“Those sentiments are understandable. I’ve had days like that myself. It’s a very human reaction, I think,” Avery said. Sean smiled. “Was today one of those days?” Canting her head, Avery asked. “How did you know?” Sean rubbed his index finger at the corner of his mouth. “You have a little chocolate icing, just there.” ~Chaos Is Come Again In Chaos Is Come Again, Lola Zelkova can do little to make her friend Avery's life any easier. Lola's solution? A sinfully rich chocolate

Music is so integral to our daily lives. Some kind of music is always playing at my house or office. I have playlists for just about everything, including writing, editing, and proofreading. So here’s my playlist of songs with murderous lyrics if you need inspiration for writing your next mystery or if you’re reading a good thriller. Surprisingly, there are quite a few songs about murders and killers. Aerosmith – “Janie’s Got a Gun” Barenaked Ladies – “One Week” Beastie Boys

The devil is in the details, so if your antagonist is diabolical it is still possible to create a semblance of sympathy for him in spite of his actions. Readers don’t necessarily have to like a character, but since we’re all human, surely there are a few redeeming qualities even in the most unlikeable of people. We can sympathize with and have compassion for someone because of the human qualities we all share. Good writing skills can help the writer elicit that sympathy for t