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After Stonewall, Bank Street Ottawa.

David Rimmer at After Stonewall in Ottawa
Glad Day Yonge Street.

Glad Day bookstore on Yonge Street in Toronto

These are some links for writers serious about their craft. There now exist numerous online writing and critiquing groups, as well as sites galore on what to do with our work once it's ready to be published. These groups help us improve our skills by not only allowing us to have our work read by other writers who can help us see the niggling errors we can't see ourselves -- all that forest and trees reality -- but also by increasing our editorial skills through critiquing of other writer's work.

Good editorial skills are important today in a world where publishing houses are no longer prepared to spend time or money editing an almost-ready-for-publication writer. Having a good product is not enough anymore, it has to be exceptional to stand out and grab the interest of a publisher or agent. Writing/critiquing groups can be a good step on the road to producing a marketable product. And along the way you'd be surprised how many new friends you can meet.

This is really only a bare bones collection, there are hundreds, if not thousands of other sites out there. If there's a site you think other writers should know about, email me Pat Brown with the link and I'll check it out.

Mystery Writing Related Links

Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is the premier organization for mystery writers, professionals allied to the crime writing field, aspiring crime writers, and those who are devoted to the genre. Presenters of the annual Edgar Awards

Interrogations

The art of interrogation. How police interrogate a suspect and finesse confessions or admissions of wrongdoing. Fascinating.

Gang and Cop slang

I've compile a couple of lists of slang, acronyms and phrases related to gangs, cops and the justice system. This is pretty much dealing with Los Angeles and California and doesn't necessarily apply to other states or countries.

Law Enforcement Terms

Law enforcement terms, slang and miscellaneous items. Mostly related to the LAPD.

Police One

Police and Law Enforcement

International Thriller Writers
ITW represents professional authors from around the world. Here you can learn more about them, their work, and the sources from which they draw their inspiration

Mystery Scene Magazine
An online and in print magazine that's your best guide to what's hot in mystery, crime and suspense writing.

Reviewing the Evidence
A great online review site for mysteries.

Spinetingler Magazine
An online magazine that publishes great mystery short stories and book reviews.

Crime Magazine
The True Crime Library is a complete resource for news, stories and magazines about non fictional crimes

Crime Writers of Canada
The leading national organization for crime writers in Canada. Home of the Arthur Ellis Awards

Bloody Words
Canada's biggest mystery conference, Whether you like your murders cozy or noir...

Derek Armstrong's Mystery Resource Pages
How To and Resources for Mystery Suspense Thriller Novelists and Writers.

Research Resources
Writers Write, an Internet writing journal for Mystery and Crime Writers.

CFSI
The California Forensice Science Institute, the newest and currently largest forensic laboratory in the U.S. It is home to the LAPD forensic labs as well as the LASO. State of the art and one of the greenest institutions in N.A.

Books by Other Authors
Here are a few links to some excellent reading material. Many of my favorite authors are here. Try out a few!

Mystery Resources
Writing Links & Links for Writers Fiction

Sisters in Crime
Founded by Sara Paretsky and a group of women at the 1986 Bouchercon. "To promote the professional advancement of women who write mysteries." Also home to a very active email list where answers can be sought and found on a variety of writing, publishing and crime facts.

The Writer's Forensics Medical Lab
An excellent place for getting answers to forensics questions. Run by D.P. Lyle, MD.

Dr. D.P.Lyle's Medical Blog
Another excellent medical and forensic resource from Dr. Lyle

Crime Scene Writers
One of the best resources online for real information on crime scene, forensics and police procedural information. A plethora of real criminologist hang out here and someone has the answer to almost every question I've seen post.

Crimes and Clues
The Art and Science of Criminal Investigation. Edited by Daryl W. Clemens. Covers a lot of detail involving forensics from hair evidence to death investigations. A wide range of excellent articles.

Malinche Entertainment
Step inside a murder mystery and try interactive crime fiction. Malinche's Greystone is a murder mystery game you read or a crime novel you play. Definitely interesting and certainly worth a look if you're a murder mystery fan.

Deadly Pleasures
America's premier fan-oriented mystery magazine. If you enjoy reading about mysteries, you should subscribe to Deadly Pleasures and become a frequent visitor of this site, which is updated almost daily!

Blood at the source
Blood at the Source: Research Tips for Mystery Writers by Barbara Fister.

Writing and other Blogs

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Pitching and Catching
A great blog entry about pitching editors at conferences. Memorize this before you go to your next pitch session.

Craig Burke's
Musings of a Wordsmith writing blog.

Lynne Jamneck
South African writer currently living in New Zealand

Evil Editor
The evil editor gives his take on why you don't get published.

TOR editor
Teresa Neilsen-Hayden, noted editor for Tor books blogs about the publishing world.

Ballpoint Wren
Bonnie Wren is a writer living in San Diego county with her family, including a rather stinky bulldog.

A.C. Crispen and Victoria Strauss's Blogspot
The people who brought you Writer Beware. Find out how to safely navigate the shark infested waters of the publishing world.

How Books are Made
A brief look into the grim business of making books. Leave your illusions at the door

How Much Did it Cost?
More from A.C. Crispen on publishing scams and how to avoid them.

J.A Konrath
J.A. Konrath's blog on the writing life and process. Lots of valuable information here.

POD-dy Mouth
Wading through the sea of Print-on-Demand titles, one overpriced paperback at a time--and giving you the buried treasure..

Greg Herren's Queer and Loathing in New Orleans
Where Greg takes on the right, the writing life and anything else that pops into his slightly demented mind.

The Lipstick Chronicles
Where the Booktarts talk about their books and writing.

For the Love of a Man
Laura Baumbach, MLR Press publisher talks about the hottest new trend, male/male erotic romance.  

General Writing Links

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NovelPro
The premier online critique group, bar none. If it wasn't for these people I might not be published today. Founded by J.R. Lankford and Albert Verrill

Turkey City Lexicon
Hilarious primer on what not to do.

Why people hate self-published authors
From the editor at Slushpile.

Urban Dictionary
Like to play with words? The Urban Dictionary can keep you in the know so just maybe you have a hope in hell of understanding your kids.

Twenty worst agents
Absolute write water cooler and their list of the top twenty worst agents.

Maven's Word of the Day
An interesting site dealing in lexicology. Since a writer's stock in trade is words, this site is a great research tool.

The Editorial Department
Founded by Renni Browne, co-author of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers I especially recommend the e-Zine.

Books to Watch Out For
A great way to find out what's coming and what's already out there.

Editorial Services
When you're ready to take the next step and want a professional opinion of your writing, check out Victory Crayne's services.

Freelance Services
British site for freelance writers and web designers.

Beth Anderson's Writing Workshops Page
Writing a great synopsis is critical to getting an agent or editor interested in your novel. Beth Anderson covers that and a lot more in her various workshops.

California Writers and Authors
A great site full of resources for writers, with the emphasis on California.

SF Novelist Workshop
For hard Science Fiction. Where the science is real, with a nod and wink to ftl and hyperspace
Administered by Victory Crayne

Writing.com
Amongst Writer's Digest's 101 "Best Websites For Writers, 2005"
Administered by the StoryMaster.

Critters
Where science fiction short stories are critiqued. Also handle horror, fantasy and speculative fiction.

Internet Writing Workshop
A more general resource for all types of writing. From poetry to non-fiction, it's all here.
Administered by Dave Swinford & David Luddington

Preditors and Editors
Before you sign on the dotted line for anyone, see if they've got a listing here. You could save yourself a lot of heartache -- not to mention mucho dollars. There are a lot of sharks out there!!

Writer's Beware
Science Fiction and Fantasy writer's of America Alerts for Writers.

The Great Publish America Hoax
Fascinating and scary stories about what can happen when scammers go into business as 'publishers'.

Thesaurus
A great reference place to help you find just the right word. Includes a lot of links, as well as both a dictionary and a thesaurus.

Bartleby Quotations
Famous quotations, as well as a great quote of the day feature.

World Wide Words
Michael Quinion's site dealing with International English from a very British perspective.

Gay Readers & Writers
Created in 2004, GWR is as a forum for gay and lesbian writers and readers.

 

 

 

 

 

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How to Write

A Novel Approach: How to Succeed At NOT Being Published
An interesting article outlining how to guarantee you don't get published. Put out by the Absolute write newsletter.

Writing 4 Success Club
A community of authors, freelance writers and experts in different genres to help you get where you want to go.

Author Chris Roerden has a site dedicated to writing tips, and the Agatha Award Winner, Macavity Award Finalist and Anthony Award Finalist book, DON'T MURDER YOUR MYSTERY C.Roerden

Tips On Writing Gay Fiction
An excellent article on writing gay fiction, but it really applies to all fiction. Gives a good handle on what to avoid and how to approach the mechanics of things like dialog and where to start your story.

Rejection Connection
Billed as the online source for misery, commiseration and inspiration.

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Personal Links

The Edison Lounge
Just for fun, check out this web site. This is so much fun I'd go there just to see the place.

Out of the Blue
A short story I wrote as my way of coping with the 9/11 attacks.

Victoria's Page
A few pictures taken by my daugher, Victoria during her visit to Bermuda.

Mark's Easter Egg page
Kraslice (pretty little things), Slovakian egg decorating.

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Bermuda

Insiders Guide to Bermuda
Great site with lots of information and tips and tricks to make your visit to the islands more fun.

Bermuda
Everything you ever wanted to know about Bermuda. A great site full of Bermudian statistics for tourists and locals alike.

The Crystal & Fantasy Caves
The Crystal & Fantasy Caves of Bermuda.

Bermuda Tourism
A comprehensive Bermuda site for tourists from North America and Europe/Great Britain.

Bermuda Online
A hundred and twenty websites covering almost everything about Bermuda

Bermuda Sun
A local newspaper

The Royal Gazette
The premier local newspaper

 

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Chris and David's World

The Advocate

Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills

Official Site of the LAPD

Out - Gay culture defined

Los Angeles Times

City Beat

L.A. Weekly

L.A. Avenue - Los Angeles Portal

Silverlake News

Los Angeles Gay Resources

City of West Hollywood

Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center

A Picture of Silverlake and area

Photos on this page courtesy of Nelson Clark, another great writer. All copyrights held by Nelson.


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