Coming up with questions...

 

HALLIE EPHRON: One of my favorite things that, from time to time, I get invited to do is moderate a panel of authors whose work I admire. I admit, I love being in charge. (Jerry's nearly daily request of me was "Stop being so directive." As if I ever could.)

But also I'm fascinated by how different each of our writing processes is, AND how amazing it is that any of us actually writes a publishable novel. It's SO hard.

Yesterday, we posted the video of the wonderful panel of authors (Lucy Burdette, Elise Hart Kipess, and Sarah Stewart Taylor) talking and me moderating, talking about the ins and outs, the challenges and joys of writing a mystery.

The audience (full house at the Milton Public Library) was completely rapt from the first moment. It worked so well because these authors were wonderfully open and honest, articulate and smart. Also because their novels are so different from one other.

I can also take some credit for the evening's success. First of course I was on home turf. Then I did not hijack the discssion by talking about my books.

And finally I'd PLANNED, done my research, and come up with some really juicy questions that dug into the processes that these writers follow to write their books.

Today I thought I'd share some of those questions... and maybe next time you go to an author talk (which I hope will be often!) you will have ideas for questions you might ask near the end of the event when it opens up for questions."

QUESTIONS

• Was your published book's Page One the first thing you wrote, and how did it change from first draft to published book?
• What was the hardest thing for you about writing your first crime novel? And what about now after (how many?) books?
• Where would you categorize your latest book on the spectrum of crime fiction (cozy? thriller? hardboiled??), and do you think about the expectations of THAT audience when you're writing?
• How does who YOU are and your experiences shape your protagonist?
• How did you meet the challenge of making the reader believe that your main character would do all the dangerous things they do in order to solve the crime?
• Do you plan out the story or just sit down at the computer, pull the cord, and let 'er rip?
• What's your writing day like?
• Which part of a book is the most challenging for you to write? And which part do you enjoy most?
  
  I could go on and on but it was absolutely fascinating to hear Lucy, Elise, and Sarah address questions like these. If you missed it, go to yesterday's blog and watch the video.
  
  What kinds of questions do you like to hear answered at author talks??

Making ours MURDER with Lucy Burdette, Sarah Stewart Taylor, and Elise Hart Kipness

HALLIE EPHRON: A few months ago, I heard that three authors whose work I adore (our own Lucy Burdette, Sarah Stewart Taylor, and Elise Hart Kipness), all have new books coming out. (Sarah: Hunter's Heart Lodge; Elise: Close Call; and Lucy: The Mango Murders). 

Wouldn't it be great, I thought, to bring them to my very own Milton Library.

So I proposed an author panel (I'd get to moderate!) to the president of the Friends of the Milton Library and to the wonderful librarians, and got an enthusiastic thumbs-up! 

Lucy made up the description of the event with the enticing title, MAKE MINE MURDER and invited patrons to come for a "look behind the scenes of bestselling whodunits, edge-of-your-seat thrillers, and literary mysteries to discover how these authors craft suspense, plot their twists, and bring their unforgettable characters to life."

It worked! We had a full house. The wonderful library Friends supplied drinks and cake and cookies, not to mention lined up the chairs. The pre-event publicity was spectacular. And we couldn't have had more fun.

By the way, we have a brand new local independent bookstore (Next Chapter Books & More in Quincy, MA) that sold a very nice amount of books.

Irresistible, right? I am so pleased to be able to share with you a video of the event... credit to videographer Alyssa Flori.

When you're finished, please share any questions that popped into your head while you were watching and we'll do our best to answer.

The Thursday Murder Club

 HALLIE EPHRON: I had a blast reading Richard Osman's THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB (and its sequels). I love that Osman broke so many of the conventions of the mystery genre. More than 1 murder, more than 1 murderer and a convoluted plot. And a ton of sidekicks.

I've (so far) watched it 3 times with different friends...

It's quite a complicated (convoluted?) story that starts with a cold case, and ends up being about four murders, not all of them connected with one another.  There are multiple killers, five sleuths, including four retirees – Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley), and Joyce (Celia Imrie) and police officer Donna de Freitas (Naomi Ackie).

And I so appreciate a crime drama that doesn't take itself too seriously. As Elizabeth quips: "I feel like we're in on one of those Sunday Night dramas about two bright-eyed, feisty old lady detectives outsmarting the police at every turn." To which steely Joyce shoots back, “Never use the words bright-eyed, feisty old ladies in my presence again.

What could easily have been six one-hour episodes gets squashed into a two-hour "movie." And honestly, even though I'd read the book it took me three watchings before I really GOT who everyone (sleuths, victims, villains, residents and their relatives) was and what they were up to.

Good thing it's delightfully watchable, hilarious in places, surprising in others. And best of all, the actors seem to be having SO MUCH FUN! I mean, it's worth watching if only to see Pierce Brosnan doing water aerobics with the ladies. I do wish they'd given Ben Kingsley more to do. Helen Mirren is at her regal best.

On the third watching, I was still trying to make sense of how the parts of the story fit together.

I do have some gripes. I really don't like that Bogdan, a suspect who (in the novel) turns out to be a good guy, ends up going to jail in the movie. I'm not alone in my dismay: see the meme #JusticeForBogdan! 

And the movie version of the retirement home, Coopers Chase, looks more like summer camp at Downton Abbey than a retirement home.

And what's with the black roses that get delivered mysteriously near the end?

I may need to watch it yet again. I won't mind.

Are you watching it? Did you follow all the plot strands, suss out the murderer(s)? Is the setting too over the top?

Are you with me in the JUSTICE FOR BOGDAN club or are you muttering, Get a life?