Murder for Fun and Profit

The Carolina Conspiracy had a panel discussion this past weekend at the Gaston County Public Library in Gastonia, North Carolina, on the topic "Murder for Fun and Profit." The branch sponsors many really interesting programs( http://www.glrl.lib.nc.us/eventsexhibits/events.htm ) and librarian Carol Reinhardt was a wonderful hostess. Our group answered questions, sold books, and ate some delicious refreshments courtesy of the Friends of the Library. Conspirators Lynette Hall Hampton, Richard Helms, Kathleen Delaney, Terry Hoover, and I discussed writing, why we love mysteries, and our books. We never really nailed that "profit" part of the program down, but talked about the other rewards that writing brings us.

It's always fun to get together with the Conspiracy and have a chance to visit with people with interests and struggles similar to mine. We're all typically voracious readers (especially of mysteries), and face the same challenge of a blank page each day. For me, it's a real pleasure to be around other writers. I have to admit to feeling a little like a weirdo sometimes as a mystery writer. I was with a group of moms at the pool a couple of weeks ago and they were talking about their jobs (they all happened to be preschool teachers....an extremely challenging and rigorous job, but also a fairly rated G one.) When they asked me what I did, I mumbled, "Write murder mysteries." I can still see the stunned expression on their faces. Not the most maternal of jobs. And it's really funny when my second grade daughter tells her friends that I kill people in my books. Sigh. And I had been hoping to get away with an explanation that I write Encyclopedia Brown-type books for grown-ups.

So being with the Conspiracy is always a treat. I get to hear other people talk about what inspires them, how they meet their writing goals, overcome their challenges, and fit writing into everyday life.

Free Download of a Classic:

I would download this book, but I already have it in my library--have had it in my library since high school, actually. If you're not familiar with Elements of Style by William Strunk, here's an opportunity to download the first edition for free. E.B. White became a coauthor in later editions--that's right....the E.B. White of Charlotte's Web fame.

Here is the link to Rob Parnell's blog, then click on "Download: Elements of Style.

I've used this book more than any other guide to composition. Strunk's advice to "omit needless words" is just as important (or more so?) now as it was in 1957 when Elements first released.

Online Stuff: The Writing Frump....an anonymous writer's gripes. She seems to get stiffed fairly regularly by businesses who employ her as a freelancer. Very funny: http://writingfrump.wordpress.com/

Useful Advice for Writers--The Writer's Edge: http://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/ . Includes information on publishing payout schedules, book deal escalators (I wish!), book pitches, manuscript acceptability levels for contracts, etc.

The Small Publishers Association of North America's list of Ten Things Agents and Editors Hate: http://www.spannet.org/article-frishman-agent.htm

OUT IN THE AIRE

We spent Sunday afternoon at Wilgrove Park in Mint Hill

and it was great fun! Six Conspirators (Lynette Hampton, Doug Walker, Joyce and Jim Lavene, Elizabeth Craig and Linda Evans) were there to sell books and meet the public. People responded to their friendly neighborhood mystery writers and by the time we left, bookmarks and other items were sold out!

Sunday afternoon in the Park is sponsored by Mint Hill Arts(www.minthillarts.org) a group of artists and craftsmen (including writers) who are always looking for ways to promote their work.

This is the third year for the Conspiracy at the event and it will probably not be the last year!

Joyce Lavene

Monday, August 25

Welcome to the Conspiracy!

On behalf of the Carolina Conspiracy, welcome to the Carolina Conspiracy Blog, where murder is on our brain. For your viewing pleasure, we have nine mystery authors who will be regularly blogging. Our books span the mystery gamut--cozy, procedural, historical, psychological, hard-boiled--you’ll find it here. What ties us together is our locale…we’re Carolina mystery writers. I’m eager to stretch just a bit: read different writing styles and genres, and discover how others survive and thrive in the writing life.
Mystery Media Musing #1:
Summer is television’s dry spell, but are the economy and the “staycationers” forcing new programming? PBS aired excellent shows on Masterpiece Mystery from June 22 through July 6 for police procedural fans. The Inspector Lewis episodes have been exceptional. I was skeptical at first because I enjoyed reading/watching Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse and don’t like spinoffs as a rule. The episodes are set in Oxford, England and Lewis is paired with (and plays well off of) his younger, better educated partner. The episode “Expiation” had a creepy opening sequence with a child that jumped out of nowhere and seemed to be silently ranting. Her mother jumped and looked terrified, an interesting reaction. The viewers were quickly diverted from this unsettling beginning by the next sequence which portrayed a raucous start-of-the-day any soccer mom would recognize. Well, okay, the family and their friends (picking up children for school carpool) did seem over-the-top happy for early morning, but clearly represented a close knit, loving group. Several scenes later when the mom is shown hanging from the stairwell, I was hooked. Suicide was ruled out and Inspector Lewis was soon investigating murder. The body count on a couple of the episodes rivaled Midsomer Murders (unlikely in the small town of Oxford.) The number of murders does deepen the urgency and quicken the pace so suspend your disbelief and enjoy the police work and the dark, satisfying mysteries. Be sure to TiVo them--PBS loves its reruns--I’m convinced the episodes will make a return appearance. It would be especially nice (are you out there PBS?) if PBS would put episodes on its website for viewers to see in their entirety. In addition to the Lewis series, I’m looking forward to Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley, returning in two new episodes on August 10 and August 17 on Masterpiece Mystery.
Mystery Media Musing 2: Ruth Rendall’s new book, Not in the Flesh, is now waiting for me at the public library after spending some time on my waiting list. Next time I’ll give a rundown on it. I stumbled across Ruth Rendall/Barbara Vine’s The Chimney Sweep’s Boy while browsing the stacks at the Matthews Library. It was fun finding a new mystery series the old-fashioned way: these days I usually research books online via Amazon or book blogs and request them online from the library. I was delighted to find the author has gobs of books out there (where have I been? She’s a bestselling author!) and was first published before I was born. Usually I happen into a series at the very beginning and then have to wait impatiently while the author writes the books.
Mystery Media Musing 3: Cool mystery-lover website: http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/index.html . I particularly like their “Read Alikes” section where you can match your mystery reading interests (Mystery Classics, P.I., Female Leads, etc.) with authors who write those genres. Of course, http://www.cluelass.com/ has tons of info, but it’s a little too much for me and I get lost on the site, despite their clear design and organization.
Off the cuff: /Writing Randoms:
One thing I’ve found about being a writer is that you have to grab your moments: especially if you’re a mom writing during the summer. Something I’ve discovered this week: It is possible to write with Spongebob Squarepants going on in the background. It’s occasionally even possible to write something GOOD with Spongebob in the background. Maybe not while Spongebob’s friend, Patrick, is talking because that guy just hemorrhages IQ (not that I’m watching the show or anything.) Okay, maybe I did watch a few minutes of Spongebob. You know mysteries are pervasion when they even crop up on kids’ shows: Spongebob did a take-off on Poe’s Tell Tale Heart. (And one for Rocky Horror Picture Show, too, but that’s in a genre all its own.) I love it when cartoons slip in some references to hook the grownups.
My ‘to do’ list this week: Read Rendall’s book, write a chapter on the new chick-lit mystery, and rewrite the picture book copy from a different character perspective. Rent Blockbuster movies to entertain the kids while executing this plan?
Elizabeth Craig, A Dyeing Shame: Death at the Beauty Box