SunLit
SunLit
Author Lori Hodges built her first novel around family genealogy — plus her dog’s bouts with a porcupine
Research on her roots and idle hours between emergency ambulance calls gave her the inspiration and the opportunity to create "Sweet Twisted Pine"
In “A Perfect Eye,” a bizarre murder scene reveals puzzling artistic touches
The excerpt from Stephanie Kane's mystery paints a grisly picture of a crime that seems inspired by suitable-for-framing aesthetics
“Immigrants, Ornaments and Legacies” recounts the 1950s rise of Christmas bulbs
Post-war America and its new-found disposable income fueled a rapidly developing market for holiday decorations, with some of the early standards brought to the U.S. by immigrants
“Church of the Graveyard Saints” introduces old flames reunited in southwestern Colorado
Protagonist Addie Decker's return to her hometown will reunite her with old boyfriend Colt. Here, author C. Joseph Greaves introduces him.
In “Ambush,” a detective seeks a young Iraqi boy with secrets — and so does a ruthless killer
Protagonist Sydney Parnell, blood-stained from her brush with the killer Alpha, continues her search just one step ahead of danger
Barbara Nickless juggled plot and backstory to create a tale inspired by an Army intelligence officer
She also found one of her writing habits disappeared after she was displaced by the 2012 Waldo Canyon wildfire
“Spurred West” examines the myth of the Wild West, starting with its icon, Buffalo Bill Cody
Author Ian Neligh spent a year researching the legends that inspired the lore that captivated America and beyond, to see if remnants of the dime-novel stories lives on in the West
Ian Neligh rode his childhood fascination with heroes and artifacts of the Old West to a year-long project
The award-winning journalist sought to hold up the figures from his youth against modern versions of bounty-hunters, brand inspectors and bare-knuckled brawlers
In “The Secrets of Lost Stones,” a cryptic note presents troubled teen with a choice
Melissa Payne's novel calls on her experience with abused and neglected children to paint a compelling portrait of the troubled protagonist
Colorado author Melissa Payne drew on her work experience to create a lost teen named Star
In "The Secrets of Lost Stones," elements of her work with abused and neglected kids coalesce around the story of one girl's search for family
Kin or hostage? In “Wanted,” a chase across the American West, a woman realizes she’s both
Author Paula L. Silici's excerpt describes a desperate race for freedom and then what could be a last stand for two cousins
In “Fake,” a high-school outsider describes her online metamorphosis
This excerpt from Donna Cooner's young adult novel explores the desire to create a glamorous fantasy identity when a teen girl struggles to accept herself as she is
Identifying with her protagonist, Donna Cooner explored a teen’s struggle with body image
The author also found that her own addiction to social media became a major impediment to getting her work done on "Fake"
Can you tell a story in six words? Enter your mystery in this test of wordsmithing and imagination
Win cash in The Rocky Mountain Mystery Writers of America contest for your (very) brief tales. The Colorado Sun also offers a free contest just for fun -- and some Sun swag.
Scenes from the past and present, linked by shadows and light, death and violence
In their novel "Light in the Shadows," co-authors and spouses Linda Lafferty and Andy Stone meld the life of 16th-century painter Caravaggio with a present-day adventure
Colorado co-authors wrote parallel storylines in “Light in the Shadows” — reflecting their individual interests
Linda Lafferty's love of art history and Andy Stone's experience with present-day fiction had one final hurdle: How to knit the two plots together?
A Colorado author asked: What if “Mission Impossible” took place during the Renaissance?
Carol Berg, writing as Cate Glass, is a multiple CBA winner for fantasy. But she does extensive research to ground her characters in the trappings of their historical period.
An Iraqi family takes refuge in Colorado; a Libyan family feels a rising threat
In "Taste the Sweetness Later," author Connie Shoemaker explores the circumstances that brought two Muslim women to America and how they adjusted to new lives
In the novel “The Cryptid Catcher,” the main character wonders if he’ll find evil
Author Lija Fisher's protagonist, Clivo, mistakes a priest for a shape-shifting creature, but then learns some disturbing information about the object of his search
How a Charlie Sheen news story ushered a Colorado author into the world of cryptids and adventure
At first, Lija Fisher took great liberties with the creatures, but soon learned there's a whole field -- cryptozoology -- that takes them seriously, and can be a "gateway science" for kids
