Sam Spade, Phillip Marlow, Alexander Black, trench coats, fedoras, violence, and dames. Crime Noir is a literary genre made popular by the likes of Dashiell Hammet and Raymond Chandler, and has survived since the genre’s pioneer Carroll John Daly’s story, Knights of the Open Palm was published in the June, 1923 issue of Black...
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I have been haunted by something these past few days; maybe weeks, or even months- so I decided to deal with it the best way I knew how; write it out. The result is this alternative . Thanks for playing along. My flashlight caught something in the enveloping darkness. When I got close to...
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A Lover Waits… A lover waits beside an open door For passion to come, ecstasy and more Another walks toward and holds the key To bliss and joy if it’s meant to be Lips meet as two lovers touch Neither knew that they could feel so much Gently yet the passion rises high As...
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The Muse….. His life was charmed as he looked to his muse The one who gave him his directional ruse She gave him life through her poetry and song Each verse, melody, and rhyme keeping him strong Through times of heartbreak and times of joy His soul soared with with all she employed She...
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Series Lets Have Fun Writing» In the past few weeks, we have discussed the Hemen class words, and – Now it’s time for the wimpy class… Editor’s stab them. Good writers rip them out like they were malignant tumors. And why not? Adverbs dirty up prose and other writing, just by being slutty. We...
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Series Lets Have Fun Writing» Lists of particulars. We writers love ‘em, and we use ‘em every chance we get. Inventories can add a ton of images, atmosphere, and/or flow to any writing we do. Last time out; in the article about , I used an example for powerful nouns, from a Philip K....
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Thundertstorms… Have you ever noticed lightning in the nighttime? Have you heard the thunder in the afternoon? When you see and hear it, you will know it is the right time To get ready, cause a storm is coming soon. Get ready for some threatening clouds, get ready for a shower; You get ready...
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Series Lets Have Fun Writing» Do you have the burning desire to write? Do you think you’re your story is worth telling? Of course you do; and so do she, and him, and her over there- look around you, because we ALL desire to write. The flaming lust to be inkslingers is stamped on...
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Series Lets Have Fun Writing» Last week we talked about the and the fact that writers use words as colors for their paintings. Our colors define the image we project, and we choose those colors with care so that our vision is clearly broadcast. We are continuing the discussion of colors this week as...
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Series Lets Have Fun Writing» In the past few weeks we have traipsed on the playground of our writing, learning to use gizmos to spark images from our words. One such gimmick we talked about was , or using unusual verbs to make the subjects/objects pop to life. Another was the use of over...
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The Cadillac Reminder is my response to the memoir prompt given here at Extreme Writing Now… I have scars—boy, do I have scars—but the one I’ll tell you about is the ‘V’ shaped scar just below my hairline. In fact, the scar appears just as the round, curly headed stitch slinger at the Sisters...
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We at Extreme Writing Now are proud to be holding our first ever, open to the general public, short stories competition. We have a judge and are offering cash prizes to the top 5 finalists. The competition is running now, so if you want to enter, visit the guidelines page at . Thank you...
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Chapter 14 of Lou Willett Staneks book — Writing Your Life — is called “Accomplishments”. Yes, no matter how big or small, we all have them. Writing your life means including acheivements. She says: “Don’t fret if you have been elected to office since you were the treasurer of the eighth grade chess club,...
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Series Lets Have Fun Writing» I know that all of you who have been following along since, are now well beyond the painful cramping lobster claws and are grabbing time stingily every day to write. Kudos! You are well on your way to a fruitful habit. We dove into the definition of last week...
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This post is my answer to this week’s memoir prompt given to us by Extreme Writing Now’s Memoir Editor, Mandee Sears… Fly Like An Eagle. Yeah, that’s what the summer after I graduated high school was like. The whole album played out over three months, but that title track definitely defined every day of...
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Series Lets Have Fun Writing» Last week, we opened the Let’s Have Fun Writing series by talking about and how that habit will help writer’s find their heart and use it when the pen anything. I hope some of you are swearing like sailors at me. I hope your hands are all cramped up,...
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I have been enjoying re-reading Lou Willett Stanek’s book “Writing Your Life – Putting your Past on Paper” to come up with weekly memoir prompts. This week I was reading Chapter 13 titled Shame, Embarrassment and Confusion. Ms. Stanek opens the chapter talking about how actors, ad agencies, editors and professors all get to...
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What follows is my entry for the contest currently held here at Extreme Writing Now.  What I find amazing is that I am a self admitted slayer of rules and on the edge player, yet I find solace in the strict structure of and the nine line poems, like this one, that I write....
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Series Lets Have Fun Writing» Far be it from me to stake any claim to being a writer with enough talent and skill to sit on a high throne and give sound writing tips, yet I believe that this site needs a weekly ‘Writing Tips’ column, so I am going to take up the...
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In Chapter 6 of her book, Writing Your Life – Putting Your Past on Paper, Lou Willett Stanek talks about achieving distance. She says finding material for your memoirs is not difficult but selecting could be. “If your divorce is ranging in the courts and in your mind, as tempting as it may be...
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