From the Notebook
Mark's essays and blog reflections on story, character, literature, and the historical threads behind mystery fiction.
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From the Notebook
Worrying About Characters
Your characters become very real. You live with them daily for months, even years. It can be hard to leave them. You wonder how their lives are going, especially if you've journeyed with them through multiple books. Although it may sound strange, worrying about your characters isn't a wasted emotion. If you don't care about your characters, how can you expect your readers to care.
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From the Notebook
The Day Babe Ruth Died in Asheville
One thing I enjoy about writing fiction is not just making things up but rather discovering historical facts that can fuel a fictional story. The Blackman Agency Investigations revolve around the Past creating murderous consequences in the Present. The events don't have to be major, but they do have to be interesting. Such is the case of the story of how Babe Ruth died in Asheville, North Carolina.
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From the Notebook
Just Whose Story Is It?
I'd like to reflect upon what sounds like a simple question – one I ask myself with every novel: Just whose story is it?