Mystery – August 15

Harpur and Iles series author “Bill James” was born on this date in 1929. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a citizen explains to your protagonist in no uncertain terms why the police are worse than the criminals.

Mystery – August 14

“I said to him one day, ‘Doctor, don’t your conscience ever trouble you?’ ” ‘No,’ he replied, with that peculiar cough of his, ‘I coughed that up with my lungs long ago.’ ” -Col. John T. Deweese, the lawyer of Doc Holliday, who was born on this date in 1851. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes her/his colleague has no...

Mystery – August 13

“There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.” -Alfred Hitchcock, born on this date in 1899. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist expects a bang that never comes.

Mystery – August 12

“The world doesn’t come to the clever folks, it comes to the stubborn, obstinate, one-idea-at-a-time people.” -Mary Roberts Rinehart, the “American Agatha Christie” and original source of inspiration for Batman, born on this date in 1876. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist misses an important clue by being too clever by half.

Mystery – August 11

Claus von Bülow was born on this date in 1926. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is forced to accomplish a trivial task for a person whose tremendous wealth and privilege protected her/him from conviction for a murder your protag believes s/he committed.

Mystery – August 10

“The poor dope — he always wanted a pool. Well, in the end, he got himself a pool.” -Joe Gillis, narrating Sunset Boulevard, which premiered on this date in 1950. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist discovers that s/he doesn’t actually want what s/he thought she wanted.

Mystery – August 9

“I get paid to do what got me in trouble in grade school.” -Jonathan Kellerman, born on this date in 1949. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is unexpectedly rewarded for doing something that previously got him/her into trouble.

Mystery – August 8

Britain’s Great Train Robbery — valued at about $50 million in today’s dollars and split among 15 conspirators (about $3.5 million each) — occurred on this date in 1963. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes s/he has the opportunity to steal $3.5 million without being caught.