As true crime stories, documentaries, and podcasts become more mainstream, it only makes sense that it continues to weave its way into fiction as well. Part of what makes true crime so fascinating is the horror and intrigue we feel when trying to wrap our heads around the darkest parts of humanity – and the […]
Author Archives: Strand Staff
Six Survival Thrillers That Will Make You Question Your Own Life
Ever since I was young, I have been obsessed with survival thrillers. Whether they’re nonfiction tales rooted in unbelievable yet true, real-life situations or fantastical made-up fictional scenarios, the stakes don’t get any higher in storytelling than life or death adventures. These types of stories never fail to make us ponder our own existence since […]
6 Books That Inspire Me by James Swallow
I’ve always felt that to write books, you need to love books; one thing follows the other! But the inspiration to tell a story comes from many sources, and one that’s always been key to my work are the books that surround me, the books I grew up reading and the works created by the […]
Top Ten Short Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Top Ten Short Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald (The staff of the Strand compiled this list of their top ten short stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald. We look forward to your comments and your favorites!) “Hot and Cold Blood” (1923) “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (1922) “A Short Trip Home” (1927) “Winter Dreams” […]
Interview with Andrea Maria Schenkel
(Our editor Andrew Gulli had a chance to speak to bestselling German author Andrea Maria Schenkel who has gained legions of American fans with her offbeat and dark thrillers) TSM: Tell us about your new book, Ice Cold? AMS: It is about a serial killer in Munich in the ’30s. It is no whodunit story—that’s why […]
Interview with Pierre Lemaitre
Interview with Pierre Lemaitre (We had a chance to speak to French novelist Pierre Lemaitre. He was a great interview subject and spoke about his latest novel, his writing style, his admiration for New York and much more.) Q: Can you tell us a little about your novel Camille? A: The Verhoeven trilogy is written […]
Interview with Sara Paretsky
Interview with Sara Paretsky The Strand Magazine: Sara, what are you working on now? Sara Paretsky: I’m at the very beginning of a new book that will take V.I. into the world of biological warfare. TSM: Who was the inspiration for V.I. Warshawski? SP: I had wanted to create a hard-boiled woman investigator from […]
Character Motivation and Beyond
Character Motivation and Beyond Motivation drives the decisions both of the characters and the writer throughout a plot. Books on literary analysis, such as the Norton Anthologies, often lump motivation with character and identity, whereas mystery readers have long regarded motive as a full and separate category in its own right. Carolyn Wells devoted a […]
Strand Critics Award Nominees 2014
Strand Critics Award Nominees 2014 The Strand has announced its nominees for the 2014 Strand Magazine Critics Awards. Recognizing excellence in the field of mystery fiction, the CCritics Awards were judged by a select group of book critics and journalists from news venues such as LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Time, CNN and The Boston Globe.Laura […]
Interview with Jussi Adler-Olsen
Interview with Jussi Adler-Olsen (One of Denmark’s most successful authors spoke to us about his latest book–recently his popularity has grown in the United States, thanks in part to his well-researched thrillers, with intricate plots, unforgettable characters, and realistic dialogue) TSM: What can you tell us about the literary tradition of Denmark? JAO The truth about the literary […]
M.C. Beaton’s Top Ten Writing Rules
M.C. Beaton’s Top Ten Writing Rules Do not overwork your manuscript, striving for perfection. Avoid literary snobbery. Don’t try to appear more erudite than you are. Believe passionately that what you have written is good because you may be in for a bumpy ride. It is important that you learn to take rejection and […]
The Immortality of Sherlock: Interview with Leslie Klinger and Laurie R. King
The Immortality of Sherlock: Interview with Leslie Klinger and Laurie R. King (I had the pleasure of interviewing Leslie Klinger and Laurie R. King in advance of their collection In the Company of Sherlock, an anthology of stories inspired by the Holmes canon.)TSM: Tell us about the challenge of putting together an anthology; what’s the toughest […]