M is for Memories... by Cathy Ace

Have you met your literary hero/Author at a conference, or at an event? What was that experience like, or have you maintained your Author crush from afar?

When I began this crazy writing life, I decided to throw myself into the business and attended as many conventions as I could. This means I have met many writers whose work I had admired for years, and have also met many writers whose work I had never encountered until after I’d met them, but – when I read what they wrote – I adored their writing too.

The difficult thing is to name all those I’ve met whose work I love…because I’m bound to leave someone out, and then both I and they would be mortified. So I’m going to play a bit safe and mention an author whose work was known to me for decades before I got to meet her, and who has now – sadly, and too soon – left us.

Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone books were like catnip to a girl who grew up reading Nancy Drew: the PI’s pluckiness matched Nancy’s, but it was overlaid with a professionalism much more suited to the 1980s, when power shoulder pads, big hair, and breaking glass ceilings was what all we young career women were about.

LOOK at those shoulder pads!!!

I was working in London through the 1980s and 1990s, setting up my own business in 1989 and selling it ten years later when I’d grown it to be the biggest of its type in Europe. I lived in the world of Filofaxes, breakfast at the Savoy, lunch at Claridges, tea at the Ritz, and dinner at the Criterion. The National Theatre would be fitted in on a quiet Wednesday evening, and the National Gallery would be somewhere I popped into to gaze at a few of my favourite works between meetings. I drank enough G&Ts to fill the Thames, drove a natty white Mazda MX5, and belonged to private clubs where the paparazzi lurked, hoping to find someone with a title teetering out in the wee hours, looking more than a little disheveled. And through all this it was Ms. Grafton’s books that were my go-to read on the endless flights, and layovers in airports.

OMG...my "ludicrously expensive handbag" phase
(they're all plant pot holders now, FYI)

Kinsey Millhone taught me to use the loo when I could (because who knew when you might get another chance), to eat when I could (ditto), to always have access to a Little Black Dress (though, in my case, it was a bouncy black pant suit) that could take one anywhere. She taught me that planning is necessary, but the ability to act when faced with the unexpected was critical. She taught me that a woman can be a true professional, but also needs to be able to accept help when she needs it, and to lend a hand when possible.

I had learned such lessons throughout my life – yes, it’s the sort of parenting I had – but having “lessons” backed up by a character I enjoyed spending time with meant a great deal.

In November 2013 I attended Bouchercon in Albany. It was the first convention I ever attended. Sue Grafton was the guest of honor, and I stood in line to meet her. Actually, I joined the line late…and ended up being the last person she met (I had to hold a sign telling others I was the end of the line!). A couple of months earlier, Margaret Canon at The Globe and Mail had reviewed my second Cait Morgan Mystery, The Corpse with the Golden Nose, as “…a murder with touches of Christie or Marsh but with a bouquet of Kinsey Millhone.” At the time, I’d been floating on a cloud…and, with a heart thumping, I blurted out the quote to Ms. Grafton herself when I met her. 

Noting I was her last signing of the day, she relaxed onto a high stool – she’d been standing for hours – and smiled. She asked me about my writing, my characters, what I hoped for…and was so gracious in her encouragement. “You’re just beginning to understand how much work it all is…” she began, then talked to me as though I were a human being worthy of her attention for some time…with me probably grinning like an idiot every moment.

2013...fangirling!

I took her wisdom with me, and continued to read her work with delight and awe. Her death was a blow to many, not least her readers, but moreso to her family, of course. As Toastmaster at Left Coast crime in Vancouver in 2019 I had been due to be honoring Sue Grafton as the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award – instead, I had the sad, but great, honor of working with her daughter, Jamie Clarke, to prepare and host a memorial event which took place during the convention, in Jamie’s presence.

The honor I'd never have chosen...preparing Sue Grafton's
memorial, with her daughter

I wish I’d had another chance to talk to Sue Grafton about how my writing had changed, and how my writing had changed me, in the intervening six years, but – as it was – having a chance to share my love of her work with others, was the best I could do.

If you'd like to find out more about my work, you can do so at my website: https://www.cathyace.com/

  

Clue - Do by Cathy Ace

You’re organizing a writers retreat with some fellow authors. Friends, perhaps? Describe the plan, the setting, the food, the drinks, and the results. And, of course, who gets murdered…

Oh, what fun...I think. 

I'll admit I've never been on a writers' retreat...I'm not really a "retreat" sort of person, because, frankly, anything that takes me away from the company of my husband is something I consider very carefully, and I'm not convinced that trying to write anywhere but my known, home environment would go well for me.

Confession: the first advance I was ever paid (to write a marketing communications textbook, in 1994) was immediately spent on renting an apartment in Nice for three months, where I didn't even manage to finish the first chapter (too many distractions!). 

So...a retreat? Hmm...maybe not my thing.

That said - if "writers' retreat" is code for long weekend partying with people you want to spend time with, and then there's a murder mystery to solve, too...I'm your gal. Oh, and Husband will be coming along...just so we're clear about that up front.

Those who know me won't be surprised that my chosen venue would be a cruise ship...touring the Hawaiian Islands, please. This means the food and drink won't be my responsibility at all, as there's always anything and everything anyone could fancy available 24/7 on a ship, though I'd warn them to make sure the champagne list was comprehensive, and well stocked...because, well...champagne! 

Now then  -who shall I invite? Ack...there are so many people I would want to be there...but what if I leave someone out? This could be a nightmare, so I'm going to neatly sidestep that issue by only inviting...dead people!

First up - Agatha Christie, of course. Not only could she give us all surfing lessons (yes, she used to surf) but we could have fascinating chats about her time in Jordan and Egypt; I've visited the house she shared with her husband in the Jordanian wonder that is Petra, and have also been into the suite she stayed in at The Cataract Hotel in Aswan, Egypt. 

Next - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, because I would want to talk to him about his fascination with spiritualism, and learn more about how he plotted his Holmes works. I'd also love to ask him how he feels about all the works that now exists based upon his characters...I have a feeling his answers would be interesting.

Also - William Shakespeare. Probably not a surprise, and wouldn't it be wonderful for all the other guests to be able to quiz him about the way he used language? I think everyone there would be grateful to have the chance to thank him for his work - and I have a feeling he'd be amazed to discover the impact he's had not just upon the field of drama, around the world - but on the English language we use today. Also - he's a bit of a whizz when it comes to anything involving buckets of blood - so handy to have around if the ship ends up littered with corpses.

If I could persuade him, I'd risk inviting Georges Simenon. I realize we might not see much of him, because he'd probably be off  bonking anything that would let him, but I feel I could learn a great deal from him about the writing process, given half a chance.

If prising Simenon off any willing female takes some of our time, we might also have to spend a bit more dragging Dylan Thomas away from the bar - though maybe that's where we'd all be in any case  because whatever ship you're on, the best bar (in my experience) is always outside, on the top deck, at the stern - you get fresh air, drinks, and the wonderful wake to enjoy! (Bonus points for everyone having to give up caring what their hair looks like, because of the wind.) NB: I know Thomas isn't very murdery, but that's okay too.

To balance the male count here, I'm also going to invite Ruth Rendell and PD James, because - well, come on.. two fascinating women, who wrote genre-defining books, and both knew their way around the halls of power, the media, and publishing - lots of discussions to be had there. 

And, to round out this group - though I am desperately sorry either of them are available - I'm inviting Sue Grafton and MC Beaton. Two unforgettable women who created two unforgettable women - Kinsey Millhone and Agatha Raisin, respectively. When it comes to knowing how to give a protagonist longevity, they have a massive amount of experience between them.

This gives me five women, and four men - all of whom, bar one, are British! Gobsmacked? No, me neither. But that's not fair - so I gave Husband one pick, too, using my rules, and he opted for Robert B. Parker, who would be a fabulous addition to the group because...well, you know...loads of books, successful series across sub-genres, and Westerns too (all of which Husband likes). 

Since they're all dead, none of them can be murdered...there'll be no distractions, and we can all have a good old knees-up, BUT...I would make sure the cinema showed the movies "CLUE" and "MURDER BY DEATH" so we could all have a good laugh (and I'd also give all my guests the opportunity to watch any and all screen versions of their work they fancied - so we could all talk about that, too!) 

Sounds like my sort of party...for days.  

Wanna come??? 

 And maybe bring a book??

BSP: On Sunday Dru Ann Love will be revealing the cover of my 11th Cait Morgan Mystery, THE CORPSE WITH THE GRANITE HEART. Don't miss out! Sign up for my newsletter here, and get a private preview! http://www.cathyace.com/

Existential angst? by Cathy Ace

Q: Publishers and agents usually ask you to compare your book to somebody else’s and want to know that you are up to date on what is popular at the moment. How much importance do you place in writing for the market?

Okay – three questions here, really – who am I “like”, and what’s popular – two very different questions, with a third, overarching query…

What other author’s works are my books “similar to”? I admit it, I’m HOPELESS at this game! Yes, yes, I know every author believes their work is utterly unique (and it is) but I also understand (because I’m a reader as well as a writer) that it’s helpful to be able to tell someone “if you enjoy ‘that’ then you’ll probably enjoy ‘this’ too”, so I try my best to be helpful (that’s the kind of gal I am!) when called upon to be so.

But…and it’s a big but…I also know as a reader that what appeals to me isn’t necessarily what a book's about, or where it’s set, or even what type of sub-genre it is (procedural, sleuth, spies, thriller etc.) but the VOICE that appeals to me. If I listed my favorite authors here – authors whose works I will read whatever sub-genre they’re writing in (and several of my most favorite authors write across different sub-genres) – you might be perplexed, because they seemingly have nothing in common with each other, except that I enjoy those voices. Indeed, I’m one of those for whom the “helpful” amazon “People who bought this also bought…” section is worse than useless: 100% of those books listed have never ended up in my little cart. Ever.

"As" Agatha Christie

Thus, I’ve relied upon others to help me in this task when I need to undertake it myself. Professional reviewers, as well as non-professional reviewers, and readers, have proposed the following: my Cait Morgan Mysteries will appeal to those who enjoy books by Agatha Christie (Poirot fans), Lyn Hamilton, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Ngaio Marsh, Sue Grafton, and any number of “Golden Age” British traditional mystery authors; my WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries will appeal to those who enjoy books by M.C. Beaton, Alexander McCall Smith, Jeanne M. Dams, and Agatha Christie (Marple fans); my book The Wrong Boy will appeal to those who enjoy TV suspense like Broadchurch, Hinterland, and Shetland (based on the books by Ann Cleeves), or books by Gillian Flynn. I’m not going to argue – but will add that – despite the fact I write traditional puzzle-plot mysteries (Cait Morgan), cozier, character-driven tales (WISE women) and psychological suspense (DI Evan Glover) I am thrilled to say many readers enjoy them all when they try them – venturing beyond their initial “reason-for-buying” to discover a new-to-them sub-genre…YAY!

Now, onto the second part of the question – do I know what’s “popular” at the moment? Well, yes, I do, thanks, but that doesn’t mean it’s what I want to/am able to write. Besides, what’s “popular” today (ie. topping the sales charts) might not be what folks want to read by the time my book is published, so I think chasing the ghost of popularity is a fool’s errand…

All of which, I suspect, allows you to work out for yourself that my answer to the final part of this week’s overarching question – do I write for the market? – is, in all honesty, no. I write books I like to read, and hope my “voice” reaches people who enjoy it, across the board. All I can do is keep doing what I’m doing, and hope enough of the market likes what I write that I can afford to keep doing it!  

By the way...you can help with that last bit *wink, wink* - all my books are listed on my website: CATHY ACE CRIME WRITER

Daddy's girl... by Cathy Ace

Question: Father’s Day is June 16^th – so there’s time for you to recommend some crime-themed reading that could be a useful gift idea for dads of different ages, and with different interests…and allow those reading the blog to order it, and get it in time to wrap it!

Answer: Here’s a photo (from 2002) of my dad, and my husband...who’s a father too.

My dad died more than a dozen years ago. His death was what made me realize that mortality is a “real thing”, and gave me the kick up the backside I needed to get on with writing fiction. I’d had nine marketing textbooks published, and I’d also had a short fiction story published in 1988, which was then republished in an anthology for the O level/GCSE English Language syllabus in the UK (the exams everyone takes at 16 years of age) and was produced for BBC Radio 4. 

Dad almost burst with pride when it aired, and his death made me determined to get some fiction books onto bookshelves in Mum’s local library so she could be the happiest, most boastful mum in Swansea. (I can tell you she is!)

Mum at Swansea library, having spotted one of my books on the shelf

Dad enjoyed reading, though not as much as he enjoyed watching TV. He did, however, have a small collection of books which fascinated me when I was a child – largely because they were on shelves so high I couldn’t reach them. I finally discovered they were books by Ian Fleming and Alistair MacLean, which – when I eventually read them – engaged and entranced me. 

My dad was pretty traditional in his tastes, enjoyed a good yarn, and seemed fascinated by tales set during World War Two, and the Cold War period. If only I had the chance nowadays, I’d be encouraging him to read Len Deighton’s Bernard Samson and Harry Palmer books…though I suspect he’d have already read them. They are some of my favourite books. 

As for newer publications? The Slough House books by Mick Herron are excellent – featuring jaded, washed-up spies (the “Slow Horses”) and complex, delightful plots - and is a series I believe he’d relish. 

I’m also pretty sure he’d have been thrilled to know that I now belong to a collective of crime writers all of whom have Welsh crime as their focus. Crime Cymru's authors turn out some excellent books across as wide a range of crime fiction (and non-fiction) as any reader could hope, so I'd lead him to the website (click here) let him browse what the authors have to say about their work, then order him whatever took his fancy. 

As for encouraging a dad who's pretty set in his ways to "try something new" (my dad, in other words)? Well, I'd try to get him to read Sue Grafton's alphabet series featuring Kinsey Millhone. I think the books have enough action in them to allow someone used to such things to be carried along, and the plots are twisty enough for most readers. They are not cosy, they feature a female lead character who's realistic enough to engage both male and female readers, and I think he might enjoy them. 

For my husband? He reads widely, and our tastes match up pretty well – which is useful when sharing a Kindle account, though we diverge at certain points too.

I know I could buy him any of Lee Child's Jack Reacher books and he'd be happy to read them (though I'd have to check which ones he's already read!). He hasn’t yet followed me into Icelandic Noir territory, but I know he’ll enjoy it when he does. Yrsa  Sigurðardóttir and Ragnar Jonasson are the two authors I’ll recommend to him most highly, starting with Yrsa’s Thora Gudmundsdottir books, and quickly moving to her Children’s House series. 

I have also recently introduced him to Martina Cole’s books – which he can hardly read fast enough…success!

As I said, he's an eclectic reader, so it's no surprise to me that he “not so secretly” enjoys MC Beaton’s Agatha Raisin TV series, so I think he’d also enjoy those books. Luckily, there are LOTS of them! 

Even if, like me, your dad is no longer around to be treated royally on Fathers' Day, it doesn't mean you can't give him some thought. I just hope you've been fortunate enough to have good father-figures in your life so that you want to celebrate fatherhood. 

A bit of blatant self-promotion now...please consider reading my books? You can find out all about my traditional series, my cozier series, my collections of short and long stories and my most recent psychological suspense by clicking here.

Left Coast Crime 2019 by Cathy Ace (Toastmaster!)

I think Terry’s response yesterday to this week's question is pretty much along the lines I’d have adopted…but…since I have just returned home from Left Coast Crime, Vancouver 2019: Whale of a Crime, where I was honoured to be Toastmaster, please forgive me for going off-script this week.

Four years ago I (somehow) managed to convince Linda McNab and Colleen Glynn to put in a bid to allow Left Coast Crime to come to Vancouver. Their bid was accepted (no thanks to me – I did nothing but cajole them) and last week the event took place. And I think it all went rather well!

L to r: Colleen Glynn, Linda McNab, me - back in 2014 just before our plans for LCC 2019 began!

The Hyatt Regency - half way toward the water on the left!

 As Toastmaster, it’s not expected that a person gets involved with the actual organization of a convention, but – because I was “to blame” (their words!) Linda and Colleen involved me every step of the way. We first visited the Hyatt regency in Downtown Vancouver over three years ago, and I was impressed by their facilities. Since then there have been a million little things to sort with them, then last week we discovered how good their facilities, service, attention to detail and commitment to our event really was – they were excellent! And the banquet team did us proud too – the general response to the setting, food and service was extremely positive. PHEW! 

Oh, and Vancouver herself put on her glad rags for the convention – the sun shone the entire time, the cherry blossom…blossomed and the daffodils and tulips glowed happily in their urban setting. Those who took the side trips to tour the city, over to Vancouver Island on the ferry or out to the Museum of Anthropology at UBC all had a wonderful time. Oh how the sun makes everything look and feel so much better!

The convention had over 200 authors in attendance, and around 700 attendees in total. There were so many panels most of us wished we could clone ourselves and the Guests

Muggin' it up! 2 Minds, one aim - FUN!

of Honour were interviewed in fine style. I was extremely nervous about being interviewed, but Catriona McPherson (yes, OUR Catriona) was gentle and kind. She’d more than done her homework, and her questions allowed me to talk about my work, and give a few insights into my life too. I felt a huge weight lift when the interview was over – I’m not used to being quizzed…I think I prefer to be the quizzer!

A special event was M is for Memories: Sue Grafton Remembered. Sue was delighted to be told she was being given a Lifetime Achievement Award by LCC back in 2017, but her sudden and untimely death in December that year

meant the award was presented posthumously to her daughter. I was delighted (and somewhat nervous) to be the person given the responsibility of organizing this memorial, so I did my best…and it seemed to be well received. I know people laughed, and I saw people cry. Perfect! Her daughter was gracious and a smashing person.

L to R: Me (host) with the guest speakers I invited to participate and Sue's daughter: Barbara Peters (Poisoned Pen Bookstore), Maureen Jennings (Canadian GOH), Jamie Clark (Sue Grafton's daughter), Jim Ziskin (our very own! and Lefty Nominee), Kellye Garrett (Lefty Nominee), Ovidia Yu (award-winning author, in from Singapore)

An important part of the weekend is the chance to raise funds for a local charity. This year One-to-One Literacy BC was

MaryJane Maffini won the quilt

selected; they make arrangements for those who are left behind in terms of literacy skills to be given a helping hand, and work with over 100 schools in British Columbia. In total we raised over $7700 – which, even though it’s Canadian dollars – is a good sum of money! Donna Andrews did a great job as auctioneer, as did those who provided items for the silent auction and the quilt raffle. 

The Lefty Awards are voted on by conventioneers during the convention. This year, 7 Criminal Minds had three nominees: James Ziskin and Terry Shames were both up for Best Historical Novel, and Catriona McPherson was up for Best Humorous Novel. I’m pleased to be able to tell you that Catriona won! 

Photo of Catriona by Kay Kendall

Congratulations to her for her now-award-winning novel “Scot Free” (which I’ve read, and is indeed hilarious).

The final panel of the convention featured all the Guests of Honour, and was one where I didn’t have to do any prep – because Matt Coyle – who’ll be Toastmaster when LCC is held in San Diego in 2020 – was moderating. It was a delight!

Overall – it most certainly is an honour to be Toastmaster, and there are, of course, responsibilities that go along with the title. Now that LCC 2019 is in the books, I’m able to look back and remember all the good times last week…and hope that Linda and Colleen forgive me for persuading them that “they could do it”! Well, they did, and they did a great job of it. 

L to R: Matt Coyle (Toastmaster 2020), Cathy Ace, CJ Box (US Guest of Honour), Maureen Jennings (Canadian Guest of Honour), William Deverell (Local Legend), Don and Jenn Longmuir (of Scene of the Crime Books, Fan Guests of Honour)

One final point - I know you might have seen it on Monday, courtesy of Susan, but I'm also including the photo we managed to get with a LOT of Minds in it! It's more than ironic that we never managed to get Danny into a group photo when he was actually blogging with us, and that we have managed to snag him now he's an Alumnus!  

L to R: Susan Shea, Terry Shames, Jim Ziskin, Cathy Ace, Brenda Chapman, Catriona McPherson, Danny Gardener

So here's me, saying thanks to everyone who came to LCC 2019, thanks to the hard-working, long-suffering Linda and Colleen for choosing me to be Toastmaster, and a BIG thank you to my husband...he's never been to one of these conventions before and was a bit overwhelmed by how many people were there, and how lovely they all were. Oh, and he took the photo of me at the start of this blog post, which I actually like (I never like photos of myself!). Cheers, folks!

Please consider reading my books? Click here to link to information about all my work

Know When to Hold ’Em, Know When to Fold ’Em

If a major producer/production company wanted to option or buy your book…but wanted to change it in major ways as often happens in Hollywood, would you still sell it? Explain your reasons and your limitations. But remember, once you sell something to Hollywood, except in extremely rare instances, you lose control over the film property.

by Paul D. Marks

How often have you said or heard someone say, “The book was better than the movie.” Well, there’s a lot of reasons for that. Movies are a different beast than books. They accomplish things in different ways. Plus, the people who make the movies want to put their stamp on the project.

I’ve been on both sides of the issue and neither side is really comfortable. I had a friend, who’s a fairly big writer-director these days, but when he was starting out a major producer wanted to buy his property…and even let him direct, which is just about every aspiring filmmaker’s fantasy. And it came true. But all he ever did was complain about how “they” changed this and changed that. Later on, the same guy had another property that sold and the original script was really good. But once it went through the Hollywood meat grinder it was barely recognizable. More gripes. And I’m sitting there thinking, Jeez, I wish I had your problems.

When you sell the rights to your book to Hollywood (in most cases) they can do virtually anything they want to it. Look at how many movies barely resemble the book. Maybe they’re even better, but they’re not the book. So you have to decide if you want to maintain your integrity or get whatever benefits and glory come your way by having a movie made of your book. It’s my understanding that Sue Grafton, who came from a film background and knew what might happen, wouldn’t sell the rights to her Kinsey Millhone stories because she didn’t’ want to lose control over how Kinsey was portrayed or how the stories might be changed.

Ryan Gosling

 As I’d mentioned previously, I made a well-known producer cry because one of my pieces touched him so much. But when he wanted to change my story by adding extraneous characters, I told my agent to can the deal. Would I do that today? I’m not sure.

And let’s not forget the Golden Turkey Leg, where another producer wanted to bring a character back from the dead and have something I called the Golden Turkey Leg that was sort of a magic wand. It was a nightmare. On that one I actually optioned the property to him and did the work and made the changes, but it fell apart. And maybe I’m even glad for that.

In another instance, I optioned a script to a producer who wanted to change the male lead to female and vice versa. Since it was already optioned I did it. Sometimes you fight and sometimes you compromise. It’s like that old song says, know when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em.

Catalina Sandino Moreno

You can find more on these stories and others in my recent post at: http://7criminalminds.blogspot.com/2018/08/dancing-with-myself.html 

Now to answer today’s question: Today I think I’d be a little more bending. A little more flexible. I’m older and maybe just a wee bit wiser. The key is to ask to do the first draft screenplay. That way you’re bound to get a screen credit and that means a lot in terms of royalties. And fight for what you think should be fought for within limits and bend in other places.

But who would I cast in my latest, Broken Windows: Broken Windows is set mostly in Los Angeles in 1994, during the fight over California’s notorious anti-illegal alien Proposition 187—a precursor to the immigration fights going on in the country today. While the storm rages over Prop 187, a young woman climbs to the top of the famous Hollywood sign—and jumps to her death. An undocumented day laborer is murdered. And a disbarred and desperate lawyer in Venice Beach places an ad in a local paper that says: “Will Do Anything For Money.”—Private Investigator Duke Rogers, and his very unPC partner, Jack, must figure out what ties together these seemingly unrelated incidents.

Mark Wahlberg

So, who would I cast in the main parts? Of course this changes as time slips by. My ideal casting for Jack would have been Nick Nolte in his prime. But these days, I’m thinking John Cena or maybe Michael Fassbinder or Christian Bale. And for Duke, Mark Wahlberg or Ryan Gosling. Maybe Jeremy Renner, as Duke’s not a big dude. For Eric, the disbarred lawyer, Amy suggested Robert Downey, Jr., and he would be perfect. Maybe a little older than the character, but those things often change from book to movie. Eric’s girlfriend, Lindsay, AnnaSophia Robb. For the mysterious Miguel, who responds to the lawyer’s ad to do anything for money, maybe Antonio Banderas. Possibly Edward James Olmos or Andy Garcia. And for Marisol, who sets the plot in motion when she asks Duke to investigate the murder of her brother, Catalina Sandino Moreno. For Myra Chandler (guess who that’s an homage to), an LAPD detective that Duke and Jack run into in both Broken Windows and White Heat, and who’s a bit more sympathetic to them than her partner, Haskell, I’m thinking Jennifer Aniston. Why not? It’s my fantasy. And for Susan Karubian, the woman who jumps from the Hollywood sign, I picture Mila Kunis, although I would hate to kill her off so early in the film….

So, what about you?

***

And now for the usual BSP, and since Broken Windows is hot off the presses here’s some of what Kristin Centorcelli at Criminal Element – and for which I thank them – had to say about it just a couple days ago in a very satisfying review ( https://www.criminalelement.com/review-broken-windows-by-paul-d-marks/ ). Here’s some excerpts from it:

“If you enjoy old-school PI tales, you’ll love getting to know L.A. PI (and former Navy SEAL) Duke Rogers.”

“Duke and company practically beg for their own TV show.”

“Although it’s set in 1994, it’s eerie how timely this story is. There’s an undeniable feeling of unease that threads through the narrative, which virtually oozes with the grit, glitz, and attitude of L.A. in the ‘90s. I’m an ecstatic new fan of Duke’s.”

Available at Amazon 

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The world is changing faster than you can write - technologically, politically, environmentally etc. How do roll with the changes in your fiction?

- from Susan

By taking the easy way out. My stories are all set right now. Where technology is concerned, that means no need for historical research into things like flat screen TVs and cell phones, like pal Cara Black has to do for her mid-1990’s series, or Sue Grafton has to do for hers. The problem with near history is we’ve all lived it and can spot anachronistic errors instantly. Remember the blinking green c-prompt on the dark screen (shudder)?

Politically? I avoid the topical political environment since it changes daily, as in “Breaking News: The White House has …” But my characters live in a world that is shaped by national and local political realities, even if I don’t enumerate them. In the third Dani O’Rourke novel, the slippery ethics of Silicon Valley and anti-social acquisitiveness of the one percenters play a major role in the story. Tim Hallinan’s Poke Rafferty series stands out for me because he shines an unblinking light on the corruption of the Thai government without sacrificing one iota of gripping story.

In fiction, I haven’t tackled the environment in the U.S. or France, where my new series is set. I wonder if I could do that without turning my traditional mysteries into angry screeds or dark stories about greed, collusion, and tragedy? I think, even if I could avoid that, my books would take a different turn and I’m not sure I could do that well. Could I hold a reader’s interest or would I turn her off if I had a character researching the garbage gyre(s) in the Pacific Ocean or the shocking loss of avian species since 1900? Maybe I can figure out a way. I suggest you read Kirk Russell’s Deadgame as a prime example of the best environmental crime fiction.

I have read some crime fiction that handles some or all of these issues brilliantly. But as often as not, the inclusion of a major plotline about politics or the environment falls with a thud as it morphs quickly into lightly or vastly paranoic lines – a protagonist fighting Them (and They are frequently dark government forces who want to kill anyone trying to save the planet). Not sure that does much good for reforming real political landscapes or protecting the fingerling salmon in California from drought or polluted waterways.

The question is a good one though, and it may make me a bit more conscious of the need and value of reminding readers of what we stand to lose when we don’t bring these issues into our daily lives and deal with them.

 This is my latest, set in France with not a single reference to Macron or his wife. ;-)