By Saralyn Richard
Once in a while in the writers’ journey, serendipitous moments occur, and they seem magical. I’ve had three such moments recently and will share them with you.
First of all, I’m writing an historical mystery that takes place in my hometown, Galveston, Texas, after the 1900 Storm, which is still the deadliest natural disaster in the history of America. In the information-gathering stage, I invited newsletter subscribers to send me names and/or stories of relatives from that place and time.
While I waited for responses, I worked on making burial arrangements for my cousin, Jill Jacobson, a Hollywood actress who grew up in nearby Beaumont, Texas. The plan was to bring Jill’s remains to Beaumont for burial in the family plot.
One of my newsletter subscribers sent me an email saying that I would be hearing from her friend, Betty, who had some 1900 Storm stories. Betty and I ended up chatting on the phone for more than an hour about her family’s experiences in the storm. During the conversation, Betty mentioned growing up in Beaumont, so I asked her if she knew my cousin Jill, and I told her what I was setting up with the cemetery.
To my surprise, and Betty’s, we realized that Jill is Betty’s cousin, too, on the opposite side of the family. So Betty is going to come to the memorial service, which she wouldn’t have known about if not for my work-in-progress.
The second full circle moment occurred last week at Then and Now Bookshop during ArtWalk. I was selling books at a table in the bookstore, when a mother and her nineteen-year-old daughter came over to look at my books.
The cover of Naughty Nana, the children’s book narrated by the real Old English sheepdog puppy, Nana, caught their eyes. “Oh, we remember Nana! We’re big Nana fans!” the mother said. “We were at the library when you brought Nana there to do a reading a long time ago, and we’ve followed Nana ever since.”
They were sad, but not surprised, that Nana crossed the Rainbow Bridge two years ago, but we reminisced about Nana’s many appearances in parades, on tv, at schools, etc. They purchased some of my other books, signed up for my newsletter, and left. The next day, I sent the mother an email with pictures from that long-ago library event they attended. Something made me include a drawing that one of the children did for Nana that day.
The next day I received a return email. The daughter was indeed one of the children in the picture, and she was the one who drew that treasured note to Nana. Thirteen years later, I still have the original!
The third full circle moment happened that same day at the same bookshop. One of the customers came up to my table asking if I was a local author, and if I was “BOI” (born on island). Being a BOI locks you into an immediate fraternity of special people. In fact, there are pregnant women who insist on delivering their babies in Galveston, so the babies can attain that status.
Turned out that customer was also a BOI, and she mentioned her connection to Dominican High School, a Catholic girls’ school here. I said, “I’m sure you knew my dear friend, Father Frank Fabj.”
That opened up a squealing that galvanized the entire bookshop. Yes, she knew Father Frank well. He was important to her and her family through several life cycle events. She was astounded to see that I dedicated A Palette for Love and Murder to him. She clutched the book to her chest, the same way I do sometimes when I think of and miss Frank’s presence.
The two of us, complete strangers moments before, bonded over the dedication in a book, and we ended up shedding tears and hugging together.
Recently, an interviewer asked me what surprised me most about becoming a writer, and I answered something about the network of readers and fellow authors I’ve met and the friendships I’ve made. The books that I’ve published are only the vehicles. The transmission of thoughts and feelings and ideas that comes from being a writer and a reader is what really counts—that is the basis for these magical, delightful, and, yes, thrilling connections with others.
I’d love to hear about one of your full circle moments.
Saralyn Richard writes award-winning mysteries, including the Detective Parrott mystery series, Bad Blood Sisters, Mrs. Oliver’s Twist, A Murder of Principal, and Naughty Nana, a children’s book. An active member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, Saralyn has taught creative writing and literature. Her favorite thing about being an author is interacting with readers like you. For more information, check https://saralynrichard.com.
Short Story Terminology
/in Anthologies, Paula Gail Benson, Short Stories/by Paula Bensonby Paula Gail Benson
With the start of a new year, some writers may be looking to experiment with a new fictional form. Why not try short stories?
If you haven’t already dabbled in this genre, here is some terminology you may wish to use to guide you. Short stories are defined by their brevity. Their word count determines how they are categorized.
Drabble—is a story of exactly 100 words (not including the title or author attribution)
Flash Fiction—are stories of 1,000 or fewer words. Some sources say up to 1,500 or 2,000 words.
Brief fictional forms in addition to drabble and flash fiction include:
(1) “the six-word story” exemplified by one attributed to Ernest Hemingway: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
(2) the 280-character story or “twitterature” (based on the maximum number of characters allowed by X as a tweet or twitter). Philip Pullman and Neil Gaiman are practitioners.
(3) the “dribble” or “minisaga,” which is exactly 50 words (here are some examples).
(4) “micro-fiction” or “nano-fiction” is less than 300 words.
(5) “postcard fiction” is up to 500 words.
(6) “sudden fiction,” which can go up to 750 words.
(7) the “microstory.”
Novelette may be 7,500 to 19,000 words.
Novella may be 17,500 to 40,000 words.
A novel can be 40,000 words. Most mystery novels are around 80,000 words. Science fiction and fantasy novels may be as long as 120,000 words.
In addition, short stories are defined by where they are located. Many are found in magazines or online sources. A book of short stories is categorized by the number of authors whose work is contained in it.
Collection—consists of stories all written by the same author, such as John M. Floyd’s River Road and Other Mystery Stories or Barb Goffman’s Don’t Get Mad, Get Even: 15 Tales of Revenge and More
Anthology—contains the work of more than one author and may be organized by theme, for example the Malice Domestic anthologies: Malice Domestic: Mystery Most Diabolical, Malice Domestic 18: Mystery Most Devious, and Donna Andrews Presents Malice Domestic: Mystery Most Humorous.
A Free-Association Glimpse Into My Mind—Yikes! by T.K. Thorne
/in Uncategorized/by TK ThorneI don’t have a single thought in my head….
READ MORE
Full Circle Moments
/in Detective Parrott Mystery Series, Dog books, memories, Mysteries, writing life/by Saralyn RichardBy Saralyn Richard
Once in a while in the writers’ journey, serendipitous moments occur, and they seem magical. I’ve had three such moments recently and will share them with you.
First of all, I’m writing an historical mystery that takes place in my hometown, Galveston, Texas, after the 1900 Storm, which is still the deadliest natural disaster in the history of America. In the information-gathering stage, I invited newsletter subscribers to send me names and/or stories of relatives from that place and time.
While I waited for responses, I worked on making burial arrangements for my cousin, Jill Jacobson, a Hollywood actress who grew up in nearby Beaumont, Texas. The plan was to bring Jill’s remains to Beaumont for burial in the family plot.
One of my newsletter subscribers sent me an email saying that I would be hearing from her friend, Betty, who had some 1900 Storm stories. Betty and I ended up chatting on the phone for more than an hour about her family’s experiences in the storm. During the conversation, Betty mentioned growing up in Beaumont, so I asked her if she knew my cousin Jill, and I told her what I was setting up with the cemetery.
To my surprise, and Betty’s, we realized that Jill is Betty’s cousin, too, on the opposite side of the family. So Betty is going to come to the memorial service, which she wouldn’t have known about if not for my work-in-progress.
The second full circle moment occurred last week at Then and Now Bookshop during ArtWalk. I was selling books at a table in the bookstore, when a mother and her nineteen-year-old daughter came over to look at my books.
The cover of Naughty Nana, the children’s book narrated by the real Old English sheepdog puppy, Nana, caught their eyes. “Oh, we remember Nana! We’re big Nana fans!” the mother said. “We were at the library when you brought Nana there to do a reading a long time ago, and we’ve followed Nana ever since.”
They were sad, but not surprised, that Nana crossed the Rainbow Bridge two years ago, but we reminisced about Nana’s many appearances in parades, on tv, at schools, etc. They purchased some of my other books, signed up for my newsletter, and left. The next day, I sent the mother an email with pictures from that long-ago library event they attended. Something made me include a drawing that one of the children did for Nana that day.
The next day I received a return email. The daughter was indeed one of the children in the picture, and she was the one who drew that treasured note to Nana. Thirteen years later, I still have the original!
The third full circle moment happened that same day at the same bookshop. One of the customers came up to my table asking if I was a local author, and if I was “BOI” (born on island). Being a BOI locks you into an immediate fraternity of special people. In fact, there are pregnant women who insist on delivering their babies in Galveston, so the babies can attain that status.
Turned out that customer was also a BOI, and she mentioned her connection to Dominican High School, a Catholic girls’ school here. I said, “I’m sure you knew my dear friend, Father Frank Fabj.”
That opened up a squealing that galvanized the entire bookshop. Yes, she knew Father Frank well. He was important to her and her family through several life cycle events. She was astounded to see that I dedicated A Palette for Love and Murder to him. She clutched the book to her chest, the same way I do sometimes when I think of and miss Frank’s presence.
The two of us, complete strangers moments before, bonded over the dedication in a book, and we ended up shedding tears and hugging together.
Recently, an interviewer asked me what surprised me most about becoming a writer, and I answered something about the network of readers and fellow authors I’ve met and the friendships I’ve made. The books that I’ve published are only the vehicles. The transmission of thoughts and feelings and ideas that comes from being a writer and a reader is what really counts—that is the basis for these magical, delightful, and, yes, thrilling connections with others.
I’d love to hear about one of your full circle moments.
Saralyn Richard writes award-winning mysteries, including the Detective Parrott mystery series, Bad Blood Sisters, Mrs. Oliver’s Twist, A Murder of Principal, and Naughty Nana, a children’s book. An active member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, Saralyn has taught creative writing and literature. Her favorite thing about being an author is interacting with readers like you. For more information, check https://saralynrichard.com.
Beginning the Year with Celebrations
/in Paula Gail Benson/by Paula Bensonby Paula Gail Benson
The year 2026 is starting with a series of significant celebrations and anniversaries. For my first post of the year, I sought out the historical context of resolutions. Then, as I learned of upcoming events, I realized I needed to prepare for a year of recognitions.
Peacock Image by 123stitch.com
When I looked up the history of New Year’s resolutions, I found a reference to the “peacock vow,” a tradition from medieval times involving knights pledging their civility and support to a community by placing their hands on a live or roasted peacock. (See Ringing in the New Year: A Medieval Perspective – History Tools.) Such a feast is described in “Vows of the Peacock” a poem written by Jacques de Longuyon around 1310. I wondered if that practice might have influenced a number of cultures, perhaps including the United States’ holiday of Thanksgiving.
Monks on Gervais Street Bridge Image by msn.com
Next, I began hearing news stories of a group of about two dozen Buddhist monks based in Fort Worth, Texas, walking 2,300 miles to Washington, D.C., in support of peace. During the journey, due to a vehicle accident, one had to have his leg amputated. The group’s “peace dog” Aloka, a stray acquired on a trip to India, missed some of the walk to have tendon surgery. Part of their route brought them to Columbia, South Carolina, where thousands followed them across a bridge to the steps of the Statehouse. In a very real way, the monks shared their peacefulness with all who observed them. You can follow them through their Facebook page.
Monks on Statehouse Steps Image from Facebook
Martin Luther King, Jr. Image from Wikipedia
This post will appear on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday, a holiday signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 and first observed in 1986. This year with be the fortieth year it has been recognized. King’s actual birthday was January 15, 1929. The federal Uniform Monday Holiday Act requires that it be celebrated on a Monday. In South Carolina, King Day at the Dome is celebrated beginning with a service at Zion Baptist Church, a march to the Statehouse, and speeches by community leaders and elected officials with a keynote by U.S. Senator Cory Booker (NJ-D).
A new series premiered this week to celebrate Star Trek’s sixtieth anniversary. Starfleet Academy features Holly Hunter as the new Chancellor for the school that is opening for the first time in one hundred years. Even though set in the 32nd century, the far future from other Star Trek series, it draws on characters and cultures that viewers will find familiar.
So far, 2026 has had an auspicious beginning. and still to come is the United States Semiquincentennial, to celebrate the 250th birthday of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Where history meets mystery
/in Uncategorized/by donalee Moultonby donalee Moulton
Many writers are attracted to the historical mystery genre because they like weaving a mystery for readers to solve. Many other writers are history buffs and want to share their love of the past with readers in the present. I’ve learned you need both elements to keep readers turning pages. Two worlds are always at play in the historical mystery: mayhem and yesteryear.
Writing historical mysteries means focusing on both whodunit and whentheydunit. I recently taught a course on this subject and thought I’d share some suggestions for writers to help you travel back in time to commit your crime. For readers, it’s an inside look at the process.
Start with the history, not the mystery
Before writers plot the perfect murder, they need to be as comfortable in their historical setting as they are in their own living rooms. The time period shapes everything in the story: how people talk, what they eat, how they live their lives – and how they investigate when a life ends.
Three questions dominate the journey back in time:
1. Why this specific time? What drew you in? What do you think will fascinate readers?
2. What conflicts defined this time? Political unrest, economic hardship, social upheaval—these create natural tension.
3. How did people solve crimes then? In the absence of DNA and surveillance cameras, investigations relied on observation, word of mouth, and intuition and maybe sneaking in a window to surveil a crime scene.
A historical mystery’s believability depends on accuracy. This doesn’t mean reciting every historical fact—indeed, this doesn’t work—but the writer must be comfortable enough in this other world to enable characters to move through it naturally.
Choose a main character who belongs
The investigator in a historical mystery guides the reader through clues and through the era. They might be an amateur or a professional. This might be the three-hundredth crime they’ve solved or the first. It doesn’t matter; they belong here.
In historical settings, investigators often have limitations modern detectives don’t—and this goes well beyond technology. Everything from restricted travel, class barriers, rigid gender roles. These limitations can be opportunities to connect with readers. Lean into them; they nudge creativity and add tension.
The sleuth’s personality and background should also reflect the era while also offering traits—curiosity, stubbornness, empathy—that transcend time.
Research like a detective, not an archivist
If a detective needs to walk down a street in 1912 Montreal, the writer should know what that street smelled like, whether cobblestones rattled under carriage wheels, and how likely the character was to meet someone selling newspapers on the corner.
Sources for rich and authentic detail include:
* Newspapers and periodicals from the time (full of language, concerns, and advertisements)
* Diaries and letters for personal perspectives (where possible)
* Historical maps for accurate geography
* Material culture research what fabrics, foods, and objects were common
The goal is to take readers into this world by recreating it for them without overwhelming them with facts that will weigh the story down and bore readers. Instead, historical details work like seasoning, enhancing the flavour without overpowering the dish.
Layer in historical conflict
The best historical mysteries don’t just place a modern crime in an old-fashioned setting; they weave the mystery into the fabric of the time. A theft in 1920 might be tied to Prohibition smuggling. A murder in 16th-century Spain could intersect with religious persecution. These historical tensions add stakes and make the story more than a puzzle; they transform it into a lens through which readers experience the era.
Make dialogue a cornerstone
Language is one of the quickest ways to immerse readers in the past, but it’s also a common pitfall. Too much archaic phrasing can make dialogue stiff and hard to follow, while overly modern speech breaks the illusion.
The key is selective authenticity:
* Use period-appropriate vocabulary for objects, occupations, and social customs.
* Avoid slang that didn’t exist yet (dictionaries can help here).
* Keep sentence structure readable for modern audiences.
Keep pacing tight
While the past moved at a different pace, the plot shouldn’t drag. There is a need to balance richly detailed scenes with moments of action and revelation. In historical mysteries, tension often comes from the slow build. This can be delays in communication, the time it takes to travel, the risk of misinformation spreading. But every delay should raise stakes, not stall the plot.
End on a deeper note
When the mystery is solved, consider how this crime fits the morality of the era. Would a killer from a higher social class face justice? Would certain motives be more understandable, or unforgivable, back then? The ending of a historical mystery should leave readers feeling they’ve solved more than a crime, but that they’ve understood something about the world that once was.
Derringer Danger!
/in Anthologies, author promotion, Mysteries, Mystery, writing life/by Bethany MainesEvery year, the Short Mystery Fiction Society holds the Derringer Awards. Judged by volunteers from the society’s membership, these competitive awards recognize short mystery stories published that year. The judging process and program management are a lot of work and I’m always impressed at the volunteers who bring the awards program to life.
Derringer Categories
Derringer Judging
Each category requires three primary and one alternate SMFS members to whittle their assigned category down to five finalists. Each judge is provided with a criteria sheet and a batch of short stories, and then the scores are totaled by the Derringer coordinator. And having judged before, I know that the quality of the stories is fantastic and that anyone who submits is up against some top-notch writers. I loved getting to read such a wide spread of stories with different mystery sub-genres and sensibilities. Believe me, getting down to top five is hard!
Stiletto Gang Stories
Several of the Stiletto Gang are also SMFS members and have submitted their stories. With the array of submissions below, I’m hoping that at least one of the Stiletto Gang can take home a Derringer Award medal.
donalee has three stories in consideration. With a 2024 finalist spot, donalee is shooting for a repeat with one of her three stories. “Bon Ami” from the Signed, Sealed…Deceased Cozy Mystery Anthology. “Maladaptives Anonymous” from the Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers Anthology. And “Zebra Finch” from The Most Dangerous Games.
Judy submitted “Baby, It’s You” from Lunatic Fringe and “A Foolproof Plan” from the Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers Anthology. This fantastic mystery/crime anthology features 22 tales of mystery and suspense. Last year, the previous anthology, Larceny & Last Chances picked up a Finalist spot in the Derringer’s Anthology category, so we’re all hopeful for a repeat with Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers!
Debra has “Candy Cane on the Case,” from Crimeucopia: The Not So Frail Detective Agency and “Opera Dinner Club, ” which was both a podcast and print story in Anything But Murder: Larceny and Lies. Like Bethany, her stories are falling in two different categories. If you visit her website you can see her extensive list of short stories! Visit: https://www.debrahgoldstein.com/short-stories/
In 2025, I wrote two mystery stories that qualify to be submitted for the Derringers – “Front Desk Staff” (published in Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers) and “Love, Lefse, & Murder” (published in Cooking Up Death). “Front Desk Staff” went into the highly competitive Short Story Category and “Love, Lefse, & Murder,” which clocked in at 9k words, will be in the Best Novelette category.
Wish all of the Stiletto Gang members luck as our precious stories make their way across the judges desks!
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Want to check out these award-worthy stories?
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See more books from the Stiletto Gang: BOOKS
Would You Take This Advice?
/in Artificial Intelligence, amateur sleuth mysteries, Book Clubs, Cozy Mysteries, Gay Yellen, humor, Mystery Series, Romantic Suspense, Samantha Newman Romantic Mystery series/by Gay YellenAs the calendar turns, it seems like we’re bombarded with suggestions about how to improve our happiness and well-being in the new year.
Much of this purported wisdom comes from professional gurus, some from ordinary folks, and some—heaven help us—from chatbots. A meme I recently came across suggested that we had to invent artificial intelligence because we are running out of real intelligence. But I digress…
The New York Times columnist, Melissa Kirsch, asked her readers to share the best advice they got in the past year. A few ideas were practical, such as: “Don’t think harder, breathe deeper.” Or, “Baby steps still move us forward.” Or, “Always have a bottle of champagne chilling in the fridge.”
And others seemed less helpful, such as “You don’t need to tell everyone everything that goes into making the chicken soup.”
I’m guessing that one was from a chatbot.
If you take advice from TEDTalk gurus or best-seller book lists, you’ve probably come across the podcaster Mel Robbins and her blockbuster “Let Them” theory. At its core is this message: Don’t waste your energy worrying about people and situations beyond your control. Let them be stupid, mean, or just plain wrong, and get on with your life.
I received similar advice years ago.
After venting my frustration over a personal relationship, an older and wiser woman of few words, responded, “When you argue with a fool, there are two fools arguing.” She saved me from allowing an untenable situation to ruin my life. It’s been a lesson I’ve returned to time and again.
When our family doctor retired, we thought we’d lost his gentle, humorous counsel forever. But he recently reappeared as a columnist on The Buzz, a local publication that’s often fun to read. On New Year’s Day, he cited a university’s report showing that less than ten percent of resolutions are kept, and almost half are abandoned before the end of the month.
The good doctor’s believes it would help if we promised ourselves to do something less boring than lose weight or exercise more.
“Why not resolve to do things that you really secretly want to do,” he asks, like “eat some chocolate every day?” Wise man.
Still, the urge is strong at New Year’s to look inward for ways to improve ourselves. My own resolutions tend to revolve around my writing career, which puts me in mind of the main character in my Samantha Newman Mystery Series.
Samantha is too headstrong to worry about any personal shortcomings, even though they often lead her into dangerous territory. When she sees an injustice, she dives headfirst into fixing the situation. So far, she’s survived relatively unscathed. But will she make it through another dicey situation?
We’ll see. In the meantime, let’s all cut ourselves a little slack.
Have fun, be well, and no matter what… have a great year!
Gay Yellen began her award-winning writing career in magazine journalism. She also was the contributing editor for the international thriller, Five Minutes to Midnight (Delacorte), which debuted as a New York Times “Notable.” Her Samantha Newman Mystery Series is packed with suspense and laced with touches of romance, heart, and humor. Find it on Amazon or through your favorite bookseller.
Reading: The Panacea for What Ails Me
/in Donnell Ann Bell, Author Life, Families, The Stiletto Gang, writing life/by Donnell Ann BellBy Donnell Ann Bell
When my children were small, I’d plop one kid on my left side, the other on my right, and open a book. I’d read one page, hand it off to the one on the left and say, “Your turn.”
My daughter would read one page and hand it back to me. I’d read the following page, then hand it off to my son, and the ritual continued.
Over the 2025 Christmas holiday, I was reminded of this special time when I learned the tradition continued. My son and daughter-in-law take turns reading to their children every night before bed.
Reading is the gateway that makes all other learning possible.
Already at age nine, my granddaughter has read nine of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. “Grammy,” she asked, “Do you want to hear me read?”
Nothing would please me more, so I answered, “Of course.”
Not to be outdone, her brother, age seven, cut in, “Grammy, do you want to hear me read?”
“Love to,” I responded immediately.
My grandchildren’s elementary school hosts reading challenges, and clearly the competition is working. When I learned my granddaughter was reading C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I reread it so I could discuss it with her.
On this trip, I listened to her read chapters from The Curious Tale of the In Between by Lauren DeStefano, which I found to be an amazing middle grade book. While she stumbled over some of the bigger words, when that happened, we paused and discussed their meanings.
It was such an important, joyous time for me. I can’t think of a better bonding scenario.
Periodically, Stiletto Gang member and critique partner Lois Winston asks if I have time to read a few chapters or even the rest of an edited book before she publishes. In no way is reading her work a sacrifice. I love to spend time with her reluctant amateur sleuth and the rest of her zany New Jersey crew. 😊
I certainly can’t read while I’m driving, so I turn to audio books. During a recent trip to Colorado, I listened to John Grisham’s The Widow. Audio books make long car trips fly by!
Back to the recent 2025 holiday, not everything was perfect. Christmas afternoon, I came down with the flu, which sadly cut my family visit short. The bug lasted well into New Year’s, forcing me to reschedule my planned company for New Year’s.
Don’t feel too sorry for me, though. In between sleeping I spent the time reading. Whether I’m healthy, sick or simply in need of escape, I turn to reading. It’s the panacea for what ails me.
Glad to be back, Stiletto Gang. Wishing everyone a happy and productive 2026!! By the way, what are you reading?
Donnell Ann Bell is an award-winning author who began her nonfiction career in newspapers. After she turned to fiction, her romantic suspense novels became Amazon bestsellers, including The Past Came Hunting, Deadly Recall, Betrayed, and Buried Agendas. In 2019, Donnell released her first mainstream suspense, Black Pearl, A Cold Case Suspense, which was a 2020 Colorado Book Award finalist. In 2022, book two of the series was released. Until Dead, A Cold Case Suspense won Best Thriller in 2023 at the Imaginarium Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Currently, she’s working on book three of the series. Readers can follow Donnell on her blog or sign up for her newsletter at www.donnellannbell.net.
Dead, but Not Forgotten
/in Author Life, author promotion, Cozy Mysteries, cozy mystery books, Detective, Historical Mystery, humor/by Kathleen KaskaGalvez Hotel
Dead, but Not Forgotten:
Murder at the Galvez
When asked whether I use real people as inspiration for my stories, I tell folks that there are so many imaginary characters in my head vying for my attention that I don’t need inspiration from a real person. Except—there’s always an exception—right?
When I started writing MURDER AT THE GALVEZ, the third mystery in my Sydney Lockhart series set in Galveston, Texas, I used a real person in the first paragraph merely to jump-start the story.
My husband is from Galveston, and his grandfather, PoPo, who was the doorman at the Tremont Hotel, always had a pack of teaberry gum in his pocket. I’d never met him, but I couldn’t help but wonder what life as a doorman at a fancy hotel would be like. (Note: before I chose the Galvez Hotel for the book, I’d planned to set the mystery in the Tremont Hotel until I learned it was temporarily closed during the time the story takes place.) Thus, I gave PoPo the name James Robert Lockhart, made him the doorman at the Galvez Hotel, and Sydney’s grandfather.
As in all my Sydney Lockhart mysteries, Sydney checks into a hotel, someone is murdered, and she’s the primary suspect. I needed a reason for Sydney to be at the hotel, and what better reason than to visit her grandfather? But wait, he’d already passed away, so to bring him into the story, I have Sydney reminisce about the last time she saw him, when she was eleven.
When I was little, I used to run up the hotel’s front steps, and PoPo would say, “Let me get the door for you, ma’am.” He’d bow and open the door with a flourish. As I passed, he’d say, “Welcome to the Galvez, Miss Lockhart. Enjoy your stay.” I would lift my chin like a queen. Then I’d reach into his coat pocket and pull out a pack of Teaberry chewing gum.—Sydney Lockhart
Having Sydney reminisce wasn’t enough, so I had to develop this character and give him more purpose, which led to Sydney’s last visit with him being a traumatic experience.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Galveston was a rough-and-tumble gambling town that earned the title “Sin City of the Southwest.” A few powerful crime families operated illegal casinos, speakeasies, and backroom bookie joints that attracted tourists and celebrities. A hotel doorman would surely have inside information and connections to these establishments and operations. With this in mind, James Robert Lockhart began to develop.
Whenever my family came to the island for a visit, I’d make a beeline to the Galvez Hotel and stand next to Popo while he greeted guests. People who saw us together knew instantly that I was his granddaughter. We were cut from the same mold: tall, thin, and redheaded. I was proud of that fact, for James Robert Lockhart was the most handsome man I’d ever seen. When I found him crumpled on the floor in the hotel foyer, his body riddled with bullet holes, I knew my life would never be the same. Now, as I stepped into the lobby eighteen years later, the memory of that day hit me square in the gut.—Sydney Lockhart
Sydney had no intention of ever setting foot in the hotel again, but when she was assigned to write a news story about a planning conference at the Galvez involving a controversial development project on the island, she had to suck it up and go. As always, someone was murdered, but what if this murder was connected to the murder of James Robert Lockhart? Now I was building him a backstory in which Sydney suspected her grandfather wasn’t who he seemed. Soon she realized that clearing herself of murder charges meant delving deeper into her grandfather’s history.
One thing led to another, and Lockhart skeletons began jumping out of closets too close to home. So, was James Robert Lockhart a notorious con artist or someone who always did the right thing, regardless of the consequences? Either way, Sydney had to find out, and so did I.
Since then, Sydney has shared with me a few survival skills she learned from her grandfather: how to hotwire a car, pick a lock with a bobby pin, and win at five-card draw. Dead, but not forgotten, Popo’s influence and teaching made Sydney who she is.
PoPo had an unquenchable fascination with the wonders of life and had steered me toward more practical directions. He taught me to appreciate the creatures that washed ashore after high tide, the majesty of constellations as they traveled across the sky, and flocks of birds that descended on the beach after fleeing an offshore storm. He even took me on my first Christmas bird count.—Sydney Lockhart/MURDER AT THE MENGER
I’m sure the real PoPo was the benevolent grandfather my husband remembered, and if PoPo is reading this from upstairs, I hope he’s smiling down on me.
Look for my seventh Sydney Lockhart mystery, where PoPo’s lessons save Sydney’s tush once again. It’s scheduled for release in spring 2026. The hotel, and hence the title, remains a secret until pre-lease. Check out my other Sydney mysteries: https://kathleenkaska.com/
Clicking Our Heels – Some of Our Favorite Things
/in Clicking Our Heels, Inspiration/by DebraSome of Our Favorite Things
Welcome to 2026. This year, the gang wants to give you more insight into all of us. That’s why our theme each month will address something personal or share some of our favorite things. This month, the topic is what would surprise you, our readers, most about each of us.
T.K. Thorne: I am a short, grey-headed, sweet old lady, and I get a chuckle out of the typical disbelieving reaction when people learn I was a police captain.
Saralyn Richard: I’m super organized when it comes to my house, my closet, and my former work as a school administrator and consultant, but my writing desk and first drafts are rather chaotic. I can’t explain this dichotomy, except that creative work may involve the opposite side of my brain.
Kathleen Kaska: I’m a Yankees fan.
Judy Penz Sheluk: Probably that I listen to talk radio while I write. And that I can’t write if there’s music on in the background because I find it too distracting.
Lois Winston: I hate peanut butter! Can’t even stand the smell of it. It triggers my gag reflexes. When my kids were little, I had to hold my breath while making them PB&J sandwiches.
Bethany Maines: I think that most readers would be surprised by how instantly anxious I get when someone says those fearsome words “I read your book.” Because I never know what is going to come next.
Gay Yellen: Readers seem to love the passages in my books involving food. But I do not cook. I just like to eat, and so does my protagonist!
Mary Lee Ashford: I’m not sure readers would be surprised by much of anything because I share a lot of things about my crazy life and my loves with them. I guess I don’t talk much about what I did before retirement because boring… So I guess readers might be surprised to know I spent 30 plus years as a public servant, at first in Customer Service aka complaint central, then as a Management Analyst/Congressional Liaison, and then a Business Analyst, and finally as the Deputy Director of Information Technology.
Donalee Moulton: That depends, to a certain extent, on what book they’ve just read. If it’s Hung Out to Die, my first mystery novel, readers will be surprised to learn I do not drink coffee (at least with caffeine) and I do not like donairs. (I hope they would not be surprised to learn I am not a psychopath.) Readers of Bind and Melt might come to believe I have a penchant for PowerPoint presentations. I do not.
Debra H. Goldstein: That I’m shy.