Talking with Karen Keeley, A Killing at the Copa: Barry Manilow Inspired Crime Fiction

  Fanilows will LOVE this anthology! A Killing at the Copa: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Barry Manilow is now up for pre-order at White City Press. Bet you'll be humming along as you read the stories! (Releases March 18.)

The Story Line-Up (with links to the songs):

Sweet Life - Karen Keeley

Rain as Cold as Ice (Inspired by Mandy) - Linda Kay Hardie

Mandy - Adam Gorgoni

I Write the Songs - Maya St. Clair

The Daybreak Killer (Inspired by Daybreak) - Matt McGee

A Connecticut Stalker (Inspired by Weekend in New England) - Laurie Stevens

Can't Smile Without You - Caleb Weinhardt

Ready to Take a Chance Again - Kurtis Rupe'

Since You've Been Gone (Inspired by Even Now) - Recita Clemons

Bermuda Triangle - J.M. Taylor

Lonely Together - John M. Floyd

When the Sun Rises (Inspired by Let's Take All Night (to Say Goodbye)) - T. Fox Dunham

Some Kind of Friend - Christine Verstraete

Getting Even Now (Inspired by Even Now)  - Shari Held

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  🎵 Today's Guest: Karen Keeley talks about her story, "Sweet Life," based on the song of the same name. (Image: Discogs)

🎵  About the story: 

"My Private Investigator, Peter Lockwood, and his trusty sidekick, Roberta Suiter, “Bobbi” to her friends, get caught up in trying to help solve the murder of a woman they’d known twenty years earlier, a gal they’d both admired, someone they’d envisioned as having moved on and living a sweet life. It had been anything but..

 "I first discovered Barry Manilow when visiting my brother in Vancouver way back in the late '70s. He had an album playing, “Even Now,” 12 tracks. The first I’d heard of him, and I was hooked.

"When Jay Hartman (the editor) had the call-out for stories, for “A Killing at the Copa” anthology, I wanted badly to be included. Time to deep-dive all of the music, find my song. In 2023, the album “Barry Manilow” was remastered, commemorating the 50^th anniversary of its original release, “Sweet Life” the final song on side 2."

🎵 Inspiration: 

"I had my song! I then had my protagonist come to me in a flash. I could see him, hear him. His best buddy, Bobbi, also arrived fully formed, their stomping grounds: 1973 New Haven, Connecticut, a time of polyester suits, and gas-guzzling vehicles. No cell phones. No security cameras. 

"I had oodles of fun with my story. When Jay chose it to be included in the anthology, I did my happy dance, listening to “Sweet Life,” while I did the boogie-woogie, chowing down on a couple of chocolate chip cookies, my reward. Who doesn’t love chocolate!"

 🎵 First lines: "Sweet Life" - Karen Keeley

 Greta was out of the office, a doctor’s appointment, according to the calendar on her desk, which left me to my own devices, spending time with the crossword in the daily newspaper, puzzled by the clue, ‘the proverbial proud bird,’ seven letters, when Roberta Suiter, Bobbi to her friends, walked in.

* Read the rest in A Killing at the Copa: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Barry Manilow is now up for pre-order at White City Press. 

* Can't wait to read them all!

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Talking with Linda Kay Hardie: A Killing at the Copa: Barry Manilow inspired crime fiction

 Get ready for some stories that'll make you sing right along!

 A Killing at the Copa: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Barry Manilow is now up for pre-order at White City Press. 

I'm sharing some posts here to introduce you to the writers and let them share the inspiration behind their stories.

 The Story Line-Up (with links to the songs):

Sweet Life - Karen Keeley

Rain as Cold as Ice (Inspired by Mandy) - Linda Kay Hardie

Mandy - Adam Gorgoni

I Write the Songs - Maya St. Clair

The Daybreak Killer (Inspired by Daybreak) - Matt McGee

A Connecticut Stalker (Inspired by Weekend in New England) - Laurie Stevens

Can't Smile Without You - Caleb Weinhardt

Ready to Take a Chance Again - Kurtis Rupe'

Since You've Been Gone (Inspired by Even Now) - Recita Clemons

Bermuda Triangle - J.M. Taylor

Lonely Together - John M. Floyd

When the Sun Rises (Inspired by Let's Take All Night (to Say Goodbye)) - T. Fox Dunham

Some Kind of Friend - Christine Verstraete

Getting Even Now (Inspired by Even Now)  - Shari Held

🎶🎶🎶🎶

🎵 Today: Linda Kay Hardie talks about the inspiration for her story, "Rain as Cold as Ice," based on everyone's favorite song, "Mandy" from Manilow's second album released in 1974.

🎵 Inspiration: 

  "I’ve been riding the bus for two years now, ever since my 27-year-old Subaru (I was the original owner) finally kicked the bucket. People say, “Ooo, aren’t you scared? I mean, the people,” but I find bus riders to be mostly tired, hard-working, nice people. Even the ones who talk to folks I can’t see are just trying to live their lives. I’ve only been scared once, but the driver dealt with that person. Bus drivers don’t take any guff. So I wanted to use Reno’s bus station as a character in a story. As usual, once I found my characters, the story took an interesting turn.

  "In my first draft, I thought my song inspiration was the one the narrator hears: “Ready To Take a Chance Again.” But when I listened to the conversation between the narrator and the guitarist, I realized I was telling the story of another “Mandy,” and that’s when it all came together and jelled into something that kind of scares me. Cool, huh?"

🎵 First sentences from "Rain as Cold as Ice" - Linda Kay Hardie:

    I smelled petrichor. That fresh, almost-electrical scent of approaching rain that soon became the fresh feel of teensy raindrops blowing into my face as I strode through the crosswalk toward the number 15 bus stop and sat on the cold metal-bar bench, which was divided into five seats so homeless people couldn’t sleep there.

* Read the rest in  A Killing at the Copa: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Barry Manilow  -  pre-order at White City Press. 

* Can't wait to read all the stories!

🎶🎶🎶🎶

Spring is Coming! Thinking Miniature Flowers

 

Spring is about here! Saw a Sandhill Crane and the ducks are honking by the lake, so thinking flowers! (*Click on photos for full size.)

I thought I'd share my some past miniature flowers between my still working on the Lavender Cottage and upcoming posts about my latest story in the fiction anthology, A Killing at the Copa: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Barry Manilow.

Something to get us all in the Spring mood! (Sunflowers: by the witch cottage)

Yes I even got ambitious before and made hollyhocks, all from punches; see post for details. I really like these so I might (big maybe!) make some purple ones. But they are a lot of work!

Some other flowers I enjoyed making: Plants in the Yellow Victorian house.

Also have this fuchsia hanging on the deck of that house.

Another really fussy one to make: Clematis trellis (SDK Miniatures.) But love the results! This will go with the Lavender Cottage.

So, that's it for now. I'll show other flowers again as I make more or take photos.

*Thanks again for visiting! Come back soon for more minis and book posts!*