Forum Discussions (13)

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Manuscript assessments

Are you an aspiring crime writer who is keen to develop your craft? Then perhaps I can help. I work with my daughter Laura, a skilled edit…

Started by John Dean

0 Feb 23, 2021

Mentoring programmes and online writing courses

Novelist John Dean is offering online courses for writing groups who may be struggling to meet in person during the current coronavirus res…

Started by John Dean

0 Feb 7, 2020

Libraries Champions

John Dean is one of three UK Libraries Champions appointed by The Crime Writers’ Association. Key elements of the role include linking libr…

Started by John Dean

0 Sep 12, 2018

Blizzard series

I have read a number of the Blizzard series on Kindle—Strange Littke Girl,The Railway Man, The Secrets Man and The Long Dead. Got The Latch…

Started by Deborah Kaback

1 Aug 8, 2018
Reply by John Dean

Creating something special

For me, there are plenty of examples of stories which are well written - well-crafted and technically competent. Often, they are very, very…

Started by John Dean

0 Mar 16, 2018

Creating intrigue

Good short stories and novels are often written by writers that have a keen understanding of the need to intrigue the reader by creating te…

Started by John Dean

0 Mar 16, 2018

Getting it right from the beginning

One of my students came up with a cracking first line the other day and it got me thinking about one of my favourite topics. A busy and har…

Started by John Dean

0 Mar 16, 2018

How to create characters

A lot of my teaching focuses on characters (they are at the heart of my classes, they are, after all, our major tools as writers). So how d…

Started by John Dean

0 Mar 16, 2018

What makes good writing?

What makes good writing? I think good writing is good writing because it triggers responses in its readers. Readers say ‘I have been in tha…

Started by John Dean

0 Mar 16, 2018

Where do ideas come from?

I’ve been doing a lot of teaching, and giving talks, on the idea of ideas lately and came across these excellent quotes. ·         People a…

Started by John Dean

0 Mar 16, 2018

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Friday
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Second book in series to be published

The latest novel by Dumfries and Galloway crime writer Ann Bloxwich will be published on June 10, 2023.Goodnight, God Bless is the second book in the DI Alex Peachey series written by Ann, who was one of the writers who appeared at the recent Kirkcudbright Book Week in March, and is being published by  Red Dragon Publishing.It tells how DI Peachey reports back to work…See More
Friday
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A month-long celebration of crime writing

National Crime Reading Month  begins tomorrow (June 1), including the Scottish launch in Edinburgh tomorrow night with guest speaker Professor Jim Fraser, a leading forensic scientist and author. You can find out more (including what's happening in your area) athttps://crimereading.com/event/scottish-launch-national-crime-writers-month-with-professor-jim-fraserSee More
May 31
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May 25
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May 24
John Dean shared their blog post on Facebook
May 24
Profile IconZara Mae Pickering and kevin rodriquez joined John Dean Crime Novelist
May 24
John Dean posted a blog post

First talk in two and a half years

I am looking forward to appearing during the Crime Writers’ Association’s National Crime Reading Month (NCRM), run in conjunction with The Reading Agency, in June. I will be giving a talk about the inspiration for my novels, my first talk in two and a half years due to covid lockdowns etc.During NCRM, authors will be taking part in events in libraries, bookshops,…See More
May 17
John Dean posted a blog post

Book expected to go down a storm

The latest crime novel by Jackie Baldwin, who appeared at the recent Kirkcudbright Book Week, is due out on Thursday May 18.Murder by the Seaside is published by Storm Publishing and begins when dawn breaks over the empty beaches of Portobello and Grace McKenna emerges from the icy water after her daily swim, her loyal dog Harvey by her side. Little does she know that,…See More
May 15
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May 12
John Dean posted a blog post

The art of plotting

I am ten thousand words into the latest DCI Jack Harris novel for The Book Folks, which means that plotting is very much at the forefront of my thinking.To make a plot work, you need a strong story and in crime fiction that comes from watching characters overcome challenges – a murder, a mystery etc.My initial plots tend to be very sketchy, very much the bare bones with…See More
May 12
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May 4
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May 4
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May 3
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Reviewers have their say

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review my latest crime novel The Name on the Bullet, published by The Book Folks. You can find out what the reviewers thought of DCI John Blizzard's latest outing, and buy the book in ebook, paperback and hardcover format, at…See More
Apr 28

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