To Series or Not to Series...by Kathy Ivan

Sometimes as a writer, I’ll get an idea for a story, and immediately want to write it.  (Fitting it into my hectic schedule is a whole other ballgame.)  There’s enough of a story for it to be what’s known as a standalone book, meaning there will only be the one book which doesn’t connect with any other books that author has written.  No other books will come from this story idea.  And that is perfectly fine. 

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But other times, I will get a kernel of a story.  When I start thinking about it, and begin writing, there’s so much going on, not only with the main characters (the hero and heroine), but with the secondary characters, I feel the need to tell their stories too.  Some of them have stories that are equally as interesting as the people you are writing about—so much so they almost steal the story away from your hero and heroine. 

When that happens, it almost becomes imperative to write an ongoing series.  Writing a series can be done in many ways, but the two most common are:

1.  The hero and/or heroine will have multiple books about them.  This individual’s story arc will carry across from one book to the next (a perfect example is Julie Moffett’s Lexi Carmichael series).  These books revolve around the main character, i.e., Lexi, and her many adventures, including solving a mystery in each book, as well as surviving the ups and downs of maintaining a romantic relationship.  This works extremely well for cozy mystery series.

2.  Another example would be the series where there are cross-over characters, but each book has a different hero and heroine (or hero/hero, heroine/heroine depending on the genre).  An example of this would be my New Orleans Connection Series.  Each book can be read as a standalone book—meaning you don’t have to have read any of the other books in the series in order to read and hopefully enjoy any single book.  The characters will cross over into other books in the series, and readers seem to love when that happens.  It’s like catching up with old friends you came to care about in other books. 

These are just two examples of writing series versus standalones.  Neither one is right or wrong, or better or worse than the other.  It’s all up to the writer, and ultimately the reader, to decide their reading preference.  And that’s part of what I love about writing (and reading).  There’s a vast amount of choices out there—all you have to do is pick one and dive in. 

Happy Reading! 

Kathy is busy writing her New Orleans Connection Series, a romantic suspense series, set in and around New Orleans.  Her latest release, Deadly Justice, is available now.  Her next book, Wicked Obsession, releases in September 2016.  For more information on Kathy’s books, click on:  www.kathyivan.com/books.html  

BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE...

Between a rock and a hard place…

Like most authors these days, especially indie authors, we're often asked to collaborate on group projects.  Like boxed sets, anthologies, continuities to name a few.  Sometimes these are wonderful things and the story practically writes itself.

Other times—not so much.  Especially when you are working with a group of fabulous authors who are absolutely wonderful to work alongside, and you're the stumbling block.  The only one who has a story which refuses to get written.  At least not the way you want it. 

Cue the suspenseful music. 

I'm writing a contemporary romance with lots of sensual heat between the H and H, and in addition to this being a romance (of course), the dang thing wants to turn into a mystery.  It's not supposed to be suspenseful.  Nobody else in the group is writing suspense, yet my characters are screaming at me to put in a mystery to be solved. 

Will they let me just put in a small mystery, one that can be solved in a short time without a lot of action and adventure?  On, no—they want to have a full scale, multi-character, over-the-top suspense with dead bodies, a trail of clues, danger, peril, and a hunky detective leading the charge. 

So what did I do?

I told them to shut up, that they'd get their story the way they wanted it, only it would have to be two deadlines away.  I think they are okay with that, but now I'm going to have to start over with a brand new idea and a brand new story for the novella that's due in just a few short weeks.

Wish me luck—because I'm going to need it. 

Kathy Ivan is a USA Today Bestselling Author who spends her days sitting in front of a computer, working on the latest story and planning and plotting her next romantic suspense, because after all who doesn't love a good mystery?  You can contact her on Facebook, Twitter, or at her website.  Her latest (although not a suspense/mystery) release is part a Kindle World, available exclusively on Amazon, Could This Be Love.  http://amzn.to/1WU1O9h 

My holiday reading

When I’m reminded that Christmas is approaching, I go straight into Bah Humbug mode. First, I can’t understand why Christmas cards and general festive items appear in the shops alongside the Halloween costumes. I mean, that’s October, people. October!

As the days/weeks pass, I begin to stress about everything I need to do - all those presents to buy, wrap and, more often than not, mail to far-flung places. The cards needs writing and, naturally, the friend’s new address that I scribbled on a piece of paper months ago has vanished. Slade’s Merry Christmas, Everybody blasting out from every shop in the land does nothing to improve my bad mood. 

Or perhaps it does because in an instant I change from “Bah Humbug - Christmas should be banned” to “OMG, Christmas is coming. Let’s party!”. The decorations come out, yet more twinkling lights are bought and I can’t wait for the festivities to begin. I get to eat lots, yes? And drink even more, right? I can sit in front of a blazing log fire with a glass in one hand and my Kindle in the other without feeling guilty. Bliss!

In readiness, I’ve loaded up the Kindle. I’ll be making a start on Silent Nights.

Christmas is a mysterious, as well as magical, time of year. Strange things can happen, and this helps to explain the hallowed tradition of telling ghost stories around the fireside as the year draws to a close. Christmas tales of crime and detection have a similar appeal. When television becomes tiresome, and party games pall, the prospect of curling up in the warm with a good mystery is enticing - and much better for the digestion than yet another helping of plum pudding. Crime writers are just as susceptible as readers to the countless attractions of Christmas. Over the years, many distinguished practitioners of the genre have given one or more of their stories a Yuletide setting. The most memorable Christmas mysteries blend a lively storyline with an atmospheric evocation of the season. Getting the mixture right is much harder than it looks.This book introduces readers to some of the finest Christmas detective stories of the past. Martin Edwards' selection blends festive pieces from much-loved authors with one or two stories which are likely to be unfamiliar even to diehard mystery fans. The result is a collection of crime fiction to savour, whatever the season.

Then I’ll move on to The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries.

Here, for your yuletide reading pleasure, are the collected crimes of Christmases Past and Present: sixty classic Christmas crime stories gathered together in the largest anthology of its kind ever assembled. And its an all-star line-up: Sherlock Holmes, Brother Cadfael, Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, Ellery Queen, Rumpole of the Bailey, Inspector Morse, Inspector Ghote, A.J. Raffles, Nero Wolfe and many, many more of the world's favourite detectives and crime fighters face unscrupulous Santas, festive felonies, deadly puddings, and misdemeanors under the mistletoe. Almost any kind of mystery you're in the mood for - suspense, pure detection, humour, cozy, private eye, or police procedural - can be found within these pages.

Includes stories from (many of which are difficult or nearly impossible to find anywhere else): Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, Thomas Hardy, Isaac Asimov, Sara Paretsky, Ed McBain, Agatha Christie, Ellis Peters, Mary Higgins Clark, H.F Keating, Donald E. Westlake and John Mortimer and more.

I can’t wait.

What will you be reading over the festivities? Do you have any recommendations for great holiday stories?

Happy holidays, everyone!

I haven't written much lately...

Years ago, a friend sent me this postcard and it never fails to make me smile. 

The truth is, I haven’t done much writing lately. When I had a day job, I’d dash to my desk and write as soon as I had a spare ten minutes. These days I have the luxury of being a full-time writer and I can - in theory - write all day. In theory. 

What I’ve lost, however, is my ability to dash to the desk and write for ten minutes. These days, I need a clear day. If I have an hour’s appointment in the middle of the day, that’s it. No writing done at all. 

Spookily, although I can’t write unless I have at least six uninterrupted hours stretching ahead of me, I can read. Boy, can I read! Give me a spare five minutes and out comes the Kindle, and the more books I get through, the more emails I receive from Amazon UK. Often they send me recommendations for my own books, which is great as they must be sending that same email to other customers. (Hopefully.) It was one of these emails that took me by surprise. This is probably old news  to all of you because I’m hopelessly behind the times but when I click on one of my Dylan Scott books on Amazon UK, I get offered the chance to buy all 8 books in the series. It lists all books in order too. How fantastic is that?

(Apologies for the naff screenshots.) Is this old news? 

Oh, and all tips for parking myself in front of my computer when I get a spare ten minutes will be gratefully received. Thank you. :)

Bargains galore!

What can you get for 99 cents (or 61 pence if, like me, you’re in the UK)? Not a lot, usually.

In the UK, you can buy a 40g bar of Aero. Now, I love Aero, but it would take me longer to unwrap a 40g bar than it would to eat it.

You can get a whopping 57g Bounty bar but, again, it’s not exactly filling, is it?

A bottle of wine will cost anything from £6 ($9.68) upwards. Very nice, but how long does a bottle of wine last? Okay, don’t answer that one. :)

If I wanted to go to the cinema tonight and spend a couple of hours watching a film, it would set me back £7.25 ($11.70) or £9.40 ($15.17) if I wanted the 3D experience.

So you’d imagine that 99 cents - or 61 pence - wouldn’t buy you a lot.

Ah, but I bring good news to all you readers. You’re welcome. For a limited time only, you can take your pick from 10 great mysteries from Carina Press. Yes, all these mysteries are on sale at 99 cents from your favourite retailer.

More details and links to retailers here.

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

 THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

         

This past month I reread Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None (also published as Ten Little Indians).  My purpose was to see how Christie handled a cyanide poisoning.  Lightly, I’d say—the poison is slipped into the victim’s drink, he chokes, turns purple, dies and that’s that.

In rereading this book, often cited as the most popular mystery novel ever written with over 100 million copies sold, I discovered something far more interesting than the poisoning scene.  As writers, we’re told that certain rules exist and to break them is to sound a death knell to our publishing hopes.  One of these “rules” is don’t have too many characters at the story’s beginning, or you’ll confuse the reader.

In Indians, by page twenty, the reader has met eleven characters—count ‘em, eleven--and these are not flat characters with walk-on parts.  They’re major players, the ten victims and the skipper of the boat who brings them to the island where they will be killed.  Even this boatman, in his cameo appearance as a symbolic Charon ferrying the doomed across the River Styx, has a passage of chilling interior monologue.

Now have you, in your WIP, introduced eleven characters in the first twenty pages?  Probably not.  I haven’t dared to either.  But Christie did, in a world-famous book that has been translated into multiple languages, produced as a stage play and made into a movie.  If you’re tempted to say, “Well, a famous author can get away with breaking the rules, Indians was first published in 1939 when Christie was a relative unknown.  And today, seventy some years later, it has morphed into an e-book currently selling for $6.99 on Kindle.

Wait . . . there’s more.  Backstory.  The plot of Indians is based on isolating ten people so they can be murdered in punishment for crimes they committed in their pasts.  So as each character is introduced into the story, the nature and circumstances of his crime have to be revealed to the reader.  Backstory, backstory, backstory. 

On page two, we meet one of the victims, Vera Claythorne, as she touches on her past:  She was indicted in the accidental drowning of a child in her care.  She swam out to save him but didn’t reach him in time.  As she thinks of this, she remembers a Hugo who loved her.

That’s all.  So though the possibility of something having gone wrong is dropped into the plot, we’re only given a teaser.  There is no information dump, nor are there any in the tales of the other nine characters.  All is anticipation, from scene to scene, as past transgressions are revealed a little at a time, luring us on like the proverbial rabbit with the carrot.

Twenty pages later, for example, the second time we meet Vera she murmurs to herself:  “Drowned . . . Found drowned . . . Drowned at sea . . . Drowned . . . drowned . . . drowned . . . No, she wouldn’t remember . . . She would not think of it!  All that was over.”

Now reading that passage, aren’t you intrigued?  Don’t you wonder what happened?  Why won’t she think of the drowning?  Was she responsible?   As in this instance, Christie handles the backstory of each victim so masterfully, clue by clue, that she keeps the reader panting for more until finally, at last, all secrets are revealed.

The point here is that you can introduce a plethora of characters up front and get away with doing so.  You can write a book larded with backstory and succeed in that as well.   This is your world, and in it you can do anything you like. 

Success, however, lies in how you handle your material.  Handle it well and you’ll get away with literary murder.  In fact you might not even have to explain

a)   where a character obtained the cyanide,

a)       if he hid it in his luggage or on his person,

b)      or how he disposed of the poison vial after he bumped off his victim.

But don’t take my word for it.  Look to Agatha!

(This blog first appeared on the Barnes & Nobles Mystery Forum.  Jean Harrington is the author of the Murders by Design Mystery Series—her latest release is Rooms To Die For.  All books in the series are available on Amazon.com.)

CONTEST! Win a Mystery Novel by a NYUS Author

NYUS has some wonderful mystery writers. What? You’ve never read a mystery? No problem. We’re here to entice you to the dark side…

Complete the rafflecopter below to go into a draw to win a mystery title.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS by Wendy Soliman

THE TUXEDOED MAN by Marcelle Dubé

CAT BURGLAR IN TRAINING by Shelley Munro

SCENE STEALER by Elise Warner

DYING ART by Shirley Wells

MURDER COMES ASHORE by Julie Anne Lindsey

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Dead End, Dead End, Dead End...

Way back in 2012, I signed a contract with Carina Press for books 6, 7 and 8 in my Dylan Scott series. The books were called Deadly Shadows, Fatal Vengeance and Dead Simple and, as I’ve never yet had a title queried, I considered these titles and not working titles.

So I began 2013 by knowing I had to finish Deadly Shadows (deadline, deadline, deadline … mutter, mutter, mutter) and knowing that I then had to write Fatal Vengeance and Dead Simple. 

Deadly Shadows was duly done and dusted - or written and edited - and hit the shelves in October. Meanwhile, I wrote Fatal Vengeance. It went through the usual development edits and lines edits, was scheduled for publication in July 2014, and all I was waiting for was the final copy-edits. I began writing Dead Simple.

And then - shock, horror. At the last minute, I was asked to change the title of Fatal Vengeance.

Some of the more savvy Carina authors will wonder what possessed me to even consider calling a book Fatal Vengeance. But that’s beside the point. I did. I lived with that title in my head for 18 months. And suddenly I had to dream up another title for it. I sent off several suggestions and it was finally agreed that the book will be called Dead End.

Dead End. And my brain has hit a dead end because I can’t grasp it at all. I firmly believe that, till the day I shuffle off this mortal coil, this book, to me, will be Fatal Vengeance.

Any suggestions as to how I might clear this mental block? Should I lie in a darkened room and chant "Dead End" as my personal mantra? Should I buy a nice shiny notepad and write out "Dead End" ten thousand times? And I have a favour to ask … in July, when I tell the world that it’s release day for Fatal Vengeance, would you please kick me where it hurts and remind me that I actually mean Dead End? Thank you.

LOOKING BACK AT 2013 - by Kathy Ivan

As we come to the end of 2013, I want to take a moment to look back at this year and what we've accomplished.

As a group, Not Your Usual Suspects has grown, not only in size, adding a few new members, but also in our outreach. We have the blog site (of course we do, here you are visiting with us).
Each of us continued writing throughout 2013, sending work out to agents and editors. Some entered contests. Many of our members had multiple books come out, with more available next year.

As authors, we believe in what we do. We love writing, telling stories. We love sharing those stories with you, the readers, hoping and praying with each word we write you will become engrossed within our storytelling and when you finish the book, you'll smile and say, "Yes, I loved it. Let me see what else this author has out there." That is the biggest compliment you can pay an author, letting him or her know you enjoyed the book they've poured hours and hours toiling over with blood, sweat and tears. (As a side note, I'd like to suggest that if you like a book, post a review. It can be on Amazon, Goodreads, B & N, wherever you're comfortable posting one. Word of mouth is the best way to let others know about new and upcoming authors they may not have previously read. Yes, people do read reviews and buy based on them. It's also a small way of saying thanks to an author who has brought a few hours of enjoyment into your life. Okay I'll get off my soapbox now. LOL)

We dream big. Hopefully we'll have new and exciting things happening in 2014 and you can come on the ride with the authors at Not Your Usual Suspects as we continue growing, writing, and generally having a great time spreading the word that reading and writing mysteries and romantic suspense is fun.

My wish for 2014 is that you have a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year and may all your dreams come true. I'll be aiming high, shooting for the stars, and continuing to write, because I love it and I know if I dream it and believe it, everything I wish for will come true.

And since I'm the one writing this post, I'm going to add a personal note here: From now through December 31, 2013, books 1 and 2 in the Destiny's Desire Series are on sale (at Amazon.com) for $0.99 each. So if you haven't read the first two books in this series, here's your chance to get both books at a great price.

Second Chances (Book #1)

Losing Cassie (Book #2)

I’ll Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

For years the South Carolina Lowcountry RWA chapter has hosted a Masterclass at an Isle of Palms mansion. I’ve come home from previous weeks re-energized, my head bursting with new craft knowledge and insights, renewed after spending time with friends who share a passion for writing.

This year, the focus of the week was on the business of writing. Sometimes as authors we get caught up in our love of words and fail to acknowledge that what we do is also a small business, just like a company producing widgets or a bakery making the most beautiful, custom wedding cakes.

Most of the participants in this year’s Masterclass are published, many are multi-published, some New York Times Best Selling authors. And every one generously shared her experience, from developing a business plan to sitting with me, surrounding by a Nook, Kindle and Kindle Fire, patiently determining if one of the conversion programs would get rid of the annoying tab addition to the dedication page of my novella.

The theme of the week, as you might have guessed, was summed up by CJ Lyon: you are the CEO of You, Inc. In short, CJ said you, and only you, decide what is the correct path for your writing career: Traditional, Digital, Small Press or Indie—or a combination of the above. But you also bear the responsibility for your decision.

With the encouragement of this group of friends, I made the first toe-dipping foray into Indie publishing with a novella. HONOR CODE officially releases on Friday, November 9, 2012. While I’m excited about the story’s theme—honor and personal integrity—and characters, I still initially hesitated to publish the story. While I think my editor at Carina is terrific and learned a lot through a traditional, digital press with my first book, I made the “CEO” decision to go Indie with this story. I want to thank all the friends who made that happen. You know who you are. J

In anticipation of HONOR CODE’s release, I’ll give away an ARC of the novella to a commenter. The Blurb: In a small southern town where everyone knows each other’s business, veteran detective Larry Robbins must solve the disappearance of eighty-year-old widower George Beason.

When evidence arises that Beason may have left town on his own, it would be easy for Robbins to close the case, but his gut instinct tells him more’s at stake. As he uncovers clues about Beason’s deceased wife and his estranged daughter, Robbins must untangle conflicting motives and hidden agendas to bring Beason home alive.

Amazon

So what about you? Have you accepted the position of CEO in your career? Set up a business plan? Are there friends who reached back or pushed you up to give you a little help?

 

 

 

YA Mysteries & Thrillers 

By Angela Henry

I always tell people that I cut my teeth on Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon mysteries. Those two brave, intrepid, and often-foolish teen girls sparked my love of mysteries. These days I mostly read adult mysteries and thrillers. But I still love teen sleuths and highly enjoy reading about their crime solving adventures all while juggling friends, family and homework! Here are some great YA mystery/thrillers that I’ve enjoyed recently and highly recommend.

Dark Eyes By William Richter-Wally was adopted from a Russian orphanage as a child and grew up in a wealthy New York City family. At fifteen, her obsessive need to rebel led her to life on the streets. Now the sixteen-year-old is beautiful and hardened, and she's just stumbled across the possibility of discovering who she really is. She'll stop at nothing to find her birth mother before Klesko - her darkeyed father - finds her. Because Klesko will stop at nothing to reclaim the fortune Wally's mother stole from him long ago. Even if that means murdering his own blood

The Butterfly Clues By Kate Ellison-Penelope “Lo” Marin has always loved to collect beautiful things. But in the year since her brother’s death, Lo’s hoarding has blossomed into a full-blown, potentially dangerous obsession. When she discovers a beautiful antique butterfly figurine and recognizes it as having been stolen from the home of a recently murdered girl known only as Sapphire, Lo becomes fixated. As she attempts to piece together the mysterious “butterfly clues,” with the unlikely help of a street artist named Flynt, Lo quickly finds herself caught up in a seedy, violent underworld — a world much closer to home than she ever imagined.

My Own Worst Frenemy By Kimberly Reid-Chanti Evans is an undercover cop's daughter and an exclusive private school's newest student. But Chanti is learning fast that when it comes to con games, the streets have nothing on Langdon Prep. With barely a foot in the door, fifteen-year-old Chanti gets on the bad side of school queen bee Lissa and snobbish Headmistress Smythe. They've made it their mission to take Chanti down and she needs to find out why, especially when stuff begins disappearing around campus, making her the most wanted girl in school, and not in a good way. But the last straw comes when she and her Langdon crush, the seriously hot Marco Ruiz, are set up to take the heat for a series of home burglaries--and worse. . . .

The Liar Society By Laura and Lisa Roecker-Kate Lowry's best friend Grace died a year ago. So when she gets an email from her, Kate's more than a little confused. Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace's death was more than just a tragic accident. She teams up with a couple of knights-in-(not-so)-shining armor-the dangerously hot bad boy, Liam, and her lovestruck neighbor, Seth. But at their elite private school, there are secrets so big people will do anything to protect them-even if it means getting rid of anyone trying to solve a murder...

The Ruby in the Smoke By Phillip Pullman-In search of clues to the mystery of her father's death, 16-year-old Sally Lockhart ventures into the shadowy underworld of Victorian London. Pursued by villains at every turn, the intrepid Sally finally uncovers two dark mysteries--and realizes that she herself is the key to both.

Conspiracy 365: January By Gabrielle Lord-On New Year's Eve, Cal is chased down the street by a staggering, sick man with a deadly warning..."They killed your father. They'll kill you. You must survive the next 365 days. Hurled into a life on the run the 15-year-old fugitive is isolated and alone. Hunted by the law and ruthless criminals, Cal must somehow uncover the truth about his father's mysterious death and a history-changing secret. Who can he turn to, who can he trust, when the whole world seems to want him dead? The clock is ticking. Any second could be his last.

Who are you’re favorite teen sleuths?

Is it a bird? Is it a tomato?

No! It's a mystery.

Having debated favourite mystery books and films, an internet group I belong to started discussing favourite mystery TV shows. The first favourite that sprang to my mind was Columbo. I adore that show and am currently enjoying reruns on TV. I was late to the party, as ever, and saw that someone had already mentioned Columbo - and been told in no uncertain terms that it didn’t qualify as a mystery because viewers knew exactly whodunnit and why.

I didn’t argue, I’m far too polite, but I disagree with that. Viewers know whodunnit, they know why the deed was done and they know Columbo will soon have the culprit brought to justice. They don’t, however, know how Columbo will solve the mystery.

I read on and saw that many people’s favourite mystery shows were unknown to me. I’m a Brit, as you might guess from the funny spelling (I can spell favourite the wrong way, truly :)), and there are dozens of shows, hugely popular in the States, that simply don’t make it over here. (If anyone over the pond wants a house guest, I’d be no trouble. Just sit me down in front of the TV…) Columbo travelled well, thank goodness. In fact, hardly a day goes by when an old Columbo isn’t shown on British TV.

Here are some of my other favourites:

I just loved Robbie Coltrane as the chain-smoking, gambling, whisky drinking forensic psychologist in Cracker.

Lots of clues to be found on dead bodies in Silent Witness. Love this show - and it has nothing to do with Tom Ward. Nothing at all.

The Killing (Danish version) with the amazing Sarah Lund.

And, of course, the Swedish Wallander. I could watch this show over and over and I'm sure I'll read Henning Mankell's books again.

So what’s your favourite TV mystery show? And what about Columbo? Does it qualify as a mystery or not? I say it does.

Sherlock's Castle

Excited as children about to enter an enchanted realm, my husband and I board a ferry that whisks us across the Connecticut River from Chester to Hadlyme. In front of us—at the peak of the highest of seven commanding hills, a hill known as The Seventh Sister, Gillette castle— a formidable fortress that belongs to the Middle Ages and the “retirement home” of William Gillette, the actor, dramatist and inventor— commands the lower Connecticut River Valley.
Gillette—intelligent, witty and mischievous—gave the breath of life to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional Sherlock Holmes, wrote two plays–Sherlock Holmes and The Painful Predicament of Sherlock Holmes and earned over three million dollars, a hefty sum in the early1900s, with his portrayal of the great detective.
Begun in 1914, the castle was completed in 1919, at the cost of one million dollars—equal to about thirty million today. Beneath the castle’s tower and turrets are secret passageways and a staircase that disappears. The framework of the manor is steel and oak covers its beams while inside twenty-four rooms exhibit exposed stone and forty-seven doors and every window in the castle are made of hand carved southern white oak furnished with a different lock, individually designed by Gillette, locks that would challenge anyone but Sherlock Holmes. Gillette’s sitting room mirrors Sherlock's at 221B Baker Street and the fourth level of the castle holds a secret hide-a-way. Entry to the hide-a-way, comfortably furnished with two windows and a fireplace, is by a ladder, a ladder Gillette would pull through a trap door. Raffia matting and Japanese rice grass decorate the main hall, floors are made of hardwood, and within the room is a concealed door through which William Gillette often made a grand entrance. Gillette conceived and directed the castle’s construction with the same originality and sense of the theatrical he utilized as a playwright and actor.
In 1898, Gillette’s fascination with Sherlock Holmes led to a correspondence with Arthur Conan Doyle. At their first meeting, he arrived at Doyle’s home wearing a long gray cape and a deerstalker cap. Sherlock Holmes incarnate— in his forties Gillette was the right age and at the perfect height at 6’2”—Gillette’s patrician features and deep-set, blue eyes made him appear to have stepped out of the pages of Doyle’s book. When Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories about Holmes appeared in Collier’s Weekly in 1903, the illustrator, Frederick Dorr Steele, used Gillette as his model.
Gillette extensively rewrote a five-act play that Doyle had written then cabled Doyle asking permission to “Marry Holmes.” Sir Arthur replied, “He could marry Holmes or murder him or do anything he like with him.” The original rewrite was lost in a fire at the Hotel Baldwin in San Francisco but Gillette reconstructed the play and sent the manuscript to Doyle. According to David Stashow’s 1999 book, Teller of Tales: the Life of Arthur Conan Doyle, Doyle’s reaction to the script was, “It’s good to see the old chap again.”
Sherlock Holmes – A Drama in Four Acts, produced by Charles Frohman, opened in Buffalo on October 23, 1899 then moved to New York’s Garrick Theatre on November 6. Gillette’s creative mind produced spectacular lighting and stage effects—musical themes and dramatic chords were also used to convey mood and emphasize conflict as it unfolds in the mystery melodrama. The setting is dark and gloomy Victorian London where Holmes rescues the lovely Alice Faulkner, saves a royal marriage and confronts his arch-enemy Professor Moriarty. Frissons of fear chill and delight the audience when at the end of Act I, in the Stepney gas chamber scene, Holmes places Alice behind him and smashes the room’s one lamp with a chair—the theatre is abruptly plunged into blackness. The only light left in the chamber comes from the glow of Holmes cigar.
“The public likes villains,” Gillette said in his opening night speech and since 1899, the audience has enjoyed a most satisfactory encounter between Holmes and his evil adversary, the reptilian Professor Moriarity.
Playing the part 1,300 times, his imprint on the character is recognized today. Instead of the straight, oily clay pipe used in Doyle’s books, Gillette introduced a curved Calabash pipe—he could hold the curved stem pipe between his teeth, display his distinctive profile and speak his lines. He wrote and introduced the most celebrated line—“Elementary, my dear Watson.
Gillette made his last stage appearance in the part in 1932 when he was in his seventies but his appearance, once seen on cigarette cards and a cartoon in Vanity Fair Magazine, still defines the fictional Holmes.
He died at the age of eighty-three in 1937—in his will, Gillette asked his executors not to sell his estate to some “blithering saphead,” after his death. His wish was granted when the State of Connecticut bought the property in 1945 and invited the public to Gillette Castle State Park. William Gillette, with his eccentric castle, panoramic view of the Connecticut River and the aura of theatrical magic that floats over the estate, continues to offer entertainment to an appreciative audience.

Tell Me as Story, Please...

Please join me in telling a story. Below are two paragraphs—in the comment section add the next lines or a paragraph to continue the narrative and let’s see what our fertile minds come up with.

I opened the door to my apartment. My apartment—the one I always dreamed about. Location—overlooking the park where I could see trees display soft green buds in March and prepare for summer when they dressed in large leaves the color of jade. The dream began when I was eight and my mother and I walked along Park Avenue across from Central Park. We gazed at the buildings—buildings that touched the sky presided over by men in uniform who doffed their caps and opened highly polished wood and glass doors to the fortunate residents who lived in this magical place.

The ugly taxicab-yellow tape that kept me from my home was gone now and I was free to live my life alone. Free to do what I pleased with no one to stop me—no one around to say, “No.” The months since my lover was found dead had been the grimmest months of my life. I was a suspect. My past examined, my present scrutinized, my future unknown.

Everyday Mysteries

Have you ever thought about the mysteries in your everyday life? We all have some mysteries and I think we suspense authors should be better at solving them than your average Joe.

Being the mother of a teenage daughter, my life is filled with mysteries. Like what happened to half my teaspoons and where did that green spot on the bathroom rug come from?

As I build suspense plots in my book, I find myself becoming more adept at figuring out our household who-done-its. My husband was amazed a few months ago when I tracked a missing bag of candy the day before Halloween. Despite her numerous denials, my daughter was guilty of pilfering said candy and eating it with two of her friends—the usual suspects.

I knew she’d hide the evidence well because she probably had an inkling I’d check out her room the first chance I got. My strategy? Get into her head, think like a teenager. She wouldn’t be foolish enough to leave candy wrappers in her trashcan—way too easy. If I were in her shoes, I’d leave the evidence where I could easily take it out of the house at my first opportunity. This led me to her school backpack. Voila!

When constructing the suspense plot for a book, I’d have to be much more stealthy than she. But frankly, I’m relieved she didn’t outthink me.

Now, if I could only figure out whose peanut butter fingerprints those are on the cabinet door and who left the bathroom without replacing the toilet paper roll. And who hit my mailbox and knocked it over? Give me time and I will.

What everyday mysteries drive you crazy?

Please check out my brand new release from Ellora's Cave, Blackout and my new FREE read, The After Party.

CELEBRATION

Hello: I'm Elise Warner, the author of Scene Stealer, a cozy mystery published by Carina Press as an eBook and produced in an audio version by audible.com. I'm hard at work on a new novel that includes murder but more about that in another blog. Since it is the Twelve Days of Christmas and Christmas is our anniversary, I'd like to tell you about a celebration.

We were young and we wanted to celbrate our very special date with a memorable dinner. Our pockets were fairly empty, at that time chorus dancers and singers didn't earn much, so we scrounged and saved for a few months in order to reserve a place at The Russian Tearoom, a restaurant on 57th Street in Manhattan that gives its address as "Slightly to the left of Carnegie Hall."

After the Russian Revolution, dancers, musicians and actors-once stars in St. Petersburg and Moscow-began to emigrate to New York City and the Tearoom became a hangout for White Russians, who, like most newcomers, were looking for a taste of their former home. They were homesick for the gossip, intrigue, intellectual discussions and of course, the sweets and pastries of the Czar's Russia. Feodor Chaliapin, a commanding Russian opera star, and Michel Fokine, who introduced Americans to the Imperial Russian Ballet werre among the newly arrived talents who enjoyed the food and the ambiance.

I don't know why I wanted to eat at the Tea Room-it's still a mystery to me. Though my grandparents came to America from Russia, they came to escape the pogroms-family legend says a countess hid them from the Cossacks-they were poor and they traveled in steerage. They dreamed of America and couldn't wait to arrive at Ellis Island, study and become American citizens. Perhaps it's just something about royalty that intrigues Americans. We do like to dress up and pretend to be a lovely princess waiting to be discovered by the prince.

The Russian Tearoom's setting, warm and welcoming, greeted us with green walls that served as a backdrop for to vivid, scarlet leather banguettes displaying tablecloths and napkins pink as the first blush of spring wine. Christmas decorations-brightly colored ornaments that would remainb all year-garlanded the room along with highly polished samovars perched on pillars that sparkled and ignited my imagination with dreams of Tartars-nomads who traveled across Asia brewing tea to slake their thirst. Buffed wood and gleaming mirrors reflected images of the elegant clientele seated around the restaurant and promised a dinner we would never forget.

The waiters, dressed in Red Russian tunics and the busboys in green paid attention to their guests without being intrusive; we settled down and each ordered a Bloody Mary. A Russian restaurant-vodka was and is the specialty of the bar.

We began our dinner with the Tearoom's traditional hot borsht made with red beets, shredded cabbage, and the freshest vegetables of the season. The borsht, flavored with dill, was crowned with sour cream. Piroshki-little meat filled dumplings made with puff paste and filled with beef, parsley, onions, eggs and Tabasco attended the borsht.

The main course, Chicken Kiev-rich with sweet, herbed butter stuffed in a boned and breaded chicken breast, then deeply fried came next. the dish is thought to have been created by a French chef who served at the court of Alexander I.

We pricked the chicken and marveled at the stream of butter that rose from the plate. The first succulent bite was about to be placed in each of our mouths and then...and then...we heard a soft moan that gradually increased in volume. We put down our forks and exchanged a glance. The sound became louder and we looked at the adjacent banguette. A sweet, baby-faced woman was moaning much to the concern of an equally young and helpless appearing man who sat by her side. Soon everyone in the Tearoom stopped eating and began staring at the couple. From our banquete I could see the woman was pregnant and leaned over to ask if there was anything I could do though my experience consisted of watchig movies where someone boiled water.

A flutter of her hand said, "Go away."

The maitre d escorted a distinguished fellow to the table.

"Madam, I am an obstetrician. May I help you?"

"Not yet," she said. "Not yet."

The Tearoom grew silent. No sound of fork, spoon or knife could be heard. No glasses clinked in tribute to Christmas. No one was sure what the proper etiquette was. Does a caring person keep eating when someone may be about to give birth? The doctor looked as confused as everyone else.

The young woman stoppped moaning and slowly sank to a prine position in her booth. She couldn't be seen and she couldn't be heard-conversation resumed. We relished each bite of our Chicken Kiev and ate every last bit of our dessert-Baklava made with sheets of thin phyllo pastry and sweetly layered with walnuts, honey and connamon.

We've never forgotton that Christmas anniversary dinner and I've often thought about that woman. Did she give birth on Christmas? In the Russian Tearoom? A boy? A girl? And did the doctor finish his dinner?

Holidays & Homicide

Welcome to the launch week for the Not Your Usual Suspects blog! I'm so happy to be here blogging alongside such talented Carina Press authors!

Well, it’s that time of the year again! Christmas is right around the corner, as is my much-needed Christmas vacation. Yay! But murder never takes a holiday.  In fact, just like the sweltering summer heat can cause the murder rate to skyrocket in the summertime, the stress of the holidays can also cause some people to snap! Even I, one of the most laid back people on the planet, have on occasion had to suppress the urge to whack someone with a nutcracker. How do I relax and calm myself? By reading!  To me there's nothing better to calm those frayed holiday nerves than settling down with an  eggnog martini and reading a good old Christmas mystery. Here are a few of my favorites:

Kissing Christmas Goodbye By M.C. Beaton: Agatha Raisin is bored. Her detective agency in the Cotswolds is thriving, but she’ll scream if she has to deal with another missing cat or dog. Only two things seem to offer potential excitement: Christmas, and her ex, James Lacey. This year Agatha’s sure that if she invites James to a splendid Christmas dinner, their love will rekindle like a warm Yule log…but that fantasy will have to wait for now. A wealthy widow—who sent Agatha a letter before her death saying one of her family intended to kill her—has been found dead. Now Agatha must set out to find the murderer, even though, in her heart, she’s still dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones she and James used to know….

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie: The wealthy Simeon Lee has demanded that all four of his sons—one faithful, one prodigal, one impecunious, one sensitive—and their wives return home for Christmas. But a heartwarming family holiday is not exactly what he has in mind. He bedevils each of his sons with barbed insults and finally announces that he is cutting off their allowances and changing his will. So when the old man is found lying in a pool of blood on Christmas Eve, there is no lack of suspects. Did Lee's taunts push one of the boys to a desperate act? And how did the murderer escape from the locked room? Intrepid Belgian detective Hercule Poirot suspends his own holiday festivities to sift through the motives and evidence surrounding the crime.

Shakespeare’s Christmas By Charlaine Harris: Lily Bard is going home for the holidays. More comfortable in baggy sweats than bridesmaid's frills, Lily isn't thrilled about attending her estranged sister's wedding. She has moved to Shakespeare, Arkansas, to start a new life, cleaning houses for a living, trying to forget the violence that once nearly destroyed her. Now she's heading back to home and hearth--just in time for murder. The town's doctor and nurse have been bludgeoned to death at the office. And Lily's detective boyfriend suddenly shows up at her parents' door. Jack Leeds is investigating an eight-year-old kidnapping and the trail leads straight to Lily's hometown. It just might have something to do with the murders...and her sister's widowed fiancé. With only three days before the wedding, Lily must work fast to clean up the messy case before her sister commits...marriage!

Sugar Plum Dead By Carolyn Hart: It's getting to look a lot like Christmas on the sea island of Broward's Rock, South Carolina. At the Death on Demand mystery bookstore, owner Annie Darling's Yuletide preparations have to be put on hold thanks to several rather inconvenient distractions -- including murder. Across the windswept isle, in the spacious, spooky mansion of Marguerite Dumaney Ladson, a motley crew is gathering for the onetime movie star's gala Xmas/birthday bash. And when it turns deadly, it's Annie who has to prove the innocence of the most disturbing suspect: her own deadbeat dad.

So what are your favorite Christmas themed mysteries? Comment for a chance to win a copy of my  upcoming release The Paris Secret!

Happy Holidays!

Angela ; )