Norma Huss's Blog
June 1, 2012
I just read a list of first lines in the May issue of The Writer. These were, of course, for the edification (Don't you just love that word?) of the writer. I am a writer, but first I'm a reader. One thing I absolutely love is that first paragraph of a new book. Hesitantly, I pull a volume from the shelf, look at the cover, both front and back, read the blurb, then...open to the first page.
Only then will I decide. Shall I take this book to the check-out or shove it back on the shelf?
Here's a few lines I've gleaned from old favorites, new reads, and a couple from my TBR (to be read) pile. Gotta tell you though...they are all mysteries.
Three months to the day after my husband left me, I landed facedown in a cow patty. Play It Again, Spam by Tamar Myers.
Nora Halloran hurried through the hospital's parking garage, shoulders back, pepper spray clenched in shaking hands. Urgent Care by CJ Lyons.
"Orchard? What orchard?" One Bad Apple by Sheila Connolly.
My teacher always told me that in order to save a patient you'd have to kill him first. Homicide In Hardcover by Kate Carlisle.
There had definitely not been a body on the second floor landing when I had run upstairs to the attic earlier in the evening. Orange as Marmalade by Fran Stewart
I drove across town following Chicken Boy, anticipation fluttering in my chest like the big yellow feathers flapping through the open window of his truck. Relative Danger by June Shaw.
The body was smack in the middle of my freshly scrubbed kitchen floor. Fred the Funky Chicken, minus his head. Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Siofie Kelly.
I had become so used to hysterical dawn phone calls that I only muttered one halfhearted oath before answering. "Peacocks," a voice said. Murder With Peacocks by Donna Andrews.
A full moon pierced the low mist; spreading a silver sheen over the Stellar Investigations Office Building. Nidhi sat on the steps, looking royal in a blue velvet collar, her paws curled.... The Astral Alibi by Manjiri Prabhu.
And, I rather like this one from my first mystery.
If a woman goes on vacation and leaves keys in her drawer, I say they're fair game. Yesterday's Body by Norma Huss.
This list touches only those within my immediate grasp today. Others decorate my overburdened shelves. What about you? How do you choose a book to read? Do you have a favorite first line?
Only then will I decide. Shall I take this book to the check-out or shove it back on the shelf?
Here's a few lines I've gleaned from old favorites, new reads, and a couple from my TBR (to be read) pile. Gotta tell you though...they are all mysteries.
Three months to the day after my husband left me, I landed facedown in a cow patty. Play It Again, Spam by Tamar Myers.
Nora Halloran hurried through the hospital's parking garage, shoulders back, pepper spray clenched in shaking hands. Urgent Care by CJ Lyons.
"Orchard? What orchard?" One Bad Apple by Sheila Connolly.
My teacher always told me that in order to save a patient you'd have to kill him first. Homicide In Hardcover by Kate Carlisle.
There had definitely not been a body on the second floor landing when I had run upstairs to the attic earlier in the evening. Orange as Marmalade by Fran Stewart
I drove across town following Chicken Boy, anticipation fluttering in my chest like the big yellow feathers flapping through the open window of his truck. Relative Danger by June Shaw.
The body was smack in the middle of my freshly scrubbed kitchen floor. Fred the Funky Chicken, minus his head. Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Siofie Kelly.
I had become so used to hysterical dawn phone calls that I only muttered one halfhearted oath before answering. "Peacocks," a voice said. Murder With Peacocks by Donna Andrews.
A full moon pierced the low mist; spreading a silver sheen over the Stellar Investigations Office Building. Nidhi sat on the steps, looking royal in a blue velvet collar, her paws curled.... The Astral Alibi by Manjiri Prabhu.
And, I rather like this one from my first mystery.
If a woman goes on vacation and leaves keys in her drawer, I say they're fair game. Yesterday's Body by Norma Huss.
This list touches only those within my immediate grasp today. Others decorate my overburdened shelves. What about you? How do you choose a book to read? Do you have a favorite first line?
April 28, 2012
Just recently I attended a movie of interest to readers. How so? The title was LINOTYPE: THE FILM. Still clueless?
Okay, imagine yourself a reader, say, sometime before the year 1450. You probably sat in a monastery on a cold marble bench. You read the Bible or perhaps a bit of history. However, your main job was making books. With a quill in hand, you carefully inked in each letter, even decorating some. Didn't leave much time for actually reading, did it? And the subject matter was, well, redundant? After all, that's all there was, and inspiring though it could be, you'd read it all before.
Let's skip those ancient years and discover the many books, magazines, and newspapers that resulted from Gutenberg's invention of moveable type and a printing machine. Now you could read a variety of books, magazines, and even the daily newspaper. Of course, no newspaper ever had more than eight pages, and you never thought once about those rooms full of men and women with their composing sticks plucking each individual letter and space from the type case to form lines, then pages of the story before it could be locked into the chase and printed on the printing press.
Then came the revolution—the printing revolution. After four hundred years of slight advancements, Oumar Mergenthaler, a twenty-two year old German immigrant, a watchmaker's apprentice, was given a problem to solve—how to more quickly print legal briefs and government documents. And you guessed it, he invented the Linotype. The magic included casting hot metal for each letter with wedge-shaped spacers to justify each line of type. Get it? Line of type equal Linotype. Now instead of rooms full of people selecting individual letters and spaces, the publishers and newspapers could expand with rooms full of people at machines, typing away at a much different keyboard to quickly make those lines. And clean-up was quick as well. Dump all of yesterday's type slugs into the pot where they were melted to become new lines of type tomorrow. Now newspapers could go to twenty, thirty, perhaps even more pages.
Of course, Linotype and other competing devices of the time gave way to newer technology. Digital composition is big now, with mainly highspeed presses. But the movie I saw was about the Linotype. I was especially interested as my father-in-law ran a Linotype and another kind of typesetting machine at the local newspaper.
There are still Linotype machines in operation, mostly in museums. We movie viewers watched as a young man learned the technology and compared the Linotype to a Rube Goldberg machine. (If you don’t know what that is, see here: http://www.rubegoldberg.com/ ) We saw a ninety-something deaf man who is probably the fastest person alive who still operates the Linotype. His fingers flew over the keyboard, much larger than a typewriter. There were three sections—small letters to the left, capital letters to the right, and everything else in the middle, the numbers, symbols, and dingbats. We saw an eccentric collector who has sixty or so Linotypes hunkered down amid trees and overgrown with weeds. And, we saw the true advocates of preservation who keep their Linotypes running. We even saw an auction of two Linotype machines. The auctioneer asked the bidding to start at $1,000, quick dropped to $500, $100, then asked for any price. He got one bid of ten dollars. And that bidder took both machines for a total of twenty dollars—then had to decide where to put them and how to get them there. To understand his problem, check out the following site to see more Linotypes than you ever hoped to see: http://preview.tinyurl.com/7q8g85w
We left the movie, a private showing for afficionados, and scurried home to our computers, a pile of books to be read, and our newspaper printed in color by the newest technology.
Okay, imagine yourself a reader, say, sometime before the year 1450. You probably sat in a monastery on a cold marble bench. You read the Bible or perhaps a bit of history. However, your main job was making books. With a quill in hand, you carefully inked in each letter, even decorating some. Didn't leave much time for actually reading, did it? And the subject matter was, well, redundant? After all, that's all there was, and inspiring though it could be, you'd read it all before.
Let's skip those ancient years and discover the many books, magazines, and newspapers that resulted from Gutenberg's invention of moveable type and a printing machine. Now you could read a variety of books, magazines, and even the daily newspaper. Of course, no newspaper ever had more than eight pages, and you never thought once about those rooms full of men and women with their composing sticks plucking each individual letter and space from the type case to form lines, then pages of the story before it could be locked into the chase and printed on the printing press.
Then came the revolution—the printing revolution. After four hundred years of slight advancements, Oumar Mergenthaler, a twenty-two year old German immigrant, a watchmaker's apprentice, was given a problem to solve—how to more quickly print legal briefs and government documents. And you guessed it, he invented the Linotype. The magic included casting hot metal for each letter with wedge-shaped spacers to justify each line of type. Get it? Line of type equal Linotype. Now instead of rooms full of people selecting individual letters and spaces, the publishers and newspapers could expand with rooms full of people at machines, typing away at a much different keyboard to quickly make those lines. And clean-up was quick as well. Dump all of yesterday's type slugs into the pot where they were melted to become new lines of type tomorrow. Now newspapers could go to twenty, thirty, perhaps even more pages.
Of course, Linotype and other competing devices of the time gave way to newer technology. Digital composition is big now, with mainly highspeed presses. But the movie I saw was about the Linotype. I was especially interested as my father-in-law ran a Linotype and another kind of typesetting machine at the local newspaper.
There are still Linotype machines in operation, mostly in museums. We movie viewers watched as a young man learned the technology and compared the Linotype to a Rube Goldberg machine. (If you don’t know what that is, see here: http://www.rubegoldberg.com/ ) We saw a ninety-something deaf man who is probably the fastest person alive who still operates the Linotype. His fingers flew over the keyboard, much larger than a typewriter. There were three sections—small letters to the left, capital letters to the right, and everything else in the middle, the numbers, symbols, and dingbats. We saw an eccentric collector who has sixty or so Linotypes hunkered down amid trees and overgrown with weeds. And, we saw the true advocates of preservation who keep their Linotypes running. We even saw an auction of two Linotype machines. The auctioneer asked the bidding to start at $1,000, quick dropped to $500, $100, then asked for any price. He got one bid of ten dollars. And that bidder took both machines for a total of twenty dollars—then had to decide where to put them and how to get them there. To understand his problem, check out the following site to see more Linotypes than you ever hoped to see: http://preview.tinyurl.com/7q8g85w
We left the movie, a private showing for afficionados, and scurried home to our computers, a pile of books to be read, and our newspaper printed in color by the newest technology.
March 27, 2012
It doesn't happen often, but it's happening again. Maybe I don't look at their blog every day, but it is comforting to read about the people I've come to know through their writing. Now the Working Stiffs blog is calling it a day. This is their last month. They will keep their blog up, but not keep posting.
I've corresponded with some of the blog members, others I've actually met, so I can keep in touch. But still....
Almost exactly two years ago I guested on Working Stiffs. They had an opening for March 31, the last day of their month of writing inspiration. I'd been following them all month, following all those writers with cheerful, sad, interesting, even more interesting, and factual columns. What could I say?
Go for a joke? Ummm. Maybe. But where's the inspiration in that? This is what I wrote:
This past winter I looked out my window and saw a popcorn tree. Wow! I had to take a picture.
Well, you know it wasn’t ACTUALLY a popcorn tree. It was a tree with branches completely devoid of leaves, but snow had gathered in so many heavy clumps it reminded me of little popcorn balls. Today, now that I think of it, there has to be a story there somewhere! So, how can I use a popcorn tree?
I continued. But this really wouldn't be an ode to a blog if I didn't send you there. So here's the link to my story. http://workingstiffs.blogspot.com/sea... While you're there, look around at the other goodies!
I've corresponded with some of the blog members, others I've actually met, so I can keep in touch. But still....
Almost exactly two years ago I guested on Working Stiffs. They had an opening for March 31, the last day of their month of writing inspiration. I'd been following them all month, following all those writers with cheerful, sad, interesting, even more interesting, and factual columns. What could I say?
Go for a joke? Ummm. Maybe. But where's the inspiration in that? This is what I wrote:
This past winter I looked out my window and saw a popcorn tree. Wow! I had to take a picture.
Well, you know it wasn’t ACTUALLY a popcorn tree. It was a tree with branches completely devoid of leaves, but snow had gathered in so many heavy clumps it reminded me of little popcorn balls. Today, now that I think of it, there has to be a story there somewhere! So, how can I use a popcorn tree?
I continued. But this really wouldn't be an ode to a blog if I didn't send you there. So here's the link to my story. http://workingstiffs.blogspot.com/sea... While you're there, look around at the other goodies!
March 15, 2012
Jodi Picoult answered ten question on the back page of the March 5, 2012, Time Magazine. One question was: "You started a mini firestorm recently about white male authors getting a lot more attention than female authors. Has anything changed?" Her answer: "No."
Next qustion: "What's behind the bias?" Her answer (Umm, I won't quote one word that Time printed. Aiming for a general audience here.) "I have no idea. If a woman writes about family and about the connections between people and what it means to be alive in this day and time, it's called women's fiction. And if a man does it, it's nominated for a National Book Award. What---you can't have a heart and a p****? That doesn't make sense."
And that is exactly what Sisters in Crime has been saying for twenty-five years! Actually, SinC is working toward balance in reviews. Incidently, there are brothers in the Sisters in Crime organization who agree with that.
Next qustion: "What's behind the bias?" Her answer (Umm, I won't quote one word that Time printed. Aiming for a general audience here.) "I have no idea. If a woman writes about family and about the connections between people and what it means to be alive in this day and time, it's called women's fiction. And if a man does it, it's nominated for a National Book Award. What---you can't have a heart and a p****? That doesn't make sense."
And that is exactly what Sisters in Crime has been saying for twenty-five years! Actually, SinC is working toward balance in reviews. Incidently, there are brothers in the Sisters in Crime organization who agree with that.
March 1, 2012
I was inspired by Stacy Juba's first mystery,Twenty-Five Years Ago Today (a very good read about an amateur detective who finds her first clue in the 25-year-old newspaper files). I started reading the weekly Flashback column in my local newspaper. Besides Stacy's book, the 75-year story called to mind another of my favorite books. (See that one listed at the end.) These are a few events from February in past years. My favorite - 100 years ago!
25 Years ago - 1987
Motorists were facing higher gas prices since "lead-free" was the new mandate. Locally, the Amoco was the first to go all lead-free. Their cheapest regular was 82.9 cents a gallon.
50 Years ago - 1962
Work had begun on a fallout shelter under the city square. Workers planned to enlarge a basement that ran under the sidewalk, creating a space about 36 feet square with a ten foot ceiling. It would support 60 people.
75 Years ago - 1937
A former assistant to Harry Houdini testified in a case against a local spiritualist camp that was accused of manipulating a woman into bequeathing her $16,000 to the spiritualists. The camp claimed to be a place of worship. The lawyer for 13 heirs called it a nest of "quackery and fraud." Harry's assistant demonstrated how some of the supposed supernatural feats were performed.
100 Years ago - 1912
File under "Crooks too stupid to live." Thieves broke into an ironworking shop, spun the safe dial for some reason (maybe to see if they'd accidently hit the combination), then using tools in the room, drilled 25 holes around the lock before they managed to pry the door open. Time estimate - six hours. The loot? Fifteen cents and several post cards. The kicker? The owner had left the safe unlocked, and the thieves had locked it with their first action - twirling the dial.
Now for my second book recommendation: Uneasy Spirits by M. Louisa Locke. It's a Victorian San Francisco Mystery that deals with spiritualists in 1879. It is fiction, but each chapter is headed by real advertisements in the local newspaper, including a great many by the spiritualists of the day!
25 Years ago - 1987
Motorists were facing higher gas prices since "lead-free" was the new mandate. Locally, the Amoco was the first to go all lead-free. Their cheapest regular was 82.9 cents a gallon.
50 Years ago - 1962
Work had begun on a fallout shelter under the city square. Workers planned to enlarge a basement that ran under the sidewalk, creating a space about 36 feet square with a ten foot ceiling. It would support 60 people.
75 Years ago - 1937
A former assistant to Harry Houdini testified in a case against a local spiritualist camp that was accused of manipulating a woman into bequeathing her $16,000 to the spiritualists. The camp claimed to be a place of worship. The lawyer for 13 heirs called it a nest of "quackery and fraud." Harry's assistant demonstrated how some of the supposed supernatural feats were performed.
100 Years ago - 1912
File under "Crooks too stupid to live." Thieves broke into an ironworking shop, spun the safe dial for some reason (maybe to see if they'd accidently hit the combination), then using tools in the room, drilled 25 holes around the lock before they managed to pry the door open. Time estimate - six hours. The loot? Fifteen cents and several post cards. The kicker? The owner had left the safe unlocked, and the thieves had locked it with their first action - twirling the dial.
Now for my second book recommendation: Uneasy Spirits by M. Louisa Locke. It's a Victorian San Francisco Mystery that deals with spiritualists in 1879. It is fiction, but each chapter is headed by real advertisements in the local newspaper, including a great many by the spiritualists of the day!
January 10, 2012
The boats were ours, Sunset Cloud, a red-hulled American Tug, and our friend's Carole H, a blue-hulled American Tug. The canals were the Erie Canal and Canada's Trent-Severn Waterway (with several connecting rivers, lakes, and a bit of ocean thrown in). The locks were numerous and amazing.
On June 10, 2006, my husband and I left our slip in Chesapeake Bay and headed north with our friends for a grand tour. We were prepared with a full load of diesel, charts, groceries, passports, lines, fenders, and a courtesy flag. And, of course, cash and a credit card.
That's the start of my post on the Dames of Dialogue blog. See the rest, with pictures, here: http://wp.me/ptCd3-1LT
Is it any wonder my latest mystery involves boats?
On June 10, 2006, my husband and I left our slip in Chesapeake Bay and headed north with our friends for a grand tour. We were prepared with a full load of diesel, charts, groceries, passports, lines, fenders, and a courtesy flag. And, of course, cash and a credit card.
That's the start of my post on the Dames of Dialogue blog. See the rest, with pictures, here: http://wp.me/ptCd3-1LT
Is it any wonder my latest mystery involves boats?
December 17, 2011
When authors bring out a new book, they want to get the word out to everyone. One great way to do that is - ta da - going on tour, a blog tour, that is. Often that involves a month of daily visits to a new blog each day.
I would absolutely love to do that. Yes sir, I even made plans. I started writing articles and piled up maybe ten. Then I started looking for blogs to visit. I sent e-mails for a whole day, then for another day. But I'm pretty slow. I managed to send e-mails to five blogs, got four answers, and discovered I'd probably not gone about this in the most effective way. I quickly decided that I could stay busy all day looking at blogs (too much fun), sending requests (not always possible), and planning my next post.
So, I'm into a slow blog tour. My first one was way last November 13 on Potluck With Judy. This was geared for writers and discussed whether cozy mysteries needed recipes. It's at:
http://potluckwithjudy.blogspot.com/2...
My second in this blog tour appears today (December 17) at Cozy Chicks blog. This one is for readers, but also centers on food. I even include a recipe and food pictures. It's at http://www.cozychicksblog.com/2011/12...
So far I have a third blog visit scheduled, another for readers. I'll visit Dames of Dialogue on January 9. This one will be travel oriented.
So, what do you think? Will a slow blog tour work? Less hassle, fun over a longer haul.
Toss up, probably.
I would absolutely love to do that. Yes sir, I even made plans. I started writing articles and piled up maybe ten. Then I started looking for blogs to visit. I sent e-mails for a whole day, then for another day. But I'm pretty slow. I managed to send e-mails to five blogs, got four answers, and discovered I'd probably not gone about this in the most effective way. I quickly decided that I could stay busy all day looking at blogs (too much fun), sending requests (not always possible), and planning my next post.
So, I'm into a slow blog tour. My first one was way last November 13 on Potluck With Judy. This was geared for writers and discussed whether cozy mysteries needed recipes. It's at:
http://potluckwithjudy.blogspot.com/2...
My second in this blog tour appears today (December 17) at Cozy Chicks blog. This one is for readers, but also centers on food. I even include a recipe and food pictures. It's at http://www.cozychicksblog.com/2011/12...
So far I have a third blog visit scheduled, another for readers. I'll visit Dames of Dialogue on January 9. This one will be travel oriented.
So, what do you think? Will a slow blog tour work? Less hassle, fun over a longer haul.
Toss up, probably.
October 13, 2011
Sisters in Crime is celebrating their 25th year. The Guppy chapter is all internet, so we can't get together to party. We are writing complete stories - in exactly 25 words. That's right. Beginning, middle, and end - and, it must be a crime story. Believe it or not, it's doable!
My story: RETRIBUTION
Fast Eddie fleeced a dozen dowagers, then showered gems on Sweet Sue. Bang, Bang, he's dead. Sue beat the rap with airtight alibi---times twelve.
Nobody said it had to be Great Literature!
Try your own 25-word story. Love story? Kid's story? History? Science Fiction? Fantasy? Memoir? And, of course, Mystery.
My story: RETRIBUTION
Fast Eddie fleeced a dozen dowagers, then showered gems on Sweet Sue. Bang, Bang, he's dead. Sue beat the rap with airtight alibi---times twelve.
Nobody said it had to be Great Literature!
Try your own 25-word story. Love story? Kid's story? History? Science Fiction? Fantasy? Memoir? And, of course, Mystery.
September 11, 2011
I read The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman in the 1970 Reader’s Digest Condensed version. I eventually read the full version, and every other book by Ms. Gilman except her young adult title. (I’ve heard it is exceptional.) I’ve read her two clairvoyant countess books and her stand-alones. When I started reading about Mrs. Pollifax, she was quite a bit older than I was. Now, I’m older than she ever thought to be. How did that happen?
Did Dorothy Gilman come along when male authors controlled detectives and spies? I think so, for I can’t remember other mysteries of the time with an older woman as the heroine. Her Mrs. Pollifax talked her way into being a spy, going to far-away and exotic lands, and rescuing herself and others through her wits and karate skill.
This blog entry answers the Sisters in Crime challenge honoring their (our, I’m one too) 25 years as advocates for women authors. I’m trying for the moderate challenge - four blogs, each about two female authors who write in a similar vein. Actually, I have two additional authors to list.
First is M. C. Beaton (Marion Chesney Beaton), author of the Agatha Raisin series. Her sleuth is a feisty older woman (check) who travels to exotic areas (check) and runs into murderous problems (check). Second is Carolyn G. Hart, author of the Henri O series. Her sleuth is a thoughtful older woman (check) who travels to exotic areas (check) and happens upon deathly events. All of these authors have taken the “older woman” and run with it. As an older woman myself, I enjoy them all.
I shouldn’t toot my own horn and mention my own older woman sleuth, but I was inspired by Dorothy Gilman. My Jo Durbin is a nosy older woman (check) who travels to exotic places (well, not really) and runs into baaad deadly situations (check). Added bonus, like Mrs. Pollifax, she gets herself out jams with her karate skills. (She keeps in practice to stay in shape. Naturally. We older women must tend to our well-being.)
Did Dorothy Gilman come along when male authors controlled detectives and spies? I think so, for I can’t remember other mysteries of the time with an older woman as the heroine. Her Mrs. Pollifax talked her way into being a spy, going to far-away and exotic lands, and rescuing herself and others through her wits and karate skill.
This blog entry answers the Sisters in Crime challenge honoring their (our, I’m one too) 25 years as advocates for women authors. I’m trying for the moderate challenge - four blogs, each about two female authors who write in a similar vein. Actually, I have two additional authors to list.
First is M. C. Beaton (Marion Chesney Beaton), author of the Agatha Raisin series. Her sleuth is a feisty older woman (check) who travels to exotic areas (check) and runs into murderous problems (check). Second is Carolyn G. Hart, author of the Henri O series. Her sleuth is a thoughtful older woman (check) who travels to exotic areas (check) and happens upon deathly events. All of these authors have taken the “older woman” and run with it. As an older woman myself, I enjoy them all.
I shouldn’t toot my own horn and mention my own older woman sleuth, but I was inspired by Dorothy Gilman. My Jo Durbin is a nosy older woman (check) who travels to exotic places (well, not really) and runs into baaad deadly situations (check). Added bonus, like Mrs. Pollifax, she gets herself out jams with her karate skills. (She keeps in practice to stay in shape. Naturally. We older women must tend to our well-being.)
August 17, 2011
I joined Goodreads a month or two ago. I added books I'd read recently, wrote reviews, and added appropriate stars. Then I discovered friends, or, perhaps, they discovered me. One way or another, I accumulated a few names of other writers and readers I know electronically.
One thing I discovered - some of those friends were officially "writers" with lists of their published books. How did they do that, I wondered? Finally, someone told me, and....
Here's the secret.
At the bottom of my profile page there were words to click on. One referred to "author." I clicked.
Nothing happened.
At first. But here's the second secret...
Don't be so impatient! Today my author status appeared, along with an invitation to start a blog.
Although I've guested on others' blogs, I've never had a blog all my own. I do believe it will be fun.
One thing I discovered - some of those friends were officially "writers" with lists of their published books. How did they do that, I wondered? Finally, someone told me, and....
Here's the secret.
At the bottom of my profile page there were words to click on. One referred to "author." I clicked.
Nothing happened.
At first. But here's the second secret...
Don't be so impatient! Today my author status appeared, along with an invitation to start a blog.
Although I've guested on others' blogs, I've never had a blog all my own. I do believe it will be fun.
