tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post5786073937540939197..comments2024-03-28T17:39:34.611-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: It Takes A VillageJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-6361899968761719812011-05-06T08:58:19.551-04:002011-05-06T08:58:19.551-04:00Thanks, Hank. Lovely talking to such engaged reade...Thanks, Hank. Lovely talking to such engaged readers and writers.Vicki Delanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01106480550553972177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-50649652604420623422011-05-05T23:31:39.717-04:002011-05-05T23:31:39.717-04:00Vicki! Thank you so much for joining us...hope our...Vicki! Thank you so much for joining us...hope our paths cross again soon!Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-3020315136005757322011-05-05T15:52:41.729-04:002011-05-05T15:52:41.729-04:00I live in a much larger city than the settings of ...I live in a much larger city than the settings of most cozies, but we were recently rocked when a police officer was shot by a lunatic schizophrenic woman after he pulled her over. That just doesn't happen here; it happens in Detroit and LA. The news networks even threw out the statistic that the last time a police officer was murdered in this area occurred in the 20s or 30s. <br /><br />As a result, the whole state has been traumatized, and when the officer's memorial service was held last week, there was a parade procession that involved over 100 police and fire vehicles from across the state (and even from a bordering state). It was amazing--I was stuck in traffic watching it for about 25 minutes. I watched every kind of police, rescue and even SWAT vehicle drive by, with different city names emblazoned on their doors.<br /><br />Usually in places like here, where murder rates are low and the death rate of police officers is even lower, that kind of crime can completely shake the community. Maybe that phenomenon is what we find so fascinating in traditional cozies, beginning with Agatha Christie's works. How well do you really know your neighbors? Could you have been a potential victim all along and never knew it? It throws our security into question, and that is a very compelling (and scary) thing to contemplate.Rebeccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13127537942890921580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-10801427839116533592011-05-05T13:34:08.197-04:002011-05-05T13:34:08.197-04:00Your books sound wonderful, Vicki, and I like the ...Your books sound wonderful, Vicki, and I like the idea of combining the small town with the police procedural. (And the dog, of course.)<br /><br />I think part of the appeal of the "village mystery" is the contrast between apparent safety and innocence and the hidden violence.<br /><br />It's certainly shocking in real life. We had a case of multiple murders in my idyllic historic neighborhood a few years ago that was so horrible it made the news in the UK. I was in London and read about it in the Guardian--it was about half a mile from my house!<br /><br />We do tend to glamorize murder in fiction, don't we, when the real motives are so often greed, money, and drugs, as was the case here . . .Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11519514786198185277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-87631853176163173622011-05-05T13:32:50.622-04:002011-05-05T13:32:50.622-04:00Hank asks if I write from experience. Definately n...Hank asks if I write from experience. Definately not! I live in the countryside and the nearest town is even smaller than Nelson... un Traflagar. I went on a ride-along with the police in my area one night and he didn't get one single call. We drove around in the dark all night.Vicki Delanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01106480550553972177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-20225941803020521932011-05-05T12:43:13.506-04:002011-05-05T12:43:13.506-04:00Welcome Vickie, my Murder in the Magic City, LCC a...Welcome Vickie, my Murder in the Magic City, LCC and Malice pal! I lowe the small town setting for lot of the reasons already mentioned. I don't know how many amateur sleuths are operating in Manhattan. And I've been known to ask the question "How well do we really know our neighbors?" I feel as if I've said that a lot lately..;-)Jungle Red Writershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-72934481637264785082011-05-05T12:25:39.022-04:002011-05-05T12:25:39.022-04:00Maybe that's why we all like the small town se...Maybe that's why we all like the small town setting, Hank, because we WISH our neighborhoods were like that.Jan Broganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11323983086318138814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-27111759164050688382011-05-05T12:02:13.864-04:002011-05-05T12:02:13.864-04:00DO we even know our neighbors, usually? Would you ...DO we even know our neighbors, usually? Would you know if something strage were going on in your neighborhood? Vicki, do you write from experience?<br /><br />After police descend on some hideous crime scene, people are always saying--oh, he seemed like such a quiet sort..Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-47071041065741584492011-05-05T12:01:57.212-04:002011-05-05T12:01:57.212-04:00Hi Vicki. It was good seeing you at Malice.
We jus...Hi Vicki. It was good seeing you at Malice.<br />We just had a double murder at our very nice condo complex in Arizona. Son high on drugs killed stepfather and tried to kill mother. It can happen anywhere, but it's certainly shaking when real crimes take place under our noses. Usually they are safely on the page.Rhys Bowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06663634889908752121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-14753535670960784322011-05-05T09:54:45.151-04:002011-05-05T09:54:45.151-04:00Hallie, one of my daughters lives in Nelson and it...Hallie, one of my daughters lives in Nelson and it is my favourite place on earth. And Erica, I am going there for two whole weeks in May. Can't wait.Vicki Delanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01106480550553972177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-16448543826801854672011-05-05T09:29:40.279-04:002011-05-05T09:29:40.279-04:00Yeah, Jack, you've got to admit you might have...Yeah, Jack, you've got to admit you might have thought something was gong on behind those walls! Our across-the-street neighbors put up a big fence actually, and my next-door pal and I were all about finding on what was going on.<br /><br />And we checked the town assessors office to find out how much another new neighbor paid for their house. Well, you know.. :-) <br /><br />And you know, if look out our third floor window, I can see right into a neighbor's house. If they leave the curtains open.<br /><br />But of course I wouldn't look.Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-26132457178298171002011-05-05T09:28:13.343-04:002011-05-05T09:28:13.343-04:00Hi, Vicki. I like what you said: "The small t...Hi, Vicki. I like what you said: "The small town setting allows the characters’ families and friends – and enemies – to be involved in the drama without having to employ unbelievable coincidence." YES, your character can plausibly "run into" friends etc. and the reader will go along with you. <br /><br />I don't think I've seen many mystery series set in British Columbia. But it seems tailor made for the genre.<br /><br />Vicky, why Nelson?Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-88445815587901952362011-05-05T09:13:39.046-04:002011-05-05T09:13:39.046-04:00Hi there Vicki,
YOur name has been on my "fi...Hi there Vicki,<br /><br />YOur name has been on my "find this person's books" list for some time. I look forward to diving into your series as I love BC and small town mysteries. <br /><br />I'm sure you've created some lovely tension by partnering Molly, a rookie with local roots, and John, an old-hand from away. <br /><br />As anyone who lives in a small town knows, there are some things natives will know intuitively that outsiders can never completely understand.<br /><br />Congratulations to you on release of your newest novel this week.<br /><br />Brenda BuchananBrenda Buchananhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14161539130987122737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-67200965506922148892011-05-05T09:11:59.789-04:002011-05-05T09:11:59.789-04:00I think village mysteries will always be popular, ...I think village mysteries will always be popular, for most of the reasons you've mentioned, Vicki. The readers willingly agree to suspend their disbelief, as we often have to do with many other types of mysteries.<br />I love the Const. Molly Smith series. She's a strong character with self-doubts, an eager learner and someone who truly believes in the job she's doing.<br />And, I'd love to spend a week in Trafalgar.Erika Chasehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01158252715858754463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-32300830509571090662011-05-05T09:02:18.308-04:002011-05-05T09:02:18.308-04:00Love your idea Jersey Jack. I must confess that i...Love your idea Jersey Jack. I must confess that in the real town on which Trafalgar is based no one can quite remember when the last murder happened. Thanks for letting me join you today, Hank.Vicki Delanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01106480550553972177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-34255832312994625122011-05-05T08:02:03.893-04:002011-05-05T08:02:03.893-04:00Ms. Vicki is an insightful and clever writer. She ...Ms. Vicki is an insightful and clever writer. She can make anything seem believable.<br /><br />Roberta came up with a great story there: What would the local people do if weird strangers started building a fortress down the street? The local cops and mayor have been paid off and show no sign of investigating. Meanwhile, the barbed wire keeps going up ...Jersey Jacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-74876494753434708832011-05-05T07:52:12.318-04:002011-05-05T07:52:12.318-04:00I love small town mysteries--your series sounds gr...I love small town mysteries--your series sounds great Vicki!<br /><br />Don't you think that's why readers love traditional mysteries though? We get to know the characters and the setting and enjoy revisiting with each book. For me anyway, that's the real draw of this kind of story.<br /><br />And hey, what about Osama Bin Laden in his small town? The neighborhood busybodies weren't doing their job...Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-84116131969020352902011-05-05T07:30:48.916-04:002011-05-05T07:30:48.916-04:00I think there's a certain suspension of belief...I think there's a certain suspension of belief in a cozy series. An ordinary layperson isn't going to run into so many murders nor be able to solve them in real life. In contrast, we expect our amateur sleuths to encounter dead bodies all the time, making him/her sort of a jinx to be around. But that's the premise of the traditional mystery, and we accept it as a fantasy, not reality.Nancy J. Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14228901230896110347noreply@blogger.com