Category Archives: Writing

“Mystery/Suspense and the Beauty of Brevity” (by Trey Dowell)

Posted on August 18, 2021 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Yesterday, EQMM’s 80th Anniversary Issue (September/October 2021) went on sale. In it you’ll find Trey Dowell’s flash-fiction thriller “The Problem With Fish Markets.” (And yes, it’s possible to write a genuine international-intrigue thriller in one thousand words—though I might not have … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Genre, Guest, Noir, Readers, Story, Suspense, Writers, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“Tick-Tick-Boom!: Ratcheting Up the Tension with a Ticking Clock” (by Sandy Smith)

Posted on August 11, 2021 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Sandy Smith makes her EQMM debut in our 80th Anniversary Issue (September/October 2021)—on sale next week!  She’s had a number of stories published elsewhere. Two were nominated for Best of the Net (2018 and 2019) and another for the Pushcart … Continue reading →

Posted in crime, Editing, Readers, Writers, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

“If It Weren’t for Ellery Queen” (by Hal Charles)

Posted on June 9, 2021 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet have been writing together for more than forty-five years. Together, as Hal Charles, they are the authors of more than 200 short stories, one of which is “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight,” in our current … Continue reading →

Posted in Ellery Queen, Guest, History, Magazine, Publishing, Writers, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

“The Secret of Las Vegas” (by Melissa Yi)

Posted on June 2, 2021 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Melissa Yi is a Canadian ER doctor who writes medical thriller novels starring doctor-sleuth Hope Sze. One of the books in the series, Stockholm Syndrome, was named one of the best crime novels of its season by CBC Radio’s The … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Guest, History, romance, Setting, Writers, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

“Chaos and Community at a Family Seder” (by Elizabeth Zelvin)

Posted on April 14, 2021 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Several weeks ago, I contacted Elizabeth Zelvin, one of our genre’s most celebrated short-story writers, and asked for a post in time for Passover. The timing seemed important, because Liz’s story in our current issue (March/April 2021) is set at … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Setting, Writers, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“I Thought Up This Title in the Bath” (by Mat Coward)

Posted on April 7, 2021 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Mat Coward’s latest short story for EQMM, “Yeah, I Meant to Do That,” appears in our current issue (March/April 2021). The British author’s novels span the genres of crime, fantasy, and science fiction, but he’s particularly distinguished in the mystery … Continue reading →

Posted in Writers, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

“The Importance of Titles” (by Josh Pachter)

Posted on March 31, 2021 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Josh Pachter is a frequent contributor to EQMM as both a writer and translator. In both of those capacities he’s found titles an inspiration, as he explains in this post. He’s also a prolific anthologist whose most recent books include … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Guest, Passport, Writers, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

“The Most Versatile of All Genres?” (by Mike Adamson)

Posted on March 17, 2021 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Mike Adamson made his EQMM debut in our January/February 2021 issue with the story “The Shadow of the New.” Previously, most of his stories were in the field of speculative fiction, where he’s received nominations for the Hugo and Aurealis … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Characters, Classic Mystery, Genre, Guest, hardboiled, Historicals, History, Holmesian, Pop Culture, Writers, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Am I and My Detective the Same Person?” (by John Lantigua)

Posted on February 17, 2021 by somethingisgoingtohappen

John Lantigua’s fifth and latest Willie Cuesta novel, Remember My Face, was published in 2020 to rave reviews. A Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, John has been writing Willie Cuesta stories for EQMM for many years. In this post he gives … Continue reading →

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“Plot” (by Robert Cummins)

Posted on February 10, 2021 by somethingisgoingtohappen

Colorado-based author Robert Cummins has had a successful academic career, and has now turned his pen (which authored four books from MIT and Oxford Press as well as sixty articles) to fiction writing. His two novels—Hariq, a Cold War spy … Continue reading →

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