Mary Miley's SILENT MURDERS

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I finished Mary Miley's Silent Murders this morning. It is the second in her Roaring 20s series. I love how Miley intertwines real characters and 1920s Hollywood with her murder mystery. In her novels, the reader is right in the middle of cinema's heyday. 

Her amateur sleuth, Jessie, is an assistant script girl for Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Because of her connections, she's invited to a director's shindig filled with all kinds of debauchery. There are a string of murders, and Jessie investigates. She is able to pull the random facts together to solve the crimes that center in and around the Hollywood studios. Miley does a great job of recreating a world of the past.

I love that the "Hollywood" sign features prominently in this novel. Miley's novel caused me to do some research on the landmark. The pictures on the website, Hollywood Sign, were fun to peruse.

Leading in a Changing World

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I finished Ollie Malone's 101 Leadership Actions for Managing Change in the 21st Century recently.   His text is good if you're dealing with teamwork and change. Here are my key learnings.

1. Focus on the STAR model (Significant Tasks and Results).

2. Pay attention to what you resist. It will help you understand yours and others' resistance to change.

3. Ensure that your vision or plan includes others.

4. WIGS are Wildly Important Goals and WAGS are Wildly Aggressive Goals. You need WIGS and WAGS.

5. Watch what your industry is doing. Observe the trends and what's going on in your professional community.

6. Make sure that everyone on your team is cross-trained. Have lots of coverage for critical skills.

7. Breathe frequently. Make sure that you are not always going 100 mph.

8. Stress good communications.

9. Embrace technology.

Local Authors' Showcase - Henrico Public Libraries

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Virginia is for Mysteries authors, Vivian Lawry, Rosemary Shomaker, Maggie King, Fiona Quinn, and I, had the pleasure of hosting a "Making Mysteries" panel recently at the Tuckahoe Library. It is always a lot of fun to talk with readers and other writers about their love of mysteries. Thanks to everyone who came out for the Authors' Showcase.

L-R: Fiona Quinn, Rosemary Shomaker, Heather Weidner, Vivian Lawry, and Maggie King

L-R: Fiona Quinn, Rosemary Shomaker, Heather Weidner, Vivian Lawry, and Maggie King

What Books Are on Your Nightstand?

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I was asked recently what books are on my nightstand as part of the #SinC-up and #SincBlogHop. Right now, this is what's queued up.

I'm really excited to read Mary Miley's Silent Murders and Mary Ellen Taylor's Sweet Expectations. I'm also working on Writes of Passage, edited by Hank Phillippi Ryan.  I also have three or four ebooks on my iPad that I need to get to. There's never enough time for reading.

What's on your nightstand?