Tag Archive for: Paula Gail Benson

Writing Discoveries

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by Paula Gail Benson

Book by J.K. Rowling

The first weekend in November, the South Carolina Writers Association (SCWA) held its annual conference. Entitled “Storyfest,” it featured a day of master classes followed by two days of panels, guest speakers, readings, and pitch sessions. The entire event was invigorating—truly a great opportunity to connect with other writers, improve craft skills, and find inspiration.

I attended one of the master classes. Called “Before Fade-In: Pre-Writing to Help You Conquer Page One” and taught by Geoffrey Gunn,* a filmmaker who now lives in upstate South Carolina, it provided excellent story techniques that were transferable from working on screenplays to other writing mediums.

One exercise that resonated with me was in the category “Choosing to Do.” Geoff had us list our top five favorite films or novels. We could choose to list particular works or the authors/directors who created them.

The exercise helped to examine what we gravitate toward as readers or viewers. We were asked to think not about what we wanted to write, but about what we wanted as entertainment.

I decided to list movies that I found particularly interesting and could view multiple times. As Geoff pointed out, my five might have been the most eclectic of the class. They were: (1) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (the third book in the series and I think the most involving storyline), (2) To Kill a Mockingbird (such a simple, yet inspiring premise—how important it is to be able to walk around in another person’s shoes), (3) Shakespeare in Love (I love Shakespeare’s plays, but find his biography fascinating—to be able to combine his stories in a contemporary piece that helps a new generation discover him is fabulous), (4) Murder on the Orient Express (Agatha Christie’s classic with its unique ending), and (5) School of Rock (well, that seems out of the blue, but its structure and plot are just really neat, and it taught me a lot about rock and roll appreciation).

After we came up with our lists, Geoff asked us to evaluate the common elements, to understand where we got our ideas so we could keep the reservoir full. He suggested we could invite inspiration into our own creative process by reviewing our top five list when we didn’t know what to write next.

When I reviewed my diverse list of five, I found at least two appealed to the YA market, all five had aspects of legal elements (which ranged from living under a society’s customs or rules to actual criminal offenses to courtroom action or justice delivered outside lawful processes), and all five had realistic, if not always perfectly happy solutions.

Here is what I decided “connected” my list of five:

(1) They all dealt with a person who needed to fit in but didn’t within their societal structure. (Harry, Scout, Shakespeare and Viola, all the suspects in Murder, and Dewey Finn)

(2) The person(s) needing to fit in take(s) an unconventional journey to find belonging.

(3) In the end, the person(s) discover(s) “home”—the place he or she or they need to be.

The exercise has given me a lot to think about and has provided greater insight into my own writing.

Why don’t you try it? See what it tells you about your work.

Very best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving!

______________

*Geoffrey Gunn is a terrific instructor. Here is his bio from the SCWA Storyfest event: “Geoffrey Gunn is a writer, producer and director specializing in independent film. His past writing and co-writing credits include anime legend ‘Mamoru Oshii’s Garm Wars: The Last Druid’ and the dark comedy ‘Dirty Weekend,’ both of which enjoyed international film festival runs before finding their way to theaters, home video and streaming services. Additional writing credits include the Lionsgate release ‘Siren,’ micro-budget darling ‘Cinema Purgatorio’ and the Lifetime thriller ‘Fatal Family Reunion.’ He made his directorial debut with the award-winning short film ‘Last Night at the Ellington,’ which was the recipient of a South Carolina Indie Grant. With over 15 years of experience in the business of independent film, Gunn also routinely works as a panelist, teacher and consultant on screenwriting and filmmaking.”

The Many Versions of the Addams Family

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by Paula Gail Benson

Mural with Charles Addams from: The Addams Family Secret | The New Yorker

According to Wikipedia, Charles Samuel Addams (January 7, 1912-September 29, 1988) made a career as a cartoonist, first for his high school yearbook, then as a free-lancer for The New Yorker as well as a stint creating animated training films for the Army during World War II. He had a macabre outlook, was drawn to a Presbyterian Cemetery as a child, and, as inspiration for the Addams home, explored mansions in the town where he grew up (one of which he was accused of breaking and entering) and buildings at the colleges he attended.

From the 1964-66 ABC TV series

The cartoon characters with which he is most often identified remained nameless in the New Yorker until they became the basis of a situation comedy, The Addams Family, a television program filmed in black-and-white that initially aired from 1964-66. John Astin played the effusive Gomez Addams who passionately adored his beloved wife Morticia (Carolyn Jones), always moving incrementally in a black, tight-fitting, V-necked gown. Their butler, the deep-voiced, tall, and intimidating Lurch (Ted Cassidy) was originally written to be mute, but when Cassidy ad-libbed “You rang?”, the phrase was immediately adopted as the character’s signature line. Bald Uncle Fester (Jackie Coogan) was identified as Morticia’s uncle and Grandmama Addams (Blossom Rock) as Gomez’ mother. Pugsley (Ken Weatherwax) and Wednesday (Lisa Loring) were the two children. Charles Addams originally wanted to call Pugsley “Pubert,” but that name was rejected as being too sexual. Later, in the film Addams Family Values, the new baby and third child was called Pubert.

Several animated and live action series featured the family in the 1970s and 1990s. One of the animated series had Jodie Foster voicing Pugsley. In 2022, Netflix presented Wednesday, a supernatural coming of age series that had a teen aged Wednesday Addams solving a murder at her school.

From Barry Sonnenfeld’s The Addams Family movie (1991)

A number of films, both live action and animated, have focused on the family’s adventures. In 1991 and 1993, Barry Sonnenfeld directed The Addams Family and Addams Family Values. (Barry Sonnenfeld also appeared in Addams Family Values, as the father of Joel Glicker, Wednesday’s boyfriend at Camp Chippewa.) Raul Julia played Gomez Addams with Anjelica Huston as Morticia. Christopher Lloyd is Fester, who was identified as Gomez’ brother. Morticia referred to Grandmama (Judith Malina in the first film and Carol Kane in the second) as her mother (with a mention in the first film that Gomez’ parents were dead). Interestingly, in the Broadway musical, The Addams Family (2010), when Morticia said Grandmama was Gomez and Fester’s mother, Gomez (played by Nathan Lane) was surprised, saying he thought she was Morticia’s mother. Morticia (played by Bebe Neuwirth) later admitted that Grandmama might not be a member of the family. (Note, Nathan Lane appeared in the movie Addams Family Values, as a beleaguered police officer listening to Gomez demand an investigation of Debbie Jellinsky (played by Joan Cusack), who married Fester and established their home in the suburbs.)

Poster for Broadway musical The Addams Family

In the Sonnenfeld films, while Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) might be older, Wednesday (Christina Ricci) definitely showed greater malevolent initiative. In The Addams Family, when a Girl Scout (Mercedes McNab) asked if their lemonade was made with real lemons, Wednesday inquired if her cookies were made with real Girl Scouts. McNab returned in the role of Amanda Buckman in Addams Family Values, a camper who ridiculed and later was tormented by Wednesday and Joel Glicker (played by David Krumholtz, who went on to star in the TV show Numb3rs).

For the 2010 Broadway musical, The Addams Family, Wednesday (Krysta Rodriguez) is the older of the two siblings, pleading with her parents for “One Normal Night” for the family to meet her boyfriend (Wesley Taylor) and his parents (Terence Mann and Carolee Carmello).

The Penn State Library now displays a mural painted by Charles Addams for a Hamptons hotel. The mural was donated to the college when the hotel property changed hands. Entitled “An Addams Family Holiday,” it features the group at the beach, enjoying the waves that other vacationers are fleeing. Meanwhile, Lurch and Grandmama prepare a picnic lunch of bats and a mixed drink made with poison. All very appropriate for a Halloween celebration!

BTW, did you know that Charles Addams received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America?

Mural from: The Addams Family Secret | The New Yorker

A New Story

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by Paula Gail Benson

As I celebrate my birthday this week, I’m also partying about a new story being published in A DEATH IN THE NIGHT by Dragon Soul Press. The anthology, released on August 30, 2023, contains eleven tales of assassins, which, as described on Amazon, may be about persons who are well paid, who are paying a debt, or who are being blackmailed. Each hired gun faces a unique journey. Some need to be wary of becoming too close to their marks.

The following authors’ stories are featured in the anthology: Victoria Azzi, L.N. Hunter, Charles Kyffhausen, Barend Nieuwstraten III, Fulvio Gatti, Edgar Mahaffey, Gray Stanback, Hennifer Strassel, Douglas Allen Gohl, Frank Sawielijew, and myself.

My story, “Crossfire in the Crosshairs,” occurs in the pandemic and involves a single mother working as an assassin to support her pre-school aged, precocious daughter. As mentioned in the narrative, “Assassinations remain essential services during Covid.” Chelsea Lebouef, the mom, is tasked to slay a famous cellist, hopefully managing to spill some blood on his instrument to heighten its value. She learns there will be multiple shooters to handle the job, but not until she makes arrangements for her daughter’s care and arrives on the job does she realize her competitor is her ex-husband.

I hope you’ll check out my story and the others. Dragon Soul Press has been a great company to work with and has supplied a lot of beneficial materials for promotion. (Notice the great banner above!)

Here’s a link to purchase on Amazon. Happy my birthday, everyone!

Recognizing a Character’s Name in a Mystery Story

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by Paula Gail Benson

Barb Goffman, writer and editor extraordinaire

Barb Goffman, whose stories have been finalists for exactly forty national crime awards, will be celebrating two nominations at San Diego’s Bouchercon. Her story “Beauty and the Beyotch,” already the winner of the Agatha Award at Malice Domestic, is among those nominated for the Anthony and Macavity.

Originally written for a themed anthology about theatre, Barb liked the final version of the story so well that she decided to submit it to major publications where it might be seen by a larger readership. Published in Issue 29 of Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Barb describes the story as “a tale about three high school girls told from two perspectives about . . . the struggle to make their deepest desires come true. What happens when those dreams collide?”

The first time I read the story, I immediately recognized one of the character’s names: Elaine Naiman, who lives in Canada and is a friend I’ve met at Malice Domestic. When I approached Elaine about an interview, she mentioned that Barb had included another name in the story, that of Joni Jackson Langevoort.

Joni explained: “Both Elaine and I learned of this opportunity for a character name in one of Barb’s stories at the Malice Domestic live charity auction; Barb asked me for a donation to my favorite local animal charity (she knew my four rescue cats and one rescue pup!), and she would use my name in a story. I did that happily, to the rescue agency where I found my beloved pup Arthur. I said she was welcome to use my full name, but because so many in the mystery community know it, she might want to use my maiden name of Jackson. I didn’t ask for any input, I felt whatever Barb wrote would be fabulous! She is an amazing short story writer, truly. And I loved the story, was so excited when it won the Agatha and have voted for it for the Macavity and Anthony awards!”

Elaine also was delighted with the outcome. She said: “Barb had a ‘Name a Character’ in an auction at Malice. I bid, but didn’t win. When I spoke to her, she told me if I made a donation to an animal charity, she’d put my name in a story. I didn’t say not to use my last name, so she used both. I didn’t have any input about the character, but I loved the story and was glad to be the ‘Beyotch.’ Usually, I’m a good person when I’m in a book.”

Joni Jackson Langevoort

I had the opportunity to ask Barb some additional questions about her story. Here are her answers:

  • Did the story idea come first or did knowing the names of the characters help inspire it?

The story idea came first. When I name a character after someone who wins naming rights at an auction (or, in this case, when two people I’m friends with bid for naming rights at an auction but lost, and I offered to name characters after them if they’d make a charitable donation), I try to use the name for an important character in the story. If the character is going to be a bad guy or a victim, I make sure to ask first if the person would mind that. Some people shudder at the idea. Others relish it.

That said, sometimes the real life person influences the character. In this case, Joni the character and Joni the person both have blond hair. I could have sworn I remembered Joni the person once having a cute pixie cut, so I gave Joni the character that hairdo. The real Joni subsequently told me I’d never seen her with that haircut. It’s a good thing I write fiction.

Elaine Naiman with a figure of Chris Pine at Rock of Ages Quarry where a Star Trek movie was shot. Elaine has photos with everyone!

  • How difficult was it to balance multiple points of view in the story?

“Beauty and the Beyotch” is told from only two points of view: Joni, a shy introvert, and Meryl, her new and more outgoing friend who is best friends with Elaine. Elaine views Joni as a strong rival for the starring role in the school play, which Elaine thinks is her due.

At first I’d thought about writing the story from the points of view of all three main characters (switching POV when scenes change), but I realized it wouldn’t work for the story I wanted to tell. When writing a crime story, you want to keep some things secret from the reader for part of the story—motives or thoughts or actions. Sometimes you can achieve that by having something happen between scenes or by having a character think something in a scene in which she’s not the POV character so the reader doesn’t see those thoughts. In the end, with this story, I thought it best to keep Elaine more removed from the reader. What we know of her comes only from what we see her do and say and what other characters think about her. We don’t see her thoughts.

Getting back to balance, it was a little difficult. Although I went back and forth, scene by scene, for most of the story (the story opens with a Joni scene; it’s followed with a Meryl scene, then a Joni scene, etc.), when I neared the end, storytelling needs dictated that the last three scenes be from Meryl’s perspective. The part of me that likes consistency remains bothered I didn’t have a Joni scene between Meryl’s final two, but I’m probably the only person who noticed or cared. Thankfully, I don’t think the story feels too weighted toward Meryl. If it did, that would have been a problem.

Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Issue 29

  • In my previous interview with you for The Stiletto Gang, you mentioned that a key scene from the story is based on a real-life experience. Could you tell us more about that?

When I was in high school, a group of girls—whom I thought were my friends—snubbed me publicly, telling me that I couldn’t sit with them at lunch anymore. It was mean and humiliating. I like to build my stories from emotions that readers can tap into. That helps make the characters—their thoughts and actions—more real and relatable. So when I decided to write a story involving high school girls, this is the memory that popped into my head, and that’s why there’s a scene in “Beauty and the Beyotch” based on that incident. When I was plotting the story, I thought about why that incident could have come about—not why the real-life girls did what they did but why my characters might act as those girls did that day and how I could build a crime story (and a coming-of-age story) around that memory. And I did.

  • Are you pleased with the reception the story has received?

Wow, yes. How could I not be? Three major award nominations for this story with one win (so far at least—fingers crossed!). I’ve heard from a bunch of readers who said they really enjoyed the story. One reader even named it his story of the week. That’s everything. I write to be read, and I write to entertain and make an impact. With “Beauty and the Beyotch,” I’ve achieved all three things. And I’ve been given the chance to reach even more readers with interviews like this, so thank you, Paula, for inviting me to do this.

Barb, Elaine, and Joni, many thanks to you all for recounting your experiences with “Beauty and the Beyotch.” For readers, if you haven’t had a chance yet, here’s a link for the story. I know you will truly enjoy it!

Macavity, Shamus, and Silver Falchion Short Story (and Other) Award Nominations

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by Paula Gail Benson

The nominations for Macavity Awards, Shamus Awards, and Silver Falchion Awards have been announced for best short story or best short story collection or anthology.

The Macavity Award is named for the “mystery cat” of T.S. Eliot (Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats). Each year the members of Mystery Readers International nominate and vote for their favorite mysteries in five categories: Best Mystery Novel, Best First Mystery, Best Mystery Short Story, Best Non-Fiction/Critical, and the Sue Feder Memorial Award for Best Historical Mystery. Here are the nominees for best short story:

Best Mystery Short Story:

  • Brendan DuBois: “The Landscaper’s Wife” (Mystery Tribune, Aug/Sep 2022)
  • Barb Goffman: “Beauty and the Beyotch” (Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Jan 2022)
  • Donna Moore: “First You Dream, Then You Die” (Black is the Night, Titan Books)
  • Anna Scotti: “Schrödinger, Cat” (Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Mar/Apr 2022)
  • Catherine Steadman: “Stockholm” (Amazon Original Stories)
  • Jess Walter: “The Angel of Rome” (in The Angel of Rome and Other Stories, Harper)
  • Melissa Yi: “My Two-Legs” (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Sep/Oct 2022)

Previously, Brendan DuBois’ short stories have won three Shamus awards.

Barb Goffman’s “Beauty and the Beyotch” has been nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity. It won the Agatha.

Donna Moore’s “First You Dream, Then You Die” was nominated for an Edgar.

Anna Scotti is a former journalist whose stories regularly appear in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. “Schrödinger, Cat” received a third place Ellery Queen Readers’ Choice Award.

Catherine Steadman’s “Stockholm” won the Thriller for best short story.

Jess Walter’s “The Angel of Rome” comes from his collection of stories by that title.

Melissa Yi is an emergency room doctor who writes a medical crime series as well as romance and YA.

The Private Eye Writers of America, an association of fans, writers, and publishing professionals, is devoted to elevating the private eye story from a sub-genre of mystery to a genre of its own. It categorizes private eyes as private citizens paid to investigate crimes. Private eyes may include investigators, company employees, and reporters. Each year the Private Eye Writers of America presents Shamus awards in four categories: Best PI Hardcover, Best Original PI Paperback, Best First PI Novel, and Best PI Short Story. Here are the nominees for best short story:

Best PI Short Story:

  • Lori Armstrong: “No Place for a Dame” (Edgar & Shamus Go Golden, Down and Out Books)
  • Libby Cudmore: “Charlie’s Medicine” (Lawyers, Guns, and Money: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Warren Zevon, Down and Out Books)
  • O’Neil DeNoux: “A Jelly of Intrigue” (Edgar & Shamus Go Golden, Down and Out Books)
  • Carolina Garcia-Aguilera: “The Pearl of the Antilles” (Edgar & Shamus Go Golden, Down and Out Books)
  • Elliot Sweeney: “Bad Actor” (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Nov/Dec 2022)

Lori Armstrong has won two Shamus awards for her novels.

Libby Cudmore writes the Martin Wade PI series for Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine.

O’Neil DeNoux won the 2020 Shamus award for his short story “Sac-a-lait Man” in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine’s Sep/Oct 2019 issue.

Born in Cuba and based in Miami, Carolina Garcia-Aguilera has been a private investigator for twenty-five years. She is known for her Lupe Solano mystery series.

Elliot Sweeney, born in London, had his debut novel The Next to Die published in February 2023.

The Silver Falchion Awards are presented annually at Killer Nashville, which takes place August 17 through 20. (Note: there is still time to register to attend the conference. Also, online voting for the Readers Choice Awards continues until midnight Tuesday, July 25.)

Here are the nominees for best short story collection or anthology:

Best Short Story Collection or Anthology:

  • Chris Chan: Of Course He Pushed Him & Other Sherlock Holmes Stories: the Complete Collection (MX Publishing; 1st edition; September 2, 2022)
  • Marianne Donley, ed.: An Element of Mystery: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Tales of Intrigue (Bethlehem Writers Group; September 27, 2022)
  • Marissa Doyle: Countess of Shadows: The Ladies of Almack’s Omnibus No. 1 (978-1-63632-094-6; November 1, 2022)
  • Catherine Jordan, ed.: That Darkened Doorstep (Hellbender Books; September 21, 2022)
  • Lindy Ryan: Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga (Black Spot Books; November 8, 2022)
  • J.B. Stevens: A Therapeutic Death: Violent Short Stories (Shotgun Honey Books; February 16, 2022)
  • J.D. Webb: Incredible Witness (Wings ePress, Inc.; June 27, 2022)

I’m very proud to be a member of the Bethlehem Writers Group and to have a story in An Element of Mystery. Debra H. Goldstein has a story in it also. Two of our other members, Dianna Sinovic and Diane Sismour, have stories in An Element of Mystery as well as in That Darkened Doorstep.

While I’m mentioning Silver Falchion nominees, let me brag on several of my Stiletto Gang blogging partners whose books placed in other categories: Debra H. Goldstein’s Five Belles Too Many was nominated for Best Cozy and Saralyn Richard’s Crystal Blue Murder and Joyce Woollcott’s A Nice Place to Die were nominated for Best Investigator.

Many great stories, collections, anthologies, and novels for your reading pleasure. Please enjoy!

Out of the Past—Or, How Cell Phones Became the New Swiss Army Knives

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by Paula Gail Benson

Lately, I’ve been binge watching the 1980s “soap opera” series Dynasty and Falcon Crest. Not only is it interesting to see how the story arcs were developed and played out, but also it’s amusing to watch the use of establishing shots to indicate location. La Mirage is a hotel run by one of the characters on Dynasty. In the earlier episodes, when a scene occurred there, the same video appeared, showing the front of the hotel with its sign and two couples, one dressed in tennis whites exiting and the other wearing clothes for elegant dining entering. When the programs were viewed a week apart, I imagine people didn’t notice the duplication, but when seen back-to-back, it’s painfully obvious. Finally, in later episodes, only the hotel sign was used to designate the venue. Falcon Crest avoided the apparent duplication by showing only the exteriors of buildings without people in evidence. Of course, Falcon Crest featured several impressive architectural structures.

La Mirage Sign Photo from Amazon

Another dating aspect of those series is the absence of the cell phone. If characters were stranded, they had no way to communicate with loved ones or get help unless they had access to a pay phone. Do phone booths even exist now or have they become extinct?

This pondering has led me to focus on the modern utility of the cell phone. Some people trace its earliest model to the communicators used on the original Star Trek series or Dick Tracy’s wristwatch phone. While those wonders may have initiated progress toward the pocket devices upon which we are so reliant today, I think the current cell phone is more akin to the Swiss Army knife.

According to Wikipedia, the name “Swiss Army Knife” was coined by American soldiers who had difficulty pronouncing the German word “Offiziersmesser,” which meant “officer’s knife.” While the Swiss Army knife (now produced by Victorinox) has become lauded for its numerous applications and versatility, it “was not the first multi-use pocket knife. In 1851, in Moby Dick (chapter 107), Herman Melville mentions the ‘Sheffield contrivances, assuming the exterior—though a little swelled—of a common pocket knife; but containing, not only blades of various sizes, but also screw-drivers, cork-screws, tweezers, awls, pens, rulers, nail-filers and countersinkers.’”

Photo by Victorinox

While the current Swiss Army knives have many of those same features, they may also have scissors, saws, and bottle openers, as well as knives. Anything needed to survive in the wild or live more easily in domesticated settings.

In fact, the cell phone is the perfect accessory for the modern law enforcement officer (see episodes of Law and Order), private investigator, or amateur sleuth. Consider all the items packed into one small item: phone, texting, email, internet, clock, calculator, navigator, camera, notepad, flashlight, weather predictor, social media, shopping apps, and entertainment apps (to get one through those long stakeouts). Imagine how Sherlock Holmes might have functioned with a handy cell phone. Perhaps he wouldn’t have even needed a John Watson. He could have recorded his own adventures with Dragon Naturally Speaking Speech Recognition Software!

A Gathering in Charleston, South Carolina

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by Paula Gail Benson

82 Queen

This year, I had been regretting my inability to attend any writing conferences. Being among writers and readers always helps to inspire and bring new ideas into focus. Not to mention, adding to my “to be read” list.

A few months ago, I heard from a dear friend to so many of us, Dru Ann Love, that she would be coming to Charleston, South Carolina, to tour the city with friends. Could some of us who lived nearby join them for lunch one day?

My work schedule kept changing, so I wasn’t certain until the last minute that I could join the group. I asked my friend Sue Husman, a retired librarian and voracious reader, if she would ride with me from Columbia to Charleston.

For lunch, we had a reservation at 82 Queen, described on its website as “a uniquely ‘Charleston’ dining experience” in “three buildings and a garden courtyard nestled in the Historic French Quarter.” I had not been there in decades, but I knew it would be delightful and memorable.

As we left the Municipal Garage, we ran into Jackie Layton, who writes “cozy mysteries with Spunky Southern Sleuths,” including the Low Country Dog Walker and the new Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mysteries, which will debut in July. I was impressed to learn that Jackie combines writing with being a part-time pharmacist. She lives in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and her website is http://jackielaytoncozyauthor.com. Sue, Jackie, and I took a few minutes to peruse Buxton Books on King Street before heading to 82 Queen.

We dined upstairs in a room wallpapered with images of green parrots. Dru Ann was our most gracious host, introducing us to her friends, Yifat Cestare from New York and Marla Husovsky from California. Since meeting, they had traveled to join each other at several destinations for exploration, food, and fun. Yifat explained the number one requirement was laughing a lot. We were glad to comply.

My lunch: tomato pie and salad. YUM.

Dru Ann made sure we knew about each of the authors. Tina Whittle and Nora McFarland had traveled from Savannah, Georgia.

In addition to short fiction, Tina Whittle writes the Tai Randolph/Trey Seaver mysteries that feature gunshop owner Tai and corporate security agent Trey. She reads tarot and enjoys boxing, sushi, and mini pilgrimages. Her website is http://www.tinawhittle.com.

Nora McFarland has an MFA from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and has worked in national (CNN) and local news. Her protagonist is Lily Hawkins, a TV News photographer who lives and sleuths in Bakersfield, California. Nora’s website is http://www.noramcfarland.com.

Pralines and Cream Ice Cream for Dessert!

Dorothy McFalls and I always joke that we only meet when traveling to writing conventions. We have both been members of the Lowcountry Romance Writers (chapter of RWA), based in Charleston. Dorothy’s a Charleston resident who writes romance and mysteries. She has two websites: http://dorothymcfalls.com and http://dorothystjames.com. Her mysteries include the White House Gardener, the Southern Chocolate Shop, and the Beloved Bookroom series.

Everyone was very supportive of my short stories, including “Crossfire in the Crosshairs” available in eBook A Death in the Night to be released in August by Dragon Soul Press. You can pre-order here.

Dru Ann had her own happy news that was announced at Malice Domestic. She and Kristopher Zgorski have collaborated to write a short story for a Beatles related anthology that will be edited by Josh Pachter. We are all very excited to read their work. Meanwhile, we’ll be following Dru Ann’s reading adventures at https://drusbookmusing.com/.

The group with something above!

We had a fabulous time, enjoying great food and conversation. One of the topics was about staying in haunted places. I noticed in the photo our server took that a shiny figure seems to float above us. Some might call it a reflection from the light fixture, but I wonder!

Many thanks to everyone involved in this wonderful day. Dru Ann, Yifat, and Marla, don’t you think you could make Charleston an annual destination?

Anthony Nominations for Best Short Story and Best Anthology

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by Paula Gail Benson

Bouchercon Poster

This year’s Bouchercon, the world mystery convention, will be held in San Diego, California, from August 30 through September 3. The Anthony awards, named for Anthony Boucher, a founder of the Mystery Writers of America, will be announced during the convention.

Categories for Best Short Story and Best Anthology are included among the nominations.

Earlier this year, Barb Goffman’s story, “Beauty and the Beyotch” was nominated for and won the Agatha award at Malice Domestic. In addition, Barb’s stories appear in two of the nominated anthologies: Low Down Dirty Vote Volume 3: The Color of My Vote and Land of 10,000 Thrills: Bouchercon Anthology 2022.

Greg Herren is multiply nominated for Anthony’s with his A Streetcar Named Murder (credited to T. G. Herren) for Best Humorous Novel, his #shedeservedit for Best Children’s/YA Novel (previously nominated for an Agatha), and his editing of Land of 10,000 Thrills: Bouchercon Anthology 2022 in the Best Anthology category.

All the authors nominated in these categories have had distinguished writing careers. Their work is definitely to be included on your “to be read” lists.

Here are this year’s Best Short Story and Best Anthology Anthony Nominees:

 

Anthony Nominees for Best Short Story

“Still Crazy After All These Years” by E.A. Aymar in Paranoia Blues: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Paul Simon

“The Impediment” by Bruce Robert Coffin in Deadly Nightshade: Best New England Crime Stories 2022

“Beauty and the Beyotch” by Barb Goffman in Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Feb. 2022

“The Estate Sale” by Curtis Ippolito in Vautrin Magazine, Summer 2022

“C.O.D.” by Gabriel Valjan in Low Down Dirty Vote Volume 3: The Color of My Vote

 

Anthony Nominees for Best Anthology

Low Down Dirty Vote Volume 3: The Color of My Vote edited by Mysti Berry

Lawyers, Guns, and Money: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Warren Zevon edited by Libby Cudmore and Art Taylor

Land of 10,000 Thrills: Bouchercon Anthology 2022 edited by Greg Herren

Paranoia Blues: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Paul Simon edited by Josh Pachter

Crime Hits Home: A Collection of Stories from Crime Fiction’s Top Authors edited by S.J. Rozan

What I Learned from King Charles’ Coronation

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by Paula Gail Benson

Last weekend, I was able to spend a little time watching and listening to the King’s coronation while preparing for and driving to attend a young friend’s college graduation. I wish that I had tuned into the broadcast earlier to see the pageantry of the carriages processing to Westminster Abbey. I very much enjoyed the King’s entrance into the Abbey attended by his honorary pages, including his grandson, Prince George. I also found it very endearing to hear Prince William pledge allegiance as the King’s “liege man” followed by a kiss on the King’s cheek.

I found two websites that were particularly helpful in describing the coronation weekend. First, the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and Queen Camilla, provided information about the schedule (the coronation to take place on Saturday, May 6; a concert to be held on Sunday, May 7; and a bank holiday on Monday, May 8, to be known as the Big Help Out, when people were encouraged to volunteer with charities and local organizations). Throughout the long weekend, Coronation Big Lunches were to take place in communities throughout the United Kingdom. The website offered suggested recipes along with short films, coloring books, and activities provided for children.

Second, the Royal Family’s website contained the Coronation Service, the official Coronation portraits, and photos of members of the Royal Family participating in the Big Lunches and Big Help Out. The website also contained detailed information about the music, vestments, flowers, and regalia at the event.

My attention was drawn to the headpieces worn by Princess Catherine and Princess Charlotte. One article called them “diadems.” To me, they looked like jeweled laurel wreaths. In “The Deeper Meaning Behind Princess Charlotte and Princess Kate’s Matching Silver Flower Crowns,” Elise Taylor, a writer for Vogue, described Princess Charlotte’s as a “delicate silver bullion and crystal flower crown by Jess Collet and Alexander McQueen,” and saying it matched that of her mother. According to Taylor, “The jewelry design is seemingly a nod to a motif used throughout Charles’s coronation of the Green Man. An ancient figure from British folklore, the Green Man symbolizes spring and rebirth. He wears a crown of oak, ivy, and hawthorn, and the emblematic flowers.”

Alexander McQueen designed the white dresses worn by Princess Catherine and Princess Charlotte to the Coronation. The gowns featured embroidered roses, thistles, shamrocks, and daffodils, representing the four nations of the United Kingdom.

Previously, I had heard of England being associated with the rose (the Tudor rose combining the red Lancashire rose with the white York rose signaling peace following the War of the Roses); of Scotland’s connection with the thistle (commonly found in the highlands); and of Ireland’s symbol being the shamrock (due to Saint Patrick using it to teach about the trinity). However, I did not know the daffodil was the national flower of Wales. Seeking more information, I found an article on the Internet that indicated: “The leek was the traditional emblem of Wales until the 19th-century. The Welsh name for daffodil Cenninen Pedr translates literally as ‘Saint Peter’s Leek’, which may have led to the confusion. It may also be because it blooms in early spring, coinciding with St David’s Day on March 1, when the flower is traditionally worn.”

Through renewal in the one-thousand-year-old tradition of the Coronation, Great Britain’s customs, folklore, and heritage are celebrated and given new life. I look forward to learning more about the Green Man and the national flowers.

Celebrating the Agatha Nominees for Best First Novel and Best Short Story, Part One

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by Paula Gail Benson

Each year, it’s a special joy for me to conduct mini-interviews with the Agatha nominees for best first novel and best short story. I love these categories because they introduce you to new writers (and the fascinating worlds they are creating) and they showcase gifted practitioners whose short works are amazing in their clarity and complexity.

This year, I’m doing back-to-back blog posts, today in The Stiletto Gang and tomorrow in Writers Who Kill. As always, the answers are revealing and intriguing.

For today, I asked each group an individualized question, then followed up with one I’ve come to traditionally use about footwear (after all, The Stiletto Gang is all about highlighting shoes as well as writing).

Please join us today and tomorrow to hear from these talented authors.

Best First Novel
The Finalist, Joan Long (Level Best Books)

Cheddar Off Dead, Korina Moss (St. Martin’s)

Death in the Aegean, M. A. Monnin (Level Best Books)

The Bangalore Detectives Club, Harini Nagendra (Constable)

Devil’s Chew Toy, Rob Osler (Crooked Lane Books)

The Gallery of Beauties, Nina Wachsman (Level Best Books)

 

What made you decide to become a writer?

Joan Long

Joan Long:

I became a writer because I love stories. After reading every Nancy Drew book I could get my hands on, I tried to write a mystery myself—at age ten. Needless to say, I wasn’t quite ready to write a novel! But I never gave up on my love of reading and writing.

Korina Moss:

For me, writing was a natural extension of my love of reading. It was always a part of my life, but in June of 2016, two major life events caused me to make it a priority. I switched my perspective from thinking of writing as a lifelong dream to pursuing it as a career goal. Within four years, I had acquired an agent and my first publishing contract for the Cheese Shop Mystery series.

M.A. Monnin

 

M.A. Monnin:

I’ve known I wanted to be a writer since I was in 5th grade, when I realized how wonderful it was to immerse myself in a really good book.

 

Harini Nagendra:

I started writing when I was very young–I loved reading and thought it would be fun to write stories of my own. I wrote little ‘books’, tearing out pages from my notebook and stitching them together with thread, co-opting my father as a reader. Later in life, as an ecologist, I wrote quite a bit of non-fiction. I didn’t plan on writing a full-length fiction novel though. Not until I was reading a mass of archival documents on old Bangalore in 2007, and the main heroine of The Bangalore Detectives Club, spunky 19-year-old amateur detective Kaveri Murthy, parachuted into my mind one day, demanding I write a book about her. Kaveri made a compelling case–and got me started on a murder mystery set in 1920s colonial India. It took a while–4 years and a number of false starts and complete rewrites to get to publication in 2022. Now that I’ve started, though, I can see there’s no turning back.

Rob Osler

Rob Osler:

Becoming a writer was in many ways a way to create the type of book I want to read. I love mysteries written in the Agatha Christie whodunnit tradition. I read them as a child and enjoyed the game of guessing the villain’s identity. So I chose the traditional mystery genre. As for featuring gay and lesbian characters, I am gay and believe that many LGBTQ+ readers desire more stories that feature characters like themselves, who are not victims, villains, or cliche’d sidekicks.

Nina Wachsman:

I’ve always wanted to write, since my mother was a writer, and always encouraged me. In high school I had the chance to either go into writing or art, and chose art, and went to Parsons School of Design, where I hoped to major in book illustration, combining both loves.  I always kept a subscription to The Writer Magazine to indulge my someday goal of being a writer, and finally went to my first conference, Killer Nashville, with a start of a manuscript. After getting great feedback on my manuscript, and joining Sisters in Crime, attending a few other conferences and learning from other writers, I finished the manuscript which became my debut novel, the Agatha nominee for Best First Novel, The Gallery of Beauties.

 

Best Short Story
“Beauty and the Beyotch,” Barb Goffman (Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Feb. 2022)
“There Comes a Time,” Cynthia Kuhn, Malice Domestic Murder Most Diabolical (Wildside Press)
“Fly Me to the Morgue,” Lisa Q Mathews, Malice Domestic Mystery Most Diabolical (Wildside Press)
“The Minnesota Twins Meet Bigfoot,” Richie Narvaez, Land of 10,000 Thrills, Bouchercon Anthology (Down & Out Books)
“The Invisible Band,” Art Taylor, Edgar & Shamus Go Golden (Down & Out Books)

 

How much of your real life do you incorporate into your short stories?

Barb Goffman

Barb Goffman:

Many of my stories draw from my life. My most recent story, “The Joys of Owning a Dog” in issue 13 of Black Cat Mystery Magazine, involves a dog that often escapes from his yard. Anyone who knows me will recognize my current dog, Jingle. The dog in the story also wore a pink pig costume, as did my prior dog, Scout. I have a story coming out later this year (probably) in Black Cat Mystery Magazine called “Real Courage” in which I conflated two incidents from my teenage years and then pumped them up to fit the plot. My story currently up for the Agatha, “Beauty and the Beyotch,” was based on an incident from my life too. That incident is part of just one scene in the story, and everything around it is fiction, but it’s a key scene. I find it useful to mine my past for events that can spark stories. I try to create stories that will affect the reader emotionally, and real-life events that stick in my memory usually serve that purpose well.

Cynthia Kuhn:

I don’t think there are details from my real life intentionally going in the short stories, but responses to certain topics or incidents can serve as a catalyst for the writing of a new story.

Lisa Q. Mathews

Lisa Q. Mathews:

Truth is a lot stranger—and far more entertaining—than fiction. I don’t draw from my own boring life, though, as much as I “borrow” and recast snippets from other people’s lives. Even the seemingly outrageous setup for “Fly Me to the Morgue” is based on a real-life story. My (heavily disguised) secondary characters in particular are often inspired by people I’ve known, or at least observed from a safe distance. It’s fun to see how they interact—especially after I throw in a murder. My first boss in publishing claimed that, if you added all the characters in a story together, they’d equal . . . the author. Scary, but also probably true.

Richie Narvaez:

Lots! Whether or not I want them to, my opinions, my likes and dislikes—those things find their way into my stories. Now I usually write about my home town, New York, but “The Minnesota Twins Meet Bigfoot” got me out of my real life and got me to explore the North Star state. But I did write that one in part because I’ve been to many sci-fi conventions, and I wanted to bring some of my experiences, good and bad, into a story.

Art Taylor

Art Taylor:

It’s interesting the ways that real-life sneaks into stories. Specific parts of “The Invisible Band” have some very specific foundations in my own life, related to our son Dash. I started thinking about a hotel as a setting because of the LEGO hotels Dash has built, both from his own imagination and then part of a new set, the Boutique Hotel. When he put that together, we actually added our Sherlock Holmes mini-figure to the outside deck! And as for the Sherlock Holmes in the story—the “free-range child” whose parents dressed him up with “deerstalker hat, Inverness cape, even a stylish pipe” (the latter blowing soap bubbles) . . .  Well, we dressed Dash up as Sherlock for one of his first Halloween costumes, and whenever we go to a hotel, he likes to hitch a ride on the baggage cart, which the young boy here also does. So in those ways, I’m inspired by things happening in my own life, but there are other, more subtle ways as well in which all of us probably draw on a gesture we’ve seen or a concern we’ve had, those kinds of things, to enhance the depiction of character or ways in which a situation in the real world sparks a “What if?” in our minds, and the stories unfold from there.

 

 

 

 

If you could invite one of the characters in your short story to the Agatha Banquet, what shoes would they wear?

Barb Goffman:

I wouldn’t want to invite Elaine to the banquet, but she’d guilt me into it, thinking it’s her due. She’d wear the most expensive, stylish shoes she could find. Her daddy would pay for them, and she’d want—and expect—all the girls to be jealous of them.

Cynthia Kuhn

Cynthia Kuhn:

Kate, the protagonist of “There Comes a Time,” would wear black ballet flats. Simple and elegant. Plus, she’s ready to dance at a moment’s notice, which is a good thing.

Lisa Q. Mathews:

Joey Romano, Sinatra impersonator extraordinaire, is between gigs at the moment, so he immediately volunteered to be my plus-one. He’s already begun his preparations, which include intensive vocal exercises (in case he’s invited to sing) and . . . repairing his tux shoes. His usual guy on Court Street told him they were beyond repair, but Uncle Joey was undaunted. He Sharpie-d the scuff marks, applied Gorilla Glue to the soles and a little spit polish to the faux patent leather, then buffed them up with Vaseline. Bada bing.

Richie Narvaez

Richie Narvaez:

Since they got me here today, I’d invite both Cece and Casper Reyes, the twin private eyes of “The Minnesota Twins Meet Bigfoot,” and I know Casper would want to wear brown wing-tips, but Cece would convince him to wear Converse sneakers to match hers.

Art Taylor:

Ha! I’m gonna cheat here and build off my last answer a bit—not a character but the partial inspiration for one: Our son Dash is actually coming to his first Agatha Awards Banquet this year! He won’t be wearing a Sherlock Holmes outfit, I should stress, but he does take pride in his shoes, a nice pair of gray dress shoes that look awfully sharp with his suit. Stay tuned!

 

 

Joan Long:

I would invite my character Jackson Butterfield to the Agatha banquet. Jackson is a jovial, middle-aged Texan. He enjoys flowered shirts, smokes cigars, and wears his graying hair in a short ponytail. He also loves to laugh and would likely show up at the banquet wearing beachy sandals with black socks.

 

Korina Moss

Korina Moss:

I’d have to invite my main character, Willa. She’s a cheesemonger and is on her feet all day, so even for fancier occasions, she sticks to being comfortable. She would definitely wear her nicest pair of white triple platform Keds.

 

M.A. Monnin:

I’ll invite Thomas Burkhardt from Death in the Aegean. He’ll be looking sharp in a black suit with no tie, wearing black oxford cap toe shoes with rubber soles, which will be silent if he goes exploring where he isn’t supposed to be.

Harini Nagendra

 

Harini Nagendra:

Kaveri would wear Indian sandals–called juttis or mojaris. They are slip-on flat heeled slippers with a curled leather tip, lined with blue velvet, embroidered with her signature logo–a magnifying glass. The shoes perfectly complement the rest of her outfit – her peacock blue Kanjeevaram silk sari, and the custom-made jewelry set that her husband Ramu gave her when she concluded her first case – a gold chain with a magnifying glass pendant, and matching earrings.

Nina Wachsman

 

Rob Osler:

Burley, the gentle giant. She wears Orange Crocs. Size 13.

Nina Wachsman:

One of my main characters, Belladonna, is an elite courtesan in seventeenth century Venice, and as a sign of her status and power, she would wear the highest platform shoes, the tops made of satin and silk from the Far East.

 

BIOS:

 

Barb Goffman has been a finalist for major short-story crime awards 38 times and has won the Agatha, Macavity, Silver Falchion, and Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine Readers Award. She’s an editor of Black Cat Weekly and a freelance editor, often working on cozy and traditional mysteries. In addition to her current Agatha nomination, she’s a current finalist for the Thriller Award for her short story “The Gift” from the Bouchercon anthology Land of 10,000 Thrills. Look for her story “Real Courage” in Black Cat Mystery Magazine later this year. www.barbgoffman.com.

 

Cynthia Kuhn writes the Lila Maclean Academic Mysteries and Starlit Bookshop Mysteries. Her work has also appeared in Mystery Most Diabolical, Mystery Most Edible, McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, Copper Nickel, Prick of the Spindle, Mama PhD, and other publications. She lives in Colorado with her family, where she is professor of English at Metropolitan State University of Denver. cynthiakuhn.net.

 

Joan Long:

Joan Long is a third-generation Floridian who writes mysteries and suspense. Her debut novel, The Finalist, is an Agatha Award nominee for Best First Mystery. Joan earned a bachelor’s degree in English/Creative Writing from Florida State University and a master’s degree in Journalism and Communications from the University of Florida. Her short story “The Extra Ingredient” is in the Anthony Award-winning anthology Malice Domestic 14: Mystery Most Edible. https://joanlongbooks.com

 

Lisa Q. Mathews

Lisa Q. Mathews used to make Nancy Drew’s life miserable. Then she set her beady sights on Lizzie McGuire and Mary-Kate and Ashley—all part of early jobs as a kids’ book editor and writer-for-hire. Now Lisa is the author of an odd-couple sleuth series for adults, The Ladies Smythe & Westin, and runs an independent editing service. A co-founding member of the Chicks on the Case blog, Lisa lives in New England. https://www.lisaqmathews.com/

 

M.A. Monnin’s debut mystery Death in the Aegean has been nominated for an Agatha Best First Novel Award. Her second in the Intrepid Traveler series, Death on the Grand Canal, launches May 18th. Mary also writes short crime fiction, with her latest short story in the SinC Guppy anthology Hook, Line & Sinker. Find her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. www.mamonnin.com.

 

Korina Moss is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series (St. Martin’s Press) set in the Sonoma Valley, including the Agatha Award nominated first book, Cheddar Off Dead. Her books have been featured in PARADE Magazine, Women’s World, AARP, and Fresh Fiction. Her latest book, Curds of Prey, released on 3/28. https://korinamossauthor.com.

 

Harini Nagendra is a professor of ecology at Azim Premji University and a well-known public speaker and writer on issues of nature and sustainability. The Bangalore Detectives Club is her first crime fiction novel. The sequel, Murder Under a Red Moon, will be published in 2023. https://harininagendra.com/

 

Richie Narvaez is the award-winning author of Roachkiller and Other Stories, Hipster Death Rattle, Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco, and Noiryorican. https://www.richienarvaez.com/

 

Rob Osler’s debut novel Devil’s Chew Toy was a Lefty Nominee for Best Debut Mystery and Agatha Award Nominee for Best First Novel and named a 2022 Year’s Best by Crime Reads, BOLO Books, PopSugar, and Book Riot. His first publication, “Analogue,” (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine), won the 2022 Mystery Writers of America Robert L Fish Award for best short story by a debut author. Forthcoming projects include “Miss Direction” (EQMM), Cirque du Slay (sequel to Devil’s Chew Toy), and a new historical series featuring an LGBTQ+ detective. Rob’s a member of MWA and Sisters in Crime. On good days, he writes, plays tennis, and eats pie in California, where he lives with his partner and Andy Action Cat. https://robosler.com

 

Art Taylor is the author of two collections—The Adventure of the Castle Thief and Other Expeditions and Indiscretions and The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74 and Other Tales of Suspense—and On the Road with Del & Louise: A Novel in Stories, winner of the Agatha Award for Best First Novel. His short fiction has won three additional Agatha Awards as well as the Edgar, Anthony, Derringer, and Macavity Awards. He is an associate professor of English at George Mason University. www.arttaylorwriter.com.

 

Nina Wachsman majored in book illustration at the Parsons School of Design and studied under Maurice Sendak. She is currently the CEO of a digital marketing agency in New York City. She attends the Venice Art Biennale every two years and is a descendant of a chief rabbi of the Ghetto, a contemporary of her characters. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the Historical Novel Society, and has published stories in mystery and horror magazines and anthologies. The Gallery of Beauties is her debut novel, and its sequel, part of the Venice Beauties series. The Courtesan’s Secret will be released in Summer, 2023 by Level Best Books. https://ninawachsman.com