I was honored to be interviewed by Omnimystery News today about my writing and my upcoming YA mystery novel Swimming Alone.
Hope you’ll check it out!
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An Interview on Omnimystery News
Posted in Blog Tour, Guest Blog Links, Mystery Writing, Writing, Young Adult Books
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It’s Giveaway Time: SWIMMING ALONE, A YA Mystery
It’s official: My debut YA Mystery Novel Swimming Alone is being released on August 27, 2015 (Fire & Ice YA). That’s less than two weeks away! To celebrate, I’m giving away 3 signed copies on Goodreads. Click below to enter the giveaway.
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Swimming Alone, A Young Adult Mystery
by Nina Mansfield
Giveaway ends September 15, 2015.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Posted in Mystery Writing, Young Adult Books
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BOOK BITES: The Doors
I have always been intrigued by all things other worldly: supernatural, mythological, invisible, superhuman. It is a great deal of fun to imagine and read about parallel worlds, mythical creatures, and the unfathomable. In fact, my current WIP is a paranormal romance-thriller. This week I am excited to welcome Alice J. Black, author of The Doors, a YA supernatural mystery (Fire & Ice YA, November 2014), to Not Even Joking.
Who is the main character in The Doors? What is she like?
Amanda is the main character of The Doors. She’s moved from a life she knows to Godfrey Hall and instantly hates it. But she’s tenacious and when strange things start happening in her new home; she’s determined to find out the cause of it as well as the history of the house. Amanda is dedicated, hard working and curious.
What would Amanda choose for her last meal?
Amanda would probably have something like pizza for her last meal. Her parents constantly make her eat her vegetables which aren’t her favourite!
How about you? What would you choose for your last meal?
For my last meal, I would have to have a Sunday dinner complete with beef, vegetables, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings. Yum!
Why should someone bite into The Doors?
The Doors is a young adult novel that deals with issues that a normal teenager may go through during their adolescence, but also has a strong twist of the supernatural. Amanda finds herself enthralled by a mystery that takes over her life and one that only she can see. The world behind the mosaic in the dining room is something that none have seen for over a hundred years, yet one that Amanda’s actions are leading her towards.
Do you have a recipe you’d like to share?
I have an undeniable sweet tooth and I just learned a recipe from an online website for cookie dough. I never thought it was possible but it is the tastiest treat to have after I’ve finished a bout of writing! Check it out here on this awesome blog:
https://daisycakecompany.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/cookie-dough-why-bother-baking-it/
I know that feeling. I almost always crave something sweet after I do a lot of writing. Oh, who am I kidding? After, before, during. Thank you so much for sharing about your book today!
You can learn more about The Doors and Alice J. Black below:
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/alice.j.black.doors
Posted in Book Bites, Young Adult Books
Tagged Alice J. Black, Mystery, supernatural, YALit
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Deadly Ink 2015 and Why I Attend Writing Conferences
This past Saturday, I had the honor of being a panelist and a panel moderator at Deadly Ink 2015, a conference for mystery writers and readers held annually in New Jersey. The experience, as I expected, was delightful and inspiring. I met some fantastic people, and got to spend a day talking about, and listening to others discuss, the art of craft of writing mysteries.
I’ve attended a number of writing conferences since I decided to take my writing seriously. I find that each time I take away more than a few nuggets of inspiration and wisdom that help me improve my craft. All that creative energy inevitably finds its way into you. The very first conference I attended was the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrator’s Winter Conference back in 2009. It was while attending a workshop that focused on writer’s voice that I realized I needed to do another full rewrite of my novel Swimming Alone. Soon after, I landed an agent.
So, what nuggets of wisdom did I take away this Saturday? Well, I’ll be honest: I was a terrible note taker. So maybe the first kernel of wisdom is, if you plan to blog about it, take better notes! But seriously, here are a few of my nuggets:
DON’T BE AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING NEW
While preparing to moderate the panel “Short & Sweet (or Sour),” I read the work of some really fabulous writers: the gripping “Live for Today” by S.A. Solomon (Jersey Noir); the dark and absorbing “The Ancient F***ing Mariner,” by Albert Tucher; the delightful “Out of the Closet” by KB Inglee; and the fantastically humorous “The Grapes of Sourness” by Kate Gallison. All were very different; all were really good. If you’ve ever spent any time on this blog, you know that I love reading. But, I’ll admit, it is really hard to find time, and I often fall back on reading writers whose work I know any trust. But there is just so much good stuff out there! During one of the final panels (“Make Mine a Mystery”) author Steven Rigolosi touched on this theme as well. I am paraphrasing very loosely, but when asked what mysteries he would recommend to novice mystery readers, he said he would encourage readers to try something new. Short stories are a great way to try (and discover) something new.
Short & Sweet (or Sour) Panelists (from L to R): KB Inlgee, Kate Gallison, Albert Tucher and S.A. Solomon with moderator Nina Mansfield at Deadly Ink 2015.
THERE IS NO ONE WAY TO DO ANYTHING
This idea first struck me while I was moderating the aforementioned short story panel. I was trying to dig in to find out what makes a “good short story.” We never did come to a conclusive answer…because there is no one answer! Throughout the day, I found that all of the writers I encountered had vastly different sources of inspirations, different research methods, different career paths… but here we all were, writing and discussing mysteries.
THE BOULDER IN YOUR PATH IS YOUR PATH
Author Tim Hall quoted this ancient saying during the panel entitled “Get Your Facts Straight.” It came up when discussing stumbling blocks that might come up while conducting research. Like, say you discover that the really great historical event you are writing about didn’t happen quite the way you imagined it. Well, sometimes that might cause you to abandon your writing. But other times, it could lead you down a new and interesting road. I am currently dealing with such a stumbling block with one of my short stories. I had hoped that the crime would be committed one way, but it just isn’t working for the story. I have a feeling that this “boulder” will lead me to a new and better method of murder!
RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT, AND CAN BE QUITE FUN!
The importance of research was a reoccurring theme throughout the day. One thing I learned is that there are many, many avenues for research, depending on the type of writing you are doing. Many of the writers at the conference spoke about their travels as a great way to research. Author Kim Kash, for example discussed walking the streets of Ocean City for her Jaime August series. But how does one travel back in time? Spending a great deal of time at the New York City Public Library, like Annamaria Alfieri, is one way. Spending time working in a living history museum, like KB Inglee, is another. All of these things made me really want to start my research for that epic historical mystery I plan to write one of these days.
HAPPINESS CAN BE ACHIEVED
This might not seem like it has anything to do with writing. But it does. Many writers retreat into solitary worlds, and quite frankly, it can be depressing. During his interview, Deadly Ink 2015 Guest of Honor Brad Parks mentioned three things people need to be happy:
1) To be part of something larger than oneself
2) A reason to get up in the morning
3) To feel like the people around them understand them
I think that numbers 1 and 3 are really great reasons for writers (and readers) to attend conferences. You realize that you are part of a larger community of people who really do care about how sentences are crafted and how red herrings are woven into tales… and while the rest of the world might think you are cranky, bizarre and reclusive writer, the fine folks you meet at conferences might just possibly understand you! (And yes, the Deadly Ink conference was a great reason to wake up and drive to New Jersey at 5:30am on a Saturday morning, so I guess number 2 works here too. So thank you to Debby Buchanan and to everyone involved in Deadly Ink 2015!)
Posted in Everything Else, Mystery Writing, Writing
Tagged #amwriting, Crime Novelist, crime writing, Deadly Ink 2015, Murder Mystery Writing, Mystery, mystery writing, Writing
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Creative Minds Profile #5: Jeanette Bonner
As a playwright, I have had the chance to work with many talented actors. In the fall of 2012, I had the opportunity to work with Jeanette Bonner when she read several roles in my full-length play Losing Our Heads: The Guillotine Play for a Friday Night Footlights Reading at the Dramatists Guild. Jeanette was so much fun to work with! She infused life into some very wacky characters.
Jeanette Bonner.
Jeanette is currently working on filming the second season of Ghost Light: The Web Series (a must-watch for any theater person), for which she is the executive producer and writer. The series deals with the backstage antics at Nova Theater, a fictional theater located in Nowhere, USA. Last summer, Jeanette took her one-person show Love. Guts. High School to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Jeanette has an extensive resume. Learn more about her at her on her website www.jeanettebonner.com.
Jeanette, thank you so much for joining me this month on Not Even Joking. I was just watching the first season of Ghost Light: The Web Series. As a theater person, I found it highly entertaining! How did you come up with the idea and characters for this series?
First of all, as a fellow “theater person” I have an innate love for shows about making shows – Noises Off, Slings & Arrows, Waiting for Guffman come to mind. But in all of them, and especially in those three examples, there is hardly any reference made to people working backstage. People who don’t do theater have no concept of the amount of skill (and people) it takes to pull off a show. And if you’ve done a show yourself, you know that the guys that work backstage are the most lovable bunch of weirdos you’ve ever met. I thought: Why has there never been a show made about these people?? It also didn’t hurt that at the time of its concept, I was dating a theater technician. So we often talked about the antics that happen backstage and the characters he’d worked with along the way.
How do you juggle your roles as executive producer, writer and actor in the series?
It’s not easy, I’m not gonna lie! As writer, most of the work is done before production, so it’s easy to keep that role separate. And when we are in pre-production that is just me in the role of Producer. The challenge then is when we head into production, where all three of these roles meet. For Season 2, some actor conflicts meant that we had to move up production while we were simultaneously crowdfunding. I don’t know if you’ve ever crowdfunded before, but it’s like running a presidential campaign (I imagine) (ok, maybe slightly smaller) – it’s a full-time job. So trying to run that while lining up the elements needed for production and – whoops, almost forgot! – also take a look at my lines – became a little chaotic. I describe it as trying to plan a wedding that you are also in that you are also paying for. It’s a lot.
Last year you traveled to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to perform your one-person show Love. Guts. High School. I have wanted to go to Edinburgh for a long time! (My short play Bite Me is running there this year…but alas, I won’t be able to see it). What was the experience like?
OH YOU SHOULD GO!! This is what I tell everyone. You should go because it is like no other theater festival in the world. The entire city revolves around theater – THEATER!!! If you wanted to find that one place on earth where you finally met all the other weirdos just like you, that would be Edinburgh. It’s incredibly inspirational to be around so many thousands of people doing what you’re doing. And thousands who are there to SEE indie theater. It really makes you feel as if theater is definitely NOT dead at all, despite what other people say.
That being said, it is exceptionally challenging to try to convince utter strangers to see YOUR SHOW out of over 3,000 that are being offered that very day. The theater guide is the size of a phone book. What was very hard for me was the one-womanness of it all (speaking of roles!)…. to be my own director, marketing agent, coach, producer as well as actor every single day was very challenging. To get up every day and figure out how we were going to bring in audience that afternoon, all while remembering to take care of yourself as an actor who needed to perform at 100% was very, very hard. In the end I don’t know how much I succeeded so much as just simply grew.
What else gets you up in the morning? What are you passionate about? And how does this influence your creative life? (or does it?)
uhhh…. I am SO not a morning person, so there’s very little that gets me up besides the promise of coffee. But I will tell you that I am a NYC tour guide, and I am super passionate about its history and its story. I love when you can see the city’s past still existing – 19th century architecture, shops that have been here for over 100 years, old cobblestone streets. I devour historical fiction set in NYC; currently reading Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker about the Draft Riots and the creation of the police force by the Irish firemen.
I also love exploring NYC present-day, I’m especially into the locavore food scene. I write an ice cream blog about all the small-batch artisanal ice cream happening in the city: www.theicecreaming.wordpress.com
I know that you have also worked with young people. What advice would you give to a young performer who is considering a career in the biz?
I tell this to the students on my tours all the time: Take Marketing Courses. Learn Marketing. Get your undergrad degree in Marketing. More than anything else you can do for yourself in this industry, including the skills of acting itself, is learning how to market yourself, to know your brand, to know what defines you and helps you stand out in a sea of thousands. This is everything from having a website to social media presence to networking to selling tickets to shows. It’s taken me FOREVER to learn how to do these things, and in this day and age, I think it’s 80% of being a successful actor. If I could go back and do college over, I would. Screw Bertolt Brecht. I mean, not really. But seriously. He hasn’t helped me one bit.
Thank you so much for joining us today Jeanette! I am really looking forward to the second season of Ghost Light!
You can connect with Jeanette and learn more about Ghost Light: The Web Series at:
www.youtube.com/user/ghostlighttheseries
www.facebook.com/ghostlighttheseries
www.twitter.com/kellyspoolhall
Instagram: @KellysPoolHall
Posted in Acting, Creative Minds Profile, Theater, Writing
Tagged acting, Creative Minds, Jeanette Bonner, Producing, Webseries
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BOOK BITES: On the Line
When I think of summer, I think of water, I think of seafood, I think of romance, I think of Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper’s On the Line (published March 2012). You might remember a few months ago, Jackie wrote a guest post for Not Even Joking about what inspires her. Today, not only do we get a taste of her fabulous YA novel, but Jackie also shares a recipe for a fried fish sandwich. Yum!
Who is the main character in On the Line? What is she like?
Piper Wesley is a 16-year-old girl growing up in the Florida Keys who loves fishing, her pet deer Liggy, and proving other people wrong. She also has a secret crush on her best friend Benny. Not that she’d let that get in the way of reaching her goals, especially when they include saving her family’s fishing charter business.
What would Piper choose for her last meal?
Definitely a fried fish sandwich. Piper spends every day on the water and loves to fish! She also is pretty obsessed with the fried fish sandwiches they serve down at the dockside restaurant Rosalie’s.
How about you? What would you choose for your last meal?
As much as I love fish, I think I’d have to go for a plate of chicken fajitas. I’ve been obsessed with fajitas since I was a kid and still eat them all the time. I’ve even gotten my toddler hooked!
Why should someone bite into On the Line?
Whether you’re headed to the beach, love fishing or The Keys, or are just looking for a fun read with a strong female protagonist and a little romance on the side, then On the Line is the book for you.
Do you have a recipe you’d like to share?
Piper’s Fried Fish Sandwich
1lb fresh grouper filets, cleaned and deboned
1 cup flour
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
2-3 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for frying
1 package sandwich rolls
Lettuce leaves and tartar sauce for final sandwiches
First, inspect grouper filets and remove any remaining skin and bones. Then, prepare two plates and one bowl. On the first, place the flour and mix in the teaspoon of salt. Next, in the bowl, beat the two large eggs ( if you have three eggs, hold onto the third. You may need to add it if you run low while breading the fish). On the final plate, pour on the breadcrumbs. Then take your fish filets and place them first in the flour, then in the egg bowl, and then in the breadcrumbs. Place breaded filets on a plate and bring over to the stove for frying. Before beginning, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil to 375 degrees. Then place fish in the oil and cook each filet 3-4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove from pan and blot with paper towels to remove excess oil. Take rolls and spread tartar sauce on one side, then add a hot fish filet. Finish with a lettuce leaf and then the top of the bun. Now enjoy!
Thank you so much Jackie! You know that I love this book. And this fried fish sandwich looks perfect for a summer day. Why is it that I always crave fried food when I am at the beach?
You can connect with Jackie and learn more about On the Line at the links below.
Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper’s Website
Posted in Book Bites, Young Adult Books
Tagged #YA Lit, Book Bites, fishing, Fried Fish Sandwich, Summer Reads
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Interview on “My Life as a Writer”
I was recently interviewed by Kelly D. Smith for her blog, “My Life as a Writer.” I hope you’ll check it out!
Posted in Blog Tour, Guest Blog Links, Writing
Tagged Interview, Writing Life
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BOOK BITES: Taming Tigers
I mentioned last time on “Book Bites” that I am a fan of young adult fiction. Of course, I am…I write YA! This week, I am thrilled to host Daisy White, author of the YA Fantasy/Romance Taming Tigers (Fire & Ice YA ), which is currently available for pre-order, and will be released July 30th. Daisy also shares a recipe for Strawberry Ice Slice… which sounds like the perfect summer treat!
Who is the main character in Taming Tigers? What is she like?
Seventeen-year-old Talia is a survivor. She lives in war-torn Arista and scrapes a living in the infamous refugee Camps as a seamstress.
What would Talia choose for her last meal?
Talia would have her favourite Feast Day treat of sticky rice balls, with raw fish. For dessert she would have something involving ‘olinta’ the sweet red berries found in the Blue Mountains.
How about you? What would you choose for your last meal?
A full English breakfast with bacon, scrambled eggs with brown sauce, a glass of orange juice, and a mug of chai tea. I previously worked as cabin crew and went to bed at very strange times, so the breakfast sometimes became dinner and it has become a habit. Comfort food at its best!
Why should someone bite into Taming Tigers?
Taming Tigers is inspired by human survival, and is a story of love and revenge against the backdrop of a refugee camp, and warring countries. Sadly this is all too common, but I hope readers with root for Talia to follow her dreams and achieve her end goal of swapping the drudgery of desert-bound Arista for the pavements of Leonore.
The first three chapters of the book won me a place on the Curtis Brown/Foyles New Beginnings workshop in London in 2014, which gave me the tools to carry on writing as the story developed. Taming Tigers is the first of a trilogy about Talia and Kellar.
Taming Tigers has been selected for a trade mission to China in October so spreading the word globally!
That is very cool! Do you have a recipe you’d like to share?
This recipe is Talia’s dessert – she would make it with olinta berries but I find strawberries just as good 😉 It is perfect for Summer and dinner in the garden as well as in a desert! I often make this for my kids as a treat, or even add some alcohol for a grown-up pudding if I have guests…
Strawberry Ice Slice
300ml whipping cream
250g yoghurt
1tsp vanilla bean paste
1tbsp icing sugar
70g bought meringue nests
200g chopped strawberries
3 tbsp strawberry jam
1) Line a 2Ib loaf tin with clingfilm
2) Whisk cream, yoghurt, vanilla and icing sugar until thick. Break meringue into pieces and fold in.
3) Mix strawberries and jam and ripple into cream mixture. Pour into loaf tin and freeze for 4.5 hours.
4) To serve turn out onto plate and add fresh berries and mint leaves to garnish!
Thank you so much! You can connect with Daisy White and learn more about Taming Tigers at the links below:
https://www.facebook.com/DaisyWhiteAuthor
https://uk.pinterest.com/daisywhite1922/taming-tigers-ya-fantasy-release-date-july-2015/
http://www.fireandiceya.com/authors/daisywhite/tamingtigers.html
Posted in Book Bites, Uncategorized, Young Adult Books
Tagged #TamingTigers, #YA Lit
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Crime Scene Analysis Day 5: All sorts of stuff!
Just joining us today? Be sure to check out Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 and Day 4— where I cover everything from lifting fingerprints off of skin to blood. This is my last post about my time at SIRCHIE. I hope to have another experience like this very soon!
Originally posted July 13, 2012:
It is always sad when something ends. And despite wanting to get back home to my garden, I didn’t want my time at SIRCHIE to end. There is so much about evidence collection that I still need to learn! Clearly, my fictional detectives will be deficient until I can get myself enrolled in another forensics class. Alas, we can’t all be perfect.
That said, I cannot believe how much I was able to learn this week. The first four days were fantastic, a great deal of information was packed into Day 5. Footwear, serial number restoration, theft detection… and that’s just the beginning.
Why don’t we start with footwear? Did you know, for example, that footwear is often the most overlooked clue at crime scenes? And yet footwear can place a suspect at a scene. No, it isn’t as definitive as a finger print or DNA. But it is certainly a starting point.
Now, if you are a detective, you can dust for footprints the same way you’d dust for fingerprints. They may or may not come up. If you find a visible footprint, it can be lifted using the same type of tape that is used to lift fingerprints. In your search for blood, perhaps you will have a bloody footprint revealed by Luminol. Or maybe you’ll find a footprint outside in the mud, in which case you will need to take a plaster cast of the print.
Making a plaster cast of a footprint.
Let’s move on to serial numbers. Any gun that is manufactured in the United States is imprinted with a serial number. Criminals like to file these things down so that the gun cannot be identified. The thing is, serial numbers can be restored. A little sanding. A little acid. This technique will also work on restoring car serial numbers.
I was able to bring up the number!
Next up, theft detection. Theft detection powder is really, really hard to wash off. The harder you try, the more it stains. The lesson here is: don’t steal things!
Try getting THIS off your hands!
We also learned about presumptive drug testing. And seminal fluid testing. And brought up fingerprints on the sticky side of duct tape. All valuable tools when investigating crimes.
Presumptive drug test.
I think the main thing I came away with this week is that there is no such things as a perfect crime. Oh sure, they may exist in fiction, but in reality, there are just too many tools out there for catching the bad guy. All it takes is one piece of trace evidence, or a tiny bit of DNA, or a sliver of footprint, or a partial fingerprint…
Posted in Mystery Writing, Uncategorized, Writing
Tagged crime scene analysis, fingerprints, mystery writing
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Crime Scene Analysis Day 4: More about fingerprints
I am enjoying re-posting these blog posts so much! It’s helping me relive my time studying crime scene analysis at SIRCHIE. If you are just joining us today, please check out Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3.
Originally posted July 12, 2012:
You are walking along the street, minding your own business. It’s a lovely summer day. The sky is blue. It’s not too hot. Birds are chirping in the air. Maybe you are love. Life is grand. Perhaps you are even whistling a happy tune.
Suddenly, a man grabs your arm. You spin around. He snatches your purse and pushes you to the ground.
You want to scream. You want to curse. You want to chase after him, but unfortunately you decided to wear your ridiculously high platform sandals today, and they aren’t conducive to chasing muggers.
Besides, you are in shock. You feel violated. You feel like this criminal can never be caught. You are angry at yourself because you never got a good look at his face. And even if you did, you are fully aware of the unreliability of eye witness testimony.
But wait a second. All is not lost.
He grabbed your arm.
He grabbed your arm!!!
Fingerprints!
So you take a deep breath. You try to remain calm, because if you start sweating, those finger prints will be lost. You reach into your back pocket, where you always carry a sheet of paper (because you also happen to be a writer.)
You press this piece of paper to your arm on the exact spot where the assailant grabbed you.
And you walk right over to the nearest police station to report the crime.
A little magnetic powder, and the fingerprints appear.
You’re probably thinking that this is impossible. But it’s not. During day 4 of the Evidence Collection Course for Writers at SIRCHIE we worked on lifting prints off of difficult surfaces, and we ran an experiment. We were able to lift prints off of skin using just a sheet of paper. In the interest of full disclosure, these prints were not entirely usable. But if your perp is really sweaty, it just might work. Timing is of the essence. Fingerprints do not stick around on skin for very long.
Skin is, perhaps, one of the most difficult surfaces off of which to lift finger prints. But what about things with texture, like the dashboard of a car? Or a wet surface? Or the sticky side of duct tape that has been used to restrain someone?
All possible.
Attempting to lift some prints.
In fact, I was actually able to lift wet prints with plenty of ridge detail off of a wet surface!
We spent the second half of today’s class learning about matching prints from Johnny Leonard, a finger print expert. We learned all about loops, archs and whorls. We learned what details to look for when attempting to match prints. We learned how AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System) is used by law enforcement. It isn’t as simple as it looks on TV. You can’t just scan a finger print into the system and look for a match. The system will give you possible matches, which must still be checked by an actual human being.
We even took a test. I was able to correctly match 12 out of 16 finger prints. Not bad for my first try, but clearly I still need a lot of practice!
Studying a fingerprint.
Posted in Mystery Writing, Uncategorized, Writing
Tagged crime scene analysis, crime writing, fingerprints, mystery writing
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