Alyssa Maxwell's Blog - Posts Tagged "murder-at-the-breakers"
A Conversation with a Reader
My daughter left yesterday to return to school in NJ, where she's studying to get her PhD. It made me sad to see her leave, but before she went we had a discussion about a book. My book! She had just read one of my ARCs of Murder at The Breakers, and to my great surprise and delight, she didn't guess who the murderer was until the evil villain was unveiled. Now, this is a child (ok, she's 25), who often within the first 15 mintues of a movie will tell you exactly what's going on - and she'll be right! It's infuriating how often she's able to pick up on clues that sail right over my head. Even her friends have forbidden her to voice her suspicions whenever they're watching something together. So score one for Mom!
We also had fun discussing the various secondary characters who are based on her own ancestors - great and great-great grandparents, for instance, because I've inserted references for the benefit of my husband's Newport family, who should get a real kick out of finding certain names in the story.
Then she pinned me down with some tough questions about why and how, and I really had to stop and think, and a time or two she almost stumped me about my own book! Smarty pants. But then again, this book was two manuscripts ago. The facts become a litte blurred, not to mention confused with newer plotlines. Still, it was fun having to think about why I chose such and such plot device, etc.
But that's not all our talk meant to me - in fact that was really the least of it. What struck me as so special was that she and I were having, basically, a literary discussion about characters and clues and motives in a book I wrote. Me! And she not only enjoyed it, it sparked her imagination and curiosity. I doubt very much she gave it much thought, but to me it felt like we connected on a level we'd never connected on before, and that, as a parent, I'd gained that elusive approval we don't typically expect to get from our kids. After all, we're just the parents, right?
I hope to have many more conversations with readers about The Gilded Newport Mysteries, but I can truly say that one will always stand out as special - as having made me feel special and that I'd really achieved something.
We also had fun discussing the various secondary characters who are based on her own ancestors - great and great-great grandparents, for instance, because I've inserted references for the benefit of my husband's Newport family, who should get a real kick out of finding certain names in the story.
Then she pinned me down with some tough questions about why and how, and I really had to stop and think, and a time or two she almost stumped me about my own book! Smarty pants. But then again, this book was two manuscripts ago. The facts become a litte blurred, not to mention confused with newer plotlines. Still, it was fun having to think about why I chose such and such plot device, etc.
But that's not all our talk meant to me - in fact that was really the least of it. What struck me as so special was that she and I were having, basically, a literary discussion about characters and clues and motives in a book I wrote. Me! And she not only enjoyed it, it sparked her imagination and curiosity. I doubt very much she gave it much thought, but to me it felt like we connected on a level we'd never connected on before, and that, as a parent, I'd gained that elusive approval we don't typically expect to get from our kids. After all, we're just the parents, right?
I hope to have many more conversations with readers about The Gilded Newport Mysteries, but I can truly say that one will always stand out as special - as having made me feel special and that I'd really achieved something.
Why Historicals?
I know that whether it's mystery or romance, contemporary stories sell better than historicals. I know that, but I choose to write historicals anyway. Am I a glutton for punishment? Afraid of success? Just plain stubborn?
The answer to that last one is probably a resounding "yes!" but the real reason I write historicals is because I can't NOT write them. Seriously. Now, I'm a modern woman with modern beliefs and values - I think women should follow their dreams and be given their deserved credit - and adequate monetary compensation - for their achievements. I prefer comfy, casual clothes, drive a car, and yes, I can find my way around a computer just fine. Oh, and no, I would not under any circumstances give up modern plumbing. But whenever I sit down at a keyboard, all of sudden I'm all about petticoats and silk hats, horse-driven carriages, and all the rest. Most of all, what fascinates me and excites me as a writer are the challenges people faced a hundred-plus years ago.
How does one solve a crime without modern forensics like fingerprints, DNA testing, etc? That to me presents a twisting, turning, and, in my mind, three-dimensional puzzle that I can't wait to get my hands on. I take my cues from Sherlock Holmes (classic, not the new Sherlock, although I'm a huge fan of that, too), and look at a crime scene from a very basic, observant viewpoint: footprints and anything that might have been tracked in by the killer, shape and size of the wound, signs of a stuggle, etc. I have my sleuth piece the evidence together to see what it all has in common, and what might be missing. As in the pursuit of science, each piece of the puzzle should lead to more questions about what hasn't been discovered yet. Poor Emma Cross, my sleuth, can end up criss-crossing Newport several times in a day as she questions suspects and traces clues.
Then there are the social restrictions. It was not easy to be female at the turn of the 20th Century, so I enjoy looking at the challenges women faced and figuring out how a spirited, smart, independent-minded young woman would have overcome those challenges. Wait, you say, aren't those modern attributes? Isn't the notion of being independent-minded an anachronism? I believe assumptions like that are incorrect, not to mention stereotypical. There have ALWAYS been women who've refused to be limited by the rules of their society. Eleanor of Acquitaine? Queen Elizabeth I? Or let's take an example from the time period I'm writing in: Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, nineteenth century leaders of the suffragette movement, or Nelly Bly, female reporter who searched out hard news (in sometimes dangerous situations) and traveled around the world by herself in under 73 days. It's Nelly who most directly inspired Emma Cross's character.
I'm not suggesting historical heroines should be feminists in the modern sense. But, within the context of their society, education, and economic means, a young woman could endeavor to stand out, be extraordinary, and achieve something special - something to be remembered long after she left the world, and she would have done so in spite of, and in direct defiance of, social convention and probably most members of her own family. Now that's courage!
Not to mention that I always keep in mind that I'm writing for modern readers. And when we read fiction, do we want ordinary characters leading ho hum lives, or characters who lift us out of our daily grind, take us on adventures, and leave us cheering? Now, I ask you.....
The answer to that last one is probably a resounding "yes!" but the real reason I write historicals is because I can't NOT write them. Seriously. Now, I'm a modern woman with modern beliefs and values - I think women should follow their dreams and be given their deserved credit - and adequate monetary compensation - for their achievements. I prefer comfy, casual clothes, drive a car, and yes, I can find my way around a computer just fine. Oh, and no, I would not under any circumstances give up modern plumbing. But whenever I sit down at a keyboard, all of sudden I'm all about petticoats and silk hats, horse-driven carriages, and all the rest. Most of all, what fascinates me and excites me as a writer are the challenges people faced a hundred-plus years ago.
How does one solve a crime without modern forensics like fingerprints, DNA testing, etc? That to me presents a twisting, turning, and, in my mind, three-dimensional puzzle that I can't wait to get my hands on. I take my cues from Sherlock Holmes (classic, not the new Sherlock, although I'm a huge fan of that, too), and look at a crime scene from a very basic, observant viewpoint: footprints and anything that might have been tracked in by the killer, shape and size of the wound, signs of a stuggle, etc. I have my sleuth piece the evidence together to see what it all has in common, and what might be missing. As in the pursuit of science, each piece of the puzzle should lead to more questions about what hasn't been discovered yet. Poor Emma Cross, my sleuth, can end up criss-crossing Newport several times in a day as she questions suspects and traces clues.
Then there are the social restrictions. It was not easy to be female at the turn of the 20th Century, so I enjoy looking at the challenges women faced and figuring out how a spirited, smart, independent-minded young woman would have overcome those challenges. Wait, you say, aren't those modern attributes? Isn't the notion of being independent-minded an anachronism? I believe assumptions like that are incorrect, not to mention stereotypical. There have ALWAYS been women who've refused to be limited by the rules of their society. Eleanor of Acquitaine? Queen Elizabeth I? Or let's take an example from the time period I'm writing in: Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, nineteenth century leaders of the suffragette movement, or Nelly Bly, female reporter who searched out hard news (in sometimes dangerous situations) and traveled around the world by herself in under 73 days. It's Nelly who most directly inspired Emma Cross's character.
I'm not suggesting historical heroines should be feminists in the modern sense. But, within the context of their society, education, and economic means, a young woman could endeavor to stand out, be extraordinary, and achieve something special - something to be remembered long after she left the world, and she would have done so in spite of, and in direct defiance of, social convention and probably most members of her own family. Now that's courage!
Not to mention that I always keep in mind that I'm writing for modern readers. And when we read fiction, do we want ordinary characters leading ho hum lives, or characters who lift us out of our daily grind, take us on adventures, and leave us cheering? Now, I ask you.....
Release Day Celebration!
Tomorrow, March 25th, is release day for Murder at The Breakers. I'm bouncing off the walls with excitement, but I'm also very aware and very grateful for how I got here. So...
I'm celebrating my release by celebrating the people who helped make it happen – my amazing, generous, talented Critique Group!
We've been critiquing together for years now, and if not for the support of these very special ladies I probably wouldn't be celebrating the release of Murder at The Breakers this week.
Come by my website (http://alyssamaxwell.com) from 3/25 through 3/29. I'll be giving away a book from each of them, plus two of my own, to seven random winners.
Here's just a sampling of the skills and techniques I've learned from each of them, and I've included their websites so you can find out more:
Cynthia Thomason: from Cindy I've learned how to create a cozy, small town environment filled with unique individuals who create a sense of familiarity and belonging – the kind of characters that feel like family during the course of a series. http://www.cynthiathomason.net/
Kat Carlton: From Kat I've learned about fast pacing, keeping the stakes high, and introducing conflict and suspense into each scene. http://www.katcarltonauthor.com/
Nancy J. Cohen: From Nancy I've learned how to think like a mystery writer. To keep track of motives, clues, and all the rest and proceed logically from crime to resolution while at the same time introducing twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. http://nancyjcohen.com/
Sharon Hartley: from Sharon I've learned how to write tighter and to create a determined, single-minded, smart heroine who will not be deterred from whatever she believes is important. http://www.sharonshartley.com/
Zelda Benjamin: from Zelda I've learned how use story imagery and sensory details to generate relationship chemistry and sensuality while keeping the story sweet. http://www.zeldabenjamin.com/
It's easy to enter our giveaway - just tell me what initially attracts you to the books you buy.
Happy Reading, and don't forget to celebrate the special people in your life!
I'm celebrating my release by celebrating the people who helped make it happen – my amazing, generous, talented Critique Group!
We've been critiquing together for years now, and if not for the support of these very special ladies I probably wouldn't be celebrating the release of Murder at The Breakers this week.
Come by my website (http://alyssamaxwell.com) from 3/25 through 3/29. I'll be giving away a book from each of them, plus two of my own, to seven random winners.
Here's just a sampling of the skills and techniques I've learned from each of them, and I've included their websites so you can find out more:
Cynthia Thomason: from Cindy I've learned how to create a cozy, small town environment filled with unique individuals who create a sense of familiarity and belonging – the kind of characters that feel like family during the course of a series. http://www.cynthiathomason.net/
Kat Carlton: From Kat I've learned about fast pacing, keeping the stakes high, and introducing conflict and suspense into each scene. http://www.katcarltonauthor.com/
Nancy J. Cohen: From Nancy I've learned how to think like a mystery writer. To keep track of motives, clues, and all the rest and proceed logically from crime to resolution while at the same time introducing twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. http://nancyjcohen.com/
Sharon Hartley: from Sharon I've learned how to write tighter and to create a determined, single-minded, smart heroine who will not be deterred from whatever she believes is important. http://www.sharonshartley.com/
Zelda Benjamin: from Zelda I've learned how use story imagery and sensory details to generate relationship chemistry and sensuality while keeping the story sweet. http://www.zeldabenjamin.com/
It's easy to enter our giveaway - just tell me what initially attracts you to the books you buy.
Happy Reading, and don't forget to celebrate the special people in your life!
