Prescott Writers: Suspense vs. Mystery

It’s a Mystery… It’s a Suspense… No, It’s a... What? How do you approach a story that begs to be told but refuses to stay within the confines of one genre? What are the pitfalls and benefits of weaving a story in and out of two genres? Do you fully understand the genres you’ve chosen? Author Brenda Whiteside will discuss the often misunderstood difference between mystery and suspense and how to combine genres when writing your fiction novel. She will additionally give an overview of the eight main fiction genres along with guidelines and organizational skills to help you achieve your writing goals.

Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, cozy mystery, and romance. She and her granddaughter write children’s books under the names of Brenda Sue and Sadi Belle. A born and bred Arizona native, she sets her stories in imaginary, but recognizable, Arizona locations. 

Prescott Writers is hosted by Central Arizona Writers and presented with funding from the Friends of the Prescott Public Library.

UPDATE: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the original speaker of this program will be replaced by Joann Ashlock. Updated presentation topic is memoir writing, with the focus on the works and writings of Sue Silverman and "A Deep Dive Into Memoirs." 

Joann Ashlock has a BA degree in English from Washington State University, an M.Ed in Education from the University of Miami, and an MA degree in English Literature from Gonzaga University.