New book - Carol Potenza

New Year’s Resolution: Write a Mystery Challenge from Me to You

December 26, 2022 by Carol Potenza

We’ll follow Demystifying the Beats and write a mystery What made someone who’d only written scientific papers and grants want to write fiction? (That would be me) An eReader for Christmas. This gift from my sisters-in-law was amazing. It allowed me to take dozens in not hundreds of books anywhere and read anytime. Then I started to notice that the ebooks I read had major events at certain percentages in the books: 25%, 50% was usually a big one, 75%, etc. And as someone who analyzed data, this was like an epiphany. Just like in a scientific paper submitted to …

You are invited to Book Club to Discuss “Spirit Daughters”

November 23, 2022 by Carol Potenza

I’m going to copy paste the write-up up from the wonderful Charlotte Zimmerman who coordinates the Mesilla Valley Readers of Southern New Mexico Book Club BUT this is actually an international book club with members from all over the world because they use Zoom for their presentations, as well as in-person. Just a quick FYI: Charlotte (a retired librarian) and Las Cruces have been so supportive of my writing career. I’ve been invited to this book club to present all three of the Nicky Matthews mysteries, as well as to discuss topics that have an effect on authors and publishing. …

Demystifying the Beats Uncovers the Secrets of Mystery…

September 29, 2022 by Carol Potenza

Demystifying the Beats: Dire Disruption The Dire Disruption will be at the end of Act 2, right at the midpoint climax. And like the midpoint climax in any story, it’s a watershed. After it occurs, everything changes. It’s the point where the sleuth is on the downward slope to solving the case, and the villain knows it. For a Whodunit, the Dire Disruption will probably be focused on the sleuth. In my Nicky Matthews mystery series, when you reach the Dire Disruption, you will DEFINITELY know it. It’s a slap in the face for both the reader and the sleuth. …