I never imagined how much time is involved in book marketing and building (and maintaining) your author platform. I work full-time and write part-time. Life gets in the way sometimes, but I make sure I build in time for the care and feeding of my social media sites. Here are my ideas for writers. Social is the key word. You need to have a presence, and you need to be active on the sites you choose. But, you can't do everything, and all platforms may not work for you and your

The Mystery Series I Wandered into Reading Several mystery series randomly fell into my lap lately, to my great satisfaction. Tired of beginning and rejecting series by other authors, I am delighted to find two that bring me joy. Who doesn’t love Charles Todd’s Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries? Well, I’ve learned that for some, such is NOT his/her cup of tea, and that I should not assume everyone wants to read what I enjoy. In any case, Inspector Rutledge’s early 20th Century

Have you ever wanted to craft a police procedural? Here are 5 tips to help you get started.

Murder on Tour is the travel-themed book group featured in the Hazel Rose Book Group series. The members each read a different mystery based on a geographical setting and gather to discuss their selections. They try to avoid spoilers but sometimes they slip! Years ago, when I lived in California, I belonged to a theme group and got acquainted with a variety of authors. Aside from Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie, I hadn’t read many mysteries up to that point. Our themes varied