tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post4101354520468228559..comments2024-03-28T02:36:36.432-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: Return to Musty ManorJim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-57470348983038203692016-09-27T09:30:57.364-04:002016-09-27T09:30:57.364-04:00I love your writing in this scene, Shari, and look...I love your writing in this scene, Shari, and look forward to reading the fiction you'll create based on it. My memories of being in a small boat during a squall and of capsizing in a catamaran hit by a wave led to my first published story, Chimera, in Chesapeake Crimes 3.Maya Corriganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08353162256268887619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-58092601330267210832016-09-26T23:21:07.138-04:002016-09-26T23:21:07.138-04:00Lovely, evocative writing. So glad you're home...Lovely, evocative writing. So glad you're home and everyone ended up safe. That dream house is out there waiting for you, too. Diana Belchasehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10131660669461707246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-90052763674409423992016-09-26T15:07:53.991-04:002016-09-26T15:07:53.991-04:00Sometimes when I meet people I tell my wife I am g...Sometimes when I meet people I tell my wife I am going to use that person in a story. Sometimes years later, I do. My first novel, may it never see the light of day, was the result of anger that kept me writing all the way through.Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-41865915899365104372016-09-26T13:33:08.677-04:002016-09-26T13:33:08.677-04:00I use plenty of real life events in my stories, bu...I use plenty of real life events in my stories, but change them to suit whatever is going on in the book. Everything from a 3 AM potassium cyanide spill at work to receiving a teenage foster child on an emergency basis become fodder for tales. And many of my characters are composites of people I know or have encountered.<br /><br />I have learned, though, that life can be stranger than fiction and many things that have really happened can't be used in fiction because they are just too unbelievable. KM Rockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973749764907859829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-35486730799666501872016-09-26T12:31:58.206-04:002016-09-26T12:31:58.206-04:00Yikes, what an exciting, scary night! The opening ...Yikes, what an exciting, scary night! The opening and part of the story line of Tagged For Death came from a conversation I heard in the airport. And I can't wait to read what you do with this!Sherry Harrishttp://sherryharrisauthor.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-83533643047742665302016-09-26T11:05:17.608-04:002016-09-26T11:05:17.608-04:00Hi Barb, Your story was amazing. Much more intense...Hi Barb, Your story was amazing. Much more intense than this event, that is for sure.<br /><br />Hi Jim - I had to chuckle over your comment about the neighbors "not appearing to be minding your business" - this event proved that people were definitely paying attention.<br /><br />Hi Julie - I will definitely check out your story. I worked in a newroom many years ago, and it is a setting ripe with dramatic possibilities. I'm planning a visit to the post office today - the postmistress is ground zero for news. I'll keep you posted.<br /><br />Hi Kait - You know as a diver how dangerous things can get on the water - and how quickly. Especially when alcohol or substances are involved, as I suspect was the case with these two.<br /><br />Hi Margaret - I've definitely heard some interesting scenarios in coffee shops!<br /><br />Hi Grace - Great ideas - funny how the writer's mind works, isn't it?<br /><br />Hi Gloria - your real life story is so sad. It's wonderful that you made the spot beautiful by planting flowers and praying for him.<br /><br />Hi Paula - Thank you so much! I do love a good legal mystery, so I hope you'll put those experiences to good literary use!Shari Randallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16425493627354028820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-67635038509026203522016-09-26T10:45:43.129-04:002016-09-26T10:45:43.129-04:00Shari, reading this makes me look forward all the ...Shari, reading this makes me look forward all the more to your upcoming mystery series. I know it will be wonderful. My legislative experiences have contributed to a couple of stories I've written. Fortunately, nothing as scary as you encountered!Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-57923692479651042972016-09-26T10:31:29.010-04:002016-09-26T10:31:29.010-04:00Shari, what a scary and interesting story. As for ...Shari, what a scary and interesting story. As for me, almost two years ago I found a body hanging in the woods on my morning walk. The man was standing on its toes with arms held out as if for a hug and his head bowed. At first I thought it was a hunter I'd kicked out of my woods the spring before when I found him sitting behind a log dressed in total camouflage with only his blue eyes showing. So I yelled at the man standing there to leave my woods, he was trespassing. And then I noticed the wire and wondered if someone had hung a dummy there to scare me, but he was too real looking. I left the woods and called the deputies from my son's house. He didn't want to go into the woods and get his shoes dirty so my daughter-in-law got him boos (the woods were totally dry) and with several volunteer firefighters, I got to witness a crime scene investigation - sort of. Another deputy called and wanted me to give my statement, but didn't want to get his shoes dirty so I left before I got to see him cut down. Anyway, it was a suicide, but I wrote a short story in which it was a murder made to look like a suicide. And yes, I still walk in my woods almost every morning. I planted daffodils where he died and stop and say a little prayer for him.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-79987844438255722662016-09-26T10:27:43.861-04:002016-09-26T10:27:43.861-04:00Gosh! What an adventure for the middle of the nigh...Gosh! What an adventure for the middle of the night. Maybe you could turn it into a story about drug smugglers or illegals trying to get into the country--or have them invade your house. The way you wrote the story captured my imagination. Good job.Grace Toppinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10291304815273486038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-89228154235461431502016-09-26T09:23:00.528-04:002016-09-26T09:23:00.528-04:00I wrote "Once a Kappa" (Southern Writers...I wrote "Once a Kappa" (Southern Writers Magazine) about the New Orleans Red Dress Run, an event my daughter had attended. I interviewed her, read news articles, and scanned hundreds of photos. I borrowed a character from an earlier New Orleans story, invented a protagonist and antagonist, and took off.<br /><br />I constantly invent scenarios, people-watch, and eavesdrop on conversations in public places.Margaret S. Hamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07979191318652199350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-69606070362750115302016-09-26T09:14:54.320-04:002016-09-26T09:14:54.320-04:00Shari, this story had me at the edge of my seat. A...Shari, this story had me at the edge of my seat. Anything taking place on the water at night is doubly frightening. As Julie said, I hope you'll share the backstory when you discover it. <br /><br />There are bits and pieces of real events scattered throughout my writing. Death By Blue Water was inspired by a plastic bag floating out of an underwater wreck that morphed into a hand in my imagination. Zoned for Murder was inspired by real life threats made to the zoning inspector in the tiny town I lived in. As Rosanne Rosanne Adanna would say--it's always something!<br /><br />Glad the mishap, whatever it was, turned out well for the parties involved. Kaithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07758348842858993203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-83657893753350083862016-09-26T07:02:30.623-04:002016-09-26T07:02:30.623-04:00Oooh, I do hope you'll let us know the story b...Oooh, I do hope you'll let us know the story behind the story, when you find out.<br /><br />Or maybe it's best left as a mystery!<br /><br />My recent short story "Abundance of Patience" in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine was inspired by my anger and sadness caused by layoffs in the newspaper industry. Sometimes you can get satisfaction on the page that you can't get in life.Julie Tollefsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01579825918764925361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-74544633836042820402016-09-26T05:50:36.849-04:002016-09-26T05:50:36.849-04:00You are indeed correct that New England neighbors ...You are indeed correct that New England neighbors meet by way of crisis. It takes that to thaw their natural tendency to mind their own business (or at least appear not to be minding yours).Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-67684763410410027482016-09-26T00:29:26.953-04:002016-09-26T00:29:26.953-04:00Wow, Shari. What a way to meet the neighbors.
As...Wow, Shari. What a way to meet the neighbors. <br /><br />As you may know, my father's death inspired my story "Stepmonster" in the anthology Chesapeake Crimes: Storm Warning, which came out in April. The story is fiction, but certain parts are word for word from real life, unfortunately. Barb Goffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16013123434790272424noreply@blogger.com