WICKED WEDNESDAY

Getting down to the nitty-gritty.

The deadline's looming. Book #2 is due in 5 weeks and after three drafts, I'm in the polishing mode. Readers have been recruited and the comments are in. Changes have been made, where necessary; suggestions incorporated, as needed. This is all fun stuff, by the way.

It's time for the nitty-gritty.

With the Ashton Corners Book Club mysteries, each chapter begins with a quote from another novel. And that's quite a task, believe me. Books need to be read for the appropriate words of wisdom -- ones that blend with the ensuing chapter. And, there are so many books to choose from! A task but also, a pleasure.

And once that's complete, I'll need to add a book list reflecting each of the book club members' reading taste. Again, so many books to choose from. Again, a pleasure.

So, writers may moan about deadlines -- well, this writer, anyway -- and mental blocks, stagnant periods and lack of ideas...but way down deep, it's all a treat!

I'm still searching for quotes. Care to share any?


Linda Wiken/Erika Chase
A Killer Read, coming April, 2012
from Berkley Prime Crime

TUESDAY BRINGS TROUBLE

Guiding writers.

So what's on your writer's reference shelf? No matter what stage your publishing career is at, I'll bet there are at least one or two writer's guides you've read over the years and now keep close at hand.

I'm also sure that most writers have at one time or other, consulted part of the Writer's digest Books enormous selection, whether it be a book on Dialogue by Lewis Turco, Theme & Strategy by Ronald B. Tobias, or Characters & Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card or perhaps one of their Howdunit series about cause of death, poisons, or weapons.

My most valued writing guides are divided into two groups -- those that work on improving writing skills and those that provide inspiration. Of the latter, bird by bird, by Anne Lamott is one that I often pick up, partly because I love her writing style but mostly because it challenges me to look at this task of writing in a different way. And from a different creative path, there's dancer Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit, with practical suggestions for getting the creative juices flowing.


For a mystery writer, Barbara Norville's Writing The Modern Mystery is ageless and has indeed seen many re-prints as it gets down to basics. My all-time favourite "how-to" book is Writing Mysteries by Margaret Locke, sadly out-of-print now. I used it as a primary reference when we were teaching mystery writing classes at night school.

Then there are the technical guides, indispensable for mystery and crime writers. Books like The Forensic Casebook by N.E Genge, The Criminal Mind by Katherine Ramsland, and Be Your Own Detective by Greg Fallis and Ruth Greenberg.

On writing in general, there's the often-quoted Christopher Vogler book, The Writer's Journey and, Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass, both sitting on my shelf to be re-read from time to time.

There are more...many more which is party of the reason my house has so many bookcases. These are the silent critique group, ready to point out flaws and suggest alternatives.

So, what's on your writer's reference shelf?


Linda Wiken/Erika Chase
A Killer Read coming April, 2012
from Berkley Prime Crime

MAYHEM ON MONDAYS

DO YOU HAVE MY NOUNS?

So, do you have my nouns? Some days there isn't a single one to be heard in our house. In chat between my husband and me, nada. It's not like the dogs can eat them. They've just disappeared. Take today's morning conversation:

He, looking frazzled. "Where's my um …?"
Me, taking one eye off fascinating newspaper article featuring severed body parts. "What um?"
"You know, the …" Voice trails off again. Cute silver head is scratched. He is wondering what is wrong with his wife that she can't tear herself from the blood and gore story to answer the simplest question. "Things, the things. I need them to start the um."
"Oh right. I think I saw them on the whatzit, next to your … Did you check there?"
"What whatzit?" He is starting to get annoyed, but doesn't want to show it, at least not until he finds the things.
"What things?" I counter. He's not the only one who can get annoyed.
"I had them when I got back yesterday because I used them to open the …"
"Did you look on the whatzit?" I point upwards toward the bedroom, which has several whatzits, one of them with things on it.
Grumbling starts. "Now I'm going to be late meeting what's-his-name at--." Snapping fingers follows grumbles, trying to get a handle on what's-his-name.

A noun is after all person, place or thing. The persons and places can vanish too. Snapping fingers will not bring them back, as we've learned the hard way.

Of course, it doesn't pay for me to get too uppity. It's merely a matter of time before I find myself saying "Have you seen that pile of stuff that was here yesterday? There's a lot of important er … "
"What pile of stuff?"
"You know, the, um. It was this high, over there by the you know."
"Your voice trailed off. What stuff again?"
Of course, he has no choice but to cooperate. After all, didn't I help him find those things on the whatzit just this morning? "Are you certain you didn't move it somewhere?"
"I don't think so."
"Sure you did.. It's right over by the gizmo near the the uh. Oops, watch out for the queerthing on the -- . Are you all right? Did you hurt your …?"

Okay, all this, including missing noun injuries, might be expected if we didn't own six thousand books, including at least eighteen dictionaries. Or if we hadn't both read obsessively as children. I took care of fiction, he was in charge of non-fiction. Even if I wasn't as a friend once described me 'a known talker'. So it's not like we didn't ever have a supply of fancy upscale and occasionally obscure nouns to sprinkle in our sentences, insert into conversations or meaningful questions.

Of course, what good are dictionaries when you have to check everything under S for stuff or T for thing?

I put my lapses down to the brain-frying activity writing two books this year. They each contained mountains of nouns, many of them scary if not dangerous. That must be what's edging them out. But seriously, what's his excuse? Oh well, it's not so bad, really.

As long as our verbs don't start to, you know … um.


Mary Jane Maffini rides herd on three (soon to be three and a half) mystery series and a couple of dozen short stories. Her thirteenth mystery novel, The Busy Woman’s Guide to Murder, which hit the bookshelves this spring, is brimming with names, no two the same.

CRIME ON MY MIND

A Farewell to Borders.

Borders is no more. It has gone through the bankruptcy/receivership/close-down progression and as of today, will have closed the doors of the entire fleet.

This is regrettable for two reasons. Firstly, because of the 10,000 employees who are now out of jobs and as we know, this is not a great time to be on a job hunt. Secondly, it's yet another blow to the publishing industry, one that's taken too many hits over the past few years.

I can't believe it was 40 years ago that Borders started this big box bookstore phenomena. We watched as it grew, Barnes & Noble became its main competitors, and all too many independents were forced to close their doors. Then came Chapters, now Chapters/Indigo and the gift store/bookstore it's morphed into.

In fact, any indies that are still around, on either side of the border, must now re-visit how they sell books. The bottom line is, retail is no place for wimps.

I remember when I owned an indie, a very savvy sales rep predicted as big box bookstores seemed to be taking over the world, that they would peak and then the long slide downhill would begin. And it has. But it's not because the customers began flocking back to the smaller guys. It's because business is business. Either you sell your product and make a profit or your fold.

The thought is that Borders didn't get on the e-book bandwagon quickly or efficiently enough. Who knew? E-books and readers got off to a very slow start although they'd been predicted to be instant best-sellers. Now, they've sparked and are revolutionizing the industry. And leaving many publishers and distributors hurting. And, Borders. Although, Borders.com remains open for business.

But nothing can beat a bookstore with honest-to-goodness paperback and hardbacks on masses of bookshelves. Nothing!

The hope is that the remaining independents will be able to dig in and find creative ways in which to sell books -- I mean the paper kind. I know, I'll always be a customer.

I owned a Kobo Touch for 2 days. The 'touch' factor was driving me nuts, being a person of little patience. So, back it went. Nor did I enjoy reading from the screen which should not have been a surprise, because I truly dislike reading stories on even a computer screen. But I know there are many of you who have embraced this new technology and it's here to stay.

I think it's great we have so many choices, at present anyway. Paper books, e-books. Brick & mortar stores, on-line selling. Take your pick.

The casualties, like Borders, should make us all rush out and buy a book today.

Because even though it was big box, it sold books...and where would we be without books? And bookstores?


Linda Wiken/Erika Chase
A Killer Read coming April, 2012
from Berkley Prime Crime

LADIES' KILLING THURSDAYS

A Harebrained idea

On Tuesday Rick Blechta wrote a blog for Type M for Murder http://typem4murder.blogspot.com/ about the City of Toronto's harebrained idea to privatize their public libraries. Councillor Doug Ford, the mayor's brother, said in his defense of the scheme, “I’ve got more libraries in my area than I have Tim Horton’s.” Um . . . and this is a bad thing?

It's a complete fabrication, of course. There are three times as many Timmy's in Etobicoke, Doug Ford's ward, than libraries and that doesn't begin to take into account all the other coffee shops that have sprouted like weeds in our urban communities. Apples and oranges can't describe this ludicrous argument. It's more like apples and warthogs. But before I get too personal about the delectable Ford brothers, let me tell you about my favourite library and why I think public libraries are such an important part of our communities.

The Elgin Branch of the Rideau Lakes Public Library in Eastern Ontario is my idea of a tiny perfect place. What is it about this little library? I conducted an informal survey of patrons and I got a number of enthusiastic and varied responses. Most people wanted to talk about the social aspect of the place. "It's a bit like the old general store without the potbellied stove. People feel welcome to sit around and chew the fat," said one patron.

A few years ago, Sue Warren, the CEO of Rideau Lakes Public Library came across my sister and me whispering in the General Fiction section. She put a hand on both our shoulders and in the nicest way possible said, "You don't have to whisper here. This is a community space." I looked around at that point and realized she was absolutely right. There was a spirited discussion going on in one alcove among six members of one of the library's five book clubs. Kids were crowded into the Children's Room shouting out answers to questions about a story that had just been read to them. All of the computers were in use and one man was having a conversation, sotto voce, on Skype. In the midst of this some people were reading and others visited in easy chairs.

Sue Warren explains the popularity of rural libraries this way: "Librarians have to be a bit like bartenders. Our staff members live in the area and are well-connected to the community. We know if someone is going through a bad time and we take the time to listen. Our libraries used to close between Christmas and New Years but we realized what a bleak and lonely time this could be for some folks, so now we stay open."

Many rural libraries offer courses in Computer skills and provide adult and youth literacy programs. Elgin has a Dyslexia Support Group, Summer Reading Clubs, Resume Writing assistance and they proctor examinations for people who can't get to exam venues.

I can't even begin to enumerate all the services this little library and most rural libraries provide, free of charge, for their communities but it doesn't take too much imagination to see how a private, for-profit library corporation would differ and how it would fail these same communities.


Sue Pike has published a couple of dozen stories and won several awards including an Arthur Ellis Award for Best Short Crime Story. Her latest, Where the Snow Lay Dinted appeared in the January issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine.

Sue and her husband and an opinionated Australian Shepherd named Cooper spend the winter months in Ottawa and the rest of the time at a mysterious cottage on the Rideau Lakes.

WICKED WEDNESDAYS

Behind the Scene of the Crime

Most people don't realize it, but the Scene of the Crime Festival is the brainchild of crime writer Therese Greenwood. A Wolfe Island native herself, Therese had long felt that the Island would make the perfect setting for a mystery writing festival. "What could be more perfect?" she said at the time. "Everyone loves the idea of an island. What could be more intriguing and mysterious? Hey, we could call the festival 'Scene of the Crime'." The first thing she did was recruit her partners in the mad scheme, Maureen Lollar, member of the Wolfe Island Business and Tourism Association (WIBTA), and myself, a fellow crime writer. Once we were all on board, the conspiracy . . . um, I mean the planning for the first Scene of the Crime Festival was on its way.

As the old saying goes, it's better to be lucky than good. When the Festival was still in its very early stages, Therese and I attended a Sherlock Holmes symposium where we learned from David Skene-Melvin – noted historian of Canadian crime writing – that Grant Allen, himself a Wolfe Island native and a friend of Arthur Conan Doyle, was considered Canada's first crime writer. Therese immediately realized what a stroke of luck this was for the Festival. "I can see the press release now!" she said, pointing out that this simple connection could bring the Festival national recognition.

Still, we started out small, testing the waters of local interest and support that would be so necessary for long-term success. And so the first year centred around the first of the Festival's terrific church suppers. Maureen organized the food, while Therese and I recruited Canadian mystery writers Peter Sellers and Mary Jane Maffini, who was president of Crime Writers of Canada that year. We brought in a number of local writers and celebrities, such as Rose de Shaw, Margaret Knott, Rene Marshall and Captain Brian Johnson, of the Wolfe Islander III. Therese also managed to snag a long-time mystery fan and well-known broadcaster Roy Bonisteel – did I mention that Roy's her father-in-law? Did I already say something about it's better to be lucky than good?

That first church supper featured readings, book signings, door prizes, and a silent auction. Since then the Festival has expanded into an all-day event, adding author panels, a lecture, a writing workshop and a short story contest in the second year. In the third year we began honouring Canada's crime-writing pioneers with the Grant Allen Award.

By the way, each speaker at our very first dinner, on Saturday 24th, 2002, was asked to write the beginning of a mystery story, using Wolfe Island as its setting. Why just the beginning of a story? What better way to honour where it all began, and to represent the start of what's become one of Canada's most important crime-writing festivals?

Want more details, and pictures? See our website, www.sceneofthecrime.ca, and friend us on Facebook.



Violette Malan's short mystery fiction has been published in the Canadian anthologies of the "Ladies Killing Circle", in the noir anthology Crime Spree, and in the magazine Over My Dead Body. Her erotic has been published in Penthouse. She is co-editor of "Dead in the Water", an anthology of crime and mystery fiction and she is co-founder of the Scene of the Crime Festival on Wolfe Island.

Violette's first fantasy novel, "The Mirror Prince", was published by DAW (New York) in 2006. "The Sleeping God", the first of her Dhulyn and Parno novels, was published in 2007. The series has continued with "The Soldier King" in 2008 and "The Storm Witch" which was released in September 2009. Her most recent novel, Path of the Sun, was released in Sept. 2010.

TUESDAY BRINGS TROUBLE

Food that's downright criminal!

I stayed in a lovely B&B in Ste.-Adele, Quebec this past weekend and while the room was just right, complete with balcony, and the village was worth the visit, it was the breakfast that sticks in my mind. I love breakfast, especially when it's eaten at a location other than my house.

Although I wasn't able to eat everything on the menu, it didn't stop me from appreciating what was offered. Eggs baked in cream -- doesn't it sound mouth-watering, especially in French.

Last month I stayed at a wonderful B&B in Victoria, B.C. and had the same experience...a marvelous breakfast menu, different each day. How to feel totally pampered. Did I mention, I love eating breakfast out?

Now, I readily admit I'm not a great cook. In fact, I don't even enjoy it. OK...I may feel inspired twice a year, for no particular reason. And you're wondering, why all this information? What does it have to do with mysteries?

Plenty! Pick up almost any cosy these days, and there's food mentioned in it. The

sleuth doesn't sit down to lunch. It's a lunch of Tuna Nicoise with a glass of Pinot Grigio. Many cosies even offer the recipes at the back of the book. Now, you'd expect that with a catering mystery or BBQ series. But many of these have nothing to do with food, except that the sleuth eats.

So, I'm of the opinion that in order to write a best-selling mystery these days, you need to know your food groups. Better still, know what makes a mouth-watering meal that will keep the reader salivating while the search for the killer continues.
If, like me, you're not a cook then you must do research. Not a difficult task.

I love reading cookbooks, oddly enough. But of course, they must have photos. There's something tantalizing about a cookbook, especially an ethnic cookbook. Even if I never try making a recipe from that book, I will treasure it. And of course, that's one way to do research.

Or you can put yourself in your sleuth's shoes...and eat out. What a great reason to try that new Argentinian restaurant in town! And, you must know your wines, too.

There are even blog sites devoted to recipes. Check out www.mysteryloverskitchen for some popular mystery authors sharing some non-lethal recipes.

This isn't restricted to the cosy set. Many edgy thrillers have revenge plotted across the dinner table. And how many victims have found their fate in a poisoned dish?

After all, isn't this another way of describing characters? As a reader, I want to know his or her tastes in reading, movies, clothing, and food. As long as the information is blended into the story and doesn't slow down the telling. Aren't we all searching for the well-rounded character?


Linda Wiken/Erika Chase
A Killer Read coming April, 2012
from Berkley Prime Crime