Kathleen Heady's Blog
June 8, 2021
Travel for Inspiration and Other Things
Most of my inspiration for writing comes when I travel. There is something about being in a new place where I can free my mind from everyday tasks that stimulates my imagination. The idea for my first novel, The Gate House, came about when my husband and I stayed in a bed and breakfast in Spalding, Lincolnshire, England. That bed and breakfast became the setting for most of the story. We also traveled to the city of Lincoln on that trip, which is home to one of the most impressive cathedrals in England in my opinion.
I loved the cathedral roof tour, where visitors are able to traverse the catwalks situated between the vaulting that forms the cathedral ceiling and the roof. I used this spot for some exciting scenes in The Gate House.
I am fortunate to have relatives and friends who live all over the world, which means not only a free place to stay (although that happens), but it sometimes means carrying some rather odd items back and forth.
A few years ago, I was packing for a trip to Alaska where my brother lives. His request from the “lower 48” was fresh summer corn on the cob. Since we grew up in Illinois, we appreciate good corn. The hiking shoes I brought with me on that trip ended up staying in Alaska until the following spring. I didn’t have room for them on the way back, so my sister-in-law brought them to me when we were all in Hawaii together for a wedding.
I think of my main character Nara as an adventurer who would be up for the kinds of trips I enjoy. In fact, a pair of shoes is instrumental in Nara meeting the love of her life in The Gate House.
I loved the cathedral roof tour, where visitors are able to traverse the catwalks situated between the vaulting that forms the cathedral ceiling and the roof. I used this spot for some exciting scenes in The Gate House.
I am fortunate to have relatives and friends who live all over the world, which means not only a free place to stay (although that happens), but it sometimes means carrying some rather odd items back and forth.
A few years ago, I was packing for a trip to Alaska where my brother lives. His request from the “lower 48” was fresh summer corn on the cob. Since we grew up in Illinois, we appreciate good corn. The hiking shoes I brought with me on that trip ended up staying in Alaska until the following spring. I didn’t have room for them on the way back, so my sister-in-law brought them to me when we were all in Hawaii together for a wedding.
I think of my main character Nara as an adventurer who would be up for the kinds of trips I enjoy. In fact, a pair of shoes is instrumental in Nara meeting the love of her life in The Gate House.
September 8, 2020
Browsing in a Bookstore. Yes! Really!
Is there anything more pleasurable than browsing in a bookstore? I have always loved the feeling of turning my head sideways to look at the books on the shelf in a bookstore or library. And how about this? Half an hour with the bookstore to yourself to browse to your heart’s content, after you put on your mask and gloves of course.
My favorite used bookstore, Golden Fig Books in Durham, North Carolina is doing just that. You can sign up for a half an hour time slot online. Members of one household are then welcome to browse in the store for thirty minutes.
My husband and I arrived promptly at the beginning of our allotted time, and after sanitizing our hands and donning the gloves they provided, we headed into the book selection. I wandered from popular fiction to mysteries to historical fiction to memoir, before finally settling to make a choice. We both ended up purchasing used books, so we didn’t spend much. Golden Fig also has a good selection of new arrivals available if you can’t wait for the latest books to appear on the used shelves.
I chose The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard, a novel about the young women employed in Oak Ridge, Tennessee during World War II at the pilot plutonium and uranium enrichment plant built as part of the Manhattan Project and the creation of the first atomic bombs.
The name of the store, Golden Fig, comes from the book The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. According to the store’s website, there is a point is the story “where the main character is comparing life to a fig tree. Every branch symbolizes a different path she can choose to take, and each fig represents a different career or destination.” I love the symbolism of the fig tree and the life choices it represents, and also the vast choices we face whenever we browse in a bookstore. I read The Bell Jar a few years ago when I realized that although I knew who Sylvia Plath was and had read a biography and some of her poetry, I had never read her most famous book. Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. It is a sad semi-autobiographical story of a woman’s slide in mental illness, but riveting and thought-provoking.
We celebrated our outing and our purchases by stopping next door at Guglhupf Bakery from some sweet treats to take home. Food and books make for such a great pairing!
It’s amazing how special these little adventures are when we haven’t had the opportunity to go out much in the last few months. I am really pleased that places like Golden Fig are finding creative ways to open to customers.
My favorite used bookstore, Golden Fig Books in Durham, North Carolina is doing just that. You can sign up for a half an hour time slot online. Members of one household are then welcome to browse in the store for thirty minutes.
My husband and I arrived promptly at the beginning of our allotted time, and after sanitizing our hands and donning the gloves they provided, we headed into the book selection. I wandered from popular fiction to mysteries to historical fiction to memoir, before finally settling to make a choice. We both ended up purchasing used books, so we didn’t spend much. Golden Fig also has a good selection of new arrivals available if you can’t wait for the latest books to appear on the used shelves.
I chose The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard, a novel about the young women employed in Oak Ridge, Tennessee during World War II at the pilot plutonium and uranium enrichment plant built as part of the Manhattan Project and the creation of the first atomic bombs.
The name of the store, Golden Fig, comes from the book The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. According to the store’s website, there is a point is the story “where the main character is comparing life to a fig tree. Every branch symbolizes a different path she can choose to take, and each fig represents a different career or destination.” I love the symbolism of the fig tree and the life choices it represents, and also the vast choices we face whenever we browse in a bookstore. I read The Bell Jar a few years ago when I realized that although I knew who Sylvia Plath was and had read a biography and some of her poetry, I had never read her most famous book. Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. It is a sad semi-autobiographical story of a woman’s slide in mental illness, but riveting and thought-provoking.
We celebrated our outing and our purchases by stopping next door at Guglhupf Bakery from some sweet treats to take home. Food and books make for such a great pairing!
It’s amazing how special these little adventures are when we haven’t had the opportunity to go out much in the last few months. I am really pleased that places like Golden Fig are finding creative ways to open to customers.
August 10, 2020
A Bookstore a Month
I started out with a grand plan to visit a new bookstore or library each month of 2020. We all know how that worked out.
My bookstore for January was McIntyre’s in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a lovely independent bookstore with a huge mystery section. I was even able to participate in an author’s event and have some of my books for sale on the Sisters in Crime table. And I highly recommend the Belted Goat next door for a delightful, casual lunch, when we can go to restaurants again.
February was a bonus. I traveled to Los Angeles and stopped in at the public library in Hawthorne, California on a morning walk from my son and daughter-in-law’s house. Later our whole Los Angeles gang went to Skylight Books in the Los Feliz neighborhood. This relatively small store contains a wide selection of literary fiction, books on music, art, film and theatre. I loved browsing their shelves of Los Angeles regional culture and history.
We followed our visit to Skylight Books with a visit to Figaro Bistro down the street for afternoon pastries and ice cream. And since we were on vacation, we meandered on down Vermont Avenue to the Yque Tshirt shop. Hey! That’s what you do on vacation!
Before returning home, we made a repeat visit to The Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles, one of my favorite bookstores. It is one of the largest independent bookstores in the world. This amazing store has everything, including nooks and crannies and a rabbit warren floor plan that just makes you want to get lost, or maybe spend the night. This gigantic store contains 250,000 new and used books on two floors, and includes an Arts & Rare Book Annex, thousands of vinyl records as well as graphic novels.
So, what makes a good bookstore? I love surprises. It might be the architecture and design. I love being able to wander from room to room, making discoveries as I go. This is also true of City Lights in San Francisco, another favorite of mine. Organization is important, but not too much. I like the categories to be clearly labelled so if I want to browse mysteries or cookbooks or books translated from Spanish, I can find them. Friendly, helpful staff definitely make for a good bookstore. But not too friendly and helpful. I need to spend time alone among the books.
I am dreaming of the day I can continue my exploration of bookstores in person. Maybe next year I will aim for two per month.
I will end with a short list of a few of my other favorites, just in case you want to check them out, or at least look at their websites.
The Strand, New York City
Title Wave, Anchorage, Alaska
Tattered Cover, Denver, Colorado
Golden Fig, Durham, North Carolina
Malaprop, Asheville, North Carolina
Foley’s, London, UK
My bookstore for January was McIntyre’s in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a lovely independent bookstore with a huge mystery section. I was even able to participate in an author’s event and have some of my books for sale on the Sisters in Crime table. And I highly recommend the Belted Goat next door for a delightful, casual lunch, when we can go to restaurants again.
February was a bonus. I traveled to Los Angeles and stopped in at the public library in Hawthorne, California on a morning walk from my son and daughter-in-law’s house. Later our whole Los Angeles gang went to Skylight Books in the Los Feliz neighborhood. This relatively small store contains a wide selection of literary fiction, books on music, art, film and theatre. I loved browsing their shelves of Los Angeles regional culture and history.
We followed our visit to Skylight Books with a visit to Figaro Bistro down the street for afternoon pastries and ice cream. And since we were on vacation, we meandered on down Vermont Avenue to the Yque Tshirt shop. Hey! That’s what you do on vacation!
Before returning home, we made a repeat visit to The Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles, one of my favorite bookstores. It is one of the largest independent bookstores in the world. This amazing store has everything, including nooks and crannies and a rabbit warren floor plan that just makes you want to get lost, or maybe spend the night. This gigantic store contains 250,000 new and used books on two floors, and includes an Arts & Rare Book Annex, thousands of vinyl records as well as graphic novels.
So, what makes a good bookstore? I love surprises. It might be the architecture and design. I love being able to wander from room to room, making discoveries as I go. This is also true of City Lights in San Francisco, another favorite of mine. Organization is important, but not too much. I like the categories to be clearly labelled so if I want to browse mysteries or cookbooks or books translated from Spanish, I can find them. Friendly, helpful staff definitely make for a good bookstore. But not too friendly and helpful. I need to spend time alone among the books.
I am dreaming of the day I can continue my exploration of bookstores in person. Maybe next year I will aim for two per month.
I will end with a short list of a few of my other favorites, just in case you want to check them out, or at least look at their websites.
The Strand, New York City
Title Wave, Anchorage, Alaska
Tattered Cover, Denver, Colorado
Golden Fig, Durham, North Carolina
Malaprop, Asheville, North Carolina
Foley’s, London, UK
July 24, 2020
Is It Breakfast?
This is a “taste” of what’s to come in my next novel, tentatively titled Sacrifice.
In her first breakfast in Spain, Nara Blake enjoys a chocolate croissant and café con leche for breakfast. Maybe not what super health conscious people would consider a good breakfast, but she is on vacation. Sort of. That’s about the only time I eat chocolate croissants. And meals in Spain are very different from what we are accustomed to in the United States.
Breakfast, or “desayuno,” is usually just as I described, a pastry of some sort, and coffee.
Croissants, which originated in Austria but achieved huge popularity in France, are popular in Spain as well. They are made of a light, flaky dough into which butter has been folded, something like a puff pastry.
You wonder why I am telling you all this, when croissants are quite common in the United States. Even Burger King makes a croissant sandwich. At least I think so. I haven’t been to a Burger King in decades.
But croissants in Europe aren’t the same. European croissants are smaller. You know how we tend to want everything super-sized in the U.S. European croissants contain less sugar and more butter, making them lighter and flakier, and less sweet than those on this side of the Atlantic.
That being said, authentic croissants can be found in this country, if you visit an authentic French bakery. And sadly, many places in France have started using pre-made frozen croissants which they simply bake up in the morning.
The chocolate ones are referred to as “pain au chocolate.” Literal translation – bread with chocolate.
But back to Spain. “Desayuno” is not meant to be a breakfast to get you through a day of physical labor. But not to worry. The Spanish traditionally have a break in late morning for “almuerzo.” In Latin America, “almuerzo” refers to lunch as we know it, but historically in Spain, this is a small meal before the major afternoon meal. Yes, you read that right, a meal before a meal. This can be a time for “tapas” or small plates, although tapas are also popular in the late afternoon. It could be a “tortilla,” which in Spain is like an omelet with potato and onion.
So Nara and her husband Alex enjoyed their croissants for “desayuno,” before strolling around the village and then stopping for a little “almuerzo” before they go to meet the priest who will hand over the notebooks of a British artist who died in Spain during the Spanish Civil War.
I am looking forward to the day I can travel to Spain again – more delicious food, more adventures, more ideas for fiction. Until then, back to the work of writing.
In her first breakfast in Spain, Nara Blake enjoys a chocolate croissant and café con leche for breakfast. Maybe not what super health conscious people would consider a good breakfast, but she is on vacation. Sort of. That’s about the only time I eat chocolate croissants. And meals in Spain are very different from what we are accustomed to in the United States.
Breakfast, or “desayuno,” is usually just as I described, a pastry of some sort, and coffee.
Croissants, which originated in Austria but achieved huge popularity in France, are popular in Spain as well. They are made of a light, flaky dough into which butter has been folded, something like a puff pastry.
You wonder why I am telling you all this, when croissants are quite common in the United States. Even Burger King makes a croissant sandwich. At least I think so. I haven’t been to a Burger King in decades.
But croissants in Europe aren’t the same. European croissants are smaller. You know how we tend to want everything super-sized in the U.S. European croissants contain less sugar and more butter, making them lighter and flakier, and less sweet than those on this side of the Atlantic.
That being said, authentic croissants can be found in this country, if you visit an authentic French bakery. And sadly, many places in France have started using pre-made frozen croissants which they simply bake up in the morning.
The chocolate ones are referred to as “pain au chocolate.” Literal translation – bread with chocolate.
But back to Spain. “Desayuno” is not meant to be a breakfast to get you through a day of physical labor. But not to worry. The Spanish traditionally have a break in late morning for “almuerzo.” In Latin America, “almuerzo” refers to lunch as we know it, but historically in Spain, this is a small meal before the major afternoon meal. Yes, you read that right, a meal before a meal. This can be a time for “tapas” or small plates, although tapas are also popular in the late afternoon. It could be a “tortilla,” which in Spain is like an omelet with potato and onion.
So Nara and her husband Alex enjoyed their croissants for “desayuno,” before strolling around the village and then stopping for a little “almuerzo” before they go to meet the priest who will hand over the notebooks of a British artist who died in Spain during the Spanish Civil War.
I am looking forward to the day I can travel to Spain again – more delicious food, more adventures, more ideas for fiction. Until then, back to the work of writing.
November 30, 2019
My Addiction to Art Museums
In my newest novel featuring protagonists Nara Blake and Alex Collier, they work at the Tate Britain, one of the foremost art museums in London. This is a natural and fun setting for me, since I love visiting art museums. I overdid it a bit on my last trip to the Netherlands, and visited four art museums in six days -- the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and two in the Hague, Mauritshaus and Gemeentemuseum. Whew!
I have visited a number of prominent art museums and galleries in Europe and the U.S., but have also found hidden gems in small towns and other out of the way places. I love the Museum of Costa Rican Art in San Jose with its exhibits of works by Latin American artists, and the Collection Museum in Lincoln, UK, formerly the Usher Gallery. I especially liked the depictions there of the “Lincoln imp,” the symbol of that city since the Middle Ages. Even my hometown of Newton, Illinois has a small museum attached to the public library.
In my newest novel, tentatively titled Sacrifice, Nara and Alex work as art historians at the Tate. They travel to Tardienta, Spain when the museum is contacted about a notebook belonging to artist and activist Felicia Browne, a British woman who was killed there during the Spanish Civil War.
During the next few months, I plan to blog about museums I visit, as well as bookstores and libraries, my other favorite places.
With all the visits I have made to art museums, I have come up with a few tips for a more enjoyable visit.
Take your time. You can’t see and appreciate everything, especially in a very large museum. Maybe set a time limit.
When you walk into a room, stop and look around. What piece draws you? Why?
If there is a piece that you particularly want to see, look at the map and determine which room it is in. If it is a very famous piece, like Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch” in Amsterdam or Picasso’s “Guernica” in Madrid, the room will be crowded. Relax and take your time. You are in a room full of art lovers.
Take a few photos if it is allowed. Often they are allowed as long as you don’t use flash. Photos will serve as good reminders of what you saw. But don’t let taking photos replace appreciating the art with your own eyes.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, or just want more information, consider a guided tour. You sometimes have to pay a little bit; sometimes not. The guides are normally very knowledgeable and will point out details most of us would not have thought to look for.
Lastly, have a snack, or lunch. Most larger art museums have wonderful restaurants, and it’s fun eating in the atmosphere of art. My best meals (that I can think of off the top of my head) were in the National Gallery in Washington, DC, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and the Prado in Madrid. And in my own hometown, the Nasher Museum at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina has a wonderful Sunday brunch.
I have visited a number of prominent art museums and galleries in Europe and the U.S., but have also found hidden gems in small towns and other out of the way places. I love the Museum of Costa Rican Art in San Jose with its exhibits of works by Latin American artists, and the Collection Museum in Lincoln, UK, formerly the Usher Gallery. I especially liked the depictions there of the “Lincoln imp,” the symbol of that city since the Middle Ages. Even my hometown of Newton, Illinois has a small museum attached to the public library.
In my newest novel, tentatively titled Sacrifice, Nara and Alex work as art historians at the Tate. They travel to Tardienta, Spain when the museum is contacted about a notebook belonging to artist and activist Felicia Browne, a British woman who was killed there during the Spanish Civil War.
During the next few months, I plan to blog about museums I visit, as well as bookstores and libraries, my other favorite places.
With all the visits I have made to art museums, I have come up with a few tips for a more enjoyable visit.
Take your time. You can’t see and appreciate everything, especially in a very large museum. Maybe set a time limit.
When you walk into a room, stop and look around. What piece draws you? Why?
If there is a piece that you particularly want to see, look at the map and determine which room it is in. If it is a very famous piece, like Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch” in Amsterdam or Picasso’s “Guernica” in Madrid, the room will be crowded. Relax and take your time. You are in a room full of art lovers.
Take a few photos if it is allowed. Often they are allowed as long as you don’t use flash. Photos will serve as good reminders of what you saw. But don’t let taking photos replace appreciating the art with your own eyes.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, or just want more information, consider a guided tour. You sometimes have to pay a little bit; sometimes not. The guides are normally very knowledgeable and will point out details most of us would not have thought to look for.
Lastly, have a snack, or lunch. Most larger art museums have wonderful restaurants, and it’s fun eating in the atmosphere of art. My best meals (that I can think of off the top of my head) were in the National Gallery in Washington, DC, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and the Prado in Madrid. And in my own hometown, the Nasher Museum at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina has a wonderful Sunday brunch.
October 10, 2018
Taking That Next Step
I love quotes, and started each chapter of Jewels in Time with a quote. Here is one of my favorites:
"She took a step and didn't want to take any more, but she did." (Markus Zusak, The Book Thief)
How often do we stop after taking that first step? We write a few chapters of a novel, but never write any more. We research that interesting job in another city or country, but never apply for it.
Here's to second steps. Don't just take the first step, take another step. They are only steps. See where they take you.
"She took a step and didn't want to take any more, but she did." (Markus Zusak, The Book Thief)
How often do we stop after taking that first step? We write a few chapters of a novel, but never write any more. We research that interesting job in another city or country, but never apply for it.
Here's to second steps. Don't just take the first step, take another step. They are only steps. See where they take you.
February 7, 2018
What next?
The book is finished. The publisher has accepted it. The contract is signed. What does a writer do next?
Start another project, of course! Truthfully, I have already started another project, several months ago. I like to have writing work in different stages of development. While I was doing final editing and polishing of Jewels in Time, the young adult novel that is in the publishing process now, I started brainstorming the next Nara Blake mystery. I have written about 25,000 words, and am organizing the plot and doing research on history and culture, since this will be set in Spain.
So my mind is in two worlds: the magic world and thirteenth century England for Jewels in Time, and present day (and a bit of the 1930s) for the Nara book, working title is Hidden in Plain Sight.
Besides the actual projects, I constantly play around with characters and scenarios in my head. Most of them stay there, and never even make it to paper. It’s my grown-up version of playing pretend. I now longer have my brothers and sister to boss around in my imaginary games like I did growing up on the farm in Illinois, but I still make up stories just for the fun of it.
Start another project, of course! Truthfully, I have already started another project, several months ago. I like to have writing work in different stages of development. While I was doing final editing and polishing of Jewels in Time, the young adult novel that is in the publishing process now, I started brainstorming the next Nara Blake mystery. I have written about 25,000 words, and am organizing the plot and doing research on history and culture, since this will be set in Spain.
So my mind is in two worlds: the magic world and thirteenth century England for Jewels in Time, and present day (and a bit of the 1930s) for the Nara book, working title is Hidden in Plain Sight.
Besides the actual projects, I constantly play around with characters and scenarios in my head. Most of them stay there, and never even make it to paper. It’s my grown-up version of playing pretend. I now longer have my brothers and sister to boss around in my imaginary games like I did growing up on the farm in Illinois, but I still make up stories just for the fun of it.
January 11, 2018
Fairy Tale Fell Flat
Maybe I'm a purist, but I had a problem with historical characters, Eleanor of Aquitaine and her sons Richard and John, Alexandre Dumas, the Medicis, and Napoleon interacting in the same time period. I found the dialog stilted and the plot awkward. I love to support new indie writers, but this concept just didn't do it for me.
January 8, 2018
Review of After Alice by Gregory Maguire
I wanted to like this book. I liked Wicked and love Alice in Wonderland. But this book did not live up to my expectations. I love Maguire's wordplay, but he went overboard in After Alice, and it detracted from the story. There are parallel stories of Ada, Alice's friend, who falls down the rabbit hole in search of Alice. While Alice's father, Charles Darwin, and Darwin's American associate Watson are discussing lofty ideas, Watson's charge, a young boy who escaped slavery in the southern United States, accidentally slips through the looking glass and encounters Ada.
Everyone, both in and out of the rabbit hole, seems to be looking for someone, and trying their best to mind their manners in true Victorian fashion at the same time. I got tired of it.
Everyone, both in and out of the rabbit hole, seems to be looking for someone, and trying their best to mind their manners in true Victorian fashion at the same time. I got tired of it.
January 5, 2018
Review of Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
In Bel Canto, we grow to love the characters, both the hostages and the terrorists who hold them, but it is a love that cannot endure. We know that the hostage situation, which drags on for months, cannot end well. Opera is a theme that runs through the novel, as the main character, whom everyone, hostage and captor alike, falls in love with. But as any tragic opera, the beauty is in the experience, in this case Ann Patchett's magnificent writing, not in the conclusion. I finished this book three days ago and I'm still thinking about the characters, and wondering what they, the ones who survived that is, are doing now.
