Mystery – January 22

“He felt that the job was not particularly hazardous physically but was incredibly hazardous emotionally and too often led to divorce, alcoholism, and suicide. No, policemen were not danger lovers, they were seekers of the awesome, the incredible, even the unspeakable in human experience. Never mind whether they could interpret, never mind if it was potentially hazardous to the soul. To be there was the...

Mystery – January 21

“For a man of society, even for a civilian, a small Browning was as obligatory and as useless an accessory to his toilet as a tie or a cane.”- Leonid Sobolev in Major Repairs, describing the influence of John Moses Browning, born this date in 1855. Writing prompt: Write the scene that explains the origins of your protagonist’s preferred weapon, style of fighting, or decision to avoid any type of physical...

Mystery – January 20

“We’re all like detectives in life. There’s something at the end of the trail that we’re all looking for.”- David Lynch, born this date in 1946. Writing prompt: Write the scene in which your protagonist took her/his first step at the start of the trail s/he is on.

Mystery – January 19

“The justice I have received, I shall give back.”- Patricia Highsmith, born this date in 1921. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist gives back.

Mystery – January 18

“We need to have a talk on the subject of what’s yours and what’s mine.”- Stieg Larsson’s Mikael Blomkvist, born this date in 1960. Writing prompt: Write such a dialogue between your protagonist and someone who’s unclear on the matter.

Mystery – January 17

“I have spent the best years of my life giving people the lighter pleasures, helping them have a good time, and all I get is abuse, the existence of a hunted man.”- Al Capone, born this date in 1899. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your antagonist’s downfall occurs because of something relatively insignificant.

Mystery – January 16

“Artists are always good for conversation, so long as you want to talk about their art.”- Craig Johnson, born this date in 1961. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist tries to have a conversation with someone who wants to talk about anything else.

Mystery – January 15

“A riot is the language of the unheard.”- Martin Luther King, Jr., born this date in 1929. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a conversation turns violent because one person can’t understand what the other is saying.