Through the eyes of a child

Young children view the world with wonder and delight. Everything they see, hear, smell, taste and touch is either an adventure or a mystery. Often both. They're curious about everything, they get excited about the smallest things (small to adults, that is) and they aren’t afraid to show their emotions: excitement, joy, fear, anger. They say what they mean and they mean what they say. No pettiness, no games, no hidden agendas. And, they don’t worry about would could happen. They aren’t limited by society’s expectations or restrictions, nor do they concern themselves with what others think of them. In other words, they’re excellent role models for us adults.

When I was a little girl, I loved to go out to play in the snow. I would bundle up in my warmest winter clothes to go sled riding, to make a snow man and/or to have a snowball fight with my little brother. And, I never wanted to go back inside when my mother called me. I didn’t feel the cold until, as I slipped out of my snow pants, coat, scarf, hat, mittens and boots – all of which were soaking wet – I stood warming my hands and feet by the radiator in the old house I grew up in. And, as a teenager, I looked forward to heading to a neighborhood lake, meeting my friends and putting on my skates. I was never the world’s best skater but I loved to glide across the ice.

But I grew up and, when I think of snow and ice now, I think of shoveling the driveway, scraping off my car and driving in slippery, sometimes hazardous conditions. I worry about slipping and falling and what that could involve. Because I’m an adult and I know what could happen. If I have an accident, I know what that will entail: dealing with insurance companies, car rentals, etc. So, I’ve come to see snow and ice as a bad thing and, although I do see the beauty in a freshly fallen snow, I no longer love and appreciate Winter. I’ve lost that.

But, even though I’m no longer a Winter person, I hope that I never, ever lose my ability to see the world the way a child does. Because I still marvel at the wonders of nature, I strive to be honest and direct (but tactful) and not to worry (too much) about what could happen. I'm curious about so many things and, I still see adventure and mystery everywhere. I hope I always do and I hope you do too.

Write What You Know

One of the things writers learn early on is to write about what they know. Toward that end, the setting for my first three Malone mysteries is the west side of Cincinnati, Ohio, my hometown. But, in my fourth book, Mistaken Identity, I decided that it was time for my characters (and me) to step outside of their comfort zone and travel to Fripp Island, South Carolina, an island I visited on vacation one year.

Even though I write fiction, I want my books to be as accurate as possible. So, whenever I travel, I pick up brochures, maps and any literature I can get my hands on – and I save it – because I never know when I’ll use it in another book. As we all know, places change constantly. Streets are renamed, buildings are torn down, etc. and, even though lots of information can be found at the library and online, having information on hand for the time period I’m writing about is worth its weight in gold. For example, one of the times I visited Charleston was in 2009, which is within the time frame for my series. Fortunately, I had gotten a street map, brought it home and kept it. Believe me when I tell you that that map is going to come in handy in a future book. 

When I write, I use settings I'm familiar with because I need to have a "feel" for a place in order to write about it. So, in Mistaken Identity, which will be published by Post Mortem Press in just a few months, I also used Charleston, Beaufort and Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, other places I’ve been. I do a good bit of research for my books too but, to me, nothing beats “hands on” experience. And I take lots of pictures wherever I go. (Go to “Places” under “Pages” on the right side of my blog to see several photos of locations that will appear in Mistaken Identity.) 

Serendipity

I love the word “Serendipity.” The dictionary’s definition is: the accidental discovery of something pleasant, valuable or useful. But, to me, the word also has a mysterious, almost magical connotation. Something good happens out of the blue. We didn’t expect it, we couldn’t anticipate it but there it is: a gift.

There are many reasons I love being a writer and, a few weeks ago, I wrote three posts on the subject. But, I neglected to mention one of the most wonderful, unexpected parts of being a writer: meeting and getting to know so many other writers who support and encourage me. I consider this a perfect example of serendipity. 

Writing is hard work and, by its very nature, it’s a solitary profession. We writers sit at our computers for hours on end, searching for just the right words to tell the story we’re trying to tell. We want our readers to get to know and care about our characters and we want them to become engrossed in the plots we create. So, a good part of the time, we’re inside our own heads.

But, as John Donne so aptly wrote, “No man is an island.” We weren't meant to go it alone in this life; we all need each other. So, when another writer reads one of my books and writes a glowing review, it means the world to me. Because only another writer can fully understand what it took to get my book from one small idea all the way to publication. I have been blessed to know several such writers.

Recently, something happened that put a big smile on my face. BookTown, a site I’ve belonged to for some time, featured the book cover for Unfinished Business, my second Malone Mystery, and two of my blog posts on their Facebook home page. I was surprised and thrilled! Another example of serendipity!

Thank you BookTown and thanks to all my writer friends who continually enrich my life!