What We're Writing Week: Julia has Questions

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: There is a reading of Reds at the Crime Bake mystery conference in Dedham, MA this weekend (yes, I just invented the collective noun for a group of Jungle Red Writers, you're welcome.) On Friday evening, we presented another one of our (in) famous game shows: 

                                            

 

 

 

 

The NewlyRed Game!

The goal was to find out how much we know about each other after seven thirteen SIXTEEN  years of blogging together! (Seriously, we all know marriages that didn't last that long.) We were supposed to be two groups of three, but after Hallie came down with Covid (feel better soon, Hallie!) we pivoted to two pairs, with 'invisible Reds' Hallie and Rhys added in, and yours truly as the host. (Lucy said I had the most "hosty" energy.)

The planning session: BBQ & cosmos

There were a lot of laughs, quite a few suggestions from the audience, and a good time was had by all. Or at least, the Crime Bake Committee didn't immediately kick us out and ban us from the conference.

Now it's your turn to play the at-home version of The NewlyRed Game. Read each question below and answer which of the seven Reds it applies to. Let us see your guesses well-researched answers in the comments.

No, we can't give you a second honeymoon, but we may be able to scare up some Turtle Wax...

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Which Red is mentioned affectionately and enthusiastically in James Patterson's new bio? 

2. Which Red grew up loving German food and oom-pah-pah music?

3. Which Red wore Mary Quant dresses and had a Vidal Sasson hair cut? 

4. Which Red attracted over 100 comments discussing the topic of dried legumes?

5. Which Red is a recovering librarian ?

6. Name the Red who had a book made into a Lifetime movie?

7. Which Red was disappointed to get a battery as a Christmas present – until she discovered a much-wanted transistor radio in her stocking?

 

8. Which Red defended Jack Reacher against charges of premeditated assault and battery?

 

9. Which Red was propositioned by Warren Beatty?

10. Which Red was inspired to write a book thanks to finding a box of creepy doll parts under a bed?

11. Which Red loves DIY and power tools?

12. Which Red considered dying her hair pink during the pandemic? (And another Red wrote a poem about it!)

 

13. Which Red sang in a gospel choir and recorded an album for an off Broadway show?

14. Which Red is ‘crazy’ for Patsy Cline and will happily sing “Stand By Your Man” while “Walking after Midnight?”

Judy Singer, Karen Mazlowski and Edith Maxwell!

15. Which Red’s middle name is Elizabeth? Yes, we revealed all our middle names on the blog!

16. Which Red was an Actor’s Equity apprentice and acted professionally?

17. Which Red aced the test to be a contestant on Jeopardy!

18. Which Red uses the infamous “Banana Phone” song to remind her to schedule her mammogram?

 

 

Christine Falcone

19. Which Red gives the following advice for aspiring writers: Just hold your nose and write?

20. Which Red has performed in the Nutcracker in a professional position?

21. Which Red was elected as treasurer of her class in high school, using the slogan, “Red’s name Kisses Babies!” and had to recreate a year’s worth of account entries because she lost the ledger book in her locker?

22. Which TWO Reds were unfairly and unjustifiably cheated out of their Edgar Awards by T. Jefferson Parker (who brought his elderly dad to the awards for the sympathy vote!)

23. Which Red played a nun in the Sound of Music where she learned to belt out Ave Maria in Latin?

24. Which Red took flying lessons and learned to fly a single engine plane? 

25. Which Red has taken glider pilot lessons and even (accidentally) managed a wingover air manuever, much to her instructor's dismay? (Yes, these are two different people!)

 

 

 

26. Which Red went to Princeton and Yale but considers being the keynote speaker of the graduating class of the Sheriff’s Police Academy her highest honor?

27. Name 2 Reds who have well-organized bucket lists as opposed to grabbing whatever opportunities present.

A good time was had by all, we hope!

28. Which Red took lessons in ballroom dancing and loves to swing dance?

29. Which Red has vowed everlasting enmity to Japanese knotweed? 

 

Julia: We hope you'll try your hand at it, dear readers! 

Rhys looks back on a Week of Extremes.

RHYS BOWEN: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times! That line has never been more true than this last week. In the middle of Sunday night I was awakened by a phone call from my daughter Jane. She was fleeing from the fires in Sonoma. Could she come to stay? Of course, I said and hurried to make up beds. Then she called again. Her neighbor has nowhere to go. Could they come too? Of course, I said and found more bedding. Jane and the girls arrived, Jane having fled with just her wedding album and no toothbrush!

 So I was soon hosting seven people and three dogs. Jane's husband Tom works at the Veteran's Home in the Napa Valley. He drove into work with flames on either side of him and had the task of making the decision when and how to evacuate over 1000 old and infirm veterans.

So you can see that the week started in stressful manner. We tried to get updates on the fire. There were rumors flying around. The whole of Glen Elen had burned, just north of my daughter's house and business. The fire was five percent contained. That meant 95 percent uncontained. Real horror stories started to come in. Granddaughter Lizzie's friend's house and winery burned down. Then another. Other friends fled for their lives and didn't know if their houses were standing or not. We heard that the fire fighters were making a stand on Jane's fire on Madrone Road. We looked on the map. Madrone Road was just a block north of the swim center she owns. And if the winds picked up again the firefighters wouldn't be able to make a stand anywhere.

I told them I was going to cancel Bouchercon and stay with them. Don't be silly, my daughter said. You can't stop the flames. You go and enjoy yourself. They insisted. I went, but enjoying myself was not easy. When I was actually on a panel or having a meal with my agent, editor or publicist I forgot to think for a while. The moment I was free the phone came out and I was searching for updates. Ten percent contained. Winds expected to pick up. Fell asleep exhausted and worried. Grabbed the phone first thing the next morning. No real news. No real progress. Another day of worry.

And in between the worry were moments of pure joy.

We Reds went to dinner at the Reds Wine Bar (where else?) and shared a lobster grilled cheese sandwich--delicious but sinful. We plotted our panel and laughed a lot. I had breakfast with Debs and Louise Penny and we laughed even more. Then the three of us sat on stage for a chat to a small audience......

There were publisher parties and time to hang out at the bar (for the others. I was in my room phoning home!) and on Saturday came our Jungle Reds game show. This time it was called Name That Red. A statement was read out about the life of one of us and we each claimed it was us. And it turned out we were darned good liars... including Red Lucy's description of her Olympic luge training and Ingrid claiming she had done ski jumping in Denmark (which happens to be one of the flattest countries in the world). I successfully fooled the audience several times, convincing them that I had had my teeth cleaned by a murdering dentist, that I had lived next to Jane Austen's house. And they didn't believe that I could have been a leading light in the theater in Conroe, Texas. True.

The audience laughed, shouted out and were awarded prizes. I don't know who had a better time, us or them. We even had to face a paparazzi onslaught before we started our panel!

So we left still basking in the glow and regretting that the Reds didn't have more time together. I suspect a Reds Retreat is in our future!

I arrived home to good news. The evacuation order had been lifted. Our family went home this evening to a house with power restored (but no TV. Howls of disbelief) Jane's swim club survived, with just a huge clean up needed: the pool was full of ash and leaves and stagnation from a week with no filtration. But her staff is coming in at seven in the morning and she hopes to open again on Wednesday to help restore normalcy to a stricken community. Alas there will be some people for whom life will not be normal again for years. I'm not sure what to do to help. They have more volunteers than they can use. More donated items than they can handle right now.

On long plane rides I had time to think and I wondered what I would take from an approaching fire: good jewelry? Precious photo albums. We have many antiques from John's family: Chinese plates, a Queen Anne desk, a crusader's sword. They'd all have to be left to burn. And I have a copy of each of my books. I couldn't take them either. So I think of all those poor people who left behind treasures and souvenirs that can never been replaced. Such a heartbreaking time.

And I wonder: : what would you save from an approaching fire?

The Reds Take Malice

LUCY BURDETTE: If you've been to a conference with Jungle Reds on the program, you'll know that we've moved away from traditional panels and toward--game shows! Family Feud several years ago was a huge hit, and even included our honorary Red, Julia's hub, Ross.  We've done Balderdash, and Jeopardy. We bring prizes and encourage silliness. This year at Malice Domestic on May 2 in Bethesda will be no exception!

The game this time around is called 50 SHADES OF RED--and we have the most adorable buttons to help celebrate. Only four of us are able to attend this time (Hallie, Hank, Rhys, and Lucy), but we've wrangled an amazing guest moderator: Charlaine Harris!

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: So, This year's game is called 50 Shades of Red because we thought it was funny. But here's the secret--it means nothing. And that's funnier, right? But we're basing or new (and original) game of on that 1970's game Fact in Five. Remember that? Where you have an infinitesimally short amount of time to name--five countries that begin with W. Five dogs with colors in their names. And on and on. Lots of competition, lots of suspense. And lots of bluffing.

But the Reds have tweaked and polished and this year at Malice, we're making it all about mysteries!  Two of us Reds versus the other two. We'll face off to name as many things as we can--in twenty seconds--in a category given by the amazing Charlaine.  And then the opposing team will try to do better.
We're still working on the rules--plenty of time!--but we know some audience members will definitely be involved. So come prepared to play--and win!
And now--even if you aren't attending Malice!--we need your help.

HALLIE EPHRON: First: WE NEED CHALLENGES! Submit them as comments. Remember, these are facts in fives...

So I'll start:
Name five mystery novels with RED in the title.
Name five mystery novels that involve trains.
Name five clues in Sherlock Holmes stories.
Name five sleuths with dogs (or dogs with sleuth.

Your turn!

HANK:  I'll say: Nancy Drew's dog Daisy.  Pause, pause.  Are you wondering: did Nancy Drew have a dog name Daisy.???  And the answer is no! Because I am bluffing. (Not very well, but it's just an example.) So in Fifty Shades of Red, a player can bluff. But the opponents can challenge!! Wen there's a challenge, the timer stops, and the audience votes on who is right. The loser forfeits three hard-won points.

So how about:

Mystery novels set in London.
Detectives with children.
Mysteries with animals in the title
Series with more than five installments
Actors who play detectives in the movies
Mysteries that have become TV series
RHYS BOWEN:What my fellow Reds didn't mention yet is that we'll be choosing audience members to join our teams. If you'd like to help us out with your superior knowledge (and you really do know the name of Nancy Drew's dog)--you need to be wearing a special limited edition Jungle Red "I READ RED" button. We'll be choosing our panel members from the audience from  those who are wearing the buttons..and we will be handing them out at Malice! So make sure your find one of us..and get your I READ RED button so you can participate.  It'll also make you eligible for wonderful prizes! 

LUCY: Okay red readers, we'd love your ideas now--tell us your category ideas! Just put them in the comments. 

And if you're coming to Malice, please come to the funny farm--errr, panel--at 12:30 on Saturday.