Art Taylor's Blog, page 49
October 29, 2019
The First Two Pages: “In a Glass Darkly” by Agatha Christie
In April 2015, B.K. Stevens debuted the blog series “The First
Two Pages,” hosting craft essays by short story writers and novelists
analyzing the openings of their own work. The series continued until
just after her death in August 2017, and the full archive of those essays can be found at Bonnie’s website. In November 2017, the blog series relocated to my website, and the archive of this second stage of the series can be found here.
In 1929, Monsignor Ronald Knox—one of the founders of The Detection Club—published his ten commandments for writing detective stories, a “decalogue” quickly embraced as guiding rules for writers during that Golden Age of Mystery. Rule #3 stated: “All supernatural or preternatural agencies are ruled out as a matter of course”—a sentiment dating back to the earlier roots of modern detective fiction. As Dupin says to the unnamed narrator of Poe’s “Murders in the Rue Morgue,” “It is not too much to say that neither of us believe in praeternatural events,” and when Sherlock is confronted by the possibility of a demonic beast terrorizing the moors in The Hound of the Baskervilles, he suggests that “The devil’s agents may be of flesh and blood, may they not?” (Spoiler alert: He’s right.)
When readers think of the Golden Age of Mystery, Agatha Christie may be the writer who pops to mind first—and her primary detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple together exemplify the triumph of rationality, intellect, and a keen knowledge of human nature. But as the just-released collection The Last Séance: Tales of the Supernatural proves, the Queen of Mystery was equally skilled at stories that stepped into the fantastic, the otherworldly, and even the occult.
Most of the stories here have been gathered in other collections, but one—”The Wife of the Kenite”—makes its U.S. debut in this book. That story is more a tale of dark motives and merciless revenge than anything supernatural (unless coincidence counts), and not all of the stories here maintain a focus on the unknown and unexplained. But those that do—including “The Dressmaker’s Doll,” “The Lamp,” and the collection’s title story—reveal a side of Christie that many writers might be unfamiliar with. These tales and others are perfect for the Halloween season and for those dark winter nights ahead—and don’t forget the British tradition of ghost stories at Christmas, of course!
Today at the First Two Pages, I’m offering something different—my own analysis of two pages by a legend at work. The essay below considers the opening of “In A Glass Darkly,” an expertly told tale with uncanny elements and swift and satisfying surprises. Highly recommended.
And a quick tease toward future essays: This isn’t the only time this year that I’ll be analyzing the work of a master of the mystery short story. The final First Two Pages of the year is already reserved to mark a milestone of 2019. Stay tuned to find out more.
Please use the arrows and controls at the bottom of the embedded PDF to navigate through the essay. You can also download the essay to read off-line.
Christie-Glass-Darkly
October 27, 2019
Bouchercon!
Fresh off a fun weekend—the Sisters in Crime Author Extravaganza in Ellicott City, MD, and an “in conversation” event with Tara Laskowski at Reads & Company in Phoenixville, PA—I’m now getting prepped for Bouchercon later this week. So much to look forward to ahead!
Tara and I will be trick-or-treating with our son Dash on Halloween, so we’ll be missing the Opening Ceremonies, unfortunately, but keeping fingers crossed for the Macavity Awards that night, with my story “English 398: Fiction Workshop” one of the finalists in the short story category—and then a finalist for the Anthony Awards on Saturday too, but we’ll be there for that!
In fact, once we fly in Friday morning, it’ll be non-stop fun for our time in Dallas! Here’s my official schedule below—with more planned in between times (panels to attend, drinks with friends, conversations in all directions).
Mystery Writers of America Signing Tables with Meg Gardiner, Tara Laskowski, Susan C. Shea, and Wendy Walker • Friday, November 1, 3:30-4 p.m.Speed Dating with Tara Laskowski • Saturday, November 2, 7 a.m.Panel: “What’s So Great About Critique Groups?” with Donna Andrews, Ellen Crosby, John Gilstrap, and Alan Orloff • Saturday, November 2, 9:30 a.m.Mystery Writers of America Signing with Meg Gardiner, Tara Laskowski, Susan Shea, and Wendy Walker • Saturday, November 2, 3:30 p.m.Panel: “Anthony Short Story Nominees” with S.A. Cosby, Barb Goffman, Greg Herren, and Holly West • Saturday, November 2, 4 p.m.Anthony Awards Presentation • Saturday, November 2, 6 p.m.
Look forward to seeing everyone there!
October 22, 2019
SleuthSayers: Anthony Finalists for Best Short Story
Thanks to Barb Goffman for hosting this year’s Anthony Award finalists for Best Short Story at SleuthSayers this week. Barb and I join S.A. Cosby, Greg Herren, and Holly West for some quick reflections on our nominated stories—and links so you can read each story for yourself!
Enjoy the post and the stories here—and thanks, Barb, for pulling all this together!
The First Two Pages: “Subterfuge” by Julia Buckley
In April 2015, B.K. Stevens debuted the blog series “The First Two Pages,” hosting craft essays by short story writers and novelists analyzing the openings of their own work. The series continued until just after her death in August 2017, and the full archive of those essays can be found at Bonnie’s website. In November 2017, the blog series relocated to my website, and the archive of this second stage of the series can be found here.
With her essay today, Julia Buckley completes a series featuring contributors to the new anthology Me Too Short Stories, edited by Elizabeth Zelvin. Julia’s story is “Subterfuge,” and as you’ll see in her reflections below, the story ties character and setting together in provocative, productive ways. I’m crediting her graceful analysis not only to her skills as a writer but also to her work as a teacher. Until I read the bio with her essay submission, I didn’t know that Julia has taught high school English for three decades!
I’m not sure how Julia finds the time to balance teaching against her highly productive writing career—but productive she has indeed been, with three mystery series with Penguin/Berkley Prime Crime: The Writer’s Apprentice mysteries, the Undercover Dish mysteries, and the Hungarian Tea House mysteries. Her short fiction bona fides are strong as well, with story “Evening Call” winning the Sisters in Crime Chicagoland 30th Anniversary Short Story Contest in 2017. Find out more at www.juliabuckley.com.
And check out the other two contributors to Me Too who contributed essays the last two weeks: Elizabeth Zelvin on “Never Again” and Eve Fisher on “Pentecost.”
Please use the arrows and controls at the bottom of the embedded PDF to navigate through the essay. You can also download the essay to read off-line.
Buckley-Subterfuge
October 18, 2019
October 26 & 27: Events in MD & PA
The weekend of October 26-27 will be a whirlwind of events for my wife, Tara Laskowski, and me—traveling first to Maryland and then on to Pennsylvania for events celebrating what’s been a great year professionally, with some specific attention to Tara’s debut novel, One Night Gone.
On Saturday, October 26, the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime hosts the first of its annual year-end author showcases—this one at the Miller Branch of the Howard County Library, 9421 Frederick Road, in Ellicott City, Maryland. The program begins at 1 p.m. and features a great group of authors with our chapter—including Donna Andrews, Penny Clifton, Maya Corrigan, Barb Goffman, Sherry Harris, Mary Ellen Hughes, Libby Klein, Maureen Klovers, Sujata Massey, Eileen McIntire, Adam Meyer, Cathy Wiley, Janis Wilson, and Rebecca York, in addition to Tara and me, of course!
After that event, Tara and I will keep heading northward—toward Phoenixville, PA, where our good friend Robb Cadigan has opened the bookstore Reads & Company. Tara is headlining an event there on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.—where she’ll talk about One Night Gone in conversation with… me! Reads & Company is at 234 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, PA.
We’re so looking forward to the SinC event and then to seeing Reads & Company in person after having followed the bookstore’s launch and success on social media. Hope to see other friends and fellow writers and readers at both these events as well!
October 15, 2019
The First Two Pages: “Pentecost” by Eve Fisher
In April 2015, B.K. Stevens debuted the blog series “The First Two Pages,” hosting craft essays by short story writers and novelists analyzing the openings of their own work. The series continued until just after her death in August 2017, and the full archive of those essays can be found at Bonnie’s website. In November 2017, the blog series relocated to my website, and the archive of this second stage of the series can be found here.
Today marks Eve Fisher’s third appearance at the First Two Pages since I’ve been custodian of the blog, and as always, it’s a pleasure to welcome her. Eve’s previous essays reflected on her stories “Darkness Visible” and “No Fences” for Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. This time, she’s writing about “Pentecost,” her contribution to the new anthology Me Too Short Stories, edited by Elizabeth Zelvin, who appeared here last week talking about her own story for the book, “Never Again.” And next week, I’ll be hosting a third contributor Me Too, Julia Buckley.
Eve’s stories appear frequently at AHMM, and you can also find her contributing regularly to the group blog SleuthSayers, a group I was a part of for many years. A retired history professor, Eve has also written on history and economics, and she’s an advocate for non-violence workshops in prison. Find out more about Eve and her work at www.evefishermysteries.com/.
Please use the arrows and controls at the bottom of the embedded PDF to navigate through the essay. You can also download the essay to read off-line.
Fisher-Pentecost
October 9, 2019
Announced: New Story Collection with Crippen & Landru
I’ve just sent out my October 2019 newsletter—including an announcement about my forthcoming story collection with Crippen & Landru: The Boy Detective and the Summer of ’74 and Other Tales of Suspense, scheduled for release in February 2020.
There’s more news in there as well, including events ahead and a short round-up of recent reads.
Check out the full newsletter here—and be sure and subscribe to receive the next one directly, if you haven’t already!
October 8, 2019
The First Two Pages: “Never Again” by Elizabeth Zelvin
In April 2015, B.K. Stevens debuted the blog series “The First Two Pages,” hosting craft essays by short story writers and novelists analyzing the openings of their own work. The series continued until just after her death in August 2017, and the full archive of those essays can be found at Bonnie’s website. In November 2017, the blog series relocated to my website, and the archive of this second stage of the series can be found here.
I’ve long admired Elizabeth Zelvin‘s short stories in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and elsewhere, so it would already be a pleasure to welcome her here today for a First Two Pages essay on “Never Again,” her new story in the anthology Me Too Short Stories—but it’s a double honor to welcome her as an editor too, since she’s headed up this new collection from the start, as she explains in the post below.
Liz’s short stories have been named finalists three times for the Agatha Award and three for the Derringer as well, and she’s also the author of the Bruce Kohler Mysteries and the Mendoza Family Saga. And Me Too Short Stories isn’t her first time editing either; she also edited Where Crime Never Sleeps: Murder New York Style 4.
B.K. Stevens hosted several contributors to Where Crime Never Sleeps at the First Two Pages back in October 2017; I’ll be following suit here and hosting three contributors to Me Too—so stay tuned for essays as well over the next couple of weeks from Eve Fisher and Julia Buckley.
Please use the arrows and controls at the bottom of the embedded PDF to navigate through the essay. You can also download the essay to read off-line.
Zelvin-Never-Again
October 6, 2019
Saturday, October 12: Fall for the Book & Noir at the Bar
April may be the cruelest month, but for us, October seems to be the busiest. Saturday, October 5, was my wife Tara’s book launch at One More Page Books for her debut novel, One Night Gone, with another event Monday, October 7, at Politics and Prose in DC. She’ll also be at Fall for the Book at George Mason University on Friday, October 11, and then heading for her hometown for an event at the Barnes & Noble in Wilkes-Barre, PA on Saturday, October 12. Whew! (You can find more details at Tara’s events page here.)
Meanwhile, I’ve got a couple of events on the near horizon too this week (which sadly means I’ll be missing a trip to PA for the partying there).
Saturday morning, October 12, I’ll be at Fall for the Book for an event in conversation with Sarah Weinman, author of The Real Lolita—with GMU-TV filming for broadcast later. Then that evening, I’ll be one of eight readers at the 10th (milestone!) DC Noir at the Bar—along with Kathleen Barber, John Copenhaver, James Grady, Cheryl Head, Alan Orloff, David Swinson, and Erica Wright, and hosted by Ed Aymar.
Details on each event are below. Hope to see folks there!
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Discussion: “Uncovering the Real Lolita” with Sarah Weinman, author of The Real Lolita: A Lost Girl, An Unthinkable Crime, and a Scandalous Masterpiece, Fall for the Book, Merten Hall, Room 1201, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA • 10:30 a.m.Reading: Noir at the Bar
with Kathleen Barber, John Copenhaver, James Grady, Cheryl Head, Alan
Orloff, David Swinson, and Erica Wright, Wonderland Ballroom, 1101
Kenyon Street NW, Washington, DC • 6 p.m.
October 1, 2019
The First Two Pages: One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski
In April 2015, B.K. Stevens debuted the blog series “The First
Two Pages,” hosting craft essays by short story writers and novelists
analyzing the openings of their own work. The series continued until
just after her death in August 2017, and the full archive of those essays can be found at Bonnie’s website. In November 2017, the blog series relocated to my website, and the archive of this second stage of the series can be found here.
Needless to say, I’m very pleased to be hosting Tara Laskowski—my wife!—at the First Two Pages today—and on a day that both of us are celebrating mightily: the long-awaited release of her debut novel, One Night Gone. Plenty more celebrating ahead, with the official launch this Saturday at One More Page Books in Arlington, VA—and then a second local appearance at Politics and Prose at the Wharf in DC on Monday—and then a third at Fall for the Book in Fairfax, VA the next Friday—and then an appearance at the Barnes & Noble in her hometown up in Pennsylvania—and then… well, lots ahead throughout the month and beyond (here’s her events page), including both of us heading to Bouchercon in Dallas in early November.
Check out Tara’s website for more on the novel and for information on her previous books—the story collections Modern Manners for Your Inner Demons and Bystanders—and other short fiction, including the recent Agatha Award winner, “The Case of the Vanishing Professor,” in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.
Hooray again, hon! Glad to be on this journey with you. 
