Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Arlene McFarlane on How My Disasters Make for Good Comedy


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RHYS BOWEN:  I always love hosting new-to-me writers on Jungle Reds so I was delighted when Arlene McFarlane contacted me. I think we all need a good dose of funny, cozy mysteries at this stressful time, don't we? And what place more prone to disasters than a hairdressing salon?
So please meet Arlene!

ARLENE MCFARLANE: Thank you, Rhys, for the warm invitation to be a guest on your blog. I’m overjoyed to be here with the esteemed Jungle Reds. I’m also excited to get to know your readers. So why do I write humorous mysteries about a gutsy beautician part-timing as a sleuth? Let’s start with my past and a couple of makeovers which I still do as part of my brand.




  


                                           
I owned and ran a full-service salon for 13 years before turning in my scissors to write the Valentine Beaumont mysteries. The beauty industry had many wonderful facets and planted the seed to craft a comedy series. But how could I use my aesthetics skills to make my “beauty” mysteries stand apart from others? I wanted to make people laugh out loud, let them solve a mystery, and fall in love with real-life characters.
I admired the slapstick comedy of Janet Evanovich and the brilliant wit of Lawrence Block, so to that end I created Valentine, a plucky beautician with an ethnic background, who catches crooks using her beauty tools. As Kirkus Reviews says, “The feisty, pleasantly sarcastic heroine is an able narrator who can turn just about anything in her bag of beauty supplies into an imaginative weapon—even if it’s just a rubber band.”
The series is very much “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” meets “Miss Congeniality” with a tagline that reads, “Cops fire guns and tasers. She wields combs and razors.”  
                                                                                                                      
While I personally never snared any crooks, I did have oodles of instances that were too zany—albeit humbling—not to write about. One such episode occurred when, in my naiveté first starting out, I attempted to cut the top of an empty hairspray gallon in order to use the bottom half as a toilet-brush holder. I could’ve bought one, but where was the sense in that? Much better to hack away at sturdy plastic, which was getting me nowhere. So I lit a match to burn a small hole in the side to gain entry. It worked, too. But the match fell inside the empty gallon, igniting drops of hairspray at the bottom. Instantly, a blue whoosh fanned up into my face, startling the bejeebers out of me. After my eyebrows grew back and my lips healed, I decided this hairbrained episode would be a scene in my book. Of course, I couldn’t make my heroine dense (ahem), so I created Phyllis, Valentine’s inept employee who dresses thematically in horribly made-up outfits, and who also happens to be a distant relative. Phyllis couldn’t cut her way out of a streaking cap, but Valentine is stuck with her because of a family promise. I also invented a clever, skilled sidekick named Max who uses every chance to rile Phyllis.





Here’s a taste of a typical day in the salon from MURDER, CURLERS & CANES.

Phyllis threw up her hands. “How am I supposed to pluck your eyebrows with you wriggling like a snake?”
So much for our talk on a gentler approach with clients.
The woman bolted off the chair and ran to the mirror. “Where are my eyebrows?” She tapped her forehead. “You tweezed off my eyebrows! I look like the Mona Lisa!” She snapped up her purse and narrowed in on Phyllis. “I’d like to know where you got your license.”
“I can show you,” Max said. “But I’d have to buy a box of Cracker Jacks.”
The client stomped to the door, scowling back at Phyllis. “You not only look crazy, you are crazy!”
“That’s what I keep telling her.” Max always had to have the last word.
                                           
Also featured in my series is Valentine’s black cat, Yitts. This furry roommate is fashioned after mine, and like cats in many lighthearted mysteries, Yitts is cute and quirky. Here’s a Halloween shot, and another of my cat as a pirate, and a cowgirl. Yes, I’m one of those who dresses up her pet. Maybe you can relate.

                                                   



Writing this series has been a life-changing joy. One of the most exciting honors to date was walking the red carpet at Warner Bros. Studio in LA this past November because my audio book MURDER, CURLERS & CREAM was nominated in the Voice Arts awards. My narrators had—in their words—“such a blast producing the book,” they took it upon themselves to enter it in the awards. What a thrill to be on the same list as Tom Hanks and Keanu Reeves for their voiceover roles in Toy Story 4, and Gerard Butler for his role in How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. Writing has opened many doors, and I’ve been very blessed.
                                                           
Thank you for coming today! In closing, I want to add that my books can be read as standalones. Books 4, and 5 & 6—which are coming soon—are mini mysteries, hence the different cover as seen on MURDER, CURLERS & KEGS. Still Valentine novels, but weekend mysteries.




                                                                                        

*Now for some fun!* I’d love to give away 3 ebook copies of Valentine’s latest adventure, MURDER, CURLERS & KEGS. Just comment on anything in my post for a chance to win!

I hope you enjoyed learning about Valentine and me. I had an absolutely wonderful time sharing with you! Xoxo Look for book 5, MURDER, CURLERS & KILTS coming this spring!
                                                              
Arlene McFarlane is the USA Today bestselling author of the Murder, Curlers series. Previously an aesthetician, hairstylist, and owner of a full-service salon, Arlene now writes full-time. She’s also an accomplished pianist and makeover artist. When time allows, she plays publicly and posts makeovers on her website.

Arlene is a member of Romance Writers of America®, Sisters in Crime, Toronto Romance Writers, SOWG, and the Golden Network. She’s won and placed in over 30 contests, including twice in the Golden Heart®, twice in the Daphne du Maurier, and most recently in the prestigious Chanticleer International Mystery & Mayhem Book Awards.
Arlene lives with her cat—and family—in Canada.  www.arlenemcfarlane.com   
                                                     

47 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your newest book, Arlene. Your hairdresser stories sound wonderful, and that excerpt about the eyebrows is laugh-out-loud funny. I’m looking forward to reading Valentine’s adventures . . . .

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    1. Thank you, Joan! It always pleases me to know others get a kick out of my stories!

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  2. I've never been to a beauty shop. Shocking, I know. :) Still, these sound very fun.

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    1. Thanks, Mark. May sound surprising, but I have a lot of male readers as the salon is not just for women. Men also make their way through the doors. One poor guy even wanders in at the wrong moment during the climax in book 1!!

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  3. Arlene, your series sounds like so much fun and a great way to get some much needed laughs. I love an original take on solving mysteries/murders, and Valentine's use of her beauty supplies is unique. The characters all sound fantastic, too. Congratulations on your nomination in the Voice Arts Awards. That must have been really exciting. Thanks for sharing about your series here today. I look forward to checking it out.

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    1. Thank you, Kathy, for your comments! I do look forward to entering Valentine's world each day! And yes, the trip to LA was something I'll forever cherish!!

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  4. Your adventure reminds me of my 9th grade science teacher who loved to demonstrate how to use a can of hairspray as a blow torch. Did I mention she was a bit strange? Your mystery sounds like a real hoot and I look forward to reading it!

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    1. LOL I'd probably get a chuckle out of that teacher! And hairspray is great for getting out stains as well as using as a blow torch. Thanks, Pat!

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  5. I absolutely love makeovers! I cannot stop watching. How do you know what to do to create such transformations?

    (The people look so happy when they see their “after”. )

    Congratulations on the books! (And wow, that yellow dress is amazing.)

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    1. I'm with you, Hank. It's almost addictive seeing those transformations! For me, the creating is innate. When I look at someone, my mind is telling me what could be enhanced, what hair color would be flattering, and which cut would look amazing. It's a disease! But I truly enjoy helping others look & feel their best. And thanks for the kind words. Yellow is such a "pick-me-up" color!

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  6. Welcome Arlene. I'm always happy to discover a new author to me and a fellow Canadian.
    The presentation here of your funny cozy mysteries entices me to buy your books.

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    1. Aww, thank you so much, Danielle! Always love meeting a fellow Canadian!! I hope you get to know Valentine and the crew!

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  7. Your books sound like so much fun! I was not familiar with them before, but will have to read them now.

    I agree with Hank -- you look simply amazing in the yellow dress. What a thrill that must have been!

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    1. Thank you, Susan! Writing the series brings me so much joy. And though writing humor is hard work, the end result is always worth it! Plus, the feedback propels me forward! ;) Thank you also for the compliment. As a writer, there are never enough opportunities to dress up like that, and you can bet I enjoyed every minute of it!!!

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  8. Congratulations on your new release! Salons are hot beds of great gossip. Want to sell your house? Tell your haircutter. Find out if hubs is cheating? Ask your haircutter.

    Over the summer, our community had two human trafficking raids. I was in earnest discussion with my haircutter about the locations when I noticed everyone in the salon listening to us. Yes, ladies, the raid went down half a mile south in Blue Ash, Ohio.

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    1. Margaret, so convenient a location to 71 and 275! Wow! But for a minute there, I thought your hairdresser had tipped off the cops! Are you listening, Arlene?! ;-)

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    2. No, the financial advisor next door to the massage parlor complained to the police that all the all male massage parlor clientele parked in his parking lot! The BAPD staked out the place and finally had enough evidence to do a raid.

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    3. This is so true, Margaret! The things clients used to tell me...well, I could write a book. ;)

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    4. Too funny. Yes, there is the tough, rugged cop in my series who bristles Valentine's neck hairs! So she's careful what she shares!!!

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  9. I can really use some laugh-outloud humor these days, Thanks, Arlene! If I were a character in a book, I'd have to say Max would fit. And I've worked with a few Phyllis's in my time. 'Nuf said. Gotta go, my do needs doing and I'm off to book a spot with Valentine!

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    1. LOL Thank you, Flora! I can tell you there's a bit of Max in me. After all, I had to give someone the sarcastic lines!! Hope you enjoy Valentine and the gang!

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  10. Fabulous, Arlene! I love humor in my mysteries! Yours sound hair raisingly delightful!

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    1. Thank you, Jenn! We all need a bit of humor in our lives, and I'm happy to deliver!! :)

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  11. Congrats, Arlene! Your scene with the eyebrows and Phyllis reminds me of the time my daughter lost one of her brows a week before a dance recital. Of course it was because she shaved it off (long story), but the dance teacher was Not Amused.

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    1. That's too cute, Liz! Both our kids are hockey players, and my son's teams used to brand themselves with a shaved patch in their hair or, for some, the shaved eyebrow. Thank goodness my daughter's teams never resorted to these traditions. LOL

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  12. I'm guessing you had as much fun writing these books as I will reading them! Congratulations!

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    1. Aww, thank you, Judi! I had a blast writing them!!

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  13. My first thoughts, when you were describing Valentine, were MacGyver meets Mary Kay but that I realized that was silly; Mary Kay does make-up not hair, right? Your eyebrows story reminded me of my initial panic when I discovered I was my losing my eyebrows. Once I put 2+2 together and realized it was genetics I breathed a sigh of relief, I like my esthetician. Valentine and gang sound fun, I need to add your group to my list. Was it difficult to stop seeing your long term clients? My mom, sister, niece, nephew and myself have had the guy cutting out massively different hairs for more than 30 years. He is part of the family. I dread the day he actually retires.

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    1. Cute comparison, Deana. I've had others think of MacGyver as well. LOL I do miss a lot of my clients. I even had some at my wedding as they had become friends. Your hairstylist is very lucky to have such a devoted group of clients!!

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  14. Congratulations on your new book. It is so exciting to find a new author who enjoys writing comedy. I could picture the scene above with the woman seeing that her eyebrows were gone and the wisecracking co-worker with the quick quips. You are going straight onto my TBR list right now.

    The beauty parlor setting is terrific. Many of us probably have stories about haircut disasters. I was in my 20's and had very long straight hair. I thought it would be cool to have a hairdo with banana curls in the back, just for fun. The hairdresser teaser my hair so that I had about 18" of it teased and sprayed up onto the top of my head, without a banana curl in sight. One look in the mirror and I almost fell over. It took 2 hours to wash all that gunk out of my hair and get the knots out. It took me 25 years to trust another male hairdresser to touch my hair. Not gonna be a creation, thanks so much.

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    1. Thank you, Judy! So glad you could visualize the scene! And you're right; everyone has had their share of successes and disasters in the salon. I think that's what makes my books easy to relate to. But your experience is too funny! Backcombing and hairspray definitely can make a mess of things if overdone! LOL

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  15. I cracked up reading this. Seems appropriate for us to have you here on Jungle Red... since the origin of "Jungle Red" is THE WOMEN which takes place in a beauty salon. And smart, not having your protagonist blow up that aerosol can... readers wouldn't think it was believable ;-)

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    1. Thank you, Hallie! That's interesting about the origins of the Jungle Reds. I'm so glad I'm here then!! Yes, believability is always a concern. LOL I'm grateful my fans love all the silly hijinks and slapstick comedy--because there's a lot in the pages. ;)

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  16. Wow! Your makeovers are fantastic. Mysteries are much better if they have humor in them.

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    1. Thank you, Kathy! I agree; humor makes a mystery come to life!!

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  17. Arlene, welcome to Jungle Reds! Your novels sound wonderful! I would love to read your book if there are PRINT books available? Always love reading humorous novels.

    Diana

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    1. Thank you for the warm welcome, Diana! Yes, my books are all available in print. Myself, I prefer to hold a real book. ;)

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  18. Arlene, this is amazingly times, since I just got home from the salon! My stylist does a great job, but I have to admit, I'd love to see myself as one of those before-and-afters in your photos.

    I never thought of a beautician-sleuth, but considering the sort of gossip (from patrons) and drama (from some of the young women working there) I can see where a salon would make the PERFECT spot to have a clever amateur detective!

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    1. Thank you, Julia! Yes, Before & Afters are great fun. After all, who wouldn't want to be a beauty queen, even for a day!?! And you're right about salons and sleuths. I often have readers tell me once they've laughed their way through my mysteries, they never see the salon the same way!!!

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  19. I have a niece who is a hair stylist. I have sent this blog to her. Just in case she wants to plan for a second career!
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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    1. That's too rich! Yes, please share!! When I first published, Libby, I took my books into hair salons in hopes that the staff would read them and sell some. They did! I felt if anyone could relate to my heroine and the goings-on in the salon, it would be other stylists!!

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  20. Arlene, I am laughing WITH you about the fire incident - not at you. Oh, my. Love hearing how that helped you create the Phyllis character.

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    1. Thanks, Tracy!! I don't mind being laughed at. Sometimes it's deserving. ;)

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  21. My grandmother was a "beauty operator", and I have often wondered how a "Miss Congenialty"-esque contestant would have fared with her. She had definite opinions about beauty, style, and comportment. I can't tell you how often she would sternly "recommend" that one of her grown daughters ought to add or remove a piece of jewelry or "fix" their hair. And don't get me started about how we granddaughters needed to cover our bosoms!

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    1. Your grandmother sounded like a real firecracker, Beth! :) I'm not sure how she would've taken to Valentine, but maybe personality would've won her over. ;) Thanks for sharing!!

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  22. My mother became a cosmatologist later in life and I enjoyed seeing what color/style she would come home as when she was going to school. One time she came home with blonde hair. Why blonde? Who knows but she sure could have made a good bouncer in a bar. lol! Keep your books coming Arlene.

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    1. That's hilarious, Robin! Good for your momma!! And thanks for the kind words! :)

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