Lynne's Blog
As a science center director in a former life, my job was to show our audiences how science works, not simply to tell them. The Aha! moments made the experience real for the thousands of kids, adults, and young adults that visited. When they left, there was a good chance they would remember the scientific concept behind the hands-on exhibit.
Writing is much the same. Writers need that Aha! encounter to grow and nourish their ideas into a final piece of work. That’s what this blog is all about. It’s about MY “minds-on” adventure with words — one I enjoy sharing with readers. Whether it’s about the research aspect, the craft of writing itself, or the emotional roller coaster of putting myself out there in the public eye . . . my blog is me. Pure and simple.
I welcome your thoughts and hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.
The Fine Art of Writing
After visiting an art museum recently, I began to wonder about the similarities between art and writing. Fine art, as in a painting, can be considered subjective in terms of good vs. bad. What’s pleasing for one individual is not necessarily for another. You might...
The Forensics of Fire
An article in the New York Times about seven children killed in a fire in Brooklyn last March (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/23/nyregion/funerals-for-7-victims-of-brooklyn-fire.html) reminded me of the deadly fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory 105 years ago. ...
The Triangle Factory Fire –105 Years Later
March 25th, 2016, will commemorate the 105th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. The 1911 fire was the deadliest workplace disaster in NYC before 9-11. It was significant not because 146 workers died, but because it instigated significant reform. At...
Details, Details
It’s not easy keeping track of details in a novel that goes back and forth in time. Or any book of fiction, for that matter. What do I mean by details? Details relative to the characters could mean simple and obvious characteristics such as eye and hair color,...
In the Words of Women
On a trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, I ran across a book: “Staking Her Claim – Women Homesteading the West.”...
Mysteries to Come
Several readers have asked me when my next book will be out. Here’s an update. Book 5 is titled Time Lapse and it takes place during Victorian times in London and involves the Jack the Ripper murders. With significant twists and turns and, I hope, a shocking ending....
Creating the Perfect Setting
I’ve been asked how I come up with ideas for my mysteries. Maybe this will surprise you, but I start with the backdrop, by which I mean the setting for the book. Since I’m into mysteries that take place in the past, I have myriad choices and I develop my plot around...
Book Reviews Redux
This is my second blog on this subject and I have substituted new reviews for the ones in the original piece. Every so often I visit my book pages on Amazon to see if any new reviews have come in. Some of the initial reviews were family and friends, of course, so I...
Recasting History
As a writer of historical mysteries, I try to remain loyal to the details of the historical period I’m portraying. I use real settings with real characters, then insert fictitious characters with fictitious events to create the mystery. Staying true to the facts of...
A Writer’s Technique for Moving Back and Forth in Time Part 2
Last week’s blog introduced the prologue to Pure Lies, and gave you a sampling of the historical section of the book. This week in Chapter 1, I begin the modern story line. In both instances I introduce the key characters, the backdrop and settings, and a smidgen of...
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