A Deadly Seance (Working Title): A Dr. Emily Goldman Mystery

And so it begins! If you haven't read the first Dr. Emily Mystery, Murder at Canterbury Faire, it is available in print and e book from Amazon.

Chapter I

   Erica Etheridge reveled in the power that surged through her outstretched arms; her fingers gripped the hands of the students sitting on either side of her. She was the leader of the circle as they sat cross-legged on the floor of the darkened stage in the auditorium of Rose Hall. The twelve students—she called them her disciples—had been told to hold hands and close their eyes. Erica had prepared them for what was to come.

   “No matter what happens you mustn’t break the circle. If you’re scared, you need to leave before we begin!”

   They had all been sworn to secrecy, and they were ready to call up a messenger from the spirit world. There would be no backing out now. No one moved and the circle remained unbroken.

   Rose Hall was the ideal setting for a Séance. It was the oldest building on the Merryvale College campus, dating back to before the Civil War, and was the preferred setting for the numerous ghost stories that were told over the years to the incoming freshmen of the college. It was late, an hour or so before curfew, as Rose Hall stood in all its antebellum glory under a chilly autumn sky. It was the dark of the moon.

   If Rose Hall was the ideal setting for a Séance, Erica was the perfect medium. In fact, Hollywood couldn’t have done a better job of casting. She was tall and painfully thin with a hawk-like face. Her eyes were small and dark, deeply set; and her nose, although aquiline, was reminiscent of a bird of prey. Her arms and legs were long and ungainly; her hair,  thin and wispy, a nondescript shade of brown. Until her arrival at the college the year before, she had been a loner, an outsider during her high school days; but at Merryvale, she had finally found her niche.

Day of the Otters

Last week we talked about the importance of creating a picture with words when writing fiction. I readily admit I’m from the old school and have a tendency to use quite a few descriptive details in my writing. I want my readers to be able to visualize the characters in the fictional world I’ve created. As a result, I depend on details and try to stay away from reliance on dialogue to create setting and mood. I’m not saying that my way is better, only that it works for me. In the last post I talked about historical fiction and the importance of reading and research about the time and place. But what if your setting is in the present, in a location that’s familiar? You might choose a place you’ve visited or perhaps your hometown. Where do the details come from? You might be able to do a little reading and research, but now you’re writing about what you know. Remember, this is what so many of us have been told to write about. At this point you’re pretty much on your own and have to depend on “the mind’s eye.”

What is “the mind’s eye”? First of all, it’s something we all have; and the good news is that it can be developed. It’s pure imagination! It’s what we see—a mental picture—as we imagine and create. When we write about setting or describe a character we’re using our “mind’s eye” to make the writing come alive. Let’s say you’re writing a story set in your hometown, a place you know inside and out. You close your eyes and try to visualize a picture of the place; the image is in your head rather than facts on a page. After all you don’t want to sound like Wikipedia. Your description will be unique, because you’re writing about your hometown as you see it instead of using factual information. Everything you have experienced in that place you know so well, both good and bad memories, will influence what you write. Now you’re writing about something you know first-hand, but your description of your hometown will be based on the details you have observed and the impressions you have collected throughout your life.

Now let’s go back to the question: Where do the details come from? Certainly, the writer can use his/her imagination and create details; just think about Science Fiction and the creative process of describing unknown worlds. But the details you are most likely to use in your writing will be based on observation. The people and the world around you will provide more than enough details to use in your writing. You simply have to develop the ability and the patience to see them. Get into the habit of paying attention to the world around you.

Yesterday I spent almost an hour on the Town of Beaver Trail near my house. I get many of my ideas there next to our one-lane wooden suspension bridge across the White River. It was Porsche Weekend in Eureka Springs, and the tourists were out in force; but around noon folks must have gravitated to the restaurants. Suddenly all was quiet. The fall color is at its peak, and I was entranced with the beauty as I strolled down the trail. When I got back to my car, I simple sat and soaked it all in. We’ve been short on rain lately and the water level has dropped considerably, revealing old logs and snags left from the big flood we had two years ago. I sat and looked at the water for a long time. The sun was making the water sparkle and the colors were vivid. The water reflected the brilliant blue of the sky. I suddenly saw the curve of an otter’s back as it approached the logs near the shore. The driftwood there reminds me of a jungle-gym with a complicated structure of broken limbs and trunk. I held my breath. A year ago I saw an otter at this exact spot and told everyone about it. Yesterday, the whole family was there: two adults and two adolescents. I watched them as they played in the water, catching fish and climbing up on the logs to eat them, scales and all. They fed on small fish for at least ten minutes and then decided it was time to go. I watched as they swam away up river to their secret den. What a thrill to see a whole family! When I got home my husband, the biologist, told me that I’ve seen something very special. But here’s the important thing—it would have been so easy to miss. I was reminded to slow down and make time to see the details that are all around us. At some point—I’m not sure when—I’ll use the otter family in my writing. I’ll be able to go back and see the river, the fall color, and the otter family in my “mind’s eye” and use that experience to create a time and place.

Get the Setting Right

What’s so important about the setting of your story? In my humble opinion, it’s one of the most important elements of a work of fiction and is dependent on a descriptive style. I know some of you may not agree, and that’s fine if you can create atmosphere by using dialogue. In other words, the characters tell us about the setting and life in general so that we get a sense of the time and place of the action. Some writers succeed in creating setting by using a character’s voice; but I prefer the descriptive paragraphs that transport me to another place and time. Give me Charles Dickens any day! You could say that I don’t have the patience to piece together the time and place from the dialogue. When I pick up a new novel, I want a vivid description of the setting. That’s what I like so much about historical fiction. I’m fascinated with the details of life in another time, not just the historical facts of a particular period; and writers of this genre usually rely on detailed descriptions that create a picture with words.

I’ve just completed a short work of historical fiction targeting middle grade and early high school students, and I must admit I enjoyed the research almost as much as the writing. As I read extensively about the time period (1838-1855), I realized the need to not only describe the physical characteristics of the setting, but to also give the reader a sense of what life was like during that period. It wasn’t enough to simply provide a description of the home place of the main character and the surrounding countryside. All of the details of everyday life had to ring true. So where do the details come from? Broad reading and research are essential in writing historical fiction, combined with a narrative style that brings to life a time that the writer hasn’t experienced. To put the reader in that time and place is the key. Of course, this is what we want in any genre, not just historical fiction.

So that old advice to the writer that states you should only write about what you know is not always the way the creative process should work. You can certainly learn about something new and write about it without actually experiencing it. The unfamiliar becomes familiar when seen through the “mind’s eye”—the author’s imagination. A word of caution. I’ve talked before about how characters can take over a work in progress and go off in unexpected directions. So be flexible about your plot line. My recent experience writing historical fiction was very enjoyable, but before I reached the end of the manuscript, the characters I had created were taking up too much of my time when I wasn’t writing. They got a foot-hold in my head, and I must admit I was glad when I came to the end of the story. They’re not living in my head anymore! And no, I’m not alone in feeling like this. I was greatly relieved when I watched an interview with best-selling author, Lee Child, on one of the national morning news shows. He said he has a basic idea when he starts a book, but then his character, Jack Reacher, takes over. See, it’s not just me!

Musings and Short Rants

     Even though it’s my birthday month and Leos are supposed to revel and roar under the sign of the Sun, August is not my best time of year: lethargy sets in, the heat gets to me (especially the dry heat here in Northwest Arkansas), every day I seem to have a new wrinkle, rag weed is in the red zone. Well, you get the idea. I stay inside most of the time gazing out at my beautiful view of the White River, just above the Beaver Bridge, and think about October, my favorite month. Writer’s block lurks just around the corner. I try to follow my own advice and get up early and edit what I wrote the day before. Some days I struggle to write my goal of 500 words.

     I’m working on a new historical novel for young people. My original idea was to write for middle grade readers, but yesterday I substituted at a high school and read the first chapter to tenth grade students. They liked it and said they wanted to read more to find out what happens to the main character. I could tell they were engaged in the story. That felt good! I also discovered that by reading the chapter aloud several times I spotted some places where the writing could be improved, even though I’d gone over that chapter. That’s my tip on writing for this post. Make someone listen to you read your chapters aloud. If that’s not possible, maybe you could record it and play it back.

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     Nine years ago I moved into the house here in Arkansas and was fascinated by all the wildlife that crossed my property every day. If you look at a map you will see that we are part of that great agricultural region of the country that used to be called the Bread Basket of America. We’re also on one of the major migratory routes for wildlife, and I discovered a whole new world when I moved here. Summer brought thousands of butterflies: Monarchs, Black Swallow-tails, Skippers, Butter-Cup Yellows, and many others too numerous to name.

     Of course, some of the birds here were familiar; we have the same ones back home in Alabama, but there were others I could add to my Sight List. Yes, bird watchers have a list of birds they have spotted. My favorite is the Indigo Bunting. Once I saw a rare Painted Bunting near Butler Creek, but I saw Indigo Bunting all the time. They arrive a little later than some of the other migratory birds, but as soon as they got here I heard their high pitched cry before I actually saw them. Then they were everywhere; building nests, flying across the road in front of my car, flitting from tree to tree as I sat on my deck and admired the small creatures that stole my heart. They are a brilliant indigo blue—solid on the body, and smaller than the Blue Bird with his red breast.

    Last year I posted on Facebook that I had seen very few Monarch butterflies and expressed my concern. We are on their fly way to Mexico and although it is early in the season, I’m holding my breath. Actually, I haven’t seen many butterflies at all this year! I started keeping a nature journal and recording what I saw during certain time periods. This summer I have seen three Black Swallow-tails, no Skippers (zero), one black and orange butterfly at the Beaver Bridge a few days ago, but I couldn’t identify it. Not sure if it was a Monarch since it was pretty far away. But the most disturbing observation of this summer is the absence of the Indigo Bunting. I saw a few back in June, but have not seen any since then, and I haven’t heard their distinctive call. If you have seen the Indigo Bunting I would appreciate it if you would let me know. Between Carroll Electric and Monsanto Roundup being sprayed over our entire area, I’m afraid we may be at the tipping point with our wildlife. And what about us humans? We seem to hear about more and more cancer cases in our area, even among the young. By the way, I have a no spray order with Carroll Electric for my nine acres. They are not allowed to spray on my property, but they spray all around me. This year, some people who had no spray orders were sprayed by mistake. Several were the owners of organic farms. They lost their certification. That just added fuel to the fight with SWEPCO. Stay vigilante, friends!

     Now I know my dear friends in agriculture and ranching will take exception to what I’m writing. I’ve been called a liberal hippie (I don’t mind, but that’s not really accurate). I’m concerned about GMO’s and try to stay away from altered foods. But I admit I sometimes have a big burger; I’m not a fanatic. But here’s the real issue, folks! What are we doing to our world? How will we explain to future generations that we sat back thinking everything was going to be just fine. How did we let big corporations take over our country?  Please think about some of this and do some research. One thing I know, at least in my part of the world, things are changing rapidly.

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Next Rant: Short and to the Point

People all over the world must find a way to quit killing each other over religion and race. A first step would be to figure out how to put an end to generational poverty in our country. Tolerance and love in our own community would be a start. A realistic educational system that prepared young people for a meaningful career…I know this was supposed to be short. Maybe I will continue this rant in my next post.

Love to all!

    

Finding A Character's Voice

    Character development is one of the things I look forward to in writing fiction. I’m not sure I really understand the process, although I’ve been writing fiction and inventing characters in my head for years. Two thoughts immediately come to mind: 1.) You can’t rush it. 2.) It’s really mysterious, and I can’t tell you how to do it. Does that sound like I’m trying to evade the whole topic? Let me explain.

     I believe a great many writers start out by writing about people they know and give them another identity. Well, why not?  After all, we’ve been told by all the experts to write about what we know. But be careful about taking the easy way and basing all of the characters in your fiction on the people in your life or even those you’re simply familiar with through the media. This could get you into trouble. Of course, if you write about Uncle Slim, the black sheep of the family, and change his name; I doubt there will be any repercussions. Uncle Slim will probably not read your book anyway, but if he does he most likely won’t recognize himself. He might go so far as to be highly critical of the character and think you have captured the essence of disreputable behavior. Then you can either laugh or breathe a sigh of relief. But if your character is recognizable as a prominent figure, or someone who might take offense and take action against you (as in sue your pants off), it is advisable to disguise them as much as possible. But what about political satire, you ask? Go for it. Politicians are fair game. Just watch Fox News.

     So what did I mean by saying you can’t rush character development? I’ll give you an example. In my newest book, Murder at Canterbury Faire: A Dr. Emily Goldman Mystery, the main character is based on one of my favorite professors in undergraduate school. Dr. Emily has many of the mannerisms, eccentricities, and even the physical appearance of my former professor. Their fields of expertise—Anglo-Saxon and Medieval literature, are the same. But that’s where the similarity ends. My professor was not Jewish, not a sleuth, and certainly not a Yankee. Most importantly, I know that if she were still living she would be pleased that I used her as a model for one of my characters.

     I won’t reveal how many years have passed since I was in undergraduate school, but it’s been a while. In an interview I gave recently about Murder at Canterbury Faire, I mentioned that I had been thinking about the character of Dr. Emily for around ten years. I knew I would use her at some point in writing a mystery, but I wasn’t certain what the mystery would be about, and so forth. Just let me say that Dr. Emily was always around in the back of my mind, and she slowly began to develop. Actually, she became quite real to me, as a separate individual from my dear professor. That finally gave me the freedom I needed to write the book. She wasn’t real; she was finally a fictional character. I could look at her objectively without feeling that my professor was looking over my shoulder. So, don’t worry about taking your time in thinking about your characters as they develop their own voice. Some characters become real very quickly in the imagination. Others have to ferment a while.

     My second point in this discussion is that character development is mysterious. It’s great to sit around thinking about different characters you might write about rather than wasting your time watching some of the shows on television these days, but eventually you have to put the pen to the paper. I believe I’ve talked about this before. You have to start writing! Once you struggle with the beginning of your story, perhaps start over a few times, and maybe even change the point of view, you might be lucky enough to experience the mysterious part. What I’m talking about here is having the character’s voice take over. This may sound crazy to some people who have never experienced it, but suddenly the character is in charge, or so it seems. The dialogue begins to flow and you find you are simply typing what the character has to say. Sometimes the character or characters take over the whole plot line of the story.  Through some process that I admit I don’t understand, they can change the direction of the story or introduce new ideas that seem to have come from out of the blue. This is why writing is so exciting! I suppose the most logical explanation is that the writer’s subconscious mind takes over rather than a fictional character. I told you it was mysterious! Taylor Caldwell, a famous author of the last century, claimed that her books weren’t written completely by herself; something took over and told the story. She claimed she simply wrote it down. I wish is was that easy!

Murder at Canterbury Faire: A Dr. Emily Goldman Mystery is available through cahabapress.com or at Amazon.com