C.L. Ragsdale's Blog, page 4

Creepy things that Make for Good Stories

Hi Everyone

Well I posted this one on The Cozy Mystery Magazine, but it turned out so well (at least in my humble opinion) that I thought I would post it here as well. With a few well placed edits of course.
You see each author has a setting for their mystery stories, even of the cozy variety. The genteel county manor, the secluded beach, a romantic cruise, a tea party with suspect tea...the list goes on. Since my mysteries tend towards (fake) haunted houses, mysteries islands and such I thought I would share one of the things that truly creeps me out. 

Okay truth to tell many things creep me out, I’m a coward that way, but the number one thing is…trees. Seriously, they are creepy.
Don't believe me? I have photographic evidence!

 
Extremely Creepy Looking Trees. Don't They Fill Your Heart With Terror?

See what I mean? They’re just…there. Waiting. For what? Who knows? That's creepy. But that doesn't mean they don't do stuff...

Disgusting Leaves Left By Creepy Trees That I Will Now Have to Clean Up











Okay I'm bitter about this, but that's beside the point. So what is the point? It never ends! And let’s not even get into the sap that gets on your car and you can’t get it off without ruining the paint job. It's a conspiracy I tell you.

And worst of all...



Creepy Birds That Live In Creepy Trees That Drop You Know What











Okay so it's fake chicken on a bush. I couldn't get a real bird to pose. Why? Alfred Hitchcock knew the truth. They're creepy they know it, and they don't want it documented. I'm on to you creepy birds!
Now my mother, a very logical person, has told me I need to get over this tree
conspiracy thing because they are just trees after all, but don't confuse the logic with the creepy factor. Sure they're pretty, except for those darn magnolia trees behind my house. They just dump leaves everywhere...anyway they look harmless, but I tell you it's all part of their evil, creepy plot to take over the world. Remember Day of The Triffids by John Wyndham? Sure he doesn't come right out and say that the plants getting up and around and eating people were trees, but trees are plants you know so you can't rule it out.
Please tree lovers don’t judge me. I know trees aren't really evil, at least that's what they want you to think, but this all comes from growing up in an area where scary tree stories were everywhere.
First there was The Orchard, The Evilest place on Earth (yes it really existed I didn’t just make it up for the books). Okay, it was gone by the time; I got old enough to remember things, but I was old by my sisters that it was truly the most frightening place ever. They know because our older brother Jack told them so.
Then there was the Gully, a forest…okay a grove… okay a line of trees where you went in but never came out. I know this because my sisters told me and Jack told them...Oh you've noticed a theme here huh? It is true that Jack was known to love to torment his little sisters with scary stories, but get tree roots into your plumbing sometime and you begin to wonder if there's not an evil genius at work somewhere.
I admit, now that I'm an adult, I know they were only stories, but these things stick with you. To this day I still tend to give trees a second or third look before enjoying their shade during hot California summers. When I'm desperate. You never know, they may be up to something.

Coloring Without Crayons is now Short Stories and Tall Tales

I have changed my blog to Short Mysteries and Tall Tales. Why? This is because I’m taking a new direction. Coloring Without Crayons was a cute title, but it doesn't fit what I'm writing about so the name change.
Since I write short, humorous novellas and short stories I decided to devote my blog that topic. Of course I will be talking about my own series, I mean this is my blog after all and what are blogs for if not shameless self promotion?
To reintroduce myself my name is C.L Ragsdale. I am a writer with four e-books posted on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The Reboot Files is a series of Christian Mysteries involving the adventures of Irene Waters, a once promising Christian reporter, and her cameraman the brilliant but reckless Troy Stenson. Through a series of separate misfortunes they find themselves working on a cheesy paranormal investigation show called Irene’s Eerie Adventures. Worse, they work for Reboot, a television station better known for hiring the rejects of the legitimate media than the quality of their programing. They investigate various (bogus) paranormal events all the while being manipulated by a shadowy organization called The Records Department and their own employer. Or are they?
The individual e-books are The Mystery of Hurtleberry House, The Island of Living Trees, The Harbinger of Retribution, and the most recent entry The Wrong Ghost. Full disclosure, these are not murder mysteries and the paranormal events are all fake. Think grown up Scooby Doo without the dog and green van.
Now I will not just be sharing my own stuff on my new blog, I will also be looking about for other works that you might also enjoy. Because as well as being a writer I love to read. Being a Christian myself, I prefer Christian themes, but as long as they are wholesome fiction such as Agatha Christie or A.A. Milne I can work with that. Although I do not write murder mysteries, I do enjoy reading them, especially the "cozy" type. However I may find other genres that I will share as well. Remember the blog title, Short Mysteries and Tall Tales. There will, however, be no erotica, real paranormal, gross out horror or anything dark and disturbing.
More changes are coming, I just wanted to start posting again.
Anyway the new address is http://shortmysteriesandtalltales.blo...
Come by and check it out sometime.

The Best Laid Plan That Went Awry...AGAIN!

Hi all! Here's a nice little bow and flowers I embroidered that has absolutely nothing with this post. I just thought it was pretty. So let me tell you a tale of my plan which went awry. But what else is new?

The Wrong Ghost was done I was thinking that I might take a little break from
writing on The Reboot Files series. Not that I don't love my Reboot gang, but this book had given me so much trouble that I was sure my imagination was sprained. So once it was done and posted for sale I figured I might switch gears a little and do some relaxing blogging without having to squeeze it in between my day job and my book writing.

That was the plan, but my imagination was apparently not sprained and had other ideas. And it was all my nieces’ fault.

Not that she isn't a lovely girl, she is, but it was her fault. You see she’s a musician who plays at wineries, there’s a real culture here in California of people who go to wineries to do wine tastings and listen to live mellow type of music. Anyway we went out to this winery to see her play even though we don't drink wine, that’s what families do. Once she was finished and we
were on our way home through the wine country and scenic farmland when my sister, oh wait it’s her fault really, just had to say, “Hey look at the scarecrow.”

That’s all it took and then a scarecrow with an attitude invaded my imagination and Irene and Troy are off to another creepy adventure.

I know what you’re thinking. You think that I was just waiting for that idea, and I admit right before we went to listen to my niece play I wondered to my family what I would come up with next. It was a bit unnerving to realize that I didn’t really have an idea for the next book in the series. Future books, yes, this one no. Writers are paranoid that way, usually without cause. We always think of something.

I just wish I would plan it that way every now and then.

Cozy Mystery News

Hi All!
So exciting, I got my first review on The Wrong Ghost. Thanks so much Nancy Jill!

Also it occurs to me that I forgot to give the website address to The Cozy Mystery Magazine and give you an idea of what it is all about, which is:

THIS MAGAZINE IS FOR YOU! WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE COZY MYSTERIES WE WRITE AND FEATURE BOOK REVIEWS.THERE WILL BE RECIPES FOR YOU TO TRY, NEWS ABOUT NEW ARRIVALS, AND TEA TIME, OF COURSE. PLEASE HELP YOURSELF TO SOME SWEETS.)BE SURE AND SIGN UP TO FOLLOW OUR POSTS. YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS A SINGLE ONE. STAY TUNED!

Besides myself the regular posters will be:

Mondays - LINDA P. KOZAR, the mind behind the Until the Fat Ladies Sing Mysteries

Tuesdays - DEBORAH MALONE Mystery Reviewer Extraordinaire
and
TRACI HILTON: Creator of the Mitzy Neuhaus Mysteries

Wednesdays - S. DIONNE MOORE author of cozy mysteries as well as historical romances

Thursdays - Myself, 'Nuff said

Fridays - NANCY JILL THAMES - Our fearless leader and author of the Jillian Bradley Mysteries

Is there more to these fabulous authors than listed here? Of course! But you have to go to the website for that! Come on by all you cozy mystery lovers. Even if I'm not your cup of tea you're sure to find a talented author who is.

http://www.cozymysterymagazine.blogsp...

BREAKING NEWS

Just to let you know I am also posting on a new blog called Cozy Mystery Magazine. I will be making different postings there, but I wanted to let you know because a lot of other cozy mystery writers are posting some really good stuff. There is good info, like just what a cozy mystery is, recipes, although not from me as I cook just well enough not to poison anyone, and lots of great books.

Also I've been hearing some rumblings about my Facebook page disappearing. I don't know what's up, I'm still posting and I verified the address is http://www.facebook.com/pages/CL-Rags.... Let me know if anyone is having trouble and I'll talk to the Facebook Gurus.

That's it for now, and don't forget to check out The Wrong Ghost.
Oh wait, I do have an idea for another book. What does everyone think of a Creepy Scarecrow? Reboot style that is!

The Reboot Files #4 - The Wrong Ghost Is Now Available

Finally! The Wrong Ghost is finished and Available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Here's the description and the links:

Once upon a time there lived a beautiful woman named Virginia Holden whose life was filled with disappointment. The worst of which came when she was forced into a loveless marriage that convinced her that only misery lied before her. That is until one day her fate seemed to take a turn for the better when she rescued and fell in love with a handsome stranger who was in hiding from a terrible enemy. But just as it seemed the fulfillment of her romantic dreams were within her grasp the man on which she had pinned her hopes left when his enemy died and he could claim his true love, his enemy’s daughter. This rejection caused poor Virginia to give up all hope of happiness and take her own life. Now her vengeful spirit haunts the shores of Lake Morona seeking to bring only despair to all cross her path.
Or so the story goes.
It's all pretty standard fare for Irene Waters and her cameraman Troy Stenson except for a few odd things. But what would a story involving Irene's Eerie Adventures be without those?
First they learn that their boss, Bernie Youngman, had previously dismissed this particular ghostly tale for coverage due to lack of credibility even by Reboot admittedly low standards. Now he has not only changed his mind about filming Virginia's ghost story but has insisted on coming along. Something Troy assures Irene their boss has never done before. Even more astounding, Reboot actually has competition for this story, and to Troy's dismay it is his former station that is the competition! Finally there is the ghostly Virginia herself who instead of being illusive, like any ghost worth her salt, is oddly just a little too cooperative. Even more puzzling, it may not even be the right ghost!
Of course the question of just why there is a wrong ghost involves several suspects from which to choose. Kevin Kemore, the manager of The Grey Pony, the inn where the Reboot team is staying, is involved in several seemingly suspicious activities. Including being too friendly with the manager of the rival hotel housing Reboot's competitors and avoiding being interviewed by Irene. Tiffany Sanderson and her mother, employees of The Grey Pony, seem to have no motive for any nefarious doings but when has that ever meant anything? Finally there is Rick Vermont, the son of The Grey Pony's ill owner who has little to say, except when he is pushing his own ghost theories. But why is he pushing any theories at all?
Fascinating as all of this is, the wrong ghost mystery is not what concerns Irene and Troy the most. It is the realization that their boss has been outright lying to them on what seem on the surface to be trivial issues. The most perplexing of which is why he was so determined to come on this particular assignment. The only possible explanation they can come up with is that Bernie Youngman is pursuing a hidden agenda and is not above using his employees to achieve it.
All of which leaves Irene wondering just what God has gotten them into, and Troy to ponder if there is more to Irene’s Eerie Adventures than dubious paranormal investigations.

http://www.amazon.com/Wrong-Ghost-Reb...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-w...

Sneak Peek: The Wrong Ghost

My fourth book in The Reboot Files Series: The Wrong Ghost will be available this week, just as soon as I get the description done (Man those things are hard!) Anyway here's the gist of it:

This time Reboot ghost buster Irene Waters is off to picturesque Lake Morona to investigate rumors of the ghost of a vengeful female spirit haunting its shores. Pretty standard fare for Irene and her cameraman Troy Stenson except for few odd things. First they learn that their boss, Bernie Youngman, had previously passed on covering this particular ghostly tale. Now he has not only changed his mind about covering the story but has even insisted on coming along. Then they find that Reboot has competition for the story, and to Troy's dismay it is his former employer who is the competition! Then there is the “ghost” who is just a little bit too cooperative, and it may not even be the right ghost. Of course there is a plethora of suspects, but motivations are not so clear. Worse still, the mysterious Records Department is lurking in the shadows planning who knows what. Well I do but that’s to be expected.

Okay now as an added bonus here's a sample chapter, and not the beginning this time. Hope it makes sense out of context:

After Bernie assured his employees that he would be okay going down the path by himself, Irene turned and unceremoniously walked towards the trees. Troy followed after her quickly and was surprised when she stopped in front of the trees and was studying the ground in front of them. Finally he asked “What are you looking for?”

“I’m not sure.”

He pressed, “Then why are you looking for it?”

“I’ll know when I find it,” she said absently walking slowly as she studied the ground. She asked, “How well do you know Bernie?”

Troy immediately opened his mouth to answer, but then closed it again remembering Irene’s annoying habit of catching onto things he had missed.

“As well as anyone knows their boss I guess,” he finally admitted, “What’s bugging you about Bernie anyway?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Irene…”

“I’m serious, I’m not sure, just something about him doesn’t add up.”

“Like what?”

“Well, why was he so upset that I knew about his name just now? I mean he was the one who told me, even if he didn’t remember doing so.”

“He explained that,” Troy reminded her.

“Yes, and it may even be true,” she responded as she stopped and looked down at a spot in the ground.

“Boy you are in a suspicious frame of mind. What would the Bible have to say about that?”

“Jeremiah 17:9 the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it?” she obliged.

“You think Bernie is desperately wicked?”

“We all are,” she answered.

“Even you?”

“Of course, I’m just saved because I am born again by the sacrifice of my Lord Jesus Christ.”

“Okay, what about deceitful? How does that fit in?”

“Well he won’t tell us why he wanted to come on this story. Unless you bought the glory days explanation.”

Troy asked in astonishment, “So you’re saying that Bernie is deceitful and desperately wicked just because he forgot he told you about his name change and may be exaggerating about having trouble at home?”

“You call it an exaggeration, but if it is not true it is a lie, and liars are not to be trusted. Even if you like them,” she informed him.

“Come on Irene, not everyone has your high moral standards. Besides Bernie may not be a Christian, but he is married to one.”

“So what?”

Again Troy thought about it before agreeing, “Nothing I guess. So if you’re right and Bernie does have an agenda do you think we’ll figure out what it is?”

“Great-Aunt Minerva would have said that secrets are like weeds. They usually get rooted out eventually because nobody likes weeds.”

After making this pronouncement Irene knelt down for a closer look at whatever she had found. Not seeing it himself Troy finally asked, “Okay, I give. What are we looking at?”

“Glass,” she answered pointing to the ground in front of her, “And a lot of it.”

Troy knelt down beside her and finally saw several shards of broken glass on the ground.

“Oh yeah, I see it. Looks like something big broke. How did you know it was there?”

“I saw it glinting in the sunlight,” she replied.

“I didn’t see it.”

“I didn’t either, until I noticed it.”

“Okay, but does it mean anything? Man, I ask that a lot don’t I?”

She shrugged and commented, “If you want to know you’ve got to ask. As to whether it means anything or not, I’m not sure yet. However, it is an odd thing to be here out in the middle of nowhere.”

“Oh man when you start talking about odd things everything starts getting complicated. I wonder if Craig saw the glass.”

“I don’t know, but I doubt it. It may be obvious, but he wasn’t looking for it. He was looking for camera angles,” she said.

“Why do you assume that?”

“Well that’s what we came up here for isn’t it?”

Troy thought about that then nodded in agreement. As he and Irene stood up he mused, “Virginia sure chose an inconvenient location to haunt didn’t she?”

“Too bad it wasn’t at the lake shore like Bernie thought,” Irene agreed.

“Yeah she would have to be on a hill that is so hard to get to rather than a lake shore that’s not. Kind of weird how that worked out.”

At Troy’s observation Irene got her now infamous "That makes no sense" look on her face. Unfortunately Troy failed to see it as he continued, “Well you’re probably right and Craig didn’t notice. He was too intent on doing his job. Man, I hate organized people, no offense Irene.”

“None taken. You’re organized too you know,” she reminded him.

“I know, but don’t spread it around.”

“Does the other hill have a name?”

“No,” he answered, “One of the things Tiffany told me was that originally both of these hills were joined, and other creepy things besides Virginia were said to happen here. Legend says that these trees used to cover most of the hill and then went down the back into a deep wood. Supposedly people who went into that wood never came out and you could hear their cries of help forever after.”

“Wow that does sound scary. Can you stand it?” she teased with a smile.

He looked at her ruefully stating, “It’s fine as long as I don’t have to go into them. Anyway, Tiffany says that legend has mostly died out because the woods only look thick now and they go into a sheer drop. They actually had to cut down a few in order to put up a fence.”

“How did that happen?” she asked.

“Well the story goes that the two hillsides were connected and the whole thing was called “The Flat Top”. About fifty years ago, more or less, there was a large earthquake and the hillside split in two. Most of the trees either collapsed or fell down the backside when it collapsed. That’s why all the pathways up are so disjointed.”

“According to Tiffany,” she pointed out.

“Right, so I don’t how reliable it is. I mean I don’t think she’s lying, but it’s what “she heard” and you know how that can go. Not to change the subject Irene, but I think I should tell you about Tracy Campbell.”

“You don’t have to,” Irene assured him.

“I know, and I appreciate you not pushing on that, even though you’re a pest about my brother.”

“That’s different, you need to clear that up.”

“I know, and I will. However, back to Tracy, Bernie’s right, it’s not a secret. Before I got the boot she and were…close.”

“Close?”

“Close and things did not end well,” he continued, “Do I have to go into the gory details?”

“Not if you don’t want to,” she said absently as she returned to study the glass on the ground.

Perversely Troy found himself peeved at her lack of curiosity, mostly because he knew she wasn’t faking it. As a consequence he sounded more irritated than he was when he snapped, “Will you quit it with the glass already? It’s weird, I admit, but we have a story to do, remember?”

“Okay,” she agreed immediately looking back to him, “But I think we should tell Tiffany or someone about it as it could be dangerous. So where do you want to start?”

Troy crossed his arms and looked at her. He knew Irene didn’t drop things this easily, so it was weird, there was that word again, that she was doing so now. Still he wasn’t in the mood to try to pry information out of her so he shrugged and answered, “We’ve got to find a different angle, something to bypass Craig’s good organizational skills.”

“Right, good TV,” Irene said standing at attention and saluting.

“Cut it out Irene.”

“Well I suppose we could get some clarification about the other Virginia Rick was talking about.”

“Now you’re talking.”

Why Is She Reviewing That Book? Oh I Have My Reasons

The Mourning Bride by William Congreve

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Technically this is a play, not a book, but why split hairs? It is actually better known for the quotes "Music has charms to sooth the savage beast" and "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" than the play itself. Although the exact quotes are "Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast," and "Heav'n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn'd, Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn'd."
Fair warning you will have a few few hurtles to overcome. First, as you can see from the quotes, this is High English folks, so be prepared. Next is the story, which has more twists and turns than a freeway cloverleaf. You've got to pay attention or you will get lost real easy and wonder how the heck you ended up going in the wrong direction. Now normally I try to avoid recaps in my reviews, but in this case I think I'd better or you will have a difficult time figuring out what is going on. (I had to read it twice to figure it out)
Okay to the plot, and it has it has a lot of it. What do I mean? Okay, deep breath.
The title character is a princess, the heroine, whose father, the story’s bad guy, went to war with another kingdom who had taken her hostage, but they were the good guys. So rather than disliking the captivity the princess ended up falling in love with the rival king’s son and marrying him. In time, her father "rescues" her, during which she believes her husband has died, hence "The Mourning Bride". Now her father is trying to marry her off to his friend's son, because the friend wants his son to be king someday. The princess is less than thrilled by this idea, and she's trying to find a way out of it. To complicate matters further, as if they were not already complicated enough, the father has just gotten back from a different war where he has taken a beautiful queen hostage. The bad guy king has designs on her virtue, but she is in love with a "kinsman" who is not related to her at all, but is in fact the bridegroom (the hero) of the "The Mourning Bride" who isn't dead at all but thinks that his bride is and is trying to avoid the advances of the queen because he's still in love with his wife, and we're not even half way through the book yet
Anyway at least you have an idea so you know what you're getting into. I liked it, and if consider Shakespeare light reading this is the book for you. Also the ending is unexpected, so in case you think you have it figured out, you don't.
As to why I am reviewing a book that was written in 1697 well let's just say it plays a prominent role in my soon to be released next book in the Reboot Files, The Wrong Ghost.
So what is it?
Now, now. I know you love surprises.

Facebook Page Is Ready!

Well the Facebook Author Page is ready. Above is the cover I created for it. Tried to give a short, hopefully humorous description of my page. Anyway if you have a minute to come by and take a look my address is
http://www.facebook.com/pages/CL-Rags... come and give me a LIKE!

Coming Soon...Facebook Page

Yes finally I took the plunge and am currently in the process of developing my author's page for Facebook.
I know I said I was leery of doing it, but what can you do? There is no escaping Facebook, and I doubt most people want to try. Oh well, it will require some figuring out, but then I love to figure things out. That's why I write mysteries! So when will it be ready? All I can say is that I'm working on it. Greatness takes time. Just kidding, honestly I am getting my ideas together and I should be ready soon. After that I suppose I should think about twitter...never mind. I can only take so much technology at a time.