December 2, 2019
Storytelling—Casablanca Style
One of my favorite films, Casablanca, turned 77 on November 26. Whenever it’s on television, I never miss it. But what about it leads me to watch it over and over…
Journal
Posts
November 4, 2019
Who inspired you to want to be a writer?
As I write this, I’m on the 11th floor of the Hyatt Regency in Dallas attending Bouchercon. Last night, I had cocktails with Michael Barson and Warren Easley (both with…
October 21, 2019
Opening Scenes
I had a discussion with an editor a few weeks ago and she told me about the hundreds of submissions she looks at every year. She glanced at me and…
October 7, 2019
Building Our Brand…One Book at a Time
I parked cars at the North Carolina Seafood Festival in Morehead City yesterday. My Rotary Club does it to raise money for local non-profit organization projects as well as college…
September 23, 2019
Why We Do This
My newest book, Graveyard Bay, launched on September 10th. In the past week, I’ve done several book signings, one book talk (with dinner), and was a featured author at the…
June 9, 2019
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
When we were children, my sister and I lived off and on with our grandparents. They resided in a cottage in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York on…
October 31, 2018
Writing From the POV of a Female Reporter
Geneva Chase is a hot mess Both Random Road and Darkness Lane are written from the first-person viewpoint of Geneva Chase…a woman. I’m male, I have both an X and…
October 21, 2018
Tom’s Halloween Blog
The month of October marks the beginning of autumn. The leaves are turning color, the days are getting shorter, the air is crisp, and Starbucks is serving their pumpkin-spice lattes.…
October 15, 2018
Finished Manuscript for Graveyard Bay; and Hurricane Florence
On Sunday, October 7, at a little after noon, I hit the button and sent the manuscript for Graveyard Bay to my editor, Annette Rogers, at Poisoned Pen Press. I…
August 21, 2018
Schedule of Events For End of 2018 and Early 2019
Schedule of Events 2018: September 2-3 Poisoned Pen Mystery Conference—Phoenix, AZ Mon. September 3, 9:15-10 a.m. Sleuths and the Media—Panel Discussion Mon. September 3, 11:15-12 p.m. Unconventional Women—Panel Discussion September…