Posts by Lynn Slaughter
Accidentally Blocked!
Recently, a dear author friend and I had a total miscommunication breakdown. Here’s what happened. In late March, unbeknownst to me, my friend stopped receiving any emails from me: no submissions of my work for our critique group (she solicited my chapters from other group members), no thank you notes for her feedback on my…
Read MorePriming the Pump: The Value of Writing Prompts
My fourteen-year-old creative writing student and I had our last session of the semester before summer break. She is a gifted writer already working on a novel. When I asked her what she enjoyed the most about our sessions, she said, “The writing prompts. I feel like it gets our creative juices going.” I had…
Read MoreCelebrating the Gift of Life As We Age
This afternoon, Joyous Singers, my chorus of music-loving seniors will sing at the memorial service of a longtime beloved choral member. On a recent Thursday at one of our final rehearsals before the start of our spring concert series, a group of us chatted amiably before the start of practice. Our soon-to-be deceased friend seemed…
Read MoreThinking about Eugenie Baird and My Mom on Mother’s Day
Coming from a family peppered with jazz musicians, I grew up listening to gifted big band vocalists like Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, and Ella Fitzgerald who went on to successfully build solo careers in the 1950s and beyond. I thought I was familiar with all the great jazz vocalists of that period, but I was…
Read MoreSometimes You Just Have to Stumble Through
Last weekend, I attended Malice Domestic, a popular conference for mystery authors and fans held annually in Bethesda, Maryland. I missed going last year and was determined to make it this time, despite another spinal flareup that’s made it difficult for me to walk or stand for any length of time without a lot…
Read MoreMurder and Mourning Mixed with Humor: Julie Eble Releases DAD DIDN’T PREP ME FOR MURDER
Few things can match the excitement of the publication of an author’s first novel, and it was wonderful to interview Julie Eble as she celebrates her debut amateur sleuth mystery, memorably titled DAD DIDN’T PREP ME FOR MURDER. I was especially interested in what Julie had to say about her background as a playwright and…
Read MoreWhy Are Mystery Writers Such Nice People? Award-Winning Author Kaye George Has a Theory
What a pleasure to host Kaye George on my blog as she releases SOMEONE IS OUT THERE, her first suspense novel. Kaye is living proof that perseverance, along with a terrific sense of humor, pay off, as she ushers her 17th book into the world. First off, congratulations on the release of SOMEONE IS OUT…
Read MoreHumor Matters When You Collaborate: Tilia Klebenov Jacobs Talks about Co-Authoring STEALING TIME with Norman Birnbach
I’ve always wondered how writers manage to successfully co-author novels. Tilia Klebenov Jacobs’ account of her collaboration with Norman Birnbach in writing STEALING TIME is fascinating, as is the rich diversity of her life experience as a “Third Culture Kid,” prison educator, and outdoor adventurer. It was such a treat to interview her! First off,…
Read MoreA Fresh Take on Silence: A Guest Blog Essay by DonnaRae Menard
DonnaRae Menard is one busy author! She has not one but four novels coming out this year. Out this week is THE AFFILIATE. It’s always a pleasure to welcome DonnaRae back to my blog. Below she offers her reflections on silence, followed by her bio, buy/contact links, and descriptions of her 2025 books: …
Read MoreReflections On a Career Day Visit
On Friday, I was a presenter at an area high school as part of their career day. They asked me to do two presentations, one on my experiences as a professional dancer and dance educator, and one on my current career as a novelist. Preparing for both was an experience. For one thing, a tsunami…
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