The U-Boat Con

In The Nocturne in Black and Gold, the White Collar team devises a double-pronged sting to ensnare their two archenemies, Adler and Azathoth. They call it the U-Boat con. For readers who would like to refresh their memory on the significance of the U-boat, this is a review of the key elements.

Novel Progress: using fanfiction

The first assignment for Coursera's Creative Writing: The Craft of Character took me by surprise. Although the instructions didn't use the term fanfiction, that's what they described. We were to take two characters from a book, movie, etc. and place them in a conversation with a new character (in other words, an OC). After several days of indecisiveness about which fandom to use, I landed on sending Supernatural's Dean Winchester and Castiel to the world of my novel, where they encounter Amethyst. Yes, they talk to a duck.

Woman in Blue Redux

When I was posting the Arkham Files story, The Locked Room, I blogged about Diana and Tricia's use of events from The Woman in Blue. (Echoes of The Woman in Blue) In my latest story, Nocturne in Black and Gold, the White Collar team members are gaining a fresh appreciation of those earlier incidents and how they were being manipulated by the Mansfeld brothers.

Novel Progress: crime scene

The second assignment in Coursera's Creative Writing: Craft of Character was to describe a character who isn't in the scene. We weren't allowed to mention the character. Instead, the scene was meant to imply the traits and behaviors of a character who had been there. For this assignment, I sent my main character Zach to a crime scene, where he observes the aftermath of a small child in a jewelry store.

Unlucky in Love: The Clueless Con

In Caffrey Disclosure, a federal marshal told Neal he led a charmed life. Neal objected to the expression, yet it's fitting in many respects. A chance meeting with June enabled Neal to live in a mansion for a ridiculously low rental fee. His serendipitous encounter with Peter in St. Louis, the second chance at a new life, and his natural abilities are a few more of the ways Neal's been blessed. But there's one aspect of his life that has missed out—his love life.

Novel Progress: hospital scene

Previously I posted a backstory scene that ended with my main character Zach injured on a beach when he was a child. What serendipity that an assignment for  Coursera's "Creative Writing: the Craft of Setting and Description" called for a hospital scene. Now you can see a piece of what happens next.

A Silent Howl

When Penna suggested posting her latest vignette "Splash" in September, my first reaction was how welcome it would be. A feel-good tale of Henry adopting a puppy makes a great counterbalance to the turmoil Neal's experiencing in my current story, Nocturne in Black and Gold. But once I had the chance to read the vignette I realized how appropriate the timing was on a deeper level.

Our hearts go out to Las Vegas and Puerto Rico

One of the many delightful aspects of writing the Caffrey Conversation series has been the opportunity to explore different settings. Some are places we've visited only virtually, and hope to see in person some day. Others places are favorite haunts. Las Vegas is one of those. We're devastated at the pain, suffering and loss of life there this week, as we are for everyone impacted by the recent hurricanes that hit Houston, Florida and Puerto Rico.

Over the years we've collected a cast of kind-hearted characters, and here's how we envision their response.