Keeping it clean

I learned some valuable lessons about reading and writing when I was growing up. From the time I learned to read, I constantly had my nose in a book. Judy Bolton and Nancy Drew mysteries were my favorites. Good, clean stories with intriguing plots and characters I came to know and to love. More than anything I wanted to write mysteries like Margaret Sutton and Carolyn Keene when I grew up.

My father nourished my love of reading by bringing books home to me from time to time. Dad wasn’t much of a fiction reader but he knew how much I enjoyed a good mystery so, for a change of pace, one day when I was ten or eleven years old, he brought me a copy of “I, the Jury,” a Mickey Spillane novel. I picked it up and started to read, amazed and secretly pleased that Dad had given me such an “adult” book. A day or so later, I had left my book on the coffee table, book marker in place, and Dad happened to pick it up and read a page. His eyes got wide and he immediately confiscated the book. No more Mickey Spillane for me! 

Back then, I was disappointed when Dad took my book away but, as an adult, I’ve come to realize that what intrigued me as a child (probably because it was “forbidden”) bores me now. When I read a mystery/suspense novel with several paragraphs or pages of descriptive sexual acts, I find myself skimming over those parts to get back to the story. 

I’m not a prude and I have no problem with a sex scene and/or “colorful” language if it’s necessary to the plot and, of course, it's perfectly acceptable and even expected in certain types of novels. A steamy romance wouldn't be very steamy without, well, some steam. By the same token, in a book about a street gang, I can't imagine one of the members saying, "Gosh, darn it!" when he's angry. That’s unrealistic and I think fiction should be realistic, believable. But, in my own mystery novels, I chose not to use certain words and to leave what happens behind bedroom doors (or anywhere else, for that matter) to the reader’s imagination. Because, it’s my belief that you can have a good story and still keep it clean.

Setting Goals

The New Year will be here in a couple of days and, with it, comes a fresh start for all of us. Many people make New Year’s resolutions but I prefer to set goals instead. To me, a resolution implies a commitment that, if not met, will lead to disappointment and frustration. How many people do you know who resolve to lose ten pounds by swim suit season and, when they don’t, feel as if they’ve failed? What if, instead of a resolution, they set a goal?

A goal is something we strive to achieve. We can break it down into bits and pieces and, if we aren’t able to completely meet our goal in spite of our best efforts, we still see progress, which increases our self-esteem. So, if that person who wants to lose ten pounds lost five, instead of being down on themselves and possibly giving up, they would recognize and celebrate the weight they had lost.

I write down my goals for the coming year in a small spiral notebook. Throughout the year, I add to the list and, once a goal is reached, I take great pleasure (and satisfaction) in checking it off. I’ve made my first entry for 2021: Finish writing (and publish) the fourth book in my Small Town mystery series.

How about you?

Happy New Year!

In these trying times

Every day we’re bombarded with news of the pandemic, which has affected each of us – in different ways. Some more than others. To quote a post on Facebook, “We’re all in the same storm but we’re not all in the same boat.”

So, what can we do to avoid becoming depressed and negative in these trying times? I don’t claim to have the answers for everyone but I can tell you what works for me. 

1.  I’m a writer. That’s what I do and what I love to do and my books won’t write themselves. So, like every week before the virus hit, I sit down at my desk and write - six mornings a week. I’m currently working on “Out of the Woods,” the third book in my Small Town Mystery series, and I hope to publish it in a few months.

2.  I need to be productive. At the end of the day, I want to feel that I’ve accomplished something. So, I stick to my normal routine as much as possible. Because, virus or no virus, I have things I need to do – so I do them. Cleaning, cooking, caring for my mother . . . the list goes on and on.

3.  I stay abreast of what’s going on in the world but I don’t let the media convince me to immerse myself in news about the virus. Like always, my TV doesn’t go on until evening when I watch the shows I enjoy. And, as I've always done, I read in bed each night before I go to sleep.

4.  I avoid interacting with negative people. While I have compassion for those who are unhappy, to me, life’s too short to spend my time listening to and/or responding to people who insist on constantly whining and complaining. Some people seem to revel in misery. I’m not one of them; I choose to be happy. So, I will continue to post jokes, etc. on Facebook. Anything I can do to bring people up – not down.

5.  And, last - but actually the most important to me. I get up every morning and I thank God for the day, asking him to guide me in everything I think, say, do and write. Knowing that He’s in charge takes a huge weight off my shoulders. And for that I am grateful.

What's in a name?

We authors need to get our names out there. If no one knows who we are, we’re most probably not going to sell many books. But the process of becoming “known” to readers is a daunting one, especially for small press and self-published authors.

When my first Malone mystery was accepted by a publisher, my mother asked me what pen name I was going to use. “Maybe,” she said, “you should choose a name that’s easier to pronounce than Gligor. Don’t most writers do that?”

Our conversation reminded me of an article I once read. It was an interview with actress, Jacqueline Bisset. When the interviewer told Jacqueline that he’d heard several variations on how to pronounce her last name and asked her which was correct, she replied, “Biss-It, like Kiss it.” I think that answered his question.

So, back to the answer I gave my mother. While I don’t see anything wrong with using a pseudonym (sometimes a writer has a good reason to do that), I prefer not to. Why? Because Gligor is my family name and I’m proud to have it. As far as the pronunciation goes: Gligor rhymes with tiger. 

 

So, when you’re looking for a new (to you) mystery series to read, I hope you’ll remember my name and check out my books.

The View from my window

From my office window, I watched, mesmerized, as a large hawk glided effortlessly in the sky. I’d seen the hawk on several occasions and I was always impressed with him. I didn’t know much about hawks but, on this particular day, I decided to learn more. So I Googled the subject. And what I learned became an important part of the book I was writing: Secrets in Storyville, a small town mystery.

That got me thinking about some of the other characters, plots and settings I had used in my previous novels and I realized that many of my ideas came from places and/or people I’d seen in my neighborhood or in the surrounding area. 

One day, while sitting on my porch, I saw a tall, skinny man with a long gray ponytail walking his cat on a leash. For some reason, that got my attention and the man became John Berkley in Mixed Messages, my first Malone mystery. John also had a role in the second book, Unfinished Business.

Another day, I was driving not far from where I live and I spotted a dark car with tinted windows pulling out of a driveway. An everyday occurrence, right? But this time, it made an impression on me. I wondered why the windows were tinted and the scenario I created in my mind was the basis for a major character: Lawrence Berger, an albino.

The creative process amazes me! A writer never knows when a sight, a sound, a smell or a few words overheard will trigger an idea. And it usually happens when we least expect it.

I’m currently working on the second small town mystery: Murder at Maple Ridge. The setting? It’s based on a house I’d admired for years, about forty-five minutes from where I live. I love old houses and, like the Victorian in my Malone mysteries, this house fascinated me.

The point I’m trying to make is that, if you want to be a writer, you don’t have to travel to exotic places to find inspiration. Just look out your window and if something catches your eye, like the hawk, let your imagination soar.

Getting back to Writing

Now that the holidays are behind us, it’s time for me to get back to writing. Throughout the season, I’ve been jotting down notes for my next book but that’s as far as I’ve gotten. I know the title. I know the setting. And I know some of the characters. I even have a general idea of what will happen. Obviously, that’s just a start; I have a lot of work ahead of me in the months to come. Which means making my writing a priority.

I’m a morning person. That’s when I’m the most creative. As the day goes on, my ability to write a coherent sentence diminishes with each hour – or, at least, that’s how it feels to me. I love getting up each day and, after coffee and breakfast, plopping down in my desk chair and entering my fictional world, leaving the real world behind for a few hours.

Time flies when I’m writing and, before I know it, it’s time for lunch and time to attend to the other aspects/responsibilities of my life, the daily tasks we all have to do: shopping, paying bills, cleaning, laundry. . . . I do double-duty because, although, thankfully, my eighty-nine year old mother is doing great, she isn’t able to do a lot of the household chores, etc. she used to do.

By dinnertime, I’m ready to eat, watch TV and then read in bed until my eyes tell me it’s time to go to sleep. 

What all this means is that I need to use my time wisely if I hope to finish my book. I have to be careful to avoid what some refer to as “time sucks.” Social media can be time-consuming and, although I enjoy interacting with my friends on Facebook and other sites, I need to limit the time I spend on them. Writing a blog post takes time too and I’m considering posting at the end of each month, to summarize that month, rather than posting weekly. We’ll see how that goes.

So, until next time, I hope everyone had a great holiday season and that you are as eager as I am to get back to whatever it is you love to do.

If you won the lottery . . .

Lottery jackpots are soaring - some to over a billion dollars.

There's a show on HGTV, My Lottery Dream Home, hosted by David Bromstad. I like watching it to see the various reactions of lottery winners. Some, even though they've won over a million dollars, are still conservative in the house they choose to buy. Others go all out; the bigger and the more extravagant, the better.

It reminds me of a story I heard years ago. A young man in Ohio won an exorbitant amount of money in the lottery. He bought a huge house, several very expensive cars, etc. and, within a year, the money was all gone. It made me sad because I couldn't help thinking how much good he could've done with the money. There are so many worthwhile charities, so many homeless people . . . . Not to mention family members and close friends who could use a financial boost. But, as I said, he was young.

That wouldn't be me though. First of all, I'm old enough to know better and, secondly, I know the value of a dollar. Not to mention millions. It would give me great pleasure to help out the people I care about and knowing that I had financial freedom . . . well, what a great feeling that would be. I wouldn't make any major changes in my life although I would definitely want to do some traveling because there are so many places in the world I'd love to visit.

What would you do with the money if you won? And, if you're a writer, would you still write? (I ask that question because someone recently asked me. My reply was a definite "yes.") So, how about you?