Being a writer involves a lot of solitary time at a desk with the door closed. That’s a lot of sedentary sitting time. That is not always healthy, either physically or mentally which is why I love having Dash around. He forces me to get up and walk everyday.

There might not be anything better for a writer (maybe caffeine) than time walking with just your thoughts. I’ve come to call these my plot walks. I’ve worked out many thorny issues just wandering after the dog in the woods.

Of course walking and thinking will only get you so far. Artist Ai Weiwei’s quote on action is a good reminder:

“A small act is worth a million thoughts.”

Take a walk, but then get back at it.

Here are 3 crime fiction links, 2 quotes, and 1 question for this week:

3 LINKS

• NPR’s Weekend Edition talks to Penny and Clinton about the inspiration for their thriller, flawed characters, Afghanistan, and the illusion of democracy
  
  
• CrimeReads offers some reading suggestions where mystery and thrillers nudge up against the neighboring horror genre.
  
  
• Bustle has gathered up a collection of 20 short horror stories you can read online including ones from King, McCammon, Oates, and Mack Jones.

2 QUOTES

Two quotes from Joyce Carol Oates this week:

• “And this is the forbidden truth, the unspeakable taboo – that evil is not always repellent but frequently attractive; that it has the power to make of us not simply victims, as nature and accident do, but active accomplices.”
  
• “We work in the dark—we do what we can—we give what we have. Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task. The rest is the madness of art.”

1 QUESTION

• What is your favorite spooky short story to read at this time of year? King or Poe? Contemporary or classic?

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Until next Thursday, happy reading,

Mike

Author the Max Strong thriller series