I began writing at age 12. I remember reading a dreadful science fiction novel that I’d checked out of the library. It was a ‘children’s sci-fi’ book that talked down to kids and acted as if we were morons. I chucked it across the basement playroom where it hit the wood paneling with a resounding…
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FOR A FRIEND – Virtual Book Signing for Author Mary Ann Poll COME ON DOWN! Virtual Book Signing for Dullahan, An Alaska Iconoclast Thriller. Meet other authors, receive personalized copies of 1 or all of the Iconoclast series, and have some fun with us. If you love thrillers, this event is for you. https://www.facebook.com/events/812982835521052/ I’ll…
What Literary Pilgrimages Have You Gone On?
Literary pilgrimages…the name conjures images of Canterbury Tales, of men and women in brown pilgrims’ robes and sandals crossing the rocky mountains of Europe. I’ve had two unique experiences that I suppose count as a literary pilgrimage. This particular “literary pilgrimage” involved us staying in one of the plantations that had inspired Margaret Mitchell’s “Tara”…
On Point, My New Work in Progress Mystery Novel
“Ice,” the girl panted, leaning over the diner’s green marble countertop. “I need ice -“ “Sorry, lady, we’re closed.” Paul didn’t even bother to stand up. He continued stacking clean glasses under the counter for the morning rush. And with that, an entire story bloomed in my mind’s eye on Sunday night. On Point…
Things I Love: Old Buildings
I have a thing for old buildings. I love their mysterious dark interiors, the haunted quality they wear like a shroud. I love the dance of dust motes in the history-laden air. I love the scent of old wood floors, wood smoke clinging to whitewashed walls, hearth ashes long gone cold. It’s an obsession with…
When Did the Good Guys Start Losing?
It’s hard to fit my writing into a genre. Some call it thriller, some call it mystery, others call it horror. Preternatural is the adjective my friend the brilliant Regina Hiney calls it, and I think that’s about as close as anyone has ever come to correctly describing the genre in which I write. In…
The Monday Book: I BELIEVE YOU by Jeanne Grunert
Originally posted on Wendy Welch, Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap:
Jeanne Grunert requested a review of her self-published book I Believe You, a family crime thriller. Requests to review books are not uncommon, but hers had a nice benefit: she’d send three copies of I Believe You to the bookstore and sales would go…
Fitness and the Fiction Writer
What the heck does fitness have to do with being a fiction writer? Plenty, since I just found out I am in the worst shape of my life. Apparently 10 years of sitting behind a desk and walking only about half a mile a day can do that to you. Who would have thought? Seriously,…
Who’s Your Favorite Character- and What That Reveals About You
Yesterday after church, I was chatting with my friends Rose and Eni. Rose received a copy of my novel; Eni was an enthusiastic early reader. I am grateful to call Eni a friend. She is one of the kindest people I have ever met, with a heart of gold, and a deep, calm spirituality that…
Say I Love You in ASL
From my book, I Believe You: David thrust his backpack at him, handed him a $5 bill for lunch, and kissed Eddie on top of the head. He raised his hand, pinky finger and index finger pointed skyward, middle two fingers folded down, thumb out in the ILY gesture. I love you. Eddie flashed ILY…
Long Island’s Gold Coast
The primary setting for my novel, I Believe You, is Long Island’s famous “Gold Coast.” The Majek family lives in Brookville, an elite, upscale town on the North Shore of Long Island. Although Tibor, David’s father and the patriarch of the family, still lives in Bellerose, I purposely chose Brookville for David. Here’s why. To…
Just for Fun – Eddie’s Kolacky Recipe
In my novel, I Believe You, Eddie plays an important part in the story. Eddie is an 11-year old deaf boy, and the youngest son of the protagonist, David. At the end of the book, Eddie and his new friend Turquoise make a plate of kolachy, a special treat, from an old family recipe. They…
