The Care and Feeding of a MacGuffin As far as anyone knows Alfred Hitchcock was the first to use the term “MacGuffin.” He said it was “[T]he device, the gimmick, if you will, or the papers the spies are after… The plans, documents or secrets must seem to be of vital importance to the characters. […]
Category Archives: Blog Article
Eight Great Books About Writing
My 8 Favorite Books on Writing Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight Swain It was written all the way back in 1974, but this is my favorite book on the list. So much good advice in here, but the best is: Move a story along quickly by making sure you have two […]
Top 7 Books with Family Secrets
Secrets and dysfunctional families are the perfect ingredients for some of Jason Allen’s favorite novels. Read on to discover Allen’s favorite tension and conflicts that fuels the narratives in these Top 7 Books with Family Secrets. Secrecy makes for a riveting story, and family secrets often inform the tension and energy of […]
Karin Slaughter Recommends
Karin Slaughter Recommends THE FIVE: THE UNTOLD LIVES OF THE WOMEN KILLED BY JACK THE RIPPER by Hallie Rubenhold A fascinating focus on the women who were victimized first by society, then by a fiendish serial killer, then by a blood-thirsty media that glorified how they died instead of the way they were forced […]
Writing Suspense Like Alfred Hitchcock
Award-winning documentary filmmaker and author, Tony Lee Moral, offers some advice for aspiring suspense writers as he breaks down a few key techniques for writing suspense like Alfred Hitchcock. What suspense techniques did Hitchcock use that are applicable for fiction writers? Hitchcock gave the audience more information than the character to […]
The Story of True Crime and Arson: Damn the Old Tinderbox! Book Review
Check out Chris Chan’s book review of a true crime category that is often overlooked by writers and historians: arson. Damn the Old Tinderbox!: Milwaukee’s Palace of the West and the Fire that Defined an Era by Matthew J. Prigge is the missing piece that fans of true crime will need to check out this summer. […]
Chris Pavone discusses upcoming thriller: The Paris Diversion
The Strand had a chance to sit down with Chris Pavone to find out the thought process behind his new thriller novel, The Paris Diversion, released on May 7. When it comes to accolades, Chris Pavone has experienced a variety of riches. From ranking on the New York Times Bestseller list to being honored with an Edgar […]
Rob Paulsen and Voice Lessons: Iconic Characters
Over the course of his career, voice actor Rob Paulsen has helped give life to some of television’s most iconic characters. Whether it’s Yakko from Animaniacs, Pinky from Pinky and the Brain, Raphael from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or over 250 other characters, odds are you’ve most likely heard his voice at some point. His […]
DVD Review—Father Brown Season Six
Father Brown has been on the rise over the last few seasons, and Chris Chan has his DVD review to let you know if Father Brown Season Six should be added to your queue. The sixth season of Father Brown shows a notable improvement over the early seasons, as well as the continuation of […]
Abiding Memories of the Long, Dark Road: Top 10 Domestic Thrillers
Celebrate the release of Guilty by Laura Elliot with her some of her favorite psychological thrillers. Get a peek inside Elliot’s memories as she reminisces about a childhood filled with reading and the terror and thrill of the long, dark road. Childhood memories, by their nature, are fragmented. Flashes of excitement, interludes of boredom, […]
DVD Review—Acquitted, Spring Tide, and Those Who Kill
Looking for your next binge-worthy show? Why not try one of these Scandinavian crime dramas! Acquitted, Spring Tide, and Those Who Kill have something for every crime drama aficionado, from the classic “whodunnit?” to even more twisted, dark stories. DVD Review–Acquitted: Seasons One and Two (Norwegian language series), Spring Tide: Season One (Swedish language series), and Those Who Kill (Danish […]
Psychology as a Forensic Science: From Auguste Dupin to Sherlock Holmes
Since some of the earliest detective fiction, authors have used mysteries to explore human behavior. While many investigations begin with physical evidence, it is often the act of diving deeper into the minds of the criminals or villains that reveal the truth. Author of the Bhrigu Mahesh murder mystery series Nisha Singh examines the study of […]