Abdication Inspiration by Paige Shelton

 JENN McKINLAY: I'm thrilled to have Paige Shelton, one of my plot group pals and a Book Talk member, here with us today! Paige writes two of my very favorite series--the Mary Higgins Clark Award nominated Alaska Wild series and the Scottish Bookshop Mysteries. You can't go wrong with either one of these as you'll see in her post below, Paige loves her research and she's very good at it!

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PAIGE SHELTON: The Poison Pen, the ninth book in my Scottish Bookshop Mystery Series, published last week. The story begins with the main character, Delaney, mourning the death of the queen. Shortly thereafter, she is thrown into the middle of a murder whose suspects just might have ties to the royal family. 

Though it’s a murder mystery series and those are, of course, all about finding killers, writing these books has not only allowed me to fictionally do away with some bad guys, but it has also given me a surprising and enjoyable education in Scottish and English history. This time I dug into some of the drama around King Edward VIII’s abdication.

Edward VIII - Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David (seriously, that was his name) abdicated the throne in early December 1936, after having been king for just under a year. It’s widely thought that he “gave up the throne for love,” but my research uncovered things that made me think there was a little more to the story (isn’t there always?). I suspect some people just aren’t cut out for the royal life. We’ve seen some of that recently, of course. I don’t think Edward liked the job. He wasn’t about the traditions and protocols that might have been expected of him. Maybe it was love, but maybe love was just a convenient way out. I’m simplifying, of course, but I really don’t think he enjoyed being king. 

I wondered what might have happened to the royal succession if he hadn’t abdicated. If Edward had remained on the throne and never fathered any “legitimate” (I’m using that word on purpose because it hints at a twist in the The Poison Pen) children, Elizabeth II would have been queen anyway. Her father became king when Edward abdicated, but he died before Edward, making Elizabeth II the next one in line. But if Edward had remained on the throne and had fathered children, everything would be different. It’s hard to imagine. 

Though it seems the family was close, once Edward left his royal life, he lived in virtual exile in France. It is said that Queen Elizabeth II did visit him when he was on his deathbed. He is buried in royal ground, which would not have happened if the queen had objected. Again, as we’ve seen recently, even royal families have their share of dysfunction. 

Abdication isn’t all that uncommon in other monarchies. For example, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark abdicated after back surgery complications; Emperor Akihito of Japan, for health reasons; and King Juan Carlos of Spain for “personal reasons.” Those sorts of abdications aren’t usually followed by exile though. Abdication has been going on for a long time, back as far as 318 BC from what I discovered. 

I don’t use most of the research I do for my books – there’s not enough room or it doesn’t fit. There was one thing I tried hard to include in The Poison Pen, but I couldn’t make it work. On July 10, 1296, King of Scots, John Balliol abdicated. Nicknamed Toom Tabard by his subjects, which means “empty coat,” he was not well-liked and thought to be ineffective. Additionally, Robert the Bruce disliked him so much (they were rivals for the throne, so there is that) that Bruce joined the English forces to fight against the Scottish king. The defeat meant that abdication was probably the only choice for King John. Oh, the drama that must have stirred up. 

Thanks to Jenn McKinlay and all the Jungle Reds for inviting me to post today. And thanks to all the readers. We couldn’t do what we do without you. 

So, what do you think about the abdication, Reds and Readers? Do you ever wonder how things would have turned out if Edward hadn't declined the throne? 

Paige Shelton is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Farmers' Market, Country Cooking School, Dangerous Type, and Scottish Bookshop, and Alaska Wild mysteries. She's lived lots of places but currently resides in Arizona. Find out more at www.paigeshelton.com

When Life Becomes a Sitcom by Jenn McKinlay

Sometimes life really does feel more like a sitcom written by Larry David (Seinfeld/Curb Your Enthusiasm) than real life. In my case, it happened at Bouchercon and guest starred Eriq La Salle (unbeknownst to him).

Opening scene: After enjoying pre-dinner cocktails/mocktails with this crew of miscreants (i.e. my plot group buddies and their spousal units)...

Don and Kate
Charlie, Paige, Jenn, and Chris (aka Hub)

...we made our way to the elevators to go to dinner. The doors opened and there was Eriq La Salle with another conference goer. Of course, everyone is super chill and says nothing but silence makes extrovert me itchy, so I felt compelled to tap Eriq's arm and say, "I loved you on ER."

He smiled and said, "Thank you."

Silence returned and then someone in my crew (I think) said, "ER? When were you at the ER? Why were you at the ER?"

Naturally, I felt compelled to explain, "No, he was on the show ER. You know, created by Michael Crichton, took place in an emergency room."

To which Eriq, looking at the floor, said, "Feeling really uncomfortable now."

I was confident he was joking and I was on a roll, so I kept going. "Remember? He played a doctor."

The crew chatted about the show amongst ourselves (okay, mostly me) for a bit until Eriq said, "I'm right here. You know I can hear you, right?"

We all laughed and Hub joked, "Sorry, as soon as the doors open, I'll get her out of here."

"Please." Eriq sent him a mock desperate look.

Of course, we thought that was hilarious. When the elevator stopped, I thanked Eriq for being so kind and he took my hand in his and said, "It was really nice to meet you."

Now this would have been a perfect meet and greet at a conference of 1700 attendees where I would most likely never bump into the same person twice, but we were living in a sitcom, so the story doesn't end there.

My friends teased me mercilessly and hilariously that after I accosted Eriq in the elevator every time he came into a room that I was in, he would see me and bolt. I joined in and when I saw Eriq across the book room, in the lobby, or at a Guest of Honor interview, I pretended to wave to him and then continued the pretense that he saw me (he didn't) and did a quick pivot to get away from me. All good self-deprecating fun! 

Now because I'm a slacker and a baseball fan, I dipped on the banquet and went to the Padres game instead (they won!!!). I also ate my body weight in hot dogs, tacos, ice cream, peanuts...you get the idea. (Hey, calories don't count at conferences especially when you're walking 18K steps per day)! After the game, Hub and I rolled back to our room and were ready for bed by 9:00 PM. Hardcore partiers, I know!

The banquet was still going, however, and I got a text from Paige telling me I couldn't go to bed because they had something for me. I waited for a bit but then texted back that I absolutely had to crash. I was thinking whatever goodie bag they had grabbed for me could wait. Paige then called (yes, actually called) and said, "Just come down to the main floor. Really quick. Trust me."

Y'all, I was in my pajamas! But I love my plot group besties so I put on pants and my baseball hat and threw on a sweatshirt over my jammie top and went downstairs. 

In short order the crew (Paige, Charlie, Kate, and Don) arrived, with the addition of Leslie Karst who was now in on the joke, and they handed me Eriq La Salle's book LAWS of DEPRAVITY. This cracked me up, because it was the perfect gift. 

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Then they told me to open it. Apparently, Paige and Charlie scored the book and then randomly bumped into Eriq (because, of course they did!). They asked him if he remembered the incident in the elevator to which he replied, "Oh, I remember."

Eriq very graciously signed it with Charlie's suggested inscription  "thanks for making me uncomfortable" which obviously made me howl with laughter. Truly, the best inscription I've ever received.

Now this really should be the end of the tale. Is it? No, of course, it isn't! While we were laughing and chatting on the far side of the hotel away from everyone, who should walk by? Yes! Eriq La Salle! What are the odds?!

I held up the book and yelled, "Hey, Eriq, thanks for the book!" 

He grinned and strode toward me and said, "Jenn, can you read what I wrote? I was running out of room."

I replied, "Oh, yeah, I can read it." We both laughed and then I said, "You know we have to take a picture now."

And he said, "Of course."

So we did. End of episode.

Sitcom Jenn and guest star Eriq - What a great guy!

Now, everyone, go buy his books!!! He has two out in the Martyr Maker series, Laws of Depravity and Laws of Wrath, with a third, Laws of Annihilation, on the way in October. 

So, tell me, Reds and Readers, have you ever found yourself living a sitcom or had a celebrity meeting that just went sideways -- in a good way? 

To Tradition or not to Tradition by Paige Shelton

Jenn McKinlay: It's always a great day when we get to chat with our friend Paige who has a new Alaska Wild mystery coming out on Dec 6th! 

This is the fourth in the Mary Higgins Clark Award nominated series and it sounds thrilling! 

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The fourth installment in the gripping, atmospheric Alaska Wild series, Paige Shelton's Winter's End.

It’s springtime in Benedict, Alaska, and with the warmer weather comes an unseasonably somber local tradition...the annual Death Walk. At the end of each brutal winter, citizens gather downtown and then break into groups to search the community for those who might have somehow gotten stuck at home. Beth Rivers sets off with her friend Orin and dog Gus, toward the cabin of an elderly resident, intending to check on him.

When they reach the cabin, the old man is alive, but not in the best shape. Beth stays with him while Orin hurries to town for help, but it’s not Orin who returns. Gril comes back with shocking news, and it soon becomes clear that Orin has also vanished. When they discover that their friend has been doing some top-secret research, they start to worry he’s been exposed, or worse.

Meanwhile, Beth continues on her own search, for her father, who allegedly is alive in Mexico, but won't return her calls. Still, she's making progress in healing from her own trauma, though can't quite shake the feeling she's being followed...

Paige: Happy Holidays to everyone! Thanks to Jenn and all the Jungle Reds for letting me stop by today. 

About ten years ago I was talking to a friend about the holiday traditions of my childhood. All those (long ago) events centered around my grandparents; my family, aunts, uncles, and cousins meeting at my grandparents’ small Missouri home, where my grandmother would make sure we all ate delicious food, even if it meant we had to eat in shifts because the kitchen was so small. I loved those days. After my grandparents passed, we all floundered for what to do and where to go for holiday celebrations. No one’s house or cooking, or anything really, was close to the same type of down home hospitality my grandparents offered. Mostly, the rest of us ended up not doing much of anything for a lot of years. My friend, the one I was talking to about ten years ago, said, “That’s the problem with traditions. They can’t go on forever, because nothing goes on forever. You should work to make different memories with each new trip around the sun or you’ll just be stuck in that melancholy mode of missing what used to be.” 

Well. I was quiet for a long moment as I worked through her words. I had to get past a few moments of “what’s wrong with her?” and “how dare she?” I realized quickly, of course, that she meant no disrespect to my memories. And much to my dismay, I finally concluded that she might be on to something. At least partly. 

I am grateful for those childhood traditions, but after my grandparents were gone, they would have wanted the rest of us to find new ways to enjoy ourselves without them, not just be sad they weren’t there. Even if it was something as simple as going to a movie one year, going for a hike the next. Mix it up. Make new memories that would only complement the old traditional activities. 

Since that conversation, I’ve tried to do exactly that – make sure new things, even small things, are a part of any of my family get togethers. It’s given me a sense of purpose, and I think everyone has had a good time. It has given us all a chance to partition the years as well – they don’t all mix into one similar picture. There was that year we all visited the observatory, then the one with the zoo. That year we watched a parade, or the one where we had Italian food instead of turkey. 

This year for Thanksgiving, my son, daughter-in-law, and brand-new grandbaby boy visited us in Arizona. I am so fortunate to have these wonderful people in my life. I’ll never be as amazing as my grandmother, but I can cook okay enough. We ate good food and, activities being dictated by the almost brand new human, spent lots of time inside cuddling the baby. Next year, we’ll do some of the same things, but I’ll work to come up with something different for new memories. Grandbaby’s age will probably dictate things for a while, and I love that, feel fortunate for it. 

Before they arrived, I’d cleaned and rearranged some pictures. I found a tiny photobooth picture of my grandparents and my mother when she was a brand new baby. I set the small picture on a shelf, leaning against another framed picture. As I was cleaning up after son, DIL, and baby left to go back to Omaha, I closed a sliding door near the shelf. That sepia-toned picture fluttered up and landed on the floor at my feet, face up. Of course, it was probably just the wind from the closing door, but I’ve decided that I’m going to think of it as a lovely hug and an approving fist bump from the people I still miss and love to this day. Tradition or not, we all need a little magic during the holidays, right? 

What about you, Readers, do you have traditions that you've kept or ones that you've had to let go of?

Speaking of new traditions – this coming Saturday, December 3, at 2:00 PM, Arizona time (currently the same as Pacific Time) Jenn McKinlay, Kate Carlisle, and I will be at the Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale to kick off my new book, the fourth in the Alaska Wild Series: Winter’s End. We’ll be in ugly Christmas sweaters, and we encourage others to join in, either live, or via the links below. We’ll be awarding a prize to our favorites.

Links to the event:

http://www.facebook.com/thepoisonedpenbookstore/live

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTbRuLNmD8EhT4WrGGMVW-w

Paige Shelton is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Farmers' Market, Country Cooking School, Dangerous Type, and Scottish Bookshop mysteries. She's lived lots of places but currently resides in Arizona. Find out more at www.paigeshelton.com

Can You Dig It? by Paige Shelton

Jenn McKinlay: I have been waiting for the latest release by the Mary Higgins Clark Award nominated author, Paige Shelton, since...well, since I devoured book two, Cold Wind, in her fabulous Alaska Wild suspense series. And now we are mere weeks from release day!!! The third in the series, Dark Night, drops on December 7th, so you have just enough time to read the previous two! Go get 'em! And now here's Paige to tell us about what inspired book three.

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Paige: I remember when I first read about Laura Ingalls Wilder’s dugout house on the banks of Plum Creek. I was a kid, so it sounded cozy and adorable. Back in the early 2000s, I took a Laura Ingalls Wilder road-trip and drove to the spot outside Walnut Grove, Minnesota, where the dugout had been . . . dug out. It was unexpected. You travel up a country road, wave at a smiling couple who sit in rocking chairs on their country home’s wide porch, and make your way to the creek and surrounding wide open prairie lands. 

I have to admit, the tiny home wasn’t exactly how I pictured it. What is though? The dugout has collapsed so there’s not much to see – no small beds or table and chairs, just collapsed earth, some interesting signs, and the creek. Still, I’m glad I took a look and would travel out of my way to see it again someday. I wouldn’t trade that trip for the world. 

When I started working on my latest Alaska book, I needed to come up with a hidden place, a home where no one could be found. Of course, living off the grid is a real thing in Alaska, and in my mind, I concluded that an underground home would REALLY be off the grid. However, though I did find some impressive underground homes in my research, they had been constructed using the finest materials, some with wonderful skylight windows over the top. These wouldn’t make good secret hideaways. The permafrost is pretty stubborn in our 49^thstate, so heavy duty excavating equipment is needed for anything fancy.  

Also, living off the grid can be more expensive than you might think, if you do it legally and want to spend some money to make a modern shelter, that is. 

But I wasn’t interested in modern. I wasn’t interested in following the rules (fictionally; of course in real life, I’m all about the rules), so I dug (pun intended) a little deeper. 

Let’s say you have someone who wants to hide in Alaska, wants to live off the grid but doesn’t want to file all the proper paperwork, could they, feasibly, find a remote place, and when the permafrost has melted some, dig out a home, or a shelter, without all the big equipment that would make it easier?

Well. I think the answer is maybe.

It seems that back around 800 BC the Norton or Dorset Paleo-Eskimo groups did build semi-subterranean houses that had been excavated partially or completely below the ground surface – and they did this to take advantage of underground geo-thermal protections during the harshest weather. 

In fact, there are many versions of this kind of house over time in all arctic regions. *The Alaskan homes were heavily insulated and had been constructed to allow some privacy and some social contact for large groups of people despite the harsh weather raging outside. And they were all built without a Home Depot in sight. They were made with cut sod, stone, and whalebone, insulated with sea mammal or reindeer skins and animal fats then covered with snow.

Their interiors possessed cold-traps and sometimes dual seasonal entrance tunnels, rear sleeping platforms, kitchen areas, and various areas for stowing food, tools and other household goods. They were large enough to include members of extended families and their sled dogs, and they were connected to their relatives and the rest of the community via passageways and tunnels. *

Another name for semi-subterranean dwellings is Pit House. Archeologists have found evidence of them having been used as winter homes throughout the world, but mostly above 32 degrees latitude (Dallas, Texas is at this latitude) – because of their thermal efficiency. Heat loss is 20% less in shelters built at least partially into the earth than those completely above ground.

I know 800 BC was a long time ago, but it’s impressive to see the ingenuity of the Alaskan natives and of many populations throughout the world who had to figure out how to live in a place that was always trying to kill them. It’s was about survival, not hiding, but I figured I could still use the idea. 

Before all the modern amenities, it was a smart way to live. 

So, could a single fictional character who is desperately in need of shelter, dig to get what they need, by themselves? We ll, I think that almost anything is possible in fiction.  

What about you, Red and Readers, could you live in a subterranean home? 

Thanks to Jenn and all the Jungle Reds for letting me stop by today! 

 

*-* I took the details from this article. The above picture is included, but I don’t think it’s actually part of a subterranean home. https://www.thoughtco.com/prehistoric-arctic-housing-169866

 

Paige Shelton has lived a whole bunch of different places, but in 2015 she and her family moved to Arizona. She loves the desert life and hopes to stay for a long time. For more information, check out her website, www.paigeshelton.com

On the Road Again by Paige Shelton

Jenn McKinlay: There is nothing I love better than a good road trip and Mary Higgins Clark Award Nominee (you had to know I was going to work that in, Paige) and dear friend, Paige Shelton, is here to tell us about one of hers! Welcome Paige!

Paige Shelton: I don’t know how we managed to pull it off, but back
when I was nineteen (1984), my best friend and I took off and saw the world, by ourselves. Well, it wasn’t the entire world, it was . . . east of Iowa. That’s the direction we wanted to go, and that’s what we did. 

When we were sixteen, we told our parents we were going to do it. We’re pretty sure they thought we were kidding, but we weren’t. I still remember them looking at us as we drove away, their expressions a combination of disbelief, worry, and certainty that we’d turn around in a day or two. We were gone for thirty. 

We had a CB radio. We had cassette tapes with all the Springsteen anyone could want. We camped out on Lake Erie. We slept in the car – got cleaned up wherever we could. We also had friends and family we stayed with on some nights. We drove and walked all around New York City. We saw Waylon Jennings walking into a studio in Nashville. We drove right into the middle of a shift change on a dock in Newport News. My goodness, we were lucky. We had one car issue, but a sympathetic mechanic (probably had a daughter or two) just took care of it and sent us on our way. We made friends with truckers and had meals with them. We never felt uncomfortable around them, and they welcomed us and watched over us. I wish I remembered the CB names we gave ourselves, but I don’t. I can’t even imagine us getting away with such a trip nowadays. I wouldn’t have let my son take a road trip with a couple of buddies when he was nineteen. The times have certainly changed. 

However, I still love a good road trip and try to take a couple every year. My husband and I even took one during the summer of 2020. We spent most of the time in his truck (a pick-up, not like the big rigs from the earlier road trip) or doing outside things as we traveled up to Omaha to see our son and his fiancé. We wore masks everywhere. Once we’re vaccinated to the max – Maxinated, I call it, we’ll still wear masks but we’re hitting the road again.  



I think my love for road trips started when I was a kid, as, it seems, our genuine loves typically do. We would drive to visit my grandparents in Missouri for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. My mom slept, but my dad and I sang. I know many old country western songs. Those were also the days when kids sat on their parent’s laps and held onto the steering wheel. I remember those curvy Missouri back roads well. It’s a wonder I’m still here. 

 Driving through Rolla Missouri was when I learned about Route 66. Though on June 27, 1985, it was declared to no longer be a U.S. Highway, there are still many parts that are preserved and can be seen if you veer off the nearby main roads, which are now mostly I-40 and I-44. I still take that back way every once in a while, and I’ve made some fabulous discoveries. My favorite is Arlington in Missouri. 

Arlington is an old train station and ghost town, near Jerome, Missouri, and it’s fascinating. Train tracks run next to the old station and then lead to a bridge over the Gasconade River. There are a few other houses around and I think it was also an RV resort at one time but not anymore. I highly recommend you take a look if you’re anywhere near there. I hear the bridge might be torn down soon. Oh, I hope not. 

Here’s a picture: 


Photo from: www.Hookedonroute66.com
 

Cool, huh? How about you? Do you have a favorite road trip, a favorite place to pull over and look at the scenery? I’d love to know about it. 

 The fabulous Jenn McKinlay invited to me to post today and talk about my upcoming Scottish Bookshop book, DEADLY EDITIONS.

Thanks to Jenn and all the Jungle Reds and readers. Forgive me for being so distracted by the idea that a road trip might be in my very near future, that that’s what I was compelled to write about. I would be thrilled and honored if you checked out the book though. It was a blast to write (Jekyll and Hyde and Scottish pubs abound). It’s book six in the series and it publishes April 6. See, that’s kind of like Route 66. Thank you!

A treasure hunt through Edinburgh gives way to a search for a villain terrorizing the city in the sixth Scottish Bookshop Mystery.

It’s a quiet, snowy morning at The Cracked Spine bookshop, when bookseller Delaney Nichols receives a mysterious visitor, a messenger. He presents her with a perplexing note: an invitation to a meeting with eccentric socialite Shelagh O'Conner, who requests Delaney’s participation in an exclusive treasure hunt. Delaney is intrigued, but also cautious: Shelagh, while charming in person, has a reputation for her hijinks as a wealthy young woman in the '70s. She was even once suspected for the murder of a former boyfriend, though ultimately cleared of all charges.

But Delaney is enticed by the grand prize at the end of the treasure hunt: a highly valuable first edition copy of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson. The winner is also to receive the contents of Shelagh's vast library, and all participants will earn a large sum of cash.

The night after the first meeting of the treasure hunters, however, several homes in Edinburgh are robbed in a manner reminiscent of Shelagh's old tricks. And when a man connected to Shelagh is killed, suspicion builds. Except Shelagh herself has disappeared from her home, seemingly kidnapped by the villain.

Terror mounts throughout the city as Delaney attempts to solve the mystery, while trying to evade the killer's clutches. But it’s hard to know who to trust when around every corner, a new monster could be lurking.

 

Paige Shelton is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Farmers' Market, Country Cooking School, Dangerous Type, and Scottish Bookshop mysteries. She's lived lots of places but currently resides in Arizona. Find out more at www.paigeshelton.com

I Ain't Afraid of No Ghost! by Paige Shelton

Jenn McKinlay: I am thrilled to have my plot group buddy and frequent lunch date in the before times, the fabulous Paige Shelton, here to celebrate her latest release Cold Wind, which is fabulous and releases TODAY! Seriously, it’s such a wonderful suspense story. Go get it. Right now! 

AVAILABLE NOW!

 

Paige Shelton: Some people aren’t tuned into the spectral world. I’m not one of those people. I haven’t ever seen a ghost – maybe at the corner of my vision, but nothing full-bodied. However, I do sense them; maybe it’s their essence taking up space behind me or next to me. The hair on my arms might stand on end, I might hear sounds a little differently. It’s nothing big, but in small but noticeable ways I can sense a disturbance around me. 

 

On the other hand, my husband Charlie doesn’t notice them. At all. He has an intuition that makes him a little psychic sometimes, but he cannot tell if there are ghosts in the room. Doesn’t even feel a chill. 

         

Back in the days when we could travel, he and I ventured north for a research trip for my Alaska Wild mysteries. I was the only one who could feel the ghosts in our forty-ninth state. They showed themselves in some familiar ways but also with something new and different. Though the entire trip was unforgettable, the ghosts and I had a connection like I’ve never felt before.

We were in Juneau when I first sensed them. There’s a tram that takes visitors up to the mountain top, where you’re greeted with hiking paths, gift shops, places to eat. The view out and over the inlet whereupon Juneau is situated is breathtaking. As we hiked the trails and looked around, the hair on my arms was standing straight up, indicating clearly, to me at least, that we weren’t alone. I recognized it for what I thought it was, but didn’t think about it much, until we stopped at a restaurant. The woman who greeted us started leading us toward one table, but then she slowed down. She sent us a confused look, and then took us a different direction. She handed us our menus, stating that she had a feeling that we needed to sit in Jessie’s section. We simply told her thank you, and then we thoroughly enjoyed Jessie. 

 

After we were done, we took the tram back down the mountainside. Our plan was to head back to the hotel, but we changed our minds and took a drive instead, deciding to stop at a mining museum. As we approached the entrance to an old mine, I was overcome by the ghosts all around. I felt the chill, the air move, the flashes in the corner of my vision. The hair on my arms and the back of my neck was at full attention. All cylinders were firing. 

 

“Feel that?” I said to Charlie.

“Feel what?” he said. 

“The ghosts?” 

“No, not at all. It’s cloudy outside. It’s a little eerie.” 

“It’s more than that.” 

         

He didn’t argue. 

 

We heard voices. A few seconds later, two people came around a curve in a hiking path. 

         

“Hi!” I said, surprised.  

 

The couple stopped. One of them was Jessie, our waitress from the restaurant. 

 

We all greeted each other, noting how uncanny it was that we’d all ended up in the same spot, and at the restaurant the excursion hadn’t been anyone’s plan. But we just laughed it off. As they turned to continue on, however, Jessie rubbed her arms and said, “How about all these ghosts out here? They’re something, aren’t they?”

 

It took me a second to recompose myself. “Yes, they are.” 

 

“What do you think they want?” 

 

I shrugged. “I wish I knew.”

 

Jessie laughed. “Maybe they just want us to know they’re here.” 

 

Maybe.

 

I have no idea what the spirits were trying to tell me, or us, or why it was important for Jessie and I to sense them together, but whatever the reason, it was certainly one of my more spooky ghostly encounters. It doesn’t do much good to dwell on those experiences, but those moments stayed fresh in my mind for a long time.

The rest of our visit in Juneau as well as in Gustavus was infused otherworldly sensations and coincidences. We kept running into another couple – at a diner, at the Mendenhall glacier, and on the ferry to Gustavus. Stuff like that happens though, so I didn’t give it much thought, but even out on Glacier Bay, I sensed the ghosts. My husband kept wondering what in the world – this one or the other one – was going on. I did too. 

Maybe Alaska is just a perfect place for ghosts. There’s a lot of wide openness. Many people go to Alaska to find or lose themselves, others just get lost, swallowed up by the unfriendly terrain and weather. Maybe it’s a place where ghosts get trapped, or maybe they feel comfortable there. It’s a real mystery to me. I might never understand it, but I will also never, ever forget it.

Thanks for letting me stop by today, and happy holidays! 

Jenn: I love this post so much! I've definitely had some encounters in my life that were "otherly". So, Reds and Readers, any ghostly encounters to share? 

Paige Shelton is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Farmers' Market, Country Cooking School, Dangerous Type, and Scottish Bookshop mysteries. She also pens the Alaska Wild mystery-suspense novels, Thin Ice, book and Cold Wind, featuring thriller writer Beth Rivers. Paige has lived in lots of places but currently resides in Arizona. Find out more at www.paigeshelton.com

Planes, Trains, and Snowmobiles by Paige Shelton

JENN McKINLAY: I have a high bar for friendship, which basically consists of do you have a sense of humor and do you like baked goods. My friend, Paige Shelton, made me laugh out loud  the first time we met and we share a deep and abiding love of cake. As you can see, she's my people and her latest book, Thin Ice, is coming out in just a few weeks! I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek and it's fantastic! Here's Paige to tell us more about her journey to Alaska, the setting of Thin Ice.

Available December 3rd!

PAIGE SHELTON: I was watching the news the other night, and it seems a few airports are going to allow non-travelers through security so they may greet their loved ones at the gates, just like in the old days. I guess that’s a step forward, except I can’t think of many people I’d walk through the security line for just to greet as they deplane. Still, I appreciate the idea. 

I love to travel – but probably only in theory. In truth, unless it’s a road trip with no strict rules attached, the travel part of any good trip has turned into the worst part of the adventure. 

I do love to be at my destination, my bag hoisted up onto one of those folding luggage racks, the idea of unpacking already forgotten for the chance to head out and explore. That’s the good part, the destination.  

Except when it comes to traveling in Alaska. Not only was my research trip for THIN ICE made up of wonderful and interesting destinations, much of the travel was fun, too. 

The Juneau airport was a joy. It’s small, but not too small, and very easy to get from plane to luggage to rental cars or cabs. They even have giant freezers inside the airport to hold tourists’ caught fish until it’s time to head home. Everyone was polite, helpful, and didn’t seem to be in a crazy rush. When we landed, I wondered if we’d have the same luck when we took off for home again; we did. 

Though we rented a car, we used Uber a couple times in the city. One of our vehicles also contained a beautiful, friendly, and well-mannered Husky dog, so win-win-win there. I didn’t even know dogs weren’t supposed to be on board until recently, but I wouldn’t have protested anyway, and I will request a guest Husky every time I Uber now.

We took an Alaska Marine highway ferry over to Gustavus, which is where Glacier Bay National Park is located. The scenic route gave us four hours of good views, time to enjoy some snacks, and a moment or two for naps, though no whales were sighted. As we boarded the ferry, I noticed a job posting on the dock that said something like: “Tired of the same old, boring office job. Come work for us and you’ll never settle for ordinary again.” I thought briefly about taking the bait. 

We boarded a big tourist boat for the trip out to the glaciers. No napping on that one. Too much to see – birds, bears, sheep, tired kayakers who needed rescue (yes, really happened), although no whales there either. I was pretty sure they were watching us, though. I mean, it seems as if all the whales in the world travel near Alaska; I’ve seen the pictures. 

We finally found them! They were all around us as we roamed the ocean in a small fishing/whale-watching boat. Seeing the whales might have been the best part of the whole trip, even if the boat was small and the ocean was really, really big. We saw so many whales, I lost count. 

Photo of whales in Alaska from Pixabay

There were plenty of vehicles, like cars and vans, in the small town of Gustavus, but tucked inside barns and under tarps, snowmobiles and dog sleds awaited winter. I was told that the few paved roads are sometimes cleared, but other modes of transportation become necessary when the dark, snowy winters hit. I’ve ridden snowmobiles before, but never in Alaska. I’ve never ridden a dog sled. Maybe I’m going to have to go back in the winter. 

Just so we could experience it, we took a seaplane back to Juneau. I must admit, I was terrified, but the trip in the small plane, flying so low, was extraordinary. Like exercise though, I was glad I’d done it but don’t look forward to doing it again. Ever. 

I wish we’d had the time to hop on a train. I’ve heard that all the trips out of Anchorage are amazing.  Maybe I’ll have to go back in the winter and the summer. 

As expected, there were lots of cruise ships everywhere. We thought about taking a cruise, and it would have been wonderful, I’m sure, but I’m glad we saw some of Alaska the way we did. I loved the ferries and the other boats, and even the seaplane (kind of), but you can’t go wrong. No matter how you venture out to see this gigantic state, the transportation truly is as much fun as the destination.  

Safe travels!

So, how about you, Reds and Readers, what's the craziest travel transportation you've ever taken?

Paige Shelton is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Farmers' Market, Country Cooking School, Dangerous Type, and Scottish Bookshop mysteries. Her first suspense novel is Thin Ice, debuting in 2019. She's lived lots of places but currently resides in Arizona. Find out more at www.paigeshelton.com

Comic Sans, the Font People Love to Hate by Paige Shelton

JENN McKINLAY: I've known Paige for so long, I actually can't remember how we met or when we met. I'm just grateful that we did. And now that geography is our friend, too, she lives close enough to do lunch whenever one of us is going sideways in our writing or we just want to have a few laughs (she's very funny) before we get back on the wordsmith chain gang.

Without further ado, here's Paige!

PAIGE SHELTON: I chuckled when someone retweeted a tweet about my upcoming book, COMIC SANS MURDER. They said, “This is perfect! I’ve often wanted to kill someone for using Comic Sans.”

Yes, Comic Sans tends to get the short end of the Bic. In fact, Twitter once tweeted that most server space complaints are first about airlines, second about Comic Sans, and third, Justin Bieber.

Available December 5th!

Poor font. I didn’t understand such derision. A little research was in order.  

Comic Sans was created in 1995 by Microsoft designer Vincent Connare. In fact, he was trying to right a wrong. He had been given a beta version of Microsoft Bob, a software package designed for kids. The package included a dog, Rover, and message balloons with messages written in Times New Roman. Well, that seemed unfitting, so Vincent set out to create something more . . . fun, I expect. I think he nailed it.

Sadly, Comic Sans wasn’t ready in time for Rover, so instead the font was released with Windows 95, and all Helvetica broke loose. New life was breathed into bake sale flyers and birthday party invitations everywhere. For a while, people loved it. I think most people actually still like the font, but maybe akin to liking Justin Bieber, it’s just not a cool thing to admit. (Or is it cool to admit you like Justin Bieber? Well, you know what I mean.)

To me, Comic Sans is like Helvetica’s slightly tipsy cousin, the fun one who laughs too loud when they’re out in public, but is still loveable. The cute one we all just smile and shake our heads at.

JENN: I love Comic Sans, then again, I think I might be the tipsy cousin. LOL!

Anyway, as research sometimes will do, I felt a need to look deeper. What if I could design my own font? Surely, it would be a creative challenge, and if I came up with something good, that no one could resist using, maybe I could trademark it and make everyone pay me money to use it. It would have a real Impact, and I’d be rich!

It’s a real thing. People really do design fonts. Sadly, it’s not a quick and easy undertaking. The process can be long, and it takes quite a bit of thought. You have to consider where the typeface will be used, the people who will be reading it, blah, blah, blah. Clearly, probably not my Forte.

However, it’s also an artistic pursuit. You begin with your hands, your handwriting, and your creative genius. You digitize that genius and work from there. After much experimenting with all the letters, in both cases, and all the symbols, you just might have your own font.

Let’s say you want to protect your font, there are ways. Those copyright and patents options fall under something called The Black Letter Law. Isn’t that a cool name for a boring old law? I would like to write a book with that title someday.

And then, marketing isn’t easy, but it’s doable. There are type resellers that sell fonts to graphic design companies. Sadly, I didn’t get the impression there was a lot of big money there. Oh, well, maybe I’ll win the lottery.

My artistic senses tingled a little at the idea though, so I grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil. And, here it is, my one letter, one case font. Dragonbite. I won’t be seeking any special protection for it, so feel free to use at will. I signed it just to give it that extra-special Flair. 

JENN: I love it! I see a big Futura for you in font design, Paige!

COMIC SANS MURDER is the third book in my Dangerous Type mysteries. It will be available December 5.

Thanks to Jenn McKinlay, all the amazing Jungle Red Writers, and everyone reading today for letting me stop by.

JENN: Delighted to spend time with you, as always, Paige. And now, Reds and Readers, what's your go to font? What font do you despise? Or are you scratching your head, asking "What's a font?"

Most of my research came from these articles:

https://www.fonts.com/content/learning/fyti/typefaces/story-of-comic-sans
http://www.creativebloq.com/typography/what-is-typography-123652

website: www.paigeshelton.com