http://ping.fm/DTm1n Spotlight: Today marks the release of the final book in Vikki Pettersson's Zodiac series.

http://exm.nr/paceI-LA When and how writers pick up the pace. Next week, slowing it down

http://ping.fm/FoV0V

Authors who go the extra mile write Los Angeles right http://exm.nr/writingLA

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I guested on Sylvia Dickey Smith's Blog Talk Radio show yesterday. Today she is in my Spotlight.

http://ping.fm/GGHeo

Hidden away at the V2 Theater above the main V Theater at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, this is a show for anyone who loves rock and roll!

Rest of message re Tricks of the Trade. Send comments to marinapublishing@gmail.com with permission to reprint.

Do you follow my WRITERS TRICKS OF THE TRADE column? I'm collecting reader comments for the comment page in my upcoming book of the same name, and will choose several for the book and website. Have a one-liner? Please send to marinapublishing@gmail.com. with permission to print it. MORGAN ST. JAMES

http://ping.fm/2tdZv
How important is the editor to the author? The answer is VERY. Read Writers tricks of the trade: E is for Edit. If you like it, please click the LIKE button. Want to leave a comment on the Examiner page? I'd love that.

Today I web surfed a bit to follow up on 4th place Idol contestant James Durbin. Here is what I found: http://ping.fm/IXoLM

http://ping.fm/gxD7v

Today's Writers Tricks of the Trade features a delightful illustration by my sister/Silver Sisters Mysteries coauthor Phyllice Bradner.

http://ping.fm/xWOYP

There are lots of writers' groups in the greater Los Angeles area. Today's spotlight highlights some of them.

I usually Spotlight people or events in my Examiner.com column. Yesterday a symbol of old Las Vegas went dark, and today my column pays tribute to memories of the Sahara Hotel and those earlier times when tourists rubbed elbows with movie stars in the casinos, saw big name headliners in shows on the Strip and dressed to the nines to go out for the evening. For those of you who remember that era, it will remain documented in books about old Las Vegas. For those of you too young to picture anything but Las Vegas as it is, take a step back to the way it was.

I’m sending you the link because it might evoke some fond memories as we say goodbye to the Sahara Hotel.

LINK: http://ping.fm/nFlI1

Reporting from Las Vegas,

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.morganstjames-author.com
www.silversistersmysteries.com
http://ping.fm/oL9jR

Today’s Writers tricks of the trade deals with tapping into your own emotions and experiences when writing what your characters are experiencing. This allows you to make a wide detour around clichés and create dimensional characters that feel real to the reader.

http://exm.nr/Eisfor-LA

On the “what’s going on with Morgan front” I’m diligently working to finish the manuscript for my “Writers Tricks of the Trade – The ABCs of Writing Fiction” book. My target is to have it to the editor by June 15. This will be 39 tips, tricks and techniques—yeah, some letters warrant more than one entry—based upon the column but with more info that can be used right away. I’m excited and you may have noticed that many of the recent columns make reference to a letter of the alphabet.

The annotated pre-proof for “Vanishing Act in Vegas,” the next Silver Sisters crime caper, is now with the publisher and I expect release later in the year. Phyllice and I will be plotting the next one, “Diamonds in the Dumpster,” when I go to Oregon at the beginning of June so we can put our heads together in person. There is more on the horizon, but that is enough for now.

Cheers from Morgan and check out my new blog at http://ping.fm/O09l0

Today's Spotlight is about author, entertainer, businessman, activist Dr. William H. "Bob" Bailey who was instrumental in breaking the race barrier that existed in Las Vegas in the 50s and 60s. His story fascinated me.
http://exm.nr/bailey-LV

Today's Writers Tricks of the Trade is all about nouns like "fork" masquerading as verbs like "forked" in countless books, stories and articles.
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Today’s Writers Tricks of the Trade is about networking for writers.

LINK: http://ping.fm/DH0Za

Whether you are a new author, aspiring author or multi-published author, the need for effective networking never changes.
MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.morganstjames-author.com

The California Crime Writers Conference is a very good one for mystery writers. I won't be going this year, but have in the past. Read about it at http://ping.fm/zRDJx

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.morganstjames-author.com

For the past two years, Sisters in Crime Southern Nevada has had a great turnout when the meetings landed on Mother’s Day. Let’s make it year #3, as prolific author, Marilyn Meredith shares how she gets her ideas for books.

Marilyn is in my Spotlight today in the Las Vegas edition of Examiner.com, so click the link to find out more about the author of 30 books and what makes her tick.

LINK: http://ping.fm/Odwb6

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