The LadyKillers

The LadyKillers have moved on... you can find us here

Hello all!

The LadyKillers blog has officially come to an end. Posts and archives are accessible until May 1, 2018.

You can find and follow each of us at the following links. Drop on by with your favorite cuppa and say hello!

Camille Minichino : http://www.minichino.com/wordpress

Priscilla Royal : http://www.priscillaroyal.com/

Jean Rabe : http://jeanerlenerabe.blogspot.com/

Staci McLaughlin : http://stacimclaughlin.com/blog

Ellen Kirschman : http://www.ellenkirschman.com

Michael A. Black : http://www.MichaeABlack.com

Ann Parker : http://silverrushmysteries.blogspot.com/

Carole Price : http://www.carolepricemysteries.com

Mar Preston : http://marpreston.com/category/mar-preston

Peggy Lucke : www.margaretlucke.com

 

Wishing everyone the best that 2018 has to offer, including lots of good books to read and the time to read them...

 

- The LadyKillers

 

Drafts of upcoming mystery novels?? Not quite. A January 1969 photo of scientist Margaret Hamilton standing next to the navigation software that she and her MIT team produced for the Apollo Project. A good indicator of the height of some people's TBR piles, however...

Looking Back, Looking Forward--and Thank You

By Margaret Lucke

I'm the last act to be on the stage before we bring down the curtain on the LadyKillers. I want to say what a pleasure and privilege it has been to be part of this group of wonderful writers for the past seven-and-a-half years. I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts on writing, life, and chocolate chip cookies with you, our readers, and I've been delighted to get to know my fellow LadyKillers and to benefit from everyone's wisdom and wit.

As I look back on 2017, I find that it's been a somewhat tumultuous year for the nation and world. For me personally it has had its ups and downs. The downs I'm willing to put behind me, but I'm happy to remember the ups, which include many good times with family and friends, as well as these highlights:

* A trip to Hawaii in March for an excellent Left Coast Crime conference.

* A week in Beijing, from which I've just returned. We went for a celebration of our friend Diana Lu's milestone birthday and the Beijing opening of her fashion design business. We did a bit of sightseeing too -- the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, and the 798 Art Area. (That's me on the Great Wall, bundled up against the frigid weather. Photo by Charles Lucke.)

* The publication of my mystery novel, Snow Angel, and the warm reception it has received. The story: On the eve of a high-profile murder trial, the star witness's seven-year-old daughter disappears. PI Jess Randolph's desperate search for the missing girl takes her from San Francisco to the snowbound Sierra -- and deep into the hearts of two shattered families. I hope you'll check it out if you haven't yet read it. Let me know what you think.        

Now we're hovering on the brink of 2018. I'm looking forward to the new year, hoping that the U.S. and the world will move toward peace, justice, and acceptance of all people.

What will my own 2018 look like? Here's a preview:

* A new book -- House of Desire, in which real estate agent Claire Scanlan teams up with a time-traveling "soiled dove" from the 1890s to solve a murder in a San Francisco Victorian mansion.

* A Mystery Writing class, which I'll be teaching for UC Berkeley Extension this spring. It's on Wednesday evenings, February 21-May 2, with no class on March 22 because I'll be going to:

* Left Coast Crime in Reno, which promises to be another outstanding conference.

To the contributors to the LadyKillers blog, and to all of our readers, thank you for your attention, your comments on my posts, and your friendship. Please keep in touch. You can reach me:

By email: [email protected]

On my website: www.margaretlucke.com

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/margaret.lucke

As my favorite New Year's toast goes, may the year to come be better than any that came before it, and worse than any that shall come after it. For 2018 I wish all of you happiness, health, prosperity, and peace. And of course, many good books.

Looking back, looking forward by Carole Price

It's sad when something we've enjoyed doing for a long time has come to an end, but I've learned so much from this group of authors. When asked to join Lady Killers, I was unsure if I would have interesting comments to contribute on so many different themes, but it's been my pleasure to belong to this group and I hope to stay in touch through their own blogs.

I don't make new year's resolutions  . . . I never kept them. Soooooo this year I broke down and made one with three parts: Shakespeare Book #4, continue with Book #1 in my stained glass series, and finally edit (again) Martha's Vineyard stand alone, my first ever book (because I still like it).

Thanks to Ann and Mysti for all their work keeping Lady Killers running and helping me when I stumbled along the way. It's been enjoyable knowing them and the rest of this group. I like staying in touch with those who have had a part in my life. I can be found here:

www.carolepricemysteries.com

email: [email protected]

^{Happy Holidays and best wishes for 2018!}

 

Let's not say good-bye, but rather see you later!

One of the things I've enjoyed about LadyKillers is following Mike's Monday with my Tuesdays. Whenever I wasn't sure what to say, I'd (re) read his blog post, and find a great segue I could work from!

Another thing I loved about LadyKillers is the camaraderie.

I've met some awesome folks here at the blog. When I first started posting here as a regular member, a little more than ten years ago, the administrator was none other than the original LadyKillers administrator: author Rhys Bowen. She began the blog in 2006 with fellow authors Lyn Hamilton, Mary Anna Evans, Meg Chittenden, and Cara Black. Both Meg and Lyn had moved on to other things when I arrived, and Rhys herself left some years later to help found the popular Jungle Red Writers blog. In addition to the current crop of super-great writers and fellow posters, other writers you probably have heard of also contributed over the years: Mysti Berry, Sharan Newman, Rita Lakin, Penny Warner, Simon Wood, Susan Shea, Terry Shames, Hannah Schwartz.... the list goes on. It has been quite the fun experience, from my first post to this, my last.

It's difficult to leave this wonderful virtual community of bloggers and strike back out on my own, but I'm hoping I can twist the arms of various LadyKillers and convince them to drop on by and offer up a guest post now and again at my Silver Rush Mysteries blog site (here's lookin' at you, Mike! ;-)  ). Hopefully some of The LadyKillers' followers will traipse along as well and drop a comment or two, now and again.

So, with that in mind, let's not say good-bye or any of the more final variants (farewell, godspeed, etc.), but rather, "See you around," and "see you later!"

Wishing you all a wonderful new year, plenty of good books to read, and the time to read them!

All Good Things By Michael A. Black

 

All good things, as the saying goes, must come to an end, and as I write this last blog for The Ladykillers I’m reminded of the sadness of that phrase. Ann Parker invited me to be part of the blog and officially introduced me on August 15^th, 2010. My first entry, “TV Shows: From the Boob Tube to the Platinum Age,” appeared the next day. I was very flattered to be in such distinguished company of writers. I wasn’t sure how long it was going to last, but I figured it was going to be a great ride. For the next seven years I sent my blogs to either Ann or Mysti Berry, one of the other Ladykillers, and they were kind enough to post them for me. I could have never made it without their help. Coming up with something to say every other week wasn’t that difficult. There were preassigned topics that we’d all agreed upon, and I found the entries of my fellow Ladykillers informative, fascinating, and inspiring. Many of our blogs were about writing, and we wisely stayed away from those bedevilments like religion and politics. I looked forward to reading the blog so much that it became a daily ritual. I learned so much, and I enjoyed reading them so much that I truly hate to see it end.

But, as the saying goes, all good things…

There have been a lot of changes to the world and, I’m sure, to all of us as well the past seven years. We’ve seen each other through some rough times, and some joyous ones, too. But such is life, and as we all continue down this rocky writer’s path, my heart is fuller, my life is richer, and I am wiser for having been part of such a wonderful group, and such a fabulous experience. It’s been a distinct honor for me to have stood among you.

Saying goodbye is always bittersweet… Bitter, because saying it is never easy when you’ve been a part of something so endearing, sweet because you’ve become a better person for having been part of it.

But regardless, it’s still hard to say goodbye…

So about if I change it to, “Until we meet again?”

And at then, I’ll just add, “Thanks for the memories.”

NEWS and The Long Goodbye (continued)

NEWS

As we prepare to enter the last week of the LadyKillers, the news keeps on coming (news or updates, take your choice!)

• Michael A. Black managed to write two magazine articles in the past two days while still recovering from completing those two novels last week. He's currently working on a short story and trying to write the program for the PSWA Conference which will once again be in Las Vegas from July 12th-15th, 2018. Check out the Public Safety Writers Association for details, and by all means, join the organization.
• Instead of resolutions for 2018, Camille Minichino is making anti-resolutions. Things she intends not to do any longer. She's accepting ideas.
• Priscilla Royal has just dropped a bomb of misery on Brother Thomas and left him to suffer so she can spend the weekend watching gladiator sports. She tried to tell him that this is just a draft, but she has now learned that monks can really curse! Joking aside (well, he doesn't see any humor), may you all have a wonderful festive season!
• Mar Preston is driving to New Mexico from Central California for a Christmas adventure, and says, "My new novel has finally caught fire. Anticipate its birth in 2018, a time I thought would never come. Remember when the year 2018 sounded like the far off future, something in science fiction time? It’s here.  Make it your best year."
• Staci McLaughlin is furiously cleaning house and baking cookies before family arrives on Christmas morning.
• Margaret Lucke is delighted to be spending Christmas with both of her sisters and assorted other family members. The celebration will involve walks on the beach and in the woods, the laughter and squeals of small children, and way too much (delicious) food. She wishes a Merry Christmas to all.
• Ann Parker has made the hidden Pinterest boards of her research for A DYING NOTE public. Lots of images and links to San Franicsco images from the 19th century, interior and exterior shots, music-related pins and so on. Check it out at https://www.pinterest.com/annparkerauthor/.She is also running in circles, trying to complete all the things she let slide for the past month or so. (Is it really the day before Christmas?? Yikes!). She joins the other LadyKillers in wishing everyone the best the winter holidays have to offer...
• Ellen Kirschman loves Camille Minichino’s anti-resolution resolutions. She therefore has doubled her list making to include the end of procrastination, distraction, clutter, bad moods and overeating. On the positive list she will finish the fourth Dot Meyerhoff mystery and  celebrate the May 8th arrival of the third edition of I Love a Cop: What Police Families Need to Know. 

Looking Back, Looking Forward

This will be my last LadyKiller post.  We all agreed. Reluctantly for sure, but it was her time to go. It's been a great ride. I'm indebted to Ann Parker for initiating me into the world of blogging and to Mysti Berry for handling all the tech details. I learned a lot from my fellow bloggers. Opening our blog was the first thing I did in the morning (after tea and a look at the New York Times headlines). It was always fun to figure out what to write about the week's topic. The diversity of subjects kept me on my toes. Taught me I could sit down and pound out something decent with the speed and confidence of a veteran journalist.  I'm grateful to our readers, even those lurking in the shadows. Let's stay in touch. I blog at Psychology Today and on my website. Want to know if Dot  and Frank ever marry? Who Dot's new sidekick is? What officer is circling the drain and what Dot has to do to save them? Go to the home page on my website, scroll down and sign up for my occasional newsletter for exclusive excerpts from the next Dot Meyerhoff mystery. Dot and I wish you all a safe, happy, healthy and peaceful New Year with plenty of time to read good books. Maybe even write one yourself. 

Looking Back, Looking Forward

When Ann first asked if I’d like to be a member of the LadyKillers blog several years ago, the only response I felt was panic. I needed to blog on a regular basis? With a deadline? Was she crazy?

I mean, sure, I’d been blogging on my own web site for a while, but it was a rather haphazard affair. I’d blog three weeks in a row and then stop for three months, start up again for a couple of weeks, and then forget all about it. Every two weeks with the LadyKillers had such regularity to it. What on earth would I talk about so often? The top reason that I didn’t blog more on my own site was the challenge of finding something to blog about.

When I raised this question, Ann assured me that a topic would always be available as a launching off point, though I didn’t have to follow it. Since my first Blossom Valley mystery was about to be published, I figured this would be a good way to reach readers and get myself out there. So, with some lingering trepidation, I finally agreed.

Now, after all this time participating in the LadyKillers, I have no idea what I was so afraid of. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed expressing my opinions on whatever the topic was for the week. When I was stumped about what to write, I often found inspiration by reading the posts of the other LadyKillers. This is a great group of writers with a lot of interesting things to say.

I’d like to think I’ll blog on my own site again now that the LadyKillers is coming to an end. Realistically, I’ll probably start off with frequent posts before my momentum slows and my posts become more sporadic, but maybe I’ll surprise myself. So just in case I do start blogging, you can find my posts at stacimclaughlin.com, and you can contact me any time at [email protected].

In closing, I want to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season. May 2018 bring many hours of reading enjoyment!

EIGHT BLACK HORSES

The original assigned topic for this week was "favorite read of 2017." That's an easy one for me: Eight Black Horses by Ed McBain.

• Hardcover: 250 pages
• Publisher: Arbor House; 1st edition (July 1, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877956812
• ISBN-13: 978-0877956815

You can get it for your Kindle for $3.99. I almost did. Instead, I took it down from my top shelf and read the hardcover. It wasn't the best book I'd read this past year, but it was the most treasured, my favorite because of what it meant to me. I'd purchased the hardcover in 1999 at a Bouchercon in Milwaukee. It was the first mystery convention I attended. I was writing fantasy and science fiction back then, but I adored mysteries and the convention was an hour and a half drive away. I met Michael Connelly there, and Beverly DeWeese ... I would go on to coauthor a SF novel with her husband, Gene, The Cauldron. 

At that Bouchercon I loaded my days attending panels, stopping in the dealer's room to acquire books. Books. Books. BOOKS. I'd went to the convention on a budget, carefully figuring for hotel, meals, a few books, and money for gas for the trip home.

There were soooooooooo many books. And so many of the dealers back then would take neither check nor credit card; I hadn't counted on that. Cash only the signs said. I bought paperbacks for Michael Connelly to sign, assorted books that looked nifty, including Zero Minus Ten and The Facts of Death by Raymond Benson. I met Raymond at a Madison, WI, Bouchercon a few years later, published him in one of my anthologies, and regularly read his stellar prose. His The Secrets on Chicory Lane was a marvelous read of 2017. 

Back to Eight Black Horses. I was slowly building a library of Ed McBain books ... paperbacks 'cause they fit my budget unless I found hardcovers on sale tables. But this hardcover was perfect and shiny, though it had been released fourteen years before. And it was signed. And I wanted it. And the seller only took cash. I had enough to get the book, with two dollars to spare. The convention lasted only one more day, I could skip meals until I got back home.

I put the book on a high shelf, a prize, Eight Black Horses signed by the Ed McBain, who I would later correspond with over a shared background in SF. I hadn't read it in all these years because ... well, it was a prize. I didn't want to risk bending the pages or getting pug hair inside (as happens with many of my books since pug hair is everywhere in my house).

I had recently thought about that Kindle version, or picking up a paperback so I could say I'd read ALL of McBain's 87th Precinct novels.

But my big dog Jake died right before Thanksgiving.

The dog was two and a half years old and took up a good bit of my heart. He was worthy of eight black horses.

• It was a reminder that we are all finite, that everyone dies.
• That you should use the good dishes everyday. (I do)
• That you should not save the beautiful sweater for a special occasion. (I am wearing it now)
• That if you want to write mysteries instead of fantasy and science fiction, you should indeed do just that, no matter the publishing risk. (I have embraced that notion)
• That you should not avoid reading a signed hardcover first printing of Eight Black Horses.

It was a very good book. Not McBain's finest. As I'd mentioned, not the best book I'd read in 2017. But it was my favorite read, my prize unwrapped.

Eight Black Horses came down from the shelf after my big dog died, and I read it in three days.

Live in the now,  my dogs teach me.

I will gift Eight Black Horses to one of my friends, with instructions it not be set untouched on a high shelf and a warning that there will be several pug hairs in it. I still have one more unread McBain to tackle before the year is out, a short story collection my friend C.A. Verstraete gave me for Christmas.

Read in the now, my dogs teach me.

It has been my great pleasure to be a part of this mystery writers' group. I intend to check in with them, read their blogs, pick up their books. Michael A. Black's recent mystery was one of the most enjoyable reads of this past year. And next in my stack is one by Camille. In fact, I think I have books waiting for me that were written by all the LadyKillers; their blogs so enticed me I had to pick up their tales. I will read them one after the next, no books "saved for later."

Read in the now.

I have a newsletter filled with tidbits about my dogs, upcoming books, reviews of things I’m reading, and writing advice. You can subscribe here.

My blog is here.

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My website.

 

Favorite Book of 2017

I always have trouble with this topic because there are so many books or authors I love. So I try not to sound too much like the proverbial broken record and pick a surprise, or at least a semi-surprise.

The surprise is that my pick is not a mystery nor is it a medieval. The semi-surprise is that it may be historical but is relatively modern.

Occasionally, I get caught up in one of those “you know, I really should read that book” moment. At the moment, I am intrigued so I buy it, usually on e-readers these days. As other TBRs get bumped up, the book slides. OK, I confess it. Sometimes it slides for a very long time. This one did. It may have been the first I bought when I converted to e-reader: David Halberstam’s The Coldest Winter.

Now I’m glad I waited to read it. Even though I did realize it was a significant time in history, the Korean War did not resonate with me. I was a child in Canada at the time, although I must have heard my parents talking about it. At night, the sound of planes flying overhead terrified me. I assumed they were bombers.

The reason I chose to read Halberstam’s book now may be obvious. If we are going into Potentially Nuclear Police Action II, it helps to read about Potentially Nuclear Police Action I. I expected to read it with ulcer pills in hand. I did not expect to find it oddly comforting.

One of the good things about reading history is the discovery that people have always been ignorant, bigoted, self-absorbed, greedy, willfully blind, and moral cowards. The other good news is that, most of the time, most of the people manage to survive, exceptions like the Holocaust respectfully noted. The Korean War took place in a period we might recognize today, one in which we suffered all of the above mentioned faults while stuffed into a cocoon of fear, well-insulated by the Cult of Ignorance to which we are too often prone.

Halberstam makes his history personal. A journalist, he interviewed people from all aspects of the war. This isn’t a book about battle names, dates, and one-dimensional characters. The people in these battles bleed and die. The knowledgeable struggle and usually lose against the more powerful and willfully ignorant. There was even an unhealthy but very successful dose of fantasyland politics. 

So why did I find it comforting? Because we managed to survive without a nuclear war. Some of it was luck, a bit was due to a little political courage in Washington, and a few competent people finally managed to bottle up the fantasy world and deal with reality. If we managed to survive that era, perhaps we can survive now. That hope is why the book is a favorite of mine from 2017.

A bit of a PS! This will be my last post for LadyKillers. Even good things must come to an end, sadly enough. I want to thank Ann and Mysti for being administrators from heaven. Were it not for them, I never would have started on this blog thing. The hardest part is no longer being a part of such a wonderful group of writers, all with different points of view and special wisdom. 

So I take what I have learned from you all and will hopefully transfer it to my new blog on my website, www.priscillaroyal.com, which will have the first posting on February 15th. Should anyone wish to contact me, my email is [email protected]. 

For the new year and the future, I wish all peace and joy. As a nation, may we recover the concept of compassion, respect for the diversity that once made us the most creative and admired countries on earth, and the understanding that democracy is intended to improve the lives of all people, not a tiny minority.