The second of Ned McNeil’s moonlight mysteries, By the Fright of the Silvery Moon, inspired this poem. What Lay Beneath the Moonlight by Blanche Day Manos An ancient church, deserted now, lay in a silv’ry light, Keeping watch o’er those who slept throughout the silent night. Did shadows move among the stones, was evil lurking […]
Nov 15, 2023
That Funny Feeling
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Here’s a real life mystery: Do you ever get a certain feeling when you are in a certain place? I don’t mean anything extra-worldly or shivery. Nothing like that, but a definite feeling about wherever you are. For instance, when I walk into my grandchildren’s room, I get the feeling of gladness, sort of like […]
Nov 13, 2023
A Gathering Place
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Are there times when you long for the warmth of a friendly home, the sincerity of a smile, the familiarity of people and a certain place, the knowledge that you are welcome? Do you ever turn to a well-loved book to recapture that comfort? I do. I go to Mary Roberts Rinehart. How many times […]
Nov 12, 2023
But What Happened First?
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I became more and more dissatisfied with my story the longer I looked at it. It needed something more, something that would give a few hints to where it was ultimately going. Back stories are tricky. Too long and they’re boring. They are not the actual story but they tell what happened before the story […]
Oct 20, 2023
Characters and Character
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“Character is much easier kept than recovered,” Thomas Paine said. But, what is character? Personality is who people think you are; character is the real you. Character is all your deeply-held beliefs, your goals, your standards, the things that make you laugh or cry; your hates, your loves, your fears, your belief in what is […]
