What’s in a Name?
When I start a new book one of the first chores is to identify characters and assign names. You’d think that woul...
11
Jun
Posts by admin
11
Jun
History in the Mystery – McDonald’s
In “Missing Boy,” Spencer talks about the first McDonald’s, in Des Plaines, IL. He relates an incident that happe...
11
Jun
Interim Spencer – Short Story
A recent request from my publisher prompted me to write a short story version of the Spencer Manning mysteries. A...
11
Jun
The Mystery Spencer Can’t Solve
Spencer Manning is a private investigator. He solves mysteries. So far he’s solved them all. But then I hav...
11
Jun
A Luxury Authors Don’t Appreciate
I recently played a concert with the Elgin Community College jazz band (trumpet). One of the tunes was Mile...
11
Jun
Spencer Manning Name the Dog Contest
In the fifth book of the Spencer Manning series (the working title is A Frame for Joey), Carol’s son, Billy,...
11
Jun
History in the Mystery: Chemically Speaking
Thomas Midgley was a chemist and inventor who held over one hundred patents. What he is best known for—and no one...
11
Jun
Thomas Midgley, Chemically Speaking – Part 2
My last blog left Thomas Midgley having solved the engine knock problem by adding leaded gas to the world’s troub...
11
Jun
This Crazy Language of Mine
As I write and edit, I constantly find myself scratching my head about American English and wondering how anyone ...
11
Jun
Spencer Manning – Development of a Character
There have been many articles written about how to be a successful writer. Of the ones I have read, all have ment...