No Snow but we Have our Usual--Fog

No, it isn't snowing. It did briefly last week--but because we've had lots of rain, we're experiencing fog all over the San Joaquin Valley and it does creep up here in the foothills at times during the day. Fog is what we experience most from around or after Thanksgiving usually until March. There is nothing scarier than driving in fog. I've done a lot of it.

When we lived on the coast there were times that I drove in the fog and had no clue where I was. Coming home from a party with a car load of women (no drinking involved) we were driving out in the country and we had to stop and someone get out to read the road sign to make sure we were indeed headed in the right direction. What I hate is when you are following someone and they pull over and once you pass they drop in behind you so they can follow.

A friend of mine once followed someone right into his driveway on a foggy night and had no idea the person had left the freeway.

Though the fog situation hasn't changed, on the 99 freeway these days (major highway through the San Joaquin Valley) when the fog is really bad, the highway patrol drives slowly back and forth at a much slower pace to keep the idiots who think they can still drive 70 when they can't see a thing.

Thinking about fog makes me realizes using fog in a mystery would really work well. In fact the situations I described could be used as part of a plot.

For me, now that the fog has settled in I'm settling in too. I'll go as far as town, 17 miles down the road, but that's it.

Now that I've been thinking about it, what can I do with fog in the book I'm writing now?

Merry Christmas one and all--hope you have appropriate weather for you holiday pleasure.

Marilyn

A Village Shattered’s Logan & Cafferty Interview

By Jean Henry Mead

Today I’m interviewing Dana Logan and Sarah Cafferty, two main characters from A Village Shattered, my latest senior sleuth mystery/suspense novel. My 60-year-old senior sleuths aren’t too pleased with me at the moment:

Dana, having a serial killer lurking in the San Joaquin Valley fog must have put a damper on your Christmas festivities?

It did, and we received some strange gifts. A friend in Arizona sent me a helmet to protect me from a possible attack. She also sent a neck brace in case the killer tries to strangle me, like he did to two of our club members.

Sarah, did you also receive some weird presents?

My kids sent me a baseball bat and a paint ball gun. The sheriff won’t allow us real guns, I guess he thinks we’ll shoot ourselves in the foot, or each other.”

Guns are dangerous if you don’t know how to use them.

Dana’s late husband taught her to use all kinds of guns. And our friend Micki shot all the game meat for her freezer. Everyone thought her late husband shot the deer, but Micki says he couldn’t hit a barn at five paces. You won’t tell anyone, will you?

I’m afraid I already did. Whoever reads the book will know why you and your surviving club members are being killed alphabetically.

We were doing just fine until you brought that serial killer into our midst. Our So and Sew Club Members were happily meeting each week to do needlework and swap retirement village gossip. Why’d you have to ruin it?

Sarah, you don’t write a mystery/suspense novel without at least one body.

One sure, but your serial killer is trying to send us all to the happy hunting ground. Why so many victims?

I guess it’s because I give my characters free rein and the killer wasn’t satisfied with just one body. . . By the way, Dana, how are you coming along with your sleuthing? Found any clues?

You planted plenty of red herrings but we’re sifting through them. I really think you have a mean streak because you planted us all in the fog. Thank goodness my daughter Kerrie arrived in time to help with the investigation. She’s a journalist, you know, and thanks to you she’s also on the killer’s list.

Which scenes were the most frightening for you, Dana?

When the killer locked us in the closet. He was planning to turn the old farmhouse into a crematorium, with us in it. It was even worse when he kidnapped Kerrie.

What about you, Sarah?

I was nearly scared to death when Dana and Kerri were lost in the fog and had to steal a police car. I didn’t know about it until later. I just knew they were missing.

Well, ladies, are you looking forward to a happy new year?

Fat chance. You’re gonna put us in a motorhome in the middle of a Rocky Mountain blizzard in the next novel, Diary of Murder. Why can’t you leave well enough alone?

Sorry, Sarah. I just can’t help myself . . . It’s time to tell everyone, “Happy New Year.”