Catriona McPherson

Ooft. I'm reading Linda Castillo's AFTER THE STORM this fair #FridayReads. Which is great. But once I've read *it*, I've only got book seventeen, RAGE, left. I'm trying to keep that for the Christmas holiday. But I know myself . . .

Holiday themes - US-style, so likes of Easter and Solstices. I'm a big fan of them as a jumping off point.

Doesn't count unless

A. Big guys
B. Tears in eyes
C. Call you "sir"

I'm giving the keynote (after lunch, soothing, soundtrack to a wee siesta) at the otherwise dynamic and sparkling
@capitolcrimes.bsky.social con this year.

If you're registered, waddaya wanna hear? I've got such a generic title I can talk about anything. Maybe not recipes- Wait! They'd work too.

You got all four of us smiling!

Rachel has her own clean, comfortable bed and is also allowed to sleep (like how would we stop her) on her pick of five couches and five armchairs in this house, but she prefers to curl up with Correspondence Anaylsis in Practice and The Study of Plant Disease Epidemics. #Caturday

It is so terrifying - you give your big reveal a drumroll and everyone goes "Duh!". But ask your early readers to tell you what they thought, when, and when they finally worked it out.

OMG - my hair!

You're so eloquent. My sister's kids' worst insult when they were wee was "bumbaleary bum bum head" and I think it's worth dusting off for this moment.

Not every day you wake up to discover that your beloved grandfather, who survived six years of Stalag 383 on non-compliance rations, because he refused to work for the Nazi war machine, was part of a major terrorist organisation. #ANTIFA

SCOT'S EGGS | Kirkus Reviews A loopy, lovable Northern California crew stops arguing among themselves just long enough to solve a baffling double murder.

"A loopy, lovable Northern California crew stops arguing among themselves just long enough to solve a baffling double murder."

Kirkus called me "brisk, quirky, comic, tangled, clever, tart".

Not "a tart" just "tart". Still something to aim for next time.

www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews...

If that happened, I would accept that the Bible was fact and that Jesus thought CK was okay. But it's a big if.

Physiotherapy on #Caturday. Knee on cushions, ice on injury, cat on chest.

"never laid a finger on anyone". You so seldom see it outside divorce courts. "Abuse? Moi? Judge, I never laid a finger on her. She's crazy."

Oh, Sally. Couching things juuuuust vaguely enough that we can be called out for understanding them? That's deliberate. Pointy hats and white sheets are hard to deny. Snide remarks about Black pilots are chef's kiss. Hope that helps.

I've finished it now. I'm giving your profile pic one of Paddington's hard stares.

Faith in humanity taken a bit of a beating? I prescribe @louberney.bsky.social's DARK RIDE, three times a day with food. #FridayReads. (My agent was on the judging panel for the Steel Dagger and sent the winner to me - thank you, @literarylisa.bsky.social!

WriteNOW! Conference Fri-Sat, Sept 19-20, Virtual Catriona McPherson - Panelist: Keeping the Creative Juices Flowing Catriona McPherson was born in Scotland and immigrated to California in 2010. A former academic linguist, her multi-award-winning and national best-selling work includes the Dandy Gilver historical detective stories, the Last Ditch mysteries, and standalone novels including Edgar-finalist The Day She Died and Mary Higgins Clark finalist Strangers at the Gate. Friday: Agent pitch sessions ($35), an editor's assessment of your first 3 chapters ($60), and a writing craft workshop ($35) Saturday: One fee for a full day of panels, a workshop, and presentations; $25 Desert Sleuth members; $35 all others For registration and conference details: http://desertsleuths.com/writenow-2025/

Catriona McPherson is the award-winning author of several mystery series as well as many standalone crime novels. She'll share her secrets about keeping things fresh & exciting!

Register for the WriteNOW! Conference at DesertSleuths.com
#DSWN25 #AmWriting #MysteryWriters @catrionamcp.bsky.social

#Thursday w @jameswziskin.bsky.social

>> 7criminalminds.blogspot.com/2025/09/reme... |@sincnational.bsky.social @catrionamcp.bsky.social @terryshames.bsky.social @arttaylorwriter.bsky.social @cathyace.bsky.social @loriraderday.bsky.social @kellyekell.bsky.social @alisongaylin.bsky.social

#Wednesday with Dietrich Kalteis

>> 7criminalminds.blogspot.com/2025/09/hell... @sinc-cw.bsky.social @sinc-cw.bsky.social @canadahardcover.bsky.social #shoutout @catrionamcp.bsky.social @ericbeetner.bsky.social @thecwa.bsky.social

And now in "normal"

God, yes - the yawning horror of someone getting something, while not being perfect in every way by MY personal measure.

#ICYMI Poppy Gee @catrionamcp.bsky.social @gvaljan.bsky.social @sincnational.bsky.social

>> 7criminalminds.blogspot.com

This anthology by LGBTQ+ crimewriters, inspired by queer icons, is my delicious treat of a #FridayReads. Bravo!

How do we keep going in the between times? Some of us ADORE the between times. Living quietly, over at Criminal Minds today. Plus event links, @desertsleuths.bsky.social and @capitolcrimes.bsky.social, and @netgalley.bsky.social news too.

7criminalminds.blogspot.com/2025/08/here...

WriteNOW! Conference Fri-Sat, Sept 19-20, Virtual Catriona McPherson: Planting Clues and Red Herrings CLUE: anything in a fair-play, puzzle-plot mystery that allows the reader to twig whodunnit, howdunnit, whydunnit, whendunnit, and more. Learn about: *Where, how, and when to plant clues *What makes a good clue and a bad one *Red herrings, Easter eggs, and loose ends *How to make sure it doesn't matter if all of the above goes wrong Catriona McPherson is a multi-award winning, best-selling author of the Dandy Gilver historical detective series, the Last Ditch mysteries, and standalone novels including Edgar-finalist The Day She Died and Mary Higgins Clark finalist Strangers at the Gate. Friday: Agent pitch sessions ($35), an editor's assessment of your first 3 chapters ($60), and a writing craft workshop ($35) Saturday: One fee for a full day of panels, a workshop, and presentations; $25 Desert Sleuth members; $35 all others For registration and conference details: http://desertsleuths.com/writenow-2025/

Award-winning author Catriona McPherson will be leading a wonderful workshop on clues, red herrings, & fair-play in mysteries. Learn to craft stronger, more satisfying stories!

Register for the WriteNOW! Conference at DesertSleuths.com
#DSWN25 #AmWriting #WritingCommunity @catrionamcp.bsky.social

#Thursday w @catrionamcp.bsky.social

> 7criminalminds.blogspot.com/2025/08/here... | @bloodyscotland.bsky.social #Bouchercon @literarylisa.bsky.social @desertsleuths.bsky.social #WriteNow2025 @capitolcrimes.bsky.social

And you don't need ISBNs and publishers' names. I didn't screenshot mine before I asked them to remove the titles so wasn't sure which publishers and formats were used. But the titles alone were good enough.

Reality is utter shite & we need to work harder than ever. But, for respite, I made a fictional world where a ragtag band of misfits love each other & never stop the snark. SCOT'S EGGS, book seven of the Last Ditch trilogy, is up on NetGalley for early review.

www.netgalley.com/catalog/publ...

But what about the 2A? It's the constitution, man. You can't just *change* the constitution. You can't just decide you don't like a bit of it and amen- Oh.