Elena Hartwell, Kathleen Cosgrove, Kirsten Marquette, Nikki Wright, Ray Peden, and Sharon Marchisello share techniques for creating characters that linger in a reader’s mind. They explore how motivation, conflict, and emotional truth elevate storytelling.
When Music Drives Mood, Character, and Plot
Music can do more than set mood. This session explores how rhythm, lyrics, and soundtracks become active forces in crime fiction, shaping character, atmosphere, and plot in powerful ways.




