Susanne Bacon

Author Bryan J. Mason lives in Bristol, England. He used to work as a tax investigator, a mediator, made sound effects for radio, and was also a rent collector, but now he is a full-time writer. Bryan wrote his first novel, Shaking Hands with the Devil, around 1990, but despite having a literary agent, failed to get it published. However, he finally gave it another go, and the book was published thirty years later in 2021. His current book has been nominated for a Crime Writers Dagger award. Bryan is a member of the

I had no idea that the German term Zeitnot (pronounce: ‘tsite-note, meaning time trouble) is one used in the English language when playing chess with a time control. Of course, if you have to create more and more complex moves in order to outwit your opponent, playing against a clock causes additional nervosity. And that, in turn, might cause blunders. As I have played chess no more than a few dozen times, ages ago, I won’t even try to look into what these time controls look like, and who came up with the concept, and who might be a champion in never having been daunted by Zeitnot.

Are you ready to switch off your screens and ponder or discuss another writing/conversation prompt from my friend Tyrean Martinson’s book? Here’s my take on it.

Author Lelina Durette just moved from Dickinson, Texas to Evansville, Indiana, where she will work as a case manager for IPMG. She has been writing since childhood, but her first book wasn’t published until 2023. She is an active member of the writing communities on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X; her website is

Vanillekipferl are a typical German Christmas cookie. (Photos: https://alltastesgerman.com/ )

Are you ready to switch off your screens and ponder or discuss another writing/conversation prompt from my friend Tyrean Martinson’s book? Here’s my take on it.

Author T.J. Fier from Fargo, North Dakota, works as an Associate Professor of Set Design at NDSU. Her first book, The Bright One, was initially published through Three Little Sisters. She recently regained the rights and re-released the book herself. There will be more books coming out in 2025. T.J. credits Moorhead Friends Writing Group based out of Moorhead, Montana, with whom she is a member, with where she’s gotten as an author. When T.J. Fier isn’t writing, she reads, rides horses and studies dressage, drawing, painting, designing, “and whatnot”, even though it’s also her job.

(Photo: Vedrana Filipović @ https://unsplash.com/ )

Author Jay Larkin from a suburb of London, England, is currently retired, but worked as a chemical engineer, later became a guidance counsellor in a college, and ended up as an art facilitator for young people with behavioral problems. She has been writing for about ten years. Her first book – under a pen name, for children – was published in 2022. The first book in her current cozy mystery series, Grime Doesn’t Pay, was published in 2023. She has received an award for a poem she wrote a couple of years ago. Jay belongs to a local writer’s group. When Jay isn’t writing, she loves drawing and has created sketches for her book covers; she also enjoys all kinds of other crafts – crochet, knitting, pottery, etc. and swims regularly, as she finds the pool a great place to get ideas for stories.

Sacred art most often depicts saints with a halo – the shape of these varies. (Photo: Etienne Girardet @