Hey there DETECTIVES! Let’s be honest, quarantine isn’t easy! Not one bit.

We, if not most of us are staying at home. We work at home, study at home, dating at home, and much more! It hasn’t exactly been fun.

BUT…. do you know what can be fun?! Murder mystery! True crime! Suspense! Thriller! Podcasts! Books! Short stories! Tv shows! Movies! Also, can’t forget blogs! Especially mine, DETECTIVES!

Let me quickly tell you why murder mystery, true crime, suspense, and thriller are all awesome in any and all forms, in particular during quarantine! Well, at least in my opinion!

1. There is ALWAYS an adventure.
2. You NEVER get bored!
3. You CAN GET SUPER EXCITED as you hear what’s going on!
4. YOU GET TO BE THE DETECTIVE AND SOLVE THE CRIME!
5. You ALWAYS have a story to share!

Listen to this suspenseful sound as you play! It’s one of my personal favorites!

DETECTIVES Edward and Natalia
Are at a crime scene.
As they search their surroundings
They notice a strange (BLANK) on the carpet.
The dead body has an unusual (BLANK)
On its (BLANK).
The head is nearly decapitated.
But there’s a nearby bloody shovel.
The cause of death is (BLANK).

What do you think was the cause of death?

Why did DETECTIVES Edward and Natalia find on the body?

On what part of the body did they find it?

What did they find on the carpet?

What do YOU think happened?

LET’S GET READY TO RIDDLE! Write down your best answers here!

Listen to this spooky sound as you play!

Ashley was walking down the (blank).
She was looking for a (blank) at the (blank).
All of a sudden, she found (blank).
At her wit’s end, she ran away
In a panic and (blank).

What did Ashley find?
What was she looking for?
Where was she going?
What do you think she’ll do next?

LET’S GET READY TO RIDDLE! Write down your best answers here!

Feel free to hear some dark & thrilling music as you play!

Hey there! Do you want to explore all of what murder mystery has to offer? Let’s play a game! Solve this riddle!

Two ladies, sisters in law
Amie and Carmen
Are having lunch together.
Suddenly, Carmen collapses.
She’s dead.
Amie bends down to check her pulse.
She then collapses face down.
But she wakes up and calls 911.
The next day, Amie is arrested.

How is this possible?
Why did Carmen collapse?
Why did Amie after she tried to check on Carmen?
Why was Amie arrested?
Is she guilty?
Or is it someone else?
Who dun it?
How?
Why?

LET’S GET READY TO RIDDLE! Write down your best answers here!

1. Crime Junkie: Takes you into the actual crime, explains the background of the murderer or murderer(s), a missing person, serial killer, and of infamous massacres. The podcast is so calm and soothing for a true crime fanatic like me that even though the topics aren’t positive nor bright, you gain a complete understanding and may cause you to sleep with one eye open.
   https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/

2. Trace Evidence: A true-crime podcast that focuses on the details of unsolved disappearances and murders. Feel the chill running down your spine as you listen to the details of what could have happened and perhaps in the clues yourself!
https://www.trace-evidence.com/

3. Southern Fried True Crime: Travel down South and observe all real crimes: murder and suspicious deaths. Need I say more?
https://www.southernfriedtruecrime.com/

4. Something was Wrong: A true-crime docuseries set to make you shiver as you hear all about abuse, trauma, and recovery.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/something-was-wrong/id1447286743

5. Solve: An interactive and suspense-filled podcast in which you hear the various perspectives of multiple characters, you learn what happened, and the motive behind the crime. Season 1 begins with a gruesome murder that you decide who is the real killer. Season 2 is filled with 3 parts of a story, in which you find out just why the crime was necessary in the first place.
https://solvehq.com/podcast/

6. Unsolved Murders: True Crime Stories: Dive deep into this limited series pool and close your eyes as you imagine yourself back to unsolved murder mysteries and cold cases.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unsolved-murders-true-crime-stories/id1122804248

P.S. For any of you Marvel or DC fans out there, please be sure to check out this podcast made by my great friend Mike Garcia, Outside the Comics: Vol 2! https://open.spotify.com/show/6liI9snu18ZCpvSpqp6Ovz?si=CQpKArftTHOGdkf8kEedsw&fbclid=IwAR0iwb-V80Vbb9Xz2dLOEUsdl4z0d6EuEH0KgKgdOeAjq_AXljVg5tqLlEM&nd=1

1. Stephen King: (1947 – ) American crime, thriller, horror, supernatural, fantasy, science-fiction, and suspense novelist from Maine. King’s favorite book of his is Lisey’s Story. The 2006 book was written as inspiration after King’s 1999 accident. It is King’s favorite book of his because it related to his experience where his wife Tabitha took care of him, cleaned his office, and King constantly thought about if he had passed away instead.
2. James Patterson: (1947 – ) American author and storyteller from Newburgh, NY. Patterson’s favorite books are One Hundred Years of Solitude and Ulysses because he has said that books can be an adventure.
3. James Baldwin: (1924 – 1987) African American novelist and poet from Harlem, NY. One of Baldwin’s well-known books is Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953) to which incorporates biblical references to the life of a young man named John Grimes.
4. Toni Morrison: (1931 – 2019) An American novelist and professor from Ohio. One of Morrison’s well-known books is The Bluest Eye (1970) to which discusses the brutal effects of racism especially in a young black girl named Pecola who wishes to have blue eyes more than anything because she believes she is ugly.
5. Elizabeth Acevedo: (1988) An Afro-Dominican author slash poet. Acevedo’s well-known book is is Clap When You Land (2020) because it describes the theme of coming to realization with a new reality after death and starting anew.
6. Agatha Christie: (1890 – 1976) murder mystery author who has written over sixty- two detective books. One of Christie’s well-known books is Murder On the Orient Express (1934), which is one of my personal favorites as it includes a murder mystery to solve and it’s up to Detective Hercule Poirot to solve! Also, there’s a 2017 movie version with actor Johnny Depp!
7. Gillian Flynn: (1971 – ) A thriller author from Kansas City. One of Flynn’s well- known books is Gone Girl (2012), which also stars Ben Affleck in a film adaptation, playing a husband who has realized that his famous wife has faked her disappearance and has framed him as her suspected murder.
8. Patricia Cornwell: (1956 – ) A crime writer from Miami, Florida. One of Cornwell’s well-known books is Postmortem (1990) which explains a chief medical examiner who is attempting to find a serial killer without realizing the killer is onto her trail.
9. Laura Lippman: (1959 – ) A detective fiction author from Georgia. One of Lippman’s well-known books is What the Dead Know (2007) which tells the story of investigating a woman who has been missing for more than thirty years.
10. Paula Hawkins: (1972 – ) A British psychological thriller author. One of Hawkins’ most well-known books is The Girl on the Train (2015) which is also of my ultimate favorite go-to books because it deals with the theme of thriller, alcoholism, infidelity, a secret killer under the reader’s nose, and the unlikeable protagonist becoming the true hero.

#authors #famous #famousbooks #booksofalltime #greatestauthors #thriller #murdermystery

Have you ever experienced the feeling that the book you’re reading means a lot more than you thought before? Trust me, as a recent college grad, I know all about how that feels! The book you’re holding in your hands or viewing electronically suddenly just has a different vibe to it and you find yourself more attached to it than ever. But you have no idea why you like it so much? That’s probably because you are starting to read between the lines!

Sometimes when you are reading a book, you may find yourself latching onto some of the words or phrases and can’t forget about them so easily. As you read between the lines, the book or manuscript in front of you is no longer just literature, it’s a masterpiece.

Whether it is a book, article, newspaper, or even something you are looking at on your phone, if it is still on your mind, you are reading between the lines.

If you would like more clarification on reading between the lines: it may help to consider thinking about what words first stood out to you, what characters, what actions were the characters doing, what did they say, where were they going, what about the setting that emphasized significance to you, what were the conflicts, how were they resolved, and even ponder on the title of the book or cover of it.

1. Write anything that comes to your mind. For example, if you are thinking in your head, “cat got a hat” write it down as much as you can until something else comes to mind. Or if that doesn’t write for you, just write down on a piece of paper or electronic device, “I got nothing,” until you think of anything else.
2. Read a book you enjoy and write especially down why you love that book in particular.
3. Mediate.
4. Listen to podcasts from your favorite authors, i.g. Solve, which is filled with tons of murder mystery stories and YOU are the detective. (It’s my personal favorite!)
5. Kick out your inner critic. Push away any thoughts you may have that are negative and tell you that you wouldn’t succeed.
6. Take a shower or relaxing bath with your favorite music, a glass of any drink you prefer, your favorite bubble bath or soap, and just think of anything that inspires you to write.
7. Unwind by watching your favorite shows or movies.
8. Perhaps going to your favorite cafe, bakery, coffee shop, or library where you can listen to your preferred music on your headphones and just write.
9. Going to the library where you can read.
10. IF you are writing, DON’T EDIT AS YOU GO ALONG! One of the worst things to do is write and feel as though you have to edit it when you are in your flow.
11. Go on vacation or have a little mini-vacation at home where you can relax.
12. If you feel like you can’t write at the beginning, start at the end or in the middle.
13. Go through your schedule and create a writing routine.
14. Sleep on it.
15. This is usually the last resort: but STOP WRITING and take your mind off it! Slowly cure your writer’s block by doing other activities you enjoy.

Hi, everyone! I’m so happy to meet all of you and I’m so glad you have decided to join me on this crazy murder mystery journey.

But before we get started, I want to take this time to introduce myself to all of you detectives!

My name is Sally Barrilla AKA Detective Writer! I’m a Latinx and Italian individual. I was born and raised in NYC by grandparents since I was six months old and I have been a huge lover of writing ever since I was a kid trying to learn English. I learned at a young age, just how much imagination and creativity can be brought about by words.

Just giving you a quick glance at how I look like!

Before choosing to make a blog and form a community, I was a Lehman College Spring 2020 graduate and English honor senior with a creative writing specialization and minor in professional communications aspiring to pursue a career in news journalism and writing.
I am also a fall 2019 Project Basta cohort, which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring students of color can obtain great entry-level positions. I am a semi-finalist for Fulbright Canada, a part-time Census outreach employee for a nonprofit organization Casita Maria, staff writer for the Lehman College undergrad journalist newspaper the Meridian and Spring 2020 editorial intern for G.P. Putnam Sons and Razorbill, and also former editorial blogging intern at Anschutz Public Relations.
I also recently obtained a position for Dormops, a student marketing company as a marketing associate, and strives to create new differences for people of color through my very own short stories, plays, and new digital marketing apprenticeship for COOP Careers.
I am super excited to meet all of you and forming new relationships detectives! Let’s go solving!

Hey there, detectives! Please feel free to check out a short preview of my brand new novel!