All meetings will be held on Zoom unless otherwise noted. The Zoom link will be sent to members ahead of time in our monthly newsletter.
October 10, 7 PM: It Was a Dark and Stormy Night: Creating Unique Settings in Fiction
Setting is a critical tool for the mystery writer. Whether it’s the stage for a scene, an interesting way to reveal character, taking the reader to a place they’ve never been, or describing their back yard, the writer must find unique ways to present setting and weave it into the story. Setting is more than weather, flora and fauna and elaborate descriptions. It’s not about adding pages and pages of description, but about choosing simple unique details that enliven and enhance the story and provide mood, tone, and ambience. Better settings = better reader experience!
Leslie J. Hall is the author of the Kaitlyn Willis Road Signs mysteries, a humorous, PG-rated, amateur sleuth series starring a NW code enforcement officer. She loves to speak, teach, and share her passion for writing with others. Leslie began her writing journey in elementary school where she co-wrote with a friend her first suspense story: How To Wash a Ghost. When not writing mysteries and women’s fiction, Leslie is a cheerleader for beginning writers through teaching and critiquing. After all that, you’ll find her at the beach with a book (or 3) in her hand.
November 14, 7 PM: Flash Fiction Night
Flash Fiction sounds mysterious, but it is simply a very short story. Come to our November 14 meeting and be prepared to read your short short mystery or crime story to the group. Your story should be 250 words or less.
The theme of for this year’s Flash Fiction Night is BETRAYAL IN PUGET SOUND. Your story must use 5 of these 6 words:
- Mole
- Pass
- Voracious
- Sequoia
- Angst
- Necklace
No prizes except the admiration of your fellow writers!