Just back from a terrific time at the Suffolk Mystery Authors Festival and already looking forward to the next big event—my first time at the Deadly Ink mystery conference!
I’ll be part of the Deadly Ink Academy on Friday, August 10, following up Jenny Milchman’s morning workshop on crafting villains with an afternoon session on plotting, pacing, and structure. Here’s the write-up for that program:
This workshop looks at several aspects of plotting, pacing, and more, first for short stories, then for novels, drawing on sources as diverse as Lester Dent, Patricia Highsmith, Madison Smartt Bell, and the folks behind South Park. What is the difference between linear storytelling and modular storytelling—and how is suspense built in each one? How do you shape the various building blocks of a short story or novel—the scene, the chapter, the act—and what are the possible connections between those blocks? How do you fold in subplots? Should every chapter end with a cliffhanger? And yes, if you’re a pantser instead of a plotter, this discussion is still for you!
Later that night, I’ll join an “Author Hot Potato”—a first for that too, and here’s the description, with a full list of participants:
Each author will have a timed turn to discuss any of the following: Why do you write mysteries? What are your influences? Your background? Your books?
Debby Buchanan, moderator – R.G. Belsky, Christine Bush, Peggy Ehrhart, Kate Gallison, Meg Gardiner, Jack Getze, Teel James Glenn, Carol Gyzander, Jeff Markowitz, Lynn Marron, James McCrone, Tj O’Connor, Linda Rawlins, Roberta Rogow, Chris Ryan, Ilene Schneider, A.J. Sidransky, Art Taylor, Al Tucher, Eileen Watkins, Rich Zahradnik.
Then on Saturday morning, August 11, I’m part of two panels—as panelist on one and moderator on the other. Here’s info on those:
- Panel: “Keeping It Short” with Peggy Ehrhart, Carol Gyzander, Al Tucher, A.J. Sidransky and moderator Jack Getze • Saturday, August 11, 9 a.m.
- Panel: “Pacing: The Making of a ‘Page-Turner’” with R.G. Belsky, Meg Gardiner, James McCrone, Tj O’Connor, and Rich Zahradnik • Saturday, August 11, 11 a.m.
So looking forward to my first time at the conference—and just updated my general events listing with yet another event this fall! Check it out here.