Women of Mystery

NPR's "Three Minute Fiction" contest

2009-07-05T08:00:00.002-04:00

National Public Radio is sponsoring a contest of "Three Minute Fiction," a story of approximately 500-600 words that can be read in three minutes or less. It is open to legal U.S. residents.

Judging will take place between now and July 24, 2009, by James Wood (staff writer and literary critic for The New Yorker and author of How Fiction Works).

One contest winner will be interviewed and have his/her story read on-air during Weekend All Things Considered and will receive an autographed copy of the book How Fiction Works.

The Mysterious Cipher re: July 4, 1776

2009-07-04T11:13:00.010-04:00

In 1801, at the beginning of Thomas Jefferson’s first term as President of the United States, his friend Robert Patterson sent a letter to Jefferson which contained what Patterson concluded was a perfect cipher. Both Patterson and Jefferson interested in codes and ciphers and frequently shared information and codes.

The difference with this cipher is that Jefferson was never able to “crack the code.” The letter remained in Jefferson’s papers for two hundred years until Dr. Lawren Smithline, a cryptology expert, unlocked the secret in 2007.

You can read all about it in the Wall Street Journal.

The unencrypted message reads:

"In Congress, July Fourth, one thousand seven hundred and seventy six, A declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. When in the course of human events..."

You will recognize those last seven words as the beginning of the Declaration of Independence. You may not recognize the final paragraph of the Declaration, or the names of all the signers, but I thought since "When in the course of human events..." is so familiar, you might also want to read the paragraph that begins "We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America . . ." and to remind yourself of the brave men who put their lives and fortunes on the line when they signed it.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
— John Hancock

New Hampshire:Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts:John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut:Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York:William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey:Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania:Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware:Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland:Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina:William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina:Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia:Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

So when you pop the top of that beer bottle while you are waiting for the barbecue to heat up, you might want to hoist a glass and toast these men in thanksgiving. and after the burgers and corn on the cob be sure to enjoy the fireworks.

Happy Fourth of July. God Bless America.

Terrie

Hint Fiction Anthology:Call for Submissions

2009-07-03T09:00:00.001-04:00

Hint Fiction: A story of 25 words or less that suggests a larger, more complex story.

On April 22, I posted an announcement about a Hint Fiction contest, which was held by author Robert Swartwood (who coined the term). Novelist Stewart O’Nan acted as final judge for the contest.

On June 17, I posted the exciting news that publisher W.W. Norton had approached Robert Swartwood and his agent about publishing an anthology of Hint Fiction, starting with the Top 20 stories from the contest (which includes one of mine, I’m happy to say). Swartwood will edit the anthology.

Lancaster Online interviewed Swartwood, where he revealed that Pulitzer Prize winning poet Stephen Dunn and best selling authors Joyce Carol Oates and James Frey had sent in their hint fiction stories to be included in the anthology. The interview appears here.

Swartwood has just announced the submission period to consider more stories for inclusion in the anthology (further details found here).

The submission period is between August 1 - August 31, 2009. Writers interested in submitting up to two stories can do so via an email address to be announced on Robert Swartwood’s web site on August 1, 2009. Once he designates the email address, I’ll post it, along with a reminder to send stories in.

The anthology will include between 100-150 stories.

Payment is $25 per story for World and Audio rights.

FBF: Red Lobster, White Trash and the Blue Lagoon

2009-07-03T07:57:00.005-04:00

Joe Queenan is a humorist, author and critic, whose latest work is a memoir called Closing Time in which he describes his life growing up in working class Philadelphia fifty years ago.

Queenan has always been one to deride pop culture of any sort, but in the late 1990’s, he decided to take a walk on the wild side and immerse himself in the pop culture icons of the time. The result is his book Red Lobster, White Trash and the Blue Lagoon.

He opens the book with an Introduction that asks: “How bad could it be?” and sets out on a mission to find the worst that America has to offer. His report on eating at a Red Lobster restaurant is entertaining, as is his daughter’s reaction to the performance of Tony and Tina’s Wedding that Joe makes her attend. Then there is Joe’s view of Branson, Missouri, which he describes as a cultural penal colony. When he decided that too much American culture is making him sick, Joe travels to France, only to find things are no better there.

If you enjoy satire, you can have a lot of fun with this book. Oh, and don't click to look inside. The image is from Amazon.

You can find links to other Forgotten Books at Patti Abbot’s blog.

Have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July!

Terrie

Rye--Not!

2009-07-02T09:28:00.002-04:00

If you are thinking of taking a beloved character from past literature, aging him and setting him down in the present, you might want to think again.

Fredrik Colting, who writes as J.D. California, penned “60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye.” A Manhattan judge ruled yesterday that the book is neither a parody or a critique of J.D. Salinger’s “Catcher in the Rye” but is, in fact, an unauthorized follow up.

The judge barred release of the book until the issue could be settled at trial.

I’m not very curious about the life of Mr. C. at seventy six, but I’m sure the topic would have great appeal to many readers.

You can read all about the controversy in the New York Times.

Terrie

Title Needed: Vermont City Vacation Tattoos

2009-07-01T10:56:00.005-04:00

I am back from a family wedding in loverly Vermont, after which we hosted more family here for a couple of fun-filled days. In the last six weeks, I've made three trips to see out-of-state family, not including this wedding, and hosted three sets of houseguests. So, no writing, hardly any reading, the sleeping and vitamins have also been neglected. Much fun has been had, and now I'd like to work. Still, I can offer some puny morsels here while I catch up my laundry and bills and look forward to a more stationary July.

If you haven't checked the gallery of bad signage recently, do so. I also believe precision tattooing, especially the literal bit, is important.

China Mieville talks about what's structurally problematic and great about crime novels. He's an eloquently thinky sort of writer, so his ruminations on the essential nature of the various types and why 'they never end well' is interesting, if it makes me feel a little dense. I'm reading his latest, The City & The City, a surreal police procedural, and will comment later.

This essay by Jennifer Weiner with 10 tips for writers isn't new-- and I may have posted it before at some point--but it's evergreen and funny and worth reading. Some items of importance you may have skipped or forgotten: unhappy childhood (if you can manage it), miserable love life (at least temporarily), getting a job (not an MFA, her parenthetical), dog ownership (no caveats from me), and being a smart consumer.

Summer finally happened here, but I've gotta hella pile-a paper to get through before I frolic like a wood nymph in the sylvan glades of my weed-choked, un-mulched garden beds. I'm also on deadline for short story submissions I'm working on, and have tremendous webby ambitions for a couple of different ventures. But I am smiling. Ear to ear. Hope you're having fun, too.

Two Sentence Tuesday - Vacation Edition

2009-06-30T10:24:00.005-04:00

I must admit, I didn't read much this past week, being on vacation with all six of my nieces and nephews who range in age from two to eight, which doesn't leave a lot of downtime. I did take with me one book I hadn't read in a while, however, that I've been wanting to re-read, John D. MacDonald's Bright Orange for the Shroud. I love Travis McGee. He was the first detective I ever read (even before Nancy Drew) because I found the entire series on my father's bookshelves when I was a kid, and they were slim enough not to be too intimidating. Here's a paragraph from the beginning part of the book:

I needed a slob summer. The machine was abused. Softness at the waist. Tremor of the hands. Bad tastes in the mornings. A heaviness of muscle and bone, a tendency to sigh. Each time you wonder, can you get it back? The good toughness and bounce and tirelessness, the weight down to a rawhide two oh five, a nasty tendency to sing during the morning shower, the conviction each day will contain wondrous things?

If I didn't read a lot, you know I didn't write much! I got back and forced myself to put something on paper, though, so here's a paragraph from me:

“I think the second body is female,” she said when she’d caught them up, “because when Billy came back into the living room, he really went after Alicia. He pushed her hard on whether Drew might have been having an affair, what kind of relationships he had with women, things like that. And, given her Viagra comment, I can only assume their sex life wasn’t much fun.”

What about you? Did you read or write this week? Let us know!

Barbara Martin has a herd of sentences this week.
Scott Parker has a a steampunk cell on display this week.
The inimitable Mrs. Ingletuckle is back on Leah J Utas' blog.

MTM: Las Vegas, Nevada

2009-06-29T05:00:00.010-04:00

photo taken by Joe Ryan, February 2007
For several days last week, my town was Las Vegas, Nevada. I had the privilege of attending the Public Safety Writers Conference, held at the Suncoast Hotel and Casino from June 18 through June 21, 2009.

Besides writers who are members of the public safety field (active or retired), PSWA also welcomes those who write about the public safety field, such as mystery writers, journalists, magazine writers, as well as publishers, editors, and agents who help writers achieve their goals. There are many benefits to joining PSWA, including a one-time manuscript review by a professional editor. You can check out their website here.

I was in awe of the talent amassed in one room.

Our "emcee" for the event was A.J. Farrar (a PSWA board member), who has thirty years experience in military, state and and local law enforcement. He kept us informed (and entertained) each morning and in between each presentation.

Welcoming us to the conference was the president of PSWA, Marilyn Olsen, who has been a writer, editor, and magazine publisher for more than thirty years.

group photo taken by Sherman Lee

The program was chock full of interesting topics and experienced professionals, including:

"The Deadly Writing Sins," by Betty Webb. She presented an overview of the "red flag" writing weaknesses that lead to rejection slips. Betty was a journalist for many years (who has interviewed U.S. presidents, astronauts, and Nobel-prize winners) before writing mysteries full-time. She spoke about the all-important "Arc of Action" in a story; how the first page must include a promise to the reader about the story they are reading; and if you include backstory to do so subtly, and not all at once (avoid that "info-dump"). Betty was one of our key-note speakers.

"Turning Your Book into Celluloid" by Joyce Spizer-Foy. Joyce, our other key-note speaker, enjoyed a thirty-seven year career as a P.I. before writing full time. She has eight books in print; her company has a film in development; she is scheduled to meet with a network television development producer regarding her life story; and has recently been asked to join a Midwest print publishing house as editor for a new mystery imprint. She advised when writing a screenplay to "write it for the actor," and "write like you've arrived." She also advises not to write to a trend. Her website includes tips on writing query letters.

"Forensic Handwriting Examination and Motivation," by Sheila Lowe. I saw Sheila on Dateline NBC just before attending the conference, when she was interviewed concerning the Clark Rockefeller case. Her presentation provided insight into such a fascinating field. She writes the Forensic Handwriting Mystery series, featuring handwriting expert, Claudia Rose. Sheila said that "handwriting is brainwriting," and handwriting reveals the building blocks of personality.

"Logistics of Writing," by Sarah Cortez. The multi-talented Ms. Cortez, a police officer since 1993, is the winner of the 1999 PEN Texas Literary award in Poetry and other juried designations. She has edited, "Urban-Speak: Poetry of the City," and "Windows into My World: Latino Youth Write Their Lives." She has also co-edited with Liz Martinez, two fiction anthologies: "Hit List: The Best of Latino Mystery," and for Akashic Press, "Indian Country Noir." Sarah spoke about managing your workload by separating projects into tasks; creating a master list of due dates and time needed for completion. To keep focused when juggling several writing projects, Sarah recommends keeping an index card next to your computer with a list of projects according to due date.

"Fact to Fiction," by Sunny Frazier. Sunny worked with an undercover narcotics team in Fresno County, CA, before publishing mysteries. She has 30 awards for her short mystery fiction, published in numerous mystery magazines. Sunny shared many tips when taking a real life story and turning it into a fictional one, for instance: when a true story is told from a law enforcement viewpoint, sometimes a story is better told from another angle - i.e., the victim, the criminal, or a secondary character.

"Writing Forensics Right," by Steve Scarborough. Steve is a Forensic Scientist with over thirty years experience in law enforcement, including the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI. Steve spoke about fingerprints, ballistics, DNA, and the "CSI Effect." Steve said, "You can lead a jury to the truth, but you can't make them believe it. Jurors want to see forensic evidence at every trial, even when none can be produced." He said that readers are more sophisticated and can pick up inaccuracies in your writing if you don't do your research.

"Writing for the New Media," by Tim Dees. Tim is the Editor-in-chief of LawOfficer.com. He was a law enforcement officer in Nevada from 1979 to 1994, and later became a criminal justice instructor at several colleges. Tim has been published in nearly every major law enforcement magazine. Tim spoke about the decline of newspapers and magazines, and how many are resorting to online editions; electronic publishing; blogs; and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

"Wave of the Future? Electronic Publishing," by Marilyn Meredith (who appears seated in the photo, right, with me, taken by Sherman Lee). Marilyn is the published author of over twenty books, most of them also available in electronic format, including Kindle. Marilyn has so many ideas when it comes to electronic publishing and promotion. She reviewed the advantages of E-publishing (such as: higher royalties than regular publishing; publishers are more willing to work with new authors) and disadvantages (such as: slow acceptance among readers; lower sales), as well as notes on submission, market research, querying, and what's next in E-publishing.

There were panel presentations, including:

"Mistakes that Make Us Cringe in Books, TV, and Movies"- panelists with law enforcement backgrounds

"Writing for Trade Publications (Paper and on the 'Net)"

"Promotion: Old & New: In Person & On the 'Net"

"Character Building"

"Publishing and Editing"

"Where Are We? How Important is Setting?"

"Putting Comedy in Your Mysteries (Can Murder be Funny?)"

Books written by panelists, presenters, and attendees were available for purchase, and authors conducted book-signings throughout the conference.

An Awards Luncheon was held on the last day. The winners are posted on the PSWA website. Congratulations to all the winners (I'm honored to be among them; my essay, "The Watcher" placed third in the Creative Nonfiction category).

After the conference ended, several members conducted a book signing at the Maui-Wowi Coffee Shop in Las Vegas.

A special thanks to Marilyn Meredith for organizing the conference; Keith Bettinger for arranging the hotel accommodations and book-signing at Maui-Wowi; Michelle Perin, for her efforts in coordinating the writing competition; Sherman Lee and Lawson Lew, for taking photographs and video of the conference; to all of the PSWA members and board members who volunteered their time to create such a successful conference. Thanks, Sherman, for posting a short video of the Awards Ceremony on YouTube.

To read more My Town Monday posts, visit Travis Erwin's blog.

Friday Fun - June 26, 2009

2009-06-26T06:00:00.002-04:00

The raw recruit stood nervously before the police chief - uniform starched, boots shined, hair trimmed, knees wobbling. Exactly what the chief wanted to see. Give the kid time, and he'd probably do just fine.

The recruit cleared his throat. "Any more questions, chief?"

The chief scribbled something onto his clip board. "Just one more."

"Yes sir!"

"As a recruit, you'll be faced with some difficult issues. What would you do if you had to arrest your mother?"

The lad swallowed hard and shook his head. "Call for backup, sir."

Thaaaaaat's all, folks!

Thanks for the laughs, Uncle Jimmy!

Hot July Classes

2009-06-25T06:00:00.002-04:00

I can't believe it's almost July! Of course, here in the New York City metro area, that means we've now had almost a whole month straight of rain. Many writers take advantage of rainy days to get some solid work done. If you're like that but are ready for a break, here are some online classes to help you switch gears for a while.

Writer University will kick off its summer semester with three classes in July.

"Knock 'Em Dead: Writing Mystery and Suspense," Stephen D. Rogers, July 6-31, $30. A Derringer winner and duMaurier contest judge will discuss the different mystery and suspense subgenres; the story tripod; how to develop a cast of characters; how to describe settings (macro and micro); clues and red herrings; research; how to handle sex, language, and violence; and endings that sell the next manuscript.
"Magic, Monsters and Amour: Creating a Believable Paranormal, Fantasy or SF World," Marilynn Byerly, July 6-31, $30. This course will show how to develop a fantasy, science fiction, or paranormal world from scratch, how to invent creatures to populate it, and how to make your novel utterly believable. It will also cover the ins and outs of research, fresh ways to use creatures such as vampires, and how to avoid the various traps that many authors fall in to.
"Powering Up Your Pivotal Scenes," Alicia Rasley, July 20-31, $55. A popular online instructor will explain how to determine your pivotal scenes, structure a scene for drama, build toward disaster, confront your characters with conflict, and create emotion through setting and point of view. This is a master class, with enrollment limited to 30 students.

The RWA's Kiss of Death Chapter will heat up July with two classes on hot topics.

"Crime Scene Investigation and Fingerprints," a "Murder One" class, Phyllis Middleton, July 1-31, $15 for chapter members and $30 for nonmembers. Part one of this two-part class on what to expect at a crime scene will be an interactive workshop giving scenarios of crimes and how they would/should/could be handled. Part two will focus on fingerprints, including the correct terminology and the preferred procedures used at the crime scene and in the lab.
"Writing Romantic Suspense That Works," a "Killer Instinct" class, Leslie Wainger, $15 for chapter members and $30 for nonmembers. This class will cover the basics, from making your suspense plotting impeccable and your romantic development emotionally grabbing, to how to stand out in a marketplace already crowded with bestselling authors, talented newcomers, and everyone in between.

Writers Online Classes will offer two courses in July, one a month long and the other two weeks long.

"Keeping the Reader Reading the First Chapter," Marilynn Byerly, July 1-31, $30. Drawing readers into the first chapter of a novel takes more than an exciting beginning, a "cute meet," or a sexy hero and feisty heroine. This class will teach the craft needed to draw readers into your novel and make them eager to keep reading the first chapter and then beyond. It will also show how to set goals for the main characters and for the novel. Included with the course will be several critiques of your first chapter. To get the most out of this course, you should already have a good idea of your novel's plot and characters.
"Advanced Freelance Writing," Diana Rowe, July 6-25, $50. This class on the how-to's of freelance writing will include material on breaking into travel writing.

For an quick intro to online writing classes, click here. For additional information on the above classes and to register, click on the names of the venues and follow the links.

Ebooks, Print Books, Quality, Quantity, Poll Data

2009-06-24T07:16:00.000-04:00

Lately, everywhere I look people seem to be taking the temperature of the digital publishing world. The questions range from the very straightforward "do you read ebooks" to the more complicated questions of when you read them, why you read them, what types of things you would and would not read on them, whether you see a qualitative difference between books that are published *only* in e form vs. traditional print form...

A couple of publishers have asked whether people would want a coupon in the print book for money off the e version of the same book. If I haven't mentioned it before, that seems backwards to me. If I buy the ebook and like it, I might want to pick up the print version. That's how the coupon should work, it seems to me. After all, ebooks, generally, aren't going to be the "keepers."

(NB: I only buy fiction for my Kindle--non-fiction I need to pore over with a pencil. [Sorry, librarians, but I buy research books so I can mark them up.])

That said, this is how I buy books:

I rarely buy anything that's only published in e form. Partially, that's just because I don't read much of the genres that are published that way, but it's also true that I've found a distinct quality difference when I try the e-publishers. A certain percentage of what's out there in any form is drek, but that percentage is higher in the e-pubs I've tried than in the print pubs I've tried. I'd love to see that change in the future, since buying ebooks is so easy and inexpensive, but at the moment the quality just isn't there.

Right now, there are only two authors I buy in hardcover. It takes me a while to get through them, because hardcovers just aren't that portable. But they're keeper books.

There are a few authors whose books I buy for my Kindle when they come out in hardcover. I don't feel like waiting, but I also won't pay hardcover pricing, nor do I want to carry the hardcovers around. And they're not keeper books, so I don't care about the format.

Mass market paperback releases I would rather read in print. Generally, if I know an author's work, and like it enough to buy it, I will buy the mass market paperback because that's by far my preferred reading medium.

However, if I don't know an author's work, or if I am not sure how I am going to feel about a particular book for some reason, I will download it. The ebook version is cheaper and if I am going to throw the book away because it's awful (which does sometimes happen), at least I haven't killed any trees.

What about you, dear readers? Obviously, since you're here, you have some electronic capability. Do you have an ereader, or read things on your computer? Are there differences in genres in what you read on screen vs in print?

Two for Tuesday: Short Stories

2009-06-23T09:40:00.024-04:00

I've been indifferent, in the past, to short stories of whatever ilk. I've always preferred the meat of a full length novel. But I've become enamored, having read some recent mystery anthologies and web publishers who provide works I might otherwise have overlooked.

I’m rereading some of the stories in The Prosecution Rests (which Terrie reviewed and which was snapped up in our raffle here on Women of Mystery.) And I felt a chill, once again, at the opening lines of Anita Page’s Red Dog:

“It was cold as misery in the shed, but that wasn’t why I was shivering. Mr. Davis lay dead on the floor and my mama was sharpening her ax. I had just turned fourteen that winter of 1910 and I was scared to think what would become of me.”

It’s a grisly tale, told from a child’s point of view. Her vulnerability played against the bleak mountain landscape tugs at the reader from the start.

Not so my own beginnings, so I’m giving you a line from the middle of this new thing that I’m writing, about an equally bleak character. I’m determined to shape it into a story.

“Back home after the cold and silence, she set down her sign and peeled off the candle wax that had burned her hand. Then her black coat, pants and shawl; all the layers of protest, though not her own silent scream. The words on the sign that she marched with on Saturday mornings were as useless as writing one hundred times, across her fourth grade teacher's blackboard, “I will not talk in class.” The chalk carefully chosen, her fastidious lettering washed away the same night by the school custodian.”

Send us links to your own 2-fers so we can post them here:

Travis Erwin has his 2 for Tuesday up on One Word, One Rung, One Day.

Barbara Martin's are up at Barbara Martin.

Leah Utis' at The Goat's Lunch Pail.

Crystal Phares' at Everything and Nothing at All

MTM: The Statue of Liberty

2009-06-22T09:10:00.005-04:00

Here in New York City we are still getting physical things back to the way they were before 9/11. Emotional things are another story entirely. Every time someone says we are back to normal, someone else says things won’t be normal until we can climb to the crown of the Statue of Liberty once more.

Well, by that criterion, we are moving toward normal. On July 4, 2009, the crown of the Statue of Liberty will be opened for all those brave enough to climb the open circular staircase of 162 steps from the pedestal to the top of her crown. In my younger days, I’ve done it a few times and the climb is not for the faint of heart or for the infirm. For the young and healthy, the crown affords a grand and glorious view.

Click here for a YouTube of the inside of the Statue. It is from a local news show broadcast shortly before the reopening of the crown was announced.

Here is the official National Park Service website for Lady Liberty, where you can learn everything you should remember from grammar school about the Statue. (Our friends from other countries are welcome to pick up the facts for what may well be the first time.)

And finally, everyone has heard, countless times, the famous ending of this poem, written by Emma Lazarus to welcome New Americans as they sailed into New York harbor. Here is the poem in its entirety:

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame,

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

by Emma Lazarus, New York City, 1883

For My Town Monday posts from far flung corners of the globe, please visit MTM founder Travis Erwin for links a-plenty.

*********************NEWS FLASH!*******************

Travis Erwin's excellent story "Y Not" is this weeks great read over on David Cranmer's Beat to a Pulp. Click here to take a look.

Terrie

This Father's Day, Keep Your Spirit Level

2009-06-21T07:02:00.000-04:00

I saw a topical article at Popular Mechanics about the four things editor Jim Meigs learned from his dad, a man whose own father worked on the Panama Canal. Sure, one of the tips was about using screws rather than nails, but what struck home for me particularly was in the 4th item (emphasis mine):

...Having been raised in the tropics, my dad didn't see snow or ice until he was almost 30 and moved to the States. Nonetheless, he taught himself to ice skate and took to it with a vengeance. So when he planned to build a patio behind our home he decreed that it would double as a skating rink in the winter. He spent days stringing level-lines across the worksite and checking and rechecking the elevation of the raised redwood lip that encircled it. That patio was as flat as a griddle. And sure enough, lined with polyethylene it held just enough water to make a flawless skating surface.

My dad would have made that patio dead level even if we'd lived in Florida. To him, doing work precisely and with care is an end in itself. He often told me about the men he grew up with, fellow machinists and mechanics. To them, doing a job well–better than it needed to be done–was a core ethical principal. He took pride in his craftsmanship. "The best thing you could say about a man," my dad often recalls, "is that he was a good mechanic." And that was all you needed to say. But my dad also taught me that craftsmanship isn't just about how you build things. He brought that quality to everything: working in the business world, writing books, raising kids, grilling steaks. Craftsmanship is the respect we pay to ourselves, to the people around us, and to the material world we try to shape and improve.

I think about this idea in my writing as I tweak and tweak, because I know part of that may be unhealthy obsession. But part of it springs from an honest desire to do fundamentally sound work, a credit to myself and the people who believe in me, even if no one but my closet hangers see it. I feel better connecting with that pride in workmanship when I relate it to other, more material trades. How about you? Artist, craftsperson? Neither? Both?

Whether you're a father, a father figure, or can appreciate now the things they've taught you, have a great one!

Decisions Decisions: An Update

2009-06-20T12:27:00.007-04:00

I promised to speak up when I'd made my decision about an eReader. Yesterday I ordered the 6" Kindle 2. I decided the portability and one-handed read were a major plus. I had also learned that PDF files on the DX cannot be adjusted in size without switching to landscape mode, and I hate reading a single column across a wide page. Frankly, the price differential between the 2 and the DX made the decision a no brainer, and I don't know why it took me so long to make up my mind.

Two minutes ago I became quite smug about my decision. My son, who was a contributor to the birthday eReader fund and aware of my dilemma, sent me this link to a review of the DX .

My Kindle 2 will arrive on Monday. My only problem now is that - paper or digital - I'll have little time to read for pleasure for a long while. Once again I'm drowning in work, and then there's my daughter's upcoming wedding....

- Lois

Friday Fun - June 19, 2009

2009-06-19T06:00:00.001-04:00

This one might require additional thought, even though it's a stupid criminal joke. Apologies to those whose brains are already fried. May next week be better!

Tennessee: A man successfully broke into a bank after hours and stole the bank's video camera while the camera was remotely recording.

Thanks to www.legal-forms-kit.com
Thanks for the laughs, Uncle Jimmy!

Thaaaaat’s all, pals!

Occasional e-Clare: Alternate History for Young Adults

2009-06-18T17:38:00.001-04:00

Back in April, I linked to a very funny piece by once-ghostwriter Scott Westerfeld, who, through the magic of dyslexia, I've been reading and thinking of as Mr. Westerfield until this week. It's wrong in every previous post where I mentioned him. I'll go back and correct for search integrity, but I admit the wire-crossed idiocy here for posterity. Anyway, Westerfeld writes terrific young adult novels, as does Holly Black of Spiderwick Chronicles fame, and Cassandra Clare, too, whose last name I'd have worse trouble if I forgot how to spell.

At the recent BookExpo America, these three met on a panel to discuss their latest projects, all of which include the element of alternate history. If you enjoy these authors, young adult titles, or this kind of reinterpretation of reality, my full panel write-up is at BookSpot Central, now BSCreview.

Our very own Clare-ion

2009-06-18T09:12:00.001-04:00

Congratulations, President Clare!

The annual changing of the guard puts our own Clare Toohey at the helm of the NY/Tristate chapter of Sisters in Crime. Here she is in tiara and matching earrings.

As our Nan said, we're expecting a whiz bang year.

Hint Fiction: Update

2009-06-17T05:00:00.007-04:00

On April 22, 2009, I posted an announcement about a “Hint Fiction” contest, sponsored by writer Robert Swartwood, who had coined the term that refers to a story of 25 words or less, not including the title. I had learned about the contest on mediabistro.com, which also mentioned that novelist Stewart O’Nan would judge the final entries. The grand prize winner was to receive a $25.00 gift card to Amazon.

Writers could submit up to two entries. I thought it was an intriguing challenge, so I worked on two and sent them in.

Over 200 entries were received. On May 18, 2009, Robert Swartwood announced the top 20 finalists, which I’m very happy to say included one of my stories, “Playing with Matches.”

Swartwood revealed some exciting news: publisher W.W. Norton approached him and his agent about publishing a Hint Fiction anthology in the fall of 2010, which Swartwood will edit. You can read how swiftly this came about on Swartwood’s “Anatomy of a book deal” here.

Swartwood, a Pennsylvania resident, was interviewed for Lancaster Online; he announced that Joyce Carol Oates, James Frey, and Pulitzer prize-winning poet Stephen Dunn have submitted stories for the Hint Fiction anthology.

Sometime this summer, Swartwood will open up the submission process to the public once again in search of about 100 - 150 stories to supplement the twenty that will appear in the Hint Fiction anthology.

I entered this contest as a challenge, knowing the gift card to Amazon was a long-shot. I would never have dreamed that this would lead to publication, but what an awesome surprise. I am thrilled to be a part of this project.

I’ll monitor the process for our blog readers/writers and post submission information when it becomes available. In the meantime, why not consider creating a 25 word story to submit?

Two for Tuesday 6/16/09

2009-06-16T06:00:00.001-04:00

I've long been fascinated by things Japanese and was delighted to discover Sujata Massey's THE SAMURAI'S DAUGHTER a few years back. Since that first novel her mysteries have never failed to keep me panting for her next mystery. I shook her hand and got her autograph at Malice Domestic a couple years back. She wished me well with my writing. I'm still smiling!

Here's a bit more than two sentences from her novel, THE PEARL DIVER:

"As my aunt's hand slowly warmed my cold one, I thought about how every Japanese town seemed to have at least one temple with a special garden that held small statues of Jizo-sama, the Buddhist guardian of children who die too early. Women would buy a small stone statue, and then dress it in hand-sewn or knitted or crocheted jackets and hats. ...The mothers visited their child-guardians as long as they needed to, sometimes until a second child was born, in other cases, for the rest of their lives."

And, here's my couple lines worth:

"It was a gift,” Jimmy said as he pocketed the tool in his skinny jeans. “Got it from the old man when he died. Had to pry it out of his hand,” he shrugged, “but far as I know, you can’t pick your way past them pearly gates.”

Leave us a note of your own readings and writings, and we'll be glad you did!

Write On!
Nan

Barbara Martin has a dreamy image on her blog.
Mmmm...deliciousness on Leah J Utas' blog.
Linda McLaughlin gives us dawn on her blog.

MTM: FDR's Library, Hyde Park, NY

2009-06-15T00:48:00.001-04:00

We drove up to the Presidential Library and Museum on Memorial Day weekend. You can just see, in the right side of the picture above, some of the WWII ordinance and transport that collectors brought to the grounds for the holiday. They'd set up bivouacs and furnished them with uniformed people and materiels. There was also a very fine German Shepherd officer and a sidecar motorcycle named Anna who I may share with you someday, but I'm already condensing a ton.

First, assume that this museum has all the usual cases of political swag and fancy multimedia about the challenging times and events within the presidency. That's all there and nicely done-- worth a visit alone-- but here are some other bits on display that also interested yours truly.

This is the reproduction of the oval office during his tenure. There are books flanking the display with flipcharts of guides to all the knick knacks on his desk. A little ceramic rooster remains a mystery. I liked that.

This room isn't a reproduction, since the library and museum are on the grounds of one of his homes. This was his actual, personal presidential library, the only one used in office by the president whom it later honored, not constructed for the purpose.

This is FDR's baby curl, from an era when little boys and girls both wore long dresses, and locks were allowed to grow out until the kids got their first school hair cuts.

FDR was a shutterbug and inveterate collector his whole life. I hadn't known that, but many of his interesting acquisitions and family photos are on display here.

As a boy, he did this fine naturalist's drawing of a crab. Nice penmanship, too.

This is the 1953 Ford Phaeton Roosevelt had outfitted with all sorts of cool levers and gadgets so he could pilot it after his polio. There's a cigarette dispenser in the steering wheel that dispensed pre-lit smokes. He helped found the organization to help infantile paralysis now called the March of Dimes, and it's one of the reasons he's commemorated on the ten-cent piece.

There is a large section in the museum also devoted to the life and works of Franklin Delano Rooselvelt's wife, Eleanor. The picture above is a recreation of her own desk and work space in their Manhattan apartment, from which she continued to operate after FDR's death and until her own.

Eleanor Roosevelt wrote a huge number of books on many topics, both international and domestic, with an emphasis on positive living, especially for women and children. One of these, from 1962, was Eleanor Roosevelt's Book of Common Sense Etiquette. I leave you with a quote from it which reminded me of what was impressed upon me, since childhood, as the essential responsibility of hospitality.

"The basis of all good human behavior is kindness. If you ever find yourself in a situation in which following a formal rule would be manifestly unkind, forget it, and be kind instead."

Public Safety Writers Association Conference

2009-06-13T05:00:00.003-04:00

I'm heading out west soon to attend the Public Safety Writers Association (PSWA) Conference from June 18-21, 2009, which will be held at the Suncoast Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A description of PSWA, as found on their web site:

Founded in 1997 as the Police Writers Club, the Public Safety Writers Association is open to both new and experienced, published and not yet published writers. Members include police officers, civilian police personnel, firefighters, fire support personnel, emergency personnel, security personnel and others in the public safety field. Also represented are those who write about public safety including mystery writers, magazine writers, journalists and those who are simply interested in the genre. The association also welcomes publishers, editors, agents and others who help writers realize their writing goals.

I look forward to meeting members of the Association, and catching up with Keith Bettinger, the author of FIGHTING CRIME WITH “SOME” DAY AND LENNY: OR WHAT HAPPENS WHEN DRAGNET MEETS CAR 54? Keith is a fellow retired Suffolk County Police Officer whom I worked with in the Second Precinct in Huntington.

President of the PSWA, Marilyn Olsen, will welcome the attendees and speakers. Some of the panelists will include: Joyce Spizer Foy; Sheila Lowe; Steve Scarborough; Betty Webb; Marilyn Meredith; Tim Dees; Sunny Frazier; and Sarah Cortez.

I will serve on two panels: Mistakes that Make Us [Cops] Cringe in Books, TV, and Movies (moderated by John Schembra) and Writing for Trade Publications (moderated by Keith Bettinger).

There's been so much rain lately in New York, I can't wait for the Las Vegas sunshine!

Friday Fun - June 12, 2009

2009-06-12T06:00:00.003-04:00

Here's a possible grin for the start of your day:

Stupid Car Jacker

Some time back, a harried woman hustled through the doors at a local police station, calling for help – she had been stopped at a light, then was torn from her car. The thief jumped in, spun around the corner and disappeared into traffic.

Soon a fine older officer came to her aid. While going through the routine questions, the woman mentioned that she’d left her cell phone on the front passenger’s seat of the car, adding that to the list of items stolen.

The officer took a step back, then smiled as he grabbed a nearby phone.

"What's the phone's number?" he asked.

She gave it to him.

Moments later a guy answered. The officer said that he had spotted the guy's sweet ride and wanted to buy the car.

Without thinking any further, the thief bickered over the price with the cop. In the end they made an arrangement to meet.

The meeting went as planned, except for the part when the thief walked away wearing handcuffs and the car was returned to the rightful owner.

Thanks for the laughs, Uncle Jimmy!

Thaaaaat’s all, pals!

Something that has stayed with me

2009-06-11T06:03:00.001-04:00

I went to see the Dalai Lama give a public talk last month at Town Hall. He was with with Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

I've gone to a few of his Holiness Dalai Lama's 3 day teachings, usually held at Radio City Music Hall, and thought this time I would skip the lectures there, (He's quite the philosopher and can really chew the fat over the meaning of one word and even though I study Buddhism, parts of his lectures have been frustratingly way over my head) and treat myself to something much more accessible.

I know that being in his presence gives a nice contact high that can last a few days, so I took my husband, who I thought would be charmed by his humor and warmth. To hear the Dalai Lama laugh is to hear song. Joyous song. The kind that tickles your heart.

Anyway, the subject they were discussing was Wisdom & Compassion for Challenging Times and after much give and take on many subjects, Ms. Robinson asked him one of those questions where within the question itself is 2-3 very intelligent answers you can pick out and do a ref on.

After what seemed like five long minutes she finally wrapped the question up. "So what do you think we should do about the current economic mess the world is in?"

The Dalai Lama paused and then said with complete humility, "I don't know." And laughed at himself. A real big, belly laugh.

She was appalled to say the least, after all, she had worked really hard at feeding him many choices of answers, and she blurted out, "What do you mean, you don't know!"

And he replied, seriously, soberly, "It is my freedom." (not to know) "It is my freedom."

This has stayed with me for over a month now. Is there anything that has stayed with you?

Happy 50,000 to Us with Thanks to You!!

2009-06-10T21:08:00.006-04:00

Image borrowed from a blog that got there first.

Sometime today, at least according to sitemeter (which doesn't capture everybody, but it's what we've got handiest) we got our 50,000th visitor to Women of Mystery.
Thanks for coming, and we hope to see you again soon!