Promote the advancement, recognition, and professional development of women crime writers in the Ohio River Valley region
Join Susan Bell and Elaine Munsch at Jeffersonville Library for a Meet and Greet. We’ll be talking about the chapter’s anthology, Mystery With a
Splash of Bourbon, and Elaine will be talking about her new novel, A Haunting at Marianwood.
To say I’ve always wanted to be a writer is an understatement. I’ve always had a strong passion for writing stories. From the early age 11, maybe 12, plots would come to me (awake or sleep) and then I’d experience a burning desire to put them on paper. On weekends, I would babysit to purchase my creative equipment, which at that time was thick spiral notebooks and blue Bic ink pens.
However, this talent did not sit well with my hard-working parents, who assured me that I would become homeless and starve to death if I pursued this path. But still, I wrote and babysat for supplies.
After a while, I realized I had another special talent: teaching. The many, many students that I’ve taught are all special to me. What is truly amazing is, I’ve instructed children from kindergarten to middle school, and most of them contact me from time to time. My teaching career was magical; I loved every minute. But still, I wrote stories that came to me.
At my retirement party, a friend placed a suggestion in my bucket list container, WRITE THAT BOOK. A bell went off in my head. Yes, I can do this and not be homeless or starve to death. I’ve already babysat (teaching for income) to buy modern writing equipment (computer, printer, and paper).
Starting this journey took me to Barnes and Noble, where I met Elaine Munsch, and she invited me to join the local chapter of Sisters in Crime, Derby Rotten Scoundrels. Although my illness has kept me from participating as much as I like, I’ve enjoyed being a part of this group.
My first book, Double Triangles is the thrill of my life. Just seeing my words in a book formation – with my name on it – made my heart leap with joy. I could hardly contain myself when I got feedback on both books (my first and second) through text, social media, book talks, and round-table discussions. The characters from the books came alive for many readers. Although I wrote it without knowing some of the things I’ve learned by being a part of Derby Rotten Scoundrels, it is a dream come true for me. I’ve sold many copies of this book and most people insisted that I write a sequel. Desperate Angles is the second book in this series. Many readers are hooked on the characters and Louisville, Kentucky setting in both books.
Moving forward, a burning passion for writing has come to me in a different genre – Identity Affirming and Acceptance Fiction. Once again, the stories are coming to me and I feel the raw passion of my youth to write them down. I got hurt recently and couldn’t sit at the computer, but my old friends, spiral notebook, and blue Bic ink pen came to my rescue. Writing life is good!
Sue Spalding, local private investigator, was our guest speaker for our March meeting.
She has been an investigator for seventeen years. Originally she studied Child Psychology but took a criminology course and fell in love with it.
A friend of hers hooked her up with an investigator who was looking for a female operative. He was doing surveillance at a picnic and needed a female presence so he didn’t stand out as an adult male watching children.
When Sue started in this field, the requirements were 90-130 hours of driving surveillance with an affiliated company. Now, in Kentucky, there is an exam a prospective investigator must pass to get a license. Another requirement is to have a million dollars’ worth of insurance before you start practicing.
Sue does mainly workman’s compensation fraud and child custody cases. In the first instance, she (or her operative) watches the subject to see if they do anything that, according to their claim, they shouldn’t be able to do.
In the child custody cases, most have to do with whether the non-custodial parent is really visiting with the child or are they passing the child off to another person to care for them during these visits.
Both scenarios involve long hours of sitting and watching or tailing the subject, mostly in the car. In order to avoid the police cruising up to her car as she watches, Sue makes it a point to alert the local police of her presence. That way, when a nosy neighbor calls to report a suspicious vehicle, the police can say they are aware of the situation.
When asked what she looks for in a person she might hire to be an operative, she says good, detailed reporting and an investigator license.
Sue is also licensed to practice in Tennessee and Missouri. Other areas of her work include insurance fraud, locating people, process server, infidelity and background checks.
Lynn reports that she is an M & M Finalist for the Chanticleer International Book Awards in the mystery category.
Also, she is a finalist in the Book Excellence Awards in mystery for DEADLY SETUP.
Lynn will be joining the board of Louisville Literary Arts.
Congratulations Lynn!
Elaine and Susan would like you to join us at the Jeffersonville Library, Saturday, April 1st, from 1:30 until 3 p.m.
The library is located at 211 E. Court St., Jeffersonville, IN, 812-285-5630
A HAUNTING AT MARIANWOOD
MYSTERY WITH A SPLASH OF BOURBON
Leanne has a short story, Playing Possum, which will be published in an anthology called Strangely Funny X (publisher: Mystery and Horror, INC). The anthology is due to be released in May of this year.
She is also submitting a short story to a fellow Sisters in Crime chapter, Speed City (Indianapolis). The story is titled The Perfect Match, and our fingers are crossed that her story is accepted for the anthology, Amber Waves of Graves.
Several other members are also planning to submit to this anthology, but I won’t put them on the spot unless they ask. Good luck to anyone and everyone who submits! For more information on this anthology, click the link (submission deadline is March 24, 2023): https://www.speedcitysistersincrime.org/amber-waves-of-graves.html
That’s all for now, folks!
Top of the morning to you, and top o’ the rest of the day for some good Irish reading.
Since it is the month of St. Patrick, I thought it would be a good time to muse about some Irish mystery writers and some writers who write about Ireland.
The first name that jumps to the head of the line is Tana French, who penned the Dublin Murder Squad books. The first book in the series, IN THE WOODS, is excellent. The ensuing books in the series feature a different protagonist in each, but are tied together since this person appeared in the book previous as one of the noticeable characters, but definitely not the lead.
Many years ago, my daughter and I visited Ireland on a short trip. We dashed from Dublin to Galway on the train, which took a blink of an eye to go from one coast to the other. Ireland is, after all, about the same size as the state of Illinois. We explored Galway. After we returned home, I discovered author Ken Bruen, who is from Galway and sets his books there. The first one, THE GUARDS, introduces us to Jack Taylor, an alcoholic ex-Garda who solves problems. The books were very successful and made into movies starring Ian Glen as Taylor.
Adrian McKinty was born in Northern Ireland, but now lives in Australia. He drew on his heritage to write a series of books featuring Sean Duffy, a Catholic cop in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. Each time before Duffy gets in his car, he stoops down to study the undercarriage in case there is a bomb. This award-winning series is definitely worth your time.
Another Irish author whose books are set during the Troubles is Stuart Neville. THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST is an award-winning book worthy of your time.
The aforementioned authors do not write cozies, which have become the better selling sub-genre of mystery. Irish cozies pepper the bookstore shelves and customers devour them in stacks. A good browse and you will discover that not only do Irish authors write about Ireland, but a plethora of American authors have discovered the Emerald Isle as a setting. These authors’ protagonists live abroad, working in a variety of occupations, but always stumbling upon a body or two which dot the beautiful countryside and graveyards. At this rate, Ireland may decide to close its borders to Americans for fear the homicide rate will rise as its visitors ramble around the cities, towns and villages. Some of the authors to look out for are: Carlene O’Connor, Cathie Murphy, Sheila Connelly, and Dicey Deere among others.
Brew yourself a ‘cup o’tae’ or pour a bit of Jameson to sip as you turn the pages of any of these wonderful works. Sit back and let the leprechauns peek over your shoulder.