Short Mysteries, Alfred Hitchcock, and an Abundance of Story Ideas with John Floyd

Strap in. You're about to meet the master of the short mystery. When John Floyd says he writes short mysteries, he's not kidding! As you'll hear during our conversation, some of John's mysteries clock in at 800 words. That's just a little more than one single-spaced page. It takes some kind of amazing talent to not only write a story that short, but to make it a mystery and solve the puzzle. I am in awe of John's experience and practice in this area, which is why I wanted to talk to him today. I found John when I was looking for information about writing short mysteries, and found one of his blog posts on the subject. It is a thrill to have him on the show today to talk about his prolific output. Since we're talking about short mysteries today, this episode of It's a Mystery Podcast is sponsored by my brand new short mystery, The Outside of a Horse. (This short mystery runs to about 94 pages.) Secrets. Lies. Family. June 1889. When Pastor Thoreson’s sister-in-law arrives in the town called Horse she immediately becomes the victim of a crime. With Constable Jack Merrick deep in the early stages of grief over losing his wife, his good friend Walt is pressed into service to try to solve the mystery. With assistance from close friends, Walt must find a way to help the Thoresons before Merrick’s superiors discover his absence. The Outside of a Horse is part of a new series of short historical mysteries from award-winning author Alexandra Amor. A cross between the gentle rhythms and supportive relationships of Call the Midwife and the historical charm of Little House on the Prairie, the Town Called Horse stories are perfect for readers who like their mysteries with well-drawn characters and a lot of heart. Click here to get your copy today, for less than the price of your morning latte. You can find out more about today's guest, John Floyd, and all his books on his website JohnMFLoyd.com. Links and resources mentioned in this episode Click on any of the book covers to go to John