Stephanie Faris's Blog, page 15
February 17, 2017
Be Careful Where You Set Your Bag
We've all seen those undercover reports that reveal germy things. It's the very reason most of us never stay in a hotel room without taking along these:
But if you carry a purse, you may want to look for that tub of Lysol wipes before you read this. Even if you don't carry a purse, if you have one of these...
...or these...
...this could apply to you.
A study found that a woman's purse was germier than a toilet seat. Yes, a toilet seat. Why? Because of this:
Even if you never take your bag into the bathroom, are you really sure about the cleanliness of that restaurant floor? Chances are the bottoms of people's shoes have walked right over that spot after a trip to the bathroom.
People also put their purses here, which just may also have something to do with the fecal matter the research found.
The solution? Some people use these:
Or these:
You could also choose a lightweight purse that you can just wear if you're in a location with no place to store your purse.
If you're superstitious, there's one more reason you shouldn't set your purse on the floor. Feng shui says, "A purse on the floor is money out the door." Supposedly by setting your purse on the floor, you're showing disrespect for all of the money it contains.
Do you ever set your bags on the floor?
But if you carry a purse, you may want to look for that tub of Lysol wipes before you read this. Even if you don't carry a purse, if you have one of these...
...or these...
...this could apply to you.
A study found that a woman's purse was germier than a toilet seat. Yes, a toilet seat. Why? Because of this:
Even if you never take your bag into the bathroom, are you really sure about the cleanliness of that restaurant floor? Chances are the bottoms of people's shoes have walked right over that spot after a trip to the bathroom.
People also put their purses here, which just may also have something to do with the fecal matter the research found.
The solution? Some people use these:
Or these:
You could also choose a lightweight purse that you can just wear if you're in a location with no place to store your purse.
If you're superstitious, there's one more reason you shouldn't set your purse on the floor. Feng shui says, "A purse on the floor is money out the door." Supposedly by setting your purse on the floor, you're showing disrespect for all of the money it contains.
Do you ever set your bags on the floor?
February 16, 2017
The Closet Geek Girl: Guest Post by Patricia Josephine
Today I'm so excited to be part of Patricia Josephine's launch week. She's visiting with a guest post about her main character's not-so-hidden geek side. Scroll down after the post to read all about the book.
The Closet Geek Girl
by Patricia Josephine
One thing readers may notice when they read Abducted Life is the geek references with Savannah. She wears a Firefly shirt, has Futurama PJs, watches Doctor Who, and there's a reference to Rocky Horror Picture Show. I juxtaposition all that with her being a cheerleader and a popular girl in her high school.
Those two things don't really seem to mix when you look at real life. If left me toying with removing the geek girl parts of Savannah. Maybe I only did it because I'm enthusiastic about that stuff so I can't help but make her that way. In the end, I left Savannah as is because the thought of her being both a geek girl and a popular cheerleader was an interesting character trait that fit her.
Savannah, I hope, comes off as a strong character. She does what she likes and
loves what she loves. No alien abduction can change that about her. If anything, it might have made her a little more aggressive about defending her passions.
Of course, it wasn't always like that. Before her life got turned upside down, I saw her as a closet geek girl. In high school, she kept her fan girling to herself. Only one person knew her secret and she trusted him enough to keep it safe. Then she thought she lost him. At the same time she also fell from grace in the popular circles. It left her with only her fandoms for solace, so by the time the story happens, she no longer cares about popularity or what people think of her geekiness.
Blurb:
Savannah Janowitz’s perfect life was destroyed the night she and her boyfriend vanished without a trace. When she reappears a year later––alone––she’s a shell of her former self. Robbed of her popularity and her boyfriend, she has no memory of what happened to her. Savannah struggles to move forward as strange, new abilities manifest.
Evan Sullivan never gave extra-terrestrials much thought until the night he and Savannah were abducted. While Savannah’s memory was wiped clean, he remembers every horrific detail. Constantly reminded of the experiments that made him less than human, Evan hides in the shadows and watches Savannah rebuild her life without him.
But neither can let the other go. When their paths cross, Savannah and Evan finally see a glimmer of their old lives return. As they face what happened to them, they soon discover they aren’t safe. There’s more to fear than what’s hiding in the stars.
Buy Links:
Amazon
Bio:
Patricia Josephine never set out to become a writer, and in fact, she was more interested in art and band in high school and college On a whim, she wrote down a story bouncing in her head. That was the start of it and she hasn't regretted a moment. She writes Young Adult under the name Patricia Lynne.
Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small petting zoo and has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow.
Links:
Website| Google+ | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest
The Closet Geek Girl
by Patricia Josephine
One thing readers may notice when they read Abducted Life is the geek references with Savannah. She wears a Firefly shirt, has Futurama PJs, watches Doctor Who, and there's a reference to Rocky Horror Picture Show. I juxtaposition all that with her being a cheerleader and a popular girl in her high school.
Those two things don't really seem to mix when you look at real life. If left me toying with removing the geek girl parts of Savannah. Maybe I only did it because I'm enthusiastic about that stuff so I can't help but make her that way. In the end, I left Savannah as is because the thought of her being both a geek girl and a popular cheerleader was an interesting character trait that fit her.
Savannah, I hope, comes off as a strong character. She does what she likes and
loves what she loves. No alien abduction can change that about her. If anything, it might have made her a little more aggressive about defending her passions.
Of course, it wasn't always like that. Before her life got turned upside down, I saw her as a closet geek girl. In high school, she kept her fan girling to herself. Only one person knew her secret and she trusted him enough to keep it safe. Then she thought she lost him. At the same time she also fell from grace in the popular circles. It left her with only her fandoms for solace, so by the time the story happens, she no longer cares about popularity or what people think of her geekiness.
Blurb:
Savannah Janowitz’s perfect life was destroyed the night she and her boyfriend vanished without a trace. When she reappears a year later––alone––she’s a shell of her former self. Robbed of her popularity and her boyfriend, she has no memory of what happened to her. Savannah struggles to move forward as strange, new abilities manifest.
Evan Sullivan never gave extra-terrestrials much thought until the night he and Savannah were abducted. While Savannah’s memory was wiped clean, he remembers every horrific detail. Constantly reminded of the experiments that made him less than human, Evan hides in the shadows and watches Savannah rebuild her life without him.
But neither can let the other go. When their paths cross, Savannah and Evan finally see a glimmer of their old lives return. As they face what happened to them, they soon discover they aren’t safe. There’s more to fear than what’s hiding in the stars.
Buy Links:
Amazon
Bio:
Patricia Josephine never set out to become a writer, and in fact, she was more interested in art and band in high school and college On a whim, she wrote down a story bouncing in her head. That was the start of it and she hasn't regretted a moment. She writes Young Adult under the name Patricia Lynne.Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small petting zoo and has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow.
Links:
Website| Google+ | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest
February 14, 2017
Introducing You Throw Like a Girl by Rachele Alpine
Today I'm excited to introduce you to a fun new book by an author who shares both an agent and an editor with me. Rachele Alpine's books are amazing, so I can't wait to dig into this one. Scroll down to read all about You Throw Like a Girl!
Blurb:
Miss Congeniality meets She’s the Man in this hilarious M!X novel about a girl torn between competing in a beauty pageant and playing on the boy’s baseball team.
Gabby’s summer vacation isn’t shaping up to be that great. Her dad was just deployed overseas, and Gabby is staying at her grandmother’s house with her mom and baby sister until he returns.
The one bright spot is that Gaby plans to sign up for the local softball league—her greatest love and a passion she shares with her Dad who was a pitcher in college. But when Gabby goes to sign up for the summer league, she discovers that there wasn’t enough interest to justify a girl’s team this year. And to top it off, a horrible miscommunication ends with Gabby signed up to participate in the Miss Popcorn Festival—the annual pageant that Gabby’s mom dominated when she was younger.
Besides not having any interest in the pageant life, Gabby made a promise to her dad that she would play softball for the summer. Since her pitching skills rival any boy her age, Gabby creates a master plan: disguise herself as a boy and sign up for the boy’s baseball team instead—and try to win the pageant to make Mom happy. Can Gabby juggle perfecting her pageant walk and perfecting her fastball? Or will this plan strike out?
Buy Links:
Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Bio:
One of Rachele Alpine’s first jobs was at a library, but it didn’t last long, because all she did was hide in the third-floor stacks and read. Now she’s a little more careful about when and where she indulges her reading habit. Rachele is a high school English teacher by day, a wife and mother by night, and a writer during any time she can find in between. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio where she writes middle grade and young adult novels. Visit her at RacheleAlpine.com.
Links:
Website| Twitter | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram
Blurb:
Miss Congeniality meets She’s the Man in this hilarious M!X novel about a girl torn between competing in a beauty pageant and playing on the boy’s baseball team.
Gabby’s summer vacation isn’t shaping up to be that great. Her dad was just deployed overseas, and Gabby is staying at her grandmother’s house with her mom and baby sister until he returns.
The one bright spot is that Gaby plans to sign up for the local softball league—her greatest love and a passion she shares with her Dad who was a pitcher in college. But when Gabby goes to sign up for the summer league, she discovers that there wasn’t enough interest to justify a girl’s team this year. And to top it off, a horrible miscommunication ends with Gabby signed up to participate in the Miss Popcorn Festival—the annual pageant that Gabby’s mom dominated when she was younger.
Besides not having any interest in the pageant life, Gabby made a promise to her dad that she would play softball for the summer. Since her pitching skills rival any boy her age, Gabby creates a master plan: disguise herself as a boy and sign up for the boy’s baseball team instead—and try to win the pageant to make Mom happy. Can Gabby juggle perfecting her pageant walk and perfecting her fastball? Or will this plan strike out?
Buy Links:
Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Bio:
One of Rachele Alpine’s first jobs was at a library, but it didn’t last long, because all she did was hide in the third-floor stacks and read. Now she’s a little more careful about when and where she indulges her reading habit. Rachele is a high school English teacher by day, a wife and mother by night, and a writer during any time she can find in between. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio where she writes middle grade and young adult novels. Visit her at RacheleAlpine.com.Links:
Website| Twitter | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram
February 13, 2017
Mystery Monday: Michael Peterson
It's Monday, which means it's time for another...
If you're a novelist, you might find this week's mystery interesting. It involves a best-selling novelist accused of killing his wife. This is one of his books:
Before he was a novelist, Michael Peterson was a Duke University graduate and former Marine. He lived with his wife in Durham, North Carolina in this 10,000+ square foot house:
Michael married Nortel executive Kathleen Atwater in 1989. They combined their children from previous marriages into one happy family.
On Sunday, December 9, 2001, according to Michael, he and Kathleen watched a movie. Around 11:00, the movie ended and they took their glasses of wine to the pool area.
Image credit: The Staircase
They talked for a while on the lounge chairs until it got so late, Kathleen decided to go in.
At 2:40 a.m., 911 received a call from a frantic Michael Peterson, saying he'd found his wife at the bottom of the stairs. When the operator asked how many stairs his wife had fallen down, Michael said, "What? Huh???" After she repeated the question two more times, he finally said, "Oh 15, 20. I don't know. Please! Get somebody here, right away. Please!"
Kathleen was dead by the time first responders arrived. He said that she must have fallen down the stairs after drinking too much wine. Her blood alcohol level was .07.
Unfortunately for Michael, the evidence called Kathleen's cause of death into question. Seven lacerations were found on the top of her head, consistent with someone being hit over the head with a blunt object. Later, Michael would claim that she must have been attacked by an owl while walking back to the house from the pool. Traces of a bird's feather were found in Kathleen's hand, mixed with pieces of her hair.
However, blood spatter on Michael's pants and the wall indicated he'd been involved...and that she'd struggled with her attacker at the bottom of the stairs. There was also the fact that in 1986, Michael had a friend named Elizabeth Ratliff who had also been found dead at the bottom of the stairs.
Elizabeth Ratliff
In 2003, Michael was found guilty of the murder of Kathleen Peterson. However, in 2011 the case was overturned as part of an investigation of the state's blood analyst, Duane Deaver. Deaver was one of the top witnesses against Michael, along with serving as top witness in many other cases, and when he was fired it called several convictions into question. Michael Peterson was released from jail on December 16, 2011.
A new trial is set to begin in May. The evidence will be presented again, although it isn't certain whether the prosecution will be allowed to mention Michael's extramarital activities. Apparently, he'd been involved in same-sex affairs. In the original case, the prosecution suggested that night, his wife discovered an email he'd sent to a male escort. When she confronted him about it, they theorized he'd used a fireplace poker to kill her.
Do you think Michael Peterson is guilty?
If you're a novelist, you might find this week's mystery interesting. It involves a best-selling novelist accused of killing his wife. This is one of his books:
Before he was a novelist, Michael Peterson was a Duke University graduate and former Marine. He lived with his wife in Durham, North Carolina in this 10,000+ square foot house:
Michael married Nortel executive Kathleen Atwater in 1989. They combined their children from previous marriages into one happy family.
On Sunday, December 9, 2001, according to Michael, he and Kathleen watched a movie. Around 11:00, the movie ended and they took their glasses of wine to the pool area.
Image credit: The Staircase
They talked for a while on the lounge chairs until it got so late, Kathleen decided to go in.
At 2:40 a.m., 911 received a call from a frantic Michael Peterson, saying he'd found his wife at the bottom of the stairs. When the operator asked how many stairs his wife had fallen down, Michael said, "What? Huh???" After she repeated the question two more times, he finally said, "Oh 15, 20. I don't know. Please! Get somebody here, right away. Please!"
Kathleen was dead by the time first responders arrived. He said that she must have fallen down the stairs after drinking too much wine. Her blood alcohol level was .07.
Unfortunately for Michael, the evidence called Kathleen's cause of death into question. Seven lacerations were found on the top of her head, consistent with someone being hit over the head with a blunt object. Later, Michael would claim that she must have been attacked by an owl while walking back to the house from the pool. Traces of a bird's feather were found in Kathleen's hand, mixed with pieces of her hair.
However, blood spatter on Michael's pants and the wall indicated he'd been involved...and that she'd struggled with her attacker at the bottom of the stairs. There was also the fact that in 1986, Michael had a friend named Elizabeth Ratliff who had also been found dead at the bottom of the stairs.
Elizabeth Ratliff
In 2003, Michael was found guilty of the murder of Kathleen Peterson. However, in 2011 the case was overturned as part of an investigation of the state's blood analyst, Duane Deaver. Deaver was one of the top witnesses against Michael, along with serving as top witness in many other cases, and when he was fired it called several convictions into question. Michael Peterson was released from jail on December 16, 2011.
A new trial is set to begin in May. The evidence will be presented again, although it isn't certain whether the prosecution will be allowed to mention Michael's extramarital activities. Apparently, he'd been involved in same-sex affairs. In the original case, the prosecution suggested that night, his wife discovered an email he'd sent to a male escort. When she confronted him about it, they theorized he'd used a fireplace poker to kill her.
Do you think Michael Peterson is guilty?
February 10, 2017
How to Write at the Beach Today in 3 Easy Steps
For most of us, the view outside today looks something like this:
If you're LUCKY, it looks like this:
It's difficult to enjoy the moment, especially when you can't go outside because it's so cold. We know warmer days are coming, but it can seem like they're so far away. In just a few months, we'll all be missing cooler temperatures:
But if you're dreaming of warmer days, there's something you can do right now to help. If you're a writer--or you do something that requires shutting out outside noise--this is especially effective. After a few minutes, you'll swear that if you look up from your computer screen, you'll see this:
Here are three easy steps that will put you right on that sand.
Step 1-Put on your favorite pair of headphones.
2-Close your eyes.
3-Push play on the below video, available on YouTube.
Works like a charm every time. (Well, once you get past the ad!)
If you're LUCKY, it looks like this:
It's difficult to enjoy the moment, especially when you can't go outside because it's so cold. We know warmer days are coming, but it can seem like they're so far away. In just a few months, we'll all be missing cooler temperatures:
But if you're dreaming of warmer days, there's something you can do right now to help. If you're a writer--or you do something that requires shutting out outside noise--this is especially effective. After a few minutes, you'll swear that if you look up from your computer screen, you'll see this:
Here are three easy steps that will put you right on that sand.
Step 1-Put on your favorite pair of headphones.
2-Close your eyes.
3-Push play on the below video, available on YouTube.
Works like a charm every time. (Well, once you get past the ad!)
February 8, 2017
Cover Reveal: Lies We Tell by Kelly Hashway
Kelly Hashway is a popular woman in the blogosphere. Today, I'm helping her reveal her latest book cover to the world. Scroll down to read all about it!
Blurb:
Madison Kramer thought her past was behind her. With a new name and a career as a best-selling author, what could go wrong?
She never expected Trevor Lockhardt to walk into her book signing, offering his services as her publicist, or that she’d end up falling for him. But what she really didn’t expect was a stalker sending her messages, both written and in the form of dead bodies.
Madison can’t escape her parents’ murder any longer. But is it their killer coming to finish what he started fifteen years ago? How long can she keep her past a secret before her lies come back to get her?
Add it on Goodreads.
Bio:
Kelly Hashway fully admits to being one of the most accident-prone people on the planet, but that didn’t stop her from jumping out of an airplane at ten thousand feet one Halloween. Maybe it was growing up reading R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books that instilled a love of all things scary and a desire to live in a world filled with supernatural creatures, but she spends her days writing speculative fiction. Kelly’s also a sucker for first love, which is why she writes romance under the pen name Ashelyn Drake. When she’s not writing, Kelly works as an editor, and also as Mom, which she believes is a job title that deserves to be capitalized.
Links:
Website| Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads
Blurb:
Madison Kramer thought her past was behind her. With a new name and a career as a best-selling author, what could go wrong?
She never expected Trevor Lockhardt to walk into her book signing, offering his services as her publicist, or that she’d end up falling for him. But what she really didn’t expect was a stalker sending her messages, both written and in the form of dead bodies.
Madison can’t escape her parents’ murder any longer. But is it their killer coming to finish what he started fifteen years ago? How long can she keep her past a secret before her lies come back to get her?
Add it on Goodreads.
Bio:
Kelly Hashway fully admits to being one of the most accident-prone people on the planet, but that didn’t stop her from jumping out of an airplane at ten thousand feet one Halloween. Maybe it was growing up reading R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books that instilled a love of all things scary and a desire to live in a world filled with supernatural creatures, but she spends her days writing speculative fiction. Kelly’s also a sucker for first love, which is why she writes romance under the pen name Ashelyn Drake. When she’s not writing, Kelly works as an editor, and also as Mom, which she believes is a job title that deserves to be capitalized.Links:
Website| Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads
February 7, 2017
Introducing Me & Mom vs. the World by Jo Whittemore
Today is the book birthday for a middle grade author whose career I deeply admire. Jo Whittemore is a novelist and writing coach who has been publishing steadily since 2006. She has middle grade books with Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins. Her latest is a re-release of a book I reviewed in 2015 called Colonial Madness. Scroll down to read all about it and buy your copy!
Blurb:
Formerly titled Colonial Madness, a mother-daughter duo take part in a bizarre family challenge in hopes of winning a fortune in this “light, fun read” (Booklist) that’s Gilmore Girls meets The Westing Game!
Tori Porter is best friends with her mom, and most of the time it’s awesome. Not many girls have a mom who’d take them to a graveyard for hide-and-seek or fill the bathtub with ice cream for the world’s biggest sundae. But as much as Tori loves having fun, she sometimes wishes her mom would act a little more her age. Like now.
Thanks to her mom’s poor financial planning, they are in danger of losing their business and their home. But an unusual opportunity arises in the form of a bizarre contest run by an eccentric relative: Whoever can survive two weeks in the Archibald Family’s colonial manor will inherit the property. The catch? Contestants have to live as in colonial times: no modern conveniences, no outside help, and daily tests of their abilities to survive challenges of the time period.
Tori thinks it’s the perfect answer to their debt problems, but she and her mom aren’t the only ones interested. The other family members seem to be much more prepared for the two weeks on the manor—and it doesn’t help that Mom doesn’t seem to be taking the contest seriously. Do they stand a chance?
Buy Links:
Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Bio:
Jo Whittemore is the author of the tween humor novels, Front Page Face-Off, Odd Girl In, D is for Drama, Colonial Madness and the Confidentially Yours series. She also penned The Silverskin Legacy fantasy trilogy. Jo is a member of the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) and is one of the founding members of The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels. When she isn't writing, Jo spends her time with family and friends in Austin, dreaming of the day she can afford a chocolate house.
Links:
Website | Podcast | Texas Sweethearts | Facebook | Twitter
Blurb:
Formerly titled Colonial Madness, a mother-daughter duo take part in a bizarre family challenge in hopes of winning a fortune in this “light, fun read” (Booklist) that’s Gilmore Girls meets The Westing Game!
Tori Porter is best friends with her mom, and most of the time it’s awesome. Not many girls have a mom who’d take them to a graveyard for hide-and-seek or fill the bathtub with ice cream for the world’s biggest sundae. But as much as Tori loves having fun, she sometimes wishes her mom would act a little more her age. Like now.
Thanks to her mom’s poor financial planning, they are in danger of losing their business and their home. But an unusual opportunity arises in the form of a bizarre contest run by an eccentric relative: Whoever can survive two weeks in the Archibald Family’s colonial manor will inherit the property. The catch? Contestants have to live as in colonial times: no modern conveniences, no outside help, and daily tests of their abilities to survive challenges of the time period.
Tori thinks it’s the perfect answer to their debt problems, but she and her mom aren’t the only ones interested. The other family members seem to be much more prepared for the two weeks on the manor—and it doesn’t help that Mom doesn’t seem to be taking the contest seriously. Do they stand a chance?
Buy Links:
Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Bio:
Jo Whittemore is the author of the tween humor novels, Front Page Face-Off, Odd Girl In, D is for Drama, Colonial Madness and the Confidentially Yours series. She also penned The Silverskin Legacy fantasy trilogy. Jo is a member of the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) and is one of the founding members of The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels. When she isn't writing, Jo spends her time with family and friends in Austin, dreaming of the day she can afford a chocolate house.Links:
Website | Podcast | Texas Sweethearts | Facebook | Twitter
February 6, 2017
Mystery Monday: The Oakland County Child Killer
It's Monday, which means it's time for another...
Every Monday, I'm presenting a new mystery. Today's mystery was requested by the lovely Denise.
***Warning: Today's mystery involves the deaths of children.***
The 70s were a time of awakening for many Americans. At the start of the decade, people innocently believed nothing could happen to their children. One by one, news stories emerged that shattered that innocence. In the mid to late 70s, residents of Oakland County, Michigan had their awakening.
The terror began on February 15, 1976, when 12-year-old Mark Stebbins left a party to walk home and was never seen again. His body was found four days later.
Ten months later, 12-year-old Jill Robinson left home on her bike after an argument with her mom about making biscuits. Jill had an inexplicable fear that she would be shot. It was such an issue, her mom even took her to a therapist to discuss it. Her body was found four days later...she'd been killed by gunshot.
Days later, on January 2, 1977, 10-year-old Kristine Mihelich left home to purchase a magazine at a convenience store near her home. She disappeared while walking back from the store. Her body was found 19 days later in a town seven miles away.
The final victim, Timothy King, disappeared on March 16 while on the way to buy candy at a drugstore. As he left the store, two witnesses saw a man with sideburns and long, shaggy dark hair approach him. His body was found six days later in a ditch.
In all four cases, the children weren't killed immediately. They had all been washed and their fingers and toes had been manicured. The cause of death was either suffocation or strangling, except in Jill Robinson's case. She was the only victim who had been shot.
Although there were many suspects, the murderer was never caught. Witnesses in the Timothy King abduction said the perpetrator drove a blue gremlin that looked like this:
As far as the police know, the Oakland County Child Killer never struck again. Was he arrested on another charge? Did he die? Did he simply stop committing crimes?
Or could he possibly have continued to harm children, only in a different area of the country?
Every Monday, I'm presenting a new mystery. Today's mystery was requested by the lovely Denise.
***Warning: Today's mystery involves the deaths of children.***
The 70s were a time of awakening for many Americans. At the start of the decade, people innocently believed nothing could happen to their children. One by one, news stories emerged that shattered that innocence. In the mid to late 70s, residents of Oakland County, Michigan had their awakening.
The terror began on February 15, 1976, when 12-year-old Mark Stebbins left a party to walk home and was never seen again. His body was found four days later.
Ten months later, 12-year-old Jill Robinson left home on her bike after an argument with her mom about making biscuits. Jill had an inexplicable fear that she would be shot. It was such an issue, her mom even took her to a therapist to discuss it. Her body was found four days later...she'd been killed by gunshot.
Days later, on January 2, 1977, 10-year-old Kristine Mihelich left home to purchase a magazine at a convenience store near her home. She disappeared while walking back from the store. Her body was found 19 days later in a town seven miles away.
The final victim, Timothy King, disappeared on March 16 while on the way to buy candy at a drugstore. As he left the store, two witnesses saw a man with sideburns and long, shaggy dark hair approach him. His body was found six days later in a ditch.
In all four cases, the children weren't killed immediately. They had all been washed and their fingers and toes had been manicured. The cause of death was either suffocation or strangling, except in Jill Robinson's case. She was the only victim who had been shot.
Although there were many suspects, the murderer was never caught. Witnesses in the Timothy King abduction said the perpetrator drove a blue gremlin that looked like this:
As far as the police know, the Oakland County Child Killer never struck again. Was he arrested on another charge? Did he die? Did he simply stop committing crimes?
Or could he possibly have continued to harm children, only in a different area of the country?
February 1, 2017
IWSG: Reading as a Writer
It's the first Wednesday of the month, which means hundreds of us will be posting about our insecurities. If you haven't yet, join in. You'll be glad you did!
Each month we have a question. This month's question is:
How has being a writer changed your experience as a reader?
Way back in the early days of my career--probably while most of you were still in high school or whatever--I attended a workshop on Goal, Motivation, and Conflict. It was hosted by Debra Dixon and based on this book of hers:
I detailed the entire process in a previous blog but basically, it's a way of brainstorming your story. Every character has something they want, a reason for wanting it, and something standing in the way.
At the start of the workshop, she (or someone in the workshop) said something important. "Be prepared to never enjoy a movie again."
Once you've learned to create a plot, you do begin to pick things apart. It also makes it easier to predict the ending in unpredictable stories like mysteries. You learn that a good writer "plants seeds" throughout a story so that something doesn't pop up unexpectedly at the end.
Does it completely disrupt your enjoyment of a good book? No. It does limit the number of books you see as good, though. Am I the only one who abandons a book a couple of chapters in if it sucks?
What do you think? If you're a writer, do you find you enjoy books less? If you're a reader only, do you keep reading all the way to the end even if a book is bad?
Each month we have a question. This month's question is:
How has being a writer changed your experience as a reader?
Way back in the early days of my career--probably while most of you were still in high school or whatever--I attended a workshop on Goal, Motivation, and Conflict. It was hosted by Debra Dixon and based on this book of hers:
I detailed the entire process in a previous blog but basically, it's a way of brainstorming your story. Every character has something they want, a reason for wanting it, and something standing in the way.
At the start of the workshop, she (or someone in the workshop) said something important. "Be prepared to never enjoy a movie again."
Once you've learned to create a plot, you do begin to pick things apart. It also makes it easier to predict the ending in unpredictable stories like mysteries. You learn that a good writer "plants seeds" throughout a story so that something doesn't pop up unexpectedly at the end.
Does it completely disrupt your enjoyment of a good book? No. It does limit the number of books you see as good, though. Am I the only one who abandons a book a couple of chapters in if it sucks?
What do you think? If you're a writer, do you find you enjoy books less? If you're a reader only, do you keep reading all the way to the end even if a book is bad?
January 30, 2017
Mystery Monday: Marcia Trimble
It's Monday, which means it's time for another...
Every Monday, I'm presenting a new mystery. Some have been solved...some remain unsolved to this day.
***Warning: Today's mystery involves the death of a child.***
When I was a kid, my mom would never let me go door to door to sell things for school or Girl Scouts. She always mentioned one name: Marcia Trimble. Marcia was a Nashville girl who mysteriously disappeared while delivering Girl Scout cookies in the mid-70s.
While a missing nine-year-old is always alarming, the thing that shook Nashville most was where she disappeared. Marcia lived in one of the very wealthiest areas of Nashville, Green Hills. Most of the homes in Green Hills look like this:
For years, police focused on Jeffrey Womack, a 15-year-old neighbor who said Marcia stopped by his house, but he told her he had no money to buy cookies. When police interrogated him later, they found he had money in his pocket, as well as a condom.
Marie Maxwell, a neighbor of the Trimbles, was unloading groceries from her car just before Marcia's disappearance. Through a hedge, she saw Marcia speaking to two people--one tall, one short. She was holding a cookie box. A few minutes later, witnesses saw Marcia walking away from her house, the cookie box no longer in her hands. She looked confused. Police believe one of the two kids in the driveway may have stolen her cookie box and she was trying to find them when she disappeared.
Four weeks later, her body was discovered in a neighboring garage, only 200 feet from her house. Her murder was unsolved for 40 years, although there were many suspects. In 1980, Womack was arrested for the crime, but the charge was dismissed due to lack of evidence.
DNA evidence collected from Marcia eventually led police to her killer. In 2008, Jerome Sydney Barrett was charged and successfully convicted of the 1975 murder. Jerome had served time for the February 1975 rape of a Vanderbilt University woman, which happened just 8 days before Marcia's murder. However, it was another February 1975 case--the murder of a Vanderbilt University student named Sarah Des Prez--that finally inspired police to check his DNA in connection to the Marcia Trimble murder. Jerome Barrett was found guilty and sentenced to 44 years in prison.
Jerome Barrett--then and now.
For years, police were certain the murderer was a young person who lived in the neighborhood when all along, it was a complete stranger.
Did you have a local child abduction story where you grew up?
Every Monday, I'm presenting a new mystery. Some have been solved...some remain unsolved to this day.
***Warning: Today's mystery involves the death of a child.***
When I was a kid, my mom would never let me go door to door to sell things for school or Girl Scouts. She always mentioned one name: Marcia Trimble. Marcia was a Nashville girl who mysteriously disappeared while delivering Girl Scout cookies in the mid-70s.
While a missing nine-year-old is always alarming, the thing that shook Nashville most was where she disappeared. Marcia lived in one of the very wealthiest areas of Nashville, Green Hills. Most of the homes in Green Hills look like this:
For years, police focused on Jeffrey Womack, a 15-year-old neighbor who said Marcia stopped by his house, but he told her he had no money to buy cookies. When police interrogated him later, they found he had money in his pocket, as well as a condom.
Marie Maxwell, a neighbor of the Trimbles, was unloading groceries from her car just before Marcia's disappearance. Through a hedge, she saw Marcia speaking to two people--one tall, one short. She was holding a cookie box. A few minutes later, witnesses saw Marcia walking away from her house, the cookie box no longer in her hands. She looked confused. Police believe one of the two kids in the driveway may have stolen her cookie box and she was trying to find them when she disappeared.
Four weeks later, her body was discovered in a neighboring garage, only 200 feet from her house. Her murder was unsolved for 40 years, although there were many suspects. In 1980, Womack was arrested for the crime, but the charge was dismissed due to lack of evidence.
DNA evidence collected from Marcia eventually led police to her killer. In 2008, Jerome Sydney Barrett was charged and successfully convicted of the 1975 murder. Jerome had served time for the February 1975 rape of a Vanderbilt University woman, which happened just 8 days before Marcia's murder. However, it was another February 1975 case--the murder of a Vanderbilt University student named Sarah Des Prez--that finally inspired police to check his DNA in connection to the Marcia Trimble murder. Jerome Barrett was found guilty and sentenced to 44 years in prison.
Jerome Barrett--then and now.For years, police were certain the murderer was a young person who lived in the neighborhood when all along, it was a complete stranger.
Did you have a local child abduction story where you grew up?
