Becoming a Better Blogger and Writer Through the Creation Process

As I travel around my Blogger blogs today, I see I have failed to update the sites with posts and images. Part of the reason is the numerous niche sites I have been working on such as How to Throw a Party. With Halloween coming up this weekend, I have added a number of posts about Halloween, costumes, party ideas, and much more.

On the sidebar you will find a link to The Niche Blogger. Also, a post not to long ago gives a more detailed explanation of this great learning tool. Amy Bass has done a great job in leading us, day by day, through the challenge of setting up our own niche website and quickly beginning to earn money from that site.

Besides my main website, Elder Care Cafe.net, I now have four niche sites and will link them on the sidebar as they are ready for public viewing. Hopefully, by this time next year I will have more.

Through this whole process, I find I enjoy creating new websites. What a blast to start from scratch and watch something grow into a beautiful creation that hopefully helps others in some way. All of my niche sites are geared toward helping others and that seems to be part of the fun for me.

Hopefully, I will return here often as I would like to write more about writing, blogging, reviewing books, and other areas of writing that I am involved with.

I really hope, if you are reading this, that I can encourage you to step out and try something new. Looking at the past two years reminds me how far I have come as a writer, and certainly how much farther I need to go and can go to become ever better. As much as I love blogging, I seem to love the process of learning how to be a better blogger even more.

That's it for now. My hope is that I can come back often to update this blog and let everyone know what is happening. If you get the chance, you can visit:

How to Throw a Party

I will add more as they become viewer-friendly. All are in various stages of growth.


If you are interested in creating your own niche website, don't hesitate to check out Amy Bass and The Niche Blogger by clicking on the ad on the sidebar. You will be glad you did when you see what you can create in just days and weeks. I had my first niche blog up and running within a week or two - no kidding. I just started The Niche Blogger course in June of this year and already have four sites.

I am also still writing with BellaOnline Mystery Books and you are welcome to join me there as well. We have a growing number of book reviews in all mystery book categories. Sign up for the newsletter and join us in the forum while you are at it.

Please leave a comment and let us know what you are working on, and hopefully we will see you again very soon.

Noir Fiction

Recently on BellaOnline's Mystery Books site, I posted a couple of articles about noir fiction. Although noir fiction began in the late 1920's and early 1930's, it reached its heyday during the 1950's.

Barry Gifford founded Black Lizard Books in 1984, and was instrumental in the resurgence of the noir genre. In the 1990's and into the 21st century, the writings of Ray Ring, Ed Gorman, Lawrence Block, Elmore Leonard, James Ellroy, and Patricia Highsmith continue the tradition.

Click on the links to the articles for further information:

Noir Fiction
Modern Noir

If you are a fan of noir fiction, who is your favorite author? What time period do you enjoy the most?

Better yet, have you ever written in the noir genre?

Cozy Mysteries Make Great Reading

The cozy mystery genre has grown by leaps and bounds during the past couple of decades. Born in the 1920's during the Golden Age of detective mysteries, Agatha Christie is hailed as the forerunner of the genre. But was she really?

Read this brief history of the beloved "cozies" for the answer. Located on the BellaOnline Mystery Books site, when you finish the article click on forum on the right sidebar to join us for lively discussion on any mystery book topic.

What is your favorite cozy theme? Your favorite cozy author?

BellaOnline Mystery Books Editor - Yeah!

Just found out early this a.m. that I "graduated" from the BellaOnline Mystery Books Editor training. Now I have a three-month launch period, then I will be off and running...that is reading and writing.

I am very excited about the future as I funnel down my focus. I have blogs and websites all over the place, but I am narrowing my vision for 2009. The Mystery Books site and the Elder Care Cafe dot net site will take priority at this time.

That said, next week is the first Book-in-a-week session for 2009. Moe and company are putting the finishing touches on our new web home. If you would like to join us, here is the link.

Here is a blurb from Moe, our illustrious, dedicated and hard-working moderator:

It is an honor to be listed in the Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers for 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Our motto continues to be BIC HOK TAM, which means butt in chair, hands on keyboard, typing away madly. This is the best way we know of to get any writing done.

We hope you will join us in meeting our writing goals.

There you have it - two great websites - one geared toward reading and the other focused on writing. Hope you have the opportunity to visit both.

Take care and see you soon!

Dear Mystery Reader

It seems I should change the name of this blog to reader instead of writer. I seem to do much more of the former.

Currently, I am in training at BellaOnline as the new Mystery Books Editor. Very excited, and hopefully I will pass muster and become the permanent editor. I love what I am learning, and am excited for my possible future role on this site.

I will let you know when I hear official news!