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.
New Voices, New Stories: Emerging Authors on Craft, Persistence, and Finding Their Way
Coco Ihle, Darrell James, David Bell, Fred Venturini, Johnny Shaw, and Sandra Parshall share the inspirations behind their latest books, highlighting the roles of setting, character, and perseverance in both the creative process and the path to publication.




