Mystery – February 12

“I have learned a lot about good and evil. They are not always what they appear to be.”- Charles Van Doren, born this date in 1926. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist discovers the perpetrator of the crime is someone who had no reason to commit the crime — and every reason not to commit the crime.

Mystery – February 11

“A parachute not opening … that’s a way to die. Getting caught in the gears of a combine … having your nuts bit off by a Laplander, that’s the way I wanna go!”- Lt. Frank Drebin as portrayed by Leslie Nielsen, born this date in 1926. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist recounts a person’s undignified demise to a group of friends at a party.

Mystery – February 10

“I am a Widow’s Son, outlawed and my orders must be obeyed.”- Ned Kelly in the Jerilderie Letter, deposited this date in 1879. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist publicly confronts a bad guy everyone considers a good guy.

Mystery – February 9

“Maybe if I stick your head through that window over there you’ll get unconfused.”- Joe Pesci, born this date in 1943, as Nicky Santoro in Casino. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must unconfuse someone.

Mystery – February 8

“Every time I read about Tom Sawyer, I’d go out and do something low-level naughty, just like him.”- John Grisham, born this date in 1955. Writing prompt: Write the scene of the first time your protagonist deliberately did something naughty and realized the pay-off could be positive.

Mystery – February 7

“News, if unreported, has no impact. It might as well have not happened at all.”- Gay Talese, born this date in 1932. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist tries to persuade a reporter that an obviously newsworthy event isn’t news.

Mystery – February 6

Patrick Macnee, best known as The Avengers’ Mr. Steed but who also played both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (among dozens of similarly mysterious roles), was born this date in 1922. Writing prompt: Finish the scene that starts with this line from John Steed: “Six bodies in an hour and twenty minutes. What do you call that?”

Mystery – February 5

“The police are the public and the public are the police.”- Robert Peel, founder of the Metropolitan Police Force in London (after his names, its officers were called Peelers or — more famously — Bobbies), born this date in 1788. Writing prompt: Write a scene  demonstrating a notable divergence between the two.