CRIME SCENE SKILLS by Deborah Elliott-Upton “Brain tip: Read Books! This teaches your brain to quickly absorb lots of information. Books boost your vocabulary and critical thinking skills, and help with memorization skills.” —Games for the Brain: CRIME SCENE This week, I was busily writing a short story that was literally being dictated by my […]

BRANDING by Deborah Elliott-Upton Brand n. 1. A trademark or label. 2. The make of a product thus marked: a popular brand of soap. 3. A mark indicating ownership, burned on the hide of an animal. 4. A mark formerly burned into the flesh of criminals. 5. Any mark of disgrace; stigma. 6. A piece […]

ENJOYING THE JOURNEY by Deborah Elliott-Upton What writer doesn’t want a Stephen King-like success? I admire him for his talent and his prolific ability, but also for the fact he hasn’t abandoned the short story. I’ve always been a ravenous short story reader and so my first attempt at writing was naturally with a short […]

AGATHA by Deborah Elliott-Upton The 2009 nominees for Malice Domestic’s Agatha Awards have been announced. The awards named in honor of Agatha Christie are given to Best Novel, Best First Novel, Best Nonfiction, Best Short Story and Best Children’s/Young Adult for the “traditional mystery,” best typified by the works of Agatha Christie as well as […]

THE TRUTH ABOUT FICTION by Deborah Elliott-Upton “Fiction is easier to write,” a nonfiction writer told me. “You can just make everything up as you go.” “True,” I answered, “but, in nonfiction, don’t you just collect the facts?” In the end, we agreed neither fiction nor nonfiction was “easier” to write, just different and depended […]

NEVER QUIT WHILE YOU’RE AHEAD by Deborah Elliott-Upton When a writer tells me he is going to quit, I reply, “If you can, do. It wasn’t meant for you.” Personally, I am addicted and couldn’t quit if a doctor told me I’d drop dead mid-sentence if I didn’t. I’d be like those patients sneaking a […]

LET IT SNOW by Deborah Elliott-Upton Practically anyone who knows me knows I am a perennial lover of springtime weather. I don’t just dislike snow days, I loathe them. We’re in the midst of a Winter Wonderland weather where I live. Only forget the wonderland part. Outside is picture postcard perfect for a White Christmas […]