Edith Maxwell's Blog, page 233

When Words Come Alive

by Sheila Connolly

I complained last month about having no time to read, but lately I’ve realized that somehow I read a heck of a lot in my early years, and much of it really stayed with me. I find myself quoting unexpected odd bits from nineteenth century literature (it’s no wonder that people look at me strangely).

Sometimes there is no apparent logic to what got lodged in my memory. For example, the lines, “In a tearing hurry,/Yours ever, Laurie” have been rattling around my head for years. (In case you didn’t memorize the book, it’s from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, when Laurie, the rich boy in the neighborhood, writes Jo (the tomboy who was of course my idol) a quick note of invitation, and signs it thus. I remember reading the book when I was in fourth grade, recovering from the measles. Yes, of course I still have that copy.)

I could cite plenty of similar instances, but this quirk of memory really hit home to me when I visited our town’s newly acquired 18th-century house, home to a wealthy mill-owner’s family. Ben Franklin is said to have slept there. This was the house’s public debut, and at their first open house there were curious local citizens and costumed reenactors milling around the first-floor rooms. And I came face to face with Ichabod Crane.

No, not the delightful Englishman from the television series, who bears absolutely no resemblance to Washington Irving’s description in his story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (published in 1819). This gentleman was at least six inches taller than I was (and I’m close to six feet in shoes) and dressed in colonial garb, and Irving’s description sprang to my mind immediately.

I can’t remember when I read the story, but it was a very long time ago. And please let us gloss over the Disney cartoon version (made in 1949, before I was born). But my memory of the language Irving used was so strong that I felt compelled to look up his original description, and here it is:

[Crane] was tall, but exceedingly lank, with narrow shoulders, long arms and legs, hands that dangled a mile out of his sleeves, feet that might have served for shovels, and his whole frame most loosely hung together. His head was small, and flat at top, with huge ears, large green glassy eyes and a long snipe nose, so that it looked like a weathercock perched upon his spindle neck, to tell which way the wind blew.

That was the man who stood before me, in the flesh (well, to be fair, his eyes weren’t particularly glassy, but the rest worked), and the description came back to me all at once. He was even awkward and gregarious at the same time, in ways that I think Irving would recognize. He’d been living in the old house for years, as a sort of caretaker, and I think it had seeped into his bones. He even showed us a secret chamber hidden between the chimneys.

We as writers know that words matter. The thing is, we don’t always know which ones. Do you as readers skip over paragraphs of description or explanation? Which bits do you find boring? Or which ones grab you and drag you into the story, give you a snapshot view of a character that strikes a chord?

And which words from books have you cherished for years, words that live on in your memory?

[A totally irrelevant aside: Washington Irving lived in a delightful mansion (befitting his status as a famous writer!) in Tarrytown, New York. As it happens, two of my Irish great-aunts are buried in Tarrytown—it is rumored but not confirmed that one of them worked for the Rockefellers, who had a country home there. Ivisited once, but neglected to see the Irving house, which looks to be well worth the trip.]

Forgive me if I don’t answer your comments promptly. On Monday I will be returning from Malice Domestic, where I will be frolicking with other of the Wicked Cozies. Pictures to follow!

 

 

Filed under: Uncategorized

Where Are the Wickeds- Malice Domestic Edition

Jessie: In Bethesda, enjoying the company of good friends and enthusiastic readers!

All of the Wickeds, with the exception of Jane who will attend on a stick, will be at Malice Domestic this weekend. Here is a schedule of our panels and signings should you be planning on  being there too. We really hope to see some of our readers there!

Barb: Panels:Friday 10:00–Malice Go Round: It’s Like Speed Dating, WIth Authors Saturday 2:00–Murder in New England, Signing-Saturday 5:00

Edith: Panel: Friday 1:00-1:50 Make it Snappy: Agatha Best Short Story Nominees; Opening Ceremonies, Friday 5-5:30. Signing-Saturday 11:00

Jessie: Panel-Saturday 2:00-2:50 Death for Dessert: Sweet Murder, Signing- Saturday 5:00

Julie:Opening Ceremonies- Friday 5-5:30. Panel- Saturday 10:00– New Kids on the Block, Signing Saturday 11:00. New Authors Breakfast-Sunday 7:30

Kim: Panel: Sunday 11:45–Murder in Wartime: WWII

Liz: Panel-Sunday 10:00– Small Town Murder, Signing Sunday 11:00

Sheila:  Panel Sunday 10:00 –A Study of Murder: University, Museum, Library. Signing- Sunday 11:00

Sherry: Saturday 2:00-2:50–Murder in New England, Signing Saturday 5:00

 

Filed under: Uncategorized

Welcome Author Amy M. Reade

Jane/Susannah/Sadie here, writing to you today from the world championships of the FIRST Robotics Program (go Buzz, Team #175!) in the shadow of the Gateway Arch in beautiful St. Louis, Missouri.  

I was super pleased when my friend, Amy M. Reade, agreed to guest blog for me today so I can enjoy the craziness that is FIRST (If you’re interested in seeing what goes on at a robotics competition, you can check it out here). So please give a Wicked Welcome to Amy M. Reade, author of the just-released gothic mystery HOUSE OF THE HANGING JADE.

Tell us about HOUSE OF THE HANGING JADE.

HOUSE OF THE HANGING JADE is the story of Kailani Kanaka, a Hawaiian-born sous chef who, at the beginning of the story, lives in Washington, DC. She’s tired of the wintry weather on the East coast and decides to return home to the Island of Hawaii. She takes a job as a personal chef in a magnificent oceanfront home belonging to a family with secrets that threaten to tear them apart. Because she’s living in the home, she unwittingly becomes embroiled in those secrets, but the family drama isn’t her only problem. When someone from her past shows up and begins to stalk her, things take a dangerous turn and Kailani is left fighting for her life.

What actors would make the best main characters in your novel?

Kailani Kanaka: Tao Okamoto

Lars Jorgensen: Owen Wilson

Barbie Merriweather-Jorgensen: Gillian Anderson (I think)

Liko: Jason Momoa

Marcus: Asa Butterfield

Justine: Mackenzie Foy

Do you have any quirks? Tell us about them.

I don’t know if it’s a quirk so much as a bad habit, but I do crave chocolate every day. I’ve been trying to kick the habit for years now and it hasn’t worked. I should just embrace it. And I can’t touch wooden spoons- they gross me out. I guess you’d say that’s a quirk.

Who’s your favorite writer of all time? 

That’s always the hardest question because there isn’t just one—it depends on my mood. But I have four who usually rotate into first place: Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway, Phyllis Whitney, and M. C. Beaton.

Favorite book of all time? 

Another hard one. I would have to say Pride and Prejudice.

Who is your most-loved book boyfriend?

*says without hesitation* Hamish Macbeth of the Hamish Macbeth series by M. C. Beaton. He’s a Scottish Highland police constable, tall, lanky, bright red hair, and he’s a sheep farmer on the side.

What is your writing process like? Early bird or night owl? Pantser or Plotter? Do you require special drinks or snacks?

I can really work at any time, as long as it’s not late at night. If I were an owl, I’d get kicked out of the group fast because I can’t stay awake with the other night birds.

As for being a plotter or pantser, I guess you’d call me a combination of the two. I have done both—I’ve plotted meticulously and I’ve done an entire book without any kind of an outline, and I’ve found that my happy medium is to write a brief (2-page) synopsis of the story as I see it in my head and then follow that while I write. It keeps me focused on moving the story forward to the end. I also research, plan characterization, and map out the chronology (all in long-hand!) before I actually sit down to write the story.

I require chocolate (even if it’s just chocolate milk) and caffeine (I prefer tea to coffee, and never soda). And there’s a lassi called “That Indian Drink” which I always have on hand if I’m hungry. I only like the Mango Rosewater flavor.

Best writing advice you ever heard or read?

Keep your butt in the chair.

Do you have any pets?

We have a dog- a Bouvier des Flandres. Her name is Orly and she is my all-the-time companion (and the best dog ever, if anyone’s wondering). We have two cats, named Athos and Porthos (a nod to my husband’s favorite author, Alexandre Dumas, and The Three Musketeers), and a fish named Poseidon.

What’s next for you?    

Right now I’m working on Book 1 of a three-book series set in the United Kingdom. The first book is set mostly in Edinburgh, Scotland. The series will be in the same genre as my other novels. Though I do have a working title for Book 1, nothing has been finalized and I’m still working with my editor on a title for the series.

Thanks so much for being here, Amy!

Thank you for inviting me to the Wickeds! I have enjoyed every minute of it!

Here’s where you can connect with Amy:

Web: www.amymreade.com

Blog: www.amreade.wordpress.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/amreadeauthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/readeandwrite

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/8189243.Amy_M_Reade

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/amreade

Filed under: Guest posts, Jane's posts, Sadie's Posts, Susannah's posts, Uncategorized Tagged: Amy M. Reade, Bouvier des Flandres, Ernest Hemingway, Gothic, Hamish MacBeth, Hawaii, M. C. Beaton, Phyllis Whitney, Pride and Prejudice

Wicked Wednesday-Stopping by the Wayside

We are celebrating the release of Sherry’s book All Murders Final! Yesterday Sherry wrote about one of her favorite historical sites in Massachusetts, Longfellow’s Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Sarah Winston goes there in All Murders Final, and I wondered, dear Wickeds, if you have ever been. If not, do you have another favorite inn or haunted place?

Edith: Congratulations, Sherry! So happy for you. I’ve never been to the Wayside but have always wanted to go. My imagination tends to run away with me, so I know if I thought about a place being haunted, I’m sure spirits would manifest and I’m not that comfortable with the idea. We went to the historic Exeter Inn this winter, which has lovely interiors. And several restaurants in Amesbury are in historic mill buildings, with much of the inside intact.

Liz: Yay Sherry!! Can’t wait to read this installment. I’ve never been to the Wayside either, but there’s an awesome restaurant here in Mystic that’s haunted, the Captain Daniel Packer Inne. It’s alleged to be haunted by Captain Daniel Packer’s niece, who died at age seven. She plays in the stairwell and befriends children who come to eat. I’ve never met her, but always hoped to!

Jessie: Congratulations, Sherry! It never gets old, does it? I have never been to the Wayside Inn but am eager to travel there through the pages of All Murders Final! I love the idea of haunted places but have yet to encounter one.

Barb: Congratulations, Sherry! I can’t wait to read All Murders Final. I’ve been to the Wayside Inn too many times to count. It’s one of my mother-in-law’s favorite restaurants, so we’ve taken private rooms for many graduation, milestone birthday, and other family parties. For several years we had a “grown-ups” only Christmas season dinner there when the place was all decorated. Our house in Boothbay Harbor is supposedly haunted. I’ve never seen the ghost, though our dog was convincing in his belief one night when we had to sleep in the haunted bedroom.

Julie: Add my voice to the chorus! Can’t wait to have you sign a copy of ALL MURDERS FINAL at Malice. When I was growing up, we spent April vacation with my grandparents. During those wonderful years, trips to the Wayside Inn were common. It is really wonderful. (I’m adding it to a day trip later this spring.) RE haunted houses–I lived in an apartment with a poltergeist. Random things would fly across the room. Jewelry would disappear, and then show up in the center of a table one day. Lights would flash in mirrors, but you could never find the source of the flash. Good times…

How about you, dear readers? Have you ever been to the Wayside Inn? Any haunted dwellings in your past?

Filed under: Sherry's posts, Wicked Wednesday Tagged: All Murders Final, Exeter Inn, ghosts, hotels, Sherry Harris, Sudbury MA, Wayside Inn

A Little History With My Mystery

By Sherry, who is astonished my third book is out!

I love using a bit of local history in each of the Sarah Winston Garage Sale mystery books. In All Murders Final! Sarah goes to lunch at Longfellow’s Wayside Inn In Sudbury, Massachusetts. It is one of my favorite places. Thanks to Steve Pickard for permission to use the pictures of the Wayside Inn. Here is what the website says about the Inn:

Longfellow’s Wayside Inn—a nationally significant Massachusetts Historic Landmark—is the oldest Inn still operating in the United States and has been serving travelers along the old Boston Post Road for almost 300 years. What began as a two-room home in 1707, the Howe family ran a successful tavern and innkeeping business on this site from 1716 to 1861. To read more visit their website: http://www.wayside.org/about and don’t miss their Fun Facts page.

One of the things that fascinated me was the story of Jerusha Howe who lived at the inn from 1797 to her death in 1842. Jerusha fell in love with an Englishman who stayed there, and they became engaged. He left to go home to England to make arrangements for the wedding and was never heard from again. Jerusha never married and supposedly watch out her window for his return.

It’s said that guests staying in her rooms hear piano music, smell perfume, and men actually feel someone cuddle up to them. The story tugged at my imagination from the first time I heard it. I could picture Jerusha sitting in her room that looks towards the road waiting, waiting, waiting for her love to return. Did he die? Was he a fraud? It’s a mystery! Yankee Magazine had an interesting article about Jerusha that you can read here.

Sarah Winston has had her share of problems with men. In fact she’s sworn off them until the murder of Ellington’s beloved matriarch, Margaret More. It throws her right back into the middle of the push-pull of her complicated relationship with her ex-husband CJ, who is the Ellington chief of police, and with district attorney Seth Anderson. When Sarah visits the Wayside Inn she runs into Jerusha and feels like Jerusha is trying to tell her something but what? Can Sarah solve the murder and her love life? You will have to read All Murders Final! to find out.

Readers: Have you ever encountered a ghost? Or do you have a favorite ghost in a book?

And if a book launch isn’t exciting enough we are thrilled to be featured in the Boston Globe today! Here’s the link: http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/books/2016/04/24/murder-they-wrote/asE9zXGm30LUk6vqnalOuM/story.html?event=event25

Here’s another link with a little bit about each of us: https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/books/2016/04/24/meet-wicked-cozy-authors/M1gnjBmiIvuWxXXyeka6rL/story.html

Working with report Kara Baskin and photographer Jonathan Wiggs was so much fun. Here are two behind the scenes shots of the photo shoot! We felt like rock stars! We were sorry Edith couldn’t join us, but she was on vacation eight hundred miles away.

Filed under: Book Release, Sherry's posts Tagged: All Murders Final, CJ Hooker, Ellington Massachusetts, Jerusha Howe, Jonathan Wigg, Kara Baskin, Longfellow's Wayside Inn, Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery, Seth Anderson, Sudbury Massachusetts, Wayside Inn, Yankee Magazine

Different Voices

Edith here, enjoying spring, at last!

The mailman brought the biggest surprise a couple of weeks ago. I knew Flipped for Murder was going to come out in audio this spring, but I didn’t realize it had already released until my Kensington editor sent me six copies of the CD set! And I’m going to give away one set to a lucky commenter today, so stick with me.

It’s my first book to go audio (in CD and on Audible), so I was, and am, really excited. I’ve had friends and fans ask me for years if my books were available for listening and I’ve always had to say, “Alas, no. But I hope they will be.” Some of these were blind friends, others people who love to listen to books in their cars or while they work around the house. Now I can grin and say, “Yes.”

I’ve never made a practice of listening to books on audio. When my sons were young and we drove to Quebec to visit my sister several times a year, we listened to EB White himself read Charlotte’s Web (on three audio cassettes), which was a real delight.(It’s now available on Audible. Got little kids or grandkids? Treat them!)

Then two years ago, when I made my solo road trip to Indiana to research the Country Story Mysteries, I borrowed Clara and Mr. Tiffiny from the library. The book, an intriguing novelization of Clara Driscoll and how she managed Louis Tiffany’s unmarried female glass artists at the turn of the last century, is by Susan Vreeland, and the audio book is narrated by Kimberly Farr. I was blown away by how Farr kept the voices of each character distinct. Those many CDs kept me alert and entertained for two days of driving.

Flipped for Murder, produced by Tantor Audio, is narrated by Laural Merlington. After I started listening to the CDs in my car every time I went out, I hunted for Ms. Merlinton’s picture because I wanted to envision who was putting a voice to my words. And then I started laughing out loud as I heard her read the words I’d written. You can listen to a sample here.

She does a great job with the local dialect of Lieutenant Buck Bird, and with Robbie’s Aunt Adele. But the book is written in first person, and much of twenty-seven-year-old Robbie’s own narration comes out way, way more dramatic than the voice in my head when I wrote the words. There’s nothing wrong with it – it just isn’t how I’d imagined Robbie speaking.

For example, after Robbie has been thinking about ordering pre-chopped vegetables, she says to herself, “Too bad one couldn’t also order up solutions to murder.” In my mind, she says that sentence with a pretty even intonation, with slight stress on ‘also’ and ‘murder.’ But the narrator says it completely differently, with a rising and falling tone on ‘bad’ and additional stress on ‘solutions’ and ‘murder’ trailing off into breathy voice. You get the picture. It made me smile – what a dramatic protagonist I’d written, without even knowing it! I found many instances of the same effect.

Now, maybe this is the same kind of deal as when you read a book, then you see the movie and say, “Whoa, that character doesn’t look like that!” Is it?

I finished listening to the last of the seven CDs last night, and found only two small errors of narration, which is pretty remarkable for eight hours and thirty-eight minutes (if you listen, it’s IU, not UI for Indiana University, and the alcohol is Sorg-RHUM, not sorghum, which is the grain).

I’m additionally delighted that the audio book for Grilled for Murder will be out on the same day as the paper and ebooks: May 31! (All formats now available for preorder – just saying…)

To celebrate this milestone in my authorial life, I’ll send one commenter today the seven-CD set of FLIPPED! So tell me, dear Readers, do you listen to audio books? If not, why not? If so, what’s your favorite, and why? Do you have a special narrator you follow, or is the content more important? And have you ever gotten a lemon of a reader?

 

Filed under: Edith's posts Tagged: audiobooks, Clara and Mr. Tiffany, Country Store Mysteries, Flipped for Murder, giveaway, Kimberly Farr, Laural Merlington, Susan Vreeland, Tantor Media

One Track

Jessie: In New Hampshire, trying to admire the daffodils through the swarms of black flies. 

When I was a child my parents often criticized me for having what they called a “one track mind”. I would become passionately interested in a subject and would investigate it, consider it and talk about it animatedly until they pointedly asked me to keep my enthusiasms to myself.

As an adult, I’ve delighted in giving my interests their head and have followed quite willingly wherever they may lead. I love to live my life that way and I have fallen down many research rabbit holes I am so glad to have traversed.

An ongoing passion for me is goal setting and productivity. I know it isn’t for everyone but it is the only way I know to stay on top of the things in my life that are important to me. I use planners and notebooks and calendars and mind maps. I have a yearly theme and quarterly action items. I list top three items I will almost always complete.

 

One of my recent discoveries is the concept of the Personal Kanban. I had been looking for ways to keep on top of multiple looming deadlines. My lifelong habit of delving into a subject headfirst served me well as I dashed round the internet looking for solutions.

When I fetched up at Personal Kanban I was sure I had hit on the right method for me to sort myself out. It was everything I could have hoped for, including permission to indulge in two of my favorite organizational tools: color coding and sticky notes. I was hooked at first sight. To the left is the one I have set up in my office, which I have been using every day for the past two months.

The system is simple. Anyone can do it using minimal supplies and little time. It isn’t complicated or time consuming to learn. It doesn’t even require access to technology of any kind. It creates a tangible, clear view of the items on my ongoing to do list versus the things currently on my plate. It even addresses those things I must keep track of but that are in someone else’s hands at the moment.

To make one of your own ou simply create four columns on a white board, chalkboard or even a mirror as I have done. You can use dry erase markers if appropriate or sticky notes. The columns are labeled BACKLOG, DOING, PEN, DONE. Mine are in purple at the top of my mirror.

Then you proceeed to write down all the to do list items on your mind in the backlog column. I write mine on colored-coded sticky notes. Pink is for actual fiction writing. Yellow is for administrative tasks like blog posts, emails and banking. Orange is for personal life. Small blue stickies are for travel plans. Green flags are knitting projects.

Every morning I take a look at my board and evaluate what I am actually doing until around lunchtime. I place no more than five items in the doing column and hopefully, a maximum of three. I check the pen column to setermine if I need to check about progress with anyone else on an item. I scan the backlog for items that have increased in urgency.

I move stickies back and forth between the columns, if necessary,  as the mood strikes or circumstances demand, until Iam finally able to move them into the done column. At the end of the week I am able to look at how I have spent my time and whether or not it pleases me. I don’t have to keep all my obligations in my head and I feel far less overwhelmed.

Freeing up the head and heart spaces allows me to continue to burn with enthusiasm for the ideas that intrigue me and makes me more productive too. That’s one track I’m sure I’ll be happy on for a very long time.

Readers, do you have a one track mind for your passions? Do you use organizational tools to free up mental energy for things that interest you more than keeping on top of your to do lists?

 

Filed under: Jessie's posts, Uncategorized Tagged: passions, Personal Kanban, planners, productivity

Dropping Pearls of Wisdom

by Julie, wanting to wear sandals in Somerville (but wearing boots instead)

I have a few different jobs. I run an arts service organization called StageSource. I write the Clock Shop Mystery series as Julianne Holmes. I also teach arts management classes as adjunct faculty. I only started teaching eleven years ago, and I really love it. In fact, if I’d known how much I love teaching I likely would have rethought some of my earlier career and gone on the academic track, but I digress.

This time of year, with classes winding down and graduation looming, part of my job is to calm the seniors down, and get them ready for their next adventure. The advice I give is applicable to other fields, and all ages, so I thought I’d share some of it here.

Be Curious. Never stop learning, questioning, thinking. Find new ways to do things that are routine. If you don’t know an answer, find it.

Lead with Kindness. Once I turned fifty I stopped being nice all the time. But I always try to be kind. A subtle but important distinction. Snarkiness and cynicism is easy, but also lazy. Be kind.

Once You’re Done Learning, Move On. A former student reminded me of this piece of advice, which (we think) came from Michael Kaiser in the Art of the Turnaround. You can keep doing a job when you are done learning, but it is really tough to stay fresh and on point. I’ve been in arts administration for thirty years, and I keep learning. I’ve changed jobs, but I keep learning.

Be Brave. You will be afraid–afraid to make a mistake, afraid of rejection, afraid of being laughed at. The key is, do it anyway. Be brave.

Don’t Lose Sight of Adventure. So many folks are so focused on the path/career plans they are pursuing, they lose sight of the side paths, other opportunities that may actually be the better choice. Life is full of side paths. Explore a few.

Be the Person You Aspire to Be. Be classy. Dress as if you are the boss. Manage your social media profile/life well.

No One Cares About Your Career As Much As You Do. Don’t look for outside validation. Listen to other people, but make your own decisions. Then live with the decisions you make. You have to take care of you.

Don’t Be Afraid of  Change. Making change, or being the change that folks need.

What are your pearls of wisdom? What do you wish someone had told you when you were starting out?

Filed under: Julie's posts, Uncategorized Tagged: Brave, Graduation Advice, J.A. Hennrikus, Julianne Holmes, Just Killing Time

Wicked Wednesday-Getting the Most Out of a Conference

Jessie: In New Hampshire where the birds are singing up a storm

Some of the highlights for the Wickeds each year are the conferences we all attend. We’ve mentioned some of our favorites here on the blog like Crime Bake and Malice Domestic with a great deal of affection. But even the best conferences are most enjoyable if you employ some conference-going skills. Today I’d love to hear about your tips and strategies for getting the most out of the conferences you attend!

Barb Goffman-on-a-stick knows when to take a break.

Edith: One strategy is to give yourself permission to skip a session or two. When I get maxed out on crowds and delightful panelists, I let myself head to my bed for twenty-minutes of quiet. Maybe I’ll check email, maybe just close my eyes. Either way, being out of the busyness is very restorative. Another thing I like to do at sessions is to sit by people I don’t know. I greet whomever I land next to, ask if they are a reader or a writer, and get to know them a little. Sure, I hand over a bookmark and maybe make a new fan, but it’s also fun to branch out and meet new friends.

Jessie: Take a wrap or shawl in your bag. The temperature from session to session or room to room fluctuates wildly and it is no fun to have all of your attention focused on keeping your teeth from chattering.

Sherry: If you can afford to stay at the conference hotel. I think just as much happens in the unscheduled hours of a conference as they do during the scheduled events. Smile and talk to lots of people — that’s why you are there right?

Edith and “big dog” Sue Grafton – who was happy to post for a picture!

Barb: I usually find it hard to talk to strangers, but the beauty of a conference like Malice or Crime Bake is, you already know you have something in common and a ready topic–crime fiction! Always introduce yourself, especially at meals and to seatmates at sessions. It’s easier than you think. Even the “big dogs” are accessible at these types of events. Tell someone how much their books have meant to you. I guarantee, they’ll enjoy hearing it.

Liz: Agree with all of these and would say definitely mingle! Take advantage of cocktail hours and times when people are gathering in a common space and go meet some new friends. The social/networking aspect is just as important as learning from the sessions.

Julie: Such great tips from my friends. I agree with them all, and will add a couple of more. First, provisions. I have a conference bag that I bring. I include a couple of copies of my book, bookmarks, business cards, Tums, cold medicine, ibuprofen, mints, and tissues. I bring a water bottle with me. I find out where the closest Starbucks is. Second, smile. Always smile.

Readers, do you attend conferences in your own areas of interest? Do you have a favorite tip to share?

Filed under: Jessie's posts, Uncategorized, Wicked Wednesday Tagged: Crime Bake, Malice Domestic, tips, travel, Writing conferences

The Detective’s Daughter – Sentimental Journey

Kim in Baltimore counting down the days to Malice Domestic.

“The thing I miss most are the fog horns,” Aunt Betty would tell me each time she spoke of growing up in San Francisco. As a small child, I was so caught up in her stories that I could see each hill, hear the clang of the streetcar and taste the crust of the sourdough bread. Aunt Betty had been a young girl when her family sailed through the Panama Canal on their way to live in the Philippines. Before the start of World War II, her father was sent to the Presidio in San Francisco. Of all the places they lived over the years, it was here that her heart held as home.

Aunt Betty and Dad were first cousins though they were as close as siblings. Their mothers were sisters and both Auntie and Dad had lost their fathers when they were young. When Dad was eighteen months old my grandmother, who had been recently widowed, took him on a train across the country to be with her sister. The story of my grandmother, grieving and traveling alone with her baby, revealed a vulnerable side she didn’t often acknowledge. I was fascinated by Nana’s story and hoped to one day recreate her journey and travel to San Francisco to see the city she and Aunt Betty loved.

It wasn’t until a year after my dad died that Aunt Betty and I were able to take a train trip to California. My husband and children shared one compartment and Auntie and I shared another. We spent hours talking about her life over cups of coffee in the dining car.

The train arrived hours later than scheduled and afterwards we had a thirty minute bus ride from Oakland into San Francisco. It was after midnight by the time we were brought to the apartments I had rented. We immediately went to bed.The next morning, with the sun shining, I stepped out into the courtyard feeling much like the women who rent the villa in Enchanted April. Everywhere I looked was beautiful and exactly as Auntie had described.

My mom had flown out to meet us and was sharing a place with Aunt Betty across the courtyard from us. Each morning we would stroll up Chestnut Street, passing Auntie’s old apartment building, to get our morning coffee at The Squat and Gobble. We spent some time visiting attractions such as the Coit Tower and Alcatraz, but mostly we stayed in Cows Hollow retracing the steps of Auntie’s youth. On Easter Sunday we went to mass at St. Vincente de Paul, the church Aunt Betty had received her sacraments. After mass Auntie cornered the priest to tell him how much the church had changed since 1940, yet told me how everything looked the same as she had left it.

At night, before I went to sleep, I would listen for the fog horns and smile knowing that Auntie would be listening as well. In a blink of an eye two weeks passed and we were boarding another train to make our way home. There wasn’t one conversation I had with Aunt Betty over the next few years that didn’t include reminiscing about our trip. Some days she would call me and say, “Hon, you ready? Let’s go to our city and never come back.”

It’s been three years since she’s left this world and now I am the keeper of her stories that became our stories. Before I close my eyes at night, I remember the sound of the fog horn and know that is what I most long to hear again.

Have you ever heard a story that has inspired you to take a trip?

Filed under: Kimberly Kurth Gray, The Detective's Daughter, Uncategorized Tagged: Amtrak, Aunties, Baltimore, Baltimore City, family, Panama Canal, Presidio, San Francisco, stories, train, travel, trips