Things You Don’t Know About Donna Andrews

SinC: What are your favorite shoes?
DA: Crocs and Reeboks.

SinC: Is there anything you'd never leave home without?
DA: Once I'd have said: a book. Now: my iPhone. (It's okay. There are books in my iPhone. Also games, and email, and a web browser, a GPS, and a flashlight app in case I forgot to turn the porch light on before leaving home.

SinC: What do you wish you had more time for?
DA: Reading. The writing really eats into my reading time.

SinC: Is there anyone from the past you would like to talk to for just 15
minutes?
DA: Richard III. As a long-time Ricardian--someone who thinks Richard III was framed for the murder of his nephews--I'd like to find out the truth.

SinC: What word do you absolutely hate?
DA: Utilize. Use is such a neat, strong simple word.

SinC: Do you dream in color or black and white?
DA: Color. I was about to say that I didn't know, but then I remembered a dream that featured azure blue tile on stucco walls. I don't usually remember the color, though.

SinC: If the F.B.I. had to give you a new identity, what name would you choose?
DA: I'm not telling. But I will tell you the name Lee Child suggested I use if I ever write a dark, gory serial killer book. Andrew Donner. Like the Party.

SinC: Favorite food?
DA: I have too many favorite foods. Steak and fries. Pepperoni sausage pizza. Green beans. A good juicy burger. Dill pickles. Utz potato chips. Watermelon. Tangerines, kumquats, and especially clementines. Cheese--all kinds of cheese, like cheddar and gruyere and brie and Huntsmans and feta and blue. Frozen juice cones, especially the orange ones. Limeade. Milk and chocolate chip cookies. THE pumpkin pie. Turkey with Mom's gravy, or in a pinch, my gravy. Cobb salad. Diet Coke. Are we running out of room?

SinC: Favorite drink?
DA: Diet Coke, Orangina, limeade, red wine, white wine, frozen daiquiris, margaritas, milk if there is chocolate around, rose hips tea when I can find it.

SinC: Favorite dessert?
DA: See favorite foods above. As a child, I often finished the remains of the tossed salad for dessert. Would that I had retained that healthy habit today.

SinC: Most embarrassing moment?
DA: I have to prune it down to one?

SinC: First job?
DA: First paying job: writing a column about my school activities for the local paper. First adult job: secretary.

SinC: Worst job?
DA: My second adult job was at the company where I worked, in various positions, for more than two decades, until I quit to write full time. One stretch of time when I had a very workaholic boss probably counts as my worst job, but it was during that period that I made the decision to put my writing first, even if I had to quit the day job. So, in retrospect, even the bad times were useful.

SinC: If you weren't a published author, what would you be?
DA: Still working somewhere as a corporate writer, or possibly a manager of corporate websites.

SinC: If you could be one of your characters, who would it be and why?
DA: I wouldn't mind being Meg Langslow. Or being more like her. When obstacles come my way, I often ask myself what Meg would do.


Donna Andrews is the award-winning author of the 12-volume Meg Langslow mystery series and the four-volume Turing Hopper mystery series. Her most recent book is the newest Meg Langslow entry, Stork Raving Mad. You can learn more things you don't know about Donna at www.donnaandrews.com.

SinC to Release Mystery Reader Study on Jan. 11

On Tuesday, January 11, Sisters in Crime will release the results of a collaborative study on the mystery book buyer.

The study, the first of its kind, was designed to provide an overview of the mystery/crime fiction book-buying landscape, with information on who buys mystery books, what they buy, where they buy their books and why they buy them.

The survey is based on publishing industry data gathered by R.R. Bowker’s book sales analysis division, PubTrack. A full report on the research, titled “The Mystery Book Consumer in the Digital Age,” will be available online to SinC members via a link at www.sistersincrime.org .

Books About Writing

By Kathie Felix

Most of us have a good number of books on writing in our personal library.

Author Barbra Annino recently sent in a list of the titles that helped her with her own writing. They include:

Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell
Don’t Murder Your Mystery by Chris Roerden
Creating Unforgettable Characters by Linda Seger
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
The Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner
Murder and Mayhem by D.P. Lyle
Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg
How I Got Published: Famous Authors Tell You in Their Own Words by Ray White and Duane Lindsay
Baby Names

Barb’s list got me thinking about my own bookshelves. About half of my books on writing were recommended by writers I know, and half were written by writers I admire or find intriguing.

Among the titles recommended to me were a few of those on Barb’s list, as well as:
Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maas
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King

Among the impulse purchases in my stash:
Writing Mysteries: A Handbook by the Mystery Writers of America, edited by Sue Grafton
The Practical Writer by Therese Eiben and Mary Gannon
Writers on Writing by the New York Times and John Darnton

My favorite:
On Writing by Stephen King
I was fascinated when I heard that Stephen King had written a book about writing. In my college days, a couple of his early books seemed like the first real “page turners” I’d ever encountered. In my bookstore days, I often checked the fiction aisle just to see how much shelf space was allotted to his work that week. Afterward, I would do a little mental math – multiplying the space by the number of stores in the chain that employed me – and then would think about what that kind of retail real estate might mean. It was a thrill when my sister sent an audio version of On Writing, especially since Mr. K. was reading his own book aloud. That was a nice touch; it seemed like he was actually in the room (or the car) providing advice.

Tell us: What books on writing have helped you the most? And how have they been helpful?


Barbra Annino is the author of Opal Fire, a Stacy Justice gemstone mystery. A Chicago native, she freelances for a variety of publications, writing about health, food and travel.

Kathie Felix is the managing editor of the SinC blog.

ForensicsFest 2011

By Kathie Felix

The Sisters in Crime Orange County Chapter presents ForensicsFest 2011, an event for crime writers and mystery fans, featuring best-selling author Jan Burke and a panel of Orange County crime-fighting experts.

The OC ForensicsFest opens on Sunday, Jan. 16, at 3 p.m. with a presentation by Jan Burke (pictured at left), the award-winning author of the Irene Kelly thrillers. The newest book in the series, Disturbance, will be available in April 2011.

Burke is the original editor of Breaking & Entering, the Sisters in Crime guide to getting published, and the founder of the Crime Lab Project, a nonprofit organization created to increase awareness of the problems facing public forensic science agencies. She will talk about the aftermath of death and the current state of death investigations in the U.S.

ForensicsFest 2011 continues on Sunday, Feb. 20, at 2:30 p.m. with a panel discussion featuring four Orange County-based experts.

Nationally-recognized forensic anthropologist Dr. Judy Myers Suchey works with the U.S. Department of Justice and other law enforcement authorities on identifying and dating human remains. Award-winning author Dr. D.P. Lyle, a forensics consultant to crime writers and television shows, is the author of Howdunnit: Forensics, the thriller Stress Fracture, and other books.

Michael Streed, of SketchCop Solutions, is a police, military and government sketch artist who can create a suspect’s facial features so precisely that his work has resulted in the capture of many criminals. Gary Bittner, of ServPro, is a specialist in crime scene and trauma clean-up who knows what it’s like to wear a Hazmat suit to clean up crime scene debris from walls, carpeting, furniture, and floors.

The Jan. 16 and Feb. 20 sessions, moderated by SinC/OC president Jeri Westerson, will take place at the Irvine Ranch Water District Offices, 15600 Sand Canyon Avenue in Irvine, Ca. The events are free and open to the public. Free refreshments will be provided.

Seating is limited; make reservations by sending email to secretary@ocsistersincrime.org.

For more information, see www.ocsistersincrime.org.


Photo of Jan Burke by Sheri McKinley Photography 2010.

A Q&A with Literary Agent Jill Marsal

By Linda Lovely

Today, agent Jill Marsal, a founding partner of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, answers questions about publishing trends in the mystery/thriller/suspense genres. As a publishing professional with more than 15 years of experience, Ms. Marsal has the broad editorial contacts and experience to help writers put publisher requests, rejections and sales in perspective.


LL: New sub- and cross-genre categories seem to spring up every year. How important are such labels/niches to editors? At the moment, what seem to be the easiest—and hardest—types of novels to sell?

JM: I think, as always, the most important things are good writing, strong characters, interesting “hook” and plot, and good voice – the sub- and cross-genres are secondary. However, if you are writing in an area that is a strong selling sub-genre, that can help because editors tend to be buying a little more in the stronger selling areas. In terms of what is “easiest” at the moment, paranormal still seems to be going very strong. Many editors are asking for it, and it continues to sell well. For mysteries, cozies are also doing well. Romantic suspense for debut authors seems to be one of the tougher areas right now so, if that is your area of interest, make sure you know what is working in the genre. Editors are looking for more spicy, strong heroines, and different plotlines.


LL: Given your longer-term publishing perspective, do you believe current editorial hot buttons are cyclical? Will we see any sub-genres that have lost ground regain popularity in the near term? Have any categories hit peaks and started to decline?

JM: I absolutely think it is a cyclical market. Genres and subgenres that are popular right now can change fairly quickly, and stories that editors are not currently buying can come back in favor in the next cycle. I have seen this over and over in the past, where things go in and out of popularity and then seem to come back. Right now, as far as mysteries go, noir mysteries seem to be a little tough, though there are some smaller houses who are starting to acquire them. Mainstream suspense seems to be picking up, and cozies seem to be holding strong. And, of course, paranormal is very strong.


LL: If cautious editors are buying fewer titles in select categories than in years past, they must be rejecting novels they previously might have purchased. Can you share what editors give as primary reasons for passing on submissions in these main categories—mysteries, romantic suspense, thrillers?

JM: For thrillers, editors are saying they want a “mega hit” book. A few years ago, they would acquire midlist thrillers, which meant it was easier to break into the thriller market, and there were more spots on each editor’s list. Now, it has to have blockbuster potential for most thriller editors to be interested. For romantic suspense, editors are saying that it is not selling very well. They continue to publish established authors, but it is more challenging to break in if you are a debut author. For debut authors, I am finding romantic suspense – where the story really sizzles and is very sexy – is more popular now, as well as stories with strong heroines. Editors are a little tired of storylines where a woman is victimized or has to escape an abusive husband in this genre.


LL: Are editors asking for any types of manuscripts?

JM: Paranormal romantic suspense seems to be a strong area that editors are looking for from debut authors. And a good cozy with a fun, quirky main character seems to be a strong contender with editors. Also I have a few editors asking for traditional suspense stories with lead women characters.


LL: How has the growth of digital and small publishing entities affected purchasing decisions at the larger publishing houses?

JM: I think more and more of the traditional publishers are starting to consider digital options and, in the coming year, I suspect you might see a big trade house or two try and enter this area a bit more competitively.


LL: Does an author’s sale to a digital or small house improve or lessen the opportunity to sell a future manuscript to a larger publisher?

JM: I think selling to a digital publisher can help an author break in and establish a readership. At our agency, we have had an author publish digitally and her book was such a success she received an offer for the print version of her book. Over the next few years, this seems like an area for continued growth, which can provide additional outlets and opportunities for new writers.


LL: What advice would you give to a mystery author in search of an agent?

JM: First and foremost is good writing. Good writing, a strong voice, compelling character, and interesting “hook” or storyline are what it is really about. Beyond that, you could go to the bookstore and look at what is selling so that you know where to position your book when you approach an agent.



Linda Lovely is the author of Dear Killer, a mystery set for release in June 2011 from L&L Dreamspell. Her novel, Counterfeit, was a finalist in the Romantic Suspense category of the RWA's 2010 Golden Heart contest.

Things You Don't Know About Margaret Maron -- and Her Closest Indie

Margaret Maron

SinC: Is there anything you'd never leave home without?
MM: My Visa card.

SinC: What do you wish you had more time for?
MM: Piano lessons.

SinC: Is there anyone from the past you would like to talk to for just 15 minutes?
MM: My mother. There are two things I forgot to ask her that no one else knows.

SinC: If the F.B.I. had to give you a new identity, what name would you choose?
MM: Her Royal Highness, the Queen of Sweden.

SinC: Favorite food?
MM: BLT made the way my mother made them.

SinC: Favorite drink?
MM: Bourbon and Pepsi.

SinC: Favorite dessert?
MM: Warm pecan pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

SinC: If you weren't a published author, what would you be?
MM: District Court Judge.

SinC: If you could be one of your characters, who would it be and why?
MM: Deborah Knott (see above).

SinC: What independent bookstore is closest to the place you spend a good portion of your time?
MM: Quail Ridge Books and Music in Raleigh, NC.

SinC: What can you tell us about the store?
MM: Owned by Nancy Olson, who was PW's Bookseller of the Year 3 or 4 years ago. First opened in the 80s. It's a general book store with strong holding in childrens' books, mysteries and classical music.

SinC: Where can we find Quail Ridge Books and Music online?
MM: www.quailridgebooks.com

SinC: What's your most recent indie purchase?
MM: Susan Boyle's Christmas CD, Complete Works of Mahler and a New York City guide book.

SinC: Are there any holiday customs particularly unique to your area or your family?
MM: Probably nothing too different from other families. We usually host a big dinner party the week before C'mas for some close friends where we sing carols, perform "party pieces" (solos, skits, recitations, etc.). Usually burn a huge bonfire sometime between C'mas and New Year's.

Margaret Maron is the award-winning author of 26 novels and two collections of short stories. Christmas Mourning, her latest release, is the 16th book in the mystery series featuring district court judge Deborah Knott of "Colleton County," NC.

1/1/11

Happy New Year!

It’s a day of questions here at the SinC blog.

How tired are you?

Did you have a good time last night?

How did you ring in the new year?

We’re also interested in your thoughts about the Sisters in Crime blog.

What would you like to see covered here?

How can we improve the blog?

Do you have an urge to write a blog entry?

Thanks for spending time online with Sisters in Crime.

And may all your dreams come true in 2011!

Breaking & Entering

One of the many benefits of Sisters in Crime membership is members-only access to publications written specifically for mystery and crime fiction writers.

This year, SinC produced the third edition of Breaking & Entering: The Road to Success, a writers’ handbook compiled and edited by L. C. Hayden. The 137-page book features 27 pieces that offer a practical look at the journey to publication.

The entries include:

A look at author preparation for career success by Radine Trees Nehring

A discussion of the value of critique groups by William Kent Krueger

A meditation on tenacity by Maryann Miller

Cartoons by Debra C. Thomas on plot solutions and rejection recovery

Thoughts on rejection by Lynda Fitzgerald

“How to Get Organized” by Kaye George

“Wondering About Websites” by Peggy Ehrhart

Tips on introducing yourself to the writing community by Sheila Connolly

“Standalone vs. Series” by Carolyn Hart

“Series or Standalone” by Margaret Maron

“Publishing Options” by Cathy Pickens with contributions by Patricia E. Canterbury and Marja McGraw

An examination of the young adult mystery market by Gay Toltl Kinman

“Using Short Stories to Break Into the Mystery Field” by Toni L.P. Kelner

“Getting the Most Out of a Conference” by Kelly Nichols/P.J. Parrish

“Submitting Can Be Murder: Strategies for Survival” by Chris Roerden

“A Little Note on Copyright” by Cathy Pickens

“Formatting Manuscripts: Why Bother? And How to Do It Right” by Donna Andrews

“Making Your Mystery Stand Out: Advice from an Agent’s Chair” by Ellen Geiger

“How to be a Dream Author: What Are Editors and Publishers Looking For?” by Toni Plummer

“Agents Are Human” by Cynthia Riggs

“The Agent Search” by Joyce Tremel

“The Query Process” by Kendel Flaum

“The Perils of Publication: How a Debut Author Can Avoid Making a Fool of Herself” by Sandra Parshall

“Reinventing Yourself” by Elaine Viets

“Breaking and Entering: Television” by Lee Goldberg

A trade paper edition of the book is available directly from Sisters in Crime for $14.99 ($11.99 plus $3.00 postage and handling).

In addition, a trade paper ($11.99) and electronic ($1.99) edition are available at www.lulu.com via a direct link from the SinC website. Access through this link is required -- the publication is available only to Sisters in Crime members.

For ordering instructions, see the SinC website. Go to www.sistersincrime.org, select Resources, then select Publications.

Weight Loss for Writers, or How I Trim Ugly Fat from My Manuscripts

By Jackie Houchin


[Editor’s Note: Jackie wrote this piece with her journalism work in mind. The tips she offers, however, are useful for any type of writing.]


Originally posted published at
www.writersinresidence.blogspot.com



Okay, I've conducted my interviews, checked my facts and written my piece. Now I'm ready to submit my story and wait for my check to arrive, right?

Wrong!

There's one more step to take before I hit that "Send" button. I must get out the scale and weigh my chubby little darling. What I usually discover is not pretty. My manuscript is not the lean, fit article I thought it was. There are double chins, love handles, and soft, flabby appendages. Eek! Now what?

Editing, like dieting and exercise, is not fun, but if I want a story tough enough to make it to publication, I must be ruthless.

Portion Control

The first thing I check is the word count. Whether it's a magazine guideline or an editor stipulation, I usually know the approximate number of words I can use. Mystery Scene Magazine limits reviews to 250 words. Some newsletters want no more than 400. The local newspapers I write for stipulate 600-700 words for articles with an occasional "feature" story at 1,000-1,500.

Microsoft Word 2007 keeps a running count at the bottom of the document window. It also gives an accurate character/word/sentence count in its "grammar check" feature. I have no excuse for word count bulge.

If I'm only slightly over, I do a quick scan for superfluous words ("tiny little" to "tiny"). If I've switched words, I make sure I've eliminated the previous one (I drove the my car). Of the 15 times I use the word "just" I take out all but one.

Hyphenations change two words into one, so do contractions if the tone of the piece allows it. (This is not exactly cheating.)

Sentences average about 10 words, so if I can cut one word from each sentence I've reduced my count by 10 percent.

If I'm way over count, major surgery is required. I view the piece as a whole and consider where I can condense or even cut entire paragraphs. I'm always surprised when this makes my article stronger. (Imagine how great you would feel if you could lose 15 pounds of fat overnight!)

Good Carbs vs. Bad Carbs

Okay, my article is now comfortably within the allowed word count. Is it ready to submit? Not quite. While I have my red pencil out (finger hovering over the Delete key), I review it once more, this time checking the "nutritional" value of my words.

I look for clichés ("pretty as a picture"), delaying words ("It seems that..."), redundancies ("I thought to myself," "large in size,") and grand phrases ("institute of higher learning" instead of "college")

I change empty calories into powerhouse protein. "A dead body" is upgraded to "a corpse;" "he said in a loud voice" to "he shouted;" "dark yellow horse" to "Palomino;" and "really very funny" to "hilarious."

I exchange fat for fiber (the passive "was meeting" becomes an active "met") and I remove bloated descriptive words (several adjectives, most adverbs). Away with those unhealthy words and phrases! I want fat-burning, muscle-building prose!

Lean at Last!

Editing is not easy. It hurts to cut away words and phrases (or paragraphs) that I thought at first were brilliant. I do it because I want my articles to be published. If I want clips, creds, and checks, I have to work (and rework) at it. As they say, "No pain, no gain."

Wait, was that a cliché? Darn!


Jackie Houchin is a freelance writer, book reviewer, and theatre critic. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and California Writers Club.

SinC Plans Web Technology Update

By Beth Wasson

Two weeks ago, I had the honor of representing Sisters in Crime at an Affiniscape conference in Austin, Texas.

Affiniscape is the company that handles SinC's secured member data, sends out our e-blasts and hosts our custom search features on www.sistersincrime.org.

The 10-year-old organization has 1,200 clients located throughout the U.S. The company handles data for bankers, veterinarians, pharmacists -- and mystery lovers and writers (although I'm betting we're the only crime writers' association on their client list).

My four days in Austin were filled with lectures and individual training -- a huge amount of practical information that I've brought back to my work at Sisters in Crime.

The biggest news from my trip: you'll be seeing a few new online features in 2011, including increased website speed and some new interface upgrades.

Trust me, the presentation on the company's upgraded hardware was tedious, but the bottom line was the good news of the increased hosting speed.

Of more interest to all of us, www.sistersincrime.org will move to a new platform within Affiniscape this summer. The change will be seamless and unseen by members.

One result of the shift will be an opportunity for member profiles in a new attractive format, somewhat like a page from a school yearbook. A member name, picture and book titles all will appear on one page. This will give our authors an attractive "face" to present to the book-buying and reading world during searches of the Sisters in Crime custom online databases.

My trip to Austin had me thinking about the fact that it is an honor and a joy to represent Sisters in Crime. This led me to think about the many others representing our organization in a variety of venues.

Recently, a number of SinC members have been working in support of the organization, including:

Pat Remick and members of the New England chapter -- working on Crime Bake

Katy King and members of the Harriet Vane Chapter -- working on the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association annual conference

Dana Fredsti and members of the Northern California Chapter -- working on the great hospitality room at Bouchercon and the Sisters in Crime reception at Bouchercon.

Here's to all who worked hard for Sisters in Crime in 2010! Thank you for your efforts!


Beth Wasson is the Executive Secretary of Sisters in Crime/national.

How I Found My Agent: Karen Dionne

By Karen Dionne

My “How I Found My Agent” story is one of those rare cases in which the author does everything wrong, but things still turn out right.

The things I did wrong:

Mistake #1. I was querying agents with my first draft.

Mistake #2. I didn’t check agents’ reputations at sites like Writer Beware (www.writerbeware.com) and Preditors and Editors (http://pred-ed.com/), and thus queried agents I later learned were scammers.

Mistake #3. I waited six months for an agency to make a decision on representation before querying other agents.

Despite those mistakes -- any one of which could have been enough to ruin my chances (and should have, in the case of Mistake #1) -- after querying 53 agents, I signed with Jeff Kleinman (then of Graybill & English, now one of the principles of Folio Literary Management). How did this come about?

After the agency mentioned in Mistake #3 finally passed, in February 2009, I decided to give these new-fangled "e-queries" a try and emailed 19 agents on an optimistic Thursday morning. Within the hour, I had two requests for the full. One agent’s email began, “Dear Ms. Dionne: I would be pleased to consider your novel.” The email from Jeff began, “Dear Ms. Dionne: Your novel sounds wonderful!”

At the time, I didn’t know anything about Jeff (see Mistake #2), but I loved Jeff’s enthusiastic response. I printed the manuscript per his instructions and sent it off. The following Monday evening, I received an email. Mr. Kleinman had begun reading the manuscript as soon as it arrived, but the manuscript was running into some snags. (See Mistake #1.) Would I call him the next day at my convenience?

I fretted all night. Is a snag bigger than a problem? I wondered. He said “snags” plural. Does that mean there’s more than one? If you’re a writer, you know the drill.

I called the next morning at 9:00. Jeff assured me he loved my novel’s premise, and thought my writing was strong. The plotting, however, was a mess. As he explained where I’d gone wrong, it quickly became apparent that he was being charitable when he called the problems “snags.” However, I knew immediately that he was right. So when Jeff said he wanted to take me on as a client if I was willing to rewrite the book in line with our discussion, I immediately said yes.

It was a bittersweet moment. I’d gone from having a book but no agent to having an agent but no book. However, I now knew what I needed to do and couldn’t wait to dive in.

But it was early days for me. I still had to learn how to write a novel. Jeff has a marvelous editorial eye but, even with his help, it took me three and a half years and three rewrites to finish.

Ultimately, that novel didn’t sell. But eight years later (yes, you read that right -- eight years!) the next novel did and, lucky me, so did the next.

Boiling Point, my second environmental thriller -- about an erupting volcano, a missing researcher and a radical scheme to end global warming -- will be published by Berkley on December 28.

And, yes, I’m still with Jeff!



Karen Dionne is the author of two science thrillers. Her first novel, Freezing Point, was nominated by RT Book Reviews as Best First Mystery of 2008. She is co-founder of the online writers community, Backspace, and organizes the annual Backspace Writers Conferences in New York City every year. Karen, online at www.karendionne.net , is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the International Thriller Writers, where she serves on the Board of Directors as Vice President, Technology, and as Managing Editor of ITW's monthly publication, The Big Thrill.

Things You Don't Know About Carolyn Hart -- and Her Closest Indies

SinC: Is there anything you'd never leave home without?
CH: If I am traveling, I never leave home without a good mystery to read. For insurance, I always take along a Christie because reading from an old favorite is as comforting as a well worn afghan in wintertime. I especially enjoy Cat Among the Pigeons and The Man in the Brown Suit.

SinC: What do you wish you had more time for?
CH: Lunching with friends. That is a pleasure I enjoy only on days when I'm not writing and I write most days.

SinC: Is there anyone from the past you would like to talk to for just 15 minutes?
CH: Mary Roberts Rinehart. She was not only at one time the most successful author in America, she was an unusual and adventurous woman.

SinC: If the F.B.I. had to give you a new identity, what name would you choose?
CH: Henrietta Collins.

SinC: Favorite food?
CH: Anything Mexican.

SinC: Favorite drink?
CH: Milk.

SinC: Favorite dessert?
CH: Dark chocolate.

SinC: If you weren't a published author, what would you be?
CH: Unhappy.

SinC: If you could be one of your characters, who would it be and why?
CH: Henrietta O'Dwyer (Henrie O) Collins. The protagonist in seven of my books, she is a retired newspaperwoman with a talent for trouble and passion for life. As a foreign correspondent, she had the career I thought I would have until I ended up marrying, having a family, and writing fiction. That's one of the lovely aspects of writing fiction. You can lead any life you wish through your characters.

SinC: What independent bookstore is closest to the place you spend a good portion of your time?
CH: Murder by the Book in Houston. It is the inspiration for Death on Demand. My hometown (Oklahoma City) independent is Full Circle.

SinC: What can you tell us about the stores?
CH: Martha Farrington began MBTB. The late David Thompson and his wife, McKenna Jordan, took over the store when Martha retired. McKenna is now running the store. MBTB is one of the finest mystery bookstores in the country.

Full Circle in Oklahoma City is a general bookstore with an amazing variety of titles. It is owned by James Tolbert, one of Oklahoma City's most active civic leaders.

SinC: Where can we find the stores online?
CH: The website for Murder by the Book is www.murderbooks.com . The Full Circle website is www.fullcirclebooks.com .

SinC: What's your most recent indie purchase?
CH: A Romantic Way To Die by Bill Crider from MBTB (by mail). A Comfort of Cats by Doreen Tovey from Full Circle.

SinC: Are there any holiday customs particularly unique to your area or your family?
CH: We always attend the Christmas Eve service at our daughter's church in Tulsa, then spend Christmas Day at our son-in-law's family's ranch in Collinsville, OK.


Carolyn Hart is the award-winning author of the 20-book Death on Demand series (most recent title - Laughed 'Til He Died), the three-volume Bailey Ruth Raeburn series (most recent title - Ghost in Trouble) and the seven-book Henrie O series (most recent title - Set Sail for Murder). In addition, she has written 10 non-series novels and five novels for children and young adults. You can learn more about Carolyn -- and take the Classic Mystery Quiz -- at www.carolynhart.com.

What are you doing today?

Thanks for taking a look at the SinC blog today! We know it's a holiday for many of you and that you have countless things -- and people -- in need of your time and attention.

What are your plans today? Are you partying, eating, reading, writing, going to a movie, visiting friends, visiting family -- or hiding from family members? How are you spending the day?

Where does your love of mysteries and crime fiction fit into the mix? Or are you on a break from all things mysterious?

Safe travels to everyone in the path of winter storms!

While visions of bookshelves dance in our heads…

By Kathie Felix


After seeing Sara Paretsky’s mention of Christopher Morley’s “Haunted Bookshop” in Monday’s SinC blog entry, I started thinking about fictional bookshops and libraries.

The exercise began easily enough. Every December, I watch the 1957 film “Desk Set” (starring Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Gig Young, Joan Blondell and more) and marvel that computers were making such a big splash in the world of research more than 50 years ago. The majority of the film takes place in the research department of the fictional Federal Broadcasting television network, a special library setting that seems similar to many of the library information desks I’ve known.

Next, I thought about the libraries in the 2002 film “Possession” (with Gwyneth Paltrow, Aaron Eckhart, Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle). From there, it’s a short jump to those inspiring double-decker libraries in grand houses in books and movies such as “Rebecca,” “Jane Eyre,” “Gone With the Wind” and just about any work by Agatha Christie and Jane Austen. Thinking about the library in “My Fair Lady” led to a Google search, where I learned that the musical seems to have created a benchmark for personal libraries – as in “I’m dreaming of my own ‘My Fair Lady’ library.”

As soon as I realized that I couldn’t remember if “The Music Man” gives us a glimpse into Marian the librarian’s workplace, I decided it was time to move on to fictional bookstores.

The first bookstore that came to mind was the Embryo Concepts Book Shop, Audrey Hepburn’s Greenwich Village workplace in the 1957 film “Funny Face.” The next shop turned up in the “Highlander” television series – Shakespeare & Company, the Paris bookstore operated by Watcher Don Salzer. Then there's the Mystery Woman bookshop that Samantha Kinsey (Kellie Martin) owns in the Hallmark channel's 11-film "Mystery Woman" series.

As I began to run out of fictional bookshops, I called C. Ellett Logan, president of SinC’s Chesapeake chapter. She reminded me of the 1998 film “You’ve Got Mail” (starring Tom Hank and Meg Ryan). The movie updates the 1940 Ernst Lubitsch film, “The Shop Around the Corner,” (starring Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart) and moves it from a gift shop in Budapest to two bookstores in New York City. The newer film brings the plight of the independent bookstore into sharp focus as The Shop Around the Corner, an indie, finds itself in an unanticipated face-off with a new neighbor, the Fox & Sons Books superstore.

Of course, there are many more fictional bookstores and libraries than those mentioned here. If you can find the time between episodes of wassailing, visions of sugarplums or a long winter’s nap, let us know about the locations of some of your favorite fictional bookshelves.

In the meantime, I’m going to check my own shelves. I have an urge to take another look at Cliff Janeway’s Twice Told Books in John Dunning’s Bookman mysteries. And I'm always in the mood to see what's going on at or near Death on Demand, in Carolyn Hart's series of the same name.



Kathie Felix writes about publishing, technology and education for a variety of media outlets. She is the managing editor of the Sisters in Crime blog.