How to Dress Noir, Smell Like Noir and Swill Noir Cocktails

By On May 18, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Noir is hot these days.  I’m not talking about the ruthless, hard-edged detectives in film noir.  No, I’m  talking about noir cocktails, clothing, colognes and perfumes.  There’s even a vintage noir perfume that rarely shows up for sale, and when it does perfumistas are willing to shell out hundreds and hundreds of dollars for a mere [...]

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#writetip: Adding Twists to Your Fictional Private Eye’s Interviews

By On May 14, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Several years ago, I wrote the column “P.I. Confidential” for the organization Novelists, Inc.  As the organization’s membership were published full-length commercial novelists, I geared the information to writers.  At the end of the article I answer a writer’s question about her fictional PI interviewing an intoxicated suspect who confesses, out of the blue, to [...]

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On This Mother’s Day: Children Who Want to be Junior Private Eyes

On May 12, 2013 By

I’m a stepmom to five children.  Of those, only one hounded me relentlessly to join me on an investigation, specifically on a surveillance.

I always told her no, which sparked conversations like this:

“Why not?” she’d ask.

“Because surveillances are not for children.”

“But I’m almost thirteen.”

“I rest my case.”

“But [...]

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Our Private Investigations’ Equipment: From Bags of the Stuff to a Smartphone

On May 5, 2013 By

When we started our private investigations agency back in 2003-2004, we invested a chunk of money in equipment upfront.  We were starting on a shoestring budget (like many PIs) , so we took great care to think about what equipment we absolutely, critically needed.  Our first question to ourselves was…

What Kind of [...]

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News Round-Up: Articles on Private Investigations, Free Book Giveaways and More

On March 2, 2013 By

Articles on Private Investigations

March marks the release of Colleen’s new novel, The Next Right Thing, a private-eye romance that features Las Vegas PI Cammie Copello.  In conjunction with the book release, Colleen has written several articles on private investigations, geared for writers and others interested in the real world of private detectives. [...]

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Raymond Chandler-Inspired Recipes: From Noir Cupcakes to Gimlets

On February 22, 2013 By

(Enter Colleen’s March Giveaway: Win Books and More!)

He looked about as inconspicuous as a tarantula on a slice of angel food. -Raymond Chandler

People have been inspired to write recipes honoring Chandler, although surprisingly nobody has done an angel food cake one.  However, there are a variety [...]

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Tips from a PI: Writers’ Resources About Real-Life Private Eyes

On February 16, 2013 By


In my current release, The Next Right Thing (Harlequin Superromance, March 2013), the heroine is a private investigator. Because I am also a private investigator in real life, I didn’t have to research her career all that much. But even if I wasn’t a PI, there are ways I could [...]

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News Round-Up: Noir Magazine, Nancy Drew Recipes, Free Book Giveaway

On January 25, 2013 By

The Deadline

I’m on deadline writing a book featuring a female private eye protagonist (what a surprise, eh?).  I’m on chapter 4.  Book is due April 1.  Makes you want to start drinking martinis at 7 a.m., doesn’t it?

Before before I start pounding the keyboard, today I’m sharing some fun stuff, from a cool-looking [...]

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Lady Sleuth Cocktails: Honey West Martini, the Emma Peel, the Nancy Drew

On January 12, 2013 By

Happy New Year!  

There’s plenty of cocktails named after the hardboiled private dicks like Philip Marlowe’s Gimlet or the intellectual detective, like the smoky Sherlock Holmes cocktail, which by the way includes Sherlock’s favorite tea, Lapsang souchong.

But there’s also a few cocktails named after some of our favorite lady sleuths, from the [...]

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A Private Eye Christmas Tale: Miracle on Bannock Street

On December 15, 2012 By

Several yes ago, I was invited to write a novella in a Christmas story anthology.  The only requirement was that each author base their story on a classic Christmas film.

I chose Miracle on 34th Street. The original film was made in 1947 and starred a young child actress named Natalie Wood. The story is [...]

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