Edith Maxwell's Blog, page 73

Wicked Wednesday- Prose and Cons

Jessie: At the beach, enjoying the salty breezes!

As we round out our discussions this month I want to chat about cons once more. We’ve talked about fictional cons already, but today I am wondering if you have ever been swindled in real life yourself? Or have you ever used a real con as the inspiration for a crime in a novel?

Julie: What an interesting question. I haven’t been conned myself. I will say, I’ve got a spidey sense about people. I had a friend who met someone online, and I had a gut feeling that he wasn’t being honest. I told her, and she wasn’t pleased. She was even less pleased when I was right. These days, small cons are so easy because of technology. It could be making someone believe X is true, when it isn’t. The con could be sinister, or just opportunistic. But I am in the trust, but verify camp. Or sometimes verify first.

Barb: I’ve never been conned, unless you count buying a dress from an Instagram ad that arrived from China looking like a garbage bag and made of roughly the same material, with no way to return it. Once. Or the complete sociopath I hired. Twice, I did that to my eternal regret. (Two different sociopaths to be clear. I didn’t hire the same one twice. That really would be crazy.) But I do know four people who have been taken in scams, one in a Mystery Shopper scam, one in an IRS scam, and two in the Grandparent Scam. In each case, it wasn’t the “big con” that got them, but a series of small, plausible stories and decisions based on their unique circumstances, and then they were in too deep. It’s something I remember frequently. It can happen to anyone.

Sherry: Barb, I’m so glad you didn’t rehire the same sociopath! You had me worried there for a minute. In my younger days, I fell for a few lines from boys I dated, but other than that so far so good. However, it’s like I’m constantly on alert now with cons coming through texts and emails at an alarming rate. A long time ago my very smart, tenderhearted father fell for a phone scam where the people said they were raising money to send kids with cancer to Disney World. Back then they actually came to the house to pick up the money! Yikes! I can’t remember how he found out it was a scam, but he called the police and reported it.

Edith/Maddie: What a set of stories, ladies! By my nature and my upbringing, I am on the gullible side. You could call it naive, you could call it trusting. So far, I have not been seriously conned. But my Hugh and his brother-in-law Jim are masters at keeping a straight face. After nearly twenty years, I am still not always sure if a story Jim says is true or not. Hugh? I’ve learned to read him much better – the eye twinkle gives it away. Hmm, now I want to use Jim’s teasing in a fictional conning character!

Liz: I’m definitely wary of cons, and perhaps overly suspicious of people. That said, I was kind of conned out in the open with a recent realtor I hired to help me find a rental in Portland, Maine…the market is crazy up there so I figured I’d have a better shot if I had someone helping me. However, it was not my best decision. Suffice it to say I lost some money, but was able to dodge a bullet by backing out of a potentially bad situation. Lesson learned? Always listen to Barb Ross – and don’t hire rental realtors!

Jessie: Always listen to Barb Ross! Words to live by, Liz! I’ve never been conned in real life either, but I have seen it up close a couple of times. I think, like Liz, I am wary by nature and have no belief whatsoever that things that are too good to be true actually are good for me at all. Maybe it is a puritanical upbringing, but I always feel as though there is virtue in the earning of things and to be leery of spontaneous windfalls!

Readers, have you ever been conned? Have you ever had a sense that someone else was being conned and you ended up being correct?

Guest- Victoria Thompson

Jessie, in New Hampshire where the star magnolia is gloriously in bloom!

I am sure all of you know the work of Victoria Thompson, if not the woman herself. She writes both the Gaslight Mysteries and the Counterfeit Lady Mysteries and often can be spotted in person at conferences like Malice Domestic. Victoria is as sparkling, fun, and interesting as her novels and I have truly enjoyed getting to know her online and in person. I also have the pleasure of participating in the Sleuths in Time group on Facebook with her regularly. If you are interested, we will be appearing there together live on May 3 to launch each of our latest releases. We’d love to see you there!

Fun Facts

By Victoria Thompson

Mark your calendar!  Jessica Ellicott and Victoria Thompson will be discussing their new releases, Death in a Blackout and Murder on Madison Square, in a Facebook Live presentation on Tuesday, May 3 at _____.  [Link]

When I was researching the 25th novel in my Gaslight Mystery Series, Murder on Madison Square, I discovered that the very first auto show ever held in America happened at Madison Square Garden during the time this book was set.  Of course, I had to include it, since my protagonist, Frank Malloy, has purchased a motorcar and is very interested in them. In the year 1900, when the book is set, three types of motorcars were available.  Frank has chosen a gasoline-powered model, but these are the least popular since they are noisy, smelly and difficult to start and drive. The engine must be cranked, and if it backfires, the crank would suddenly reverse and could break a thumb or an arm or it might be propelled into the air with enough force to fracture a skull. Yikes. Second in popularity was the steam-powered motorcar, but they took at least 30 minutes to build up enough steam to operate and if you ran out of water in the middle of nowhere, you were stuck.

The most popular motorcar at this time was the electric, which was quiet, odorless, and required no effort at all to start.  Since this was true, you’re probably wondering why electrics fell out of favor and weren’t taken seriously again for another hundred years. We could have been independent of fossil fuels for the past century!  What happened?  For one thing, as easy as the electrics were to drive, they couldn’t go very far on a battery charge, only about 25 miles or even less.  This was fine in the city, but you couldn’t take a trip, for example.  Also, finding a place to charge your battery could be a problem, since most houses weren’t yet wired for electricity in 1900.  Even Thomas Edison wasn’t able to develop a longer lasting battery.  But the final nail in the coffin of the electric motorcar was the fact that ladies preferred them because they were so easy to drive.  Manufacturers started designing the electrics to appeal to ladies, even adding a vase for fresh flowers!  And wouldn’t you know, men started refusing to drive them because they were for women.  This affected sales, naturally, and when Henry Ford put an electric starter in his gasoline-powered Model T, making it as easy to start as an electric, that sealed the fate of the electrics.

Readers, it’s interesting to imagine how different our world might be if the electric motorcar had maintained its position as the most popular type of vehicle.  In Murder on Madison Square, Frank Malloy buys his wife, Sarah, an electric, which seemed like the proper thing to do.  Do you have an electric or hybrid vehicle?  Have you considered getting one?  Why or why not? 

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Victoria Thompson is the Edgar® and Agatha Award nominated author of the Gaslight Mystery Series, and the Counterfeit Lady series. Victoria teaches in the Seton Hill University master’s program in writing popular fiction. She lives in Illinois with her husband and a very spoiled little dog.  

Follow her on Facebook at Victoria.Thompson.Author and on Twitter @gaslightvt.  Visit her webpage www.victoriathompson.com. 

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Sarah and Frank Malloy must catch a scheming killer in this latest gripping installment in the USA Today bestselling Gaslight Mysteries 

 Former policeman Frank Malloy is frustrated when a woman requests his private detective services to implicate her wealthy husband in adultery, the only legal grounds for divorce in New York state. Although Mrs. Bing seems genuinely distressed about her marriage and desperate to end it, she refuses to tell Frank the reason she absolutely must divorce her husband and admits she has no legal grounds. Frank explains he won’t manufacture evidence for her and sends her on her way. 
 
The following week, Frank and Sarah happen to be attending the first-ever auto show in Madison Square Garden when they meet the woman’s husband, Alfred Bing, who has invested in a company that produces one of the electric motorcars on display. A few days later, the newspapers report that millionaire Alvin Bing has been found dead, pinned beneath one of the wheels of his very own motorcar. But who was driving it? The obvious suspect is Mrs. Bing, but Frank and Sarah find that nothing is as it seems in their puzzling, dangerous search for truth. 

Malice Domestic in 3D, plus #giveaway

Edith/Maddie writing from north of Boston and just home after a whirlwind of activity in North Bethesda.

Yes, I’m stealing Julie’s term from her post a couple of weeks ago about being with writers and fans in person – in 3D! She wrote about being at Left Coast Crime, a conference I had planned to attend but then canceled out of anxiety about the travel and people-contact, despite how much I love New Mexico.

I was determined not to miss Malice Domestic, though, and Barb graciously offered me a seat in the car she and her husband planned to drive south and back. Avoid a round-trip train or plane ride with strangers? Yes, please!

So here’s my report.

The four Wickeds at Malice, plus Barb’s husband, Bill, kicked it right off Wednesday night with dinner at our favorite French restaurant in Bethesda. We were delighted to have this year’s Fan Guest of Honor, our beloved Dru Ann Love, join us!

I had a relaxed Thursday morning and was able to take good walk along the Bethesda Trolley Trail. Goodness, spring in Maryland is way ahead of Massachusetts.

Dogwood and redbud in bloom, two of my favorite spring trees

After helping a crew of dedicated volunteers stuff the conference bags all afternoon, I met up with a few of my Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen fellow bloggers for dinner.

From left, Leslie Budewitz, Molly MacRae, me, and Leslie Karst, who included the giant eggbeater above us in her group-selfie!

We adjourned to my room and were joined by Tina Kashian to assemble recipe card swag packets from all twelve of the bloggers – and drink wine, of course.

Friday the conference started in earnest.

I lunched with more friends, all of whom have been guests on the Wicked Authors. Eating is a big part of Malice!

Liz Milliron, Korina Moss, me, Annette Dashofy, and Joyce Tremel

The afternoon was full of panels celebrating this year’s Agatha Award nominees for Best Novel, Best Historical Novel, and Best Short Story.

Best Contemporary Novel nominees, moderated by Kristopher Zgorski

The Guppies (short for the Great UnPublished) is Sisters in Crime’s largest chapter, and it’s all online (they let published folks like me stay on…). We had a delightful pre-dinner gathering Friday evening. So lovely to put faces to names!

Saturday morning Barb and I talked about keeping a long-running series fresh with Dru Ann moderating us and three other other authors. Dru asked great questions and it was a fun panel!

Dru Ann Love, Amanda Flower, Cheryl Hollon, Edith/Maddie, Barb, and S.C. Perkins

I sat in on a lovely interview chat between Guest of Honor Julia Spencer-Fleming and Vermont-based author Sarah Stewart Taylor. When talking about characters, Julia said something like, “Make things really hard for them” – great advice.

Julie moderated a panel that afternoon titled “The Place of Cozies in a Non-Cozy World.” What a great idea for a conversation, and Julie guided it expertly.

I missed the interview with Guest of Honor Rhys Bowen, but loved Kellye Garrett’s chat with Lifetime Achievement Honoree Walter Mosley.

The Wickeds met up for our traditional pre-banquet drinks and solved all the problems of the publishing industry. We all missed Liz and Jessie not being with us. Hopefully next year they’ll be here.

I was honored to host a table at the banquet that evening.

Up at the podium I thanked the Wicked Authors and others for helping me win the Best Historical Novel award for Charity’s Burden two years ago – and I finally received my teapot!

I was delighted to see good friends nearly sweep this year’s Agatha Awards: Alan Orloff for Best Children’s/YA, Mia Manansala for Best Debut, Lori Rader-Day for Best Historical, and Ellen Byron for Best Contemporary Novel!

Sunday morning, Barb and I stayed for Sherry’s panel on Sleuths with Unconventional Careers, then we packed the car and headed north.

It was a weekend full of hugs, learning, and so much celebration at being together in 3D again. After two years of being quiet, it got a little overwhelming at times, but breaks in my room helped.

Now I’m looking forward to writing quietly again, plus taking a COVID test in a couple of days to be sure I didn’t bring the virus home with me.

Readers: Where have you bravely ventured out recently? I’d love to send a commenter a copy of Batter Off Dead, which I gave to my banquet guests.

A Bit of Fun- and a Giveaway

Jessie, looking forward to a spring weekend spent in the garden!

I am not really one for jigsaw puzzles, at least not the ones that come in a box. So, I was entirely surprised to discover how much I enjoy the digital variety! I first encountered them through the National Archives newsletter and have done dozens since. There is something about them that seems like a perfect tiny break between activities. I like to do one after finishing up a day of writing, but before I start in on administration tasks.

I decided one way to enjoy the fun of Malice without being in attendance was to create a digital jigsaw from one of my favorite photos of the Wickeds at Malice. I hope you will find it as amusing as I did! I am offering an Advance Readers Copies of my next Beryl and Edwina mystery, Murder Through the English Post to 2 randomly chosen commenters!

Readers, what is something you have been surprised to find you enjoy?

Malice Domestic- Time Capsule Edition

Jessie: In New Hampshire, where the first magnolia buds have opened!

Edith’s temporary teapot

Since I thought that perhaps Liz and I aren’t the only ones missing Malice this year it seemed like a perfect time to revisit posts from previous years. I’ve included links to each of the years the Wickeds have attended Malice since we started in 2013. I thoroughly enjoyed looking through our archive to find these posts and hope that you like them too!

2013- Julie asks us all about our first Malice together.

2014- Barb interviews the Agatha Short Story nominees

2015- Sherry asks about our favorite Malice moments

2016-Jessie polls the Wickeds for tips on how to get the most out of a conference

2017-Liz does a roundup of highlights including a fun event at a bookstore and the banquet

2018-Liz talks about missing Malice and visiting on a stick.

2019-Edith presents some of her favorite Malice photos and memories

2020- The Wickeds share Edith’s excitement for her Agatha win!

2021-Sherry toasts her fellow Best Contemporary Agatha nominees.

Readers, do you like looking back through old photo albums, scrapbooks, or other sorts of memorabilia? Writers, are you attending Malice this year? If so, let everyone know where and when to find you!

Wicked Wednesday- Prose and Cons

Jessie: Enjoying the first blooms of spring!

As we continue our discussion of prose and cons I offer up this quote by one of my favorite authors, P.G. Wodehouse:

“Always get to the dialogue as soon as possible. I always feel the thing to go for is speed. Nothing puts the reader off more than a big slab of prose at the start.”

So Wickeds, do you agree or disagree with that statement? Is early dialogue a strategy you employ in your own writing?

Julie: Another great question, and a great quote. I usually have early dialogue, but sometimes it’s internal dialogue. And if it’s the first book in the series, there will be more prose to start, since you have to place the reader. One thing for sure–I will pay more attention to dialogue placement for myself, and for the books I read.

Liz: I definitely like to jump right in with dialogue. It definitely propels the story forward, and it is one of my favorite things to write – I find it really fun. I also agree with Julie’s caveats above. Sometimes inner dialogue is necessary to set the stage.

Barb: I agree with this quote. (And probably wouldn’t disagree with anything much Wodehouse said about writing.) I LOVE writing dialog. For me, it’s the easiest thing to write and really gets those words down on the page. Dialog reveals character, reveals situation and reveals setting. There isn’t much it can’t do.

Sherry: I went back through some of my books and the dialogue gets earlier and earlier as I wrote more. Like Barb, I love writing dialogue, but I also like to use a lot of inner dialogue. I always loved Robert B. Parker’s books because they are so focused on dialogue.

Edith/Maddie: I also love writing dialogue. My latest two published books both start with it. I remember when I wrote the start of A Tine to Live, a Tine to Die, my second mystery, for my Local Foods proposal, I started with several pages of prose setting up the scene. Those ended up on the edit-room floor, so to speak. “Come to the party late and leave early” is a great rule of thumb, and what is a party if not dialogue?

Readers, do you love books that are heavy on dialogue? Why or why not?

How to Find the Wickeds at Malice Domestic

by Barb, writing on an April shower-y day

This week, four of the Wickeds–Barb, Sherry, Edith/Maddie and Julie/Julia–will be returning to the Malice Domestic conference after a two year hiatus because of the you-know-what.

If you’re at Malice (Friday, April 22 to Sunday, April 24, registration required), please say hello.

Here are the places you are sure to find us.

Panels

Barb and Edith/Maddie will be on the panel “Writing a Series: Keeping it Fresh” at 11:00 AM on Saturday, along with moderator Dru Ann Love, and Amanda Flower, Cheryl Hollon, and SC Perkins/Celeste Connally.

Julie/Julia will moderate the panel “The Place of Cozies in a Non-Cozy World” at 2:00 PM on Saturday, appearing along with Tina deBellegarde, Emmeline Duncan, KP Gresham, and Terrie Farley Moran.

Sherry will be on the panel “Sleuths with Unconventional Careers” at 10:00 AM on Sunday, along with Moderator Josh Pachter, and Heather Weidner, Mary Angela, and Grace Topping.

Other places

Wearing her alternate hat as Executive Director of Sisters in Crime National, Julie will be staffing various shifts of “office hours” at the SinC table. Members and non-members alike should feel free to drop by to chat about the organization.

2022 marks the first year since 2014 that no member of the Wickeds has been nominated for an Agatha Award. Making up for that in a big way, Edith will be at the banquet on Saturday evening accepting her 2020 Agatha teapot for her win for Best Historical Novel for Charity’s Burden.

And unofficially…

In addition to our official Malice events, we four Wickeds will be around all weekend. Come look for us in the lobby or the bar, the book room or the hallways. We would dearly love to chat with you.

Anticipation

Barb: Back when I signed up for Malice, it was hard to see the future and hard to know what I’d be willing to do. Registering was a leap of faith! Now that it’s upon us, I’m both excited and nervous. Excited to see so many members of the crime reading and writing community for the first time in ages. Nervous, not so much about the virus, as about being in a crowd at all. I’m never great at large social events. Usually, at the start, I square my shoulders and tell myself it’s my job. And then, once things get going, I have a wonderful time. Because how could you not–surrounded by people who love what you love? Despite what I’m sure will be another terrific time this year, I’ll be missing four people who were at the last in-person Malice and are no longer with us: Sheila Connolly, Ramona DeFelice Long, Lea Wait and Jan Kurtz.

Edith/Maddie: I will also miss those four so very much, Barb. Of course I’m excited to pick up my Agatha Award – and teapot – at long last, and hope the organizers give me a few moments to thank my support crew of the Wickeds, to express my gratitude for Ramona, who edited the book (and all the other Quaker Midwife Mysteries), and to applaud other nominees and winners in the historical genre. To be honest, despite having had my second booster, I am concerned about the virus. But I’m not staying home on that account, because I’m super delighted to see all my long-time author and fan pals – in person!

Sherry: I’m nervous/excited too. I’ve become such a hermit these past two years and I’ve always loved going to conferences and being in the thick of things with people. I’m also thrilled that I’ll get the certificate for my Agatha nomination for Best Contemporary Novel from last year’s online Malice. I always love spending time with the Wickeds, readers, and authors.

Julie: I’m really looking forward to seeing people at Malice. Like Barb, I will miss those who aren’t there, and raise a glass in their memory. Having been at Left Coast Crime, I know a bit about how emotional the weekend will be–seeing people and catching up. Malice Domestic was my first big conference, and holds a special place in my heart. Plus I get to spend some time with three of the Wickeds, check in with Sisters in Crime chapter leaders, see SinC board members, and cheer friends on. And I get to say hello to readers. In other words, the perfect mix.

Readers: Do you have something coming up that you’re excited/nervous about?

The Wickeds’ ad in the Malice Domestic program book

The Starting Line

Jessie: Enjoying bouquets of daffodils scattered throughout the house!

I think every writer has parts of the job that really get the wheels turning on new projects. For some, it seems to be visiting inspiring locations. For others, it is overhearing snippets of interesting conversations. And for writers like me, it is a flash of curiosity on a topic that leads to research that leads to more curiosity that finally leads to the plot for a book.

I simply adore research. There is something so delightful to me in indulging my interest and meandering down whatever rabbit holes may appear along the way. I have written every one of my books this way. There is something I hear on a podcast, a bit pops out of a non-fiction book that I read, a conversation with a friend raises a topic and I tuck it away for a bit of a peek round later. Then, the fun really starts.

Since I prefer to write historical novels, I am often interested in where a deep dive into the British Newspaper Archive, The Maine Historical Society, or The Imperial War Museum online may take me. For my upcoming novel, Death in a Blackout, I spent two full work weeks reading every edition of The Hull Daily Mail, from May-July, 1940. I felt like a local, even though I was traveling through both space and time, as I became familiar with the names of the local cinemas, what was considered a bargain at department stores in the city, and recognized the names of Hull dignitaries making the paper as they presided over meetings and attending business openings.

At the Imperial War Museum, there were photographs and works of art pertaining to not only WWII but also to many other conflicts. Even though I arrived there with the intention of investigating armaments and the Merchant Navy I found myself looking into the ways artists were used in the war effort both at home and at the fronts. This led to researching art classes in Hull which took me straight to making the art college in that city an important part of Death in a Blackout. Without research, I never would have ended up heading in that direction with the story. I shudder to think of it!

I must confess that all the research tends to stir up more ideas than I could possibly hope to put to use in one lifetime. I add links to my Trello boards, I fill paper notebooks and I am starting to explore the practice of Building a Second Brain, but the truth is I am reconciled to the notion that my problems are ones of abundance rather than lack, for which I am most grateful!

Readers, do you like to learn new things or to have your curiosity aroused by novels? Writers, where is your own starting line? How do you get inspired to start your own work?

A Wicked Welcome to Kathleen Marple Kalb **plus a giveaway**

by Julie, still springing in Somerville

I love reading historical mysteries, and am particularly fond of the Guilded Age. Kathleen Marple Kalb writes a series centered then–but ran into 21st century problems when trying to promote it. Welcome back to the blog, Kathleen!

A 19th Century Book…and a 21st Century Problem

Getting ready for a new book is always exciting and scary. Exciting to know that the story you’ve been living with and laboring on for years will finally be out in the world. Scary as you wonder what actual readers will make of it.

And in the time of Covid, the scariest part of all is finding those readers.

Writers have had to get very good at social media and online life to have any hope of selling books in a world without stores, signings and author talks. These days, preparing for a new book means spending a lot of time online, seeking out opportunities, lining up virtual events and pitching guest posts – like this one!

When I’m promoting my Ella Shane series set in Gilded Age New York, I find it especially ironic: I’m dancing on the cutting edge of 21st century technology as I promote a book in which the telephone is an exciting new invention!

The contrast is a lot of fun; I even throw in the occasional “Easter Egg” with my characters talking about how this or that invention is overrated and won’t last.

Well, it was fun until the lights went out.

More precisely, until the internet went out. For six days.

About three weeks before Pub Day for A FATAL OVERTURE, our cable and internet provider had a technical issue, and the lines went dead, and stayed that way. The whole question of bad customer service and total lack of reliability is an entirely different story – and it’s enough to say we have a new provider now.

But I had a huge, entirely first-world, and 21st century problem: how do you maintain an online presence if you can’t go online from your computer?

The good news was that I had a smartphone. It’s an old saw – but absolutely true — that they have more computing power than the Space Shuttle did. But it was still clunky and weird.

Especially weird since I rely on vintage images from the New York Public Library’s digital collection. I’d be sitting there pinching and tapping on a print from 1890, thinking that if the artist could see where her work was going, she’d never believe it!

The smartphone was enough for the daily stuff: one or two posts a day on each of my author accounts, and the social media posts I do for writers’ groups. But it was awkward and took about twice as long as the usual way. And in the lead-up to a new book, there’s always so much more than daily stuff.

Thank goodness for the Cheshire Public Library. I’ve been a regular since my husband and I moved to town, and my son joined me when he was old enough to walk. Usually, though, we’re filling our bookbag. This time, the little – okay, medium-sized – guy and I ended up in a back corner with matching laptops.

I think the Imp (the way I always refer to my son online to protect his privacy) got a better deal!

He enjoyed the only screen time he got that week, playing games and watching silly videos, with headphones so he didn’t bother anyone.

Me? Everything I couldn’t do on a phone: my time card for work, e-mailing posts, cover art, and more that had to go out for book promotion. Scheduling future social media posts. Anything that was impossible, or insanely difficult, to do on a smartphone.

Eventually, though, we had to go home.

I grabbed a couple of books on the way out, and ended up getting some of my best reading time in weeks, because I couldn’t distract myself by starting at my email or social media or whatever waiting for something to happen.

Reading time yes, writing time, not so much.

I didn’t realize, until I didn’t have the option of a quick search for a fact-check, how much I rely on having the internet there while I’m working. Another irony of writing historical fiction!

Finally, the techies finished their magic, and we returned to the 21st century. I scrambled to catch up with email, posts, and everything else. Back in business, with a new appreciation for “normal.”

And with a tip of a big, plumed hat to Miss Ella Shane of Gilded Age New York, who somehow manages to survive – and catch killers – with only a telephone in her foyer!

Question: Would you find a week offline a problem – or a much-needed break? (One randomly chosen commenter gets a copy of A FATAL OVERTURE)

Art: Vintage (public domain) illustrations from the NYPL Digital Collections. Workspace photo by the author.

About Kathleen Marple Kalb

Kathleen Marple Kalb likes to describe herself as an Author/Anchor/Mom…not in that order. She’s the author of the Ella Shane historical mystery series for Kensington Books, including A FATAL OVERTURE, and A FATAL FIRST NIGHT. She grew up in front of a microphone and a keyboard, working as an overnight DJ as a teenager in her hometown of Brookville, Pennsylvania…and writing her first (thankfully unpublished) historical novel at sixteen. After a news career with stops in Pittsburgh, Vermont and Connecticut, she’s now a weekend morning anchor at 1010 WINS Radio in New York City. As Nikki Knight, she’s also the author of the contemporary Vermont Radio Mystery, LIVE, LOCAL AND DEAD, out now from Crooked Lane. Her story “Bad Apples” was an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Black Orchid Novella Contest. She, her husband, and son live in Connecticut, in a house owned by their cat.

About A FATAL OVERTURE

A FATAL OVERTURE finds trouser diva Ella Shane facing her biggest challenges yet: murder, marriage – and her potential mother-in-law. The mother and aunts of her swain, Gilbert Saint Aubyn, Duke of Leith, show up at her townhouse demanding to know when she plans to marry him…only to find a body in their hotel bathtub. As Ella and Gil try to work out their marriage contract, Ella’s newspaper reporter pal Hetty gets mixed up in the murder…and an old friend of Ella’s informs her that someone is trying to take out a contract on Gil. They may be able to work out a happy ending – but it won’t be safe, or easy!

Buy: A Fatal Overture (kensingtonbooks.com)

Seeing in 3D

by Julie, still recovering from a weekend away

Last weekend I went to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to attend Left Coast Crime. Two years ago, Left Coast Crime was in San Diego, and it lasted less than a day before it was shut down because of Covid. That memory made this year’s gathering all that much sweeter, and appropriately the conference kick-off event for many people in 2022.

Over the past two years, we’ve all gotten used to online events and gatherings. We check in with each other on Zoom chats as a way to connect. As writers, we are able to be on panels that would have been impossible because of geography in person. In many ways, online events are more accessible, since people don’t have to travel or carve out large chunks of time. I also know that I’ve gotten in the habit of having regular Zoom chats with friends I hadn’t talked to in a long time, and I’m grateful for those connections.

And yet, there’s nothing like seeing folks in 3-D, like last week at the conference. What’s the best part? For me, it’s the small things that add up. The ability to have conversations with someone over the course of three days, instead of trying to jam it all in during a twenty-minute call. Giving, and getting, hugs. Taking a walk, getting a meal, grabbing coffee, going to a giftshop–all activities I took for granted until 2020. Now each walk, taco, latte and t-shirt shop I visited last weekend was a shared experience with other people, a gift unto itself.

One of the most important things writers learn early on is that writing is solitary, but you need your community. You need people who understand your journey, people who can celebrate the highs, and support you through the lows. People who can help you brainstorm a new idea, or offer advice. The gift of meeting readers who support you and your work, which is a tonic. Conferences like Left Coast Crime, or next week’s Malice Domestic, are community gatherings that have been on hold for two years, and now they’re starting to come back. We can see each other in 3-D again, and it’s wonderful. And exhausting–I’m still recovering from four days of talking, laughing, and being with people. But it’s mostly wonderful.

I’m grateful for Zoom, which has filled the void. I’m grateful for the volunteer conference committees who have kept the faith, and are ready to go now that people are vaccinated and gatherings can be held again. (Seriously, these volunteers are amazing.) And I’m grateful to see people in 3-D. I don’t think I’ll ever take that for granted again.