While We We’re Dating as well. So far I’m enjoying it.
Shana: Yay, book twins!
Claudia: I had a string of bad ones and decided to go for one of my “break glass” books, one I had been saving: The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by KJ Charles. It’s working great so far and I’m enjoying it.
Susan: I’m up to volume nine of
The Water Dragon’s Bride, ( A | BN | K ) and I don’t think I was ready for the emotional roller coaster this series has taken me on!
AJ: I just broke my phone, which broke my reading slump sort of by default because this brain does not like to sit still! I picked up a whole stack of books and immediately devoured
Why Barbara Neely Is Indeed a Grand Master
By Oline H Cogdill
Mystery fiction has been a major part of my life since I was a child. I’ve said so many times that I have never read a Nancy Drew or a Hardy Boys I started with Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, etc.
In the beginning, these were just entertaining stories, puzzles to figure out, characters who didn’t resemble anyone I knew. But as I got older, mysteries began to encompass new writers who introduced readers to different worlds. (Thank you, Sue Grafton, Sara Paretsky, Marcia Muller.)
One of those authors who brought readers to another world was Barbara Neely, who has been named the 2020 Grand Master by Mystery Writers of America (MWA). The 2020 Raven Award recipient is Left Coast Crime, and Kelley Ragland will receive the Ellery Queen Award at the 74th Annual Edgar Awards Banquet, which will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City on April 30, 2020.
âThe Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to
Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Winâ
By Maria Konnikova
326 pages
Konnikova is a psychologist with an interest in con artistry and game theory. She approached her publisher inspired by Colson Whiteheadâs Noble Shuffle, where a magazine gave a novelist 10K to play a Vegas poker tournament. It was an entertainment. Konnikova does another take â ultimately as entertaining, and more helpful to the novice.
The author wasnât a player when she pitched the idea to her publisher, but gave herself a year to try to win at a Vegas tournament. She gained the interest of Eric Seidel, a famous tournament player, who gave her lots of insight and advice. Going in, her view of the poker world was very much colored by poker movies and poker memoirs, but she chose the right mentor.
23 Authors Share Tips on Writing Mystery and Thriller Novels That Readers Love
23 authors share tips on writing mystery and thriller novels that readers love, covering topics related to building suspense, inserting humor, crafting incredible villains, and figuring out the time of death.
Author:
Feb 25, 2021
Like most people, I love a good mystery. There s something appealing to collecting puzzle pieces and trying to fit them together to see what they make. And like many, I love a good thriller that keeps me up late at night to find out what happens next. So it only makes sense to collect some of the best advice from authors on the subject of writing mystery and thriller novels that readers love.
Programs with the Brookline Library
Community Content
Virtual A Taste of Poetry: noon March 4. This month s poet is Edna St. Vincent Millay.
Virtual Taiwanese Storytime: 3:30 p.m. March 5. Participants can hear virtual stories and songs in Taiwanese. For ages 5 and younger.
Women in World Jazz Virtual Concert: 2 p.m. March 6. The library will celebrate Women’s History Month with a virtual concert. Women in World Jazz presents an educational performance featuring an international ensemble of all-female performers showcasing music from around the world. Register for the Zoom Webinar at https://brooklinelibrary.org or watch the livestream at https://facebook.com/brklib.