Writers get lots of advice. Some of the best I’ve received is to study the works of other writers. And I’ve done just that, analyzing the character development, story structure, and styles of Raymond Chandler, Agatha Christie, Dianne Emley, Sue Grafton, and many more. But I’ve focused on two very different mystery authors (meaning different from each other): Gillian Roberts and Joan Smith. Gillian Roberts is a former English teacher who gave the same occupation to her amateur

Everyone knows about Prohibition, which came into existence by constitutional amendment across the United States from 1920 until it was repealed by another constitutional amendment in 1933. But almost no one knows that there was legal prohibition of alcohol long before and long after. Or that prohibition continues today in many, many counties and states that remained dry long after national prohibition was repealed. You may be living in one of them today! If so, let me know h

The United States uses seventeen different agencies to gather intelligence. Have you read about them in the news lately? They are hard at work keeping America safe. And that might work out really well, or not so much in your next novel - whether you are reading one or writing one. 1. Office of the Director of National Intelligence Created by Congress in response to the 9-11 terrorist attacks Coordinates intelligence collection and sharing among U.S. intelligence agencies. The