Fiction allows reality to be reshaped—distorted, intensified, or stripped back to its essentials. These posts explore storytelling in its crafted form, where characters, conflict, and perspective combine to reveal truths that aren’t always accessible through fact alone.
The author critiques crime thrillers for oversimplifying forensic evidence, highlighting the absurdity of solving cases with a single fingerprint or hair. They argue that real crime scenes are chaotic, filled with multiple DNA traces, contrasting fiction’s neat resolutions with the reality of messy investigations. Despite this, readers continue to enjoy these narratives.
Why One Bit of Trace Evidence Can’t Solve Crimes Read More »
People write fiction for various reasons, often overlapping: an urge to tell stories, provide escapism, self-exploration, and emotional healing. It allows for reshaping reality, navigating chaos, and creativity. Ultimately, writers feel a compulsion to express something within them, culminating in a private act that resonates publicly with readers.
Tony and Mitchell arrange to meet at Captain Burke Park. Tony is anxious—haunted by the news of a woman’s body found in the bay. He suspects Mitchell, but needs confirmation. At the park, life moves peacefully—joggers pass, families play. Mitchell arrives with hot chips, casual, amused. His remarks are sharp, mocking, disturbingly playful. He toys
The Confession Beneath the Bridge Read More »
Under the alias “Cyrus,” Mitchell meets Jane in a dark, isolated park. She thinks he’s just a fellow photography enthusiast; he plays the part well—friendly, knowledgeable, disarming. They talk gear, storms, and stories, sharing laughter and flirtation as they walk into the mangroves to photograph lightning. Jane isn’t who she claimed to be. She’s married,
A Spark In The Storm Read More »
Mitchell sails confidently through familiar waters, sharing sea tales and narrow escapes with Peter. His control of the yacht mirrors the one place he feels certain—out here, among the tides, currents, and markers of a world that obeys rules. Peter’s casual question about children strikes a chord. There will be no children, Mitchell says. Samantha
Mitchell and Peter sail through the Pearl Channel aboard Surly Mermaid. It’s Mitchell’s world now—confident, calm, in control. He wasn’t always a sailor, but fear taught him quickly. Now, he navigates currents, winds, and the subtle shifts in people with practised ease. Over drinks, Mitchell shares how solitude at sea makes people vulnerable—and how women
The Skipper’s Game Read More »
Mitchell wasn’t expecting visitors. Yet a knock interrupted his solitude. At the door stood a young woman in a red coat—blonde hair, bright eyes, hauntingly familiar. It was Nina. No—couldn’t be. Nina was dead. But the voice, the smirk… it was her daughter. Natasha. She introduced herself politely, excited, fidgeting with a note in her
The Girl at the Door Read More »
Mitchell needed release. A week of mundane photography and artificial smiles had worn him down. The soundscape in his ear wasn’t helping either—mundane clicks and casual chatter from another woman’s apartment. No threat. No secrecy. Just ordinary life. He closed the feed and opened an old folder: photos of “her.” Not Sam. The other one.
The One He Keeps Hidden Read More »
Two decades after its initial draft, SEETHINGS has undergone a profound transformation. This darker, sharper version enhances its psychological depth, exploring themes of obsession and madness. With tightened prose and heightened tension, it redefines the neo-noir genre, inviting both new readers and returning fans to experience its unsettling narrative. It’s currently free on Smashwords.
SEETHINGS Reborn: A Darker Descent, 20 Years in the Making Read More »
Timing the climax in fiction is essential for emotional impact. The classic 3-act structure positions it around 75%, allowing fallout processing. Alternatively, a midpoint climax serves as a twist in fast-paced stories. Lastly, a final-act climax creates built-up tension, common in horror. The key is to ensure the climax feels earned.
Mastering Climax Timing in Fiction Read More »