Reversals, Red Herrings, and Twists: a Mystery Authors Panel Discussion

Four local authors of mysteries and thrillers will discuss how they write their books, where their ideas come from, how they plot the twists and turns, and how they develop their characters.

Panelists are Patricia (aka T. M.) Dunn, Elena Imbimbo, Andrea Penrose and Wendy Walker.

Book sale and signing to follow.

Registration required.

Patricia (a.k.a. T. M.) Dunn is the award-winning author of Her Father’s Daughter, winner of the 2024 IPPY Gold Medal for Best Mystery/Thriller eBook. She also wrote Last Stop on the 6, a finalist for the Firecracker Award, and Rebels by Accident. Her writings have appeared in Salon, The Village Voice, The Nation, LA Weekly and The Christian Science Monitor. She is the co-founder of Key to the Castle Workshop, which offers immersive writing retreats and online programs for writers at all stages of their journey. Its signature retreat takes place in Cetara, Italy, on the Amalfi Coast. She previously served as Senior Director of the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College, where she earned her MFA in creative writing. She is a sought-after coach and developmental editor who works closely with both aspiring and established authors. Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, she is a world traveler who has lived in Italy, Egypt, Jordan and California, among other locations. She now lives in Stamford and is working on her next novel with her two rescue pups, Blanqui and Cookie, curled up at her side.

Elena Imbimbo is a researcher and analyst working in conflict prevention and resolution. With extensive experience in the media and editorial sectors, she is also a writer, a translator and co-executive director of New Canaan CERT, a volunteer organization that supports the town’s emergency services.

Andrea Penrose is the author of Regency-era historical fiction, including the USA Today bestselling Wrexford & Sloane mystery series, as well as Regency romances written under the pen name Andrea Pickens. Published internationally in 11 languages, she is a three-time RITA Award finalist and the recipient of numerous writing awards, including two Daphne du Maurier Awards for Historical Mystery and two Golden Leaf Awards. A graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in art and an M.F.A. in graphic design, she fell in love with Regency England after reading Pride and Prejudice, and has maintained a fascination with the era's swirling silks and radical new ideas throughout her writing career. She lives in Connecticut and blogs with a community of historical fiction authors at WordWenches.com.

Wendy Walker is the USA Today bestselling author of psychological suspense novels. Her work has been translated into more than 23 languages and has been optioned for television and film. She is a former attorney and investment banker, and as a teenager, she trained for competitive figure skating. Her latest thriller, Blade, was published in January.

Presented in partnership with Sisters in Crime CT.