Remember the experiences at yarn stores I wrote about a couple of weeks ago? I decided to give it another shot. I’m ready to start writing the fifth crochet mystery and in this one Molly Pink is going to be learning about yarn. If she’s going to learn, I have to find out about it first. I have already collected some interesting yarns at Michael’s and Joann’s, but the really good stuff is in the small stores.
I picked the two closest yarn stores. After my previous experience I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I went with an open mind. The first store had one woman working the counter and a bunch of women around a center table. I noticed right away they were all knitting. I ended up hanging around for awhile before I was helped. I wondered how these small stores stay in business. I found out. They are busy. She had customers calling and people who’d come in before me to tend to before she could get to me.
I was actually looking for some yarn for a project I’d found in a book. It called for nylon worsted weight yarn, which I hadn’t been able to find at Michael’s or Joann’s. The Knot Garden didn’t have any either, but I found out I could use any worsted weight yarn for the shawl. I’m kind of shy, but I finally explained I wrote a mystery series with a crochet theme. Everyone seemed interested, particularly when I explained the books took place in the area.
Everyone was very friendly and anxious to show me their projects and offer knitting advice. The clerk said if anyone bought yarn there, they were welcome to hang around and get knitting help. They were curious about crochet, but none of them were crocheters. I gave out book marks for all my books and left some on the counter. I left having bought some beautiful garnet-colored shiny yarn for my shawl project.
I’d Rather Be Knitting was only a short distance away. Again there were a group of women around a table, working on projects. The two owners were very friendly and I’d gotten over my initial shyness at the first store, so explained right away about the crochet mysteries and my desire to learn about yarn. Somehow I had expected the yarn to be similar in both stores, but it was completely different. Gorgeous at both places, but each seemed to have different brands and types. The owners told me Kate Jacobs who wrote The Friday Night Knitting Club had done an event at their store, which impressed me. That book is a super hit. They said they might be interested in doing some kind of event with me. We’re going to discuss.
I bought some yarn there, too. A beautiful skein of pale pink cashmere. It cost a fortune, but both Molly and I want to see what it is like to work with. My plan is to make swatches of all the fancy yarn I buy. Molly is going to be doing the same, so it is part crochet adventure and part book research. The owner of the second store assured me the one skein was enough to make a scarf. She showed me one she was making in blue cashmere. She was using big needles and the result was lacy and luscious. She suggested I use a big hook.
I’m sorry to say all the yarn is still in the bags. By Hook or By Crook comes out Tuesday and my editor asked me to write a Dear Reader letter for the Berkley website. I’m going to Chicago on Wednesday. Going away always means lots of stuff to take care of. For any of you in the Chicago area, I’m signing books next Saturday at the Printers Row Fair in downtown Chicago from 1-3 at the Mystery Writers of America booth. I’m keeping my fingers crossed the weather is better than last year when the tornado sirens went off during a thunder storm. But just in case, this time I’m taking my umbrella.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
how-to
I missed last week's theme of how-to, so I thought I'd revisit it today. But how to do what exactly? Well, I'm a quilter so I could tell you how to make a quilt. Here's how: Cut up a bunch of fabric into triangles and sew it back together. That's one answer. But a lot of quilters never do that. They might cut shapes and applique them onto a background. Another will take a single piece of fabric and quilt it, adding texture and design only with their needle and thread. Others fuse fabric, sealing it down with layers of machine quilting. Some burn the fabric's edges or use Tyvek or beads on their quilts. Some experiment with dye, bleach or resist or all three. Quilting comes in many shapes and forms. The only thing they have in common is that a quilt has three layers, a top, some kind of batting and a backing and is held together with stitches. Usually.
How to stamp, then. But the question is stamp what? A card? A piece of fabric? A collage? Stamping, like sewing, is basically easy. Just push your stamp on the ink pad and press on your paper. But some people like to start with their own image and cut their own stamps. Others use store bought, take classes and make patterns from books. How about vegetable stamping? Half a cabbage makes a wonderful image. The variations on a theme are endless.
Okay, I'm a writer. Here's how-to write. Sit down at the computer and start putting words on a page. Or put pen to paper. But that only begins to describe the writing process. Every book I've written has had a different process. Right now, I'm writing by hand on a yellow legal pad with a uniball pen. That's the way Laurie R King started, Andre Dubus III does and our own Betty Hechtman. Works for me.
How-to depends. It depends on what you want to do and how you want to get there. It depends on your needs and comfort levels. The most important part of how to is do.
How to stamp, then. But the question is stamp what? A card? A piece of fabric? A collage? Stamping, like sewing, is basically easy. Just push your stamp on the ink pad and press on your paper. But some people like to start with their own image and cut their own stamps. Others use store bought, take classes and make patterns from books. How about vegetable stamping? Half a cabbage makes a wonderful image. The variations on a theme are endless.
Okay, I'm a writer. Here's how-to write. Sit down at the computer and start putting words on a page. Or put pen to paper. But that only begins to describe the writing process. Every book I've written has had a different process. Right now, I'm writing by hand on a yellow legal pad with a uniball pen. That's the way Laurie R King started, Andre Dubus III does and our own Betty Hechtman. Works for me.
How-to depends. It depends on what you want to do and how you want to get there. It depends on your needs and comfort levels. The most important part of how to is do.
Travel Excitement
Sorry I missed blogging last week, but I was traveling and my Internet access was spotty. Mostly, I was visiting relatives. And to do so, I had to do some flying.
I generally don’t mind flying, but my trip heading east rather unnerved me. I started out flying to Columbus, Ohio, via Phoenix. My flight to Phoenix was uneventful. It was the next leg that turned out scary.
The aircraft I was supposed to take arrived at the gate in Phoenix and disgorged passengers. Then, an announcement was made that maintenance was required, and we’d be kept informed about when the flight would be ready for boarding. It never was.
Next announcement was that this plane would be removed from the gate and replaced by another incoming one. This did, in fact, occur--about 2 hours after we were originally supposed to leave. But, okay, these things happen, and I couldn’t complain about the airline’s caution.
Eventually, we were up in the air. As always while traveling, I started editing a manuscript, so my mind was occupied for a couple of hours--till the plane lost some altitude, my ears started popping and the cabin turned hot. The captain got on the loudspeaker and said that, if the face masks dropped, to use them! The plane was losing pressure.
Everyone stayed calm, and the masks did not drop. We were told to turn on the overhead vents, which helped to cool off the cabin. I held my nose and blew till my ears stopped popping. We were in the middle of a cloud, in a thunderstorm, and I saw lightning, but the plane remained steady. The passengers all seemed to act normal, but I’d imagine everyone was as nervous as me. I conversed a little with the lady on my left but chose not to express how uneasy I was.
We were soon told we would land in Chicago, at Midway Airport--which we did. Safely, thank heavens. And there, too, we had to wait until another plane landed, disgorged passengers, and was prepared to take off again. On the ground, I called my family, now gathered in the Columbus area, and jokingly said that it was a shame I hadn’t known about this in advance. I could have asked my son and d-i-l to wait in Chicago, where they live, to drive me to our mutual destination!
Eventually, we boarded the third plane for this leg of my journey. The captain appeared at the front of the cabin, apologized, said the airline’s maintenance was usually exemplary, and this was the first time in his 25 years of flying that he’d had to use a third plane for the same flight. I wished he’d never experienced it--since then I wouldn’t have, either!
Fortunately, my journey back from the east was fairly uneventful, except for some delays for weather--and because another of the planes had to be substituted because of a maintenance issue, but, fortunately, that happened in the city before the craft flew to pick me up.
Will I fly that airline again? Probably, since I’ve flown it often before with no problems. And I did, after all that, arrive at my destinations safely, if late. But I won’t forget this trip--and will hope that the airline beefs up its maintenance program!
--Linda
I generally don’t mind flying, but my trip heading east rather unnerved me. I started out flying to Columbus, Ohio, via Phoenix. My flight to Phoenix was uneventful. It was the next leg that turned out scary.
The aircraft I was supposed to take arrived at the gate in Phoenix and disgorged passengers. Then, an announcement was made that maintenance was required, and we’d be kept informed about when the flight would be ready for boarding. It never was.
Next announcement was that this plane would be removed from the gate and replaced by another incoming one. This did, in fact, occur--about 2 hours after we were originally supposed to leave. But, okay, these things happen, and I couldn’t complain about the airline’s caution.
Eventually, we were up in the air. As always while traveling, I started editing a manuscript, so my mind was occupied for a couple of hours--till the plane lost some altitude, my ears started popping and the cabin turned hot. The captain got on the loudspeaker and said that, if the face masks dropped, to use them! The plane was losing pressure.
Everyone stayed calm, and the masks did not drop. We were told to turn on the overhead vents, which helped to cool off the cabin. I held my nose and blew till my ears stopped popping. We were in the middle of a cloud, in a thunderstorm, and I saw lightning, but the plane remained steady. The passengers all seemed to act normal, but I’d imagine everyone was as nervous as me. I conversed a little with the lady on my left but chose not to express how uneasy I was.
We were soon told we would land in Chicago, at Midway Airport--which we did. Safely, thank heavens. And there, too, we had to wait until another plane landed, disgorged passengers, and was prepared to take off again. On the ground, I called my family, now gathered in the Columbus area, and jokingly said that it was a shame I hadn’t known about this in advance. I could have asked my son and d-i-l to wait in Chicago, where they live, to drive me to our mutual destination!
Eventually, we boarded the third plane for this leg of my journey. The captain appeared at the front of the cabin, apologized, said the airline’s maintenance was usually exemplary, and this was the first time in his 25 years of flying that he’d had to use a third plane for the same flight. I wished he’d never experienced it--since then I wouldn’t have, either!
Fortunately, my journey back from the east was fairly uneventful, except for some delays for weather--and because another of the planes had to be substituted because of a maintenance issue, but, fortunately, that happened in the city before the craft flew to pick me up.
Will I fly that airline again? Probably, since I’ve flown it often before with no problems. And I did, after all that, arrive at my destinations safely, if late. But I won’t forget this trip--and will hope that the airline beefs up its maintenance program!
--Linda
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Lots of Lessons
Nothing is as easy as it looks – isn’t that one of Murphy’s Laws? I found that out yesterday when I finally got to hang my Topse Turvy tomato planter. First of all, the roof on our balcony is about nine feet high, so we had to get the super of our building to come up and screw in the big ol’ hook to hang the planter from. Second, hanging it from that hook would leave it too high to fill, water and tend, so I bought a pulley and some heavy nylon line. Third, I forgot how heavy a cylinder sixteen inches high and nine inches in diameter would be once full of wet dirt. While I let it down in order to put the tomato plant in upside down and fill it with dirt and water it, it was then too heavy for me to hoist it – the nylon cut cruelly into my hands when I tried. So I had to get Ellen to lift it while I shortened the line and tied it off. Soon it was hanging above the railing, dribbling dirty water and expensive tomato fertilizer out the bottom. This thing had better grow more tomatoes than I have ever gotten from a single plant or I am going to be very disappointed.
When doing counted cross stitch it is considered good form to have all your Xs crossed the same way. That is, if your first X has the first stitch going left to right and the cross stitch right to left, then every X on the cloth must follow suit. I have learned that way to be sure you follow this rule is to do a row of half crosses (/ / / / /), then come back the other way, finishing the Xs. The reason behind this is that the piece looks nicer done like this, every X catches the light the same way.
Most stitchers I know hate backstitching. (For non-stitchers, this is an outline stitch done to surround a cluster of cross stitches; for example, the cute puppy’s eyes or his ears.) I don’t mind it – much – but maybe that’s because I do it before I do the Xs, and I do it as a double running stitch. I learned about the double running stitch when I took a class on Blackwork. It’s very easy to do, just stitch around the area, then come back going down where you went up to make a solid line. Regular stitching looks like this: --------. The double running stitch, after you come back the other way looks like this: ______. If you do your backstitching first, then you just fill in the center as if you’re a kid coloring between the lines. This is not considered good form, but then I was told when learning to stitch that if the pointed end goes through the fabric first, you’re doing it right.
Thinking about this makes me almost brave enough to work on that complex piece of loons reflected in a lake.
In my golf lesson yesterday evening we, at last, got to swing hard at the ball. I found out I’ve been doing it pretty much wrong, and following the instructor’s method hit the ball far more reliably. I’m still not much on distance and I need to spend more time at the driving range to set the new method into my nerves and muscles, but I feel much less of a duffer. Golf isn’t the game I thought it was. Those pros on television make it look so easy and natural but there’s method and discipline to every movement. The search is for consistency, not artistry. "Let the club do the work," says my instructor. Swing the same way every time, but choose a different club for a different situation, depending on how far you need to go or how much "loft" you want on the ball. Interesting.
When doing counted cross stitch it is considered good form to have all your Xs crossed the same way. That is, if your first X has the first stitch going left to right and the cross stitch right to left, then every X on the cloth must follow suit. I have learned that way to be sure you follow this rule is to do a row of half crosses (/ / / / /), then come back the other way, finishing the Xs. The reason behind this is that the piece looks nicer done like this, every X catches the light the same way.
Most stitchers I know hate backstitching. (For non-stitchers, this is an outline stitch done to surround a cluster of cross stitches; for example, the cute puppy’s eyes or his ears.) I don’t mind it – much – but maybe that’s because I do it before I do the Xs, and I do it as a double running stitch. I learned about the double running stitch when I took a class on Blackwork. It’s very easy to do, just stitch around the area, then come back going down where you went up to make a solid line. Regular stitching looks like this: --------. The double running stitch, after you come back the other way looks like this: ______. If you do your backstitching first, then you just fill in the center as if you’re a kid coloring between the lines. This is not considered good form, but then I was told when learning to stitch that if the pointed end goes through the fabric first, you’re doing it right.
Thinking about this makes me almost brave enough to work on that complex piece of loons reflected in a lake.
In my golf lesson yesterday evening we, at last, got to swing hard at the ball. I found out I’ve been doing it pretty much wrong, and following the instructor’s method hit the ball far more reliably. I’m still not much on distance and I need to spend more time at the driving range to set the new method into my nerves and muscles, but I feel much less of a duffer. Golf isn’t the game I thought it was. Those pros on television make it look so easy and natural but there’s method and discipline to every movement. The search is for consistency, not artistry. "Let the club do the work," says my instructor. Swing the same way every time, but choose a different club for a different situation, depending on how far you need to go or how much "loft" you want on the ball. Interesting.
Monday, May 25, 2009
No Aptitude for Artistry
Meet Deborah Sharp! our guest blogger today.
When I met Camille/Margaret at this spring's Malice Domestic conference, she nicely invited me to join the crafty authors at Killer Hobbies as guest blogger for a day. Like the former reporter I am, I did my research on the Killer gals: reading earlier blog entries, reviewing bios, perusing their books. My conclusion: Each is a goddess of creativity. And, man, am I intimidated!
With one book under my belt, and the second, Mama Rides Shotgun, coming out this July, I'm finally starting to feel like a real author. Even so, I feel like a pretender here today. My shameful secret: I was born without the handicraft gene. I have absolutely no knack for know-how.
Having two left thumbs is bad enough. But I can't even claim a real hobby, unless you count combing thrift shops for deals and then gloating about them to full-price-paying friends. Anybody see the blue suede jacket I wore at Malice? Found it brand new at a thrift store, tags from a posh dress shop still hanging from the sleeve. I paid $4.50. Would have been $9.00, but it was half-price day.
See what I mean?
I guess it could be worse. The main character in my funny, Southern-flavored Mace Bauer Mystery series has a hobby. She watches Cops on TV to see if any of her ex-boyfriends show up.
I've always envied people who can make things. My carpenter father built beautiful wooden cabinets. My mom sewed her own clothes. Their creativity must have skipped a generation. I still remember the trauma of home ec class. Tasked with making a simple, A-line dress, I ripped out the zipper so many times, there was no fabric left in the back. The teacher finally told me to step away from the sewing project. She offered to pass me with a C if I'd scour the stove and clean the floor after cooking class.
''Gladly,'' I said, mop bucket in hand.
At Malice, I sat in the audience for a panel featuring some of the talented authors on this blog. All around the room, women's hands were busy, creating beautiful things. Knitters. Crocheters. (Is that a word?) And someone doing something called ''counted cross-stitch.'' Manual dexterity and math? Ohmigod, the two hardest things in the world for me. Talk about feeling inadequate.
I read an earlier post here by my friend Joanna Campbell Slan, who said she's tired of feeling she has to apologize to folks who sneer at crafters. It made me wonder about the source of such arrogance. Jealousy? A need to feel superior? When I looked around the room that day at Malice, I felt only admiration (Okay, maybe a little envy).
Joanna wrote: ''. . . any creative or learning endeavor should be sacred and valued, not laughed at.''
Speaking as a craft-challenged individual, I couldn't agree more.
Afterword from Camille: Deborah may think she doesn't make anything, but if you saw her at Malice, you know she can make any audience pay attention and have fun. She had me making a list of how to give a pitch and make everyone feel special. That's a lot of making!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
How to Thank a Veteran
For Memorial Day, I thought I'd continue our "how to" theme and share ideas for thanking our servicemen and women. After all, we owe them a debt we can never repay.
1. Write to them. Send an email to a serviceperson. Go to http://www.anysoldier.com/WhereToSend/
2. Get involved and send a serviceperson a care package. Go to http://www.soldiersangels.org/ For a list of organizations with projects to support servicemen and servicewomen and their families.
3. Fly the flag on Memorial Day. You never know when a veteran will pass by and notice!
4. Say a prayer on Memorial Day. Remember the fallen, pray for those who serve and for their families. Pray for our leaders that they make good decisions.
5. Scrapbook a page honoring a serviceperson. Journal about how proud you are. Here's a terrific free journaling box http://freescrapbookingsupplies.blogspot.com/
6. Contact your local USO. I'm wondering if they'd like some of the books I'm weeding out from my bookshelves? I'll find out! http://uso.org/contacttheuso/
7. Wear an American flag on your clothing. It's a small way to say, "I am proud of my country."
8. Vote. Don't let them sacrifice for naught. Be a good citizen and do your part to protect the freedoms our servicepeople have fought and died for.
9. Visit a veteran's grave. Even if you simply stand there for a moment of quiet reflection, you're honoring their service--and you're rededicating yourself to the freedoms we enjoy as a citizen of this country.
1. Write to them. Send an email to a serviceperson. Go to http://www.anysoldier.com/WhereToSend/
2. Get involved and send a serviceperson a care package. Go to http://www.soldiersangels.org/ For a list of organizations with projects to support servicemen and servicewomen and their families.
3. Fly the flag on Memorial Day. You never know when a veteran will pass by and notice!
4. Say a prayer on Memorial Day. Remember the fallen, pray for those who serve and for their families. Pray for our leaders that they make good decisions.
5. Scrapbook a page honoring a serviceperson. Journal about how proud you are. Here's a terrific free journaling box http://freescrapbookingsupplies.blogspot.com/
6. Contact your local USO. I'm wondering if they'd like some of the books I'm weeding out from my bookshelves? I'll find out! http://uso.org/contacttheuso/
7. Wear an American flag on your clothing. It's a small way to say, "I am proud of my country."
8. Vote. Don't let them sacrifice for naught. Be a good citizen and do your part to protect the freedoms our servicepeople have fought and died for.
9. Visit a veteran's grave. Even if you simply stand there for a moment of quiet reflection, you're honoring their service--and you're rededicating yourself to the freedoms we enjoy as a citizen of this country.
How to Make Wine Charms
by Guest Blogger Mary Ellen Hughes
Many thanks to the Killer Hobbies authors for inviting me to guest blog. I’ve been reading their terrific tips all week (when I should be writing) and loving them.
For those of you who don’t know, I’m the author of the Craft Corner mystery series that began with Wreath of Deception and continued with String of Lies, then Paper-thin Alibi. The stories revolve around Jo McAllister who owns an arts and crafts shop and, in between investigating murders, gives classes on various crafts.
I included directions in the books for the crafts Jo focused on in each book, such as an original wreath, beaded key chain, and paper-lined gift boxes, and photos of each finished project are on my website http://www.maryellenhughes.com/
But I couldn’t include all the projects I would have liked to, so now’s my chance to offer readers another simple but fun project to do, something that a crafty friend of mine, Karlene Hicks, came up with when I was writing String of Lies: Wine Charms!
All you need are plain earring hoops that are available in craft stores in packs of 10-60 or so; then pick up seed beads, charms, small decorative buttons, or whatever strikes your fancy.
Choose a theme for each set of six or eight wine charms and select charms that fit that theme.
Add a few beads and a charm to each hoop so that they can swirl around the hoop loosely.
Here are some theme suggestions:
- Animals
- Celestial (sun, moon, stars, etc.)
- Garden insects (dragonflies, ladybugs, butterflies, etc.)
- Wine & food
- Nautical
- Sea life (dolphins, whales, starfish, seahorses, shells, etc.)
- Flowers/Butterflies in different colors
- Letters or initials or word charms (Live, Love, Laugh, Inspire, and more...)
Remember not to include duplicates in any set because the whole point is to differentiate one glass from another. Place the wine charms in a gift box to match your theme, similar to the ones I give directions for in Paper-thin Alibi, and you have a custom-made gift!
Enjoy impressing your guests with your special wine charms, or delighting your hostess with a unique hostess gift. Have a great summer, everyone!
Many thanks to the Killer Hobbies authors for inviting me to guest blog. I’ve been reading their terrific tips all week (when I should be writing) and loving them.
For those of you who don’t know, I’m the author of the Craft Corner mystery series that began with Wreath of Deception and continued with String of Lies, then Paper-thin Alibi. The stories revolve around Jo McAllister who owns an arts and crafts shop and, in between investigating murders, gives classes on various crafts.
I included directions in the books for the crafts Jo focused on in each book, such as an original wreath, beaded key chain, and paper-lined gift boxes, and photos of each finished project are on my website http://www.maryellenhughes.com/
But I couldn’t include all the projects I would have liked to, so now’s my chance to offer readers another simple but fun project to do, something that a crafty friend of mine, Karlene Hicks, came up with when I was writing String of Lies: Wine Charms!
All you need are plain earring hoops that are available in craft stores in packs of 10-60 or so; then pick up seed beads, charms, small decorative buttons, or whatever strikes your fancy.
Choose a theme for each set of six or eight wine charms and select charms that fit that theme.
Add a few beads and a charm to each hoop so that they can swirl around the hoop loosely.
Here are some theme suggestions:
- Animals
- Celestial (sun, moon, stars, etc.)
- Garden insects (dragonflies, ladybugs, butterflies, etc.)
- Wine & food
- Nautical
- Sea life (dolphins, whales, starfish, seahorses, shells, etc.)
- Flowers/Butterflies in different colors
- Letters or initials or word charms (Live, Love, Laugh, Inspire, and more...)
Remember not to include duplicates in any set because the whole point is to differentiate one glass from another. Place the wine charms in a gift box to match your theme, similar to the ones I give directions for in Paper-thin Alibi, and you have a custom-made gift!
Enjoy impressing your guests with your special wine charms, or delighting your hostess with a unique hostess gift. Have a great summer, everyone!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
From Knit to Crochet
The photo is my first completed knitting project. I used directions from a kid’s book and while I was pretty pleased with the outcome, I couldn’t help but wonder if I could crochet the same thing.
Here is the crochet pattern I came up with for the change purse.
I used Peaches & Creme cotton yarn (a small skein will make more than one) and a size E Hook. Gauge doesn’t matter for this project.
The other necessary supplies are a button and a large needle for weaving in the loose ends
The stitches used are single crochet, single crochet back loop, and single crochet 2 together
It is crocheted in one long piece that is then folded and crocheted together.
The finished size is approx. 4-1/2 by 3-1/2 inches
This is easy to make
Make a slip knot and chain 16.
Row 1 - Single crochet in the second chain from the hook and then across. 15 stitches made. Chain 1 and turn your work.
Row 2 - Single crochet across. Chain 1 and turn your work. Repeat this row until the piece is about 3 inches long.
Row3 - Single crochet in the back loop across the row. Chain 1 and turn your work. This makes nice little ridges. Repeat this row until the piece is about 8 inches long.
The flap (now you are going to start decreasing)
Row 1 Single crochet, single crochet 2 stitches together, single crochet the next 9 stitches, single crochet 2 stitches together, single crochet. The 15 stitches has now been decreased to 13. Chain 1 and turn your work.
Row 2 - Single crochet, single crochet 2 stitches together, single crochet the next 7 stitches, single crochet 2 stitches together, single crochet. Now there are 11 stitches. Chain 1 and turn your work.
Row3 - Single crochet, single crochet 2 stitches together, single crochet the next 2 stitches, chain 2 (this is for the button hole), single crochet the next 2 stitches, single crochet 2 stitches together, single crochet. Now there are 10 stitches. Chain 1 and turn your work.
Row 4 - Single crochet, single crochet 2 together, single crochet, single crochet 2 together, single crochet, single crochet 2 together, single crochet. Now there are 7 stitches. Chain 1 and turn your work.
Row 5 - Single crochet, single crochet 2 together, single crochet, single crochet 2 together, single crochet. Now there are 5 stitches. Chain 1 and turn your work.
Row 6 - Single crochet 2 together, single crochet, single crochet 2 together. Now there are 3 stitches. Chain 1 and turn your work.
Row 7 - Single crochet 3 together and fasten off.
Finishing: Weave in all the loose ends. Sew on the button with a regular needle and thread. Fold the piece and single crochet on each side to join the back and front. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Below is the crocheted version. Personally, I like it better. What do you think?
Thursday, May 21, 2009
How to Make a Frittata
They're coming! With Memorial Day around the corner, friends and relatives are packing their cars and heading to -- your house. Most house guests are out at lunchtime, so that leaves breakfast and dinner. Dinner can be barbecue, after all it's summer. But even if you take your guests out to dinner, you still have to make breakfast.
Enter the frittata -- a versatile breakfast/brunch egg dish that you can make while talking about Aunt Edna's allergies and giving directions to places you've never been.
Shopping List for the Frittata
eggs
olive oil
mushrooms
onion
garlic powder
salt
pepper
Shopping List for Things to Serve with the Frittata
breakfast meat (bacon or sausages)
butter
bread for toast (buy a fancy local jam to go with it)
or breakfast breads (muffins, coffeecake, etc.) fruit for a fruit salad (can be made the night before)
Before you begin the frittata, there are a couple of extra steps I recommend for your general sanity.
1. Make coffee or tea (or both). Put out sugar, milk, and mugs where your guests will see them so they can help themselves. They'll think you did it for them, but I know you were the last to bed and the first one up -- you need your jolt of caffeine.
2. Set the table. The coffee is perking. You're still groggy. Perfect time to set the table.
3. Place a basket of breakfast breads where your guests can find them. At least one person will nosh on them before breakfast.
4. Start the breakfast meats.
5. Take the fruit salad out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
And now -- the frittata.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
1 cup diced mushrooms
6 eggs (about 1 1/2 cups of eggs)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
pepper to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium/low heat. Swirl it around a couple of times to coat the sides of the pan. (Note: I do NOT use a nonstick pan for this.)
3. Add the onions and let cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir occasionally. If they threaten to burn, turn the heat down.
4. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft, about two minutes. Stir occasionally. (If you're experimenting, and you're a huge fan of herbs, this would be the time to add them.)
5. Meanwhile, add the salt, garlic powder, and pepper to the eggs and whisk together. (I like to use a Pyrex bowl that can go straight into the dishwasher.
6. Give the pan a good shake to distribute the mushrooms and onions evenly. Pour the seasoned eggs over the mushrooms and onions. Do NOT stir. Watch the eggs. After two to three minutes, you should see that the bottom is becoming firm.
7. Place the pan in the oven. You now have six to seven minutes to find the sock your dog stole from Uncle Elmo while he was sleeping.
8. After six to seven minutes, use a POTHOLDER to remove from oven and serve. It will deflate a little bit, but that's okay. For ease of serving, run a knife around the edge to loosen it and serve with a spatula or pie server.
I love this recipe because it's so simple. If you don't like mushrooms or onions, use spinach, leftover asparagus, ham, cheese, shallots, or peppers. I think this is one of those recipes where less is more. Don't overload with too many additions. Keep it simple and it will turn out great every time.
**
Krista Davis is the nationally bestselling author of the Domestic Diva Mystery series. The first in the series, The Diva Runs Out of Thyme was nominated for an Agatha award. The second book, The Diva Takes the Cake, will be available in bookstores on June 2nd. This time the divas take on a wedding. Sophie Winston has her hands full dealing with her bridezilla sister, Hannah. But when the groom's ex-wife is found hanging from a pergola, Sophie has bigger problems that she ever expected.
Visit Krista at her website http://divamysteries.com/ and her blog at http://thedivadishes.blogspot.com/ .
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
A Golfing Lesson & Other News
Remember last week when I asked if the needlework store Classy Threads was still in business? I’ve been doing too much needlework. The store sells clothing. I should have known that, I’m old enough to remember when "threads" was beatnik slang for clothing. D’oh!
Eye report: Nothing to report. Vision still blurry, doubled at a distance. My doctor is pleased with the reduction in eye pressure, he told me today that sometimes the tiny cut will heal up completely and the pressure inside the eyeball will climb again. My pressure is nice and low. He says the blurring will heal in time.
I ad my first golf lesson yesterday evening. The local pro says to start with putting, that putting is more than half the game. I’ve been playing miniature golf for years and so thought there was nothing I could learn about putting. Boy, was I wrong! I couldn’t believe how quickly I improved once I lined up my feet, my body, my club and the ball properly with regard to the hole. Now I want to go find a putting green and practice some more – but I won’t have a chance tomorrow, and I have another lesson on Thursday. There’s a miniature golf course out in Edina that is laid out on real grass not that indoor-outdoor carpet of most of them. I’ll have to go out there this summer to see if my game is better there as well as on a putting green. The only thing I was really bad at during my lesson yesterday was "readng" the green. A good player can see the subtle shifts of terrain that cause a ball to drift left or right from the straight line to the hole. Maybe it’s the blurry vision messing me up. Now I have another reason to be impatient to heal.
I have had an extraordinary opportunity handed to me. A friend from church knows a Hollywood producer and in the course of "pitching" some ideas he had for movies and television shows, he talked about my Betsy Devonshire series. And the producer was intrigued enough to ask for something in writing. So between pushes of writing Buttons and Bones I am now also working on synopses of six episodes of a one-hour television show featuring my sleuth. It’s a learn-as-you-go opportunity, as I am not used to writing for the screen and am finding it quite different from writing straight prose. This all may come to nothing, of course; I understand most proposals go nowhere. But it’s exciting none the less? Who do you think should play Betsy? Who would make a great Godwin? How about Jill?
Eye report: Nothing to report. Vision still blurry, doubled at a distance. My doctor is pleased with the reduction in eye pressure, he told me today that sometimes the tiny cut will heal up completely and the pressure inside the eyeball will climb again. My pressure is nice and low. He says the blurring will heal in time.
I ad my first golf lesson yesterday evening. The local pro says to start with putting, that putting is more than half the game. I’ve been playing miniature golf for years and so thought there was nothing I could learn about putting. Boy, was I wrong! I couldn’t believe how quickly I improved once I lined up my feet, my body, my club and the ball properly with regard to the hole. Now I want to go find a putting green and practice some more – but I won’t have a chance tomorrow, and I have another lesson on Thursday. There’s a miniature golf course out in Edina that is laid out on real grass not that indoor-outdoor carpet of most of them. I’ll have to go out there this summer to see if my game is better there as well as on a putting green. The only thing I was really bad at during my lesson yesterday was "readng" the green. A good player can see the subtle shifts of terrain that cause a ball to drift left or right from the straight line to the hole. Maybe it’s the blurry vision messing me up. Now I have another reason to be impatient to heal.
I have had an extraordinary opportunity handed to me. A friend from church knows a Hollywood producer and in the course of "pitching" some ideas he had for movies and television shows, he talked about my Betsy Devonshire series. And the producer was intrigued enough to ask for something in writing. So between pushes of writing Buttons and Bones I am now also working on synopses of six episodes of a one-hour television show featuring my sleuth. It’s a learn-as-you-go opportunity, as I am not used to writing for the screen and am finding it quite different from writing straight prose. This all may come to nothing, of course; I understand most proposals go nowhere. But it’s exciting none the less? Who do you think should play Betsy? Who would make a great Godwin? How about Jill?
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Scenes to go
This is a DIY of a different sort – part instruction, and part tips on how to personalize your craft.
The miniature scene pictured is destined for presentation to Beth Groundwater who commissioned "an outdoor scene." This was a real challenge for a city girl like me – my idea of an outdoor vacation is walking the museum mile up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
All the more fun to put it together!
The miniature has a campfire made of real stones and real wooden twigs that were burned over my sink. I bought the sand in a crafts store and glued it to wooden base; the snow is crafts store glitter. The trees are made from pipe cleaners of two different shades of green. What makes them look better, I think, is that their leaves have been painted with several coats of different shades of green paint, then white paint, then glitter.
Still, there's nothing earthshaking here, unless you count the little critter peeking out from behind the large tree in the top photo.
You all know Beth, author of the wonderful series featuring Claire Hanover, the proprietor of a Colorado Springs gift basket business. Even though she asked for an outdoor venue, I knew I had to include a GIFT BASKET.
I put together a small basket with a mini bottle of wine and 2 glasses, and – Beth writes mysteries, after all – a gun. You'll also see copies of Beth's books, A REAL BASKET CASE and TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET, and a few of her favorite authors. I can't wait to hand this over to Beth at Mayhem in the Midlands at the end of the week.I love making scenes that are suited to a particular person, whether for a birthday gift or anniversary, or for a conference silent auction, where I add books by the authors who will be attending.
Over the years my friends and relatives (like it or not) have received scenes from me: everything from a stable for my equestrian stepdaughter, to a 19th century jail for Ann Parker (Silver Rush series), to a bar covered with books for Left Coast in Denver last year. Samples are at the Gallery at http://www.dollhousemysteries.com.
Like Claire Hanover's thoughtful, personalized gift baskets, the best crafts are the ones that can immediately leave my house as a present or a donation. The bonus for me is that I can then get started on new supplies and new ideas.
So, thanks Beth for your interest and your part in keeping my hobby going! See you and, hopefully, other Killerhobbies readers at Mayhem for the presentation!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Claire Hanover's Tips for Effective Gift Baskets
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The kind authors at Killer Hobbies have invited me to give their blog readers some tips about making effective gift baskets. I can tell you that after the adventures I had in Beth Groundwater’s To Hell in a Handbasket, I am ready to return to my basement workroom and just create gift baskets for a while!
One of the gift baskets I put together during that time was a sympathy basket for Angela Contino, whose daughter was killed on a Breckenridge, Colorado ski slope. Here’s what I remember of a conversation between my daughter Judy and me about that basket:
“Thank you cards and a pen won’t fill a basket,” Judy said. “What else do you have in mind?”
“Some soothing things, like scented candles or a book of uplifting poems. Are the Continos religious?”
“Catholic. Nick doesn’t go to church much, but his mom attends mass every Sunday.”
“Okay, some religious poetry or a book about taking your grief to God, or something like that. And some soft music. A gift basket should have something for every sense—taste, smell, sight, touch, and sound. What kind of music do Nick’s parents enjoy?”
Judy thought for a moment. “Classical, I think.”
“Good, I’ll ask at the stationary store where we can find some nice CDs.”
This conversation covers two of my most important guidelines for creating gif
t baskets that will be appreciated and remembered. The first is to really know the recipient’s interests and tastes. That way you can tailor the basket’s contents to match, the same way I took into account Angela Contino’s Catholic religion and enjoyment of classical music. The second guideline is to include something for all the senses. The music was for Angela’s ears, the scented candle for her nose, and later I found some soothing chamomile herb tea for her mouth.
I usually pick one main color and two complementary accent colors for each gift basket. In this case, I found a dyed wicker basket that matched the colors in the Contino ski house living room so the basket could be used to hold reading materials later. They have a dark green leather sofa and stone-inlaid coffee table and fireplace, so dark green, gray, and brick red were the colors woven into the basket. I also used those colors for the decorations—a fancy bow and dried flowers, and for the lining, a soft, woven wrap scarf that could be used to warm a grieving woman or to drape decoratively over a chair later.
The basket couldn’t take away Angela Contino’s grief, but it let her know that we were thinking of her. It may have brought her some comfort, and it contained useful items such as the pen and thank you cards that she could use in the days ahead. And, while delivering that basket to the Contino home, I happened to discover an important clue to the mystery of who killed Stephanie and why!
With gift baskets, it is truly the thought that counts. I encourage everyone to put together gift baskets for special occasions, and don’t worry about it looking amateurish. To read the rest of my Tips for Making Perfect Gift Baskets, visit the Articles page of Beth Groundwater’s website at http://bethgroundwater.com/ . Also on her website are reviews, excerpts, discussion questions, and more information about her books, a schedule of her appearances, and the full schedule of her blog book tour.
I’d love to answer here any questions you have about gift baskets, and Beth will be available, too, to answer questions about her books and writing.
You can purchase To Hell in a Handbasket and A Real Basket Case by ordering them at your local bookstore, or by going to one of the following links:
- http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?ATH=Beth+Groundwater- http://tinyurl.com/Beth-Books-at-Amazon
One of the gift baskets I put together during that time was a sympathy basket for Angela Contino, whose daughter was killed on a Breckenridge, Colorado ski slope. Here’s what I remember of a conversation between my daughter Judy and me about that basket:
“Thank you cards and a pen won’t fill a basket,” Judy said. “What else do you have in mind?”
“Some soothing things, like scented candles or a book of uplifting poems. Are the Continos religious?”
“Catholic. Nick doesn’t go to church much, but his mom attends mass every Sunday.”
“Okay, some religious poetry or a book about taking your grief to God, or something like that. And some soft music. A gift basket should have something for every sense—taste, smell, sight, touch, and sound. What kind of music do Nick’s parents enjoy?”
Judy thought for a moment. “Classical, I think.”
“Good, I’ll ask at the stationary store where we can find some nice CDs.”
This conversation covers two of my most important guidelines for creating gif
t baskets that will be appreciated and remembered. The first is to really know the recipient’s interests and tastes. That way you can tailor the basket’s contents to match, the same way I took into account Angela Contino’s Catholic religion and enjoyment of classical music. The second guideline is to include something for all the senses. The music was for Angela’s ears, the scented candle for her nose, and later I found some soothing chamomile herb tea for her mouth.I usually pick one main color and two complementary accent colors for each gift basket. In this case, I found a dyed wicker basket that matched the colors in the Contino ski house living room so the basket could be used to hold reading materials later. They have a dark green leather sofa and stone-inlaid coffee table and fireplace, so dark green, gray, and brick red were the colors woven into the basket. I also used those colors for the decorations—a fancy bow and dried flowers, and for the lining, a soft, woven wrap scarf that could be used to warm a grieving woman or to drape decoratively over a chair later.
The basket couldn’t take away Angela Contino’s grief, but it let her know that we were thinking of her. It may have brought her some comfort, and it contained useful items such as the pen and thank you cards that she could use in the days ahead. And, while delivering that basket to the Contino home, I happened to discover an important clue to the mystery of who killed Stephanie and why!
With gift baskets, it is truly the thought that counts. I encourage everyone to put together gift baskets for special occasions, and don’t worry about it looking amateurish. To read the rest of my Tips for Making Perfect Gift Baskets, visit the Articles page of Beth Groundwater’s website at http://bethgroundwater.com/ . Also on her website are reviews, excerpts, discussion questions, and more information about her books, a schedule of her appearances, and the full schedule of her blog book tour.
I’d love to answer here any questions you have about gift baskets, and Beth will be available, too, to answer questions about her books and writing.
You can purchase To Hell in a Handbasket and A Real Basket Case by ordering them at your local bookstore, or by going to one of the following links:
- http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?ATH=Beth+Groundwater- http://tinyurl.com/Beth-Books-at-Amazon
**
Contest announcement:
Contest announcement:
If you comment on this article or ask Claire or Beth a question today, or comment on Beth's blog (http://bethgroundwater.blogspot.com/) anytime during her May blog book tour, you will be entered into a drawing for an autographed set of both books in the Claire Hanover gift basket designer mystery series: A REAL BASKET CASE and TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET. Good luck!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
The C Word
In the crochet mystery I’m about to start writing, Molly Pink learns about yarn, which in turn means I need to learn about yarn. I know about the basic stuff – the reasonably priced kind you can buy at Joann’s or Michael’s. I want to see in person the kind of yarn I’ve only seen in books. For this I have to seek out small yarn shops.
I tried going into some of these small stores before, but frankly it didn’t turn out well. You would think a small shop keeper would be anxious to help a new customer. Not my experience. I thought it was just me and that I imagined their disdain when I mentioned crochet or asked where the crochet supplies were when all I saw was a wall of knitting needles. Even when I told them about my mystery series, they were weird and not very friendly.
Recently I picked up a book called Hooked for Life Adventures of a Crochet Zealot. It is made up of essay about crochet written by Mary Beth Temple. I happened to randomly pick one last night titled Crocheters, the Silent Majority. Mary Beth reiterates what I had read elsewhere – that crocheters far outnumber knitters, though nobody seems to know by how many. She also brought up hearing about people having the kind of experience I’d had in local yarn stores. To see if it was true, she went to a well known big city yarn store. When she saw that there were only three lonely looking crochet hooks among the huge supply of knitting needles, she asked the owner where the crochet supplies were. Mary Beth said the woman gave her a bemused expression and showed no interest in waiting on her.
So, maybe it wasn’t my imagination after all. Even though it seems crazy even as I’m writing this. How can these little yarn stores afford to be so snobby against crochet?
I will be finding out. Starting tomorrow I’m going give the yarn stores in my area another chance. I want to buy skeins of all different kinds of yarn and make up swatches so I can see what each kind looks like and what it’s like to work with. But before I rack up a big bill, I’m going to buy one skein of yarn and see how the shop keeper reacts to the C word. No respect and I keep moving. I’ll report on what happens.
Have you ever felt discriminated against?
I tried going into some of these small stores before, but frankly it didn’t turn out well. You would think a small shop keeper would be anxious to help a new customer. Not my experience. I thought it was just me and that I imagined their disdain when I mentioned crochet or asked where the crochet supplies were when all I saw was a wall of knitting needles. Even when I told them about my mystery series, they were weird and not very friendly.
Recently I picked up a book called Hooked for Life Adventures of a Crochet Zealot. It is made up of essay about crochet written by Mary Beth Temple. I happened to randomly pick one last night titled Crocheters, the Silent Majority. Mary Beth reiterates what I had read elsewhere – that crocheters far outnumber knitters, though nobody seems to know by how many. She also brought up hearing about people having the kind of experience I’d had in local yarn stores. To see if it was true, she went to a well known big city yarn store. When she saw that there were only three lonely looking crochet hooks among the huge supply of knitting needles, she asked the owner where the crochet supplies were. Mary Beth said the woman gave her a bemused expression and showed no interest in waiting on her.
So, maybe it wasn’t my imagination after all. Even though it seems crazy even as I’m writing this. How can these little yarn stores afford to be so snobby against crochet?
I will be finding out. Starting tomorrow I’m going give the yarn stores in my area another chance. I want to buy skeins of all different kinds of yarn and make up swatches so I can see what each kind looks like and what it’s like to work with. But before I rack up a big bill, I’m going to buy one skein of yarn and see how the shop keeper reacts to the C word. No respect and I keep moving. I’ll report on what happens.
Have you ever felt discriminated against?
Friday, May 15, 2009
Author, Author
Five authors in one car and the talk is bound to turn to famous authors. The newbie was really distressed to hear one of her favorite children’s authors was not a very pleasant person. She felt her enjoyment of this author’s work was forever tainted by knowing that this woman was not kind and generous but prickly and abrasive.
At the time, I thought she was naïve. People are people and not all of them are warm and fuzzy. I’m okay with that.
Then tickets for a James Taylor concert went on sale. And for the first time in a long time, my visceral reaction was no. I didn’t want to see him play. And I know why. I’d found out he’d been like in his younger days.
I’d read the book Girls Like Us by Sheila Weller, which is about Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon. A wonderful read, full of insights about the sixties and fun facts about the singer/songwriters’ lives. And loves. And, I have to tell you James Taylor doesn’t come off very well.
I know he was young, and an addict to boot, but he was a jerk. He’s not that person today, but the songs that l loved were all written in the time period. Now instead of insightful and meaningful, I read the lyrics as indulgent and misogynous.
It shouldn’t matter, I know. The author/songwriter should be judged on her work. Nothing else. But people react. They don’t like what that author stood for, who she voted for in the last election.
The internet has made it much easier to get to “know” your favorite authors. I’m thrilled when Dana Stabenow comments on my Facebook page or when Joshilyn Jackson writes about the difficulty of sitting down to write every day. On the other hand, language used by another author on a blog turned me off.
So my question is this: in this era of Facebook/Twitter/blogging, when is too much information too much?
What about you? Has meeting an author turned you on or off her work? Has something someone tweeted or posted offended you enough to swear off buying their books? Do you worry about the image you’re projecting as an author?
At the time, I thought she was naïve. People are people and not all of them are warm and fuzzy. I’m okay with that.
Then tickets for a James Taylor concert went on sale. And for the first time in a long time, my visceral reaction was no. I didn’t want to see him play. And I know why. I’d found out he’d been like in his younger days.
I’d read the book Girls Like Us by Sheila Weller, which is about Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon. A wonderful read, full of insights about the sixties and fun facts about the singer/songwriters’ lives. And loves. And, I have to tell you James Taylor doesn’t come off very well.
I know he was young, and an addict to boot, but he was a jerk. He’s not that person today, but the songs that l loved were all written in the time period. Now instead of insightful and meaningful, I read the lyrics as indulgent and misogynous.
It shouldn’t matter, I know. The author/songwriter should be judged on her work. Nothing else. But people react. They don’t like what that author stood for, who she voted for in the last election.
The internet has made it much easier to get to “know” your favorite authors. I’m thrilled when Dana Stabenow comments on my Facebook page or when Joshilyn Jackson writes about the difficulty of sitting down to write every day. On the other hand, language used by another author on a blog turned me off.
So my question is this: in this era of Facebook/Twitter/blogging, when is too much information too much?
What about you? Has meeting an author turned you on or off her work? Has something someone tweeted or posted offended you enough to swear off buying their books? Do you worry about the image you’re projecting as an author?
Thursday, May 14, 2009
My Elusive Pup
That’s what I call my younger Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Mystie. She always slips into or out of rooms faster than I can keep track of her. Once, when I was leaving on a trip, I ushered Lexie and Mystie into the kitchen, gave them their goodbye treats, and locked the gate to keep them in the kitchen, where both pups stay when we’re gone. When I turned around, she was behind me--and not in the kitchen at all! I put her back in and locked the gate, but when I got to the airport I called my pet-sitter again to please go check on her as soon as possible, to ensure she hadn’t sneaked out again when I wasn’t looking.
I always watch Mystie when I go out our front gate, trying to ensure she’s behind me and hasn’t slipped around onto the street. And she’s been known to slip into a neighbor’s yard through a very narrow-slatted fence and wind up stuck under the platform where we mutually keep our garbage cans.
And why am I writing about Mystie now? Well, yesterday, when I was checking my e-mail, I heard a very pitiful cry from the kitchen--Mystie’s. I assumed Lexie was playing keep-away with a toy and didn’t leap up immediately. But then Lexie started barking in a tone that wasn’t her “I’m alpha dog so just try to get the bone away from me” one, so I dashed into the kitchen... and didn’t see Mystie. Fortunately, I figured out immediately where she was. I had just gone into our pantry to pull out a can of soup for lunch and hadn’t checked dog locations afterward. Sure enough, when I opened the pantry door, out popped Mystie. I thanked Lexie with a treat, of course, and gave Mystie one to make her feel better.
I’ll have to use this in a book sometime... In fact, I’m writing something similar now about a kitty.
How about you? Do you have any elusive pets? Do your pets inspire your writing?
--Linda
I always watch Mystie when I go out our front gate, trying to ensure she’s behind me and hasn’t slipped around onto the street. And she’s been known to slip into a neighbor’s yard through a very narrow-slatted fence and wind up stuck under the platform where we mutually keep our garbage cans.
And why am I writing about Mystie now? Well, yesterday, when I was checking my e-mail, I heard a very pitiful cry from the kitchen--Mystie’s. I assumed Lexie was playing keep-away with a toy and didn’t leap up immediately. But then Lexie started barking in a tone that wasn’t her “I’m alpha dog so just try to get the bone away from me” one, so I dashed into the kitchen... and didn’t see Mystie. Fortunately, I figured out immediately where she was. I had just gone into our pantry to pull out a can of soup for lunch and hadn’t checked dog locations afterward. Sure enough, when I opened the pantry door, out popped Mystie. I thanked Lexie with a treat, of course, and gave Mystie one to make her feel better.
I’ll have to use this in a book sometime... In fact, I’m writing something similar now about a kitty.
How about you? Do you have any elusive pets? Do your pets inspire your writing?
--Linda
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
I was interviewed on a small-town radio station Tuesday morning. It was fun, the questions were wide-ranging and intelligent without being provoking, and they kept repeating both the time and place of my appearance in Ortonville (MN), and my web site address. Yet I would love a "do over." I feel I wasn’t as articulate as I have been other times or as spritely as I would have liked to appear. I guess that’s why I’m a writer; I can make conversations seem spontaneous and witty if I’ve got a couple of weeks to do it.
By the way, that’s the Ortonville, MN, public library on Saturday, May 16, from one to three. I’ll be giving a talk and selling my books.
I am starting to look ahead to signing events in the fall, when Blackwork will makes its appearance and then to June 2010, when I want to take the Empire Builder train from Minneapolis to Seattle, making stops along the way to do signings. Does anyone know if the needlework shop Classy Threads is still in business in Malta, Montana? They aren’t answering their phone.
One place I’m talking to for an October appearance is Martha Marrell’s in Milwaukee. They put on a fancy meal for their authors, the food themed to the book the author is promoting. And the author, in turn, presents everyone at the table with a little gift. Since I do needlework mysteries, I should come up with something stitched. A bookmark, for example. I’ll have to find out how many guests come to this thing, so I can judge how complex a pattern I could trust myself to finish in time for the dinner, which will be somewhere around the second weekend in October. I’ll also stop in Madison at Booked for Murder. I’ve been going to Booked for Murder since my first novel, Murder at the War, was published back in 1987.
I was reading an article posted on the Arts & Letters Daily blog and came across this quote from Samuel P. Huntington, who wrote a book called The Soldier and the State: "Man has elements of goodness but he is also evil, weak and irrational." Sounds like Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple to me. You remember her, the old Victorian remnant "with a mind like a sink," always thinking the worst of people. When accused of this she would say, "Yes, my dear, but I am so often right." Interesting to think of the mild –mannered Miss Marple and the curmudgeonly Mr. Huntington (okay, one is a fictional person, but I’m sure Ms. Christie knew women like her) as agreeing on the basic wickedness of humankind! But isn't that the basis of most mystery novels? That humankind may look sweet on the surface, but lurking beneath are greed and cruelty and selfishness?
By the way, that’s the Ortonville, MN, public library on Saturday, May 16, from one to three. I’ll be giving a talk and selling my books.
I am starting to look ahead to signing events in the fall, when Blackwork will makes its appearance and then to June 2010, when I want to take the Empire Builder train from Minneapolis to Seattle, making stops along the way to do signings. Does anyone know if the needlework shop Classy Threads is still in business in Malta, Montana? They aren’t answering their phone.
One place I’m talking to for an October appearance is Martha Marrell’s in Milwaukee. They put on a fancy meal for their authors, the food themed to the book the author is promoting. And the author, in turn, presents everyone at the table with a little gift. Since I do needlework mysteries, I should come up with something stitched. A bookmark, for example. I’ll have to find out how many guests come to this thing, so I can judge how complex a pattern I could trust myself to finish in time for the dinner, which will be somewhere around the second weekend in October. I’ll also stop in Madison at Booked for Murder. I’ve been going to Booked for Murder since my first novel, Murder at the War, was published back in 1987.
I was reading an article posted on the Arts & Letters Daily blog and came across this quote from Samuel P. Huntington, who wrote a book called The Soldier and the State: "Man has elements of goodness but he is also evil, weak and irrational." Sounds like Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple to me. You remember her, the old Victorian remnant "with a mind like a sink," always thinking the worst of people. When accused of this she would say, "Yes, my dear, but I am so often right." Interesting to think of the mild –mannered Miss Marple and the curmudgeonly Mr. Huntington (okay, one is a fictional person, but I’m sure Ms. Christie knew women like her) as agreeing on the basic wickedness of humankind! But isn't that the basis of most mystery novels? That humankind may look sweet on the surface, but lurking beneath are greed and cruelty and selfishness?
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Do the math
Every year the Mt. Diablo Branch of the California Writers Club sponsors a writing contest for public and private middle school students in our Contra Costa County. Our branch is incorporated with the mission to educate both writers and the public in the art and craft of professional writing.
It's always exciting to recognize young writers who have excelled in the areas of short story, poetry, and essay/personal narrative.
It was my privilege on Saturday to speak at the banquet honoring the winners of the Young Writers Contest, their parents, relatives, teachers, and friends. The students were presented with a plaque, a check, and generous amounts of praise and congratulations.
The person who introduced me mentioned that I was a scientist. Afterwards, a young girl came up to me and told me she was interested in math and science also, but didn't want to stop writing. Did I have any advice?
"How long do you have?" I asked.Not really, but I did take some time to tell her she didn't have to make a choice, that if she had the passion and the discipline she could do anything and everything she enjoyed and felt she was good at.
Of course, I did tell her to do the math first!
What advice do you give young writers?
Monday, May 11, 2009
Hobbies Heal--and I'm Tired of Apologizing for Them!
Hobbies heal. (Okay, so I'm being redundant. I'm trying to hammer home a point here.)
Yeah, sometimes we crafters get no respect. People tease us, malign us, and make fun of us. But that’s only because they don’t understand the awesome regenerative power of creativity, a power which is self-evident. Without creativity, you’d be dead. Which is why any creative or learning endeavor should be sacred and valued, not laughed at.
In a world where so much of what we do is ethereal and transitory, crafts announce, “I was here.” They provide a sort of ordering calm as we take the chaos of materials and turn them into a new and beautiful design. Crafts give us a sense of mastery over our environment. We feel good because we have turned nothing into something of value, which is for most of us, the sign of a life well-lived. As we stitch or paste or assemble, we know we are engaging in something which we hope will bring joy or discovery or comfort to another person. So each action is imbued with a sort of meditative focus on gratitude.
Years ago, I needed to make a page about my father. The page was to be a part of a book I was writing on scrapbooking. Now, my dad died at age 48 of alcoholism. He was not a happy, friendly drunk. He was an angry, bitter man who was hurtful in so many ways.
To make the page, I needed more background information. I called my mother and asked questions. I called my grandmother and talked with her.
I started work. As I did, something hard and painful broke loose inside of me. I pasted down the photo of my father as a young man in the Navy, and I wept. I cried for his lost potential. I cried because I was forced to see him in a new light—the light of his youth when the world was his for the taking.
Crafts heal. And frankly, I’m a bit sick of being an apologist (my fault! I admit) when folks come up and sneer about how important they are.
NOTE: I will draw the winner of our signed set of Malice books late tonight. If you haven’t entered, go back through the Mondays (April 30, March 6, March 13, March 20, and March 27) and find all the clue words. Then email those clue words to me at savetales@aol.com Be sure to put Malice in the subject line.
Yeah, sometimes we crafters get no respect. People tease us, malign us, and make fun of us. But that’s only because they don’t understand the awesome regenerative power of creativity, a power which is self-evident. Without creativity, you’d be dead. Which is why any creative or learning endeavor should be sacred and valued, not laughed at.
In a world where so much of what we do is ethereal and transitory, crafts announce, “I was here.” They provide a sort of ordering calm as we take the chaos of materials and turn them into a new and beautiful design. Crafts give us a sense of mastery over our environment. We feel good because we have turned nothing into something of value, which is for most of us, the sign of a life well-lived. As we stitch or paste or assemble, we know we are engaging in something which we hope will bring joy or discovery or comfort to another person. So each action is imbued with a sort of meditative focus on gratitude.
Years ago, I needed to make a page about my father. The page was to be a part of a book I was writing on scrapbooking. Now, my dad died at age 48 of alcoholism. He was not a happy, friendly drunk. He was an angry, bitter man who was hurtful in so many ways.
To make the page, I needed more background information. I called my mother and asked questions. I called my grandmother and talked with her.
I started work. As I did, something hard and painful broke loose inside of me. I pasted down the photo of my father as a young man in the Navy, and I wept. I cried for his lost potential. I cried because I was forced to see him in a new light—the light of his youth when the world was his for the taking.
Crafts heal. And frankly, I’m a bit sick of being an apologist (my fault! I admit) when folks come up and sneer about how important they are.
NOTE: I will draw the winner of our signed set of Malice books late tonight. If you haven’t entered, go back through the Mondays (April 30, March 6, March 13, March 20, and March 27) and find all the clue words. Then email those clue words to me at savetales@aol.com Be sure to put Malice in the subject line.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Show and Tell
I realized I was the only one on the Malice panel who hadn’t been to a craft show. I was going to rectify it by going to the Knit Guild and Crochet Guild show that’s in Portland, Oregon next weekend. But buying plane tickets at the last minute is ridiculous. With two weeks advance purchase, a ticket was around $200. But with just one week in advance it was double that.
I found out The National Needlecraft Association has a show in the fall which ought to give me plenty of time to get a good deal on a plane ticket.
One of the reasons I wanted to go was that was to see all the specialty yarns. You can read about them in magazines and see photos online, but it isn’t the same as seeing them in person and being able to touch them. In the crochet mystery I’m about to begin both Molly Pink and I are going to upgrade our yarn experience. So far, I’ve stuck to craft super store kinds of offerings. Now I want to try cashmere and high end blends. I want to see how different it is to work with expensive yarn.
The same information will help with the knitting story I’m working on. Working with two pointy things still feels much more awkward than just using a hook, but I’m getting the hang of knitting. I picked up some knitting books and seem to be able to understand the patterns - at least in my head anyway.
I am looking forward to finishing the little coin purse I started, though I still don’t get what the big deal is about knitting. Crocheting feels more natural, is easier and faster. And it’s easy to rip out your mistakes. The hooks are shorter than needles and easier to carry.
But I like having a craft challenge. I like the idea of learning something new.
How about the rest of you? Have you learned anything new lately and how do you feel about it?
I found out The National Needlecraft Association has a show in the fall which ought to give me plenty of time to get a good deal on a plane ticket.
One of the reasons I wanted to go was that was to see all the specialty yarns. You can read about them in magazines and see photos online, but it isn’t the same as seeing them in person and being able to touch them. In the crochet mystery I’m about to begin both Molly Pink and I are going to upgrade our yarn experience. So far, I’ve stuck to craft super store kinds of offerings. Now I want to try cashmere and high end blends. I want to see how different it is to work with expensive yarn.
The same information will help with the knitting story I’m working on. Working with two pointy things still feels much more awkward than just using a hook, but I’m getting the hang of knitting. I picked up some knitting books and seem to be able to understand the patterns - at least in my head anyway.
I am looking forward to finishing the little coin purse I started, though I still don’t get what the big deal is about knitting. Crocheting feels more natural, is easier and faster. And it’s easy to rip out your mistakes. The hooks are shorter than needles and easier to carry.
But I like having a craft challenge. I like the idea of learning something new.
How about the rest of you? Have you learned anything new lately and how do you feel about it?
Friday, May 8, 2009
After Malice
What could be better than Malice? With great panels, meeting old friends and making new, and the wonderful Berkley dinner, Malice is a tough act to follow. However, the folks at the Mystery Lovers Bookstore in Oakmont, PA, did just that. Each year on the Monday after Malice, they put on the Festival of Mystery.
I'd heard about this mythical one day event last time I was at Malice. Talk of many authors, many books sold in just a few hours. So Joanna and I climbed into their rental car and made the 400 mile trip to PA.
The next day a volunteer, Joyce Tremel (whose mystery is with an agent, fingers crossed for her), picked me up at my hotel and we drove through the rain-slicked streets of Pittsburgh to get to the first event, a tea thrown by the libraries of Alleghany county. We mingled with the librarians and locals, some book club members, some Friends of the Library and I introduced myself to authors I’d missed at Malice.
From there it was on to the Greek Church Hall for the main event. There was a line of people outside. Did I mention it was raining? I learned later that they’d come from all over and started lining up hours earlier.
We entered through the kitchen, glamorous as always. I found my name on a table piled high with my books. Right next to Elaine Viets and Heather Webber to one side and Heather Terrell and Marcia Talley to my right.
The doors opened and the place was packed. Readers, armed with their lists, gathered up books from their favorites. My books were new to them but many were willing to take a chance on a new author. I got the feeling that they’d discovered many wonderful authors at this event, and so were open to try new series.
After the first hour, Richard Goldman interviewed the authors on a little stage in another part of the hall. The audience, sated from their book buying frenzy, sat in rapt attention. He was a gracious host, as was Mary Alice Gorman. The event lasted four hours with all the authors being introduced and fans lingering even as clean up (by a crack team of volunteers) began. Afterwards, it was back to the bookstore for pizza and down time.
According to their email, over eighteen hundred books were sold, a 15% increase over last year. 8 books a minute!
What a wonderful event for both readers and writers! I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope Richard and Mary Alice continue doing this. One way to ensure this is to support them and other independent book stores. You can order directly from them at www.mysterylovers.com. I’m going to buy some of the books I saw last Monday night.
I'd heard about this mythical one day event last time I was at Malice. Talk of many authors, many books sold in just a few hours. So Joanna and I climbed into their rental car and made the 400 mile trip to PA.
The next day a volunteer, Joyce Tremel (whose mystery is with an agent, fingers crossed for her), picked me up at my hotel and we drove through the rain-slicked streets of Pittsburgh to get to the first event, a tea thrown by the libraries of Alleghany county. We mingled with the librarians and locals, some book club members, some Friends of the Library and I introduced myself to authors I’d missed at Malice.
From there it was on to the Greek Church Hall for the main event. There was a line of people outside. Did I mention it was raining? I learned later that they’d come from all over and started lining up hours earlier.
We entered through the kitchen, glamorous as always. I found my name on a table piled high with my books. Right next to Elaine Viets and Heather Webber to one side and Heather Terrell and Marcia Talley to my right.
The doors opened and the place was packed. Readers, armed with their lists, gathered up books from their favorites. My books were new to them but many were willing to take a chance on a new author. I got the feeling that they’d discovered many wonderful authors at this event, and so were open to try new series.
After the first hour, Richard Goldman interviewed the authors on a little stage in another part of the hall. The audience, sated from their book buying frenzy, sat in rapt attention. He was a gracious host, as was Mary Alice Gorman. The event lasted four hours with all the authors being introduced and fans lingering even as clean up (by a crack team of volunteers) began. Afterwards, it was back to the bookstore for pizza and down time.
According to their email, over eighteen hundred books were sold, a 15% increase over last year. 8 books a minute!
What a wonderful event for both readers and writers! I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope Richard and Mary Alice continue doing this. One way to ensure this is to support them and other independent book stores. You can order directly from them at www.mysterylovers.com. I’m going to buy some of the books I saw last Monday night.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Malice Envy
This year’s was the first Malice Domestic I’ve missed in several years, and I was delighted to hear how much my fellow bloggers enjoyed it. And, yes, I was a little envious, too, since I’ve always enjoyed Malice.
But I missed it for the best of reasons: largely because my older son and his wife were visiting from Chicago, along with their adorable Puli, Piper. I had such a wonderful time having them around! Our younger son came up from San Diego for part of the visit, too, and our nephew who lives in L.A., and his girlfriend, joined us all for dinner one evening. Well, not the dogs, but the rest of us.
Speaking of the dogs, it was fascinating to see their interaction. Piper is a lot better socialized then either of ours. And although Mystie tried to keep up with her, Piper is one Puli-bundle of energy! She dashed in circles around our large backyard, and even put all other pups visiting the dog park we visited to shame with how fast she was. Lexie just watched with disdain, since she is number one pup in our household. Mystie, who’s a lot smaller, ran around, too, but was intimidated when Piper ran too close to her.
Now, they’re all gone again, back home to Chicago and San Diego. It’s quieter around here, and although Mystie has looked around for Piper, she seems happy to be able to play ball with us again her way, without Piper dashing off with the balls. Lexie never stopped demanding attention as number one pup, so her recognition that Piper is gone is not as overt.
I’m hoping to make Malice next year. But given a similar choice... Malice can miss me, too!
By the way, I’m really into blogging these days. I blogged on two other sites earlier this week: A Slice of Orange, the blog of the Orange County Chapter of the Romance Writers of America, and the new Silhouette Nocturne blog on the eHarlequin website. More to come for both of them, too!
Have you missed any potentially enjoyable events lately to be with family instead?
--Linda
But I missed it for the best of reasons: largely because my older son and his wife were visiting from Chicago, along with their adorable Puli, Piper. I had such a wonderful time having them around! Our younger son came up from San Diego for part of the visit, too, and our nephew who lives in L.A., and his girlfriend, joined us all for dinner one evening. Well, not the dogs, but the rest of us.
Speaking of the dogs, it was fascinating to see their interaction. Piper is a lot better socialized then either of ours. And although Mystie tried to keep up with her, Piper is one Puli-bundle of energy! She dashed in circles around our large backyard, and even put all other pups visiting the dog park we visited to shame with how fast she was. Lexie just watched with disdain, since she is number one pup in our household. Mystie, who’s a lot smaller, ran around, too, but was intimidated when Piper ran too close to her.
Now, they’re all gone again, back home to Chicago and San Diego. It’s quieter around here, and although Mystie has looked around for Piper, she seems happy to be able to play ball with us again her way, without Piper dashing off with the balls. Lexie never stopped demanding attention as number one pup, so her recognition that Piper is gone is not as overt.
I’m hoping to make Malice next year. But given a similar choice... Malice can miss me, too!
By the way, I’m really into blogging these days. I blogged on two other sites earlier this week: A Slice of Orange, the blog of the Orange County Chapter of the Romance Writers of America, and the new Silhouette Nocturne blog on the eHarlequin website. More to come for both of them, too!
Have you missed any potentially enjoyable events lately to be with family instead?
--Linda
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
ADVENTURES AT MALICE
The first adventure was simply getting there. I got on the Internet a couple of weeks in advance and searched for cheap airline tickets. Success! I thought. But I was wrong. Oh, not in the price, but the landing field. The lowest price was coming into Dulles. Because it was the older name (the other airport is Reagan), I thought it was the one closer in. I was so wrong! The wonderful Washington Metro doesn’t go as far out as Dulles. My hotel didn’t offer a shuttle. My choices were to take a city bus to the nearest Metro line, then change at least once to get to Crystal City; or, take a cab. I was tired and burdened with a huge purse, a big, heavy suitcase, and a hatbox. And my feet already hurt – I had to wear my biggest hat and so had to wear an appropriate dressy outfit so I didn’t look like a total dork. The cab fare was over fifty-five dollars, not including tip. I will say, however, the cab was incredibly comfortable. Also, on the flight from Minneapolis, a man with a very loud voice sat behind me and confided many details of his personal life and career to his seatmate (poor woman). My own seatmate grumbled about it the whole trip. Not a fun journey, so when I decided to take a cab, I asked the driver to be quiet, and he was, the entire trip. I sank into new leather seats, cracked a window to the refreshing spring air, and recovered a lot of lost equilibrium on the long, expensive, silent journey to the Marriott Hotel.
The Marriott is a fine hotel, and I had a room all to myself. As I was suffering from a mild medical problem, it was sweet to be able to retreat to my room now and again and not bother or be bothered by anyone.
I didn’t get a lot from the panels. I’ve been going to these events for a large number of years, and there isn’t a whole lot I haven’t already heard. But one panel, "Get a Clue," quoted from a lengthy oath that a writers group found back in the twenties in England made its members take. The moderator asked the panelists if they would be willing to swear to two parts of the oath, copies of which were handed out to the audience. After a bit of hemming and hawing, every member did. The two parts: "Do you promise that your Detectives shall ell and truly detect the Crimes presented to the, using those with which it may please you to bestow upon them and not placing reliance upon nor making use of Devine Revelation, Feminine Intuition, Mumbo Jumbo, Jiggery-Pokery, or Act of God?" and "Do you solemnly swear never to concdeal a Vital Clue from the Reader?" I thought about that oath myself and decided that yes, I would take it, even though I agreed with one panelist that Feminine Intuition is just a short cut the mind will take from Point A to Point C – there is a Point B in there, but it slides by so fast it’s unnoticed.
I spent more time than I should have in the Dealer’s Room, and spent more money, too. One thing I found was a patterned velvet scarf – or rather, the dealer found it. I brought down the jacket to the teal-velvet dress I was wearing to the banquet and asked if she had a thin scarf I could tie around my head that matched the jacket in color. Well, no, all her scarves were big squares. Fringed squares. She had to dig in a box under a table to find one the right color and then spend five minutes tying it up into a turban with a tail down the back and fringe in front of my ears, pinning it together right on my head. I looked in a mirror and thought, "My God, I look like a character from a silent film, the one who insists on telling people at a party their fortunes." But two passers-by said I looked wonderful so I got out my credit card, swallowed hard, and said I’ll take it. As it turned out, people at the banquet were either universally kind, or the turban was a hit. Or both.
The banquet was terrific. I have sat through a lot of awards banquets, and find them too often a bit tedious. But a very large portable movie screen was set up near the stage and an overhead projector went close by it. Someone rigged up transparencies to announce the nominees, first announcing them in a long sentence that incorporated the names of the books. This is not the actual sentence – I didn’t write them down – but the nominees for the Young Adult Agatha (Into the Dark, A Thief in the Theater, The Crossroads, and The Great Circus Train Robbery) were introduced with a sentence like this: A Thief in the Theater ran Into the Dark but was caught at The Crossroads before he could pull off The Great Circus Train Robbery. Nominees were individually named and the transparency for each featured a photograph of the author, the cover of the book, and a picture of some theme from the book or story. The person running the machine had problems with fingerprints on the glass and her fingers could be seen at intervals rubbing them out – but not before giving Anne Perry an interesting Pancho Villa mustache! The speeches were heartfelt, amusing, and brief. All in all, a terrific event.
Getting on board the plane going home, the cheery stewardess said, "I’m sorry you’ll have to take that hat off – " She grinned. "And give it to me!" We laughed and hugged, and we talked off an on about hats the whole trip. She is a church-going woman and says the rule is, you can’t wear the same hat twice for three years. I don’t have enough hats to follow that rule. Yet.
The Marriott is a fine hotel, and I had a room all to myself. As I was suffering from a mild medical problem, it was sweet to be able to retreat to my room now and again and not bother or be bothered by anyone.
I didn’t get a lot from the panels. I’ve been going to these events for a large number of years, and there isn’t a whole lot I haven’t already heard. But one panel, "Get a Clue," quoted from a lengthy oath that a writers group found back in the twenties in England made its members take. The moderator asked the panelists if they would be willing to swear to two parts of the oath, copies of which were handed out to the audience. After a bit of hemming and hawing, every member did. The two parts: "Do you promise that your Detectives shall ell and truly detect the Crimes presented to the, using those with which it may please you to bestow upon them and not placing reliance upon nor making use of Devine Revelation, Feminine Intuition, Mumbo Jumbo, Jiggery-Pokery, or Act of God?" and "Do you solemnly swear never to concdeal a Vital Clue from the Reader?" I thought about that oath myself and decided that yes, I would take it, even though I agreed with one panelist that Feminine Intuition is just a short cut the mind will take from Point A to Point C – there is a Point B in there, but it slides by so fast it’s unnoticed.
I spent more time than I should have in the Dealer’s Room, and spent more money, too. One thing I found was a patterned velvet scarf – or rather, the dealer found it. I brought down the jacket to the teal-velvet dress I was wearing to the banquet and asked if she had a thin scarf I could tie around my head that matched the jacket in color. Well, no, all her scarves were big squares. Fringed squares. She had to dig in a box under a table to find one the right color and then spend five minutes tying it up into a turban with a tail down the back and fringe in front of my ears, pinning it together right on my head. I looked in a mirror and thought, "My God, I look like a character from a silent film, the one who insists on telling people at a party their fortunes." But two passers-by said I looked wonderful so I got out my credit card, swallowed hard, and said I’ll take it. As it turned out, people at the banquet were either universally kind, or the turban was a hit. Or both.
The banquet was terrific. I have sat through a lot of awards banquets, and find them too often a bit tedious. But a very large portable movie screen was set up near the stage and an overhead projector went close by it. Someone rigged up transparencies to announce the nominees, first announcing them in a long sentence that incorporated the names of the books. This is not the actual sentence – I didn’t write them down – but the nominees for the Young Adult Agatha (Into the Dark, A Thief in the Theater, The Crossroads, and The Great Circus Train Robbery) were introduced with a sentence like this: A Thief in the Theater ran Into the Dark but was caught at The Crossroads before he could pull off The Great Circus Train Robbery. Nominees were individually named and the transparency for each featured a photograph of the author, the cover of the book, and a picture of some theme from the book or story. The person running the machine had problems with fingerprints on the glass and her fingers could be seen at intervals rubbing them out – but not before giving Anne Perry an interesting Pancho Villa mustache! The speeches were heartfelt, amusing, and brief. All in all, a terrific event.
Getting on board the plane going home, the cheery stewardess said, "I’m sorry you’ll have to take that hat off – " She grinned. "And give it to me!" We laughed and hugged, and we talked off an on about hats the whole trip. She is a church-going woman and says the rule is, you can’t wear the same hat twice for three years. I don’t have enough hats to follow that rule. Yet.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Our cup of tea
Another brief report from Malice Domestic. I've been home all of 12 hours, so there's no excuse!
As always it's such fun to meet readers, and even other authors with whom I've had only a cyber relationship. Our Killer Hobbies panel yesterday morning was a lot of fun, like a great crafts fest, in person with Monica, Terri, and Betty at the table, and a smiling Joanna in the audience. She'd made her own wonderful appearance already.
Maybe we'll have Linda, also, at the next one. We thought of you, L!
One of my favorite parts was "Malice Go 'Round" where pairs of authors made the rounds of 20 tables of readers, giving a 60- to 90-second "pitch" at each one! I was amazed at how much we could say in such a short time, and also give away cards and pens. My partner, with a bowl of candy, was the wonderful, energetic Deb Sharp, whom I hope to entice to be our guest here soon!
SPECIAL OFFER:
If you did not go to Malice and wish you had gone, and would like a small souvenir, please send a request to me at camille@minichino.com by Friday and I'll draw a name and ship you a surprise over the weekend! Please use MALICE SOUVENIR or something similar in the subject line.
Monday, May 4, 2009
The Things We Authors Do to Write a Crafty Mystery
I'm here at Malice Domestic with my Killer Hobbies sisters--Camille Minichino (Margaret Grace), Terri Thayer, Betty Hechtman, and Monica Ferris. They just appeared on a super panel moderated by Carolyn Mulford.
Carolyn brought up many interesting points about mysteries featuring crafters:
1. They are pitched for the Baby Boomer market. She called them "Boomer Lit." And yes, most of our buyers are women ages 45+.
2. They often feature a female, amateur sleuth. (All of us write about a female who reluctantly--althought later enthusiastically--solves crimes.)
3. The sleuth has to have a "relationship" with a cop. This can be either a boyfriend, an old friend, or a antagonist who finally sees the sleuth's value as a helper.
4. The books include patterns or information about the crafts.
5. At the heart of the books is the craft and the people who enjoy it.
6. There's a secondary cast of characters who interact with the sleuth--other crafters, family, friends. And these folks are also important to the book.
7. The sleuth has to defend herself without a gun! This last idea really tickled me, because another "rule" is that the sleuth must solve the mystery herself and get herself out of the crisis. This can be very hard without a REAL weapon. However, once you start writing one of these mysteries, people share all sorts of intriguing ideas for knocking off villains.
There's more but now I have to meet Terri to drive to Pennsylvania for Festival of Mystery. I hope to see some of you there!
Carolyn brought up many interesting points about mysteries featuring crafters:
1. They are pitched for the Baby Boomer market. She called them "Boomer Lit." And yes, most of our buyers are women ages 45+.
2. They often feature a female, amateur sleuth. (All of us write about a female who reluctantly--althought later enthusiastically--solves crimes.)
3. The sleuth has to have a "relationship" with a cop. This can be either a boyfriend, an old friend, or a antagonist who finally sees the sleuth's value as a helper.
4. The books include patterns or information about the crafts.
5. At the heart of the books is the craft and the people who enjoy it.
6. There's a secondary cast of characters who interact with the sleuth--other crafters, family, friends. And these folks are also important to the book.
7. The sleuth has to defend herself without a gun! This last idea really tickled me, because another "rule" is that the sleuth must solve the mystery herself and get herself out of the crisis. This can be very hard without a REAL weapon. However, once you start writing one of these mysteries, people share all sorts of intriguing ideas for knocking off villains.
There's more but now I have to meet Terri to drive to Pennsylvania for Festival of Mystery. I hope to see some of you there!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Things We Crafters Do...To Write Mysteries
This morning I attended the most excellent Killer Hobbies panel. I was in the audience as my blog sisters talked about the joys,intricacies and perils of writing about crafts.
Moderator Carolyn Mulford introduced the group by making wonderful observations about the finer points of craft mysteries. One striking thought was that this was "Boomer Lit" or literature for Baby Boomers. (That's right! Our audience tends to be 45+ and female.) So it's no surprise that all of us Killer Hobbies bloggers/authors have chosen to write about female protagonists.
Our mysteries not only involve crafters, but also focus on an "ensemble," the secondary characters or minor characters who support/work with/live with/craft with our amateur sleuths. To keep the books lively and the action moving, the sleuths must interact with these secondary characters. As an author, I have to balance the time I spend on my main character and the attention I devote to her pals. Plus, I have to give my character opportunity to practice her craft!
Carolyn noticed that our heroines are always unarmed! I found myself blinking and thinking, "Gee, that's so true." I can tell you this adds a new layer of complexity for us writers. We can get our main characters into trouble but getting them out can be a bit tricky. An unwritten rule is that your protagonist must save herself. So, how do you do that when she's unarmed? (We have to be very creative with our tools, don't we?)
Every protagonist must have some sort of "in" with the police. Otherwise an amateur sleuth can't solve crimes. So...we have boyfriends, friends, friendly cops, and antagonistic relationships with law enforcement officials.
The panel was lively, interesting and thought provoking!
From here Terri Thayer and I are off to Festival of Mystery in Pennsylvania. I hope we'll see some of you there!
Moderator Carolyn Mulford introduced the group by making wonderful observations about the finer points of craft mysteries. One striking thought was that this was "Boomer Lit" or literature for Baby Boomers. (That's right! Our audience tends to be 45+ and female.) So it's no surprise that all of us Killer Hobbies bloggers/authors have chosen to write about female protagonists.
Our mysteries not only involve crafters, but also focus on an "ensemble," the secondary characters or minor characters who support/work with/live with/craft with our amateur sleuths. To keep the books lively and the action moving, the sleuths must interact with these secondary characters. As an author, I have to balance the time I spend on my main character and the attention I devote to her pals. Plus, I have to give my character opportunity to practice her craft!
Carolyn noticed that our heroines are always unarmed! I found myself blinking and thinking, "Gee, that's so true." I can tell you this adds a new layer of complexity for us writers. We can get our main characters into trouble but getting them out can be a bit tricky. An unwritten rule is that your protagonist must save herself. So, how do you do that when she's unarmed? (We have to be very creative with our tools, don't we?)
Every protagonist must have some sort of "in" with the police. Otherwise an amateur sleuth can't solve crimes. So...we have boyfriends, friends, friendly cops, and antagonistic relationships with law enforcement officials.
The panel was lively, interesting and thought provoking!
From here Terri Thayer and I are off to Festival of Mystery in Pennsylvania. I hope we'll see some of you there!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Malice Domestic
Better late than never. I was going to write my blog this morning, but I'm staying at a hotel in Washington DC for the Malice Domestic convention and the fire alarm went off. Of course, my first thought was that it was some kind of test, but the whining sound continued and there was an announcement saying there was a fire emergency and to evacuate the hotel.
Luckily, there was a terry cloth robe in my room. Thanks to Southern California earthquakes, I always have my purse and shoes next to my bed. So, I threw on the robe, grabbed my purse and stepped into my Crocs and headed out into the hall. It was strangely quiet in the hall and I began to wonder if only my room had gotten the fire alarm, but then people began to stumble out of their rooms. I noticed most had more clothes on than I did. One woman seemed almost hysterical as we tried to find the stairs.
Once we found the stairwell, there were others already heading down. I was on the seventh floor, but it seemed like the flights of stairs went on forever. At last we stepped out in front of the hotel. People were milling around as the fire department arrived. They jumped off their truck, grabbing their equipment. The manager came outside and told us that there was no fire. Apparently, only three floors had been evacuated and it had something to do with the water pressure going down on the sprinkler system. But even so, the elevators wouldn't be working until the fire department checked everything out.
I noticed I was the only one in a robe as I followed the crowd back into the lobby. One of the doormen made a joking comment about the casual look being in. So, the choice was mill around in my terry cloth robe and black shoes or climb back up the seven flights of chairs.
I haven't been to the gym for a few days, so I opted for the stairs. I got back in my room just in time for my wake up call, which I obviously didn't need.
Nothing like a little excitement to jazz things up.
This convention is great. All my blog sisters except Linda are here. I'd never met Camille before and barely met Joanna. It was nice to see them in person. Monica came to dinner wearing a stunning hat and Terri and I hit a museum together today.
Now I need to finish my crochet piece for my panel tomorrow morning. Our panel is called Killer Hobbies and we're going to talk about how our crafts are intertwined with our mysteries.
My piece is both a clue and a weapon.
Luckily, there was a terry cloth robe in my room. Thanks to Southern California earthquakes, I always have my purse and shoes next to my bed. So, I threw on the robe, grabbed my purse and stepped into my Crocs and headed out into the hall. It was strangely quiet in the hall and I began to wonder if only my room had gotten the fire alarm, but then people began to stumble out of their rooms. I noticed most had more clothes on than I did. One woman seemed almost hysterical as we tried to find the stairs.
Once we found the stairwell, there were others already heading down. I was on the seventh floor, but it seemed like the flights of stairs went on forever. At last we stepped out in front of the hotel. People were milling around as the fire department arrived. They jumped off their truck, grabbing their equipment. The manager came outside and told us that there was no fire. Apparently, only three floors had been evacuated and it had something to do with the water pressure going down on the sprinkler system. But even so, the elevators wouldn't be working until the fire department checked everything out.
I noticed I was the only one in a robe as I followed the crowd back into the lobby. One of the doormen made a joking comment about the casual look being in. So, the choice was mill around in my terry cloth robe and black shoes or climb back up the seven flights of chairs.
I haven't been to the gym for a few days, so I opted for the stairs. I got back in my room just in time for my wake up call, which I obviously didn't need.
Nothing like a little excitement to jazz things up.
This convention is great. All my blog sisters except Linda are here. I'd never met Camille before and barely met Joanna. It was nice to see them in person. Monica came to dinner wearing a stunning hat and Terri and I hit a museum together today.
Now I need to finish my crochet piece for my panel tomorrow morning. Our panel is called Killer Hobbies and we're going to talk about how our crafts are intertwined with our mysteries.
My piece is both a clue and a weapon.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Tell No One
I watched Tell No One (Ne le dis a Personne) last night. The movie is based on the book by Harlan Coben and is full of enough twists and surprises to satisfy the most jaded viewer. Just when you think you know who did it, the author turns your expectations around and dumps you on your head. Good stuff. Something we writers aspire to.
One unexpected relationship in the movie has me thinking about readers' expectations and what happens when we go against type. The main character, Alex, has lost his wife and is as devastated as a man can be. His best friend is his sister's wife, played by Kristin Scott Thomas. She does a marvelous turn as Helene, the sexy foil to his sister's earthier nature.
He confides in Helene, tells her his deepest secrets and fears. She is the one he turns to first when he's in trouble. It felt like a wonderful, deep relationship. Honest and true, but it somehow rang false. I think it was because it was at the expense of his relationship with his sister. That was very underdeveloped. I can see why he'd been inclined to chose Helene over Anne. She's far more interesting and insightful.
Still, it felt weird. We don't expect someone to be closer to a sibling's spouse than the sibling.
I'm torn. I liked that it was different, yet it didn't feel right because it was different. So, what's a writer to do? Maybe the book did a better job expanding the relationships. There was a hint that Alex and Helene were both protective of Anne, who was a bit of a delicate flower, and kept her out of the loop on purpose.
What do you think an author can do to both meet our expectations and surpass them?
One unexpected relationship in the movie has me thinking about readers' expectations and what happens when we go against type. The main character, Alex, has lost his wife and is as devastated as a man can be. His best friend is his sister's wife, played by Kristin Scott Thomas. She does a marvelous turn as Helene, the sexy foil to his sister's earthier nature.
He confides in Helene, tells her his deepest secrets and fears. She is the one he turns to first when he's in trouble. It felt like a wonderful, deep relationship. Honest and true, but it somehow rang false. I think it was because it was at the expense of his relationship with his sister. That was very underdeveloped. I can see why he'd been inclined to chose Helene over Anne. She's far more interesting and insightful.
Still, it felt weird. We don't expect someone to be closer to a sibling's spouse than the sibling.
I'm torn. I liked that it was different, yet it didn't feel right because it was different. So, what's a writer to do? Maybe the book did a better job expanding the relationships. There was a hint that Alex and Helene were both protective of Anne, who was a bit of a delicate flower, and kept her out of the loop on purpose.
What do you think an author can do to both meet our expectations and surpass them?
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