Carol Higgins Clark and the creative art of the mystery novel

As the reference librarian at PCL, I order and mainly read non-fiction. When the recent fiction books have long lists of holds, I often ask if I can interest you in a non-fiction book instead (try it - you might be surprised!).  PCL's 2010 Summer Celebrity was fiction writer Carol Higgins Clark. I attended last evening's event and was impressed by her warmth, sense of humor, and obvious pride in Regan Reilly, the main character of her mystery fiction novels. I was curious about her writing techniques - how? when? where? what? - the process of artistic creation. CHC gave some excellent writing tips and stressed perseverance when seeking an agent and subsequent publisher. As she explained the inspirations for her novels during the program, I realized it must be much more difficult to create fictional works (as opposed to non-fiction). CHC stressed the importance of research for believability & accuracy in her portrayals of characters and settings, much of which she has done in fantasy locations (the QE2 - I wish!). Good naturedly, she also noted that her audience is quick to spot inaccuracies.


For any aspiring writers of fiction or non-fiction keep in mind the library is a great place to begin. With hard work and probably a little luck, in future years the Summer Celebrity could be you!

Here are some sources available at PCL to get you started:

The Writer's market - specifically mentioned by CHC as a good starting guide.

Writer's Digest - a monthly periodical. PCL holds 1 year of back issues which can be checked out for the standard 3-week circulation period.

What's the usage? The writer's guide to English grammar and rhetoric

How to write a damn good novel, II : advanced techniques for dramatic storytelling

How to write short stories

This year you write your novel

Writing fiction : an introduction to the craft