Frustrating.

Impossible.

Last night, a friend who had just finished her first book said, “Thank goodness the next one will be easier because now I know what I’m doing.” Continue reading “Guest Post: Writing the Impossible by Jaden Terrell”

Creating a Fictional Town by Judy Penz Sheluk

 

When I started writing Skeletons in the Attic, I wanted to create a fictional town that readers could believe in. I also wanted my protagonist, Calamity (Callie) Barnstable, to be a fish out of water. I decided to make Callie a single woman born and raised in the city—Toronto, Canada, in her case—who’s forced to move to the town of Marketville.

Here’s a recap of the basic premise:

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Guest Post: Writing a Mystery/Thriller by Ann W. J. White, M.Ed.

Mystery literature is undergoing a resurgence with the American public. We find ourselves in need of a good story where the protagonist undergoes a journey, perhaps of faith, family, or reaction to something that cuts us to the quick. We select settings that we are comfortable with, things that make our own breath be held as we voyage into our story. Some of us use a timeline, writing each occurrence out in the order it will happen. It’s an effective tool, keeping us focused. Some of us write from the imagination without a specific timeline but as our characters reveal themselves to us. I’ll use the word hero a lot below but I mean hero or heroine.

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BECOME A “SUPER FAN” OF MYSTERY THRILLER WEEK

super-fanIf you are already a fan of the Mystery Thriller genres, then you are in for a FAN-tastic surprise. Mystery Thriller Week is rolling out eleven fun-filled mysteriously thrilling days just for you! That’s one whole week and then some. We just couldn’t pack all the excitement into seven days. Beginning February 12th and running through February 22nd, 2017, MTW will engage you with online events around the clock 24/7. No matter what continent you hail from or which country you call home, rest assured that MTW plans to delight and thrill you with events, contests, book reviews, interviews, book excerpts, informative criminal and historical columns, book video trailers, blog tours, and live Facebook chat sessions with international best-selling authors. There will be mystery that thrills even the most selective palate. Continue reading “BECOME A “SUPER FAN” OF MYSTERY THRILLER WEEK”

CONTEST IS CLOSED / MTW Write Hook – Contest Rules

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In fiction, three is a magic number: Three-Act Structure, Beginning-Middle-End, Three Plot Points, and Goal-Conflict-Resolution. Three is everywhere and must be grappled with by authors at every turn.

Mystery Thriller Week celebrates this intriguing phenomenon of three and invites you to submit a 300-word hook that will showcase your flexed writing muscle. A hook is what grabs the reader and snares him into reading the rest of a book. While there are many hooks throughout a book, this contest will focus on what should be the first page of a novel.

 

We want to read your best Write Hook! Enter Below!

Prizes:

  • 1st place winner receives written professional feedback of their 300-word submission and their choice of a Writer’s Craft series e-book from Rayne Hall, and an eBook Cover Design and Kindle Formatting from Eeva Lancaster, owner of The Book Khaleesi, and publication of their Write Hook submission on the Mystery Thriller Week website;
  • 2nd place winner receives their choice of a Rayne Hall Writer’s Craft Series e-book and a Mystery Thriller Week 2017 limited edition T-shirt, and publication of their Write Hook submission on the Mystery Thriller Week website;
  • 3rd place winner receives their choice of a Rayne Hall Writer’s Craft Series e-book and a Mystery Thriller Week 2017 limited edition book bag, and publication of their Write Hook submission on the Mystery Thriller Week website.

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Mystery Thriller Week Kickoff February 12-22, 2017

GET READY FOR THE POWERHOUSE EVENT

SIGN UP TODAY!

Mystery Thriller Week

Begins February 12-22, 2017

Don’t miss it

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#MysteryThrillerWeek Congratulates #NanoWriMo2016 Participants

nanowrimoYour accomplishment as a writer cannot be denied! Whether your #NaNoWriMo Work In Progress culminated in 5,000 action words or a shiny new 50,000 word novel, Mystery Thriller Week applauds your hard work and efforts with a resounding CONGRATULATIONS! 
You embody the exact person we are seeking to participate in the 2017 Mystery Thriller Week being held February 12-22 next year. Over 100 Authors, 50 Bloggers, multiple specialists ranging from Publicists, Publishers, Editors, to Film Makers, Cover Artists, Book Reviewers, and FANS have already signed up and committed to the MTW event to make it the greatest Mystery Thriller genre event to ever be held online.

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