The Amateurs and the Pros

Like many authors of amateur sleuth mysteries, I’m also a fan of reading them. That’s not to say I don’t read many other subgenres as well, and in my writing, I write a magical series that features both an amateur sleuth and an FBI agent, so that one straddles the fence between amateur and professional sleuths. I also write an occasional standalone thriller, which is a whole different category. But as both a writer and reader, I’ve always felt a particular fondness for amateurs who solve crimes, going way back to the time when Nancy Drew first led me into this life of crime.

Some years back at a signing, a reader asked me whether, like the protagonist of my Tracy Eaton mysteries — a writer and detective wannabe — I secretly harbored a desire to solve murders. Nope, not even a little bit. I bet that’s true for most writers of amateur sleuths as well. But that I don’t long to follow Tracy down the path of actually solving crimes, doesn’t in any way lessen my love of amateur sleuth mysteries, especially fun ones.

Besides, I think we learn from their examples. To my mind, some of the appeal of amateur sleuths is that, when we see them take on the impossible in their lives, we’re inspired to tackle the looming obstacles in our own, even if ours involve something less life-threatening than solving murders.

Of course, in amateur sleuth mysteries, it’s the amateurs that have to shine. But that’s not to say the police don’t play important roles. They do create stabilizing presences, even if, in the end, it’s our amateurs that save the day.

I’ve always loved the police detectives I’ve created in my Tracy Eaton mysteries. Each has been different, some more rigidly official than others, more resistant to Tracy’s free-spirited antics, and they’ve all made unique and engaging foils for her. But none have been more fun than the police presence I created for my new release, Revenge on Route 66. 

Roy Fricker, the Chief of Police of the small town of Tecos, New Mexico, where much of the action occurs in Revenge on Route 66, makes an immediate presence on the page, although maybe not the one he might have wanted.

Here’s Tracy’s first impression:

In the doorway stood the world’s most glittery Rhinestone Cowboy, an African-American man, whose embroidered Western shirt and decorated leather spats sported so much fringe, he had drastically reduced the world’s supply of it. There must have been clackers hidden within that fringe, too, because when he strode into the place, he jangled.

Even more colorful than his dress is Chief Fricker’s speech:

He tipped a gigantic white hat, which matched the accents in his black shirt and spats, and said, “Ma’am. Hear tell someone blew out poor Woody’s light.”

That was just the beginning of Chief Fricker’s colorful lingo. Every time he spoke more of his Western gibberish came out:

Fricker removed his hat and ran a large hand over his closely shorn hair. “Can’t say I’m all that surprised someone flipped Woody’s hash browns. He’s always been like someone riding ’round with a wasp in his bonnet. Always looking for a pig to kick.”

Tracy’s reaction was predictable enough:

Huh? Was his getup and lingo a joke? If we’d been back in L.A., I’d have assumed this guy to be an actor in some Western movie parody. Here, I figured he’d been yanked from his other job, rodeo clown.

But she soon learns that his looks and lingo can be deceiving. Chief Fricker is actually a wily investigator, a former big city homicide detective simply living out his long-held Western dream, albeit in a pretty dramatic way.

He and Tracy continue to lock horns. He might be all about living his dream, but he’s not about to let some wacky amateur sleuth just passing through the flaunt the law and cut corners in his town.

Isn’t that the way it often goes when amateur sleuths and cops tangle? Amateur sleuths are all about the spirit of justice, while the police get tangled up in the letter of it.

However the struggle goes in the course of a mystery, it’s always fun for those of us who love amateur sleuth mysteries.

What do you think about the cops in amateur sleuth mysteries? Have you enjoyed reading them as much as I’ve enjoyed creating them?

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I'll be doing appearances for Revenge on Route 66 throughout the spring and into the summer. Here's my current schedule:

 

Saturday, March 16, 2 pm: Book launch party for REVENGE ON ROUTE 66. The Well Red Coyote. 3190 W. State Route 89A, #100, Sedona, AZ. For more information, call 928-282-2284.

Thursday, March 21 — Sunday, March 24: Left Coast Crime 2013, Colorado Springs, CO. Here's my LCC schedule:

LCC: Friday, March 22, 1 pm: Panelist on the “If there’s a bad pun in the title, it must be a funny cozy!” panel, with Donna Andrews, Bionnie Biafore, Jess Lourey, and moderated by Linda Joffe Hull.

LCC: Friday, March 22, 2 pm: Moderating the “This can’t be normal, can it: the panel for fantasy, paranormal,” with Ann Charles, Theresa Crater, Linda Hilburn and Alex Sokoloff.

LCC: Sunday, March 24, 10 am: Panelist on the “Thrills & Laughs: A Conflict of Interest” panel, moderated by Chantelle Osman, and with Bonnie Biafore, Robert Downs, and Kathy McIntosh.

Tuesday, March 26, 3 pm: Radio interview with Sandy Moss, KQNA, Prescott, AZ.

Saturday, April 13, 2 pm: Signing REVENGE ON ROUTE 66 at Poisoned Pen, 4014 N Goldwater Blvd #101  Scottsdale, AZ 85251. (480) 947-2974. I'll be signing with Deborah J. Ledford.

Friday, April 26, 4-6 pm: Pump House Readings. Ken’s Creekside, Sedona, AZ. I’ll be presenting a reading from REVENGE ON ROUTE 66.

Wednesday, May 15, 6 pm: I will be presenting a talk on humor writing, “Making Them Laugh,” at the meeting of the Sisters in Crime chapter, the Desert Sleuths of Scottsdale, AZ. Grimaldi’s Pizzaria, 4000 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ. For more information, email: DesertSleuths@gmail.com.

Friday, May 24 – Sunday, May 26, all day: Phoenix Comicon. Appearance schedule TBA.

Saturday, June 8, 2 pm. Book ‘Em Mysteries, 1118 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA. (626) 799-9600. I’ll be signing REVENGE ON ROUTE 66.

Sunday, June 9, 2:30 pm. Mysterious Galaxy. – Redondo Beach, 2810 Artesia Blvd Redondo Beach, CA. 310-542-6000. I’ll be signing REVENGE ON ROUTE 66.

Monday, June 10, 7 pm. Mysterious Galaxy – San Diego, 7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Suite #302, San Diego, CA. 858-268-4747. I’ll be presenting a writing workshop, Creating Memorable Characters, and signing copies of REVENGE ON ROUTE 66.

Check my appearance page for updates and additions!

 

Secrets and lies

My next Tracy Eaton mystery, Revenge on Route 66, will be out in March. The central theme of that book is secrets, and the lies characters tell to keep those secrets.

That got me thinking about the lies real people tell. Are they all the same? How about the ones we call “white lies”? Some people maintain those are merely the grease that make sticky social cogs run more smoothly. But are they really harmless?

I mean, if a woman asks her mate whether her jeans make her look fat, does she really want a true answer, especially if they actually do make her look fat? Isn’t she really asking her significant other to help her engage in denial to boost her self-confidence? Wouldn’t telling her the truth just be cruel and unnecessary? Shouldn’t her SO want her to feel better about herself even if it means telling a little fib? Still, it is a lie.

How about lies of omission? What if a friend wore something in a color that made her look sickly or blotchy? Would you tell her she should avoid that color at all costs? Me, I probably wouldn’t. It seems unnecessarily mean, even though some people might prefer to know it. I also probably couldn’t stretch the white lie limits by going so far as to tell her she looked good in that wretched color. However, I would make a note of it, and the next time I saw her wear a color that was especially flattering to her, I’d go out of my way to make sure she knew that was her color. What would you do?

Maybe the key is that lies told to avoid hurting someone, or truths held back for the same reason, are easier to justify.

But what if the lies were more serious? What if the person they could potentially hurt — is the actual liar? If there was something in your past that you felt sure would make people look at your differently, what would you do to keep that hidden? How far would you go? Those are the kinds of lies that are central to Revenge on Route 66. I won’t tell you everything my characters did, but like most real people my characters go to great lengths to keep their pasts from rising up to haunt them now.

I so enjoyed dealing with the secrets and lies in my characters lives, characters I’ve known for a very long time, who kept those secrets even from me! Mysteries are often rooted in secrets and lies, of course, but rarely to this degree. Personally, though, I’m more convinced than ever that I enjoy a cleaner past than my characters. I’m not sure I could handle the pressure of keeping such whoppers under wraps.

Besides, doesn’t the truth have a nasty way of coming out eventually? And it’s often worse for having been kept hidden for so long.

How about you? What’s your take on the harmless white lies? And how about the others, the ones told to hide the secrets that could make or break a life if they came out? What do you think about them?

Do people have a right to keep their secrets hidden?

Linda Reilly's Next Big Thing

My friend and former writing student, Linda Reilly, is guest-blogging with me today to post about her WIP for the Next Big Thing blog chain.

First, a big thank you to Kris Neri for “tagging” me for the Next Big Thing Blog!  Kris has graciously allowed me to post on her blog, since I don’t yet have one.


What is your working title of your book?

At the moment it’s Hot-Diggity Dead-Ziggity.


Where did the idea come from for the book?

The book is the second in the Apple Mariani mystery series, and I think of it as a natural progression from the ending of Some Enchanted Murder, which will be released early in 2013. My main character will be tackling some tough emotional dilemmas, and I’m enjoying writing those scenes. The mystery itself will explore old hatreds and long-held grudges, one of which will trigger the murder.


What genre does your book fall under?

Definitely a cozy mystery, with an amateur sleuth and a nutty aunt for a sidekick.


Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I usually don’t think in terms of a movie rendition, but I’ve always pictured my main character as somewhat of Drew Barrymore lookalike, perhaps with a bit less glamor. Apple has the depth of personality—the resourcefulness and kindness—that radiates from Drew Barrymore and from the characters she portrays, and I think that’s why I’ve always pictured Apple that way in my mind.


What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

When Apple Mariani’s elderly friend Lillian goes suddenly missing after an appraiser is murdered at an estate sale, Apple knows she has to track down Lillian before a desperate killer finds her first.


Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I sold my first book to Five Star Publishing (a part of Cengage Learning) without an agent, but was recently fortunate enough to sign up with Jessica Faust at BookEnds, LLC, and I’m absolutely thrilled. Jessica will represent me in all future submissions.


How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I’m actually still completing the first draft. Working on other projects in between has slowed me down, but I hope to complete it by the time the first installment in the “Apple" series is released.


What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

It’s tough to compare, since my cozy doesn’t have the hook of a typical cozy mystery, such as crocheting, or knitting, or bread-baking. My main character is a paralegal/title examiner, and part of her daily grind is dealing with title searches and real estate closings. It’s her knowledge of her field that helps her uncover the final clue leading to the killer. Maybe the best way to describe it is simply as a New England cozy.


Who or what inspired you to write this book?

It was mostly the main character herself who inspired me, with her unresolved issues of the past. There is also a romantic development that I wanted to explore, and it’s turning out to be a lot of fun.


What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

Since Hot-Diggity is a sequel, I think readers might enjoy Apple’s bumpy, emotional journey through a long overdue reunion—along with all of the surprises and angst that entails. There’s also a creepy old abandoned school that plays a role in the plot, and which I hope will appeal to mystery lovers.



And now, here are the authors I have tagged:



June Shaw is author of eight books, including a series of humorous mysteries and her most recent novel a suspense APPROACHING MENACE, which one reviewer compared to work by Mary Higgins Clark. She shares a blog with a number of mystery writers here: http://murderousmusings.blogspot.com. 


Lesley A. Diehl is a retired psychologist who writes cozy mysteries featuring country gals with sass. Visit her website at www.lesleydiehl.com and her blog http://anotherdraught.blogspot.com

The Next Big Thing -- Learn What I'm Working on Now

The charming and generous Donis Casey tagged me for this Next Big Thing blog chain. Donis is not only a talented historical mystery author, whose Alafair Tucker mystery series has achieved well-deserved success, she’s a sweet person who posted her own Next Big Thing last week that I'm sure you'll enjoy reading. You'll find that link further down.

At the end of this blog, I’ll also tag other writers who will tell you about their Next Big Thing next week, or at some subsequent date. Each of us will answer the same ten questions about our upcoming books. 

Here are those questions:

1. What is your working title of your book?:

The working title for my current WIP, which I’m pretty sold on as the permanent title, is WHERE THE ROCKS BLEED RED.

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?

I credit the breathtaking red rocks of Sedona, Arizona for my inspiration, and the history I’ve learned about the original, prehistoric peoples who regarded this land that I cherish as sacred. WHERE THE ROCKS BLEED RED is a contemporary story, but it has deep roots in the past, in some cases, roots that go all the way back to the early peoples who lived on this land. 

3. What genre does your book fall under?

It’s a thriller with supernatural overtones.

 

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Hmmm…. I would cast Cote de Pablo from the NCIS TV show as my protagonist, Colt Tanner, and Brad Pitt as Erik Wolf, her love interest. Or someone equally cute for Erik, and perhaps a bit brooding. Colt needs to be a woman who is on the small side, with darkish coloring, and who gives off a great feeling of individuality and strength, albeit with a reckless streak.

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

When a desperate daughter takes an unconventional path to keep her vegetative father alive, she unearths a secret that could prove deadly to her and others, which demonstrates that the roots of greed ripple through every culture and that secrets corrupt even after generations.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I’m a traditionally published author, and I intend to remain so. I have not tried to sell WHERE THE ROCKS BLEED RED yet.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

It’s hard to say precisely. I write two mystery series, my Tracy Eaton mysteries and my Samantha Brennan & Annabelle Haggerty magical mysteries. WHERE THE ROCKS BLEED RED was my back-burner book for a long time, but now, as I’m entering into the final draft, it’s demanding to be front and center in my focus. I would estimate I’ve invested eight to ten months writing and researching the earlier version, spread out over several years.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

It follows in the tradition of the late Tony Hillerman and Margaret Coel, but it employs more of a thriller pace than mystery, with a thriller’s greater sense of danger.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

It may sound awfully woo-woo, but the red rock energy of Sedona really did inspire me. While sitting on rock off a hiking trail one day the basic premise and the major characters just came to me. I should also credit my husband Joe for encouraging me to write it. Because the storyline and the characters just walked into my mind, it almost seemed too easy — I’m used to struggling with story setup! But Joe felt it had such a strong premise, it deserved to see print.

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

The Native American history and perspective should interest some readers. I also wanted to address the question of when is a person still alive and when should we let them go; basically, when does the body just become a shell — some people should find that intriguing. Lastly, I suspect lots of readers will vicariously enjoy the idea of rushing off somewhere and reinventing your life. I’ve enjoyed experiencing that along with the character!

Include the link of who tagged you and this explanation for the people you have tagged.

Here’s Donis Casey’s Next Big Thing blog:

http://www.doniscasey.com/?p=690

And here are the people I’m tagging:

Kate Wyland is the author of Wyoming Escape, a Triple H Ranch mystery:

http://www.katewyland.com/blog/

Lori Hines, paranormal mystery author: http://lhauthor.wordpress.com/

Linda S. Reilly, author of Some Enchanted Murder, will be guest-blogging here on my blog next Monday, December 3: 

--> http://krisneri.blogspot.com/

Sally Carpenter, author of the Eureka! Award-nominated mystery The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper," who will blog on December 12 at: http://otpblog.blogspot.com.

Real Life Mysteries

When you consider that I write paranormal fiction, in addition to humorous traditional mysteries, and that I really love fantasy fiction, I have no fondness for real life encounters with things that go bump in the night, or any other time.

When you write or read fantasy, it’s not necessary to believe in any of it. That’s why it’s called fantasy. You can buy into some of it, or just enjoy a trip to another world, that might be similar to ours, but really different in other ways, without believing in any of it.

I used to maintain a strictly skeptical bent on all things woo-woo. Although some questionable things did happen to me on occasion, I always found another way to explain them. I’ve also had prophetic dreams, but I wrote those off to coincidences.

Then we had an author come to sign at our bookstore, who was an EMT who claimed she communed with those who had passed over while she tried to help them during the course of doing her job. I didn’t necessarily believe, although I figured she did. I even enjoyed her nonfiction book, although I approached it as if it were fiction.

But when she appeared before the sizeable crowd she drew, a round shadow suddenly popped up on the wall behind her, where there was nothing to cast a shadow. To say I was freaked was a criminal understatement. I kept trying to find a logical explanation, but logic totally eluded me.

After the author left, I tentatively broached the subject of that distinctive orb cast on the wall with a customer. “Oh, sure, that was an entity,” the customer said. “I figured she brought it along with her.”

Wasn’t that nice of her? Shouldn’t she have asked permission first?

In all the years we operated our bookstore out of that suite, which was more than six, I never again saw anything like that, but neither was I able to forget it, or explain it away. Maybe there really are more things in heaven and earth… Even if this paranormal writer doesn’t want to believe it. I wish that incident were unique, but I experienced too, too many things I can’t explain.

We recently encountered another real life mystery that proved to be just as troubling and just as perplexing. While in New Mexico on vacation, we had repeated problems with a super loud TV in the room next door every night. While it playing at different hours, but the TV was always tuned to a soccer game. 

We put up with it one night. When it was repeated the next night, my husband initially went next door to talk to our inconsiderate neighbors. He knocked over and over, but no one answered. By then the TV was at a staggering volume, so he assumed they simply couldn’t hear. He went downstairs to report to someone at the desk, while I remained in our room.

While he was gone, the TV went off. Joe came back with the night manager, who insisted there weren’t any guests registered in that room. We thought that an employee might have used his passkey to enter it, and used that place to hide out and watch a soccer game when he was supposed to be on duty. But the night manager, insisted that there was no indication that anyone had used the room since it was made-up by the maid days earlier.

Maybe so, maybe not. Neither Joe nor I had gone into the room with him, so we weren’t able to verify it either way. The TV had gone off by then, which was all we cared about.

 

Next night, same thing. Televised soccer game played at maximum volume, though at a different time than the night before. This time Joe went straight downstairs. With the night manager off that night, the head of security accompanied him back upstairs.

Joe entered that room with the security guy. The TV was still on, still playing at full volume, airing another soccer game. But the room was dark. When they turned on the lights, the condition of the room was perfect. As the night manager had insisted the night before, there was no sign that anyone had ever sat on the bed to watch the game. There was nothing to indicate anyone had entered the room at all, apart from those checking on a TV that seemed to turn itself on.

Joe pulled the plug on the TV, and it never bothered us again, although we only spent one more night there. The security man maintained there was no way to program the TV to either go on or go off with the remotes the hotel provided. I’m still looking for that logical explanation, though. Maybe there were other remotes that the staff had access to, which had greater capabilities. Maybe some guest in another room had a way of activating TV sets through the wall or from across the hall, just to play with people’s heads. Maybe someone really did sneak in and out quietly, watching soccer games in stealth, and taking pains to leave the room in faultless condition.

The security officer also said that the hotel maids report that strange things often happen in that wing and floor of the hotel. Weren’t we lucky to be placed there?

I’m still clinging to any one of the logical explanations I’ve managed to come up with. But it’s getting harder.

What do you believe? Have you had encounters you can’t explain?