CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--ROMANTIC MYSTERY AUTHOR BETHANY MAINES ON POPPIES AND ELEVATORS

Bethany Maines is the award-winning indie and traditionally published author of romantic action-adventure and fantasy novels that focus on women who know when to apply lipstick and when to apply a foot to someone’s hind-end. She can usually be found chasing after her daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel or screenplay. Learn more about Bethany and her books and find links to her on social media at her website.

Poppies Inspired by an Elevator Ride

This craft was used in Elevator Ride—Book 1 of the Valkyrie Brothers Trilogy—an action-packed, age-gap romance mystery. The heroine, Vivian Kaye, is the chair of the event committee for a Veteran centered non-profit.  When the non-profit throws a fundraising gala, they use oversized paper poppies as part of the décor. 

 

Of course, poppies are also used to denote Memorial Day—a tradition since World War I, inspired by a poem written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. So there was a nice nod to veteran tradition as well. Vivian’s father was a Marine Corps veteran who helped found the non-profit and Vivian has always been dedicated to it—something that the hero Rowan Valkyrie, an ex-Marine, doesn’t realize when he dismisses Vivian as a non-serious twenty-something. Of course, he ends up eating his words AND shooting at the bad guys who are trying to kill Vivian and her boss.

 

The Valkyrie Brothers Trilogy was inspired when I visited the Smith Tower in Seattle several years ago. The Smith Tower has a hand operated elevator and was once the tallest building west of the Mississippi. It’s distinct pyramid top and gorgeous art deco interior are an amazing setting for any story. However, while I quickly came up with the idea for the opening of what would become book three, when Ash and Harper meet in the elevator, it wasn’t until several years later that I finally figured out how to make all the brothers meet their love interests in their own elevators. Yes, that’s right. I really made them all meet in an elevator.

 

In Elevator Ride, Vivian ambushes Rowan in an elevator to serve him with papers. 

 

In Between Floors (Book 2, available June 23^rd), Rowan’s brother Forest is a single dad who thinks that perfection is the only answer to controlling the chaos of the universe. So, of course, fate delivers him a perfectly imperfect nanny. And then they get stuck in an elevator together and have to escape. 

 

And in Emergency Exit, the youngest Valkyrie brother Ash arrives at a party with Harper, the girl he just met in the elevator only to have everyone assume she’s his girlfriend. Except that a fake girlfriend might be just what Ash needs. The Valkyrie Brothers trilogy is a laugh-packed series of connected romantic mysteries starring the Valkyrie Brothers--Rowan, Forest, and Ash--as they struggle to find love AND stay alive in Seattle.

Elevator Ride

The Valkyrie Brothers, Book 1

 

Vivian Kaye has been tasked with serving a cease-and-desist letter to Rowan Valkyrie—the most hated tenant in Seattle’s Hoskins building—but when she ambushes the seasoned security professional in the elevator, she ignites a powder keg of tempers and attraction.

 

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Between Floors

The Valkyrie Brothers, Book 2

 

Wild-child Chloe Jordan returned to Seattle to face her past, but when she gets stuck in an elevator with grumpy Forest Valkyrie—the terminally stressed single dad who just rejected her as a nanny candidate—Chloe discovers that it's her future at stake.  

 

Pre-order (on sale June 23^rd)

 

Paper Poppies

Video link: https://youtube.com/shorts/zrR-ohmASOI

 

Materials:

Hard straws or sticks 

1” Styrofoam balls

Glue (Use a hot glue or low-temp glue gun or tacky glue.)

Red and black tissue paper or crepe paper

Florist tape

 

Directions:

1. Cut out approximately twelve red circles for the petals of each flower. The sample used a 3-1/2” circle template, but you can use slightly smaller or larger circles. If you don’t have a template, use a glass, round dish, or round cookie cutter. The circles don’t have to be perfect. Trace the outline over folded paper, then cut all the petals out at once.

 

2. For each flower, cut a black paper circle large enough to cover the Styrofoam ball. Cover the ball, securing with glue.

 

3. Fold/twist the petal shapes. Imperfect is best. Do a little zig-zag folding and crumpling.

 

4. Poke a straw into the bottom of the ball, glue to secure.

 

5. Glue petals to the ball and stem. Use as many as you think looks good.

 

6. Wrap florist tape around the base and straw stem, securing both ends with glue.

AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR CHRISTIE WALDMAN

Today we sit down for a chat with Christie Waldman, author of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Learn more about Christine and her books at her website.

When did you realize you wanted to write novels? 

When I was seven, I had a second-grade teacher who thought kids should be writing stories and plays. We even wrote a class play which we performed for the parents with paper mâché puppets we made ourselves. When, for my story about a talking horse, I kept going back for more yellow paper, my teacher said, “I think you’re writing a novel.” Oh! I liked that!

 

How long did it take you to realize your dream of publication? 

Sixty years! From first draft to publication of The Voice of the Wooden Dragon was forty-one years.

 

Are you traditionally published, indie published, or a hybrid author? 

Hybrid

 

Where do you write? 

Home office

 

Is silence golden, or do you need music to write by? What kind? 

Silence

 

How much of your plots and characters are drawn from real life? From your life in particular? 

Most are imagined, but some details come from history or my own life. 

 

Describe your process for naming your character? 

Mostly, the names just come to me. They need to sound “right.” “Meredith” was the name of the statue that inspired The Voice of the Wooden Dragon (carved by Bill Loomis of Carbondale, Illinois).

 

Real settings or fictional towns? 

My novel has both: the Land of Deweydaire and Philadelphia.

 

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has? 

Dr. Sampson, an oddball dragon doctor, performs hypnosis with a yo-yo.

 

What’s your quirkiest quirk? 

Chewing on pens and pencils

 

If you could have written any book (one that someone else has already written,) which one would it be? Why? 

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. It is such a great story—so full of heart! 

 

Everyone at some point wishes for a do-over. What’s yours? 

Everything happens for a reason, even things that look like wrong turns, is how I see it. If, for example, I had gone to a college other than SIU in Carbondale, Illinois, I would not have met Bill Loomis or seen his dragon statue, “Meredith,” which gave me the idea for The Voice of the Wooden Dragon, the book I feel I was meant to write. 

 

What’s your biggest pet peeve? 

People who automatically find some reason to disagree with you instead of looking for common ground.

 

You’re stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves? 

Aside from the essentials, food, water, and sunshine: the music of birds, the beauty of nature, and fresh air. 

 

What was the worst job you’ve ever held? 

“Walking beans” (hoeing rows of soybeans) 

 

Who’s your all-time favorite literary character (any genre)? Why? 

Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables. She’s loving and lovable. She’s an imaginative dreamer who grows up into a lovely young woman. She’s probably based on her author’s life.

 

Ocean or mountains? 

Mountains

 

City girl/guy or country girl/guy? 

Country girl

 

What’s on the horizon for you? 

Perhaps I will try to write some short stories. Maybe one will turn into a novel. Also, I have Francis Bacon-related research to complete and patchwork quilts to make for my grandchildren.

 

Anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself and/or your books? 

I would love to see children’s creative writing, art, and music cultivated in homes and schools. I did not get this nurturing growing up, other than from that one teacher. Still, I went to college seeking a liberal arts, humanities education that would prepare me to become a “serious fiction writer.” Bernard Malamud once offered this advice to would-be writers: “You must know and love literature and read and think of it endlessly.”

 

The Voice of the Wooden Dragon. 

“Wanted: Princess Meredith!” Friend and foe seek the outlaw dragon princess who fights on behalf of oppressed human farmers. Things go from bad to worse when her cousin Prince Rupert—that bully!—takes the throne. Somehow, with the help of her friends, the boy Peter, court-jester dragon Felix, and a little girl in America named Suse, she must find a way to defeat Carlos’s magic, reclaim her power, and fulfill her destiny.

 

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AUTHOR ELLE HARTFORD ON HER MOST PRECIOUS COLLECTION & ADVICE FROM A CAROUSEL HORSE

Elle Hartford writes the award-winning Alchemical Tales series, a blend of cozy mystery and cozy fantasy. She has also published a spin-off series, Pomegranate Cafe Romance, and numerous short mysteries in anthologies. For other writers and authors looking to go “wide,” Elle is excited to offer coaching services and support. She made all the self-publishing mistakes, and you can learn from her experience! Find out more at her website. 

My prized collection is a set of small carousel horses. Friends send me pictures of carousel statuettes they find in thrift stores, and every once in a while I’ll bring a new musical edition or porcelain figure home, but these eleven horses will always be my favorites.

 

Why? Well, I did write a book about them . . . 

 

But the story actually starts earlier than that:

 

It was four years ago, and we were just getting out and about again after the worst of the pandemic. My then-boyfriend and his family had a tradition of spending the winter holidays in the Poconos, in Pennsylvania. I was happy to explore a new place with them, and especially excited when we found a large antiques store.

 

You know the kind of antiques store that’s really a whole collection of booths and jumbles, crammed into an old factory building or barn? The kind that seems to go on forever? That’s exactly what this was. I worked my way methodically through each stall. At the very end, when I was almost back to the cash register again, I came upon a glass case with shelves full of carousel horses.

I’d loved horses as a kid, and I’d just rediscovered a love of myths and magic during the pandemic. Looking at these carousel horses, I could see how each had a theme or a story behind it. They were all perfectly unique. There was one little black horse in the collection with a phoenix painted on its side, something that reminded me of Russian legends of the firebird and the horse of power. I’m not always a decisive person, and it was so hard to choose a favorite of the lot, but it was so alluring . . .

 

I bought it. That was the first carousel horse I ever bought–and probably the first time I’d ever had the guts to ask for a case to be opened at a store!

 

But then we were back in our rented rooms, and I was looking at this little black horse, and it was beautiful–and yet somehow lonely. There had been another horse in the collection, a gorgeous white horse with a golden mane and lotus-like saddle . . .

 

I went back and got that one, too. After all, the black horse needed a partner! I was very tempted by the rest of the horses in the collection by that point, but to buy all eleven would have been an extravagant expense. I felt bad enough dragging my boyfriend and his family back to the same store. In fact, I tried to make my purchase quickly so they wouldn’t have to wait–even though they’d all dispersed once we got into the store, anyway (everyone has their own method for going through a pile of antiques!) I got out of the store first, statuette clutched in my hands, ready to move on to the next adventure. I could be happy with my two beautiful carousel horses. But where was my boyfriend? What was taking him so long?

 

You see where this is going, perhaps?

 

I had no idea, myself. I was shocked when, several days later, I unwrapped an elaborate Christmas package to discover two more carousel horses, one a transparent red, one a deep jewel blue. Another matched set, from the same collection.

 

And then on Valentine's Day–a white one with roses, a little black knight.

 

And then for my birthday! At that point, my boyfriend had gotten tired of keeping the secret. He gave me the rest of them all at once. When we’d gone back to the store that day, he’d realized how much they meant to me, and he’d decided to buy whatever I left behind. 

 

By the way, he’s my “then boyfriend” because he’s now my husband.

 

Those carousel horses captured my imagination, and more than that, they represented a sense of fun and love every time I looked at them. It was not long before I was writing a magical mystery for each one. Now, that collection of short stories is called The Carousel Capers, and it’s a prequel for my series of cozy fairy tale mysteries, The Alchemical Tales. This month marks three years since The Carousel Capers was published. Every single one of those horses will always have a special place in my heart.

 

The Carousel Capers

 

Life is no fairy tale in the magical small town of Belville. When Red buys her dream storefront in the quaint Market Square, she knows she’ll be putting in hard work to make it a success.

 

But what Red doesn’t expect is a tiny antique carousel horse statue turning up in her mail. And she isn’t at all prepared for the slew of criminals and friends, greed and mystery that follow in its wake! It turns out that the carousel horse has a deep, dark secret. If she wants to head off doom, Red will have to brave ghostly forests, watery depths, wild mine cart rides, and even a fancy party or two.

 

In this series of short stories, each chapter focuses on a new carousel statuette–and a new mythical horse. Join Red and her friends as they try to take the reins of this galloping mystery before they find themselves left in the dust!

 

An ebook copy of The Carousel Capers is available for free as a gift for Elle’s newsletter subscribers:https://dl.bookfunnel.com/azwto4v5pf

You can also purchase the deluxe print edition here: https://books2read.com/thecarouselcapers/

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA—TROLLS

Trolls: Save the Humans 

Trolls: Nasty creatures who live under bridges.

Trolls: Nasty people who bully others on social media.

Trolls: Weird looking collectibles from the 1960s (since appearing in animated movies.)

Trolls: Kristoff’s fun-loving adoptive family in Frozen

 

Trolls: Amazing works of art from recycled materials by Thomas Dambo.

I first learned of Thomas Dambo’s work when I saw a news story about him and his art installations made of recycled materials. He’s considered the world’s leading recycling artist with his work appearing throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. His more than 125 larger-than-life trolls were created to share his environmental message throughout the world in outdoor installations that use trash to create art within nature. 

 

The trolls have noticed that “small people” (humans) are harming the planet. The goal of these giant trolls is to educate humans, whereby they’ll rediscover nature and become thoughtful, caring stewards of our planet. A more positive message than those other trolls that frequent social media, right?

Six of Dambo’s trolls took up residence within the gardens, trees, and wooded areas of the Cheekwood Estate & Gardens in Nashville during 2024 in the spring and summer. Check their schedule. They may be coming to a location near you this year. If you go, tell them I said hello.

AN INTERVIEW WITH SISTER BERNADETTE OHLSON FROM AUTHOR MELISSA WESTEMEIER'S NUN THE WISER MYSTERIES

Today we sit down for a chat with Sister Bernadette Ohlson, AKA Bernie, from author Melissa Westemeier’s Nun the Wiser Mysteries.

What was your life like before your author started pulling your strings?

I taught middle school language arts at St. Alyosius and after retirement I spent a few years traveling the world with friends and colleagues before returning to Eugene. By then the parish was converted to senior apartments. I was pleased to move into The Abbey: Senior Living, even though Rin Sato got here first and took occupancy of my former classroom—I wound up with the former 6^th grade classroom. Frankly, before Melissa showed up with AJ Lewis, I was getting bored with my daily routine and looking for a new hobby.

 

As for that daily routine, it’s my habit to do stretches and devotions before tying my sneakers and walking around the neighborhood to get my steps in. I’ll spend the rest of the day reading, running errands, doing puzzles, and visiting with whoever’s in the common area. Dinner’s served at 5pm most nights, and I join neighbors in the dining room to eat. I like going to movies and plays, traveling when I can, and corresponding with friends and relatives. I remain a very active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

 

What’s the one trait you like most about yourself?

I’m a take-charge kind of lady. Some people call me bossy, but who does everyone turn to when they need advice or direction? Me.

 

What do you like least about yourself?

I’m not crafty. I like to read and do jigsaw puzzles, but that’s about the extent of my hobbies, and it bothers me to have so much time on my hands and very little to do. I need a sense of purpose or a side hustle. Everyone else here at The Abbey has one. 

 

What is the strangest thing your author has had you do or had happen to you?

She sent me on vacation with my best friend Eleanor to Portland during a Comic-Con. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Grown-ups wearing costumes, talking about comic books and video games, the place was swarming with monsters and aliens and robots. I wound up trapped in an elevator that weekend, too…

 

Do you argue with your author? If so, what do you argue about?

Sometimes she suggests I’m wrong, and of course I’m never wrong. Well, almost never wrong. 

 

What is your greatest fear?

Irrelevance. I worry people might stop asking for my advice or someone moves in and starts running everything wrong. People need good leaders, and I know I’m skilled at running things. If others fail to recognize that quality in me and stop listening to me…well, it’s a terrible thought to contemplate. Things would go south very quickly.

 

What makes you happy?

Knowing I’m right. And having people depend on me to help solve their problems.

 

If you could rewrite a part of your story, what would it be? Why?

I’d have spoken to Cliff sooner instead of ignoring and avoiding the old crank. I really had no idea…

 

Of the other characters in your book, which one bugs you the most? Why?

Rin Sato can push people’s buttons sometimes, but I do consider her a good friend. Also, she’s cheap. You ever wonder where all the sugar and jam packets disappear to when we go out to eat? Check her purse. No, I’m not joking. 

 

Of the other characters in your book, which one would you love to trade places with? Why?

Taylor Jones, only because I think it must be thrilling to be a detective. 

 

Tell us a little something about your author. Where can readers find her website/blog?

Bless Melissa. She sent her sons to Catholic school, but she’s not even Catholic! Her heart’s in the right spot, though. She writes about all sorts of topics at www.melwestemeier.com. 

 

What's next for you?

There’s a developer interested in buying the properties down the block from The Abbey. Ethan told me Vision Co. wants to tear down the existing buildings and put places like the Pharmers Market and In Stitches out of business. What will happen to our neighborhood if those places close? It’s terrible to think about, so I’m organizing opposition to that project.

 

Old Habits Die Hard

A Nun the Wiser Mystery, Book 1

 

Meddling and murder can both be deadly sins

 

When retired nun and teacher Sister Bernadette returns with her fellow residents to The Abbey: Senior Living, she is the first to discover the body sprawled in the hallway of the converted school where she once taught English and now lives. Instead of freezing with horror, Sister Bernie has questions. Lots of them. Why does Toni Travi, the bedazzled and bejeweled resident from apartment 218, have so much chest hair? Did anyone at The Abbey know Toni was a man? Was Toni’s death related to allegations that she cheated at cards? Where’s the murder weapon? Who had motive? And did someone kill Toni, or the man hiding beneath the Revlon foundation and blonde wig?

 

Detective AJ Lewis is in charge of the investigation, though Sister Bernie acts as if he is still her student. With unholy stubbornness, she dogs his every step, eavesdrops, sneaks beyond the police tape and offers unsolicited conjecture and clues. He wants to keep her safe, but she’s determined to lend a helping hand—it’s her habit, after all!

 

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HISTORICAL MYSTERY AUTHOR MJ FINN ON DESIGNING AN HISTORICAL MYSTERY SERIES

M.J. Finn is an armchair pilot with a life-long interest in the Golden Age of Air Racing. Growing up in Chicago led to basing leading character TJ O’Connell there and provides an opportunity to describe the vibrant, growing city in the heart of the United States that was more than the stomping grounds for Al Capone and other famous criminals.

There are thousands of new books published every week on Amazon and other sites. This makes coming up with a unique story within the Mystery, Thriller, Suspense (MTS) category challenging. I was working with a writing coach who emphasized the need to come up with something that would stand apart from other books but still fit within genre expectations. His other advice was to write what I knew.

What did I know? I’m an avid reader of history and historical fiction, so setting the series in an historical period made sense. I also like thrillers and mysteries, so that meant fitting into the historical mystery/thriller space. But where and when to set the story so that it didn’t get lost in an ocean of books that had already been published? The Prohibition era in America was popular, especially for cozy mysteries, and many people identified Chicago with the era due to Al Capone and the gang wars. I grew up on the northside of Chicago, so setting the story there was an easy choice. Not only was Rogers Park a growing section of the city in that period, Al Capone had actually lived there for a year or so.

 

One of my other passions is flying and airplanes. The 1920s and 1930s have often been called the Golden Age of air racing, with plenty of unique characters, planes, and races. The National Air Races for 1930 were held north of Chicago, the only time they were held in that area. By making my protagonist a pilot, I could move him around the country for different settings, mysteries, and antagonists in future books. The possibilities were only limited by my imagination.

 

So now I had a basic concept for my series:

·      A young barnstorming pilot from Rogers Park in Chicago.

·      The first book would revolve around the 1930 National Air Races at Curtiss-Reynolds Field near Chicago.

·      Something forces this young pilot to solve a mystery that he’s involved in.

·      There needs to be life and death stakes and one or more mobs involved.

·      Many mysteries set in this period have protagonists from the upper class, who don’t seem to worry about money. This detective is from the middle class, and money will never be far from his thoughts.

 

A side benefit of writing historical fiction is doing research for each of the books. While some authors may see this as a chore or a necessary evil, I enjoy exploring different times and places and learning new things. While it was tempted to go too far down the rabbit hole of research, placing myself on a schedule to complete the first draft kept those temptations in check. I was lucky to discover the Rogers Park Historical Society and their series of books on the history and development of the neighborhood. The information and pictures were extremely helpful, and volunteers from the society answered a number of questions that came up as I wrote the first draft.

 

Curtiss-Reynolds Field later became Glenview Naval Air Station in WW II, so there was a lot of information about the field during that period available. Finding information and photographs from 1930 was more difficult, but cruising through newspaper archives and websites dedicated to air races uncovered a few gems. My home library was filled with books on racing planes and races from the period, so that was one of the easier research areas to complete. Then I ran into my first obstacle.

 

I wanted the pilot to be someone who had bigger dreams and visions than just racing planes. Someone who was an expert in one area, but who faces challenges in others. To make his financial challenges a bit more daunting, he became the first in his family to seek a college degree. It turns out they didn’t have degrees in aeronautical engineering at colleges in Chicago at that time. So, he ends up going to the Armour Institute seeking a Mechanical Engineering degree. Coincidentally, that’s where I went to school (it’s now the Illinois Institute of Technology). They have their yearbooks and school newspapers online, providing all the information needed to realistically include his college experiences. 

 

Now I was off to the races! There are currently three books in the series, with three more to follow in 2025. I hope you’ll fly along on TJ O’Connell’s adventures.

 

Fallen Aces

The Barnstorming Detective Series, Book One

 

All he wanted to do was fly his plane in the nationals, but they took that away from him. Now he’s seeking justice.

 

In the thrilling world of the 1930 Chicago Air Races, one young pilot's dream is derailed when disaster strikes.TJ O'Connell, a determined young Irish-American pilot from the north side of Chicago, aims to win the competition and fund his dream of attending college. However, tragedy strikes when a renowned American ace crashes during a practice run, and TJ is wrongfully accused of causing the disaster.

 

To clear his name and secure his future, TJ must find the truth with the help of allies he meets along the way. As they delve deeper into the aviation world, they unearth a web of secrets, rivalries, and prejudices that threaten to tarnish TJ's dreams.

 

From the gritty streets of Chicago to the dazzling heights of the racecourse, TJ must race against time to uncover the truth. Will he emerge victorious in both the hearing room and the skies, or will the shadows of suspicion forever eclipse his ambitions?

 

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MYSTERY AUTHOR SKYE ALEXANDER ON SAYING GOODBYE TO WELL-LOVED CHARACTERS

Skye Alexander is the author of nearly 50 fiction and nonfiction books. Her stories have appeared in anthologies internationally, and her work has been translated into fifteen languages. In 2003, she cofounded Level Best Books with fellow crime writers Kate Flora and Susan Oleksiw. So far her Lizzie Crane mystery series includes four traditional historical novels set in the Jazz Age with a forth scheduled for a 2025 release. Learn more about Skye and her books at her website.

Saying Goodbye

Characters in books, like aspiring actors, often push for bigger parts in a story––and they may graduate from cameos to starring roles. Sometimes, though, they’re ready to retire or the author decides they’ve fulfilled their purposes and it’s time to say goodbye. 

 

‘Til Death Do Us Part

Mystery writers specialize in killing people. Though usually we bump off the bad guys, occasionally it’s necessary to eliminate a character we––or our readers––genuinely like. Writing about the same people, from the same point of view, can grow tedious for an author over time. Bestselling author Sue Grafton admitted she wished she’d chosen something shorter than her twenty-six-book alphabet series. Of course, you can’t kill the protagonist unless you’ve decided to end the series and write something else. 

 

In one of the most famous protagonist dumps, Agatha Christie got rid of her popular sleuth Hercule Poirot who starred in thirty of her novels. Christie had tired of the man she called a "detestable, bombastic, tiresome, ego-centric little creep" and wanted to “exorcise herself of him.” Except her publishers and fans wouldn’t let her. Finally, more than fifty years after his first appearance, Christie ended her literary relationship with Poirot. He became the only fictional character to get his obituary in the New York Times. 

 

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle didn’t intend for his famous detective Sherlock Holmes to be a major player in his novels. Worried that the popular pipe-smoking character was preventing him from penning more serious literature, the author decided to kill his cash cow. But his readers weren’t having it. Under pressure, Doyle wrote The Adventure of the Empty House in which he pointed out inadequate eyewitness accounts of the investigator’s supposed death in a previous book and resurrected the much-loved Holmes.

 

Leaving the Door Open

What if an author chooses to take a series in a different direction, rather than ending it? That’s what Anne Hillerman, daughter of the popular novelist Tony Hillerman, did after her famous father died in 2008. Anne opted to let Tony’s protagonist, Navajo Nation Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, retire from the force––but he still serves as mentor to his partner Sergeant Jim Chee and Chee’s wife Officer Bernadette Manuelito. 

 

When I started writing Running in the Shadows, the fourth novel in my Lizzie Crane Jazz Age mystery series, one of the primary characters in my books asked me to relieve her of her duties. Melody Fitzgerald, a talented young flutist and violinist in my protagonist’s band, wanted to marry her sweetheart and start a family. I had to let her go. But even though her priorities have changed and she’ll no longer travel the country with her fellow musicians, Melody promises to make guest appearances from time to time. 

 

This halfway method allows the author to move into fresh territory, introducing new characters or elevating minor ones to major roles, without casting off the folks who begat the series. It’s also a more acceptable transition for readers who’ve become attached to fictitious friends and don’t want to say goodbye.

 

A Fitting End 

Cutting a character can be hard for writers––it’s like losing a friend you’ve been hanging out with for years. Mystery writer Tess Gerritsen agreed that eliminating a major character in her series was painful to write and she hesitated to do it. “But without that death, the tale would lose its power.” Sometimes it’s better to let characters die with dignity than to force them to continue after they’ve served their purpose or the author is itching to move on. 

Writing a character out of your series needs to be done carefully. Killing off a key character can be powerful, but the death needs to have meaning. In Gone with the Wind, for example, Melanie’s death awakens Scarlett to the fact that she loves Rhett, not Ashley. Maybe a character sacrifices his life to save a friend or a mother dies protecting her child. Thus, the writer makes it easier for readers to accept the loss by conferring hero/ine status on the deceased. After a respectful burial or “fare thee well” the author can open new doors and invite readers to step inside.

Running in the Shadows

A Lizzie Crane Mystery, Book 4

 

March 1926: Salem, Massachusetts

 

A spring equinox party at the mansion of a rich, flamboyant, and controversial art collector promises New York jazz singer Lizzie Crane and her band a fat paycheck, lucrative connections, and plenty of fun. She’ll also have an opportunity to reconnect with a handsome Boston Brahmin she fancies.

 

But the excitement she hopes for doesn’t turn out the way she expected. On the night of the musicians’ first performance, a naked young woman trots into the ballroom on horseback, sweeps up a talented artist named Sebastian, and rides off with him into the night. The next morning, Lizzie discovers the artist’s body tied to a tree, shot full of arrows like the martyred Saint Sebastian in Botticelli’s painting.

 

Soon Lizzie learns that her business partner, pianist Sidney Somerset, once had a close relationship with the dead man––and police suspect Sidney may have murdered him. As she tries to protect her friend and discover the killer, Lizzie gets swept up in the treacherous underworld of art theft and forgery, a world where fantastic sums of money change hands and where lives are cheap.  

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