Monday, November 11, 2024

Do You NaNo?


Greetings, fellow writers. It's November, and I was wondering if you're doing NaNoWriMo this year.

What's NaNoWriMo?

Welcome to National Novel Writing Month. On November 1, writers of all kinds — published and aspiring — set off on the challenge to write the first draft of a novel by the end of the month. Approximately 50,000 words in 30 days.

From its start in 1999, the inspirational internet phenomenon has grown and officially became a non-profit in 2006. The challenge has moved beyond one ink-stained wretch alone in a room to group write ins online and in person. They've added programs for writers to prepare for the November challenge (NaNo Prep in September), Camp NaNoWriMo in April and July, and the Now What? program for those who want advice on what to do with that newly completed draft or manuscript.

I've never done the official month long program, though there were times when I was on deadline and it sure felt like I was trying to write 50,000 words in one month. This year I've decided to take the plunge because I need inspiration to finish a manuscript. I figure I should be able to do that by November 30, right?

Have you done NaNoWriMo? What was your experience like?

Shari Randall is the author of the Agatha Award-winning Lobster Shack Mystery series. As Meri Allen, she pens the Ice Cream Shop Mystery series. Her Lobster Shack characters will return in the short story, "The Queen of Christmas," in the December 22 issue of Black Cat Weekly Magazine.



Sunday, November 10, 2024

TEN TIPS FOR KEEPING MURDER COZY

by Korina Moss

Readers' expectations of a cozy mystery is right there in the title--they want a good mystery and they want it to be cozy. Readers often write to tell me how books in my cozy Cheese Shop Mystery series have comforted them during difficult times. Some might think that's odd to say about books that revolve around a murder. That's the challenge of writing cozy mysteries -- keeping them cozy. It's a balancing act between death vs. comfort and fast-paced suspense vs. a calming force. So how do you keep a book about murder cozy? Here are some tips:

1. Keep the murder off the page. This is one of the basic rules of a cozy mystery. Readers don’t want to see the murder happen, nor do they want all the gory details about the body. Giving readers nightmares isn’t cozy.

2. Make the victim unlikable. The reader will be able to shift more easily from the murder to the investigation (the mystery) if the reader (and your protagonist) isn’t bogged down with being terribly sad about the victim.  

3. Revolve the mystery around your cozy theme. The first thing I always think about when starting a new Cheese Shop Mystery is cheese, and how I can center the mystery within my cheese theme. Not only does this deliver what readers expect from the series title, but it also allows for scenes that provide the comfort and familiarity that your readers have grown to love. 

4. Don’t make all the suspects villains. Some writers make the mistake of making every suspect unlikable, thinking that equates to “suspicious.” But who wants to read an entire book with a bunch of characters you don’t like? Part of what makes a cozy mystery “cozy” is that readers want to be in your book. They want to hang out in your fictional town with your characters, and by default that includes the suspects. Don’t make them all greedy, horrible blowhards.

5. Make your readers root for your main character(s). Readers say that the main reason they become loyal to a series is because of the core group of series characters. They like feeling like the characters are old friends they come back to with each book, so you want to give them some depth. Yes, readers will root for them to solve the mystery, but adding an underdog quality—something readers can relate to and root for—will have them invested in your protagonist and sidekicks even after the mystery is solved. 

6. Make your main characters root for each other. I believe in characters having flaws that they work on throughout the arc of the series, however, for readers to feel comforted by your main characters, your protagonist and sidekicks have to have overwhelmingly positive traits like loyalty, empathy, and being supportive and encouraging to one another.

7. Include a community event. Incorporating community events is cozy element and allows your idyllic small town and its side characters to shine. While your main characters are investigating, make sure something cozy is also going on – a festival, a farmer’s market, a community dance, etc. and then intertwine it with the mystery, even tangentially, so you’re not pausing the plot. Everything that goes into a mystery must move the plot forward, but don’t forget to include the vibrancy and coziness of your town. 

8. Add humor. Humor is super important to a cozy mystery to lighten the tone and keep it cozy. Mildly sarcastic inner dialogue or some fun banter among characters goes a long way. 

9. Don’t delve into heavy topics. Believe me, it’s difficult to come up with fresh motives after writing several books, but it’s worth the extra effort to make sure they’re not super dark and heavy. It’s a line some cozy writers straddle, but we try not to trigger anybody in our books. What crosses the line is for every writer to determine for themselves, but topics definitely off limits are abuse against children or animals and sexual abuse.  

10. Don’t kill off a series regular. Some writers love to kill off readers’ favorite characters, but that’s a no-no in cozy mysteries. In order for readers to feel a sense of comfort, they have to feel a sense of security. In the world of cozies, there is justice. They have to know that the characters they’ve come to know and love won’t be the ones killed. In my upcoming sixth book, Bait and Swiss, I needed to kill someone from the local newspaper. There was a reporter that makes a brief appearance in just about every book in the series, and I considered making her the victim. Even though readers don’t know too much about her, she was still a recurring character and a part of the community. However, the more I thought about making her the victim, the more I thought this was a bad idea. When I asked my editor’s advice, she agreed I shouldn’t make her the victim. It's a matter of developing trust with the readers and then keeping that trust. 

If you want to write a cozy mystery series whose readers will clamor for the next book to come out, remember to keep it cozy. I hope these tips help. 

Readers: What cozy element is important to you in a cozy mystery? 


KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series set in the Sonoma Valley, including the Agatha Award winner for Best First Novel, Cheddar Off Dead and the Agatha Award finalist for Best Contemporary Novel, Case of the Bleus. Her books have been featured in USA Today, PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World, and Writer's Digest. To learn more or subscribe to her free monthly #teamcheese newsletter, visit her website korinamossauthor.com.


Saturday, November 9, 2024

My Writing Journey: From Cerebral Mystery Reader to Emotive Thriller Writer

By Lisa Malice, Ph.D.

I have always been a cerebral reader. I grew up addicted to murder mysteries, something I inherited from my mother. During the summer, our Sunday drives home from my grandparents’ lake cabin in northern Minnesota were spent huddled close to the car speakers listening to The CBS Radio Mystery Theater. When NBC introduced its Sunday Mystery Movie to its nighttime TV schedule, The Wonderful World of Disney fell by the wayside. For my mother and me, these programs allowed us to test our intelligence and powers of observation, logic, and deduction to nail the killer-of-the week before the fictional detective detailed every clue and made the final accusation of whodunit. 

Sherlock Holmes became my literary drug of choice during my adolescent years. As a math and science nerd, I was captivated by his ability to draw on a vast wealth of knowledge in chemistry, biology, geology, physics, even human psychology, as he observed every element of a crime scene and his suspects. I marveled at Holmes’ mastery of math and logic, skills I honed myself solving logic problems. I even saw mysteries in my algebra homework with its puzzling word problems that required me to deduce a series of truth-telling equations to solve for one or more unknown elements.

In my adult years, my reading tastes gravitated to mystery series featuring women sleuths. I enjoyed reading stories that injected more personality into the heroines, followed their lives as they juggled their work, romance (boyfriends, later husbands), families and friends with their compulsive need to bring murderers to justice. Among my favorites were two PIs, Sara Paretsky’s V.I. Warshawski and Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone, and Diane Mott Davidson’s killer-catching caterer Goldy Schulz. I got into cozy mysteries because of the wacky, humorous small town characters who seemed to invite murder into their lives with every book. But high plot-driven emotion wasn’t really what I was looking for in the stories I read during that period of my life. Sure, there were elements of fear and danger in the climaxes, but such emotions didn’t drive the story. 

My favorite authors didn’t pump out books fast enough, leaving time to explore stand-alone thrillers through the likes of John Grisham, Harlan Coben, Mary Higgins Clark, and Lisa Scottoline. The story that really nailed it for me was Gillian Flynn’s psychological thriller Gone Girl. The psychologist in me was keen on discovering the deep dark personal secrets driving a story of an unfaithful man in the aftermath of his wife’s disappearance. The unexpected twists in the tale and the heightened emotional turmoil drew me in like nothing else I’d read. It was a story that kept me turning the pages well into the night. My bookshelves soon became cluttered with the works of Paula Hawkins, Ruth Ware, Lisa Unger, and other masters of the genre. 

As a reader-turned-psychological thriller writer now, my cerebral brain is always engaged with presenting a mystery, but my work is so much more emotive. My objective isn’t simply to lay out clues that readers can use to solve a crime, bring a killer to justice, and clear innocents of murder. My goal is also to create a rising sense of tension, fear, uncertainty, and danger inside the mind of my heroine as she struggles to answer three urgent and terrifying questions: Who is out to kill me? Why? And, most importantly, what must I do to stay alive?

What about you? What books and authors have influenced who you read or what you write?

Dr. Lisa Malice is the award-winning, bestselling author of LEST SHE FORGET, a psychological thriller, which released in December 2023 to rave reviews from authors, readers, and industry reviewers. The debut novel received the 2024 Benjamin Franklin Gold Medal for BEST NEW VOICE in fiction from the Independent Book Publishers Association and finalist honors from the 2024 International Book Awards for Mystery/Suspense.  Lisa is a contributing editor for THE BIG THRILL, the digital magazine of International Thriller Writers, and the Events Chair for FL Gulf Coast Chapter of Sisters in Crime. Learn more at www.LisaMalice.com. 




Friday, November 8, 2024

If You Want Something, Make the Request Easy

By Heather Weidner




Remember the Staples’ commercials with the big red Easy Button? One quick push fixed just about everything. Making things easy is a good strategy for writers, too. People are bombarded with all kinds of communications and requests, and life is crazy. If you want someone to help you with a writing or marketing task, make it as effortless as possible for them. Here are some ideas that can help you with your request.

Time - Give the person as much lead time as possible. I had a publisher once who sent out book blurb requests with a two-week deadline. It didn’t give people enough time to read the book.

Blurbs - If you’re asking for a marketing quote, send the person a synopsis of your book and your biography along with the ARC (Advance Reader Copy). If you have paper and electronic ARCs, it’s also nice to ask which version they prefer. 

References - When you ask for a reference or a nomination, offer to send them your short biography and other pertinent information.

Interviews and Guest Posts – When you approach bloggers, bookstagrammers, Facebook group administrators, and podcasters for a guest interview or promotion spot, remember that most are volunteers who often do this work in their spare time. Make sure to give them as much advance notice as possible. A lot of these folks book their calendars months in advance. 

Pay it Forward - Be willing to help others. Volunteer to assist when you can. 

Give Them an Off Ramp - Give the person an opportunity to decline. Everyone is busy, and your timing may not be right. When you call or write your introductory email request, acknowledge that they are busy, and you understand if they are unable to help right now.

Find Your Team – Seek out those special people who support you, celebrate with you, and pick you up when you’re down. Their advice and support are invaluable. 

Writing is predominantly a solo adventure, and I am so honored to be a part of the mystery community that is so generous and willing to support authors at all levels of their writing journey. 


Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She writes the Pearly Girls Mysteries, the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers. 



Thursday, November 7, 2024

The Writers Who Kill Curmudgeon by Susan Van Kirk

 I’m showing my age when I mention I’m turning into Andy Rooney, the old curmudgeon on the Sixty Minutes show on television. For you youngsters, Andy Rooney was a journalist who used to complain about everything.

More specifically, I’m thinking about WHY AM I UP AT 6 AM FOR THE FOURTH MORNING IN A ROW WHEN MY TIRED BODY COULD BE SLEEPING IN UNTIL 7 OR 7:30?


I hate and do not understand why we must change our clocks twice a year, but particularly in the fall when we change back to standard time. It might make it a little lighter in the morning for a brief time, but I will already have been up an hour before the sun decides to join me. By the time my body adjusts to the new time, I’ll already lose that sunshine because I’ll still be asleep. So why?

To me, it falls into the same ridiculous traditions that have no place in modern life. For example, here in the Midwest, rural schools often begin after Labor Day because the farmers are still out in the fields and need help with the harvest. Have you been by those fields lately and seen the millions of dollars’ worth of computerized equipment that stands in for “help” these days? They have huge lights that negate the darkness over the fields. When I first began teaching, students were excused in the fall to go hunting during hunting season. Seriously? To me, those outworn concepts sit right alongside changing our clocks twice a year.


Why did this ridiculous concept begin? The culprit was the Standard Time Act in 1918, which attempted to maximize natural light usage. Because it was so controversial, it was repealed in 1919. Then, the time change was reinvented nationally for the 1942-1945 period of WWII. Finally, Lyndon Johnson passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966, which made the time change national. Only two states, Hawaii and Arizona (minus The Navajo Nation) are exceptions to clock changing. In recent years, Congress has attempted to pass a bill ending Daylight Savings Time but they can’t agree on it. How surprising.

Since my children live in Arizona, we are two hours apart for half the year. When the grandchildren were younger, this was really a problem. By the time the kids were all in bed in Arizona around 8, I was already going to bed in Illinois at 10. When I woke up at 7, it was only 5 in Arizona. It made communication difficult since we all worked during the rest of the day.

Now that we’ve changed our clocks once again, energy saving is negligible since our modern lives include lots of technology, televisions, and air conditioning. Some businesses would argue the extra hour of light in the evening helps their tourism profits. Sadly, that hour doesn’t last long where I live as it continues to get dark earlier after the time switch.


But the biggest problem with changing clocks, fall or spring, is the disruption to our body clocks and circadian rhythm. Like I said, four days of waking up at 6 even though I keep adjusting my time to go to bed at night. Plenty of studies have been done attributing serious health problems to the effects of time changes. Parents with small babies must figure out how to protect their schedule from this change in time too.

I changed seven clocks yesterday, including appliances and my car’s clock, just trying to keep up, and I’ll have to do that again in the spring. I simply go around my house doing this, but there is a cost to our economy to support and maintain the time change in computer systems that run our lives. And to whom is this cost passed on? You guessed it.

Why? Why are we continuing to keep this anachronism?

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

An Interview with Heather Weidner by E. B. Davis

 

Fern Valley, nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is ground zero for all things romance. The town has pulled out all the stops for the first Valentine’s Day “Love is in the Air” Book Festival with events like Death by Chocolate, author speed-dating, a character masquerade, and a male cover model fashion show.

Everything is candy and roses until the sparks start to fly. Jules Keene and her team at the glamping resort spend their time trying to tamp down fiery tempers because opposites may not always attract.

When a popular author with a heart of gold is found murdered in the barn at the resort, Jules has to find the culprit before more than just hearts are broken.

Amazon.com


Main character, Jules Keene, has her hands full in Heather Weidner’s fourth Glamping Mystery, Deadlines and Valentines. Jules is trying to solve a murder, two assaults, and a robbery of multiple antique weapons at her resort. She not only wants the mysteries solved to get justice for the victims, but also to quell those on the town council who oppose Jules and her plan to increase tourism by using the crimes to justify their own agenda.

 

Jules has invited best-selling romance authors to Fern Valley to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a “Love is in the Air” Book Festival. It’s a wild mix of diva authors and zealous fans that have Jules wondering what motivates the killer and what does love have to do with it?

 

Please ask WWK’s Heather Weidner about her latest release.  E. B. Davis

 

Is Fern Valley and the Luxury Camping Resort closer to Staunton or Roanoke? It’s closer to Staunton. Fern Valley, my fictious little town, is near Charlottesville and Waynesboro.

 

Jules has changed the resort. What was it like when she took over from her parents? The original campground had a few cabins and lots of sites for campers and tents. Jules and her team saved a lot of vintage trailers from the scrap heap by refurbishing them and gussying them up for glamorous camping. Recently, she and her boyfriend have added tiny houses to the resort’s offerings. Their latest is one is a treehouse with a three-hundred-sixty view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

 

Jules is divorced. What’s the story on the Idiot? Jules and the Idiot were married right after college. His get-rich schemes didn’t work for Jules, and they soon divorced. Bijou, her little Jack Russell Terrier, was the only good thing that came from the divorce. (The Idiot shows up in Deadly Links And Hijinks, and he turns Jules’s world upside down again.)

 

Having once been a teenager, I understand fandom of rock stars. (It’s not all about the music or talents.) Are there really grown women who idolize authors? That’s a good question. I think there are a lot of dedicated fans out there. They support their favorite authors and come out regularly for book signings and conferences. We love our faithful readers!

 

I’ve been to mystery author conferences. All the authors seem like friendly mentors, not condescending witches. Are romance authors a different breed? All of the writers in this book are truly vicious. My experience in the writing community is that most authors are so kind and willing to share their time with their readers. The ladies in Deadlines and Valentines are over the top, and some of them represent the worst characteristics of humanity.

 

Jules started dating Jake after he retired from the military and joined the resort staff. I know you write cozy mysteries, but they seem more like friends than lovers. Will they ever get closer and one of them stay the night? They have known each other since they were kids, and now she is his boss, so their relationship has an interesting dynamic. I have toyed with the idea of them getting serious. They grow closer as the books continue. Stay tuned to see what happens with their relationship.

 

Jules loves Jake’s new idea of building tree houses for resort accommodations. There are TV shows about building tree houses, but most of them are created as a backyard retreat for a hobby or solitary pursuit. Have you ever stayed overnight in a tree house? I haven’t, but it’s on my bucket list. It sounds like the perfect get-away. We live in a wooded community, and I’ve been trying to figure out how to get the HOA to approve a backyard treehouse office for me.

 

How do Mel and Crystal Carson keep up with doing all the cooking and cleaning at the resort? I have visions of them run ragged. Will Jules have to expand her staff? The ladies started out as the cleaners, and they’ve blossomed into amazing cooks, bakers, and event planners. As time passes, they move more to the catering work for the resort.

 

Jules seems to be the ideal person for increasing tourism in Fern Valley. Elaine James, a shop owner, executes Jules’s ideas. Doesn’t Elaine get peeved that Jules doesn’t do more hands-on work at the events? As time passes, Jules’s business grows, but she still supports the town’s business council work, even though she’s not as hands on as she was in the early books. Elaine is a fun character. She is the ultimate control freak, who takes over every committee and situation. She’s not happy unless she’s large and in charge.

 

Do you create all of the recipes at the end of each book, like Crystal’s Chocolate Volcano Lava Cake? No. I try to find recipes that relate to the theme of the book. My sister sends me some, and readers sometimes send me suggestions. I like easy recipes, so that is my biggest requirement for the ones that I try for the books.

 

Did Fern Valley get affected by Hurricane Helene? Virginia did get hit by Helene, but it was more in the southwestern part of the state. Here in Central Virginia, we had a lot of rain. Our neighbors in North Carolina and Tennessee got the brunt of the storm, and they are going to need a lot of support for months to come. This is the link to the Red Cross Relief to help those affected by Milton and Helene.

 

The authors all have big egos. They aren’t a pleasant bunch. Will Jules ever ask them back? I think the gang in Fern Valley needs some time to recover after the “Love is in the Air” festival. Some of the authors hinted that they’d like to be invited back. All-in-all the festival was a success, so I’m sure the business council will plan some other event in the future.

 

After Jules gets into hands-on-combat with the killer, will she consider carrying a Taser or other weapon when she goes out in the dark to confront a killer? Jules has a tendency to run toward danger to help without always considering the dangers. Sometimes, she forgets her phone or her flashlight. And she always gets herself in situations where she has to use what she has around her. A taser might be a good idea (if she’d remember to carry it with her).

 

What’s next for Jules and the Fern Valley gang? The gang is back in Teddy Bears and Ghostly Lairs (October 2025). The business council is sponsoring a teddy bear and toy festival, and Jules has a bunch of ghost hunter guests at the resort. Let the shenanigans begin.  

 

 



Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Election Day—Vote!

 by James M. Jackson


If you have already voted in today’s elections, thank you—assuming, of course, you are a legal voter. Even if you voted for the “wrong” candidates, thank you for helping to maintain a fundamental pillar of our representational democracy—the right to vote as you think best.

The first presidential election for which I was eligible to vote was 1972. I couldn’t vote in 1968—even though I was eighteen and eligible to be cannon fodder in the Vietnam War—because in New York, the “age of majority” was then twenty-one and there was no overriding federal law. That changed in 1970, when The Voting Rights Act of 1970 lowered the voting age for federal elections to eighteen.

After the Supreme Court ruled Congress could lower the voting age for federal elections, but could not for state elections, Congress passed the 26th Amendment to the Constitution in March 1971. In just over two months, the required 3/4ths of the states ratified the amendment, and President Nixon signed it into law on July 5, 1971.

I didn’t recall until I researched this blog that in the 19th century, it was not uncommon for states and territories to allow noncitizens to vote. (There were often other requirements, such as property ownership, paying taxes, or other restrictions to limit voting to “responsible” adults. And in most states voting privileges applied only to males until passage of the nineteenth amendment to the Constitution, adopted in 1920.) At the turn of the 20th century, states began forbidding any noncitizens from voting. Alabama kicked off the movement in 1901. By the 1928 elections, all states had banned noncitizen voting. While not legal, not until 1996 did Congress criminalize noncitizen voting in federal elections.

In 1992, a spark of a movement began when the City of Takoma Park, Maryland, became the first municipality to restore noncitizen voting for local elections. The argument leaders gave was that citizenship was irrelevant when voting for those responsible for delivering local services, such as public transportation, garbage collection, water, sewage, parks, and recreation, etc. (And, the Maryland constitution expressly delegated the authority to determine suffrage requirements for municipal elections to the city charters.)

In 2016, San Francisco voters (Proposition N) gave noncitizens the right to vote in school board elections. Several other cities followed soon after. Every attempt to allow noncitizens to vote has gone to court. Some cities won in court, some lost, and seven states have already amended their constitutions to forbid noncitizen voting for anything. Eight more states have similar measures on today’s ballots.

I grew up in a Republican home and counted as my Jackson ancestors Whigs, then early supporters of the Liberty Party (1840s), Free Soil Party (early 1850s), and ultimately the Republican party (late 1850s). In grade school, I was “for” Nixon, and “against” Kennedy. In 1972, I was against Nixon and for McGovern, and I knew what that meant (including that I was probably the first of the Jackson clan to ever vote for a Democratic presidential candidate). Of course, despite my vote, Nixon won in a landslide.

In 1980, I took a “principled” stand, and voted for John B. Anderson, a liberal Republican Congressman. Across the country, only 5,719,849 other people voted for my candidate. Ronald Reagan crushed President Jimmy Carter. Even if everyone who had voted for Anderson had voted for Carter, Reagan would still have trounced Carter, but that was the last of my principled presidential stands.

I came to realize that as much as I wished for a third party that represents my views, what mattered was who gets elected. I am better off choosing the better of the two candidates who could possibly win, and not “send a message”—especially since the winner doesn’t care about my message.

With primaries, I don’t take that pragmatic approach. I vote my conscience and hope the winner pays some attention. Hope springs eternal, as the saying goes.

I have heard some say, “Why bother? My vote doesn’t really count.” Well, maybe not in most elections. However, if more people who felt that way did vote, their combined votes might well change things.

Every once in a while, a single vote makes a difference. A few years back, a school bond referendum was on the ballot and it ended in a tie. Without my vote, the referendum would have been defeated. The tie meant the school board could place the referendum on the next ballot (a general election). With more voters, it received overwhelming approval.

So vote, if you haven’t. Again, thank you if you have.

* * * * *

 James M. Jackson authors the Seamus McCree series. Full of mystery and suspense, these thrillers explore financial crimes, family relationships, and what happens when they mix. To learn more information about Jim and his books, check out his website, https://jamesmjackson.com. You can sign up for his newsletter (and get to read a free Seamus McCree short story). 

Notes

1. Liberty Party https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Party_(United_States,_1840)

2. Timeline of voting rights in the United States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_voting_rights_in_the_United_States

3. Laws permitting noncitizen voting https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_permitting_noncitizens_to_vote_in_the_United_States

Monday, November 4, 2024

Thanksgiving: A Time for Gratitude and Togetherness by Teresa Inge

Thanksgiving is a cherished holiday that is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It's a time when families and friends come together to express gratitude, share a bountiful meal, and celebrate traditions. Let's explore the origins, traditions, and modern-day celebrations of this beloved holiday.

The Origins of Thanksgiving

The roots of Thanksgiving trace back to 1621, when the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Native Americans shared a feast to celebrate the Pilgrims' first successful harvest in the New World. This event is often considered the "First Thanksgiving," symbolizing gratitude. But it wasn't until the Civil War in 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday to foster unity and thankfulness.

Traditional Thanksgiving Feast

The centerpiece of Thanksgiving is undoubtedly the feast. A traditional Thanksgiving meal typically includes roast turkey, stuffed, and roasted to perfection. Then there’s stuffing made with a savory mix of bread, herbs, and spices. Side dishes include mashed potatoes with gravy, and cranberry sauce to add a tangy-sweet burst of flavor to the entire meal.  

Of course, there’s always room for dessert. Classic pumpkin pie made with spiced pumpkin filling and a flaky crust plus mouthwatering apple pie makes the entire house smell delicious.

Modern-Day Celebrations

While the traditional feast remains central, modern Thanksgiving celebrations include a vegan meal with seitan tofu roast, plant-based side dishes, and decadent desserts.  

Many people volunteer at shelters or participate in food drives during Thanksgiving, while others watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and football games as a popular pastime. The day also marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season with Black Friday discounts and Cyber Monday which occurs the Monday after Thanksgiving.  

The Spirit of Thanksgiving

At its core, Thanksgiving is about gratitude. It's a time to reflect on the blessings in our lives, appreciate the company of loved ones, and extend kindness to others. Whether through a heartfelt toast at the dinner table or a simple act of generosity, the spirit of Thanksgiving reminds us to cherish what we have and share it with those around us.

What are some personal or regional favorites that you celebrate on Thanksgiving?  

Sunday, November 3, 2024

Diet Killers: Recipes for Readers* – Chocolate Raspberry Cheese Pie from Molly MacRae

 

* A monthly feature formerly titled “Recipes for Readers.” Thanks for the delectable rechristening, Debra Goldstein!

 

This month’s edition of Diet Killers: Recipes for Readers introduces the third book in Susan Van Kirk’s Art Center Mysteries. The book is Death in a Ghostly Hue and I think you’ll find it a perfect read for this spooky and treat-laden time of year. It’s a story of hauntings—emotional, literary, and . . . real? Could the new art center possibly be haunted? Jill Madison, who runs the art center, and her best friend Angie think so. The book is also a story of redemption sought, forgiveness withheld, and murder. Jill and Angie are right there in the middle of it all.

Besides running the art center, Jill is a painter. I love the way Van Kirk reminds us of this through Jill’s descriptions of the colors around her. Jill names the paint colors she would use to capture her surroundings on a canvas. For instance, she might describe a slice of Chocolate Raspberry Cheese Pie as having a lake of luscious, Burnt Umber chocolate over a filling of creamy cheese reminiscent of Old Holland Yellow Light, and the whole studded with Anthraquinone Red raspberries. 

“Anthraquinone” and “Burnt” sound vaguely threatening, don’t they? So appropriate for a murder mystery. Death in a Ghostly Hue is artful and satisfying—just like this pie. 


Chocolate Raspberry Cheese Pie

(adapted from Fast, Fabulous, Foolproof Holiday Desserts – a free recipe booklet from the Borden Foods Corporation, 1997)

Ingredients for the pie:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 (14 oz. can) sweetened condensed milk

1 egg

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

1 ready-made chocolate pie crust

Ingredients for the glaze:

2 ounces semisweet chocolate

¼ cup whipping cream 

Directions:

Heat oven to 350. With mixer, beat softened cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add egg, lemon juice, and vanilla; mix well.

Arrange raspberries on bottom of crust. Slowly pour cheese mixture over fruit.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool.

When pie is cooled, melt chocolate in cream over low heat. Cook and stir until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat and pour over pie, spreading glaze to meet rim of crust. Garnish however you like (or just eat it up).

 

 

 

Saturday, November 2, 2024

Insert Title Here by Mary Dutta

Sometimes, the only thing holding up my submitting a short story is the lack of a title. Titles are not my strong suit. I can much more easily come up with a clever quip or a plot twist. 

Necessity being the mother of invention, I always manage something. My favorite is “The Grift of the Magi,” which appears in Hook, Line, and Sinker: The Seventh Guppy Anthology. It’s about a divorcing couple squabbling over a painting of the Three Wise Men.


For my next publication, however, the title came first. 

One day last fall I had five minutes before leaving for work. I jumped on Facebook and saw a post speculating about an anthology inspired by the music of Aerosmith. I commented that I would love to be a part of it, and about a minute later the original poster asked me to select a song to write about.

I figured the competition would be fierce for one of the band’s big hits like “Dream On” or “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing.” A quick Google search yielded a list of every Aerosmith song. I chose “Bitch’s Brew,” thinking I could come up with a story about a coffee shop. Then I left for work, with a minute to spare.

Almost immediately, the anthology found a publisher and I was at work on my story, which needed to reflect my chosen song in a recognizable way. That’s when I discovered just how terrible a song I had selected. The music is bad. The lyrics are worse. The only thing going for it is the title.

I stuck with my idea of a coffee shop. It’s run by a woman who deliberately opened her business next door to the garden shop owned by the woman her husband dumped her for. I enjoyed the challenge of incorporating some of the song’s lyrics, and what little theme it has. I won’t go so far as to call myself a rock star, but in this instance, I think I give Aerosmith a run for their money. Readers can weigh in when the anthology, Janie’s Got a Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Aerosmith, releases on November 8th.


The next story I have coming out has a title suggested by the anthology editor to replace the one I originally submitted. I only wish he had asked sooner.

Do you judge a story by its title? What comes first in your writing, the title or the story idea?

Friday, November 1, 2024

Eat, Drink, and Procrastinate, by Lori Roberts Herbst

Writing is coming hard to me these days — I find myself so distracted with exploring our new Colorado home or fretting over national events that I’ve simply been unable to focus. So, instead of making progress on my new series, I decided to spend my time planning a dinner party—for fictional characters.

 

First off, who to invite? I began with THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS’ Hannibal Lecter but ultimately concluded his presence probably wasn’t such a good idea. He’d likely end up eating me…with fava beans and a nice chianti.


Annie Wilkes from MISERY could be an interesting guest…but I’m rather attached to my ankles.

 

Good gracious, I am in a darker place than I realized.

 

Perhaps I should limit myself to fictional detectives. People programmed to help rather than harm. Unless you’re the villain, of course.

 

After much vacillation, here’s the final guest list I compiled. See what you think.

 

Louise Penny’s Armand Gamache. His love for humanity and positive perspective would do me good right about now. 

 

MC Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth. He’d be speculating on which woman at the party he might marry, of course, but he would balance that with his keen insights and bumbling ways.

 

John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport. I’ve always been a little in love with the man, and I am fascinated with watching him overcome (for the most part) his darker instincts.

 

Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch. Because everybody counts, or nobody counts.

 

Agatha Christie’s Miss Jane Marple. Oh, the stories she would tell—all while knitting a sweater as she peered at us over the top of her glasses.

 

Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone. Her wry cynicism mixed with her hopeful outlook would be welcome at my table.

 

Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. Though his arrogance might grate, the intelligence would be titillating. (I know this might be controversial, but I’d choose the version portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch.)

 

With the guest list settled, maybe I can get down to the business of writing my own books…except, hmm...I probably need to create a make-believe menu first…

 

Who would attend your fictional character dinner party?

 

The Callie Cassidy Mystery series is available on Amazon Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and paperback.

 

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Lori Roberts Herbst writes the Callie Cassidy Mysteries, a cozy mystery series set in Rock Creek Village, Colorado, and the (hopefully) soon-to-be-released Seahorse Bay Mysteries, set in a Texas cruise port town. To find out more and to sign up for her newsletter, go to www.lorirobertsherbst.com 

Thursday, October 31, 2024

The Dangers that Lurk in the City by the Bay

by Erica Miner

‘San Francisco, a city that considers its Opera only slightly less sacred than the Holy Grail’

San Francisco. City by the Bay. Famous for stunning landmarks: the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf. Legendary for its cable cars, iconic waterfront, steep rolling hills and Victorian architecture. A city of contrasts, from its natural beauty to its technology. Of fascinating history, from the gold rush to the present.

But the San Francisco of Overture to Murder, the latest novel in my Julia Kogan Opera Mystery series, is a city of mystery: Twin Peaks, stealthy fog…and the ghostly upper reaches of its opera house.

After her life-threatening entanglements in murder investigations at the Metropolitan Opera (Aria for Murder) and Santa Fe Opera (Prelude to Murder), intrepid young violinist Julia Kogan takes on new challenges as the concertmaster (first of the first violinists) of the San Francisco Opera, a position of immense responsibility. She is temporarily replacing the current concertmaster, who has been badly injured in a hit-and-run accident, which Julia thinks worthy of looking into as not accidental. It is a high-pressure situation for her, both musically and emotionally, but she’s up to the test—or is she?

In the historical War Memorial Opera House, Julia finds a theatre steeped in history: among other things, it’s adjacent to the Veterans Building where Harry Truman signed the UN Charter in 1945. But she also finds intrigue. There’s no time for sampling the sourdough, Dim Sum, Ghirardelli chocolates and other culinary delights of the city. Julia has her work cut out for her, trying to uncover the perpetrator in the latest grisly operatic killing.  

The city of San Francisco and its opera are in my blood. I have a personal connection with both of them. Over the last several decades I paid numerous visits to this amazing city to spend time with a close family member who worked with the company and with other family members and friends who lived in the Bay Area. Thus I experienced a doubly significant journey when I recently toured the War Memorial Opera House with the House Head, who had been working there for over 30 years and knew every corner and cranny. Little had I known that the place, which had served as the locale for the film Foul Play, is filled with creaky old equipment that’s positively scary to look at and listen to and is home to its own ghosts.

As I cringed from these discoveries, I put myself in Julia’s shoes. How does she cope with disturbingly creative modes of murder devised by a mentally unhinged killer? She investigates, of course, as is her wont. Her natural curiosity gets the better of her, as it has in previous opera houses. She will leave no sheet of music unturned until she discovers the perpetrator’s identity, with little regard for her own safety. The trouble is, she’s not the only one who’s in danger. The life of another person near and dear to her is in jeopardy as well. The tables have turned.

It was such a trip for me in so many ways to write this novel. Nostalgia about my past experiences with the company met with the fascination I experienced in my forays at the opera house of the present. Julia is my alter ego, based on myself when I, too, was an eager young violinist. But I could never summon up the level of courage that becomes essential for her as she navigates the perilous world of opera mystery in the dark stairways, back hallways, and hundred foot-high catwalks of the War Memorial Opera House. And again, the curtain comes down on murder.

About Erica:

Former Metropolitan Opera violinist Erica Miner is now an award-winning author, screenwriter, arts journalist, and lecturer based in the Pacific Northwest. Her debut novel, Travels with My Lovers, won the Fiction Prize in the Direct from the Author Book Awards. Her current Julia Kogan Opera Mystery series reveal the dark side of the fascinating world of opera: Aria for Murder (Level Best Books, 2022), was a finalist in the 2023 Eric Hoffer and Murder and Mayhem Awards; Prelude to Murder (2023) a Distinguished Favorite in the 2024 NYC Big Book Awards, glowingly reviewed by Kirkus Reviews; and the just-released Overture to Murder (2024). As a writer-lecturer, Erica has given workshops for Sisters in Crime; Los Angeles Creative Writing Conference; EPIC Group Writers; Write on the Sound; Fields End Writer’s Community; Savvy Authors; and numerous libraries on the west coast.

ISBN-10: 978-1-68512-781-7 (pb)

ISBN-13:978-1-68512-782-4 (eb)

Webpage: www.ericaminer.com

Social media:

https://www.facebook.com/erica.miner1

https://twitter.com/EmwrtrErica

https://www.instagram.com/emwriter3/

Buy Link: Amazon

Blurbs:

“Anyone who loves the romance of opera and opera houses will enjoy Overture to Murder. Miner gives us a unique tour of the War Memorial Opera House, letting us in on its secrets, legends and gossip, and one of its most important occupants, the San Francisco Opera. She shares many details only a true insider can know, bringing the building to life and making it an essential character in this exceptionally well-crafted mystery.” ~ John Boatwright, San Francisco Opera House Head

“Divas and deadly secrets share center stage in Erica Miner’s Overture to Murder, a classic mystery tale set at the San Francisco Opera House, a chilling backdrop for murder. Precise details, inside information about the glamorous world of classical music, and a cast of finely drawn characters propel the action from the opening curtain to the final bows. This suspenseful tale of mystery, music, and mayhem is a page-turner. Highly recommend.” ~ Lori Robbins, author of the On Pointe Mysteries

“Set against the elegant backdrop of the San Francisco Opera, this smart, suspenseful mystery weaves a tale as intricate and compelling as Wagner's Ring. With its masterful blend of suspense, music, and drama, OVERTURE TO MURDER is a must-read for mystery enthusiasts and opera lovers alike.  Mally Becker, Agatha Award-nominated author of The Revolutionary War mysteries.

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Love, Die, Neighbor Review by E. B. Davis

 

A prequel to the [Kiki Lowenstein] Mystery Series that has won the hearts of fans all over the world! As the mother of an active toddler and the wife of an often absent husband, Kiki Lowenstein already has both hands full. But when the Lowensteins move into their new house on the same day the construction crew leaves, Kiki must learn to juggle boxes, baby, and big expectations. Her determination to be a good neighbor hits a serious roadblock when she angers the Nordstroms, the couple who live next door. Then Sven Nordstrom dies under mysterious circumstances, and Kiki is forced into the one role she never planned on playing: amateur sleuth.

 

Love, Die, Neighbor is a prequel in the Kiki Lowenstein series, one of many series written by Joanna Campbell Slan, whose specialty is cozy mysteries. But by far, this series must be the most popular because there are now twenty books. Additionally, there are twenty-four short stories/novellas having Kiki Lowenstein as the main character.

 

The first book, Paper, Scissors, Death was published in 2008. Love Die, Neighbor was published in 2017, and I read it first. I’m glad I did. It gave such depth to Kiki, the main character, that I can’t imagine it not being the first book.

 

Writers try not to include too much backstory and historical data so as not to bog down the plot, especially in what must be a first impact book. But as the series progresses successfully, there comes a certain point in the series arc when writers understand their main character is what draws readers. Murders and sleuthing aside, readers want to know more about how the main character got to where she is in life. And thus, prequels are created. As I understand it, there is also a second prequel, Bad Memory Album, written in 2023. I’m not sure what aspect of the series spring boarded this book, but I will find out!

 

In Love, Die, Neighbor, Kiki reveals a sexual encounter at a college frat party resulted in her marriage to the honorable father and subsequent daughter. At first, I thought her daughter was a newborn, but she is nearly two when this book takes place. Trying to clear away construction debris in her new house and dealing with a mobile toddler are bad enough, but she also has to deal with a condescending mother-in-law. And then, she finds the neighbors to be strange and unfriendly. When one of them is murdered, she and her husband come under suspicion, ensuring that Kiki, who needs an intellectual pursuit, is on the case.

 

Kiki is an honorable character who bites her tongue perhaps more than she should. Readers start to champion her when she is belittled by her mother-in-law and ignored by her husband. Kiki doubts his fidelity, a question that remains unanswered at the end of the book. Still, she honors her marriage and takes the higher road with mommy dearest and her unfriendly neighbors.  

 

Who are your favorite main characters? Have you ever written a prequel?