Finding a body writing prompt

This prompt is a little different from my norm. Usually I just give the beginning of a sentence. Today I thought I would shake it up a bit and give a scenario.

Imagine the character (male or female) just came upon a dead body.

See if you can build the suspense into finding the body. Kinda like when you're at the movies and the movie intensifies, that's what you want to do here.

Book your plans for Saturday, October 10 2pm to 4pm

Book signing event offers thrills, chills, mystery & suspense

Two local Borders Books are getting into the Halloween spirit a little early when they host book signings by highly acclaimed techno-romantic thriller author Denise Robbins. The Oct 10 signing in Concord and Oct. 24 signing in Nashua will precede a post-Halloween event at Zorvino Vineyards in Sandown, N.H., when Robbins joins other published authors for a murder mystery experience on Friday the 13th of November.

Called a master of the techno-romantic thriller field by Night Owl Romance, Robbins is a software engineering manager who uses her knowledge of computers and technology to create tales of crime, romance, and suspense that pulls readers in and never lets them go.

Coffee Time Romance called Robbins’ latest novel Killer Bunny Hill, a “gripping suspense story,” while Café of Dreams said in its review, “Ms. Robbins blends together secrets, intrigue, suspense, and romance as easily and wonderfully as a master chef blends the ingredients for a delectable gourmet meal.”

The Midwest Book Review gave her debut novel It Happens in Threes five stars, and says the book is “packed with scorching romance, nail-biting suspense, and nonstop action,” making it a great read for both men and women.

Readers are invited to come out and meet Robbins and authors CJ West and Nora LeDuc on Oct. 10 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Borders in Concord. On Oct. 24, Robbins and LeDuc will team up with Robin Beaudette and Michaeline Della Fera from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Borders in Nashua.

To learn more about Robbins and her books, or the murder mystery event at Zorvino Vineyards, visit www.deniserobbins.com.

Sleuths needed to solve murder mystery on Friday the 13th

What: Murder Mystery with published authors
When: Friday the 13th of course! (November)
Where: Zorvino Vineyards, 226 Main St., Sandown, NH

Sleuths needed to solve murder mystery on Friday the 13th
Enjoy wine and meet published authors while trying to solve a mystery at Zorvino Vineyards

Get out your spy glasses and put on your thinking caps. A group of talented murder, mystery and romance authors are putting their creative heads together to come up with an original murder mystery at Zorvino Vineyards on Friday the 13th of November – and they’re asking you to solve it.

Salem author Denise Robbins is heading up the group of authors that hope to thrill, scare and confound those who try to solve the fictitious whodunnit. A software engineer by day, Robbins writes romantic thrillers that have been recognized as containing “nail-biting suspense.”

“Everyone knows a good book and a glass of wine go great together, but we are planning an event that will really let the participants get a taste of the crime,” Robbins said. “All of the authors are really excited about getting the opportunity to mystify and thrill those who attend.”

The entire Zorvino Vineyards will be open for sleuths to wander about to search for clues. The authors will also be present to sign their books and the winery will be open for tasting. For those who need nourishment while solving crimes, the upstairs facility will be open with a special menu of food. There will also be local vendors and a painter who will be personalizing and decorating wine glasses and other items.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the case will be solved at 10 p.m. when the authors share the details. The public is invited to arrive at any time, but need to leave enough time to find clues and solve the mystery. The person who comes closest to figuring out” whodunit” will receive a signed book from each author and wine from Zorvino’s.

**Participating authors: Denise Robbins, CJ West, David Daniel, Kristin Callender, Carla Snow

Cost is $10 and reservations are required by calling 603-887-8463.

Book signing event offers thrills, chills, mystery & suspense

Two local Borders Books are getting into the Halloween spirit a little early when they host book signings by highly acclaimed techno-romantic thriller author Denise Robbins. The Oct 10 signing in Concord and Oct. 24 signing in Nashua will precede a post-Halloween event at Zorvino Vineyards in Sandown, N.H., when Robbins joins other published authors for a murder mystery experience on Friday the 13th of November.

Called a master of the techno-romantic thriller field by Night Owl Romance, Robbins is a software engineering manager who uses her knowledge of computers and technology to create tales of crime, romance, and suspense that pulls readers in and never lets them go.

Coffee Time Romance called Robbins’ latest novel Killer Bunny Hill, a “gripping suspense story,” while Café of Dreams said in its review, “Ms. Robbins blends together secrets, intrigue, suspense, and romance as easily and wonderfully as a master chef blends the ingredients for a delectable gourmet meal.”

The Midwest Book Review gave her debut novel It Happens in Threes five stars, and says the book is “packed with scorching romance, nail-biting suspense, and nonstop action,” making it a great read for both men and women.

Readers are invited to come out and meet Robbins and authors CJ West and Nora LeDuc on Oct. 10 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Borders in Concord. On Oct. 24, Robbins and LeDuc will team up again from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Borders in Nashua.

To learn more about Robbins and her books, or the murder mystery event at Zorvino Vineyards, visit www.deniserobbins.com.

Writing prompt full of suspense

Let's talk a little more suspense. Now that we know the difference between mystery and suspense, how do we create suspense?

Use time constraints - A key method to building suspense is through the use of time. The protagonist works against the clock, and the clock works for the villain.

Keep the stakes high - The story must be about a crisis that threatens to rock the foundation of the protagonist’s world, and the hero must be willing to do anything to prevent it from occurring.

Complicate matters - Pile on the problems. Give the protagonist more things to deal with than he/she can possibly handle.

Apply pressure - The protagonist works under what seems to be insurmountable odds. All his/her skills and strengths are stretched to the breaking point in order to save the someone's life, his/her own life, or life as they know it.

Be unpredictable/surprise us - Nothing in life goes according to plan. Make nothing straight-forward for the protagonist. Suspense requires twists and turns.

Now that you have a few tips on how to create suspense, let's write it. Use the tips from above to help you write a paragraph or a page, or whatever comes to mind. Make the reader want more!

Writing Prompt: As the police sirens grew louder, Kate realized they were coming for her.

Speaking of suspense. . . how does suspense differ from mystery?

In this week's Book-A-Week Challenge we're reading a suspense novel by Carla Neggers.

Speaking of suspense. . . how does suspense differ from mystery?

Have you as a reader wondered this? As a writer I know I sure have! Afterall, is it not my job as an author to know and understand what I am writing so I know who will want to read my book. (shh. . .I think that's called knowing your target market.)

Barbour Publishing gives a pretty clear definition of the two genres. “A Mystery is set up as a maze to be navigated by the protagonist or solver. A Suspense is best represented as a coil that tightens in around the protagonist. A simplified generalization would be to say in a mystery, the protagonist is on the offensive-actively searching and solving, while a suspense puts the protagonist on the defensive-running and evading the villain as time runs out.”

If that's not enough information, I thought I would share my take on the difference between mystery and suspense. Feel free to share your own thoughts.

Mystery:

A mystery contains a puzzle to be solved and may revolve around any crime, not necessarily a murder victim, though a murder victim is common.

A mystery focuses more on the hero/heroine solving the crime.

In a mystery, the reader identifies with the detective (the person solving the mystery).

In a mystery, the protagonist already has the skills he or she needs to solve the puzzle.

A mystery is a puzzle where the answer is hidden until the end with many red herrings along the way.

The reader has to distinguish between real clues and red herrings, and the protagonists solve the problem/crime by the end of the story.

In a mystery, information is withheld.

The hero or heroine in a mystery is looking for suspects.

Readers of mysteries are looking for clues.


Suspense:

Suspense involves a character in peril and has more of an element of danger.

Suspense can have an antagonist who is "out to get" either the hero or heroine and is the one creating the problems. The antagonist may or may not be known until the very end.

In a suspense, the reader identifies with someone at the mercy of others.

Romantic suspense focuses as much (or nearly as much) on the developing romance between the hero and heroine as it does on the suspense plot line where the plot's twists and turns eventually threatens the hero’s/heroine's life.

In suspense, the protagonist learns new skills to survive.

The suspense plot line focuses more on disarming the danger than solving a puzzle.

The suspense novel hero or heroine faces a cycle of distrust.

Suspense is just that . . . Keeps the reader on the edge of the seat.

In suspense novels, information is provided.

The hero or heroine in suspense looks for betrayers.

Readers of suspense are expecting surprises.

New Website is up!!

Wahoo! My new, suspenseful website is live!!

Check it out at www.deniserobbins.com

Let me know what you think.

Thank you, Jeannie for being such a great designer. Now we're on to the book trailer.