Quote of the Day: I specialize in murders of quiet, domestic interest. Agatha Christie
Today is another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. You can also visit the founder Alex J. Cavanaugh for more info and links.
Question of the month: What do you consider the best characteristics of your favorite genre?
Easy question this month. My favorite genre is mysteries, usually cozy mysteries. I’ve read all of Sue Grafton’s alphabet series. I was so sad that she passed away before she finished Z. The alphabet ends with Y for her and her beloved readers. I also love the works of Agatha Christie, and I have not read or watched all of her stories! She’s considered the most prolific author of all time in any genre. I’m into the cozy mysteries by Ellery Adams, Book Retreat Mysteries. Her latest Murder on the Poet’s Walk, just came out and it’s already on my audible! I think Stephen King is a brilliant writer, but I haven’t read all of his work. Some of it is a bit dark. So, what makes this my favorite genre? Well, if you ask me for a page-turner, you’ll always get one with a mystery. If the author has created well-drawn characters – protagonists with flaws and antagonists with redeeming qualities, an intriguing setting, and of course, the drama of a murder that needs to be solved, you’ll keep reading and begging for more work by that author. They offer a puzzle to solve, and I love puzzles! My goal is to write a story like that. In fact, I’m working on a suspense story right now.
The writer’s retreat I attended in August was a huge success. I’m so grateful for being invited into the group. Author Sheila O’Connor was the teacher, and she was excellent. She gave me wonderful critique on the suspense story I’m writing. We wrapped up a year-long writer mentorship with local author Candace Simar this week. I’m sad that it’s over, but so grateful for the connections I made and the feedback that I got from the other writers in the group. It really helped me develop my stories and have the drive to keep working on them.
Year-long Mentorship with Author Candace Simar. Photo: Krista Soukup, Blue Cottage Agency
So, the only thing that makes me feel insecure about my writing life right now is the always present need for commitment to the craft. Carving out the time, claiming it, and sticking to it are so necessary. I’m more productive in the winter months. And, here in Minnesota, they’ll be arriving soon.
I’m co-hosting IWSG blog hop this month. Hope to see you around the blogosphere!
Other awesome co-hosts for this month:
Tonja Drecker http://www.bookwormforkids.com/
Victoria Marie Lees https://www.victoriamarielees.com/
Sandra Cox http://sandracox.blogspot.com/
Go. Create. Inspire!
Journaling Prompt: What is your favorite genre to read or watch in film? Do you have any suggestions for me in the spooky genre for October?
Your mentorship sounds like heaven. What a great thing to be mentored by a writer plus spending time with other writers is helpful, too. Keep writing on that novel and good luck with it.
Thanks, T! It’s been motivating and inspiring.
I love mysteries too and read all of the Sue Grafton mysteries. Like you, I was so sad she didn’t get to finish the series. Glad your writing retreat went so well.
Thanks, Natalie. Keep enjoying those mysteries. I’ll never tire of them.
That’s awesome the retreat was a big success.
Thanks for co-hosting today!
Thanks, Alex
The retreat sounds amazing.
Sue Grafton and Agatha Christie are the queens of the genre, aren’t they? And it is sad Sue didn’t get through Z.
Thanks for co-hosting this month.
Thanks, Sandra. I admire both authors so much.
Thanks for co-hosting this month! And thank you!! I know have a good list of some cozy mysteries to curl up with on the couch this winter! I have read a good mystery in a long time. I also love Agatha Christie and still have some of her to read, too.
I love a good retreat. So happy yours was a success. I also love Agatha Christie, especially Poirot. I’ve read all her books more than once, some three times. Happy IWSG, Mary. Thanks for co-hosting.
Ooo. You’re ahead of me, Joylene. I need to keep finding and reading those Christie mysteries!
So glad you got to experience a wonderful mentorship! I love mysteries too, my childhood was shaped by them 😀 Thank you for co-hosting today, Mary 😀
Thanks, Damyanti. Your mystery/suspense books are also terrific!
I enjoy a good mystery, but I’m not very good at coming up with those kinds of stories. Too bad about Sue Grafton dying before her Z novel, but as those of us who do the Blogging from A to Z have found, Z is often a tough letter to come up with something. I’m sure she’d have had no problem coming up with a good Z idea. Grafton’s series was part of my inspiration in coming up with the A to Z Blogging idea. Ironically though, I’ve never read any of her books. I’ve got so much reading to catch up on!
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Oh, Arlee. I love it that you were inspired by the alphabet series. Add her novels to your list! You won’t be disappointed. I love her main character, detective Kinsey Millhoune!
Hi Mary,
Your support group sounds wonderful! During just a couple of summer camping trips, I read all of Sue Crafton’s alphabet series. I can’t resist a good mystery/thriller – book or movie. But I like paranormal stories too. I’ve always wanted to go on a writer’s retreat – glad you had the opportunity.
Thank you for co-hosting!
Ooo. Camping and Sue Grafton, what a thrilling combination!
Lucky you, Mary, for attending a writers’ retreat. I love mysteries, too. Not graphic ones, of course. I just joined your mailing list. I so enjoy the theatre. I saw Wicked in NYC. Excellent show. The great thing was that the plot worked. Thank you for co-hosting this month’s question for IWSG. All best to you!
Thank you, Victoria. It must have been grand to see Wicked in NYC. I’ve seen it a couple times here in Minneapolis.
Thank you for hosting for IWSG and for your thoughtful comments about what makes a ‘good’ story (reading or writing!). I too am drawn to mysteries. I write gritty historical fiction, mostly set in the 19th Century and have begun a contemporary art crimes mystery series which is fun. I agree wholeheartedly with you about the discipline and commitment involved in writing, but I feel best about my writing IF I persevere. So may October bring you many cold and good days for writing and reading.
Thank you, Beth! Your contemporary art crimes mystery series sounds fascinating! I’ve been adding more art into my writing, as well.
I loved reading cozy mysteries so much, I wrote some! My inspirations were Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovich stories. I had no idea until I read Janet E’s books that mysteries could have such great humor rolled into them. So I had fun writing quirky characters like Janet did. Working with a group of authors for a year would be such an inspiring time. I hope you will be able to get together again once in awhile. I love brainstorming with writers. Thank you for hosting this month!!
Thanks, JQ. I think we will get together again. I need to read Janet Evanovich.
I was so sad about the lack of Z as well.
Thanks for cohosting!
Thanks, Yvonne
I’ve always wanted to do a writer’s retreat. And that is a wonderful photo of you – you’re the most beautiful in the group.
Thank you, Diane. You are so kind. It’s been a wonderful group. Very supportive.
Like you, I love mysteries. Discovering whodunit is the best part. Am I surprised? Often. Then I think back and see the clues. All of my work includes a mystery. I enjoy laying those clues as well as the red herrings. 🙂 Thanks for cohosting this month.
Thanks, Diane. I’m usually surprised as well. I think I need to start outlining the mystery that I’m writing so I can get all those clues and red herrings in!!
I love mysteries too. Something about trying to figure out the whodunit always gets me excited. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
Yes.
Your comments about your writer retreat made me wonder whether I really should seek out something like this in my area. It’s just hard joining things where everybody knows everyone (and everywhere) except you.
And I’m just nipping back to see your review of Merrily… I love that show!
Thanks for co-hosting this month.
Thank you, Jemima. I hope you find a group that is just right for you.
I love mysteries as well – my first ‘adult’ reads were Agatha Christie mysteries. I zipped right through the library’s entire collection! Sue Grafton is also terrific. Always wished she could have held on to finish the alphabet!
Thanks for co-hosting, Mary! I hope you had a fun time. I read a lot of Agatha Christie’s books when I was younger. My mother had too many young children, so she would send me to the library to get books for her. She loved Agatha Christie, so I read her too. Your writer’s retreat sounds like it was a great experience. Happy writing in October!
I’ve often thought it would be fun to write mysteries, but I’d need a tutorial on how to keep whodunit a secret while still dropping clues. That kind of plotting does not come naturally to me. Thanks for cohosting!
One of my dreams is to attend a writer’s retreat–glad you got to do that. I enjoy cozies too and have been a Stephen King fan since high school. Lately I’ve been rereading (or, more precisely, listening to) Charlaine Harris’ Lily Bard series, which has some cozy elements (small town, quirky characters, amateur sleuth) but with a bit more sex and violence.
Thank you for reminding me of Sue Grafton’s series. Like you, I’ve read all her books and bummed she passed before Z could be completed.
Like you, supportive comments on my work is extraordinary powerful. I can understand a sense of loss after year-long writer mentorship. The connection with the writers in the group are priceless.
Thank you for co-hosting our October IWSG blog-hop.
Lynn La Vita @ http://la-vita.us/
Thanks for co-hosting this month. While it’s not my favorite, I have grown to truly appreciate the mystery genre as I’ve gotten older.
I don’t think I have the right mind for mystery. When reading them, I usually don’t work out the ending, but I enjoy them anyway. How lucky to have that retreat and mentorship, I’m sure you learned a huge amount.
Yes, I did. Thanks, Nick