Sandra Parshall with Broken Places

ROBERTA: Today JRW is delighted to host Sandra Parshall, who has just released her third mystery in the Rachel Goddard series, BROKEN PLACES (Poisoned Pen Press, 2010.) You will know Sandy if you are a member of either Sisters in Crime or SinC’s Guppy chapter for unpublished writers—she seems to be always online with helpful information, funny stories, and pictures of her feline muses. (Gabriel on the right, and Emma below. Are they not gorgeous creatures?) Today she’s agreed to answer questions no one ever asks. Welcome Sandy!

Let’s start with a question about your series. Why are your heroine, veterinarian Rachel Goddard, and your hero, Deputy Tom Bridger, so nice? Why don’t you write about a kick-ass woman with a wisecrack for every situation? And a cop who drinks too much and can’t keep his temper under control?

SANDY: I tire of brittle, angry characters very quickly. I have more options—more directions to take a story—with lead characters who are relatively normal (in spite of some serious problems in their backgrounds), warm and compassionate, with a strong sense of duty. Rachel is still capable of getting into some crazy trouble and doing things she shouldn’t, and Tom occasionally loses it when somebody crosses a line, but I hope readers will like them and be on their side.

ROBERTA: So you write what you know?

SANDY: Why would I want to? How boring! It’s more fun to write about experiences that I’ll never have. Both Rachel and Tom are bolder and braver than I am, so I can live vicariously through them. If I wrote about what I know—well, it would be a short, dull book, heavy on cat care tips.

ROBERTA: Point taken, that sounds a lot like my life too. Three years ago your novel, THE HEAT OF THE MOON, won the Agatha for best first mystery. How much do awards matter? Do you think readers are impressed by your Agatha?

SANDY: I wish they were! I learned pretty quickly that average readers (I’m not talking about DorothyL mystery fanatics) have never heard of the Agatha Awards—or the Anthonys, or the Leftys, for that matter. Most people who live in the DC area have never heard of Malice Domestic and have no idea that a major mystery conference is held here every year. (They won’t learn about it from the Washington press, which steadfastly ignores Malice.) Some mystery readers have a vague impression that the Edgar Award is a big deal. One bookstore customer looked at the “Agatha Award Winner” sticker on The Heat of the Moon and asked me, “Is the Agatha Award for women’s books, like the Edgar Award is for men’s?”

ROBERTA: Is there anything you’d like to see changed in the process of giving awards?

SANDY: I’ve concluded that the fairest awards are those given by judges who read everything published in the different categories. Having been a judge, I know what a deep sense of responsibility comes with the honor of serving on an awards committee. You have to set aside personal connections. As a judge, I have looked for exceptional writing with power and grace, vivid and unforgettable characters, a story that is fresh and will stay in my mind after I finish the book. Believe me, when you read all the eligible novels, one after another, the best books stand out. And they’re not always the most famous books.

By the way, every year I hear complaints that traditional mysteries don’t stand a chance of winning juried awards like the Edgars, but that’s not true. A number of traditional mysteries have been nominated for, and won, Edgar Awards.

For the fan awards given at conferences like the Agatha and the Lefty, I would like to see nominations made only by fans, committees of readers who agree to read everything that’s been published in the categories they’re judging. The resulting nominations could then be voted on by all who attend the conferences, including the writers.

ROBERTA: Let’s hope the conferences take your suggestion—I think it’s a good one! What question do you wish people would stop asking you?

SANDY: That’s easy: “When are you going to move up to a bigger publisher?” I can’t count the number of times people have said that to me. I guess those who ask the question intend it as a compliment, but it’s insulting to both me and to Poisoned Pen Press, one of the most respected publishers in the country. I don’t write cozies and I don’t write blockbuster thrillers, and I’m positive that if I had started with a New York publisher I would have been dropped long ago for failing to “break out” with huge sales. That’s a rat race I could never win.

ROBERTA: If you could be anything you wanted to be, other than a writer, what would you be?

SANDY: I would work in animal studies and conservation of endangered species, someone like Dr. Jane Goodall. She has the life I wish I had. Dr. Jane has made enormous contributions to our understanding of other species, and she continues to fight for protection of wildlife and preservation of irreplaceable natural resources. She does more for the world in one day than most of us will in our entire lives. I hope there’s something of Dr. Jane’s spirit, on a small scale, in my character Rachel.

ROBERTA: Thanks to Sandy for visiting today—she is standing by to take your comments and questions! And visit her website to read more about Broken Places.

Our Queen For a Day--Barb Goffman

RHYS: Today it is our great pleasure to welcome Barb Goffman to Jungle Red. Barb was our high bidder at last year's Malice Domestic auction and won the right to be Queen for a Day on Jungle Red Writers. We told her she could do anything she wanted--within reason.

Barb has chosen to have us interview her and we're delighted to do so.

RHYS: Welcome to Jungle Red Writers, Barb. It's so good to have you here, and especially nice to talk to a writer who specializes in short stories, as this is a specialty within our genre we don't often have the chance to talk about. So tell us a little about your background and how you were drawn to the short story medium.

BARB: Hi. Thank you all for having me! I'm a former newspaper reporter and now make my living as an attorney. Early in my law career, I needed a creative outlet, so I started taking mystery writing classes at a wonderful place in Bethesda, Maryland, called The Writers Center. I took several classes run by author Noreen Wald, who introduced me to Sisters in Crime.

Around 2004 or so, our local SinC chapter was planning a short story anthology. I thought it might be an easier way to break into the mystery field than with my then (and still) unpublished novel, so I read a lot of mystery short stories (especially by Jan Burke), got a feel for the genre, came up with an idea, and sat down and wrote the story (which was published in the anthology (Chesapeake Crimes II) and subsequently received an Agatha Award nomination). I loved how I could start writing and just a few hours later have a completely finished product (sans editing). I've been hooked on shorts ever since.

RHYS: And your other major role in the mystery world at the moment is as program chair for Malice Domestic, isn't it? Now that's a tough assignment .



HANK: Program chairman for Malice Domestic! You're amazing. That must be the most challenging job in the world! Tell us your secrets. (And later, I want to ask you how we all can help)

BARB: Ahh, Malice. I absolutely adore being program chair. Oh, for those who don't know, Malice Domestic is a fan convention held every spring in the DC area. It celebrates the traditional mystery. This is my second year as program chair. The job matches my skills really well. I love organizing things, I love coming up with creative ideas (panels), and I love telling people what to do!

I think programming the conference must kind of be like figuring out who will sit at which table at a wedding. There are lots of things to keep in mind. Who would be best to be on this panel? Which panels shouldn't be scheduled against each other? Who's not available after 11 a.m. on Sunday? Who hates who? I end up with a lot of slots that get moved around and around until, walla, the perfect schedule materializes. I love how much freedom the board gives me. Last year I was able to come up with several new panel ideas last year, which I think gave the conference a bit of freshness. You got to participate in one, Hank, when you played Nancy Drew. You were excellent!

HANK: Aw. Thanks. It was quite a--treat. Tell us tell us--what's in store for this year? C'mon. You can give us SOME scoop.

BARB: Well, it's hard to say, because so much of what happens depends on who registers. I'm hoping to have a panel on outdoor mysteries, for instance, but whether we will depends on whether we get enough authors who write that type of book. So far we have two authors registered who could fit that bill. I need two more. So Sandi Ault and Nevada Barr, if you're reading this, have I got a panel for you! C'mon. Register!


That said, here is a little bit of scoop: Authors and attendees from the DC area sometimes skip the Friday night activities to go to dinner with friends or their publishers or simply to go sleep in their own beds. Well, I'm going to give them a reason to stick around the convention. While nothing's definite, I'm pretty sure that this year, the panel showcasing the authors nominated for the Agatha Award for best novel will be held on Friday night, followed by the humor panel. These sessions are often standing room only. Friday night is going to rock this year!

HALLIE: I love that your story was about "Murder at Sleuthfest" - is there a series of these in the offing? Murder at Malice? How would the conference affect your plot?

BARB: That's a really good idea, which I may explore. "Murder at Sleuthfest" was written as a stand-alone short story (as most are, I think). I had attended Sleuthfest in 2004 and left a beautiful sapphire and diamond ring sitting by the sink in the women's restroom. By the time I realized it 15 minutes later and ran back, the ring was gone. The conference attendees were the only ones on that floor, so I feel pretty certain someone who attended the conference found my ring and kept it. (I guess it could have been hotel staff, but what are the odds they would have cleaned that bathroom in that 15-minute period?) I had announcements made at every session for the rest of the conference about my lost ring, but I never got it back. I vowed murder on the thief. In "Murder at Sleuthfest" I made it happen. I was very inspired. Of course, a good mystery writer can find inspiration in a lot of places. Perhaps I'll write "Murder at Malice," and I'll kill whichever author gives me the hardest time this year. Just kidding! (Maybe.)??

RHYS: Barb, we thank you for visiting us at Jungle Red. We congratulate you on the success of your short stories and we promise to be well-behaved authors at Malice.
And by the way, Barb's latest story is The Worst Noel in The Gift of Murder (Wolfmont Press). We look forward to featuring Barb's first novel here in the future.

Small pleasures in time of Recession

RHYS: I've just been traveling around the country, attending two big mystery celebrations--the first, Malice Domestic, honors the traditional mystery as written by Agatha Christie (hence the Agatha awards for which both Rosemary and I were nominated, but unfortunately didn't win this time). The second was the festival of mystery in Oakmont, PA. This wonderful event brings together readers and writers and it's so good for a writer's ego. One sits surrounded by large stacks of books and signs copies all evening as the stacks get lower and lower. I was interested to see that the number of attendees was not down this year, however I sold fewer hardcovers than usual. Readers told me they are getting their hardcovers from the library this year and only buying paperbacks. So it's hard to know how much the recession will affect our sales. In past recessions book buying was up because it was an affordable escape. But now, with Netflix and all the things one can do with a computer, we have stiff competition.

It's interesting that one of my series (the Royal Spyness books) is set in the Great Depression, and shows people making similar economies in hard times. My heroine's sister-in-law, the duchess, has been reduced to toast at tea time instead of crumpets but still has to have her Fortnum's jam on it. Of course there is no comparison between the level of hardship during those years and what we are going through now--unless we are the unlucky ones who have lost our jobs or homes, of course. Then this time is every bit as bleak. My own daughter has been unemployed for over a year, and a large chunk of her unemployment money goes on Cobra, trying to keep up her health insurance. Let's hope that health reform comes quickly as this is ridiculous.

I've been lucky enough that my books are still selling well, but I believe I could live very simply if I had to. We eat healthily but my husband loves to shop for weekly specials so we have a freezer full of things that were on sale. I don't buy many clothes. I could actually live for many years with the clothes I already have (but I wouldn't want to do that, of course). I don't use many cosmetics. We have Netflix and rarely go to the movies. However we do love to travel. That would be the one thing I'd hate to give up--and of course there are fabulous travel bargains at the moment.

So what have you cut back on, or given up? What are you unwilling to give up? What small pleasures do you still allow yourself? Are you still buying books or getting them from the library? Have you invested in a Kindle yet?

ROBERTA: We don't have a vacation planned for this summer--we'll see if that holds! And we've bandied about the idea of a new car--that's been put on ice, too. I know plenty of people run their car's mileage up over 100,000--I just don't like the idea of having to rely on a guardian angel in case the thing breaks down. In general, we're thinking more and buying less. Trouble is, my husband is convinced this is exactly the kind of behavior that will keep the country's economy from really picking up. What do you all think of that? (And by the way, one thing I refuse to cut out is shopping at our local farmer's market. I've been waiting all winter for that to open back up!)

HANK: So interesting! Well, okay, confession. I still buy lattes. I still buy my perfume (Hermes 24 Faubourg). However: Our car is from 2001! And I'm not really interested in a new one. I, too, am shopping in my closet. I'm hoarding my Jo Malone bath gel. And every grocery shopping trip, I pick up the 4.99 a pint blueberries...think about them longingly...and put them back. And then I get so annoyed. I miss the blueberries.Hmm. Does that make any sense? Perfume yes, blueberries no?

JAN: I'm not sure how we economize ever makes a lot of sense. I'm really big on shutting off lights, and sometimes if you heard me talking to my kids, you'd think this WAS the great depression. But I'll spring for a totally unnecessary cashmere cardigan - I mean, I had to... it was just exactly the right coral color....

So how about it, dear blog visitors--are you cutting back or doing without?

BSP WITHOUT FEAR

Has it been almost a whole year? I remember, so vividly it almost brings tears to my eyes, the moment this photo was taken. And before that, the moment my name (and Prime Time) was called as winner of the Agatha for Best First. I can tell you my life has not been the same sine. And there’s not a moment I’m not grateful.

So, as my Agatha year ticks away, here’s a photo of me and Best Novel winner Louise Penny. There were not two happier people on the planet at that moment.

Now you’re asking: why why why are you posting a photo of yourself? Well, I say, it’s to give you all license to talk about your own Agatha stuff.

Are you a nominee? And want to shout it to everyone? Please, go ahead.

Tell us about your book. Or about yourself. A short paragraph? Your elevator pitch? How you felt when you got the call? This is your day.

Of course we’re thrilled and delighted about the nominations for our own Rosemary Harris for Pushing Up Daisies,

and Rhys Bowen for A Royal Pain, but more about that another day.

Today, we say, go for it.

Have a short story link you want to post?

Have a web link you’d like people to check out?

It’s BSP without Fear Day on Jungle Red.

On Murder at the Library

RO: I met Jane Murphy, JR's guest blogger today at Malice Domestic last year, as it happens I was putting out seed packets for Pushing Up Daisies and she asked if I was the author becaause she'd been hoping to meet me! As if that wasn't enough to make me love her, she's a librarian at he Westport, CT Public Library and one of the founders of Murder 203, a new crime fiction event to be held in Easton and Westport, CT on April 18-19, 2009. http://www.murder203.org/

Late breaking News..Murder 203's just confirmed Guest of Honor is NYTimes Bestselling author Linda Fairstein.

JR: Hi Jane - lots of our readers are also writers. Tell us a little bit about how you choose titles for your library.

JM: Hello, Jungle Red readers!
Every author’s fondest wish is to find her book on the cover of the New York Times Book Review. Assuming you do not expect this to happen for you in the foreseeable future, where else can you expect librarians to find out about your book? Besides the NYTBR, most libraries rely heavily on the reviews in Publishers Weekly, a general trade publication, along with Booklist, Library Journal and Kirkus which are read mainly by librarians. Many libraries distribute free copies of a monthly called BookPage and I always look there for new titles as well. I do the mystery ordering for my library, so I also check Mystery Scene and Mystery News. I understand from talking to authors over the years that the review slots are hard to come by, but I urge you to check with your sources (SinC, writing support groups, how-to books) about how to submit your book to these key media.

You know, sometimes even a not-so-good review might have just the right punch words to grab my attention. Librarians pride themselves on what are called subject strengths, and, for example, if your book is set anywhere in the state of Connecticut I will buy it because this is a key strength of my collection. I also buy a lot of international mysteries because there is a big demand for them in my community. Each library is different and you never know who will be looking for just what you have to offer. This brings me to another point. When you provide a summary or book description to any source make sure to be as specific as you can about where the book is set and exactly what genre you feel it belongs to. You do not want the reviewer to decide the latter for you, nor do you want to confuse or mislead the book buyer. Let’s have no disappointed readers.

I often find out about books from promo items when I attend mystery conferences such as Malice Domestic and CrimeBake. I regularly check for bookmarks and flyers on the display tables and often come away with titles that I would have missed otherwise. In fact, that is how I found out about Roberta’s Advice Column series.
I get many e-mails from enthusiastic new authors offering to come speak at my library or offering their title for discussion by my Usual Suspects reading group. The competition for the meeting rooms at my library, as with many others, is fierce, and we generally book high profile authors to keep our attendance numbers high. And I don’t think my reading group is unique in their desire to read mostly classics and first titles of long-lived series. That’s just the way it is. (However, I once had a fledgling author show up at one of my book discussions and introduce himself to the group and I have since become one of his most ardent fans. You could try that.)

Also, I generally will add any books that are sent to me, although not all libraries accept donations. You could clarify that with a simple phone call or e-mail.

By the way, even librarians judge a book by its cover, but that’s another story for another day.

Jane Murphy is a librarian at the Westport Public Library in Connecticut, where she has her own readers’ advisory blog. Jane has been working with the librarians at nearby Easton Public Library (with some invaluable assistance from Rosemary Harris) to launch Murder 203: Connecticut’s Mystery Festival scheduled for April 18th and 19th. Attendees will enjoy panel discussions, book signings, writing tips from the professionals, and a unique opportunity to mingle with authors and fellow crime fiction enthusiasts at the "Cocktails and Crime" reception on Saturday evening.

Linda Fairstein will be the Guest of Honor for our inaugural event. Visit our official website for details or e-mail mysfan@murder203.com.

Agatha Award Winner Hank Phillippi Ryan!

Congratulations!!!
Three cheers for JRW's own Hank who was awarded the coveted Malice Domestic teapot this weekend for Best First Mystery. Hurray!!!

RO: This week is the equivalent of Oscars week in the mystery community. We couldn't be more thrilled for our own Hank who faced tough competition from Deanna Raybourn, Beth Groundwater, and Charles Finch but snagged the Agatha for Prime Time!

Malice Domestic has just wrapped up, Mary Alice Gorman's Festival of Mystery is tonight and by the time my driving buddy, Liz Zelvin, and I roll into New York it will be time for the Edgars.
Malice will always hold a special place in my heart because it was my first mystery convention and they say you never forget your first. Typical New Yorker, I went to breakfast on Friday with my Ipod and a newspaper - which I never read or listened to because of the chatty Pari Noskin Taichert who was sitting next to me and must have thought I looked lonely so she decided to introduce me to Patsy from Remember the Alibi and a few other folks who stopped by to say hello and then moved on. If you haven't been, Malice is that kind of show - lots of friendly people, fun panels, and yes, there's the bar. No men in g-strings or chaps like the Romance show (uh, at least I didn't see any...Hank?) but maybe we can talk to the organizers about that for next year!

HALLIE: Today I'm at the wonderful Mystery Lovers Bookshop's 13th! (a lucky number in the mystery world) annual Festival of Mystery. It's one of my all time favorite events ever, and Mary Alice Gorman and Richard Goldman are THE BEST FRIENDS of the mystery writing community.
My first mystery event was the big enchilada, Bouchercon in Denver back in...could it be 2001? I took a van to the hotel from the airport and shared it with two delightful librarians from Wisconsin. I still remember the huge red rolling suitcases they had--they told me it was filled with books they were going to get signed. I knew then that I'd died and gone to heaven.

ROBERTA: I am JUST back from Malice. I think my first appearance there was in 2000, before I was published. It's so much more fun now--full of meeting with old friends, making new ones, and Sisters in Crime business. We were so thrilled to see Hank accept her teapot for best first mystery!!! A perfect conclusion...

Ro: Jan...we MISSED you, Hallie, see you later and Hank....way to go!