Cindy Brown's Blog, page 4
November 9, 2014
The CindyBrownBlog – A Slightly Silly Take on Mystery, Drama, and Writing
When I put out a call to my writer friends asking them to send me photos that expressed who they were as writers, I received such varied and fascinating responses that I couldn’t fit them all in one post. Today I want to write “Part One: What Inspires Us” (that’s right, there were so many great ideas that I’ve broken them into two posts!)
I’m inspired by a postcard sent to me by poet Don Colburn (you can see it at the top of this post). I love it not just because it reminds me to keep failing better, but also because the quote is by playwright Samuel Beckett, one of the most imaginative minds in theater.
Author Lisa Alber also keeps inspiration from one of her heroes nearby:
“I’ve had this memento hanging on my bulletin board since 2002, when I attended my first-ever writing workshop with NYT bestselling author, Elizabeth George. She was (is) one of my heroes. That workshop saw my first efforts at writing what would become KILMOON.”
And writer, editor and Oregon Writers Colony executive director Holly Franko reminds us that inspiration is also found outside the confines of our offices:
October 26, 2014
I ♥ My Village
I ♥ My Village
When my husband and I were first in Portland (on a summer visit that turned into a long-term romance with the city), I read about a neighborhood described as “Northern Exposure for real.” We had to see it for ourselves. And yes, it’s true: Multnomah Village is as quirkily friendly and full of characters as the old TV show. Plus it’s only fiteen minutes from downtown,with great bus service and one of the biggest parks in the city, with paths through forests so thick you forget you’re minutes from a coffee shop. How could we not move here?
And lest you think this post has nothing to do with mystery or writing or drama, let me introduce you to all three, Multnomah Village-style:
Mystery: Who put all these dogs outside O’Connor’s Bar and Grill and does Moses (the faithful companion of Beth Omansky) think he might get a treat for being in the photo?
(Yes, a treat was forthcoming, and I do know who started the collection but will only tell over a pint of Guinness in the aforementioned establishment)
Writing: One of a writer’s job is to read, right? If I’d like to browse free books, we have several of these little free libraries through the neighborhood.
AND, I can walk to Annie Blooms, one of the best bookstores in the city – a writer’s dream.
They’ve created their best Halloween window yet ( the skeleton’s dress is created of book pages), which brings me to …
Drama: You want drama? Costumes and crowds and excitement? Check out Halloween in the Village. Every year, the merchants pass out treats to hundred of small children (Starbucks also offers free coffee and a local dentist makes sure kids go home with toothbrushes). You can find out more at the website of Topanien, a local fair trade gift store (cool window below).
Happy Halloween!
The CindyBrownBlog – A Slightly Silly Take on Mystery, Drama, and Writing
When my husband and I were first in Portland (on a summer visit that turned into a long-term romance with the city), I read about a neighborhood described as “Northern Exposure for real.” We had to see it for ourselves. And yes, it’s true: Multnomah Village is as quirkily friendly and full of characters as the old TV show. Plus it’s only fiteen minutes from downtown,with great bus service and one of the biggest parks in the city, with paths through forests so thick you forget you’re minutes from a coffee shop. How could we not move here?
And lest you think this post has nothing to do with mystery or writing or drama, let me introduce you to all three, Multnomah Village-style:
Mystery: Who put all these dogs outside O’Connor’s Bar and Grill and does Moses (the faithful companion of Beth Omansky) think he might get a treat for being in the photo?
(Yes, a treat was forthcoming, and I do know who started the collection but will only tell over a pint of Guinness in the aforementioned establishment)
Writing: One of a writer’s job is to read, right? If I’d like to browse free books, we have several of these little free libraries through the neighborhood.
AND, I can walk to Annie Blooms, one of the best bookstores in the city – a writer’s dream.
They’ve created their best Halloween window yet ( the skeleton’s dress is created of book pages), which brings me to …
Drama: You want drama? Costumes and crowds and excitement? Check out Halloween in the Village. Every year, the merchants pass out treats to hundred of small children (Starbucks also offers free coffee and a local dentist makes sure kids go home with toothbrushes). You can find out more at the website of Topanien, a local fair trade gift store (cool window below).
Happy Halloween!
October 20, 2014
More Fun with Research – Cars on Fire
Photo: Daniel Williams/Calhoun-Liberty Journal, www.cljnews.com
Mystery writers tend to have odd yet fascinating conversations (last night at Oregon Writers Colony’s Stumptown Lit Book Festival, Lisa Alber, Ann Littlewood and I were discussing the decomposition of bodies in the woods). So talking about cars on fire with author Bill Cameron after a Friends of Mystery meeting was just regular chat, except for the fact that this particular conversation gave me a great idea for a plot point in my next book.
Many years ago, Bill had a car that caught on fire with some regularity. When I wrote to ask him the details, he said:
The car was a ’64 VW Bug. I was never 100% sure of the source of the fire, because I could never afford to have it checked. I did have a mechanic who would replace the hoses and belts from time to time, and he thought it was likely some combination of incomplete combustion in the cylinders with a bad gasket that would, at times, cause unburnt fuel to escape into the engine compartment. But since I couldn’t afford to have him take the engine apart, we could never confirm that.
Since the engine was at the back, I had to keep an eye on my rear mirror for telltale black smoke. It usually happened at a stop, probably because while moving the air circulation in the engine compartment kept the fuel from building up. When it happened, I would pull over and grab an old towel to smother the flames. Sometimes the hoses or belts would catch fire, and I had a small fire extinguisher for those moments.
Once the fire was out, I would check the hoses and belts. Usually they were fine, but sometimes I would need to patch a hose with some duct tape. If a belt was damaged, I would often change it on the spot. So I kept a few spares.
Sometimes things were too melted. That meant a tow to the garage, and new belts and hoses there. The car really needed a new engine, but that was out of reach at that point in my life.
Great idea for a plot complication, right? So in the first draft of The Sound of Murder, Ivy’s car, a green Aspire that is mentioned in MacDeath, catches on fire several times. Like Bill, she is able to fix it most of the time, but finally needs a tow.
Once done with the first draft, I started checking all my facts (I usually do some research before the first draft, and catch the rest on the second go-around). I had to take my car into Metro Car Care (a great place that keeps our ‘98 Honda humming along), so took the opportunity to ask Kirk Caudill if this work.
Nope.
Seems that later model cars, like Aspires:
Don’t catch on fire as easily as VWs, and
If they do catch on fire, they can’t be repaired with duct tape.
“Could a handy neighbor repair it?” I asked Kirk. I could make that work.
Nope. A fire in a newer car would damage the computer system, which would require a professional to repair it.
Kirk and I spitballed quite a few ideas, and I finally came up with a solution that fit Ivy’s character. In fact, I think it will add a bit of fun to the series. What is it? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
The CindyBrownBlog – A Slightly Silly Take on Mystery, Drama, and Writing
Photo: Daniel Williams/Calhoun-Liberty Journal, www.cljnews.com
Mystery writers tend to have odd yet fascinating conversations (last night at Oregon Writers Colony’s Stumptown Lit Book Festival, Lisa Alber, Ann Littlewood and I were discussing the decomposition of bodies in the woods). So talking about cars on fire with author Bill Cameron after a Friends of Mystery meeting was just regular chat, except for the fact that this particular conversation gave me a great idea for a plot point in my next book.
Many years ago, Bill had a car that caught on fire with some regularity. When I wrote him to ask him the details, he said:
The car was a ’64 VW Bug. I was never 100% sure of the source of the fire, because I could never afford to have it checked. I did have a mechanic who would replace the hoses and belts from time to time, and he thought it was likely some combination of incomplete combustion in the cylinders with a bad gasket that would, at times, cause unburnt fuel to escape into the engine compartment. But since I couldn’t afford to have him take the engine apart, we could never confirm that.
Since the engine was at the back, I had to keep an eye on my rear mirror for telltale black smoke. It usually happened at a stop, probably because while moving the air circulation in the engine compartment kept the fuel from building up. When it happened, I would pull over and grab an old towel to smother the flames. Sometimes the hoses or belts would catch fire, and I had a small fire extinguisher for those moments.
Once the fire was out, I would check the hoses and belts. Usually they were fine, but sometimes I would need to patch a hose with some duct tape. If a belt was damaged, I would often change it on the spot. So I kept a few spares.
Sometimes things were too melted. That meant a tow to the garage, and new belts and hoses there. The car really needed a new engine, but that was out of reach at that point in my life.
Great idea for a plot complication, right? So in the first draft of The Sound of Murder, Ivy’s car, a green Aspire that is mentioned in MacDeath, catches on fire several times. Like Bill, she is able to fix it most of the time, but finally needs a tow.
Once done with the first draft, I started checking all my facts (I usually do some research before the first draft, and catch the rest on the second go-around). I had to take my car into Metro Car Care (a great place that keeps our ‘98 Honda humming along), so took the opportunity to ask Kirk Caudill if this work.
Nope.
Seems that later model cars, like Aspires:
Don’t catch on fire as easily as VWs, and
If they do catch on fire, they can’t be repaired with duct tape.
“Could a handy neighbor repair it?” I asked Kirk. I could make that work.
Nope. A fire in a newer car would damage the computer system, which would require a professional to repair it.
Kirk and I spitballed quite a few ideas, and I finally came up with a solution that fit Ivy’s character. In fact, I think it will add a bit of fun to the series. What is it? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
October 13, 2014
Best Places to Hide the Body – The Portland Audubon Sanctuary and Wildlife Care Center
You know you have a good friend when she offers to play “Let’s find places to hide the dead body ” during her too-brief vacation. When Mollie Lakin-Quinlan of Atlanta (the former Mollie Lakin-Hayes of Phoenix) visited me in September, we traipsed over to the Audubon Society’s Sanctuary in the hills above Portland. It wasn’t a hard sell — the Sanctuary is gorgeous , cool and green, with trails that wind around and over a creek, lots of benches (as a slow walker with a cane, I am VERY fond of benches), and birds that the Society has rescued.
It’s also full of great places to hide the body. You could always hide someone here, behind the fence in front of the owl’s cage.
Interesting tidbit, the bird cage area is also called the “mews,” which originally was a term for the place where people kept birds (especially falcons). Thanks to signage at the center I also learned that “mews” is pronounced “moos” not “muse” as I’d always thought.
Another great spot to stuff a corpse — under the bridge.
A small hiker warned us about this seemingly placid pond.
Seems the mud “sucked him in.” Perfect.
But the absolute best place to hide the body at the Sanctuary?
In the vulture’s cage, of course.
The CindyBrownBlog – A Slightly Silly Take on Mystery, Drama, and Writing
You know you have a good friend when she offers to play “Let’s find places to hide the dead body ” during her too-brief vacation. When Mollie Lakin-Quinlan of Atlanta (the former Mollie Lakin-Hayes of Phoenix) visited me in September, we traipsed over to the Audubon Society’s Sanctuary in the hills above Portland. It wasn’t a hard sell — the Sanctuary is gorgeous , cool and green, with trails that wind around and over a creek, lots of benches (as a slow walker with a cane, I am VERY fond of benches), and birds that the Society has rescued.
It’s also full of great places to hide the body. You could always hide someone here, behind the fence in front of the owl’s cage.
Interesting tidbit, the bird cage area is also called the “mews,” which originally was a term for the place where people kept birds (especially falcons). Thanks to signage at the center I also learned that “mews” is pronounced “moos” not “muse” as I’d always thought.
Another great spot to stuff a corpse — under the bridge.
A small hiker warned us about this seemingly placid pond.
Seems the mud “sucked him in.” Perfect.
But the absolute best place to hide the body at the Sanctuary?
In the vulture’s cage, of course.
October 6, 2014
You Can Tell Writers By… Where They Write
Several weeks ago, I asked bunch of my writer friends to send me visual representations of their writing lives and got so many interesting responses that I decided to do a series of posts. As you can imagine, a lot of people sent me photos of the places where they write.
I write at several different places. I like to use this desk downstairs in the afternoons, when I do left-brain type of work like writing nonfiction for my clients and revising. There is a computer on this desk, but as you can see, I like paper and pencils (and erasers!). I keep a candle lit on dark rainy days and one of my screenwriting awards in view to remind me that I can indeed write.
My friend, fellow playwright and Sister in Crime Drew Templeton writes here:
Sally Browne says, “Who writes at a desk?
And author James L’Etoile keeps an awfully cute muse under his desk:
September 28, 2014
Egg Crackers, Spy Glasses, and Pet Cams – More Fun With Research
Arnie Adel, one of the characters in The Sound Of Murder (coming in September 2015), loves gadgets. I got the idea when I saw the EZ Cracker (The New Way To Crack & Separate Eggs!) in a Fred Meyers store several years—how could I resist?
Arnie also owns a pair of Rearview Spy Glasses (See What’s Behind You!)…
And a cane with a concealed sword. 
He’s given his lady love pepper spray disguised as lipstick… 
And (my personal favorite) a pet cam.
If you’re as taken with pet cams as I am, check out Cooper the cat photographer
And the new Pet Cam book (featuring the work of dog, cat, cow, chicken, goat and pig photographers)!
Though I don’t own a pet cam, I decided to take a few photos of my dog’s favorite spots from his point of view:
Looking off the deck
Laying sunnyside up on my husband’s lap and looking at the sky while getting a belly rub
September 22, 2014
Meet Ivy Meadows!
Lisa Alber, author of the moody and mysterious Kilmoon, tagged me in a Meet My Protagonist Blog Hop. I thought I’d let Ivy, the protagonist of MacDeath (coming from Henery Press in January 2015) and The Sound of Murder (September 2015) introduce herself (from a previous draft of MacDeath):
“My name is Ivy Meadows, and I am an actress.”
“My name is Ivy Meadows, and I am an actress.”
“My name is Ivy Meadows, and I am an actress.”
I stuck out my tongue at my reflection in the mirror. I felt stupid doing these affirmations, and especially stupid when I did them badly. After all, if I couldn’t convince myself, who else would believe me? I was an actress, dammit, albeit one who didn’t make a living at it, yet. Bob always says it’s just a matter of time before someone recognizes my beauty, worth, and talent. My Uncle Bob, that is, not Boyfriend Bob. That’s an affirmation for another day. Today I had a big audition for Macbeth and I needed confidence.
I looked in the mirror. Or tried to. Whoever mounted my bathroom mirror must have been an Amazon. I could see my forehead and my hair—damn, time to get my roots done—and my eyes. Well, the eyes are the window to the soul.
“My name is Ivy Meadows and I am an actress!”
A little better. I was getting used to my new name. It had taken me awhile to come up with it. I had tried what my drag queen friends do—that is, taking the name of your first pet and combining it with the name of the street where you grew up. They came up with great names like Mitzi Eldorado or Squeaky Dora, but mine ended up being Stubby Rural Route Number Two. So instead I took my name from a subdivision off the 101 that has neither ivy nor meadows, this being Phoenix and all.
I powdered my makeup heavily and hoped it wouldn’t melt. The hundred-and-one degree day wasn’t bad for August, but skyscraper-tall thunderheads made the air unusually muggy. Someone somewhere had told me that silk breathes, so I opted to wear a blue silk blouse I’d found on the sale rack at Re-Dud.
Ready to go. One more try before I left the house: “My name is Ivy Meadows and I am an actress!”
It sounded much better two months later when I told the police.
###
Since this is a blog hop, I hope you’ll check out the blogs and books of the two writers I tagged:
Christine Finlayson‘s writing career began at the ripe age of six, when she wrote, illustrated, and “published” a series of construction-paper storybooks, which she tried to sell to kind-hearted elderly neighbors. Alas, sales were slow, thanks to steep prices and a limited number of elderly neighbors looking for reading material.
After many years as an avid reader, Christine has returned to writing fiction with Tip of a Bone, her debut mystery. It’s set in one of her favorite spots: the windswept Oregon coast.
Before becoming an author, Christine paid her dues as a barista/waitress, grad student, environmental scientist, freelance writer/editor, and science educator, using the outdoors as a classroom. Meet her protagonist on September 26th!
Growing up in Fort Worth, Texas, LeeAnn McLennan was always looking for any opportunity to read – under the covers in bed, in the car, and in class using the book hidden in the textbook trick. When her father introduced me to sci-fi/fantasy through a book of short stories from Astounding Stories, the possibilities in every word captivated my interest and my daydreams involved other worlds, magical powers and time travel. Despite graduating from Clemson University with a degree in English, LeeAnn spent her career working in computer engineering related fields. She lives in Portland, OR with her husband, Andy, and two cats (number of cats subject to change at any moment).
Dormant, the first book in the Dormant Trilogy, will be released by Second Wind Publishing on Oct. 1st, 2014. LeeAnn will introduce her protagonist on her blog October 3rd.
