AUTHOR TERESA INGE ON THE JOY OF SHORT STORY WRITING

Teresa Inge is an author in more than a dozen anthologies and novellas including Virginia is for Mysteries, Mutt Mysteries, Coastal Crimes, and Promophobia, an Agatha award-winning collection. When not writing, Teresa can be found showing her 1955 Torch Red, Ford Thunderbird at car shows. Learn more about her and her short stories and novellas at her website.

Short Story Anthologies  

I love reading and writing short crime fiction in the anthology format. Especially cozy mysteries that have appealing characters, a small-town setting, and the violence is set off stage. Plus, the mystery is always solved at the end of the story.

 

Mystery anthologies include several different authors, which means different stories, viewpoints, and writing styles. Most have a theme for authors to base their story around, and each story exposes readers to various contributors they might not otherwise have read. 

 

In short stories, every word, sentence, and paragraph is important to move the plot forward due to the shorter word counts in anthologies. This means, readers get a fast-paced and well-developed story they can’t put down.

 

I was first introduced to short stories as a teenager when I read “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. The story features a murderer who tries to persuade his readers of his mental stability while telling the tale of a brutish act. Needless to say, I was hooked on reading short stories but realized I preferred no guts or gore.

 

As a short story writer, I am published in fifteen anthologies and novellas. I coordinate many anthologies and create the book title and theme. I also get to work with multiple authors and mentor new writers. The process is rewarding in the development and editing stage of each short story and the anthology publication.

 

In my latest anthology, First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder, the book has nineteen juicy tales of revenge, betrayal, bad breakups, and a few I dos and some I don’ts. My story “Maid of Murder,” features wine shop owner Lainey Gentry who discovers a dead body in her wine room and tries to clear her name after being accused of murdering a drunken bridesmaid at a bridal party wine tasting. The theme for the book takes ruthless relationships to an all-new level, which makes excellent reading of short stories.

 

5 benefits of buying and reading short stories:

1. A certainty you’ll read the entire piece. 

2. A pleasure of finishing a story.

3. An incentive to read the next story in the anthology.

4. A convenient way to try new genres and authors.

5. A great read between novels.

First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder

Nineteen juicy tales of revenge, betrayal, bad breakups, and a few I dos and some I don’ts by Heather Weidner, Debra H. Goldstein, Sandra Murphy, Kristin Kisska, Eleanor Cawood Jones, Allie Marie, Ellen Butler, Maggie King, Mary Dutta, and Teresa Inge

 

Each short story takes ruthless relationships to an all-new level in all kinds of places like destination weddings, riverboat cruises, wineries, bachelorette parties, creepy stalkers, cheating spouses, and sneaky friends trying for their version of happily ever after. So, settle in for some love stories with a twist of revenge, infidelity, and murder. 

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CELEBRATE NATIONAL PET DAY WITH AUTHOR TERESA INGE & MUTT MYSTERIES

Teresa Inge grew up reading Nancy Drew mysteries. Combining her love of reading mysteries and writing professional articles led to writing short fiction and novellas. Today, she juggles assisting two busy executives and is the president of the Sisters in Crime, Mystery by the Sea chapter. Teresa is the author of the Virginia is for Mysteries Series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, and Mutt Mysteries Series. Learn more about her and her books at her website/blog.  

National Pet Day

With National Pet Day approaching on April 11, now is a great time to recognize and show appreciation for the happiness pets have brought to our lives by pampering them! Since pampering our pets has become an essential part of being a great pet parent, when we return unconditional love back to our pets, we create a happy and loving family for them. Check out the various ways below to take care of and pamper your pets.

Pampering 101

Give your pet a treat

Just like humans, animals love treats. One reason is because they taste different, but it also shows our affection and gratitude to them. But don’t over-do-it since it will no longer seem special and pets could gain weight.

Show some love

Get down on the floor and give them a belly rub. Or sit on the couch or outside patio to give them a good brushing. Pets love our attention and interaction more than we realize.

Buy or make a special gift for pets

Because gifts are fun to receive, pets love getting them from their family. Giving toys to our pets can help build skills, fight boredom, and prevent destructive behavior. They also keep good company for our pets while we’re away.

Walk the dog

Benefits of walking a dog will give your pet mental stimulation, exercise, training, elimination, socialization, and bonding for you both.

Nutrition

Since nutrition is the foundation of health and fuel for our pet’s maintenance and energy, giving them proper nutrients will build bones, joints, and muscles and help with the aging process for a longer life.

To Fetch a Scoundrel

Mutt Mysteries, Book 2

The mystery-solving mutts are back! To Fetch a Scoundrel, the second in the Mutt Mysteries collection, features four tail-wagging novellas. Each story puts pups’ noses to the ground, as scandals are unleashed and killers are collared. Once you’ve finished reading these tall “tails,” you’ll no longer wonder “Who let the dogs out?” You’ll just be glad somebody did! Stories include:

“The Fast and the Furriest” by Heather Weidner

Isn’t there enough action under the lights at the Amelia Race Track without the drama of a love triangle? An altercation leads to murder, and owner Cassidy Green and her Rottweiler Oliver have to uncover clues and find the killer before the bad publicity destroys her business.

“Pawsitively Scandalous” by Jayne Ormerod

What’s with the crime wave in the Grant’s Garden neighborhood? First a respectable member is arrested for crimes unknown, and then another neighbor dies under mysterious circumstances. Pilar Pruitt and her black lab/mix Natti are on the case, and the secrets they uncover are paws-itively scandalous!

“Ruff Goodbye” by Rosemary Shomaker

Does everyone bar owner Len Hayes knows have a secret? Yes, and secrets unravel after a funeral home visitation for Len’s late friend Curt. Miniature poodle Cloud signals danger. A certain black Lab may safeguard the truth. Will canine intervention ensure no one pays the ultimate price?

“A Doggone Scandal” by Teresa Inge

Catt Ramsey, owner of the Woof-Pack Dog Walkers, is back on the case when she receives a mysterious note in her pet supply order. Convinced the sender’s motive is scandalous, Catt packs up her SUV and heads to the Outer Banks with her sister Em, family friend Jonathan Ray, and pups Cagney and Lacey to solve the mystery.

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BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--GUEST AUTHOR TERESA INGE

Teresa Inge grew up reading Nancy Drew mysteries. Today, she doesn't carry a rod like her idol, but she hot rods. Combining her love of reading mysteries and writing professional articles led to writing short fiction and a novel. Learn more about her and her writing at her website.

Why is research important to location?

I love it when I start a new mystery. This usually means a road trip where the story takes place to research the setting. 

When researching Corked for Murder” in Virginia is for Mysteries, I toured Williamsburg Winery and took pictures of oak barrels, machinery, and asked lots of questions. But as the wine flowed so did my ideas when a bridal party entered the tasting room. One woman in the party was inebriated and inspired a drunken bridesmaid that "corked" the murderous plot in my story.

On another trip, I visited the historic Cavalier on the Hill hotel in Virginia Beach to research “Guide to Murder.” 

When I arrived, I noticed a hotel tour guide. This inspired me to write a murder about a tour. I then explored the hotel to determine the murder location. I also learned that doorways had lower heights during the 1930’s and people were not very tall. A great tip for creating characters.

But what should authors do when they cannot visit a location?

Start with a Google map. Learn the area’s main corridors and population. Research the general history, culture, seasonal changes and weather conditions. Check out historical societies and museums to expand your knowledge. You’ll be surprised what you learn before you start writing your story. When writing the play “Murder on the Lafayette,” I based it on two brothers who grew up on the Lafayette River in Norfolk. During my research, I learned the river was originally named Tanner’s Creek so I gave the brothers the last name Tanner and viewed maps of the river in the 1800’s.

Since research is vital for an accurate setting, take time to obtain the knowledge you need for your readers. The more you know, the more comfortable you’ll be when writing about different locations.

Virginia is for Mysteries

Virginia may be for lovers, but to nineteen authors, Virginia is for Mysteries: Volume II. The anthology of nineteen short stories, set in and around the Commonwealth, features Virginia landmarks and locations such as Virginia Wine Country, the Poe Museum, Luray Caverns, Colonial Williamsburg, the Great Dismal Swamp, Nimrod Hall, the Barter Theater, and Mill Mountain, to name a few.

The stories transport readers across the diverse backdrop of the Old Dominion to a unique and deadly landscape, filled with killers, crooks, and criminal.

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