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.

Mystery – February 4

Stewart O’Nan, author of the murder story Snow Angels, was born on this date in 1961. In his book The Night Country, he wrote, “Be someone you don’t love so much, for once.” Writing prompt: Write a scene in which circumstances force your protagonist to be someone s/he doesn’t much love.

Mystery – February 3

Notorious 1930s bank robber Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd was born on this date in 1904. Writing prompt: Write the scene in which your protagonist earns the nickname s/he most hates.

Mystery – February 2

Stan Getz was born on this date in 1927. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnxeKl-Kbqw Writing prompt: Listen to one of his most famous recordings and write a scene in which circumstances cause your protagonist to feel that way.

Mystery – February 1

“Directing is not a mystery, it’s not an art. The main thing about directing is: photograph the people’s eyes.” -John Ford, born this date in 1894. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must gauge the truthfulness of a person’s words by observing body parts and physical behaviors.

Mystery – January 31

“Anyone can love a perfect place. Loving Baltimore takes some resilience.” -Laura Lippman, born on this date in 1959, the same day on which Homicide: Life on the Street — based on a book about Baltimore by her husband, David Simon — premiered in 1993. Writing prompt: In your protagonist’s voice, describe a place s/he loves that everyone else finds a little less than...

Mystery – January 30

“Memory, Agent Starling, is what I have instead of a view.” -Hannibal Lecter in the film version of The Silence of the Lambs, which premiered on this date in 1991. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must get information from a person who has not seen the sky in many years, and knows that s/he never will again.

Mystery – January 29

Tom Selleck — best known for playing a string of crime-entangled good guys — was born on this date in 1945. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist learns a disillusioning fact about someone who inspired him/her to follow in the inspiration’s footsteps.