Tule Mystery Madness!
In March, Americans’ attention turns toward the excitement of the NCAA basketball tournament and the joy of bracketology—aka guessing who...
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Melissa Westemeier
Mar 41 min read
Malice Domestic
Excited to attend Malice Domestic April 26-28 and connect with other mystery writers and fans! I'll be moderating a panel discussion on...
28 views1 comment
Melissa Westemeier
Mar 15 min read
scope
When I feel lost or overwhelmed, sometimes I sit still, refuse to move, and get really depressed. Sometimes I pour all my energy into...
40 views2 comments
Melissa Westemeier
Feb 96 min read
choices
I rarely feature household pets in our annual Christmas letter, but this year I mentioned Rose and Poppy. A week after mailing the...
80 views2 comments
Melissa Westemeier
Dec 23, 20237 min read
plot twist
I left you with an offer on the table for my books, but I forgot to mention how the actual writing of books was going. During the query...
118 views4 comments
Melissa Westemeier
Dec 12, 20237 min read
and more murder
By January, Small and Graff gave me some valuable feedback on my murder mystery and I rolled up my sleeves. Writing requires juggling a...
65 views2 comments
Melissa Westemeier
Dec 1, 20235 min read
murder
I've been cryptic about my writing on this site over the past year, partly because I've been in the dark myself, partly because I've been...
87 views3 comments
Melissa Westemeier
Oct 20, 20231 min read
Workshops Available!
I love helping people with their writing and reading. Featured workshops include: Injecting Humor into Your Writing You wrote it. Now...
34 views1 comment
Melissa Westemeier
Oct 17, 20235 min read
free-range
Much has been written and much more has been said about parenting styles and while my oldest would beg to differ at times (specifically...
49 views5 comments
Melissa Westemeier
Oct 6, 20234 min read
challenge
I've been a fan of the Sunday puzzle on NPR for years. When the boys were little, we'd play it together on the way to church, shouting...
51 views1 comment
Melissa Westemeier
Aug 3, 20233 min read
swim buddy
When I was growing up we had a poster in our basement play area that showed two kids playing and the caption from Ecclesiastes 4:9-10,...
78 views1 comment
Melissa Westemeier
Jul 7, 20231 min read
Big Announcement!
I'm excited to share that I've signed on with Dawn Dowdle at Blue Ridge Literary Agency! My next project is a murder mystery involving a...
46 views3 comments
Melissa Westemeier
Mar 25, 20233 min read
adjust
My youngest offspring has always needed to move. He runs, jumps, flips, spins, and throws with dexterity and speed. Sport is as essential...
134 views5 comments
Melissa Westemeier
Dec 10, 20223 min read
space
I haven't written much here lately, but trust me, I have been writing. A few times a week I hike at a local nature preserve, a habit that...
97 views4 comments
Melissa Westemeier
Aug 24, 20224 min read
bull(thistles)
It's a sultry 76 degrees this morning and I started a fire in our backyard pit. (Disclosure: I hate fires. When people are all, "Hey,...
71 views2 comments
Melissa Westemeier
Aug 16, 20224 min read
smörgåsbord
Smörgåsbord is one of those Swedish words that sounds suggestive of its meaning. Smörgåsbord has a rich and satisfying sound, filling the...
106 views7 comments
Melissa Westemeier
Apr 19, 20225 min read
kindness
Acts of kindness that I still reflect on: When I was sixteen I was riding my bike to the public library on a very rainy day. Somehow (I...
102 views6 comments
Melissa Westemeier
Jan 30, 20223 min read
smackdown
Monday started a new term and the first writing assignment I give my students involves crafting some flash nonfiction. I guide them...
65 views2 comments
Melissa Westemeier
Jan 2, 20223 min read
escape
I haven't been to the ocean in two years until this past week. For me that's a big deal. There's something specifically restorative about...
82 views1 comment
Melissa Westemeier
Nov 8, 20217 min read
thorn
For just over five years we have had the sweetest cat. He turned up one summer evening in our back yard. The boys were playing outside...
128 views3 comments
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