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August 3rd, 2022

I’ve had a few problematic weeks lately, healthwise, Dear Reader. Migraines aren’t life-threatening, but painful and exhausting, which has put me even farther behind than I usually am, which is saying something. My doc and I are trying this and that, and hopefully I will be back to my chipper self soon. In the meantime:

On Saturday, August 13, 2022 • 10:00 to 12:00 pm, MST, I will be presenting a Zoom workshop for the Arizona Authors
Association titled, “How to Commit Murder-Techniques for Writing a Compelling Mystery Novel.”

The workshop is Free and Open to the Public on Zoom! Register with toby@tobyheathcotte.com or arizona.authors@yahoo.com


Mystery novels are not just puzzles. They are about someone, and often that someone is dealing with the most horrific event of their life. Mysteries are human stories involving characters the reader can relate to and care about. If your cast of characters are the ingredients of your novel, the plot is the recipe – how you put all the ingredients together and the way you order events to create suspense and interest. E.L.Doctorow said “The plot is a journey. Driving a car at night you can only see as far as the headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” The plot of the mystery is the roadmap that leads to your destination.

And a heads-up about the upcoming virtual WriteNow Conference, Sept. 16 & 17, sponsored by Desert Sleuths Chapter of Sisters in Crime. This year’s theme is “Deep Dive in the Desert”, and I will be participating on a panel Saturday morning, “Writing Regional Voices and Settings”, along with David Heska, Wanbli Weiden, and Betty Webb. Registration for WriteNow! 2022 is now open! You can register for the events you would like to attend on our website: https://desertsleuths.com/writenow-conference/writenow-2022-conference/ If you have any questions or need any technical assistance registering, the fine folks at at DesertSleuths@gmail.com will be glad to help.

Watch this space for information on this month’s book giveaway in a few days.

 


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