Friday, November 15, 2013

Agatha Christie

While I was in Chicago I hadl breakfast with Becke Martin Davis. We met through the Barnes & Noble Mystery Forum which she moderates. When I guested on it, it turned out that Becke and I had a lot in common. We have even more now that she lives in my Chicago neighborhood.

Naturally our conversation turned to mysteries and we found we had something else in common a strong like of Agatha Christie books. Becke had more information than I did, and listening to her talk, I wanted to read all the books all over again. It also reminded what inspired me to write mysteries.

Although my first brush with mystery was with Nancy Drew books, it was really Agatha Christie who made me want to be a mystery writer. She seemed to get to go all kinds of places and then write about them with a dead body thrown in. It sounded great to me.

I had written a mystery story in high school which the teacher liked well enough to read to the class. Unfortunately, the same teacher didn’t like anything else I did in her class and made sure I knew it. But that’s another story.

My French teacher wrote Mr. Popper’s Penguins. It’s not a mystery, but still I worshiped her for being a writer who’d published such a well loved book. I couldn’t understand why she was wasting her time teaching us, but that was before I knew how much money most writers really make.

The final bit of inspiration came from Jessica Fletcher of Murder She Wrote. True it was a TV show, but she was a mystery writer. It seemed so neat the way she sat at that old typewriter knocking out books in a picturesque tiny Maine town. She had all those friends and lots of adventures, too.

I’m still pinching myself to make sure all this is real.

When I got home from the breakfast, I bought a copy of The Clocks. It is the first Agatha Christie book I remember reading. How times have changed. I bought it for my Nook and have so far been reading it on my phone. I wonder what Agatha would think.

9 comments:

Linda O. Johnston said...

I didn't know about the Barnes & Noble Mystery Forum, Betty. It looks like fun--although I'll have to figure it out. And how fun that you met Becke Martin Davis while in Chicago!

Betty Hechtman said...

Linda, there has to be a better link than the one I used. If I find it, I'll let you know.

Planner said...

Betty, I admire you for going after your dream and making it happen. You are an inspiration.

The best part about the Internet is how it helps us discover new friends and keep in touch.

Betty Hechtman said...

Planner, if there is one thing that I have learned, it is never give up.

Becke Davis said...

Hi Betty -

It was great to see you - it's always fun to talk about mysteries with you!

The link you posted will take people to the main Mystery Forum. You can search author's names to find links to their visits, or scroll down to see who has visited recently.

Authors who have been featured there are welcome to stop into our Author Reunion:

http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Mystery/A-DECEMBER-TO-REMEMBER-AUTHOR-REUNION/m-p/1487327#U1487327

All mystery authors are welcome to introduce themselves here:

http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Mystery/Authors-Introduce-Yourselves/m-p/1487359#U1487359

Betty Hechtman said...

Becke, thank for the links. I'm going to save them.

Chrystle Fiedler said...

Agatha inspired me too but I thought I can't write like that. Then, I read Diane Mott Davidson's Dying for Chocolate years later and I thought, now that I can do! I guess it was more accessible and modern but also not as twisty as AC's books are. She is the MASTER!

Chrystle Fiedler said...

Agatha inspired me too but I thought I can't write like that. Then, I read Diane Mott Davidson's Dying for Chocolate years later and I thought, now that I can do! I guess it was more accessible and modern but also not as twisty as AC's books are. She is the MASTER!

Betty Hechtman said...

Chrystle, it is great that young found Diane Mott Davidson to inspire you.