Stephen L. Smoke's MYSTERY Writing Course

A wonderfully unusual piece of mystery-writing history. Offered here is a 1983 First Edition of Stephen L. Smoke’s Mystery Writing Course, written by mystery novelist, screenwriter, filmmaker, and later publisher Stephen L. Smoke. This is not a standard mass-market writing guide. The book has the unmistakable feel of an early, limited-course publication: comb-bound, typewritten, practical, direct, and built like a working writer’s manual rather than a bookstore trade edition. The copyright page clearly states: First Edition 1983 Printed in the United States And this particular copy has something even better. It is signed and personally inscribed by Stephen L. Smoke to “Alice,” with the message: “Alice, Good Luck with your writing” That alone gives the copy a personal connection to its original recipient, but the real intrigue is tucked inside. The book includes original handwritten mystery-story development notes laid in, filled with plot ideas, clues, motives, possible suspects, character questions, and revisions. These notes appear to have been used alongside the course exercises and give the book the feel of an actual working mystery-writing workshop frozen in time. The handwritten pages include phrases involving: a body, a partially written letter, fingerprints, possible jealous motives, a woman’s death, an intruder, evidence, and questions of whether events happened exactly as they first appeared. In other words, this copy didn’t just sit on a shelf. Someone was using it to build a mystery. The course itself covers: Plot • Character • Setting • Outlining • Openings • Creating Mystery • Sustaining Tension • Climax/Denouement • Editing • Preparing a Manuscript • Selling Your Work Stephen L. Smoke would go on to publish numerous novels and work in film and screenwriting, making this 1983 course an especially interesting early-career artifact. Why this copy stands out First Edition 1983 Signed and inscribed by Stephen L. Smoke Original early writing-course format Handwritten mystery-development notes laid in No ISBN observed Scarce title with very limited marketplace presence The handwritten notes are included exactly as found and are not attributed to Stephen L. Smoke unless otherwise proven. They appear to be period working notes associated with the course’s original owner or participant. A terrific piece for a collector of: Mystery Fiction • Crime Writing • Writing Instruction • Signed Books • Author Ephemera • Manuscript Material • Literary Curiosities • Vintage Writing Courses This one has a little smoke in the room, a body in the notes, and a signature on the evidence. (BR) 361. …