As I write this I can hear fireworks outside. I hope you find them stirring and inspiring and that they will inspire us to work toward an expansion of freedom.

Update on Works in Progress

I’m nearly finished with the graphics for Amelia’s Friends, a tropical adventure set in an island Paradise. Or is it something far more hellish?

I have one more map to create and a couple of document hand-outs. Next step will be the final formatting, editing, and various other production work. Plus creating the cover. Last week we completed play testing. Much thanks to our friends, who are there for us no matter where we move or where they live.

Class Review: Mystery Caper Workshop with Kris Rusch

Later this month I’ll be heading to Kris Rusch’s class on Romance Spies, so it’s a good time to talk about the last in-person class I attended, Rusch’ class on Mystery Capers in May, 2022. The course was fairly intense, but having been warned, I was prepared for it. It started a couple months ahead with a reading list of seven books, four movies, and two television shows. (The tv shows were optional but I watched them.)

Two weeks before the official course start date, we were given the first assignment, which was to write a short story and turn it in the first day of class. Subsequently we would have to write two more short stories, each in 24 hours.

The class was small, about 7 or 8 of us from what I remember. I think everyone knew each other except for me. But they were kind and friendly, so it was a good experience.

Kris Rusch is a good teacher: generous, very organized and smart with a good sense of humor. She read our stories and commented on them in general and then handed them to us with a lot of notes written on them. I felt it was incredibly valuable to get her feedback, worth attending the course for that alone. As we went through the week of classes, she described the important components of heists vs. capers and discussed the assigned books and movies with the group. I was surprised to find that my taste was significantly different, though in retrospect, I shouldn’t have been so surprised.

Overall it was a warm and uplifting experience. I highly recommend any courses taught by her.

And now I’m back to watching the fireworks.

Be well, friends!