THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion

For the first blog entry of this year I reflect on the difference between literature and best sellers -- something I need to remind myself of now and again. Hope some of you will take a look and share your thoughts on the topic: http://schradershistoricalfiction.blo...

If you have a few minutes, please stop in at M.M. Gornell's blog this morning at http://wp.me/pyLFm-vE where you'll find an interesting interview. Great questions.

Thank you,

Marja

What's it like to write two series? Please check it out at http://blog.marjamcgraw.com/ .

Thank you,

Marja

"Of Portaits and Biographies" takes a look at writing biographical fiction -- i.e. novels based on the lives of real historical characters. Here's the link: http://schradershistoricalfiction.blo....
Hope you'll take a look and feel free to write a comment or share it with others!

Do you write twists and turns into your stories? Please check out this week's blog at http://blog.marjamcgraw.com/ . Thank you!

Marja

Where have all the readers gone and other thoughts on the writing life.

www.ronaldpaxton.wordpress.com

The University of the Bleeding Obvious has been nominated for an award!



The good people at The Dog's Doodahs have shortlisted us for their 2014 blog award and are inviting you to vote for your favourite.

You can vote for us HERE. Please do, even if it's only out of pity. Thanks!

Dashiell Hammett left a lasting legacy on literature, movies and television. Today's blog on Mystery and History is about his life and career. http://blog.mjmurphy.com

Here's a sample from Impressions of the OC (CA) gun show. Some whimsical observations:

Parking is maybe half a mile from the show. Next time we park and enter at the swap meet gate and exit to the gun show. My first time to this show in several years.

First thing I noticed walking in was people leaving lugging chockablock full ammo cans. Stumbling forward, shoulders sagging, tendons stretched and white knuckled. Others smuggling pulling boxes of ammo on luggage carts. I figured I’d collect some cans from those who didn’t survive the trek as I left.

My brother suggested I bring a backpack for our purchases. I asked, “What for? You’re taking one.”

Fear not for CA, America. There were enough scary black guns to arm everyone in the county. Complete weapons, thumbholes, collapsible stocks, Every variation of AR and accessories and parts were at least half the vendors. Lots of M1s and M1A for sale. Noticed a distinct lack of shotguns that weren’t scary Mossberg and cousins pump style with various robocop accessories. No deals that I could see.


More at:
http://consaulbooks.com/impressions-f...

Writing Descriptions: Have you ever watched the movie, "Charade"? If not, go and watch it. This movie keeps you on your toes after scene after scene takes you in different directions. The movie stars Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. When I taught writing, I showed part of this fast-paced movie to my students ... http://janetsyasnitsick.wordpress.com...

The research for my biographical novel about Balian d'Ibelin, the Defender of Jerusalem against Saladin in 1187, has taught me a lot of fascinating facts about the crusader kingdoms. Often dismissed as "tiny" and "doomed" in fact they covered more territory than modern Israel, Jordan and Lebanon combined, and they survived three times as long as Israel has to date -- in the same hostile environment.

On my blog: http://schradershistoricalfiction.blo... I doing a series of articles about the crusader states, starting with a look at the "elected" kingship this week. Hope you'll take a look

Sharon Arthur Moore is my guest blogger this week and she’s talking about culinary mysteries and her debut novel at http://blog.marjamcgraw.com/ . I hope you’ll stop in.

Thank you,

Marja

I’m on Holli Castillo’s blog today at http://www.gumbojustice.blogspot.com/ for her 12 Question Tuesday interview. It promises to be a lot of fun.

Thank you,

Marja

Today on my blog I interview fellow mystery author Cathi Stoler, and among other topics, she talks about learning to sing. She's also running a contest for those who comment for a free autographed copy of the second mystery in her Helen and Laurel New York Mystery series, Keeping Secrets. Please stop by!
http://bethgroundwater.blogspot.com/

I could use your help composing a list of the best mystery novels of the 1930s to use on my Mystery and History blog. http://blog.mjmurphy.com

I just live all of your links!! So much to read and enjoy. Thanks to all of you for posting your blogs and websites!!

Michael wrote: "I could use your help composing a list of the best mystery novels of the 1930s to use on my Mystery and History blog. http://blog.mjmurphy.com"

I thoroughly enjoy Stuart Palmer and his Hildegarde Withers series. She's quite a character.

This weekend I went to an auction and heard an interesting conversation about books. I hope you’ve got a couple of minutes to stop in at http://blog.marjamcgraw.com/ .

Thank you,

Marja

Fellow mystery author Kwei Quartey visits my blog today and answers my interview questions. He’s running a contest for a free copy of his Inspector Darko Dawson novel set in Ghana, MURDER AT CAPE THREE POINTS. Please stop by!
http://bethgroundwater.blogspot.com/

The treatment of women was one of the key factors that distinguished the crusader kingdoms from their Muslim -- and Orthodox -- neighbors. Read more on my blog at: http://schradershistoricalfiction.blo....

I launched a new blog today: Defending the Crusader Kingdoms. I will consolidate all my various essays related to the crusades and the crusader kingdoms on this one blog, so the essays are easy to find in one place. I will also publish reviews of books relevant to the history of the crusades and the crusader kingdoms. I would welcome guest blogs, if any of you have relevant research, literature, or opinion pieces on the topic.
http://DefendingCrusaderKingdoms.blog...

Double day:

Will readers like flashbacks in a book? Please check it out at http://blog.marjamcgraw.com/ .

If you need a chuckle, please check out my guest blog at http://samwriteaway.blogspot.com/2014... .

Thank you,

Marja

If they ever tell me I have a terminal cognitive disorder, I wonder if I'll go out with a splash . . .

How To Exit:

http://timcrairebooks.wordpress.com/2...

Writing from your Heart People say I should write about my autistic children, and I have to some extent in my best of year book, Seasons of the Soul. However, there are stories I keep in my heart about them, especially my youngest high-functioning, verbal son. ... http://janetsyasnitsick.wordpress.com...

I launched my blog two months ago with writings about the locations of my novels--first Latin America, now Asia (Vietnam, China, Mongolia, and Siberia) plus random musing about veteran's affairs and raising a family in the mountains of New Mexico...www.brinn-colenda.com

Today I discuss the myth of Sparta's inhuman mothers and the real origins of the alleged admonishment by Spartan mothers to their sons to return "with their shield or upon it." See: http://SpartaReconsidered.blogspot.com.

This week I look at the First Crusade on my blog:
http://defendingcrusaderkingdoms.blog...

Chris Swinney is my guest author today. Learn a little about a man with a fascinating background and book at http://blog.marjamcgraw.com/ . You’ll be glad you stopped in.

Thank you,

Marja

My blog is http://literaryeyes.wordpress.com

Writing, philosophy, book reviews and more

If you have a moment, please check out this week’s blog at http://blog.marjamcgraw.com/ . Real life can hand us scenes for books.

Thank you,

Marja

The Christian states established in the Holy Land after the First Crusade were cultural melting pots at the cross-roads of trade -- prosperous and cosmopolitan. Read more at: http:DefendingCrusaderKingdoms.blogspot.com.

Giant prehistoric armadillos! What a world (past tense, anyway).

http://timcrairebooks.wordpress.com/2...

I write about Native American Suspense/Thriller/Fiction.
My main blog is on my website. http://www.garyeddings.weebly.com
I have a second blog, too.
http://www.garyeddings.wordpress.com
My latest book is "Hollow Point" by Champagne Book Group.

If you have a moment, please check out my blog at http://blog.marjamcgraw.com/ . This week it’s about chocolate, addictions and writing.

Thank you,

Marja

"Comparing Yourself with Others" Comparing your writing to another author can be positive or negative, depending upon how you use it. ... http://janetsyasnitsick.wordpress.com...

This week's blog provides an excerpt from my soon-to-be released novel "St. Louis Knight."

A crusader in search of faith
A lame lady in search of revenge
and a king, who would be saint.

"St. Louis knight, set in the 13th century, will take you to a world of chivalry, prophets, and assassins. Read more at: http://schradershistoricalfiction.blo....

For the next week I have a guest blog up on Chris Swinney’s site at http://clswinney.wordpress.com/ about combining drama and humor. Oh, and it’s about two new books, too.

Marja

My latest blog post for all those who can relate: http://www.humeirakazmi.com/1/post/20...

High Time For Revenge (a story)

https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

My guest today is Patricia Gligor and she’s discussing writing a series at http://blog.marjamcgraw.com/. I hope you’ll stop in and take a look. This is the first day of her blog tour and I think you’ll enjoy what she has to say.

Thank you,

Marja

See my blog review of C. Hope Clark's Palmetto Poison, Book 3 in her Carolina Slade mystery series. Books 1 and 2 are also reviewed there. In fact, my review of her Lowcountry Bride was featured on MurderBy4 back in October.



http://sharonpenningtonwrites.webs.co...

Love doing book reviews - when I have the time.

Sharon Cupp Pennington

This is the second day of my blog tour for Murder in the Worst Degree, and I'm visiting here http://thoniehevron.wordpress.com/201...
Marilyn

And on my own blog, today I'm hosting Patricia Gligor at http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/

This week’s blog is about reading, writing and includes a tip about guerrilla marketing. I hope you can stop in at http://blog.marjamcgraw.com/ .

Thank you,

Marja

Deep South Magazine published an hilarious excerpt from my second novel "I ♥ Gigi," found on my Writer's Hat blog. I also highly recommend a short, short story on the site, "Naked Lady at the Payday Loans." http://denniswardauthor.com/

Were the crusaders barbarians? The answer depends on how you feel about democracy and women's rights. Read more on my blog: http://defendingcrusaderkingdoms.blog....

My own blog is Marilyn's Musings at http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/

Good day,
http://www.singingformyfriends.com

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

Thank you for the opportunity to introduce my blog about story writing craft. I offer short story structure ideas and prompts each month as well as a flash fiction from my upcoming collection "She Wears Hot Pink Jeans (with a boomerang on the pocket)" I am an Australian living in Florida and write from a grounding in Australian aboriginal mythology.

Day # 6 of my blog tour and I wrote about Mother Nature's Influence on my Writing:
http://gdcramer.com/2014/04/05/a-visi...
Marilyn

Day #7 and I'm here http://evelyncullet.com/blog/ with an excerpt and a review.