You're Among Friends Here

So, how many of you know when the Not Your Usual Suspects blog launched? You might be surprised to know it was on December 13, 2010. That means our blog is nearing our sixth anniversary! Wow! It seems nuts that it's been that long, but it has.

Oh, and guess who wrote the very FIRST post which started: "On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me …a super cool, hip, new blog to share with fans, family and friends?"


Yep, that was me. Since then our blog has grown to encompass several more wonderful writers. While we've lost a few along the way for one reason or the other, surprisingly, our numbers have mostly grown. Most of the writers whose blogs you read here have gone on to become wonderful friends of mine. One of them is even my sister (Hi, Sandy Parks!).

I had no idea when I wrote those opening words to the very first Not Your Usual Suspects blog that several of the women and men of this blog would go on to become such cool friends who would share the many ups and downs of my publishing career. But they did and I'm ever grateful for it. Some I've yet to meet in person, but we still support each other virtually. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that!

For the past several years those of us who are able to make the Romance Writers of America annual conference make an effort to meet and talk about our past year's publishing experience. This year was no different. In July, five of us NYUS bloggers met over breakfast to share insights to the business and share our successes and frustrations. I look forward to it every year.

Below is a picture of us (left to right): Sandy Parks, Sharon Calvin, Anne Marie Becker, me and Dee Adams. Just ignore the glazed looks and dark circles under our eyes from a weekend of little to no sleep. We didn't mind a bit because we were among friends. And now that you're here -- so are you!

Thanksgiving and the Christmas Crazies

by Janis Patterson

It’s half a week past Thanksgiving, and I can just about fit back into my clothes. The Husband and I joined his family at my mother-in-law’s for the holiday again. I will forever say I am so blessed to have The Husband’s family; mine is pretty much gone or far away, and his is both lovely and loving. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law cooked the holiday lunch, and they are absolutely superb cooks. Early on they learned never to let me bring anything – I am a decent plain cook and have never poisoned anyone (other than in print), but my skills are nothing compared to their culinary artistry. I do, however, excel at eating. And when you’re good at something, you should do a lot of it, right?

This year The Husband and I brought roses to his mother and aunt, for no reason other than they were so pretty. (They were on sale, too, but that really didn’t enter in to it – we found out they were on sale only after going into the shop to buy flowers!) As always, we brought home enough leftovers for three or four meals.

So what does all that have to do with mystery? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

We’re twenty-five days away from Christmas, the most blessed holiday of the year. The next twenty-five days will be full of shopping and parties and gift wrapping and family and friends… all the good things of the earth. And faith. We mustn’t forget faith.

Which means that Thanksgiving, for all of its overindulgence in food and family and laughter, is a watershed of reasonable quiet and reflection before the madness of Christmas begins. I, for one, enjoyed it thoroughly.

All year long I spend my days creating a group of people where murder could be a believable alternative, figuring out how to kill someone, how my character can justify killing someone, and how my sleuth solves the case. As we all know, this is not the most tranquil or restful way to spend your time. Now add in the inevitable Christmas crazies – which seem to start earlier each year – and a bountiful meal with family on Thanksgiving can seem like a respite even for those who do the cooking.

So – as deadlines, uncooperative characters, sudden plot holes, research and the Christmas crazies fill our days, let us take joy in our lives. We get to create wonderful stories. We – at least most of us – have families and friends and traditions. Thanksgiving was last week, but let us never forget to be thankful.

One thing for which I am not thankful, and one which I believe needs to be mentioned so that people will not think I am ignoring them. This begins the sixth week we have been without internet at home, and the only time I can log on is when I can make it down to our local internet café. Sigh. Just – sigh.

REVENGE

Courtesy of Wikepedia     
     "Writing well is the best revenge," was one of Dorothy Parker's pithiest quotes. Parker, was a member of

the famous Algonquin Round Table where a group of contemporary wits and writers met, lunched, drank

and tried to outdo each other with quips and repartee.

     Remember? Way back in middle school? You know. The best friend who dumped you? You can use her now. Not as a friend. That’s long gone. But the way she tossed her long blonde hair and employed a laugh that tinkled and a honeyed voice whenever that special football player was near. And the teacher who lowered your grade when you told him you weren’t going to college—you were going to be a star. Your villain could use the grating sound of his voice, and his matted hair and you could add the stubble that once belonged to the visiting uncle whose unshaved cheek chafed your face. Think about the aunt you confided in, who laughed and said, “You’ll get over it, sweetie.” She’s returned and makes her entrance in Chapter Two of your latest. She won’t know, she never reads a book—besides she’s now a blue-eyed blonde and three inches taller.

     What about your first love? Whatever happened to him? He pops up now and then—sometimes a hero, sometimes a villain, sometimes a clown, sometimes the love of your heroines life. Then there’s the man you worked for and placed on an undeserved pedestal only to find that he’d stolen your idea and never gave you credit—what a strong and detestable character he is going to make. You will have to humanize him a bit.

     Looking back and using something that may have left an emotional scar can change that memory into something fit to print. A dramatic revelation not realized until you think about your characters and plot and discovered something in your past not fully forgotten. A buried memory that gives you—the writer—a poke. Then the denizens of your past move into their new setting, inhabit another time and place, and change the scene, improve the dialogue and bring their part in your new plot to a fitting conclusion. Perhaps we owe them a few words of thanks.

     We redo and edit our manuscripts—do you ever recreate and use memories you once thought best forgotten?

Bests,

Elise