Keeping readers engaged is as much about psychology as craft. Susan Finch, associate professor and dean at Belmont University, explores how the brain responds to story and why certain openings pull us forward. This session focuses on first chapter fundamentals and the techniques that sustain narrative momentum long after the first page.
50 Shades of Cozy: When Cozy Mysteries Dare to Go Dark
Catriona McPherson, Clare O’Donohue, Dorothy St. James, and Duffy Brown discuss how modern cozy mysteries push past traditional boundaries. They explore humor, tone, and darker emotional layers, and how adding depth and edge can make a cozy story more powerful without...
