Elizabeth Lynn Casey's Blog, page 146

When THE END is not The End.

A few weeks ago, I took myself to see THE HELP. I hadn't read the book but, because of what I'd heard about it, I gave it a shot and it did not disappoint.

Three weeks later, I find myself still thinking about something one of the characters does/says throughout the movie. The story follows a colored maid in the south who has essentially raised more than her fair share of white babies (in her role as the family housekeeper). When the story opens, she's taking care of a little girl who is...

Snapshots

Wanna see some pictures?

 This first picture (on your left) is a chipmunk just after he scurried up a plant in an effort to hide from Angus (the 28-toed cat). You see, Angus is the personal critter ferry in our neighborhood. He scoops up chipmunks, mice, and frogs in his mouth and carries them to various points around the yard. When he gets them to wherever it is he's determined to take them, he drops them. And, nine times out of ten, they get up and run away. This particular chipmunk didn't n...

Autumn in the Air

Autumn is officially here, at least as far as the calendar goes. It is, without a doubt, my favorite season of the year. I love the colors, the slight nip in the air at night, the increased baking, etc.

So here's to a Bits & Pieces worthy of Autumn:

1) What's your favorite part of Fall?

2) Favorite Autumn treat?

3) Crock pot or barbecue?

4) Favorite pie?

5) Scarecrows or ghosts?

~Elizabeth

Series vs. Standalone

This week's discussion topic was suggested by blog reader, Chris C…

Q: What are some of the differences between writing a whole series vs. a standalone book (ie, the planning, deciding what goes into which book, what gets resolved in each book vs. what is carried on to the next or delayed to the last, etc)?

A: While I have not been published with a standalone in mystery, all three of my romances have been single stories so I think I can address this topic fairly well.

When I'm working on one of ...

Home

After spending a few days away from home for the Bouchercon 2011 mystery conference, I'm now back–ready to write (I better be), ready to blog (I'm here, aren't I?), and ready to try and find the motivation I've been lacking for just about everything.

This year's conference was in St. Louis. The moment the plane touched down at Lambert, I felt this overwhelming sense of happiness. And it wasn't hard to figure out why.

I was home.

Despite having been raised in the northeast and making many...

Spin-Off, Anyone?

Oooh. Oooh. Today's question is a super fun one from Chris C. in GA.

Q:  What are your thoughts on a 'spin off' from your series? For example one of your old ladies going to NYC to see her niece graduate from NYU. What would/could you do different? Would it be good or bad for the series?

A: First, let me say I LOVE this question. I'd never thought of it…until now. And since I feel as if the ladies of Sweet Briar are truly my friends, it's kind of fun to imagine for  a while. Hmmm.

Of course...

Escape Hatch

Sometimes, when life seems just a wee bit more than a person can handle, they either turn toward destructive behavior or find a more productive relief valve.

From the time I was about twelve, my valve has always been books. When I read, whatever book I was devouring at that time allowed me to escape into someone else's world for a little while. It didn't always have to be stories of flower dotted praries to escape. Quite the contrary. In fact, some of my favorite go-to books at that crazy...

Sleepless Nights

Thanks to a crazier than normal (and that's saying a lot) schedule over the past week, I've not had any time for reading.

Oh, I think about it. I even look at the book I should be trying to finish. But it's just not happening.

That said, there are a few authors that could propel me to find the time…as in swap sleep to read. Two that come to mind are Linda Castillo and Emily Giffin–two very different writers, two very different genres.

So tell me, are there any writers who can make you...

One For The Memory Books

This past weekend, Dear Daughter # 1 and I spent the weekend in New York City. I didn't bring my computer, she didn't bring any of her gadgets. It was just a weekend for the two of us to be together.

And what an amazing time we had.

I started building up to this weekend back in January by giving her a new one-word clue on the first of every month. Her clue-trail was nine words, taking us to September. Once she received all nine clues, she knew what we were doing (or, rather, where we were...

Where Were You?

As the anniversary of the 9-11 attacks looms, I find myself remembering that day. And, because of the heavyness of that day, I remember details I wouldn't remember otherwise. The same goes for other major events in history.

For instance, I remember I was in the family room of my parents' home when Ronald Reagan was shot. I was in 8th grade and just home from school (watching General Hospital to be specific). When the Challenger exploded I was a senior in high school and we were watching the...