Mystery – February 12

Charles Van Doren, subject of the notorious quiz show scandals, was born on 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, better known as Leslie Nielsen, who was born on 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...

Mystery – February 10

Ned Kelly — later hanged for horse thievery, bank robbery, and murder — on this date in 1879 deposited with the newspaper of a small town whose bank he’d just robbed what is now called the Jerilderie Letter, which helped make him an Australian national hero. 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

John Grisham, born on this date in 1955, recalls reading Mark Twain as a young boy: “Every time I read about Tom Sawyer, I’d go out and do something low-level naughty, just like him.” 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 on this date in 1932, who helped originate “New Journalism,” a genre that applies techniques of fiction to reporting. 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

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