Have you wanted to write a mystery but not sure where to start? Could your current project benefit from more tension, plot twists, and the art of withholding, to develop your story and characters? In this presentation, Sheela will describe the main ingredients of any good mystery: a winning detective, a solid cast of (suspicious) characters, a well-conceived setting that supports your plot, and carefully planted clues that will keep your readers guessing until the end. She will also discuss how the mystery form can be the “breadcrumbs” leading your readers towards the deeper truths in your story.
Speaker Bio:
Sheela Chari is the author of several critically acclaimed novels, including KARTHIK DELIVERS, an NEA Read Across America book, and THE UNEXPLAINABLE DISAPPEARANCE OF MARS PATEL series, based on the Peabody Award-winning mystery podcast. Her other titles include FINDING MIGHTY, a Children's Choice Award finalist; and VANISHED, an APALA Children’s Literature Honor Book and Edgar Award finalist. Sheela holds an MFA from New York University and is on faculty in Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA Program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She lives in NY.
Facilitator Bio:
Suma Subramaniam: Suma Subramaniam's picture books include NAMASTE IS A GREETING ,SHE SANG FOR INDIA: HOW M.S. SUBBULAKSHMI USED HER VOICE FOR CHANGE , THE RUNAWAY DOSA, A BINDI CAN BE…, MY NAME IS LONG AS A RIVER, and more. Suma is also the contributing author of THE HERO NEXT DOOR. Her poems have been published in Poetry Magazine, WHAT IS HOPE?, and other anthologies for children. She lives in Seattle with her family and a dog who will do anything for Indian sweets and snacks. https://sumasubramaniam.com