Agatha Nominated Short Mysteries

If you enjoy reading short mysteries, then you're in luck! Five of the stories nominated for the 2009 Agatha Awards, can be found online for your reading pleasure.

The awards, named for Agatha Christie, are awarded at the annual Malice Domestic Conference, being held May 1-3 in Arlington, VA.

Here are links to the nominated mysteries:

"The Night Things Changed" by Dana Cameron, Wolfsbane & Mistletoe
(Penguin Group)

"Killing Time" by Jane Cleland, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine - November 2008

"Dangerous Crossing" by Carla Coupe, Chesapeake Crimes 3 (Wildside Press)

"Skull and Cross-Examinations" by Toni L.P. Kelner, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - February 2008

"A Nice Old Guy" by Nancy Pickard, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - August 2008

Writing Tip 18 - Grabenstein: Outline

Today's writing tip from Agatha-nominated author Chris Grabenstein involves a valuable research method that every writer has done, or maybe should do.

Writing Tip 18: Outline

"My favorite tip comes from Lawrence Block's TELL LIES FOR FUN AND PROFIT, a collection of his essays for Writer's Digest," says Chris Grabenstein, author of WHACK A MOLE and the young adult novel, THE CROSSROADS, a 2009 Agatha Award nominee. "He suggests that you find a book you really like, maybe one like you want to write. Then outline it.

"Don't just read the book (okay, maybe once for fun) - go through it with a yellow legal pad at your side and chart out what the writer is doing in each chapter.

"I remember doing this with a Tess Gerritsen book when I wanted to try to write a thriller. Tess is a master at getting a lot of stuff going at once. And then I discovered the flow that was helping propel her story forward.

"I guess it's the old expression: read like a writer. Analyze the technique, strip the piece down to its blueprint. Once you know the skeleton, you can dress it up with your own fascinating characters and sizzling prose."

** In THE CROSSROADS, Zack, his dad, and new stepmother have just moved back to his father's hometown in Connecticut, not knowing that their new house has a dark history. Fifty years ago, a crazed killer caused an accident at the nearby crossroads that took forty innocent lives. He died when his car hit a tree in a fiery crash, and his malevolent spirit has inhabited the tree ever since. During a huge storm, lightning hits the tree, releasing the spirit, who decides his evil spree isn't over, and Zack is directly in his sights!

** Your Turn: Who is your favorite author that you've studied or learned from when you began writing?

New Review - Searching For A Starry Night

Just in, a new review from my friend Tracy at Minis On the Edge, which gives a different perspective, showing the value of reading to your kids as a fun family activity!

Tracy says reading Searching For A Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery, to her two daughters was something they enjoyed doing together.

She says, "each character was well developed and several of the nights I read the story to my girls, they did not fall asleep until I left the room because it was a story that captures and holds your attention (no matter your age)."

I'm glad they all enjoyed it. Thanks, Tracy!

** BUY: Searching For A Starry Night

What are you reading - and why?

For fun, I thought I'd ask other authors and readers to share what they are reading. What drew you to a certain book and why? Was it the genre? The cover art? The author? The cover blurb? Share your thoughts on what grabs your attention as a reader.

I tend to gravitate towards books in two genres, mystery and horror. Cover art does draw me, but it's not a final deciding factor. I'll pick a book if I've read the author before, or if the back cover sounds good and the first page grabs me.

Unfortunately (or fortunately?), I've gotten into the bad habit of reading several books at once. Do you?

I'm now reading:

Fruit of the Poisoned Tree, mystery, Joyce and Jim Lavene










Mayhem in Miniature, mystery, Margaret Grace/Camille Minichino












Devil in the White City, Erik Larson

**Your Turn: Share your books and thoughts.

Kitty's Fashionable Miniatures

My friend Kitty has outdone herself again.

Her new project is a Ladies store, full of all kinds of wonderful accessories. You know, that "girlie" stuff we all love, especially in miniature.

I love the new shoes she's painted. Then there are boxes, and pretty containers, and... a visual feast! (As someone asked, the shoes are metal/pewter that you paint and are in one-inch scale, measuring less than an inch.)

Many of the items are from Lisa's Little Things. You can see more pix at Kitty's blog.

Mystery & Mini Inspiration: Agatha Christie's House

Both miniaturists and mystery writers will find inspiration over the pond with the opening on Feb. 28 of Agatha Christie's summer home, Greenway House, in Devon, Southwest England.

The house opens after a two-year restoration.

Now owned by the National Trust, the charming and "no-fuss Georgian," is where Christie spent her summers from 1938 to 1976. She didn't write here, though, and supposedly just concentrated on writing letters, relaxing, collecting, and entertaining. Some guests were supposedly entertained with readings from her books. The house is the setting in several of Christie's novels and the scene of a couple of her fictional murders. The house is restored to the 1950s and is much as the writer enjoyed it.

* Learn more, get visit details and watch a video here.

Cookbook Challenges in Miniature

This great miniature tart from Stephanie Kilgast of Petit Plat at the The Mini Food Blog is a great example of miniatures imitating life. She made a yummy looking strawberry tart copied from a cookbook picture. (Stephanie also makes the neatest miniature food jewelry).

I had done something similar last summer as part of a challenge with the Miniature Collectors Club with Yahoo Groups. Here, everyone had to duplicate a cookbook picture.



For fun, I thought I'd share those photos again. I duplicated the cover from the Southern Heritage Celebrations Cookbook I found at a yard sale.




Really gets you thinking about warm weather, picnics, summer... ah.

* You can still see the other miniature cookbook challenge entries at Webshots.

New FAB Blog Award!

Katie from Katie's Clay Corner just awarded me with a pretty FAB new award. Thanks, Katie!

So, the rules are:
I list five addictions and pass this on to five other blogs whose owners then do the same.

I'm addicted to: (in no particular order, well, depending on the day!) chocolate, minis, writing, chocolate, color yellow. (Earth shattering huh? ha!)

Hard to pick just five fab blogs - they're all great! So, hoping I don't repeat what others have done, I pick:

* My friend Kitty at Kitty's Minis who always has fantastic mini ideas!

* Tracy at Minis on the Edge who inspires me with her fantastic clay houses!

* Artist Christina Rodriguez who delights with her wonderful, charming illustrations!

* Author Mary Cunningham at Cynthia's Attic, for her fun books, inspiration and is always helpful!

* Author Katie Hines for coming by, commenting, and her insights!

That's it. Now it's their turn. :>) I also thank you, dear reader, for stopping by, reading, and commenting. This award goes to you, too! Better than the Academy Awards, huh? Take that Kate Winslet. ha!

Writing and Talking to Yourself. I do. Do you?

I realized that most of the time I probably look crazy. Why? I talk to myself. A lot.

Hey, you know you get the best answers that way, right? (Or at least the ones you want!)

But talking to myself is not a sign of mental instability. It's more an occupational hazard.

You see, when I'm talking to myself, it's not really me. (Uh-oh) It's really my characters speaking through, and to me.

No, I'm not talking possession or multiple personalities, though I do hear a lot of voices in my head. The voices I hear don't tell me crazy things, though. (Thank goodness I don't write about serial killers).

As I'm writing, my characters tell me what they think. They tell me if what I'm putting on paper sounds like them - or should be attributed to someone else.

Writing is more than just putting words down on paper. It evokes the senses.

If you're in tune with your writing, you should see the action in your head. You should see it unfold in your imagination. You should see a character doing things that only he or she would do.

You should hear the lilt of a character's voice, or the gruffness of a crabby old neighbor, or hear the fear in your character's voice. You should hear the way that character speaks.

You should smell their surroundings, or the musky scent of their sweat, or the slightly cloying smell of an older lady's favorite perfume. You should smell the sweetness of fresh-baked cookies. Your mouth should water as you see those still warm cookies get taken out of the oven.

All it takes is a few words, the right words, for you - and your reader - to experience all those things and get into the story.

All it takes is sitting down and letting your characters talk to you. And don't be afraid to have a conversation with them. Hearing your characters speak, and getting to know them, is what makes them come alive and seem real.

If you can't hear them or know who they are, will they be real enough for anyone else to want to read about them - or really care? If not, you need to start letting them talk - and start talking back.

** Your Turn: How do you get to know your characters?

Miniature Tudor Dollhouse Beds

I've been planning these beds for a while as part of a long-overdue swap that I owe.

The beds were punched out from an old Greenleaf dollhouse furniture kit.

Bonnie Glazier, who's made several fantastic miniature dollhouse dolls for me - (see my Van Gogh on her page? She also made some half-inch scale dolls and mermaids for me) - wanted some beds for her Harry Potter-inspired castle.

Granted, these are not real dark and dreary, but rather elegant. I wanted to use the burgundy velvet and the shiny red fabric to give it some pizzazz.




I glued straight sticks to the sides for posts, then added some scalloped wood trim around the top to make the canopy. I covered the top with a gold mesh. The curtains were pleated, then glued around the sides. The bottom skirt matches the curtains. The top diamond patterns are cut from a tapestry bookmark. Gold ribbon was glued around bedspread edges and used as ties around the curtains. They're kind of hard to photograph, but I'm pretty happy with how they came out. I hope she likes them.