PROLONGING THE AGONY by John M. Floyd Several weeks ago, during a TV appearance to promote my new collection of mystery short stories, I was asked a question I hadn’t heard before. The interviewer said, out of the blue, “Why do you think so many people like to read crime fiction?” Say what? After my […]

A HARD WAY TO MAKE AN EASY LIVING by John M. Floyd Last week I listed several quotes from a documentary I saw recently, called Tales From the Script. In it, Hollywood screenwriters gave their opinions on the craft, perception, disappointments, and rewards of their often-misunderstood profession. I don’t see too many documentaries, as a […]

BEFORE THE SHOOTING STARTS by John M. Floyd I watched a documentary the other day called Tales From the Script, a collection of interviews with dozens of Hollywood screenwriters. Since I’m both a writer and a movie fan, I loved it. I am not, however, a screenwriter. I’ve tried my hand at it, as have […]

THE KING OF SHORTS by John M. Floyd Several of my colleagues and our readers have had much to say recently about the short stories of Stephen King. Sure, he’s best known for his novels, and I love ’em, but let it never be said that this emperor has no shorts. All of them are […]

A ROOM WITHOUT A VIEW by John M. Floyd I’ve been fascinated, in past months, by the descriptions of other writers’ workspaces. I think it’s interesting to know a little about where they produce the work they produce, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction or CB columns. Anyhow, here’s my contribution to that “survey” of our […]

EASY DOES IT (SOMETIMES) by John M. Floyd 1 Like all of you, I have favorite authors. All I have to do to list mine is to turn around and look at the books on the shelves of my home office: Coben, King, McMurtry, Conroy, Evanovich, Francis, Barr, Sakey, DeMille, Westlake, Hiaasen, Burke, Block, Leonard, […]

DROVE MY CHEVY TO THE LEVEE BUT THE LEVEE WAS DRY by John M. Floyd Since I love music as well as fiction, I found myself thinking the other day about folks who have successfully managed to combine the two. And since whatever crazy thought enters my head usually turns into column fodder, that’s my […]