Tag Archive for: Paula Gail Benson

Looking Forward to Mystery in the Midlands

/in /by

by Paula Gail Benson

Dr. Kathy Reichs

Next weekend, on Saturday, June 26, from 10:00 am to 2:45 pm ET, the Southeast Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and the Palmetto Chapter of Sisters in Crime, are proud to present their second virtual Mystery in the Midlands. Until Covid, we gathered in Columbia, S.C., for a celebration of authors and readers. Hopefully, an in person gathering will be possible next year, but until then, we are going to delight in being with a fabulously talented group of writers and hearing what they have to tell us about their craft and lives.

Our wonderful participants include Dr. Kathy Reichs, who will be interviewed by Debra H. Goldstein (today, she talks about preparing for their talk on Writers Who Kill) and three panels that will be moderated by Dana Kaye. The panelists are Frankie Y. Bailey, Michael Bracken, and Barb Goffman, talking about short stories; Laurie R. King, Lori Rader-Day, and Caroline Todd, talking about historical mysteries; and Yasmin Angoe, Robert Dugoni, and Alex Segura, talking about suspense.

We would love for you to join us. You can register through this link. If you can’t attend the program, by registering you can watch the recording. At $5, it’s a bargain!

Following is a little game to match our participants with fun facts about them. See how much you know about our distinguished authors and check your results with the answers at the end.

Hope to see you on Saturday! Don’t forget to register:

https://www.crowdcast.io/e/mystery-in-the-midlands-2/register?fbclid=IwAR2i_QEHxLdD3yd8WgAumPOv2lfPVQWyEQS0KsNBOdWdOz19tlI4rtbHUxM

AUTHORS

1. Yasmin Angoe

2. Frankie Y. Bailey

3. Michael Bracken

4. Robert Dugoni

5. Barb Goffman

6. Laurie R. King

7. Lori Rader-Day

8. Dr. Kathy Reichs

9. Alex Segura

10. Caroline Todd

FUN FACTS

A. Writes about contemporary and historical detectives

B. Criminal Justice Professor

C. Sales on 2 books recently passed $250K and $50K

D. Debut novel, to be released in November, has already been optioned for television

E. Expert witness at the Casey Anthony trial

F. Marketing Director for the Waco Symphony Orchestra

G. Left-handed vegan who has been to space

H. Story awarded the EQMM Readers’ Award has been nominated for an Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity

I. Married on top of the Empire State Building

J. Loves traveling, history, mystery, and collaborating

ANSWERS

1. D

2. B

3. F

4. C

5. H

6. A

7. I

8. E

9. G

10. J

Join the Tradition: Attend Mystery in the Midlands (Virtually June 26, 2021), Part One

/in /by

 by
Paula Gail Benson

For
the fourth summer, the Palmetto Chapter of Sisters in Crime and the Southeast
Chapter of Mystery Writers of America are partnering to present a mid-summer
mystery writing extravaganza, featuring award-winning novelists and short story
authors that represent every aspect of the genre. Originally an in-person
conference, set in “Famously Hot” Columbia, S.C., the pandemic caused us to go
virtual last year and we were delighted to attract an audience of over 900.

This
year, we continue the virtual tradition on Saturday, June 26, 2021, from 10:00
am to 2:45 pm ET. We hope you’ll join us for a stellar line up of authors
talking about their craft.

Our
guest of honor is Dr. Kathy Reichs, author of the Temperance Brennan series
that became the television show Bones.
Dr. Reichs will be interviewed by Debra Goldstein.

In
addition to Dr. Reichs, we’ll have three panels about: writing short stories (with Frankie Bailey, Michael
Bracken, and Barb Goffman); American authors penning British historicals (with Laurie
R. King, Lori Rader-Day, and Caroline Todd); and writing great suspense (with Yasmin
Argoe, Robert Dugoni, and Alex Segura).

Already
this year, these authors have been nominated for multiple awards: Lori
Rader-Day’s The Lucky One was a
finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark award and has pending nominations for an
Agatha and an Anthony. Laurie R. King’s Riviera
Gold was an Edgar finalist for the Sue Grafton award. Alex Segura has
Anthony nominations for Best Short Story and Best Juvenile/Young Adult Novel. Barb
Goffman’s “Dear Emily Etiquette” has been nominated as Best Short Story for an
Agatha and an Anthony and won the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Readers Award. The Beat of Black
Wings, an anthology that features stories by Barb Goffman and Michael
Bracken, is nominated for and Anthony in the Best Anthology or Collection
category.

What’s
the cost to spend half a day listening to these wonderful authors? Just $5 (to
help defray our costs). If you can’t listen live, by registering, you’ll have
access to the recording

Just
click on the following link to register:

https://www.crowdcast.io/e/mystery-in-the-midlands-2

I
asked our panelists some questions and they were kind to share the following intriguing
answers.

Do you have a good luck
writing item or habit?

Yasmin
Angoe:

No I don’t. I just have a
certain set up in my workspace that I always have to have which is
either music or some mindless movie (background noise I guess) playing.

Frankie Y.
Bailey:

I have a small silver dragon who is reading a newspaper (Knightly News).
I found him in a shop in St. Ives (Cornwall, England). That was the setting
of Death’s Favorite Child, the first book in my Lizzie Stuart
series. I keep him on my desk. Like Lizzie, I met up with a friend from grad
school to spend a week’s vacation there.

Robert
Dugoni:

As for a good luck
writing instrument, I read the novel The Green Mile while I write each book. It
is a novel in which the characters come to life and it inspires me to do the
same when writing my own novels.

Alex
Segura:

I don’t. I
actually think the less we ceremonialize writing, the better – because it means
we can jump into the work with more immediacy.

Who was your first favorite
(for our historical panel, that can be favourite) author?

Yasmin Angoe:

My first favorite author was
Beverly Cleary and then Harper Lee.

Frankie
Y. Bailey:

My first favorite mystery writer was Richard Martin
Stern. His Johnny Ortiz series, set in New Mexico, had the first African
American (biracial) professional woman I had encountered in crime fiction. Dr.
Cassandra Enright was the curator of small museum in Santa Rosa and worked on
archeological sites. I wrote Mr. Stern a fan letter, and he wrote back (in the
days when people used snail mail). Years later when I contacted him to ask if
he would respond to the questions that I was asking authors about their black
characters for the nonfiction book (Out
of the Woodpile) I was writing, he graciously agreed. He also sent me the
proofs of the next book in the series.  

Michael
Bracken:

My first favorite author was Walter R.
Brooks, author of the Freddie the Pig series of children’s books. At the time,
though, it was Freddie more than Walter who caught and captured my attention.

Barb Goffman:

I believe it was in first
or second grade when we first got to borrow books from our school library, and the
first book I remember picking up (and adoring) was “B” is for Betsy by
Carolyn Haywood. That was nearly fifty years ago, but I still remember the
title of the book and its author. That book is what inspired me to write my
first book, C is for Carolyn. (I know, original, right?) I don’t think I got
anywhere past the title, but the seeds of wanting to write were planted. I
wrote to the author (or maybe my parents wrote the letter for me), and she
responded. I read every book in the series. An online search tells me there
were only four, which surprises me. I feel like there were more.

Laurie
R. King:

Walter
Farley. All those clever, beautiful horses, lovely fantasy for a girl who lived
in tract houses with back yards too small for a decent-sized dog.

Lori
Rader-Day:

My first favorite was
Beverly Cleary. She was the first author I was aware of, the author who made me
aware authors existed. EL Konigsberg, Judy Blume—then it started to go dark
with Lois Duncan, then Agatha Christie and Mary Higgins Clark. The most lasting
is probably Agatha Christie, whose books I still pick up. Writing Death at
Greenway has brought me closer to her life and work, making me even more of a
fan.

Alex Segura:

Probably
Sherlock Holmes or HG Wells.

Caroline
Todd:

Author–Dorothy
Dunnett–she made the past come so alive in her historical mysteries that you
felt you were THERE. She became the godmother so to speak of our books.

Check in tomorrow at
Writers Who Kill for Part Two of this message! And, don’t forget to register!

https://www.crowdcast.io/e/mystery-in-the-midlands-2

Ted Lasso’s Message

/in /by

by Paula Gail
Benson

 

I don’t remember
what finally enticed me to watch the first season of Ted Lasso (a sitcom
created for Apple TV+). The premise of an American college football coach with
no soccer experience hired to manage a premiere professional British football
(aka soccer) team seemed intriguing. Hearing about Jason Sudeikis’ Golden Globe
winning performance in the title role piqued my curiosity. Maybe the deciding
factor came from reading about how good natured, optimistic, and hopeful the program
was. I had been looking for a “feel good” series to binge, and Ted Lasso,
with 10 half hour episodes, seemed worthy.

 

What I discovered
in watching it, much like the character of reporter Trent Crim who shadows Ted
for a day learns, is that there is more to Ted than a joke. Ted may not know
the sport, but he is a very capable coach, not only for the team, but for everyone
he encounters.

 

The twist upon
which the show develops is that Ted has been hired to fail. The new owner,
Rebecca Welton, acquired the team in her divorce settlement. She knows it’s the
only thing her ex-husband really cares about and she systematically plans to
destroy it. She doesn’t care who she has to hurt in the process, as long as she
can cause her ex pain.

 

Does Ted know or
suspect he’s a pawn in a bigger scheme? That’s a good question, particularly
after watching the episodes several times. There’s a lot of subtext and
characters are not what they initially seem. Or, maybe they grow, under Ted’s
good-natured influence.

 

Because Ted really
is Pollyanna. He finds something meaningful and worthwhile in every situation
he encounters, even those most devastating for himself. He’s both wide-eyed and
wise at the same time.

 

He has a quiet
exuberance that’s contagious. He wins people over even when they are determined
to dismiss him. That’s difficult to achieve and to make convincing for jaded
readers. Part of how it’s accomplished is that Ted doesn’t have a completely
charmed life. He comes to Britain to give himself and his family a new start,
but it doesn’t work out as he hopes it might. He has to deal with personal
disappointment while trying to accomplish the impossible (reinvigorating the
team) and having his boss actively plotting against him.

 

As a writer, what
I found most delightful about Ted Lasso is that almost every character,
no matter how briefly introduced, has a story arc. Each person grows, learns,
changes, becomes more or less assertive, and happily reaches his or her place
in the overall structure. Even those walk-ons have their moments. Just like
what Ted tries to provide for his players.

 

One other interesting
aspect is how much a “family” operation Ted Lasso seems to be. Jason
Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, who plays the assistant coach, helped develop the
show. Brett Goldstein, who takes on the role of grumpy, aging team captain Roy
Kent, is the chief writer and Phoebe Walsh, who appears as the assistant coach’s
love interest, is also on the writing staff. Character names are drawn from
show insiders (Roy’s niece is Phoebe and Keeley Jones, a character portrayed by
Juno Temple, has the first name of Keeley Hazell, who has the minor part of Bex
and dates Sudeikis). Higgins, the beleaguered and unwilling henchman for the new owner, is transformed by music. The actor playing the part, Jeremy Swift, is also a musician and composer. 

 

Best of all, being
good and kind wins out, not in a cloying or sentimental way, but even when the
opposite path would be perfectly plausible. Respect for others, despite their
differences, becomes the theme. Seeing that it can be accomplished without losing
self-confidence or dignity makes for a truly winning first season. I anxiously
anticipate seasons two and three!

Short Story Anthologies and Markets

/in /by

by
Paula Gail Benson

First,
for short story readers, here are two new anthologies:

The Great
Filling Station Holdup: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Jimmy Buffet (released
February 22, 2021, by Down & Out Books, edited by Josh Pachter) featuring
sixteen stories by

Leigh
Lundlin, Josh Pachter, Rick Ollerman, Michael Bracken, Don Bruns, Alison
McMahan, Bruce Robert Coffin, Lissa Marie, Redmond, Elaine Viets, Robert J.
Randisi, Laura Oles, Isabella Maldonado, Jeffrey Hess, Neil Plakcy, John M.
Floyd, and M.E. Browning.

Masthead: Best New England Crime Stories (released December 18, 2020, by Level Best Books, edited by Verena
Rose, Harriette Sackler, and Shawn Reilly Simmons) is the 18th
anthology containing stories set in the New England states and including the Al
Blanchard Award Winner, Mary Dutta’s “The Wonderworker”. Other featured authors
are: Shannon Brady, Marlin Bressi, Chris Chan, R.M. Chastleton, John Clark, Bruce
Robert Coffin, Sharon Love Cook, Tina deBellegarde, Brendan DuBois, Patricia
Dusenbury, Gerald Elias, John M. Floyd, Debrah H. Goldstein, Judith Green, Maurissa
Guibord, Margaret S. Hamilton, Steve Liskow, Michael Allan Mallory, Jason
Marchi, Ruth McCarty, Adam Meyer, Jen Collins Moore, Lorraine Sharma Nelson, Erica
Obey, Alan Orloff, Olive Pollak, Tonya Price, Michele Bazan Reed, Pat Remick, Harriette
Sackler, Lida Sideris, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Clea Simon, M.J. Soni, Cathi
Stoler, Anne Marie Sutton, Larry Tyler, Bev Vincent, and Cathy Wiley.


Second, for short story writers, here’s a new
publishing source:

Red Penguin Books offers a number of services
for authors: publication, editing, website construction, and marketing. In
addition, Red Penguin Books has a series of anthologies, for mysteries, non-fiction,
fantasies, histories, children’s books, poetry, plays, and paranormals.

Here’s the link to check out deadlines for
upcoming publications:

https://redpenguinbooks.com/upcoming-publications/

Lessons from a Year in Isolation

/in /by

by Paula Gail Benson

A year ago, so much of the life we were used to changed
as we learned that Covid 19 not only was deadly, but spreading rapidly. I have
a vivid memory of meeting with church council members and making the decision
to “postpone” our bi-annual presentation of the Living Last Supper. At the
time, we hoped this would be for a few weeks or months. We have not yet
rescheduled.

During this past year, I found myself retreating into
more solitary pursuits. I rediscovered the joys of reading books in series,
which I had not had time for in the last few years. In addition, I learned
about television programing and movies available on Apple and Prime.

Some of what I discovered took me to historical paths,
I previously had not explored. I had seen several movies and series about Henry
VIII and Elizabeth I, but I knew little about Henry VII and the War of the
Roses. Watching The White Princess, about Elizabeth of York, and The
Spanish Princess, about Catharine of Aragon, both based on books by
Phillippa Gregory, gave me a different perspective about English history and
the Tudors. In addition, going further back in time with the Brother Cadfael
stories, based on books by Ellis Peters and played by Derek Jacobi, made me appreciate
modern conveniences and customs in comparison with the medieval lifestyle.

Recently, my viewing had shifted to American history.
I discovered April Morning, based on a book by Howard Fast, that told
the story of a young man’s experience when the British troops marched from
Boston to Concord and exchanged fire with a group of colonists in Lexington,
known as the “shot heard round the world.” I tried without luck to discover
where the movie had been filmed.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to go to Boston
for a conference. I went early and stayed late to do some sightseeing in the
area. The movie featured so many locations that were familiar to me from that
trip. In particular, I had taken photos of the stone walls along the road from
Lexington to Concord. After the colonists had so many casualties in Lexington,
they stationed themselves behind the stone walls to fire on the British troops
as they returned to Boston. Following the movie, I looked back at the photos I
had taken of those walls, having a new regard for the history that had taken
place around them.

Previously, I wrote here about watching What the
Constitution Means to Me, a filmed version of Heidi Schreck’s Broadway play
based on her teenaged experiences of competing in the American Legion
Oratorical contests for scholarship money. Having judged a local American Legion
Oratorical, I appreciated very much seeing the perspective from a competitor.

Over the weekend, South Carolina held its statewide American
Legion Oratorical competition. Unfortunately, due to Covid 19 continuing restrictions,
the national one will not take place this year.

I was pleased to be asked to participate as a judge for
South Carolina. My church hosted the competition and I found myself back in the
room where so many decisions had been made to cancel activities a year ago.


During the competition, in explaining how the
Constitution is a living document, one of the students spoke about the events
that took place around Lexington and Concord. It was wonderful to hear that a
young person had spent a year in isolation as I had, learning from the past and
appreciating its impact on the present and future.

In spite of our year
in isolation, we go on—still learning and applying the lessons of history to
our current time. Hopefully, next year will bring the opportunity to return to travels
and gatherings.

The Short Story Market

/in /by

by Paula Gail Benson

When I first became serious about writing short stories, I
discovered a blog called My Little
Corner, where author Sandra Seamans provided updates on short story
markets. Sadly, we lost Sandra
in 2019. A month after her passing, I compiled this
message listing remembrances and her stories.

Sandra was a past president of the Short Mystery Fiction Society
(SMFS), a group that continues to flourish today under President Robert Lopresti. If you are at all
interested in writing or reading mystery short stories, I recommend that you join
the group. Membership is free and provides the benefits of connecting with a
large number of mystery writers, receiving information about story calls and
craft seminars, and being eligible to submit and nominate stories for the
prestigious Derringer Awards. Our Vice President, Kevin Tipple, does a
phenomenal job of publicizing markets and members’ work on the SMFC blog and markets page as
well as his own blog,
Kevin’s Corner. [Please note, as Kevin reminds me in a comment below, that during Derringer season, membership in the SMFS is closed. You can join after May 1.]

Recently, the SMFS membership had a vigorous online discussion
about Duotrope,
a subscription service that provides information about short story markets, and
The Submission Grinder, a
submission tracker and market database for writers of prose and poetry. Duotrope
often has a free trial period for those who wish to check it out. The
Submission Grinder compiles reports from submitters to indicate the amount of
time it takes to receive an acceptance or rejection.

In the SMFS online discussion, Michael Bracken, an
excellent author and editor of short stories, provided a list of Facebook
groups that he has joined and consulted to learn about story markets. He
pointed out that these links offer information about various genres and both paying
and non-paying markets. He cautioned authors to investigate markets before
submitting. Here is his list:

Call For Submissions :
QUILTBAG

FOR AUTHORS! Calls for
Submissions

OPEN CALL: Crime,
Thriller, Mystery Markets

OPEN CALL: FOR THE LOVE
OF HORROR

OPEN CALL: HORROR
MARKETS

OPEN CALL: SCIENCE
FICTION, FANTASY & PULP MARKETS

Open
Submission Calls for Horror/Paranormal/Mystery/SciFi Writers

Open
Submission Calls for Romance Writers

Open
Submission Calls for Short Story Writers

Michael Bracken has two calls for submissions, one open until
the end of February and the other open during the month of March.

Mickey Finn: 21st Century Noir, Volume 3, seeks
approximately 5,000 words stories set in a “world where the mean streets seem
gentrified by comparison and happy endings are the exception rather than the
rule.” Deadline: February 28, 2021.

More information may be found at this
link.

Black Cat Mystery Magazine Presents Cozies is open from March 1
through March 31, 2021, for stories about 1,000 to 8,000 words “in which sex and violence occur off stage, the detective is an amateur
sleuth, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate
community.”

For more information, check this link.

Are you a short story writer or thinking about becoming
one? Why not check out these links to learn more about the possibilities? 

A Musical Trend in Crime Fiction Anthologies

/in /by

by Paula Gail Benson

Recently, I’ve noticed a number of short story anthologies organized
around the songs of a particular artist, group, or time period. Here’s a list
of a few that are published or pending and two story calls:

Published
Anthologies:


Murder-a-Go-Go’s:
Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of the Go-Go’s, edited by Holly West
(Down and Out Books, 2019) features stories by twenty-five authors, including
Lisa Alber, Susanne Calkins, Jen Conley, Lori Rader-Day, Hillary Davidson, Greg
Herren, Travis Richardson, and Holly West. The forward is written by Jane
Wiedlen, co-founder of the Go-Go’s. Net proceeds benefit Planned Parenthood.


The Beat of Black
Wings: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Joni Mitchell, edited by Josh
Pachter (Untreed Reads, 2020) has contributions from twenty-eight authors,
including “Both Sides Now,” the first literary collaboration by husband and
wife Art Taylor and Tara Laskowski, both multiple award winners, and Donna
Andrews, Michael Bracken, Brendan DuBois, Edith Maxwell, Alison McMahan, and Stacy
Woodson.

I’ve read that Josh Pachter also is working on an anthology
featuring Billy Joel’s songs.


Peace, Love, and
Crime: Crime Fiction Inspired by Songs of the ‘60s, edited by Sandra Murphy
(Untreed Reads, 2020) contains twenty-three stories by well-known short story
authors including Earl Staggs (to whom the book is dedicated), Terrie Farley
Moran, Merrillee Robson, Claire A. Murray, Michael Bracken, Maddi Davidson,
Josh Pachter, and John Floyd.

Calls for
Submissions

Fahrenheit Press is putting together Gabba Gabba Hey: A Ramones Anthology. The deadline for submissions
is February 28, 2021. For more information, click on this
link.

Triangle
Sisters in Crime (North Carolina Chapter) has a call for submissions for its
new anthology Carolina Crimes: 20 Tales of Rock, Roll, and Ruin. To enter, you
must be a Sisters in Crime member and resident of North Carolina or South
Carolina. The deadline is April 1, 2021. For information, click on this link. 

A New Story for the New Year

/in /by

by Paula Gail Benson

I felt very privileged and humbled last year when I learned
my “Cosway’s Confidence” had received second place in the Bethlehem Writers’
Group’s 2020 short story contest. I have a special fondness for this Group.
Seven years ago, my first published story appeared online in the Bethlehem
Writers’ Roundtable. That same year, my “Long in the Tooth” placed third in the
short story contest, with Hank Phillippi Ryan as the celebrity judge.

Currently, “Cosway’s Confidence” is one of the featured
stories in the online publication, the Bethlehem Writers’ Roundtable. Debra
Goldstein’s “Wabbit’s Carat,” an honorable mention winner in the contest, also
appears in the issue.

Submissions for the 2020 contest had to be about animals.
My friends’ ferret Maggie was the initial inspiration for my story, but I
wanted to distinguish the ferret I wrote about, to give that animal an
unexpected quality.

I remembered having a discussion with a student who worked
in our office about her difficulty in obtaining the paperwork she needed to
have an emotional support animal in her dorm. I wondered, what if a person with
a support animal tried to get a job with a restaurant? Would there be any way that
person could bring the animal to work?

Thus was born Cosway, an imaginary emotional support ferret.
And, thus also arose the dilemma for my protagonist, Arleen Schuster, a private
cook opening her own café: how could she refuse to hire her best catering
customer’s nephew who carried his imaginary emotional support ferret in his backpack?

If you would like to see how Arleen handles this problem and
several others, here’s the link.

While writing the story, it occurred to me that imaginary
creatures had provided opportunities to demonstrate courage and build
confidence throughout the ages. Here’s a list of ten that I’ve found
intriguing:

(1)   
Dragons: I’d hope they might be more friendly
than ferocious, but they certainly have offered challenges from St. George to Harry
Potter.

(2)   
Unicorns: Gentle, yet elusive, these creatures
have graced tapestries as well as poems. Unicorn horns and blood are strong
protectants, but harming a unicorn may cause a person to be cursed.

(3)   
Hippogriffs, like Buckbeak in Harry Potter
and the Prisoner of Azkaban, can be arrogant, but, if treated with
courtesy, are great allies for a quick getaway.

(4)   
Gremlins originally took the blame for mischievous
malfunctions in WWII aircraft, but they now have infiltrated more mechanical
devices, particularly computers.

(5)   
Leviathans are mentioned in biblical passages as
well as ancient sailors’ tales. These sea serpents, sometimes associated with
whales or crocodiles, have a more ominous presence than their cousin Nessie in
Loch Ness, Scotland.

(6)   
Bigfoot, Sasquatch, King Kong, the Abominable—large,
ape-like, wild, and hairy—yet in so many stories, they convert from menace to semi-friend.
Sort of and sometimes.

(7)   
Phoenixes have long lives that end in flames
before miraculously regenerating from the ashes. A phoenix is featured on San
Francisco’s flag, in commemoration of rebuilding after the 1906 earthquake.

(8)   
South American legends describe encantados, or
shape-shifting dolfins, also called dolphin men or weredolphins. Reminds me of
a scene from Sharyn McCrumb’s If I Killed Him When I Met Him.

(9)   
The jackalope, a rabbit with antelope horns, is
familiar throughout the American west, but the Swedish Skvader was constructed by a
taxidermist in 1918 and is on display in a museum in Sundsvall. It is part hare
and part wood grouse, a semi-reality of a creature from a hunting tale.

(10)Sobek, the mythological Egyptian
crocodile god, who was powerful, yet unpredictable. Anthropologists have studied
small, sealed messages left for Sobek to understand ancient Egyptian culture.

Do you have an imaginary animal that’s intrigued you?

 

An Interview with Hank Phillippi Ryan

/in /by

by Paula Gail Benson

How do you possibly describe the multi-faceted Hank Phillippi Ryan? Intrepid, award-winning investigative reporter and winner of 37 Emmys? Creator of the Charlotte McNally Mysteries and Jane Ryland Thrillers? Author of short fiction, teacher of writing craft, recipient of 5 Agathas (the only author to win an Agatha in 4 different categories: Best First Novel, Best Novel, Best Short Story, and Best Non-Fiction), 4 Anthonys, the Daphne, and the Mary Higgins Clark Award? Bestselling author of mysteries, suspense, and thrillers? And whose 2019 novel  THE MURDER LIST just won the Anthony Award for Best Novel of the year?

Why is it not surprising that all of the above
apply, as well as enthusiastic encourager of writers and readers?

Today, it’s a great pleasure to welcome Hank to The Stiletto Gang for a few questions.

Hank,
you’ve had great success with series mysteries and thrillers and now are
excelling with your stand alone suspense novels. What drew you to writing crime
fiction?

Well that should be such an easy
question, but it really isn’t. First, thank you. What a lovely thing to say!
What drew me to writing crime fiction? Well, I always loved mysteries and
thrillers, and read like crazy my whole life. And although it had crossed my
mind to write crime fiction, it was never really a goal. But one day in—2005
maybe? I had a good idea for a mystery novel. I just knew it was a good idea,
and all I could think of was writing the book. I was obsessed! It was
craziness, because I had no idea how to do it, but I just deeply wanted to. And
that became Prime Time, my very first novel, which won the Agatha for best
first novel. And it’s still really selling!

I
was 55 years old  and had been a television
reporter for about 30 years then. So there was no reason for me to start
something new except for sheer desire. I guess I am the poster child for
following your dreams in mid-life. Yay.

What
led you to progress from series to stand alones?

Progress
from series to standalones.  Hmm. Well, I
look at it less as progress and more as change. The Charlotte McNally
books, beginning with Prime Time, a series of four, had a certain sensibility–first
person, fast-paced and fun.  But then I got the idea for a bigger
thriller, a multiple point of view heftier novel, and I knew that could not be
a Charlie McNally book. And that was my first investigative thriller, The Other
Woman, which won the Mary Higgins Clark award. So I wrote four more in that
series, and there’s another one under contract, and I’m very excited about that.

But
then I had another idea for a book that could not be a series book. It had to
be one of a kind, a standalone, a twisty psychological suspense. And I love
that – – the power of the standalone, where anything could happen! And I
started writing what  I call cat-and-mouse
psychological suspense. First was Trust Me, then The Murder List, then The First
to Lie.  And I am thrilled with that.

Do
you ever consider returning to your series?

Yes,
absolutely! I adore the Charlotte McNally books, and would love to write more
of those. And as I said, I’m under contract for another Jane Ryland. Hurray!
But I prefer, if I have a choice, to do whatever book is taking over my brain
at the moment. I just sent in my 13th novel, another cat and mouse
psychological suspense! Which doesn’t quite have a title yet.

Would
you ever want to revisit any characters in your stand alones?

Revisit
any characters… I’m thinking about that, and I have to say–no. The key part of
a standalone to me is that you’re witnessing the very most important thing that
ever happened in these people’s lives. Yes, they had lives before the book, and
their lives will continue after the book–some of them at least–but this
is all you need to know about them. When you write a standalone, it feels to me
that those people’s stories will be finished, and I absolutely would have had
to write the books differently if the characters are going to continue.

Many
of your books draw upon your journalism background. As a legislative staffer, I
enjoyed reading about Rachel North’s experiences with the Massachusetts Legislature
in The Murder List and figured you
incorporated some of your own knowledge from working in and covering
congressional proceedings. How has your own work in journalism and politics
influenced the ideas you want to develop in crime fiction?

Oh
my goodness, I am so lucky about that! I could never have written these books
without my own personal history being involved.  I worked in several campaigns for governor and
senator in Indiana, and then I worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative
assistant in a judiciary committee subcommittee. I learned so much, not only
about politics, but procedure and psychology and what goes on behind the
scenes. Then as a reporter, I learned how to write quickly, and take
complicated things and make them fascinating and interesting and distilled to
the essence. I also learned how to tell a story, right? Beginning, middle, and
end. And for years I had to write a new story every day! So there could
be no better training ground for writing fiction.

In particular, your stand alones have focused
on truth and justice, and on how those concepts affect family and personal
relationships. What do you find most compelling in exploring and entangling
these themes?

You
are so right! Truth and justice–in every realm of our lives. I don’t mean
to sound high-faultin’, but what is truth? Is it what we wish for, or what we
believe, or what someone tells us? Is there a true truth? Or does it depend on
who tells the better story. I think that is so fascinating. Justice, too, what
does that really mean? There are all kinds of meanings of justice–court
room justice, karmic justice, personal justice, the justice of the universe.
Does revenge count? Does that even work?  Making things right, I
often think about that. I have a feeling that we are put on earth to help make
sure things are right–and to support that process whenever we can. But how
do we know what’s “right”? And is right different depending on the situation?
You can see I’m going off on this now… But that’s my constant thought. I love
to explore why people do what they do.

Figuring
out characters’ motivations becomes a strong focus in your stand alones. How do
you develop the cat-and-mouse atmosphere while playing fair with readers?

Yes,
exactly! And I don’t completely know the characters’ motivations when I start–I really don’t know anything except one core idea. So I develop my cat-and-mouse
atmosphere by exploring what each character wants and how far they’ll go to get
it.

And
because what they want is diametrically opposed, that creates instant conflict.
And in  a cat-and-mouse game, only one
person can succeed, but I want the readers not to be quite sure who they’re
rooting for.  That’s exactly what we were
talking about before: What is good and what is right all depends on how you
look at it.  

So I
want to set up a situation where you think one person is good, and believe what
they say. And then you hear the same situation from someone else’s brain, and
you think oh– now I see the other side of the story. And isn’t that just
like journalism and politics? And that’s what I try to do in my books. And I
play fair, as you say, by telling the reader absolutely everything. It’s just
that…they may be thinking about those things in the wrong way–the way the book
suggests they should, not in the way that turns out to be real.

Boston
is another true character in your novels. What are its unique qualities that intrigue
you as a crime writer?

Oh, Boston! It’s so perfect. It’s old,
incredibly old, and incredibly new, with diverse and vibrant neighborhoods and
culture and ridiculous geography and impossible streets and crazy drivers and a
fast-paced brusque constantly-moving atmosphere. And the weather! Is completely
nuts. The harbor, and the history, and the food, and the clash of cultures– the Brahmins  and the newcomers and the aggressively territorial
neighborhoods. All wonderful for fiction.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing The First to Lie? What did you find most rewarding about crafting that novel?

The most challenging aspect?  In two
words: the middle. Okay, to go on a bit: I don’t want to give anything away for
those who haven’t read The First to Lie, and I’m crossing fingers you
eventually will. But most rewarding about crafting that novel is how it is
absolutely and supremely fair. Readers are given every single piece of
information. To be oblique about it, I had to very carefully keep certain
people away from other people in the novel. There are certain people who are
never in the same scenes, and there are certain people who never meet. And I absolutely applauded myself, briefly 🙂 when that worked.

What’s
next on your writing horizon?

I’m in the midst of the final edits of my new
book! I’m so thrilled about it–and that’s fun to say, because about a month ago
I was in despair.  It doesn’t have a title yet, but it will be published
by Forge on September 14. It is another cat-and-mouse standalone, I am happy to say,
about celebrity and fame and the vulnerability of people who are always in the
spotlight. 

One person asked me to describe it in 10 words
and I said: Fame. Fortune. Your perfect daughter. Can you keep one secret?

So. Crossing fingers! And thank you so much
for inviting me–I wish we could chat in person!

Thank you for spending time with us here at the Stiletto Gang. I really look forward to our next meeting in person! Best wishes for your continuing success!

Hank Phillippi
Ryan is the USA Today bestselling author
of 12 thrillers, winning the most prestigious awards in the genre: five
Agathas, four Anthonys, the Daphne, and for The Other Woman, the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. She is
also on-air investigative reporter for Boston’s WHDH-TV, with 37 EMMYs and
dozens more journalism honors. Book critics call her “a master of suspense,” “a
superb and gifted storyteller,” and she’s the only author to have won the
Agatha in four different categories: Best First, Best Novel, Best Short Story
and Best Non-Fiction. Her 2019 standalone, THE MURDER LIST, won the Anthony
Award for Best Novel, and is an Agatha, Macavity and Mary Higgins Clark Award
nominee. International bestseller A.J. Finn says, “exciting, explosive,
relentless,” and the Library Journal starred
review calls it “A must-read.” Hank’s newest novel: the chilling psychological
standalone The First to Lie. The Publishers Weekly starred
review says “Stellar… Hank Phillippi Ryan could win a sixth Agatha with this
one.” and bestseller Sarah Pekkanen says “Book clubs will gobble it up.”

Hank is a founder of MWA
University and past president of National Sisters in Crime. Visit Hank online
at HankPhillippiRyan.com, on Twitter @HankPRyan, on Instagram @hankpryan and on Facebook at HankPhillippiRyanAuthor.

 

 

Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Award

/in /by

 by Paula Gail Benson

My first published short story, “Nectar of the Gods,” appeared as the featured story in the February 2013 issue of the Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. The Roundtable, formerly a monthly and now a quarterly online publication, is the labor of love of the Bethlehem Writers Group, organized in 2006 to provide critiques and support for its own members as well as help other writers see their work in print. I saw the deadline to submit for that first story just as I had decided to put a renewed focus on my writing.

Charlaine Harris

After learning that my story had been accepted, I decided to submit to the Group’s annual short story contest. I was over the moon when my submission, “Long in the Tooth,” received third place with Hank Phillippi Ryan as the celebrity judge. The story appeared in the June issue and later was included in Let It Snow, a Bethlehem Writers Group print anthology.

My sci-fi/fantasy short “Apple’s Lure” was in the July/August 2014 issue. And, this year, I received the fabulous news that my “Cosway’s Confidence” won second place in the annual contest, with Peter Abrahams aka Spencer Quinn as celebrity judge.

I’ve learned so much from working with the BWR editors and I truly appreciate their confidence in me.

Beginning January 1, 2021, the BWR’s Short Story Award is open for submissions. The theme this year, interpreted broadly, is “An Element of Mystery,” and the celebrity judge is Charlaine Harris.

Submissions must not be more than 2,000 words and an entry fee of $15.00 is required for each submission. Check this link for more information.

Happy Thanksgiving all!