IT'S A MYSTERY TO ME

    You haven't seen me blogging here very often. It's a mystery to me, but lately it seems I'm more interested in writing romances. Since this is a mystery blog, I can't pretend my current romance books could be classified as mysteries.

    Still, I can share one mystery about writing. It seems many books are geared toward a younger generation. That's not me anymore. True, some older people want to escape and pretend they're younger while immersed in fiction. 

    Often I find when a book does contain an older person as a main or secondary character, the author uses depictions of people that may have been true years ago, but not anymore. It's time for some writers to look around and discover that the older people of today are not cardboard cutouts, but people much like themselves, just older. 

    Granny, Grandma, Grandpa, etc. to describe a character is missing the essence of what today's older folks are really all about. We're not all sitting around knitting, though I don't knock that hobby for those who have the talent. We're not sitting around in rocking chairs all day and imparting wisdom when called for. 

    Sure, some of our clothes don't fit like they used to, but they're not much different than anyone else's. We don't need a younger person to help with computers. We can do fine on our own.  

    Many, depending on our age, can still drive. We attend festivals, even participate at times. Some of us even know how to play instruments, such as pianos or guitars. Others decorate, paint or do repairs. We like going to Fitness Classes to stay in shape. We go out to eat when we feel like it.

    Shopping is a fun sport for many of us, though finding the right clothes to fit is sometimes a challenge. We bond with our neighbors. Some of us still have jobs, though in my case I'm retired and just write books when I feel like it. 

    Many of us own dogs or cats, even both, or birds or other animals. We like to read, watch movies and TV. Some of us even like cooking, though I admit that long ago I did, but now it bores me. Luckily, I have a hubby who likes taking over that chore. 

    Yes, some are married still, while some have lost their spouse. Others are looking for a soul mate or don't want one. Anyway, you get the picture. We're normal people, not stereotypies.     

    Now that I've had my say, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that in Found At the Pound, A Senior Romance Featuring 2 Dog Lovers, you'll find ordinary people, who just happen to be seniors. I'm also in the midst of a spinoff on one of the characters in that book.

https://www.amazon.com/FOUND-AT-POUND-Romance-Featuring-ebook/dp/B08W2FTF74

Thanks for letting me vent a little. 

                               Morgan Mandel

https://www.morganmandel.com

 

What's In A Name?

by Janis Patterson

As predictably as the seasons, every so often the writers' eloops explode with The Great Pseudonym Question. Someone - usually a newbie - asks whether or not they should use different names for different genres, have separate websites and social media feeds, etc. The answers are all over the place, from yes and no to certainly and most definitely not. And there are good reasons for just about every answer.

My answer? A definite 'It depends...'

Whether or not to use a pseudonym is an intensely personal decision, but it's not all about you. You have to think of your reader. If you write middle grade fiction and hot erotic romance, I say you definitely need a pseudonym, as well as separate websites and social media accounts! Your readers are drawn from two vastly different populations. Can you just imagine what would happen if your middle grade reader, anxious to learn about the new adventures of your heroine Sweetie McNice as she navigates the politics of Prettytown Summer Camp, picks up (on the basis of your author name) the new book featuring Stormy McSexy who happily sets about seducing every guy in the police department to try to get the attention of the new detective? It doesn't bear thinking about - especially the reaction of the parents. You definitely need a pseudonym there, for your protection if not the kiddos'!

I believe an author name is an essential part of branding. I use pseudonyms to delineate my different books - none of which are overtly sexy, except one. I was coerced into writing that by a former publisher, but by today's standards it's pretty close to mainstream, so I leave it under my romance name. (In the interest of full disclosure, I must say that when in desperate need of quick money a couple of years ago I wrote a few full-blown erotics. Needless to say, I used a pseudonym which shall remain forever known only to me and God, and God better not tell anyone what it is, because I certainly won't!)

As I bore easily I write in a variety of genres. I write romance and horror (odd combination and a long story, but I believe the covers will be guide enough for the reader) as Janis Susan May, traditional mysteries as Janis Patterson, children's as Janis Susan Patterson and scholarly and non-fiction as JSM Patterson. I make no secret that all of the above are me, even to having just one website and one social media account. It just makes things easier, which is great, as it leaves more time for writing. Which I should be doing now.

So - everyone says your name is your brand, but to brand efficiently - and to be fair to your readers - think carefully about whether you need a pseudonym or not. It's your decision, but as I said above, you have to think about your readers as well.

How Much Grit Do I Want in My Mysteries?

My guest today is my dear friend and fellow mystery writer, Maggie King. Murder at the Moonshine Inn, the second book in her Hazel Rose Book Group mysteries, has recently been published. Today Maggie discusses how much grit she wants in her mysteries.

Gritty mysteries. Violent content, bloody images, sexuality, language. The movie versions are rated R. One of Merriam-Webster’s definitions of gritty is “harsh and unpleasant.” Raymond Chandler, Michael Connelly, Patricia Cornwell, Robert Crais, Henning Mankell, and Ruth Rendell are just a few of our renowned authors who write the “dark stuff”—noir. And they’re really good at it.

I watch many TV shows where violence runs rampant. The British and Swedish do it best—Luther is breathtakingly violent; the characters in the riveting Swedish drama, Beck, don’t flinch at a little blood; the American Animal Kingdom had a mild, if menacing, start but by the end of the season the violence had reached a nearly unbearable level. Sexuality and language are a natural part of these stories— the characters aren’t likely to say, “Oh, fudge!”
I love these depictions of a grim reality, whether in print or on screen. But do I want to write tales

with a “darkness of the spirit?”

No, no, a thousand times, no! Maybe spending so much time with my characters and story makes me fear all that darkness. I write cozies, edgy cozies, but cozies all the same. My violence happens off-page and is minimally described. In one story, I have the killer picking up a weapon and using it. But I left the aftermath to the reader’s vivid imagination. In another story, a character gets killed in a pretty horrific way, but all I mention is the murder weapon. Again, I let my readers fill in the blanks. No grisly details. Sometimes a well-chosen word here or there will paint a complete picture.
My characters love sex and love to talk about sex but when they “get right down to the real nitty-gritty” (see how well the song title fits the subject?) they go off-page. I may sprinkle a mild expletive—or two—into the dialogue. My readers object to profanity and I must respect their wishes. There are ways to suggest swearing and mystery author Naomi Hirahara is so skilled at this that you know the exact word she’s not using. Another mystery author, F.M. Meredith, has this to say about the lack of salty language in her Rocky Bluff P.D. series: “Oh, the characters do cuss, I just don’t quote them.”
But Merriam-Webster has another definition of gritty: having or showing a lot of courage and determination.

My main character, Hazel Rose, doesn’t consider herself to be brave and accepts her crime-solving missions with great reluctance. But, once committed, she will run a killer to earth. Mystery writers, regardless of how noir-ish or cozy their story is, want a determined detective, one with an abundance of “true grit.” It’s true grit that unites crime writers as we restore justice to our fictional worlds.
And it’s true grit that I want in my mysteries.


Maggie King is the author of the Hazel Rose Book Group mysteries, including the recently-released Murder at the Moonshine Inn. She contributed the stories “A Not So Genteel Murder” and “Reunion at Shockoe Slip” to the Virginia is for Mysteries anthologies.
Maggie is a member of Sisters in Crime, James River Writers, and the American Association of University Women. She has worked as a software developer, retail sales manager, and customer service supervisor. Maggie graduated from Elizabeth Seton College and earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology. She has called New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California home. These days she lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, Glen, and cats, Morris and Olive. She enjoys reading, walking, movies, traveling, theatre, and museums.
Website: http://www.maggieking.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaggieKingAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaggieKingAuthr
Buy link: http://amzn.to/2dtozWa

Blurb for Murder at the Moonshine Inn:
WHEN HIGH-POWERED EXECUTIVE Roxanne Howard dies in a pool of blood outside the Moonshine Inn, Richmond, Virginia’s premiere redneck bar, the victim’s sister enlists Hazel Rose to ferret out the killer. At first Hazel balks—she’s a romance writer, not a detective. But Brad Jones, Rox’s husband, is the prime suspect. He’s also Hazel’s cousin, and Hazel believes in doing anything to help family. Never mind that Brad won’t give her the time of day—he’s still family.

Hazel recruits her book group members to help with the investigation. It’s not long before they discover any number of people who feel that a world without Rox Howard is just fine with them: Brad’s son believes that Rox and Brad were behind his mother’s death; Rox’s former young lover holds Rox responsible for a tragedy in his family; and one of Rox’s employees filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against her. The killer could be an angry regular from the Moonshine Inn—or just about anyone who ever crossed paths with the willful and manipulative Rox.

When a second murder ups the ante Hazel must find out who is behind the killings. And fast. Or she may be victim #3.

And the Holiday Season is Upon Us

Many authors are now participating in Christmas boutiques and craft shows, and I just did one too.

I thought I'd make a comment about authors who do these. I know that it's fun to be with other authors, but sometimes that can be a problem. I've noticed too often that if two or more authors are together, they tend to spend a lot of time chatting with one another instead of paying  attention to those who are passing by.

For me, I find that I'll sell more books if I stand up and make eye contact with those passing by. And if they do glance my way, I ask, "Do you like to read mysteries?" Those who aren't at all interested will shake their heads, or say they don't read, or only read non-fiction, but many will stop and listen to what I have to say about my books. Once I've had that opportunity to give a few short sentences about my series, they'll often ask questions, and will probably purchase a book or two.

Another problem I've seen is the author leaving his/her post to go visit with others. No one is going to buy your books if you aren't there to sell it. I've seen people stop at an unmanned table, pick up books and then look around to see who was there to talk to--no one. Then the potential buyer moves on.

Because authors work alone, it's great to finally have someone who know about writing be available to visit with--but do it when there are no customers or readers walking by. Interrupt your conversation if needed.

And smile at everyone. Look like you're enjoying yourself even if you aren't. Maybe you're way out of your comfort zone, but you signed up for the event to sell books so that's what you should do.

And with that, I'll sign off--but tell me what you think--both readers and writers.

Marilyn

Nancy Drew - Memories, Fantasies and Libraries

by Janis Patterson

I’ll admit it – I loved Nancy Drew. Didn’t like Trixie Belden, couldn’t stand the other one whose name I can’t remember right now, was never allowed to read Cherry Ames (she was a nurse, and my mother hated that) but I simply loved Nancy Drew. Our own Kathleen Kaska recently blogged on Nancy Drew, which brought up a plethora of memories I thought amusing enough to share with you.

I learned to read early – around three, we think, but no one knows for sure – and by five was gleefully working my way through my parents’ library before they really knew what I was reading, not that in those antique days there was anything ‘risque’ in there. I had gotten about half-way through their small collection of Ellery Queens, which I pretty much understood, and some history books which I pretty much didn’t. I remember especially remember Boswell’s London Journal, mainly for how much it horrified my parents to find me reading it.

Anyway, in their search to find more age-appropriate reading matter for me, Mother took me to the local library where a kindly librarian took us to the children’s department. I was allowed to pick out six books, and I remember being very distressed at how thin they were. Mother was very distressed that I had them all read before we could drive home. After several equally unproductive visits, we went over to the grown-up section (‘adult’ has such an unfortunate connotation these days) and I found several books I would like to read. The kindly librarian suddenly turned into a martinet; children, she said in pointy tones, could not check out books from the adult section because they would only tear them up and they couldn’t really read them anyway. When I realized I was being insulted I reacted with a spirited rebuttal, which resulted in the librarian regarding me much as she would a talking dog or other freak of nature. I was summarily ejected from the library and banished for a week. Although I now do speaking engagements at libraries I have looked at them askance ever since.

Then salvation came in the unlikely form of Sears and Roebuck. In my youth that was our main shopping outlet. On Thursday nights, when they stayed open until the dizzying hour of 9 pm, we would go after supper just for the fun of riding the new escalators. Those were indeed simpler times. Anyway, one night we walked past a sale display of Nancy Drew books. They looked fascinating and while Mother’s and Daddy's attention was occupied elsewhere, I inspected them and lost my heart. At 99 cents each they were still a fair amount, for our family at least, but the memory of my humiliation in the library was still fresh, so somehow my parents scraped up the required amount and I was the proud possessor of my first Nancy Drew. I don’t remember which one it was, but I do know I still own it – I still have every one I ever owned. Whichever one it was, I must have read it fifteen or twenty times in the next week. After that, even though we were very far from well-to-do, once a month I got a new Nancy Drew, even after the price went back to the regular $1.99 – a goodly sum in those days.

I would have gone back to the library and even apologized to the librarian for being so abnormal as to be able to read adult books if I could have checked out Nancy Drews. Unfortunately in those days libraries did not find Nancy and her friends ‘worthwhile’ reading and refused to stock them. More fool them.

Anyway, I was ecstatically happy no matter where the books came from. A mystery I could actually understand! A girl sleuth I could identify with! Of course, to my young mind there was no difference between a fictional, perfect teenager and my own much younger and rather lumpy self, but that made no difference. When I was reading, I was Nancy. Nancy drove a car (though I had to look up what a roadster was), she had seemingly unlimited funds, she was allowed to go where and when she wanted, all the while delicious mysteries seemed to leap into her path.

Now from the vantage point of my unfortunately advanced years, I realize no one could possibly be as perfect in mind, body, family, and life in general as Nancy Drew. Also that Carson Drew was the most lax of parents, perhaps even to the criminal point, but to my young self, as the product of two ridiculously overprotective parents, that was a situation to be envied.

As I grew a little older (though still in lower elementary school) I entered a very analytical phase and decided that just with a little application I could be just the same as Nancy. Of course, I had no money, no car, and two very hover-prone parents, but if I could just find a mystery to solve I was certain I could overcome those hurdles. I thought if I re-read every Nancy Drew I had and made a chart of how she got involved with each mystery, I could do the same thing and have a mystery of my own – only thing was, I found the mysteries all seemed to come to Nancy with no effort on her part. Drat!

The years have passed and my tastes have (hopefully!) become much more sophisticated. It’s been a couple of decades since I read a Nancy Drew, and perhaps that’s good. The province of our memory is often kinder than present perception, and I treasure my memories of Nancy Drew too much to put them at risk.

  

The Party’s Over

Over the holidays, I did something I haven’t done since I started my latest series. I took five days off in a row from writing. That is, I didn’t sit at the computer and put words into the file for Fat Cat #3 (which doesn’t have a title yet). However, it wasn’t completely gone from my mind, except for short stretches of fun with the family.

Things kept popping up in my head and I noted them down. As soon as I could, I would perch on the edge of my office chair and type them into my notes. If that wasn’t possible, I’d stick the paper I had scribbled upon on the stack to the left of my keyboard. That’s my stack for whatever I’m currently working on, for the most part.

I dreaded getting back into the story, but, you know what? It wasn’t that bad. I’m so glad I did take the trouble to jot those ideas down because I used every single one, or will within a day or two.

Friday I did some gift returns, but did manage to get 880 words written. I’ll wait until Monday to do the rest of the gift stuff, I think. Saturday will be a zoo! Besides, I need a whole day to luxuriate in the freedom to write without thinking about the one gift left, the cards to mail, the peanut brittle (which I never did make), and the meal planning.

I love Christmas and love kids and grandkids being here. I also love the relaxation when everything’s over!

Have any of you taken a chunk of time off from writing during the winter holidays? Do you have any tricks for getting back into it?

Just Keep Going

Kathleen Kaska
Fifth Saturday Blogger

Do you ever have days, or even weeks, when writing seems a chore? The passion and enjoyment you usually experience went south? You spend more time online “researching” than writing just one decent sentence?

            My muse must have found something better to do the last few weeks than inspire, encourage, and prod me. I’m not sure, but I think she went to Spain for a vacation.

            Something had to give, so I loosened my purse strings and attended the Write on the Sound Writer’s Conference in the picturesque, waterside community of Edmonds, Washington. Despite signing up early, several workshops that interested me were already closed. I almost didn’t register, but I told myself to be open-minded. As it turned out, I came away with valuable information from every workshop and a fresh attitude toward my writing.

            Here, in a nutshell, is what I gleaned from the conference:  

    Stay off the internet. Okay, that’s not always practical or possible, but I realized how easy it was to close the document I was working on and rush to Google for a bit of research. Now, I make a list of things I need to look up and do it in one fell swoop at the end of my writing day rather than interrupt the flow.

    Self-promotion is overrated. I scoffed when I heard this, but the presenter went on to explain how important it was to target specific audiences rather than used the scattershot approach. In other words, promote wisely.

    Don’t write for free. That was another tidbit I scoffed at. True, the publishing world has changed and we often write for free when we blog. But, it got me to thinking about the freelancing I used to do and the money it brought in. So, I dusted off my Writer’s Market and set a goal to get back to freelancing.

    Simultaneous submissions are okay. That was a relief to hear, but to be sure, I checked out the current issue of Writer’s Market and learned that most publishers do accept simultaneous submissions. It’s about time. After all, we don’t have five hundred years to live.

    Don’t set the bar too low, or your writing won’t improve. This is most important. When I was teaching, we had a saying: “If you think you’ve learned everything you need to know about this profession, then it’s probably time for you to retire.” I realized that I’d become complacent about my writing. I decided to try my hand at the new mystery I’d been pondering for a few years. It’s a serious story about a PI suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I’m used to writing light, humorous stories. This was a real stretch. I started off writing it in first person, and as a challenge, I switched to third person. I now have close to 15,000 words and my motivation level is off the charts.

            My muse is back from vacation, too. She even brought me a gift—a new motto: “Just Keep Going.” Now I’m writing several hours a day. It feels good. I’m happy. Case closed.

My guest today, Judy Alter, one of my favorite writers

My guest today is Judy Alter, writer extraordinaire. She gives a thoughtful post on Gone Girl and her own The Perfect Coed. --Kaye George

Make Mine Mystery

I’ve been following a lengthy thread on a crime writers’ list about Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, which has been on the best-seller list for two years now. The comments on the thread range from “literary masterpiece,” “wonderful prose and careful construction,” “satire, not mystery” to “I could get into it,” “I gave up after twenty pages,” and “I didn’t like the characters.” The latter interests me most. I’ve not read the book—and probably won’t—but I’ve heard a lot about how unlikeable both the husband and wife in this book are. It leads me to wonder why people read it and why it’s been on the best-seller list so long.

There seems to be widespread consensus that Gone Girl is not a mystery. Several readers classify it as a suspense thriller—but is that not a mystery subgenre? I’m a little confused here.

Many readers will tell you they tire of light fiction—cozies where there are few dark moments, often lots of humor, and usually a satisfying ending. They want deeper, darker stories that challenge them to think about the nature of mankind. I saw one suggestion that we live in such time of turmoil that our reading tastes reflect the times we live in. I’m not sure I buy that argument—certainly, we live in dark times of political dissatisfaction, world terrorism, racism at home, difficult dilemmas for all of us, not just our leaders. But if our reading tastes reflect our times, is the darkness of the Middle Ages what made The Canterbury Tales great? I suspect today, like all ages, it’s different strokes for different folks. The one principle that I find most commentators agree on is that a novel has to have a satisfactory ending with some sense of morality triumphing.

But that leaves another question about Gone Girl.  How important is character to your reading interest. And which comes first—plot or character? Do you get involved in a book where you either don’t like or don’t care about the characters but the plot fascinates? I don’t. I like to feel I’ve been into the world of the characters, that I care about what happens to them, just as I would care about what happens to a good friend. And I want to feel sad when I come to the end of the book because I don’t want to leave the world of the characters. They’ve become friends. If I don’t like the characters or feel some identification with them, plot doesn’t matter. I don’t care what happens. This is not to say that characters should be without flaws. Heaven forbid! Even in the lightest cozy, I want characters to be true to life…and there’s not a one of us without a whole bunch of flaws.

Passing judgment on  Gone Girl when I haven’t read it borders dangerously on arrogance, and I wouldn’t even bring the topic up if it weren’t that I’ve read so much about it, mostly negative, and I’m puzzled about its lengthy run on the best-seller list. It’s set to me to thinking about what I really like in a book when I read, and I confess—I like, and I write, cozies. I identify with the (usually) single female sleuth even if I am a tad older. I dislike violence and am not particularly interested in graphic sex and plain don’t like erotica. But I enjoy a good puzzle, so a well-plotted cozy mystery with likeable characters is my choice for escape reading. Bad confession for one who has written and edited all her life: I don’t want to read a book just to admire the skill of the prose. I want to become involved in the story.

Lest you dismiss me as a lightweight, let me say that my latest book, The Perfect Coed, is barely a cozy, if at all—I’m thinking of promoting cozy noir as a subgenre—and the protagonist, Susan Hogan, professor of English, is likeable but prickly—that’s the best term for it. But I hope you’ll like her.

Judy Alter is no stranger to college campuses, like the one she invented for The Perfect Coed. She attended the University of Chicago, Truman State University in Missouri, and Texas Christian University, where she earned a Ph.D. and taught English. For twenty years, she was director of TCU Press, the book publishing program of the university. The author of many books for both children and adults, she retired in 2010 and turned her attention to writing contemporary cozy mysteries. She is the author of the Kelly O’Connell Mysteries and the Blue Plate Café Mysteries.

She holds awards from the Western Writers of America, the National Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame, and the Texas Institute of Letters. She was inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame and recognized as an Outstanding Woman of Fort Worth and a woman who has left her mark on Texas by the Dallas Morning News. Western Writers of America gave her the Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Judy-Alter/e/B001H6NMU6/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1377217817&sr=1-2-ent

Turquoise Morning Press: http://www.turquoisemorningpressbookstore.com/search?q=Judy+Alter

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/462168

Web page: http://www.judyalter.com

Blogs: http://www.judys-stew.blogspot.com; http://potluckwithjudy.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Judy-Alter-Author/366948676705857

Twitter: @judyalter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5446.Judy_Alter

Blurb for The Perfect Coed:

Susan Hogan is smart, pretty—and prickly. There was no other word for it. She is prickly with Jake Phillips and her Aunt Jenny, the two people who love her most in the world. And she is prickly and impatient with some of her academic colleagues and the petty jealousies in the English department at Oak Grove University. When a coed’s body is found in her car and she is suspected of murder, Susan gets even more defensive.

But when someone begins to stalk and threaten her—trying to run her down, causing a moped wreck that breaks her ankle—prickly mixes with fear. Susan decides she has to find the killer to save her reputation—and her life. What she suspects she’s found on a quiet campus in Texas is so bizarre Jake doesn’t believe her. Until she’s almost killed.

The death of one coed unravels a tale of greed, lust, and obsession.

She Did What?

Kathleen Kaska (Fifth-Saturday Blogger)

            A few years ago, I sent a manuscript to the agent who was representing me at the time. She was appalled that my protagonist had the temerity to speed over a cattle guard on an unmarked the dirt road. There was no motive to my protagonist's wacky actions, according to her, and furthermore, this absurd incident wasn’t mentioned again in my story. And what did she have against this cattle guard anyway?

       Her comments momentarily confused me. What was the big deal about driving over a cattle guard? How in the hell else was she supposed to get where she was going? It finally dawned on me that this young New Yorker hadn't a clue about ranch life. She assumed the cattle “guard” was a person, standing sentinel over some bovines. Fighting laughter, I gently explained this contextual cattle guard. She was good-natured enough to then allow some mutual chuckling.

            In one of my writers’ critique groups, two members were confused about “she pulled the door to.” They wanted to know why I didn’t finish the action stated. “Pulled the door to what?” they asked. When I explained to them that “pulling the door to,” meant closing it without actually shutting it, they seemed unconvinced. To them, the door was either closed or it wasn’t.

            Here’s another example. A reader chastised me about an expression in one of my mysteries. My protagonist had responded to something of no surprise to her by saying, “Well, slap me silly.” The reader thought the remark a bit extreme, bordering on masochistic. She couldn’t imagine someone asking to be slapped and why there wasn’t a comma before “silly.” I demurred. The reader obviously lacked a sense of humor. 

            My current mystery series is set mainly in the South and I use a lot of Southern expressions, which come naturally to me since I’m from Texas. My new series is set in Manhattan. Fortunately, I lived there a while and some Big Apple slang stuck with me. One of my favorites is “schmear” (a small amount or smear of cream cheese added to a bagel order. Living now in the Pacific Northwest, I was pleased to see this word on a local coffee shop menu. Is the world shrinking? Are we really becoming a global village? Have we reached the point where we all understand one another? I hope not. That would be boring.

            Do any of ya’ll use similar regional slang or colloquialisms in your writing? Keep on!

Going to Nashville!

I’m going to be at Killer Nashville when this posts. This will be my second trip to this conference. Someone mentioned that there is a trolley tour available a short walk from our hotel. I won’t have time to do this, so I decided to do my own tour, before I go, from the comfort of my office.

First, some history. Nashville was named after Fort Nashborough, near which it was first located. The fort is named after Revolutionary hero Francis Nash. Situated on the Cumberland River, it grew quickly.

Its nickname is Music City, mostly country music. Four major record labels and other small ones record there. It boasts the Grand Old Opry, Ryman Auditorium, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and the General Jackson showboat.

Other nicknames: Athens of the South, The Protestant Vatican (or The Buckle of the Bible Belt), Cashville, Little Kurdistan, and Nash Vegas.

Gibson guitar and Nissan North America headquarters are also located in Nashville.

Three interstates meet near downtown, I-40 (the one I’m driving in on), I-65, and I-24. This must be a mess! It’s the second largest in population in the state (Memphis is largest), but the biggest in metropolitan area, spreading over 13 counties.

The town gave rise to Moon Pies and Goo Goo Clusters. I’m going to see if I can locate any of those while I’m there. It’s been ranked the 13th snobbiest city for foodie culture. Am I the only one who sees a disconnect here?

Vanderbilt University and at least 4 other colleges make this a university town, AND it’s the state capitol.

Some local dishes are called hot chicken, hot fish, barbecue. Meat and three is type of restaurant service. I might see if I can locate some of that, too.

You know, I might have to schedule an extra day or two next time.

info from:

http://www.nashville.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville,_Tennessee

Guest Blogger and Heir Hunter Janet Simpson

I'm welcoming Janet Simpson today, whose first novel has just debuted! She has an interesting story to tell, but first, here's a bit about her.

Diminutive English rose, JL Simpson, was stolen away by a giant nomad and replanted in a southern land filled with gum trees and kangaroos. She quickly grasped the meaning of G’day and mate whilst steadfastly refusing all attempts to convert her to Vegemite.

She loves sharing tales about unexpected twists of fate. Holding on to a steadfast belief every obstacle can be overcome, she spends her moments of solitude creating adventures where mystery and mayhem collide.

Make Mine an Heir Hunter

The last time I was in the UK on holidays I got hooked on a TV show called Heir Hunters.  My sister is big on family history and has spent hours, days, weeks, months, and possibly even years, of her life dedicated to finding out about our ancestors. It was cool to get updates and find out we were related to some Russian dude, or that one of our forbears worked with Sir Isaac Newton, but it all seemed a bit pointless.

When I saw Heir Hunters it was awesome, it was family history gone wild.  Teams of dedicated researchers scramble to find the heirs for deceased estates and sign them up to help them claim their rightful inheritance, for a fee of course.  People made a living doing this and with the introduction of the show the number of businesses hell bent on making a fortune from heir hunting exploded.

I had read dozens of mysteries and written romantic suspense novels but the idea of a book based on an heir hunter was new and intriguing. In order to write such a book I would be forced to do the ‘R’ word, research. I have to admit I’m not a big fan. I love books set during World War Two but the thought of all the research such a story would involve leaves me a reader and not a writer. However, if I wanted to write an heir hunter mystery it had to be done.

My sister was the obvious place to start and then I decided to join the Heir Hunters Association in the UK. I lurked on their forum and posted questions which people were happy to answer. Their newsletter was full of great advice and if I ever happen to manage to organize my trips back to the UK for a time when they are running a master class I will be first in line.

I figured I was safe and clear, flying under the radar until I got an email from the man who runs the association. Nothing sinster. Nothing horrible. A simple request for me to get in touch with him. They were working on a project with overseas beneficiaries and were looking for someone in Australia to work with them. Eeek. I was a fraud and they were on to me.  I emailed back a full and frank confession that I was no heir hunter, I was a writer researching for a book. The response came back almost immediately. He was intrigued and wondered if I would let him know when and where my book could be purchased so that he could include it in the newsletter.  The book, Lost Cause, came out on the 3^rd of July but I haven’t emailed him yet. There is something scary about the thought of people who actually hunt heirs reading my book.

Daisy Dunlop thinks heir hunting will be an adventure. The man charged with ensuring her safety thinks it will be murder.

Daisy Dunlop loves a challenge but heir hunting is supposed to be easy. She can deal with anything her new job throws at her, except the bullets, bombs and working with P.I. Solomon Liffey. Her husband's best friend is supposed to be looking out for her, but when she uncovers Solomon’s biggest secret he's the one who needs protection.

Lost Cause available for Kindle now!

 Here are places to connect with Janet:

Website 

Facebook 

Twitter 

Amazon Author Page 

Goodreads 

The Shining—in Tahiti?

Kathleen Kaska

         

          Sherlock Holmes has become so popular you can find him almost anywhere—even in outer space. But most of us can’t imagine the Great Detective without thoughts of Victorian London, or Miss Marple without St. Mary Mead, or Nero Wolfe without his Manhattan brownstone.  

         How much thought do you give to your mystery's setting? Is it mere backdrop or an integral part of your story?

          I think we all agree that when a story's setting is more than just a physical locale, the story’s plot is greatly enhanced. And when the setting is powerful enough to become a principal character, the story is impossible to forget. Take for example Stephen King's bestseller, The Shining. Had King set this story in tropical Tahiti, would it have had the same impact? King undoubtedly could have put a spin on the plot and produced another memorable thriller, but for those of us who have not yet acquired King’s Midas Touch, it wouldn’t have worked. 

          Each time I've read The Shining I felt the frigid winter of the Colorado Rockies, the evil spirits haunting the Overlook Hotel, and the desperation of Wendy Torrance to flee the shackles of her prison in the blizzard. 

        My selection of settings for the Sydney Lockhart series is fairly easy. Each mystery occurs in an historic hotel. I look for relatively famous ones that are still in operation. I stay a few nights, study the history, and eventually concoct the plot. Using the uniqueness of each hotel enhances the atmosphere of each story, but making the place come alive has its struggles.

         When story and setting work together, you’re on to something big. As much as I love the place, The Great Gatsby wouldn’t have worked in Waco.

Some Facts about Neanderthals

I did tons of research for writing DEATH IN THE TIME OF ICE. I used it in the book, of course, but I’d like to share some of it with you. Everyone is interested in Neanderthals, right?

Here are some notes for the first five chapters with source references:

Chapter 1

On current evidence, the Neanderthals lived between about 230,000 and 30,000 years ago--a huge span of time by any reckoning.

In Search of the Neanderthals Christopher Stringer and Clive Gamble, p. 7

In ancient times women ruled, because they had the magic masks, or the magic flutes, but men spied on them and stole their magic away.

Indians William Brandon, p. 20

Chapter 2

The high incidence of degenerative joint disease in Neanderthals is perhaps not surprising given what we know of the hard lives they led and the wear and tear this would have produced on their bodies. But the prevalence of serious injuries is more surprising, and indicates just how dangerous life was, even for those who did manage to reach ‘old age’ in Neanderthal societies.

In Search of the Neanderthals Christopher Stringer and Clive p. 95

Chapter 3

A remarkable feature that occurred in the older part of the shelter¹ fill was a man-made rock pavement that rested on the surface of Zone 3² clay and was overlain by travertine, clay, and limestone grit (Zone 4). … Several small patches of cobblestone pavement apparently were found at a level below the main rock floor pavement, and [Glen] Evans thought these might be evidence of human activity in Zone 3.

Taken from http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/index.html, a site of the University of Texas at Austin

¹Kincaid shelter in Texas Hill country

²Late Pleistocence, 126,000 to 11,500 years ago

Chapter 4

New evidence has emerged that Neanderthals co-existed with anatomically modern humans for at least 1,000 years in central France. …Neanderthals lived in the cave between roughly 40,000 and 38,000 years ago…. Homo sapiens …inhabited caves for about 1,000 to 1,500 years…. At that point, Homo sapiens moved out and the Neanderthals returned, staying for a period that went from about 36,5000 years ago to 35,000 years ago.

From http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200509/s1450949.htm, ABC news article September 1, 2005

Chapter 5

Neanderthals seemed to suffer a high frequency of fractures…. These fractures are often healed and show little or no sign of infection, suggesting that injured individuals were cared for during times of incapacitation.

T.D. Berger and E. Trinkaus (1995). "Patterns of trauma among Neadertals". Journal of Archaeological Science 22: 841 - 852. Retrieved on 2007-06-28.

Found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_neanderthalensis#_note-26

illustration from http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-19960748

Are You Listening?

Kathleen Kaska (Fifth Saturday Blogger)

Do you listen to friends, family, or readers who give you ideas for your next mystery?

            I have a long list of historic hotels, recommended by folks who read my series, for my next book. I’d have to live way into the next century to write a Sydney Lockhart mystery about every one of those hotels. But I still love hearing about these places. Each one has a unique story to tell: the ghost who lives in room 315; the infamous gambler who was murdered in the lounge; the blockbuster movie that was filmed there back in the fifties.

            Occasionally, an enthusiastic fan or friend will suggest a plot for my next story, and some trouble my wacky protagonist could get into. Though I always take note, rarely do these suggestions find their way into my books. I’m a Pantster and planning what will happen doesn’t work for me—usually.

            Early one recent morning, I received a phone call (yes, a real phone call—no text; no email) and by chance I actually had my phone on. It was my dear friend, talented wildlife photographer, and fellow birder, Wendy McSwain. Right away, I could tell she was excited about something. I figured she’d spotted a least bittern. Background: we’d just spent five days in Texas, birding along the coast searching for that illusive bird, which had recently been seen at a local birding haunt. If you’re a birder, you know that much of the time is spent quietly watching and waiting. While staring into the cattails one morning, Wendy wanted to know what trouble I had in store for a recurring character named Ruth in the next mystery I was currently working on. Ruth is the wacky sidekick who gives my protagonist, Sydney, nightmares. So far, all I’d come up with was a new boyfriend who was a pilot. He was teaching Ruth to fly. A little seed must have sprouted in Wendy’s brain, ergo her phone call just mentioned. While Wendy talked, I took notes. Her ideas were brilliant. I’m going to use them. They even spill into my next next mystery, which works wonderfully in a series. Murder at the Menger is only twenty-five percent complete, but the dedication page is already written.

Endings and Beginnings

by Kaye George

As the day of the two-faced god, Janus, approaches, I find myself reflecting on the past year, as many of you are doing. 2013 was a year of highs and lows--aren’t they all? I prefer to concentrate on the highs as I go into the unknown of 2014. My Good News Jar got crammed so full I had to stop putting things into it. I think I’ll get a bigger jar for next year. (Maybe I wasn’t as selective as I should have been about what I put into it?)

I got a lot accomplished: 2 novels and 2 short stories published and at least one novel and a few more short stories in the pipeline for next year. I also brought out my very first published novel as an audio book and want to do the next two of those.

In case you’re interested in my writing, the novels were EINE KLEINE MURDER, the first Cressa Carraway Musical Mystery, by Barking Rain Press and DEATH IN THE TIME OF ICE, the first People of the Wind Mystery, by Untreed Reads. The stories are “A FineKettle of Fish” by Untreed Reads and “Immy Goes to the Dogs” in The Untreed Detectives anthology, also by Untreed Reads. (What would I do without Untreed Reads?) The audio book of Veronica Newton reading CHOKE,the first Imogene Duckworthy mystery.

***(Just a note for Kobo users: All my Untreed Read works are 50% off through December 31st with the code 50DEC.)

With the new series coming out next year from Berkley Prime Crime, it dawns on my that I’ve gotten myself into writing FOUR different mystery series. If anyone has figured out how to squeeze a few more hours into the day, please let me know. I don’t sleep much as it is!

This year also brought us to a new home in Knoxville TN. We’re enjoying the climate, an almost complete about-face from the Texas heat and drought. In other words, tons of rain. I find I haven’t picked the best climate for allergies and arthritis, but nothing’s perfect. We have close family here and also in the Washington DC area. We’re much closer to DC than we were. We did leave behind some family in Austin, but, again, nothing’s perfect.

In 2014, I’ll have the new series, The Fat Cat series, start in September. Until then, I should be getting out a few more short stories in planned anthologies. Three anthologies, I hope. No more moves, which should make next year much simpler. We moved in 2012 and also in 2013, so that’s enough of that. I hope for a trip to the Rockies in the spring or the fall, and many trips into the Smokies, which are right next door now. I also hope for a trip to Europe, but that’s not really in the plans. I’ll keep buying Lotto tickets.

Best wishes for a wonderful New Year to all of you!

I apologize for the lack of images. I was unable to load any to the blog this time. 

Do You Read Like I Read?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always read several books simultaneously.  Novels, mostly. The highest number was seven, but that included Middlemarch, which I read very slowly, over a period of months. These days I read no more than three books at a time, probably because my reading speed has slowed down. A pity, since I’ve hundreds of books on my Kindle and piled up on my desk and in my bookcases waiting their turn.

Why do I do this? One reason is I have to stop reading when something awful, usually graphic, happens to a character I care about. The following day I’m able to read on.  In the meanwhile, I’ve reached for another book.

I also read more than one book at a time because I like variety. I write mysteries because I love to read them. I read ghost mysteries, cozies, historical mysteries, and mysteries with a canine sleuth. I read mysteries that are considerably grittier than the traditional mysteries I write. I also enjoy reading women’s fiction, literary fiction, and the occasional fantasy. I never confuse the various plot lines or characters of the books I’m reading,--probably because I’ve been doing this for so long.

I used to love to read the classics, but these days I prefer the style and language of more current novels. My level of concentration isn’t what it used to be. In fact, more often than not, I fall asleep when I’m reading late at night. Does that ever happen to you?

Do you read more than one book at a time? Have your tastes changed over the years? Leave a comment and let me know.