Mystery – August 18

David F. Dodge was born on this date in 1910. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must persuade the authorities that s/he didn’t commit a crime that resembles in every detail your protag’s style.

Mystery – August 17

Steve Hockensmith was born on this date in 1968. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is dropped in the middle of an entirely different time, place, or genre.

Mystery – August 16

“[I]t made her throat ache with unhappiness to meet that look of his that rested on her face without seeing it.” Georgette Heyer, born on this date in 1902, whose dozen novels are thought the best examples of “country house” English mysteries. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes someone s/he cares about doesn’t reciprocate the feelings.

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.