The Crime Fiction Evolution

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By PJ Parrish

As many of you regulars know, I have retired from fulltime novel writing. Still keeping my toes in the short fiction waters but the demands of turning out a novel per year (or more) in today’s market just isn’t for me anymore. (No pity sought. I am very happy with this decision!)

But…

My co-author and sister Kelly has talked me into re-looking at an unpublished manuscript we wrote several years ago. It wasn’t part of our series, and was also a departure from our usual hardboiled style. I’d say it was more tilted toward romantic suspense with a high humor quotient. We offered it up to our then-publisher, who turned it down. They said they didn’t know how to market it — that it was “neither fish nor fowl.” It didn’t really fit their definition for what then qualified as romantic suspense. The editor said, “Your heart is too dark.”

Which I took as a compliment. So we filed it away. Until this week, when Kelly opened it up.

Guess what? It didn’t smell. You know, like that chunk of brie that you forgot you had and it turned into an alien life form in the sliced turkey meat refrigerator drawer. In fact, when I started reading it, I thought it was pretty darn good.

Good enough to sell? Who knows? But we’re gonna give it a go. Mainly because I think the market has become more flexible in recent years. I get this notion mainly from the books I have been reading, and because I just finished my 20th year as banquet chair for the Edgar Awards, I have a front row seat to what is fresh in our genre. I’m getting the sense that changes are afoot in crime fiction, a mini-revolution of sorts. The old barriers between hard and soft fiction have become more blurred. I get the impression that readers nowadays are not so hung up on where exactly a title has to be shelved at a bookstore. And the advent of online publishing has created more space for those quirky books that don’t fit easily into categories.

I’ve been doing a lot of research on trends this week and found some interesting commentary. Our genre has long been a fiction cornerstone, but it’s undergoing an evolution. The classic tropes are still with us, but authors now are pushing boundaries, cross-breeding influences and finding new audiences willing to take chances on edgier suspense.

Some new trends I found in my digging:

  • Cross-Pollenization. Today’s mysteries now blend with other genres — “mystery-horror,” mystery-sci-fi” and especially mystery-fantasy. The old labels feel stifling. Readers seem to be hungry for richer, more complex books.
  • Psychological depth. Modern mysteries appear to be tiling focus more toward character than plot. Writers are plumbing the depths of motivation and the gray areas of morality. Modern mysteries and thrillers explore the human psyche, and feature deep backstories, and complex interpersonal relationships.
  • Dark Crozies. Sure, the village amateur sleuth is still popular, but now we’re seeing even cozy writers dealing with more serious themes — family secrets, personal demons, and heavier societal topics such as institutional racism, mental health, and non-traditional chosen families.These new shadows provide compelling contrasts to the lighter settings.
  • The Rise of Tech. Another trend is the incorporation of technology in crime narratives, mirroring its pervasive impact on our lives. Tech-savvy detectives and cybercrimes are increasingly featured in plots.
  • Fusion of Fact and Fiction. True crime has found a new home within the realm of crime fiction. Inspired by real-life events, these narratives are blurring the line between fact and fiction, giving readers a blend of authenticity and imagination.

I guess this can be scary to us Luddites, purists, and traditionalists. But I think it’s exciting. Our genre, from Poe through Hammitt to Connelly, has undergone change and tumult before. Maybe we are due for another new wave.

As author Valerie Webster puts it, “The landscape of crime fiction has become delightfully unpredictable, reshaping the genre’s expectations and norms. The once rigid boundaries of classic whodunits, thrillers, and noir have transformed into a fluid arena, thriving on audacious experimentation.”

She suggests that crime fiction has evolved from linear “whodunits” to complex psychological narratives that prioritize “whydunits.” The focus has shifted from just solving the puzzle to delving deep into motivations and psychology of the human mind. “Consequently,” she says, “crime fiction’s palette has grown richer, delving into the perpetrator’s psyche and blurring the lines between villain and victim.”

So maybe my book — “niether fish nor fowl” — is actually akin to a turducken. A little weird, not traditional, but definitely juicy and fit for an adventurous palate.

Who knows? Maybe everything in life is just about good timing.

I’m not going to overthink this. I’m going back into the old manuscript this week for some strenuous rewriting.  I’ll keep you posted on what comes out of the oven.

 

Are They Dead?

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Because it’s a holiday in the U.S. and the unofficial start to summer, I thought we’d have a little fun today. I’m also in the process of moving my flock of six adult chickens from Massachusetts to New Hampshire and constructing an additional coop in my yard to accommodate 11 five-week-old chicks, who are quickly outgrowing their indoor nursery coop.

Playing Dead

Thanatosis or tonic immobility is the term used to describe the tactic of playing dead. Many animals use tonic immobility for various reasons. Some play dead to lure in potential prey, others play dead when threatened. And some, like crows, play dead to protect a food source. Acting dead tells other animals, “This food is poisonous. Don’t bother stopping to feed.”

Virginia Opossums

This little guy is very much alive. Look how convincing he is, though!

The most well-known animal to play dead is the Virginia opossum. These North American cousins of kangaroos put a considerable amount of effort into their play acting. When threatened by a predator, opossums throw themselves onto their backs, bare their teeth, drool, and excrete a foul-smelling liquid from their anal glands — all in an attempt to escape mortal danger.

If humans stumble across an opossum whose playing dead, they may suspect the animal’s suffering from rabies, but in fact, it’s all an act, a natural defense mechanism.

Texas Indigo Snakes

Texas indigo snakes—a subspecies of the eastern indigo snake—can grow up to 7 feet long and are found throughout Texas.  They’re not venomous, nor constrictors. Instead, they rely on muscular jaws to overpower and swallow their meals head first. Texas indigo snakes even hunt venomous rattlesnakes (they’re immune to the venom).

When threatened, these large snakes loosely coil their bodies, become immobile, and slack their jaws. If touched, they will rotate their bodies to remain belly down but otherwise remain still.

Ducks

Many species of ducks play dead when facing a dangerous situation. Researchers documented 29 out of 50 different wild ducks played dead when exposed to captive red foxes. This immediate collapse gives the duck a fighting chance should the fox lower its guard. The ducks remained still while the fox carried them back to den to escape later.

 

Japanese Quails

Another species of bird that plays dead is the Japanese quail. These animals do so for similar reasons to ducks – to avoid predators, such as cats — and wait for an opportunity to escape. When sleeping, Japanese quail also appear to be dead and can sometimes cause alarm to their owners.

Lemon Sharks

The lemon shark is an apex predator, yet they also play dead. If turned onto its back, the lemon shark will not only play possum, they’ll begin to exhibit labored breathing and the occasional tremor. This is especially interesting, considering the lemon shark lay on the ocean floor and allows other animals to pick the parasites off its body. They have the ability to remain completely still and pump water over their gills to breathe.

Lemon sharks prey on fish, stingrays, and other sharks. The fact that they also use tonic immobility is remarkable since they don’t encounter many natural predators. They’re also not the only species of shark to exhibit tonic immobility.

Rabbits

This little guy is alive, playing dead.

Both domesticated and wild rabbits play dead. As a prey animal, it’s not all that surprising. Rabbits spend most of their time with their paws on the ground. If they’re thrown into a position where they can’t flee, they use tonic immobility as a defensive mechanism.

Attention rabbit parents: Flipping a rabbit on its back may seem harmless but it stresses their hearts and respiration. What is believed to be a form of hypnosis is actually an extension of their natural fight or flight response.

Pygmy Grasshopper

Native to Japan, the pygmy grasshopper displays a unique version of playing dead when threatened. Not only do they freeze but they spread out stiffened legs as far as possible in all directions. This death stance makes it nearly impossible for predatory frogs to attempt to swallow them. Thus, the frog moves on to easier prey.

Redback Spider

This redback spider is alive but playing dead.

The redback spider is a close cousin of the black widow and are equally deadly to humans. Thankfully, they’re not normally aggressive toward us. Most bites occur when they’re trapped in clothing or shoes. Given its more docile nature, the redback spider resorts to tonic immobility when it senses danger outside its web. They curl into a ball and freeze till the threat passes.

Hognose Snakes

Convincing act of playing dead, isn’t it?

Hognose snakes are found throughout the world, and every variation plays dead. The eastern hognose resides in the Eastern half of the United States and prefers woodland environments.

Although they grow to lengths of up to 46 inches, these snakes put on quite the show when faced with perceived dangers.

First, they writhe as if in pain while excreting an extremely foul odor. After some time, the snake collapses onto its back with its jaws slightly parted. It remains in this state even if a human were to prod or handle it.

Antlions

And the acting award goes to…

Antlions are extremely aggressive insects known for their predatory larva. They’re equally impressive at playing dead. If approached by a predator like an eagle or snake, the antlion closes its wings and goes limp.

With a literal myriad of species of the same name, the most astonishing is the Euroleon nostras. Researchers recorded this type of antlion playing dead for 61 minutes. All antlion species feign death, but that level of commitment deserves an award.

Called doodlebugs in the United States, antlion larva are ambush predators that attack from pits or hiding places and suck out the insides of their victims. These aggressive larvae need to consume enough food to sustain the adult evolution of the species as they don’t eat once their transformation is complete.

Central America Cichlid

The Central American cichlid plays dead to lure unsuspecting prey. This aquatic predator’s intricate markings give the illusion of a decaying fish. Because scavengers are attracted to an easy meal, they move in. The cichlid springs to life and attacks.

Farm Animals

Farm animals like cows, goats, and pigs don’t play dead by dropping, stiff-legged or limp. Instead, they go into a trancelike state for several minutes.

Pselaphinae Beetles

Another animal that plays dead to catch prey is the pselaphinae beetle. Instead of waiting in ambush, these beetles employ tonic immobility so ants can carry them away. Once they get inside an ant’s nest, they spring to life and feed on the ant larvae (the majority of their diet).

Black Widow Spiders

Black widows are the most venomous spiders in North America, but they don’t always bite when threatened or provoked. Instead, black widows often play dead. When their lives are at risk, they curl into a ball while releasing silk to aid its movement.

Blue Jays

Blue Jays play dead by slumping down, motionless. Sometimes, like their crow cousins, they’ll sprawl out with their wings spread, head flopped to the side. Some birdwatchers theorize this is a form of blue jay sunbathing. Or they’re playing a practical joke since they often surprise people by springing to life if disturbed. When threatened by predators such as cats and hawks, they will absolutely play dead.

Play Dead to Avoid Sexual Cannibalism

While most animals play dead to protect themselves from predators, some have to protect themselves from their mates. Sexual cannibalism, where the female eats the male before or after mating, is more common than you might think.

Nursery Web Spiders

Male nursery web spiders present females with an insect to initiate the mating process. When the female feeds on the insect, he will mate with her. Should the female not feed on the insect, the male spider will pretend to drop dead. He will only come back to life if she starts feeding on the insect. Or leaves.

Praying Mantis

Praying mantis are easily recognized by their long narrow bodies, a small head with large eyes, and oversized front legs held upright. To avoid being eaten by the female after mating, the male will play dead. They will only move again once the female has lost interest and left.

Dragonflies

Not to worry. She’s alive, just not in the mood.

Rather than playing dead to avoid predators or survive mating, female dragonflies play dead to avoid mating altogether. When an unwanted suitor approaches her, she will drop from the sky, crash, and play dead on the ground. Flying again only when the coast is clear.

Female dragonflies fake death because they only need to mate once to fertilize all their eggs. Mating a second time can damage their reproductive tracts.

Ladies, the next time you’re not in the mood, try the dragonfly move. It may be more effective than “I’ve got a headache.”

Even Humans Play Dead

Thank you for standing in for the human, sweet puppy.

As part of the natural world, humans also play dead. Anyone who binges true crime has heard stories of victims who played dead to survive.

Thanatosis (tonic immobility; playing dead) is an anti-predator strategy that’s part of an innate defense cascade—activated when fight or flight is no longer possible—and involves the sudden onset of immobility (with or without loss of tonic muscular activity) and unresponsiveness but with preserved awareness.

Interestingly, thanatosis or tonic immobility occurs with some forms of REM sleep intrusion, like lucid dreaming or cataplexy, and in near-death experiences.

I hope you’ve enjoyed all the ways animals play dead. Mother Nature’s remarkable. Isn’t she?

*Please chat amongst yourselves. I’ll catch up on comments tomorrow.

Writing About Experiences Not Your Own

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by James Scott Bell
@jamesscottbell

Memorial Day Weekend. Across this land of ours, barbecues will be firing, grill masters will be grilling, hot dogs and hamburgers will be sizzling, beers will be pouring, flags will be waving, and kids will be playing. I do hope that some of that time will be used to educate our young charges about the meaning of Memorial Day.

Its roots go back to the Civil War, when people honored the dead by decorating their graves with flowers and wreaths. After the war, by proclamation, May 30 was selected as “Decoration Day.” By the end of the 19th century it was also being referred to as Memorial Day. Congress adopted that latter designation and made the last Monday in May the official holiday.

I get choked up about heroic deeds in time of war. The earliest Bell ancestor on these shores was William Bell, born in County Armagh, Ireland. He came to America in the 1760s and settled in Philadelphia, opening a tailor shop. During the Revolutionary War, when Washington’s army was holed up in Valley Forge, William made an officer’s uniform for his brother, John, who was serving with Washington.

But there was a problem. Philadelphia was under British control, with sentinels carefully guarding ingress and egress. This made it almost impossible to get food or clothing to Valley Forge, some thirty miles away.

John Bell’s wife took care of the problem.

As William worked on the clothing, John’s wife established herself as a woman going about her daily business. Dressed in sunbonnet and shawl, she would walk by the British sentinel,  carrying basket of sundries, and return with groceries and other good. When the uniform was finished, she sewed it between her skirts and petticoats. She passed by with her basket once again, without incident, just like it was another day. Only this time she kept on going, walking the thirty miles to Valley Forge, to deliver food and the uniform to her husband.

My great-great grandfather, James Winfield Scott, fought under Sherman during the Civil War. My grandfather, Arthur Scott Bell, was in the Army in World War I. His brother-in-law, my great uncle Frederick Hamilton Fox, was a Marine. He died in the Battle of Belleau Wood, and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

The book I’m proudest of (because it is the longest book I ever wrote and required the most work) is Glimpses of Paradise. It begins in 1916 Nebraska and ends in 1920s Hollywood. In between is a World War I sequence.

But I’ve never been in battle. Which raises a natural question: how do you write about experiences you’ve never had? Here’s what I did: 

  1. Extensive reading. I found some books deep inside the downtown branch of the Los Angeles Public Library that were priceless, first-hand accounts of World War I battles. I also spent hours in the microfiche room, going through newspaper accounts of same.
  2. I connected my emotions. I believe that if we’ve made it past forty or so in this life, we’ve experienced every emotion there is to a greater or lesser degree. While I have never felt the fear that a soldier feels on the eve of battle, I have felt the fear of dying. The same physiological response is there, and by extrapolation I brought it to the characters in the book.
  3. I looked at a lot of pictures of battlefields, soldiers, weapons and so on. I wanted to be soaked in them, so I could write with a “lived” feeling.
  4. I had an expert review it. I showed the battle pages to someone who knows warfare, and got some notes for changes.

I believe a writer should be free to write about any kind of character or experience, so long as they make the effort to get things right. What about you?

How to Spot and Plug Plot Holes

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Caution! Plot holes!

Nothing yanks me out of a story faster than a plot hole. If they’re really stupid, I get mad. And I quit reading or watching. That disconnect doesn’t just “break immersion”, it breaks trust, and it quietly murders your relationship with your reader/viewer.

Plot holes can happen anywhere, but they’re most common in mysteries, thrillers, and action stories, where the engine of the story is cause-and-effect.

At their core, plot holes are logic problems with motives, chronology, and missions.

Motives for Heroes

When readers say, “I don’t buy it,” they’re usually talking about motive.

  • Does what your hero wants make sense?
  • Do your hero’s actions make sense and connect with his motive?

Extra Plot-Hole Patrol Tip: Make sure the hero’s motive isn’t just logical, but urgent. If the hero can shrug and go get tacos, your plot is in trouble. Stakes are the duct tape that keeps decisions from wobbling.

Motives for Villains

Villains are plot-hole factories when their plans are vague, inconsistent, or powered by “because the writer needed it.”

  • Do we understand why he’s doing what he’s doing?
  • Do we understand what the bad guy’s plan is?

Extra Tip: “I’m evil” is not a plan. Even chaotic villains have an internal logic: a need, a wound, a belief, a fear, or a payoff. If the villain’s motive changes scene to scene, the audience notices.

Chronology

Chronology is where stories accidentally teleport.

Make sure that your characters are doing the things they need to do in the right order. Don’t have them break into the Art Museum before they’ve learned how to disarm the alarm system.

Extra Tip: Time is sneaky. If your story has travel, deadlines, injuries, weather, or “we only have six hours,” do a quick sanity check: How long would this actually take? If your character drives across town in three minutes during rush hour, you will lose your readers.

Missions

This is the “what are we doing and how are we doing it?” category. Mission confusion creates plot holes because the audience can’t track what should logically happen next.

  • Is your good guys’ plan clear?
  • What are they going after?
  • How are they going to do it?
  • And what do they need to do it?
  • How are the bad guys going to counter the hero’s actions?
  • Does the villain have a logical reaction to the hero’s successes?
  • Does the hero have a logical reaction to the villain’s roadblocks?

Extra Tip: Track resources like a hawk. Weapons, money, passwords, keys, vehicles, evidence, magic rules, phone battery, injury level, allies who know the plan. A shocking number of plot holes are really just “Wait…where did that come from?” problems.

Here are Three Ways to Avoid Logic Breaks

1. The Villain’s Timeline

From The Villain’s Journey by Debbie Burke, even when he is off camera, track what the villain is doing in every scene to stymie the hero.

2. The Villain’s Plan

Create a step-by-step plan for the villain’s goal. Each step should happen in your story, even if some of them are off camera.

Picture the villain with their own off-screen Netflix series running parallel to your story. What scenes are happening that we don’t see? Who are they calling, bribing, stalking, moving, framing, sabotaging?

A helpful test: if you can’t summarize the villain’s plan in 3 to 7 steps, it’s probably not clear enough in your head yet, which means it definitely won’t be clear on the page.

3. The Hero’s Knowledge and Logic Check

Go through each scene and ask: what does the hero know here about what the villain is doing? Based on what he knows, what is his next logical step?

Extra Idea: Do this for the reader, too. What does the reader know at this moment? What are you inviting them to assume? A lot of plot holes are really “the author forgot what they told the audience” holes.

A Few More Plot Hole Plugs

The “Because/Therefore” Chain

For every major beat: this happens because of that, and therefore this next thing happens. If you find yourself writing “and then,” pause. “And then” is where plot holes breed like rabbits.

The Reverse Outline

After you draft, create a scene-by-scene outline of what actually happens. You’ll instantly spot missing steps, logic leaps, and scenes that depend on information nobody has yet.

The Continuity Bible

Especially for series, thrillers, and anything with big conspiracies: keep a simple master doc for names, dates, rules, injuries, secrets, locations, and “who knows what when.”

Eyes on the Story

And finally, the best defense against plot holes and logic problems is another pair of eyes. Have trusted writer friends, story coaches, and editors read your book or script and give you feedback. Ask your readers to track your plot and make sure it makes sense.

Because here’s the truth: you can’t always see your own plot holes. You built the whole world. You know what you meant. Your reader only knows what’s on the page, and they will notice when your story skips a beat.

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Digital Detectives: The Role of Cyber Forensics in Modern Crime Stories

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By Jennifer Graeser Dornbush

When I was growing up, evidence meant fingerprints, fibers, and blood spatter.
Today, we also find enormous amounts of evidence in our digital prints: browser histories, cell phone pings, and metadata buried in a cloud server halfway around the world.

Crime scenes have a giant presence online.

I’ve spent years learning how investigators read the physical world for truth. But in the last decade, a new kind of evidence has changed everything. The next big clue isn’t under a microscope, it’s inside a smartphone.

For storytellers, that shift opens an entirely new frontier. If you’re writing crime fiction and ignoring digital forensics, you’re leaving some of your richest material untapped. But it’s also tricky because what we “watch” or “observe” on a screen isn’t very action-focused as a plot line.

Today, we’re stepping into the world of cyber forensics and how to use this evidence in your next crime fiction.

What Is Cyber Forensics?

In the simplest terms, cyber or digital forensics is the process of identifying, preserving, analyzing, and presenting data from electronic devices in a way that stands up in court.

If traditional forensics examines fingerprints and fibers, digital forensics examines pixels and packets, the trails left by our phones, laptops, GPS units, and cloud accounts.

The real-world process

When a device is seized, investigators create a “forensic image,” a bit-by-bit copy that captures everything: deleted files, timestamps, cached data, and metadata. That image becomes the foundation for analysis. Information Analysts then use specialized software to reconstruct timelines, recover communications, and verify authenticity of an individual’s usage.

Every action is documented to maintain the chain of custody and keep evidence tracked, secure, and court-admissible.

Digital forensics branches into specialties:

●      Computer forensics – analyzing desktops and hard drives.

●      Mobile forensics – recovering data from phones, tablets, and wearables.

●      Network forensics – tracking online traffic, hacking, and IP traces.

●      Cloud forensics – locating and authenticating data stored on remote servers.

The process may sound technical, but at its heart, it’s still detective work. Each byte is a breadcrumb, and every breadcrumb tracks a trail where a criminal or victim has been.

Where Digital Evidence Hides

A great mystery writer knows how to hide a clue in plain sight. The same is true of digital evidence.

1. Smartphones

Modern phones are portable black boxes. They store call logs, texts, deleted images, app data, GPS trails, and even sensor information that can pinpoint motion and location. In fiction, a single recovered text or photo can flip a plot.

Example: A victim’s fitness app records 200 extra steps at 2 a.m. proof she was still alive hours after the suspect claimed she was dead.

2. Laptops and Cloud Storage

Documents, emails, cached passwords, and file-creation times often reveal motive or premeditation. Cloud backups extend that reach: deleting something locally rarely means it’s gone.

3. Social Media and Messaging Apps

Posts, private messages, likes, and geotags create a map of a suspect’s or victim’s personal life. For writers, social platforms can expose contradictions: the killer who posts a cheerful vacation photo minutes after committing a crime. The victim who texted an irate boyfriend before disappearing.

4. Smart Devices

Doorbell cameras, smart speakers, thermostats, and watches all record direct evidence of where a victim or criminal has been. Investigators now recover voices, motion data, even room temperatures to build timelines.

5. The Digital Silence

Sometimes what isn’t there matters most, a phone suddenly powered off, an erased drive, an hour missing from security footage. In storytelling, absence of evidence can shout louder than its presence.

Every byte is a witness; the challenge is deciding which ones are telling the truth.

Turning Data into Drama

As a writer I often worry that using too much digital forensics bogs my story down, makes it uninteresting, or relies on telling instead of showing. After all, we want our characters in action. And watching someone stare at a screen or pick through files is very passive and very boring.

The secret to treating digital discovery is to use as little exposition as possible– sometimes you have to describe video footage or a computer file. Where we can get the most punch is when we use digital evidence as revelation… aka: a turning point in the plot. The found digital evidence can be a small, medium, or big turning point. But it has to count as something that shifts the plot investigation in a new direction.

●      Anchor the data to emotion. A recovered voicemail is about the message, but also the emotional meaning to the person who hears it.

●      Pace the reveal. Instead of unloading a list of findings, let information surface gradually, each clue raising new questions.

●      Show the cost. What does it feel like to invade a victim’s inbox or scroll through a dead child’s messages? Use sensory detail to humanize the act of investigation as the investigator is uncovering the evidence.

●      Avoid jargon overload. Let characters translate for the reader: “The timestamp’s off. Someone changed it.” That’s all you need. Unless your character is a digital analyst. Then, lean into the jargon as part of her character

The Emotional Edge

Behind every password and pixel is a person. And humans are driven by emotion. Use that in writing. Here’s how:
Bringing Humanity to the Data

The best crime stories are seeded in motive. Digital evidence should never replace emotion; it should reveal it.

●      A deleted text exposes regret.

●      A GPS trail shows obsession.

●      A search history lays bare guilt.

●      A detective scrolls through a suspect’s messages, what do they feel? Curiosity? Pity? Revulsion?

●      Think of each digital discovery as a confession waiting to be interpreted.

●      What is a detective’s reaction when she hacks into a victim’s private photos?

●      What happens when a journalist exposes data meant to stay sealed?

●      How do loved ones feel when a phone becomes evidence instead of memory?

Use emotional reactions of characters to heighten empathy, build the plot, and ratchet up suspense as they uncover a digital footprint.

Realism Without the Textbook

You don’t need to be a hacker to write digital authenticity. You just need to understand procedure and respect accuracy.

Start with credible sources

●      The U.S. Department of Justice’s Digital Evidence Guide outlines best practices for law enforcement.

●      The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) publishes clear, publicly available frameworks.

●      The FBI Cyber Division offers summaries of current threats and tools.

●      Podcasts such as Darknet Diaries or The Forensic Lunch reveal real cases in accessible language.

Write lean

A single correct detail is worth more than pages of exposition. If you know what a “write-blocker” or “hash value” is, mention it once to show expertise, then move on. An easy hack for this is to have the digital expert character explain it to a non-techie character.

Consult real experts

A quick interview with a local cyber-crime investigator can provide nuances no textbook will, tone, pressure, emotional toll.

Authenticity doesn’t come from showing off what you know. It comes from knowing just enough to stay believable.

The Digital Detective

Every generation of investigators develops new instincts. The digital detective, whether real or fictional, reads data like body language.

They’re patient, analytical, and often brilliant. They see patterns others miss. But make sure yours is more than a brain behind a keyboard.

Give them the full range of character depth:

●      A cyber expert who still keeps notes by hand.

●      A genius coder who’s terrible at reading people.

●      A hacker turned consultant wrestling with guilt.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1.     Tech magic. Don’t let characters “trace the IP in seconds” or “hack the Pentagon before lunch.” Real analysis takes time, warrants, and patience.

2.     One-click evidence. Data rarely tells a single truth. Circumstantial evidence here requires that investigators put all together all the evidence to create a line of reasoning that leads to a single suspect.

3.     Static scenes. Fiction can quickly turn into non-fiction with digital evidence trails. But no one wants to read computer analysis. BORING! Keep it quick, fast, and show how data changes the direction of plot.

4.     Outdated references. Technology evolves fast. Double-check that the apps, devices, and terminology in your story still exist.

5.     Emotionless experts. Readers connect to people, not software. Give your digital detectives personal reactions to what they discover.

The Forensic Thread

When I teach writing workshops, I remind authors that fictional forensics is about culling what is possible, not what isprobable. Whatever thread you pull on doesn’t have to be probable. It only has to be possible. Have fun with evidence and technology! Be inventive!

In my own fiction, I use cyber forensics the way I use autopsies, not for shock value, but to reveal truth. A recovered email can carry much emotional weight when it’s tied to character and motive.

Science gives us technology; humanity gives us connection. When you use cyber forensics, balance both.

The Future of Digital Crime

The frontier keeps expanding. Artificial intelligence can now detect manipulated images and generate false ones. Blockchain records are being introduced as tamper-proof evidence. Entire crime scenes can be reconstructed in virtual reality.

That evolution is thrilling for real life investigators… as much as it is for storytellers. Imagine writing a case where the killer uses deepfakes to create an alibi, or where investigators chase a suspect across multiple metaverses in VR.

But beneath the technology, the essential human question never changes: Why?

Technology will always change how crimes can be carried out… and solved. The corruption of human heart will always determine motive. And motive will always be the pulse of every great crime story.

Jennifer Dornbush is an author, screenwriter, and forensic specialist who brings crime stories to life with authenticity and heart. With a background rooted in real-world forensics and a passion for crafting unforgettable mysteries, Jennifer offers readers and viewers a front-row seat to the intersection of science, justice, and human nature. Jennifer’s crime expertise has made her a sought-after speaker, consultant, and educator. Through her webinars and master courses, Jennifer guides writers in melding suspenseful storytelling with forensic realism to the screen and page. Meet her at www.jenniferdornbush.com

Tales of an Author Event

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Tales of an Author Event
Terry Odell

Display of Terry Odell's books

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to participate in a library’s annual “Mountain of Authors” event. I’ve been part of this event for quite a number of years, but this year, things were different. There was a new event organizer, which might have accounted for some of the changes, but I doubt she was working alone.

In the past, as in this year, the event includes two programs: a panel discussion and a keynote speaker with time in between to encourage library patrons to visit the authors’ tables. It takes place in the library’s meeting room and is open to the public at no charge. Tables for authors who’d been approved to participate were set up in the periphery of the room. My guesstimate, since I never actually counted the tables, was somewhere in the neighborhood of thirty author tables. They also used to include lunch for the authors, given the event ran from noon to five, not counting setup and breakdown time. This year, only water and a couple of packaged snacks.

Also this year, they decided to accommodate more authors. Authors were also permitted to bring their own tables, which increased the number of participants even more. Over eighty. And they spread them out through the entire upper level of the library, which is a huge space. A few authors were inside the program room, but most tables were set up outside the venue, including mine. My guess is traditionally published authors got priority for premium space, but that’s just a guess. Given that was one of the questions on the application form, I’m calling it an educated guess.

They tried to assign tables based on genres and my space was in the “Mystery Authors” section. That being the case, I decided to focus on my Mapleton series when deciding which books to bring. When I checked my inventory, I realized I had only the three newest Mapletons, so I added some stand alone romantic suspense books as well.

Events like this are a time investment. It’s an hour drive down the mountain for me. Then it’s unloading everything and setting up my table. The program was scheduled to start at noon, and I arrived at eleven to set up. My assigned section turned out to be in an area adjacent to … nothing. A couple of activity rooms, but nowhere near any books, which is what library patrons are most interested in. Thus, there was very little traffic to the tables in that section, and what traffic there was consisted primarily of the other 79 authors wanting to see who was there, say hi, get ideas for their own tables.

Many of us were repeat attendees, so it was nice to see familiar faces. It was nice to chat with the authors on nearby tables. The author to one side of me was there with his first book and were excited to go to events. They had a huge stand up banner with quotes of all the great reviews his book had gotten. His wife was the “talker-upper” and did the book pitching.

On the other side of me was a man who’d brought the most recent book in his series because it was the only one he’d indie published and the only one he could get copies of. His table was the first one on our side of the “aisle” and as people entered, he jumped up from behind his table and walked up to everyone coming in, and gave his sales pitch. I got the feeling that a lot of those people felt they were being encroached upon, so I stayed behind my table and, after they’d left him, invited them to partake of some of my swag to get a conversation started.

The types of people I encountered,no different from those I’ve encountered at every event I’ve ever been part of:

  • “If I make eye contact, I’ll have to buy something, so I’ll scan the table and walk by.”
  • “I like these books, but I didn’t bring any money today.”
  • “Do these come in ebook?”
  • “Can I get it in audio?”
  • “I need to check all the tables before I buy anything.” (After reading the back cover copy on every book I had on display).
  • And then there was the guy who wanted to read a sample, so he picked up the book and opened it to a random page about 1/4 of the way through. So much for hooking readers on page one!

On the bright side, nobody asked where the restrooms were.

My overall takeaways?

The setup was too large, and some areas were VERY low traffic.

People who come to libraries tend to borrow books, not buy them, which was no different this year. Attending these functions is more about meeting people, getting your name out there.

Chatting with people instead of staring at a computer screen is a healthy change of pace.

Did I sell any books? Yes. Two of my stand alone romantic suspense books, so if you’re all about the money, this was a loss. On the other hand, people did pick up my post it notes and business cards, so my name is in front of a lot more people.

The author and wife pair sold one. The get up and grab-’em guy swapped books with another author and I think he had one sale. What was interesting was one woman he’d approached had been an exchange student in the town in Italy where one of his books was set. He didn’t have that book with him, but she went to the nearest Barnes & Noble and bought it, then brought it back to the venue so he could sign it.

Would it have been better had my table been somewhere else? Maybe. Peeking into the program room showed mostly empty seats, so maybe the program wasn’t a draw to begin with. The other side of the library (where the books are) might have been a better location.

Would I do it again with the same setup? I don’t know, but I have a year to think about it.

What about you, TKZers? Any stories to share?

Find me at Substack with Writings and Wanderings

Deadly Ambitions
Peace in Mapleton doesn’t last. Police Chief Gordon Hepler is already juggling a bitter ex-mayoral candidate who refuses to accept election results and a new council member determined to cut police department’s funding.
Meanwhile, Angie’s long-delayed diner remodel uncovers an old journal, sparking her curiosity about the girl who wrote it. But as she digs for answers, is she uncovering more than she bargained for?
Now, Gordon must untangle political maneuvering, personal grudges, and hidden agendas before danger closes in on the people he loves most.
Deadly Ambitions delivers small-town intrigue, political tension, and page-turning suspense rooted in both history and today’s ambitions.

Terry Odell is an award-winning author of Mystery and Romantic Suspense, although she prefers to think of them all as “Mysteries with Relationships.”

Motional Intelligence – New Tool to Build Characters

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by Debbie Burke

Spell check thinks the word “motional” is a typo. But it isn’t.

Motional Intelligence: The Power of Movement in Leadership is the title of a new book by Dr. Scott Allison and Dr. George Goethals, professors emeriti at University of Richmond. Their premise is that humans register first impressions of others, not from physical appearance nor what they say, but from how they move.

They write: “Motion is core to social interaction. Before anyone speaks, a conversation has already begun…Speech came late. Motion came first.”  Motional intelligence sounded like a great potential tool for writers to build more interesting characters. So I reached out to Scott Allison to learn more.

Here’s our interview:

Debbie Burke: Thanks for agreeing to talk with me about Motional Intelligence. Would you please explain this concept to Kill Zone readers?

Scott Allison: Yes indeed. Here’s our definition of Motional Intelligence, which we abbreviate as MI. MI is the capacity to use one’s body movements intentionally to communicate and influence others, to accurately perceive, decode, and interpret the body movements of others across contexts, and to regulate one’s own movements – and one’s interpretations of others – in response to shifting social demands. So you can see there are 3 aspects of MI – an expressive component (how we display our own motions), an interpretive component (how we decode others’ motions), and a regulatory component (how we plan and adjust our motions to situational demands). We do these three things effortlessly and often without conscious awareness.

DB: What inspired you to write this book?

SA: One day, somewhere between burgers and coffee, my co-author George Goethals and I shared an epiphany: everything we were analyzing – heroism, leadership, empathy, influence, conflict – depended less on what people said and more on how they moved. Yet psychology had no comprehensive framework for this. This book began the moment we realized that these motions are not incidental to human life; they are human life. According to evolutionary biology, speech came late, and motion came first. George and I just had to write about this!

DB: You talk about familiar ways to measure intelligence like IQ (logical reasoning, problem-solving) and EI (emotional intelligence) but you say MI (motional intelligence) is different. Can you expand on that?

SA: Motional intelligence (MI) is one of many aspects of overall intelligence. MI is not the same as emotional intelligence (EI). EI centers on the perception, regulation, and expression of emotions, typically through facial cues, vocal tone, and affective appraisal. MI, by contrast, isolates a different communicative channel entirely: the dynamic language of body movement.

DB: Is “body language” the same as motional signals?

SA: Yes, in the sense that we use our bodies to communicate, to persuade, and to trigger emotional responses in others.

DB: What character/personality traits are revealed through MI?

SA: Pretty much every personality trait than humans possess can be revealed through motion. Kindness is revealed through a soft posture, a smile, a tilt of the head, and the reaching out of a hand. Dominance is revealed through very different posture, facial expression, and use of limbs. Before anyone speaks, a conversation has already begun. A stranger’s shoulders soften as you approach; a friend leans in before offering a word; a colleague’s foot angles toward the door long before they admit they’re late for another meeting. We live inside a constant choreography of meaning – signals given and received, often without our awareness.

DB: Do you have ideas how writers could use MI to bring fictional characters to life?

SA: Authors of fiction can use MI to animate characters in ways that transcend dialogue and emotional description. Rather than merely telling readers what a character feels, writers can reveal personality, motives, status, intentions, and inner conflict through patterns of movement—posture, gait, gesture, rhythm, pacing, stillness, spatial orientation, and bodily timing. A character with high MI, for example, may subtly mirror another person’s posture to build trust, regulate the emotional climate of a room through calm and deliberate movement, or communicate dominance through economy of motion rather than overt aggression. Conversely, low MI might appear in awkward timing, invasive spatial behavior, rigid posture, excessive fidgeting, or an inability to interpret others’ bodily signals accurately. Fiction writers can also use MI developmentally: a character’s evolving movement patterns may symbolize psychological transformation, growing confidence, moral corruption, intimacy, trauma, or heroic maturation. In this way, bodily motion becomes a narrative language that conveys character identity and relational dynamics at a pre-verbal level, making fictional people feel vividly alive and authentic.

DB: Writers are advised to show, don’t tell. Can you suggest how MI might be used to show relationships between characters? How about to show their conflicts?

SA: MI offers fiction writers a powerful “show, don’t tell” toolkit for revealing relationships and conflict through bodily movement rather than explicit explanation. Healthy relationships can be conveyed through movement synchrony—characters mirroring posture, walking in step, sharing relaxed rhythms, anticipating one another’s actions, or comfortably occupying shared space—thereby signaling trust, intimacy, affection, or familiarity. Romantic attraction may appear in subtle orientation cues, lingering gestures, or softened movement, while friendship may emerge through playful physical ease and unguarded posture. Conflict, though, often disrupts bodily coordination through avoidance, rigid posture, pacing, competing movement rhythms, territorial spacing, or emotional stillness. Writers can also show relational transformation over time by altering these movement patterns, allowing bodily synchrony, distance, hesitation, or tension to function as a nonverbal narrative language that makes fictional relationships feel psychologically authentic and vividly alive.

DB: I can imagine ways that misreads of a character’s MI could lead to misinterpretations and plot complications. You’re also a film expert and co-author of the book Reel Heroes and Villains. Can you give movie examples where MI (or lack thereof) was instrumental in driving the plot?

SA: Absolutely. MI is often central to cinematic storytelling because film is an inherently movement-based medium. In The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger’s Joker possesses a dark form of MI. He constantly manipulates spatial dynamics, bodily unpredictability, and movement rhythm to destabilize others psychologically. His erratic gestures, invasive proximity, asymmetrical posture, and sudden stillness generate tension and fear, driving much of the film’s emotional chaos. In The Devil Wears Prada, Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly uses highly regulated MI to project authority. Her economy of motion, precise pacing, controlled stillness, and minimal gestures create an aura of dominance that shapes every interaction around her. In Napoleon Dynamite, Napolean’s social awkwardness emerges through stiff posture, delayed reactions, unusual gait, and poor synchrony with peers, creating both comedy and emotional isolation.

DB: Where can readers find your new book?

SA: Our MI book is available on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. There is a kindle version, too.

DB: Thank you, Scott, for exploring this interesting topic.

SA: My pleasure and thank you for showing an interest!

~~~

TKZers: Can you think of film characters who use MI especially effectively? Do you see ways MI might help your work in progress?

~~~

Dr. Scott Allison and Dr. George Goethals graciously gave me major assistance with the psychology of villains for The Villain’s Journey: How to Create Villains Readers Love to Hate. 

Please check out The Villain’s Journey at: 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Bookshop.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revisited: “Your Brain on Writing”

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Kay DiBianca is on leave from the Kill Zone for a bit, so today I’m sharing one of her previous posts, which discusses how writing benefits your brain. It’s well worth revisiting. If you missed it the first time, definitely don’t miss it today 🙂

Your Brain on Writing

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“The act of writing turns out to be its own reward.” –Anne Lamott

* * *

Simply put, writing is good for you. Just as physical exercise enhances your muscles, writing is strength training for your brain. And the more you practice, the better your brain adapts to writing.

In a September 2021 article on writingcooperative.com, Kristina Segarra addresses the effects of writing. She indicates our brains are fully engaged when we write. The more you write, the more neural connections are created within your brain. The brain actually grows, adapts, and makes continued writing easier. I think it’s similar to playing the piano. The more the student practices, the stronger and more nimble his/her fingers become. Musical pieces that were difficult to master at first become easy as the student progresses.

Ms. Segarra goes on to list other benefits of writing:

  • You develop organizational skills — from crafting and sequencing your thoughts and ideas
  • You boost your reasoning and problem-solving skills
  • You integrate a wide range of vocabulary words and grow your word bank

* * *

Even more encouraging is a July 2021 article by Annie Lennon on medicalnewstoday.com showing research that indicates a cognitively rich lifestyle of reading, writing, and playing games can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.

* * *

And there’s more! A February 2017 article by Erika Rasso at craftyourcontent.com describes an interesting experiment conducted by researcher Martin Lotze of the University of Greifswald in Germany.

Using MRI data, Lotze analyzed the brain activity of 28 writers. First they were asked to brainstorm ideas and then write their own stories. He found the occipital lobe of the brain was more active during the brainstorming session, possibly indicating the writers were visualizing their ideas.

On the other hand, the hippocampus became more active in the actual writing session, possibly meaning the subjects were gathering the information they wanted to use and organizing it into a story format.

Ms. Rasso lists specific suggestions of things you can do to keep your brain in shape:

Free write every day for at least two minutes a day. You can write whatever you want in those two plus minutes. You could write a haiku, a diary entry, or something a little more ambitious. (That isn’t to say haikus aren’t ambitious.) The goal is to get used to the act of writing and coming up with content as you go.

Read your #writinggoals. If you’re a writer, you’re a reader, and all readers have their idols. Read the kind of content you aspire to write, and read a lot of it. Your brain will absorb the vocabulary, syntax, and general style of the writing you’re reading and naturally incorporate it into your own work.

Look things up. Artists, athletes, and even scientists are always learning new techniques to help them get better. Writers can do the same. Expand your vocabulary by flipping through a thesaurus or a dictionary, study grammar books, and definitely look something up if you don’t know it. Push yourself to learn more about your craft, and you’ll grow because of it.

Overwhelm your brain. The brain is pretty damn powerful. If you push it, chances are it will rise to the occasion. Test your limits by writing for an hour longer than you think you can. Read Derrida. Write a haiku! Treat your brain like a muscle and do reps until you just can’t do it anymore. Just like a muscle, your brain will grow.

Don’t think about it too much. If you put in the work, your brain will grow on its own. Your subconscious will pick up on what you are doing and adjust accordingly. Trust your brain. It’s gotten you this far, hasn’t it?

* * *

So TKZers: How do you keep your brain in shape? Do you practice specific writing exercises? Do you have favorite word games you play?

The Watch Mysteries. Three thought-provoking novels to exercise your brain.

Defeating the Next-Book Willies

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by James Scott Bell
@jamesscottbell

September of 2009 was Dan Brown week in the world of publishing. It had been six years since his mega-hit The Da Vinci Code. There was a lot of excitement about his new book, The Lost Symbol. Doubleday needed a huge hardcover bestseller in the midst of what’s been called “The Great Recession.” They got one.

The book had a first printing of 6.5 million and sold a million in hardcover and ebook the first day. It debuted at #1 on the NY Times list and stayed there for six weeks.

So why did it take Dan Brown six years to write it? He explained:

“The thing that happened to me and must happen to any writer who’s had success, is that I temporarily became very self-aware. Instead of writing and saying, ‘This is what the character does,’ you say, ‘Wait, millions of people are going to read this.’ It’s sort of like a tennis player who thinks too hard about a stroke—you’re temporarily crippled.”

What happened to Dan Brown on a mega level happens to most writers who publish more than one book. A lot of unpublished writers think things will be just swell once they’re published, and that they can produce book after book with nary a worry. (Insert here the usual jeremiad about AI-slop.)

For those who take writing seriously, who want to keep producing good work, the writing sometimes gets harder, not easier, as some would think. I’ve found this to be true for myself and for many of my published writer friends.

Why should this be? I think it’s because with each book, we know more about the craft and, consequently, where we fall short. We raise the bar because we hope to grow a readership. We want to keep pleasing them, surprising them, delighting them with plot twists, great characters, and a bit of stylistic flair. We keep pursuing that storied “next level.” That can bring on what I call “The Next-Book Willies.”

Dan Brown dealt with TNBW by hanging upside down in “gravity boots.” It seemed to “help me solve plot challenges by shifting my entire perspective.” But then: “My wife was very concerned that I would pull myself up into these gravity boots and not have the strength someday to get back down. I’d just be hanging there forever. So I now use an inversion table.”

Other writers have similar quirks:

Roald Dahl at least wrote sitting down, but insisted on climbing into a sleeping bag before doing so. Truman Capote (In Cold Blood; Breakfast at Tiffany’s) supposedly wrote lying down, a coffee – then a sherry, then a martini – in one hand and a pencil in another….Philip Pullman can only write in ballpoint on lined A4 paper that has two holes in it (not four)….John Cheever, in a 1978 Newsweek essay, confessed that the publication of a definitive collection of his great short stories was “in no way eclipsed by the fact that a great many … were written in my underwear.”

Victor Hugo (Les Misérables) allegedly asked his valet to hide his clothes and wrote in the nude – or at least, on cold days, wrapped in a blanket – so he could not go outside.

Here are a few, er, more normal practices I would suggest, all of which I’ve employed. Not surprisingly, the first is, WRITE. Start a free-form journal and just go. Begin entries with “I remember . . .” or “I really hate…” or “I wish…” This is not work on your WIP. It’s giving permission to your brain to come out and play. When you are working on your WIP, consider starting each stint with a Sue Grafton-style novel journal.

RE-READ. Pull out a favorite novel and read parts of it at random, or even the whole thing. Don’t worry about feeling even worse because you think you can’t write like that author. You’re not supposed to. You never can. But guess what? They can’t write like you, either.

INCUBATE. For half an hour, think hard about your project, writing notes to yourself, asking questions. Back yourself into tight corners. Then put all that away for a day and do other stuff. Your Boys in the Basement will get to work and good things will start bubbling up. For an advanced session, try going 6 hours without phone, computer, tablet, or TV. (Think that’s easy these days? Just try it!) ! You can use a pen and paper if you like. I recommend doodling.

BLOOD TO BRAIN. If you want to try gravity boots, be my guest. What I do is lie on my back and put my legs up on a chair or bed, and then do some deep breathing and relaxing for 15-25 minutes. This is especially helpful to get through the afternoon blahs.

So what about you? Have you ever had the “next-book willies”? What do you do to overcome this, or other forms of writer’s block?