Crime Scene Analysis Day 3: Blood

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Nina Mansfield

If you are just joining us today, be sure to check out Day 1 and Day 2 of my time studying Crime Scene Analysis at SIRCHIE Fingerprint Laboratories.

Originally posted July 11, 2012:

You’ve been called to a crime scene, and it is a bloody mess.  Or is it?  There’s a dead body on the floor, and what appears to be blood all over the walls, the floor, the furniture.

What appears to be blood…

Oh, sure, it might be a reasonable assumption.  But how do you know that your victim didn’t suffer a heart attack after discovering that someone had sprayed chocolate sauce all over her pristine living room?  Or have a Jackson Pollock moment with a bottle of ketchup?  Or keel over from exhaustion while acting out his one-person version of Titus Andronicus with some really realistic stage blood?

You don’t.

Which is why you would perform a presumptive blood test.   In other words, you presume it is blood, but you still got to test it to make sure.

Presumptive blood tests.

So you test your blood.  Since you can see it, you would not use Luminol.  Luminol is that stuff on TV that makes blood glow in the dark.  However much you’d like to spray up your crime scene with Luminol, you don’t want to dilute your blood sample.  Instead, you use one of your other tests.  Since you like the color pink, you opt for the phenolphthalein.

First you swab the blood, because you never want to perform your test directly on the original sample.  Then you prepare your phenolphthalein by cracking the two parts inside the vial and shaking it up.  You place one drop on your swab. It turns pink.  Voila.

It’s blood your victim’s blood, right?  Right? Right???

Maybe.

But actually, all the test is telling you is that your sample has tested positive for hemoglobin.

So it might be your victim’s blood.

Or it might be your perp’s blood.

Or it might be chicken, sheep or cow blood.

Or it might actually be horseradish.

That’s right.  Horseradish will also turn your swab pink.

So, while there’s a good chance that the goopy red substance that you’ve tested was once coursing through the veins of the body lying on the floor, if you are the crime scene technician, it isn’t up to you to make that call.

Now, if you can’t see the blood, but you suspect its presence, that’s a time for using Luminol, or a a similar agent like Bluestar.  This will make any unseen blood glow in the dark.  But keep an eye out for a starlight effect.  This is when your sample area shimmers like someone is sprinkling fairy dust.  This could be caused by the presence of bleach or other household cleaners, which will cause a false positive.  That said, if I had done something to make massive amounts of blood spray somewhere, I would probably attempt to clean it up with bleach.  A bloody trail could still be revealed once the shimmering stops.

The thing about blood is it is really, really hard to get rid of.  You can scrub it with bleach or paint over it, and it will still be detectable years later.

And it will tell a story.  Check out the blood spatter below.

This blood spatter tells a story.  And that story is just another clue that could help catch a killer.

 

Blood splatter!

 

What does this blood splatter tell you?

Posted in Mystery Writing, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Crime Scene Analysis Day 3: Blood

Crime Scene Analysis Day 2: Lifting prints off of paper

Posted on July 11, 2015 by Nina Mansfield

As I mentioned yesterday, I am re-posting my blogs from several years ago, when I had the pleasure of studying crime scene analysis at the SIRCHIE Fingerprint Laboratories in Youngsville, NC.

Originally posted July 10, 2012:

You have a document.  This document might help you solve a crime. Perhaps it’s one of those crazy letters that serial killers like to send.  Or maybe it’s an alleged suicide note.  Or a manuscript you suspect has been forged.

Maybe this piece of paper has fingerprints on it.  Maybe it doesn’t.

But how will you ever know if you don’t look for them?

Today, Day 2 of the Evidence Collection Course for Writers at the SIRCHIE Finger Print Laboratories in Youngsville, NC, we learned about using alternative light sources and chemical agents to detect finger prints on paper.

Here’s what I learned:

1)       It is really hard to lift prints off of money.  But I dig the fluorescent pink finger print powder!

 

Using UV Light to find prints on money.

2)      Alternative light sources can be used in a variety of ways.  Detecting fluids and fingerprints are just a few.  But please note, blood does not fluoresce!  When you see blood glowing in the dark on TV, it’s because Luminol, or some similar chemical agent has been applied to it.  It does not glow in the dark by itself.

 

Alternative light source.

3)      Breaking an iodine capsule in a plastic bag with a document inside and then watching the prints come up is really cool.

 

I did it! I lifted some prints off of paper!

4)      Chemicals smell, and sometimes take a while to work. After applying Silver Nitrate to one document, and then a UV light to speed up the process, it seemed as if the chemical had not worked.  An hour later, the prints began to appear.  Pretty groovy!

 

Using a UV light to speed up a chemical reaction.

5)      The use of heat or UV light can speed up a chemical reaction.  But if you are using a hot steam iron on your document, be careful that you don’t burn it!

Tomorrow, I believe we will be working with blood.  Actual blood.  I am simultaneously enthralled and grossed out!

 

 

Posted in Mystery Writing, Writing | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Crime Scene Analysis Day 2: Lifting prints off of paper

Crime Scene Analysis Day 1: Expanding my writing horizons

Posted on July 10, 2015 by Nina Mansfield

Three years ago, I spent the week of my birthday studying Crime Scene Analysis at the SIRCHIE Finger Print Laboratories in North Carolina. My birthday is coming up (and it’s a biggie)…so to celebrate, for the next five days, I will re-post my blogs from my time at SIRCHIE. Enjoy!

Originally posted July 9, 2012:

This summer, I am trying to expand my horizons in hopes of taking my writing in some new directions. I’ve seen some great theatre in NYC (something I do all the time, but I always find good theatre to be inspirational.) I’ve been white water rafting on the Lehigh River in Pennsylvania. (Nothing like a day spent soaring down a river to make one feel connected with the universe.) And I managed to get myself lost hiking somewhere near Bear Mountain, only to be forced to hitchhike for the very first time in my life before I passed out from heatstroke. (Apparently some hiking trails only go in one direction. Who knew?)

White water rafting in Pennsylvania.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hiking in Bear Mountain State Park. This was before we realized we were lost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week, I am exploring one of my passions: Crime Scene Analysis.  Today was the first day of the Evidence Collection Course specially adapted for writers at the SIRCHIE Finger Print Laboratories in Youngsville, North Carolina.  I learned about SIRCHIE while attending last year’s Writer’s Police Academy, an annual event I highly recommend for any mystery writer.  When I found out that SIRCHIE had arranged this training for writers, I signed up right away. Most of the mysteries I write tend to be written either from the perspective of an amateur sleuth (like my short story “Summer Reading”), or an apparently innocent bystander (like my story “A Fellow of Infinite Jest”.)* In this way, I’ve avoided having to know anything about how crimes are actually solved in real life.  But I would like to change all of that.

I learned all sorts of things today.  I could not possibly share them all.  For one thing, I have some other writing I need to get done tonight.  Plus, I have to keep a few things to myself.  But here are a few things that I think everyone should know:

1)      Finger print powder is really hard to wash off your hands (the non-magnetic kind that is.)  In fact, if you aren’t careful with it, you will get it all over yourself, and it will most likely stay under your finger nails for several days, despite repeated scrubbing.

That's me, studying a fingerprint.

2)      Finger print powder is actually quite hard to remove from most surfaces.  If, say, you spill it on a counter top, DO NOT try to wipe it up with a damp cloth.  It will just get everywhere because it reacts to moisture.  Moisture is what makes it work.  The best thing for cleaning up finger print powder is Scrubbing Bubbles (perhaps used in conjunction with a shop vac.)

 

3)      It is possible to lift finger prints off of paper, wood, skin, cheese, and even rocks.  We didn’t try all of these today.  But if you are sneaking into my house and helping yourself to my Parmigiano-Reggiano, BEWARE!

4)      If you plan to get yourself murdered, try wearing tanning lotion.  It will be much easier to lift the prints off of your skin.

5)      North Carolina BBQ has a vinegary taste.  This bothers some people.  I happened to like it.

Some traditional North Carolina BBQ at Holden's Barbecue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great place for lunch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may be asking yourself, how will all of these amazing facts help me with my writing?  I am not entirely sure, but I did come up with quite a few new story ideas today.  Maybe I will even start writing one now…

*Incidentally, my upcoming novel Swimming Alone also features an amateur sleuth. Thanks for reading. I will post my day 2 blog tomorrow, in which I discuss lifting fingerprints off of paper.

Posted in Mystery Writing, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Crime Scene Analysis Day 1: Expanding my writing horizons

Creative Minds Profile #4: Edwin Sanchez

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Nina Mansfield

I love writing classes, and every now and then I actually have time to sign up for one. A couple of years ago I was fortunate enough to enroll in a first draft playwriting class at Primary Stages Einhorn School of Performing Arts (ESPA) taught by award winning playwright Edwin Sanchez. The class was exactly what I needed at the time as a writer—supportive and critical. It helped me to complete a first draft of a play I’d had bumping around in my brain, and also to rewrite my short play Alone in the Goldfish Bowl, which was recently produced at the Six Women Play Festival.

Last month I learned that my inspiring teacher will be publishing his first novel, Diary of a Puerto Rican Demigod. What a fantastic title, right? But that isn’t the only reason that I wanted to profile Edwin Sanchez this month. As a playwright myself, who is having her first novel published very soon, I wanted to pick his brain a little bit about moving between these two genres, and learn what makes him tick as a writer.

Edwin Sanchez is a playwright, film and television writer, novelist, playwriting teacher and mentor. His plays have been produced in New York, throughout the United States and the world. He has won numerous awards including the Theatre Communications Guild Award, the New York Foundation for the Arts Playwriting Awards, and the National Latino Playwriting Award. To learn more about Edwin, check out his website: www.edwinsanchez-writer.com.

Thank you so much for joining me this month on Not Even Joking. What inspired you to write Diary of a Puerto Rican Demigod?

It was an idea that has been circling my brain for a while.  I was really interested in writing a story about someone having to remake themselves.  Going from a real low point and rediscovering not just themselves but their happiness.  I first thought of it as a television series, but writing it as a novel really gave me a freedom I’d never had as a writer.  I don’t have to worry about how to make it happen on stage or the budget you would need to film it.  In a novel, ANYTHING is possible.  Don’t get me wrong, every format, theatre, film, fiction give you as a writer, challenges, but that’s also part of the fun.  At least for me it is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I too write both plays and fiction. For me, some stories just come out as prose, and others manifest themselves in dialogue. How has the experience of writing a novel differed for you than writing plays? (Or has it?) Did your writing process differ?

The writing process stayed the same.  It’s how it is for all of my writing.  I start out with a question that I want an answer to.  I’ll have an image or a line that digs into my brain and won’t let go, and that’s the start of it.  With this novel, because it was my first time writing a long form fiction piece, there was a real, I don’t want to say fear, but wariness.  I would start out for the first few days thinking to myself, “I can’t do this”, and then I would just keep going.  I did the same thing when I wrote my first TV script and film script.  It’s the sense of the unknown, of trying something different and not wanting to fail.  But as writers, we have to be ready to try and fail.  It’s part of the whole journey.  Once I get past a certain point it becomes kind of a joy to write.  Even the heavy stuff. 

What does your typical writing day look like?

I don’t write every day.  Sometimes weeks go by and nothing.  I write when I am triggered to write.  Little things begin to pile up and I start writing.  When I am writing something, I like to do it early in the morning then I’ll take a break, ask myself a question and go running.  Doing something physical in between writing is very helpful.  Also sometimes I write for just ten minutes.  Time myself and ten minutes, go!  I think it’s important to be playful when I write and remind myself that I don’t need an hour or more to write. 

What else gets you up in the morning? What are you passionate about? And how does this influence your creative life? (or does it?)

Teaching.  My students really inspire me. Their journey as writers inspire me to keep going. Writing can be a lonely profession so to be able to share it with others is a lot of fun. 

And my standard drama teacher question: What advice would you give to a student who thinks they’d like to be a playwright and novelist?

Write.  It’s simple.  You write.  And you give yourself permission to try things.  And find someone who you can trust to bounce things off.  One of the things I always stress in my class is that it must be a safe place.  I want everyone to feel that they are safe to try anything.  And if it doesn’t work, it is not the end of the world.  What did you learn from it?  Cause I can guarantee you that if you had an impulse to write that moment, it is because there is something there that you need to have in your work.

Thank you so much! I think that it is really great advice. So often I think writers censor themselves before the words are even on the page. We do need to give ourselves permission. And thank you so much for sharing. I look forward to reading your novel.

You can connect with Edwin Sanchez, and learn more about his novel at the links below:

www.edwinsanchez-writer.com

Amazon link for Diary of a Puerto Rican Demigod

 

Posted in Creative Minds Profile, Theater, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Creative Minds Profile #4: Edwin Sanchez

BOOK BITES: Double Take

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Nina Mansfield

It might seem like all I read is mysteries. While mysteries are my go-to genre, I read just about everything: classics; contemporary literary fiction; non-fiction; plays; and yes, plenty of young adult literature. I especially love YA in the summer…and summer has officially started!  This week, I am excited to learn more about Laura Kennedy’s young adult novel Double Take (Fire & Ice YA, March 2014). Laura also shares a recipe for dolmades, which are mentioned in the novel.

Who is the main character in Double Take? What is she like?

Brooke Bentley is savvy, clueless; impulsive, reflective;, kind, selfish; confident, insecure; loyal, dismissive; adorable and insufferable all at the same time.   In other words, a typical sixteen-year-old girl.

What would Brooke Bentley choose for her last meal?

Brooke would definitely request a large mango/date malt from the Tastee  Freeze.

How about you? What would you choose for your last meal?

I would request a large mango/date malt from the Tastee Freeze.  I’ve adored ice cream ever since I was a baby and used to cry when I saw someone eating a cone. Actually, sometimes I still cry when I see someone eating ice cream.

 Why should someone bite into Double Take?

If you’ve ever wished someone would discover you and turn you into a starlet or high fashion model, you’ll love Double Take.  Just think Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.

Dolmades are mentioned in Double Take. Do you have a recipe?

I’ve looked up other dolmades recipes but they don’t call for meat.  Purists would say this recipe is for Stuffed Grape Leaves. I’m writing this from memory.  I think I’m going to have to make some of these this weekend to see how they turn out.  I don’t remember precooking the onions and pine nuts.  Only the rice.  Since the recipe is so simple, I don’t see how anyone can go too wrong.  The worst thing I can ever remember happening is using white rice and not precooking so it ended up hard.  From then on I cooked the rice first!

Stuffed Grape Leaves – Syrian style

1.     Parboil grape leaves for three to five minutes or until soft. Remove with slotted spoon.  Cool on paper towels, then trim stems.   (You can buy canned grape leaves in the gourmet section of your grocery store.  An 8 oz. jar should be enough).

2.    Meanwhile prepare filling mixture consisting of 1 ¼ quarter pound ground lamb or beef,  one large yellow onion, finely chopped,  ½ cup pine nuts, 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, and one cup precooked brown rice.  

3.    Fill grape leaves with approximately 2 tbsp. each meat mixture and roll up so it looks like a cigar.  Secure with tooth pick, placing seam side down in a large Pyrex baking dish.

4.         Cover filled grape leaves with spaghetti sauce.  Use readymade or use your own recipe.

5.         Cover tightly with aluminum  foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30-40 min or until dolmades are tender when pierced with a fork and meat is no longer pink.  Serve with lemon slices for squeezing onto individual leaves.

Thank you so much Laura. 

You can learn more about Double Take by Laura Kennedy at the link below:

http://www.fireandiceya.com/authors/laurakennedy/DoubleTake.html

 

Posted in Book Bites, Uncategorized, Young Adult Books | Tagged , , | Comments Off on BOOK BITES: Double Take

BOOK BITES: Mina Cortez: From Bouquets to Bullets

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Nina Mansfield

I am not sure when I started to love mystery novels. Was it my first encounter with Nancy Drew? Or was it those Two-Minute Mysteries I used to devour? In any case, I love and read all types of mysteries: thrillers, historical… you name it. What about a SciFi Mystery that takes place in 2154? I say, tell me more! And Jeffrey Cook has done just that. This week he shares a bit about his young adult science fiction mystery novel Mina Cortez: From Bouquets to Bullets (Fire & Ice YA, January 2015), and a cookie recipe!

Tell me a little bit about Mina Cortez. What is she like?

Mina Cortez is an 18 year old girl in the year 2154. She’s spent most of her life training in hopes of receiving a “skill-chip” – implanted microchip containing the information necessary to follow an assigned career path, based on your aptitudes and skills – that will let her become a ballerina. Instead, she ends up implanted with the skill chip inducting her into a secret police agency, making her a combination of spy, detective and cop. Unfortunately, she’s immediately plunged into a mystery involving the disappearance of one of her best friends.

What would Mina choose for her last meal?

Given the choice, homemade enchiladas, her grandmother’s recipe. She doesn’t get to spend a lot of time with family these days outside of her work at her parents’ flower and landscaping company, so it’s a combination of a favorite food, and something with older and pleasant connotations to her.

How about you? What would you choose for your last meal?

Rare steak and mashed potatoes. It’s been my favorite for as long as I can remember.

Why should someone bite into Mina Cortez: From Bouquets to Bullets?

Mina Cortez is a fast-paced YA novel with a bit of a lot of things. A buddy story between two teen girls in the midst of a life-and-death mystery. Futuristic microchipping technology, car chases (including the sidekick’s ‘undead’ Chevy), secret police, spycraft, sandwiches as a vital clue… and having to deal with parents and flower deliveries in the midst of it all.

Do you have a recipe that you’d like to share?

Any perfect meal would be much more complete with my sometime-collaborator Katherine’s oatmeal butterscotch cookie layers for dessert.

BUTTERSCOTCH OATMEAL COOKIE LAYERS

1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 and 1/4 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
8 oz. Butterscotch chips ( they come in bigger bags, so snack intermittently on the rest!)
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Lightly grease two baking sheets.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cream softened butter and both sugars together. Beat in egg and add vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Blend this mixture into the wet mixture. Add chips and nuts. Spread layer of dough over each baking sheet.

Bake for 7-10 minutes, then let cool enough to cut as desired. Store in layers of foil.

Thank you so much! I am definitely intrigued. When I was a little girl, I totally wanted to be a ballerina, and as an adult I have fantasized about having a crime fighting career.   I had the good fortune to attend The Writer’s Police Academy a couple of years ago, which let me live out that fantasy. Oh, and my novel Swimming Alone (due out this fall) features a disappearing friend as well. I’m currently knee deep in edits, and cookies are always helpful when editing, so thank you for this recipe.

You can find out more about Jeffrey Cook and Mina Cortez: Bouquets to Bullets at the links below:


Posted in Book Bites, Mystery Writing, Uncategorized, Young Adult Books | Tagged , , | Comments Off on BOOK BITES: Mina Cortez: From Bouquets to Bullets

My Meta Blog

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Nina Mansfield

My blog has been up for a little over two months, and I realized that I had yet to write the requisite blog about blogging.

So here it is: the blog about why I blog. Because honestly, I had been avoiding blogging for some time. (Too bad my old blog disappeared into the Ethernet, as, if I recall correctly, there were quite a few very short blog posts about me not actually blogging. I’m not even joking.)

I guess when blogging first became a thing (When was that? Surely I was still a teenager,.) there were all these ultra-personal blogs out there. Or maybe that is just how I perceived the world of blogging. These types of blogs do still exist of course, but that just never interested me as a writer. I kept (and still keep) a journal where I scribble up my demons, and I’ve never felt the need to share these thoughts with the world. If I had a blog, it needed to serve some kind of purpose other than being all about me.

Like most people, I also have limited time in my day. What little free time I have should and could be spent doing soooo many other things: revising my paranormal romance; finishing that short mystery story I started writing three weeks ago; editing that novel that is getting published in the fall; watching Season 3 of The Americans. I didn’t want blogging to suck time away from projects I deemed worthier.

But lately, I have actually been reading a lot blogs, which I never really did before. (I’ve been incredibly sheltered. I know.)  I have discovered that there is so much out there in the world of blogging. I came to the realization that my blog did not have to be me whining about my writer’s block or detailing my struggles balancing writing with motherhood. In fact, many of my posts didn’t have to be about me at all. Hence, I’ve added the monthly “Creative Minds” profiles, which have given me an excuse to reconnect with some of the amazingly creative people that I’ve gotten to know over the years; and the bi-weekly “Book Bites” segments, which have been a fun way to learn about what other writers are writing about—and get cooking ideas. I could even invite my friends and fellow writers to share their insights once in a while.

And yes, sometimes it’s OK to just share what the heck is on my mind—like I am doing right now. Because sometimes these ideas fester in my brain, I need to get them out into the world so that I can get back to working on my other writing projects.

More importantly, I’ve realized that the more I write, the more I write. Blogging hasn’t taken time away from my other writing projects. Instead, this blog has actually motivated me to get my act together as a writer (something I’ve been planning to do for years.)

So that’s it. My blog about blogging.

Now time to finish writing that short story.

Posted in Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

A Mystery/Thriller Writing Contest

Posted on June 5, 2015 by Nina Mansfield

I absolutely LOVE how the Internet helps us connect with people all over the world. Just the other day, I was contacted by Inkitt, a “freelance writing platform” based in Berlin. They are hosting a mystery/thriller writing contest, and asked me to spread the word. I checked out the contest, and it looks pretty cool. (Does anyone still say “cool”? Am I dating myself?)

Not sure if I’ll submit to the contest yet. I have published a couple of short mystery stories, like “A Fellow of Infinite Jest” (Ellery Queen, Nov. 2009) and “Summer Reading” (Mysterical-E, Winter 2010/2011 ), but I am not entirely sure that either of these stories fits the bill for the contest. (I do think writers are generally more successful when they actually submit what is asked for– although at times I have questioned myself, and been successful. Check out my recent post on this topic.) I am working on a new story–It’s been a while since I’ve written a short mystery story–but I doubt I’ll have it done by the deadline.

But that doesn’t mean YOU shouldn’t submit. I don’t know much about Inkitt– just what they’ve told me. They don’t charge a fee for their contest, and that is a good sign. (I VERY, VERY rarely submit my writing to ANYTHING that charges a fee.) They’ve sent me some info about their contest, which I’ve posted below. Check it out!

Writing contest for Mystery / Thriller stories “Fated Paradox” Inkitt’s latest contest is open for submissions!

What is Inkitt?

Inkitt is a free writing platform that helps authors reach their full potential. Users collaborate with fellow writers and readers to give each other feedback and improve their work. Inkitt’s vision is to help writers get the exposure they deserve and the publishing deals they covet, without having to jump through the fiery hoops of traditional publishing or wade in the shark-infested waters of self-publishing. They are opening a new writing contest for entries in June.

Mystery and Thriller – Fated Paradox

The theme for the contest is “Fated Paradox: Tales of gripping suspense”. They want you to keep them on the edge of their seats with your best mystery and thriller stories. Submit accounts of murders and red herrings, or have them biting their nails over stories full of adrenaline and espionage. Leave them breathless with your tales of unmatched suspense.

What are the guidelines?

They accept original fiction stories of any length. Entries must be posted on the Inkitt contest page to be considered eligible. The contest opens on June 4th and closes on July 4th. The contest is completely free to enter, and authors will retain all rights to any and all works submitted in the contest. The top 10% based on reader votes get the chance to be picked by the Inkitt staff for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize.

What are the prizes?

1st Prize: $50 cash, 5 printed copies of the winning story with custom Typography (created by Inkitt’s designer).

2nd Prize: $40 cash

3rd Prize: $20 cash

All entrants will have the chance to show their work to a rapidly growing community of authors and readers hungry for high-quality fiction.

Contest URL: www.inkitt.com/fatedparadox

Twitter Handle: @Inkitt

Hashtag: #FatedParadox

Posted in Mystery Writing, Writing | Tagged , , | Comments Off on A Mystery/Thriller Writing Contest

BOOK BITES: The Queen of Diamonds

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Nina Mansfield

As a writer, I believe it is important to stay connected with other writers. That’s why I belong to several writing organizations, including Mystery Writers of America. It was because of my membership in MWA that I came across this week’s book and author, The Queen of Diamonds, a psychological mystery by Tracey Landau (Wildside Press, 2014) .  When I read Tracey’s  “Mug Shot” last month on the MWA-New York website, I knew I wanted to learn more about her novel.

Who is the main character in The Queen of Diamonds? What is he like? 

Our main character is Les. He’s a laid back, optimistic 25-year-old guy working as a professional dancer in NYC. He also happens to be a schizophrenic, but it’s only a “mild case” – if he is to be believed.

What would Les choose for his last meal?

Hmm, for his last meal, I imagine Les would eat an entire NYC-style pizza with everything on it, along with a six-pack. My reasoning is that due to his profession, he normally eats small, healthy meals, so pizza is probably a rare treat. Also he loves beer.

How about you? What would you choose for your last meal?

I’d go for something super fancy and expensive that I wouldn’t normally spend money on. Something delicious and/or interesting, like Kobe beef or a full-course meal at a molecular gastronomy restaurant. I’d want whatever it is to be a full experience, not just food.

Why should someone bite into The Queen of Diamonds?

The Queen of Diamonds is a fun psychological mystery with a lot of humor and twists. There are hidden clues, quirky characters, and action throughout. It’s also not told in a usual linear way; you’re dropped into the middle of the action and the story goes back and forth between the past and present.

Do you have a recipe you would like to share?

Sure! I really like different cuisines and exotic recipes, and there’s a wonderful old Jamaican chicken recipe my mom had cut out of a magazine from 1994. I actually managed to find it again online. It’s also healthy, which Les would surely appreciate: http://www.myhealthycookingrecipes.com/recipes/site/recipe.php?id=101848&cat=%2FMain+Dish%2FPoultry+Chicken

Thank you so much for sharing Tracey!  I am adding The Queen of Diamonds to my Goodreads “To Read” list right now. And I am so glad you posted a healthy recipe. (I believe next time, we’ve got a cookie recipe coming on “Book Bites”, so I want to make sure our readers get some healthy options!)

You can learn more about Tracey Landau and The Queen of Diamonds below:

Tracey Landau’s website

The Queen of Diamonds Facebook page

Tracey Landau on Twitter

Posted in Book Bites, Mystery Writing | Comments Off on BOOK BITES: The Queen of Diamonds

Creative Minds Profile #3: Stacy Barnett Mozer

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Nina Mansfield

A number of years ago, I was experiencing a lot of writing angst. OK, ok, I am still experiencing a lot of writing angst, but this was different. I had started submitting an earlier draft of my YA mystery novel Swimming Alone to agents, and I was dealing with the agonizing heartbreak of rejection. I turned to the ever faithful internet, and discovered Verla Kay’s Blueboard. I began to connect with other writers, specifically those writing for children and young adults. Unlike some of the writing boards I had encountered, the Blueboard was a super-friendly and supportive place. One writer suggested I attend an upcoming New York SCBWI  conference. It turns out, this writer lived nearby, and we decided to meet on the train into NYC. And that is the story of how I met Stacy Barnett Mozer. Soon after, Stacy asked me to join a critique group. Attending my very first SCBWI conference and joining a critique group really turned my writing life around. (Shortly afterwards, I did a thorough rewrite of my novel, and landed an agent.)

I am delighted to profile Stacy Barnett Mozer this week as her debut middle grade novel The Sweet Spot is being released next week!

Stacy Barnett Mozer is a third grade teacher and a mom. She started writing books when a class of students told her that there was no way that a real author who wrote real books could possibly revise their work as much as she asked them to revise. She’s been revising her own work ever since. Stacy is also an assistant regional adviser of NESCBWI. She coordinates critique groups for all of New England.

 

 

Stacy, I’ve had the pleasure of reading many manifestations of The Sweet Spot in our critique group. How does it feel to see your work in print?

The first time I saw my work in print was actually last year when I had copies made of my book to put in my classroom library and to give to my kids’ school. Once I saw my book looking like a book, it made me see it and myself differently. I finally felt like an author instead of a writer. Some people don’t believe that there is much of a distinction between the two, but to me becoming an author was always the big picture goal. I was a writer every time I put words on the page. Being an author was different. And having kids actually reading my book and seeing it on the shelf in the library made it even more real. I am very excited to start seeing it in bookstores and town libraries next week.

What inspired you to write The Sweet Spot?

The Sweet Spot started as a story about a girl who went camping. In one scene of that story I had my main character take part in a baseball game, hiding the fact she was a ball player at home. People loved that scene so much, I started adding more about her being a ball player and that eventually led me to write this book.

Why a ball player? I had two reasons. First, every year I’ve had one or two girls who have faced the challenge of being accepted by the boys at recess when they want to join in their sports games. Each year they’ve persevered and found a way to be accepted into soccer or football or whatever they were playing and I wanted to capture that with my main character. Second, while I never played sports as a child, I have always been a huge Mets fan and at the time I wrote this book I was going to little league games and practices four or five times a week. Combining the two, Sam became a ball player.

Why do you write?

At this point I write because I hear voices in my head and it’s either write them down or be called crazy, but that wasn’t always the case. I really learned to be a writer by learning how to teach writing. I spent a week at the Teacher’s College Writer’s Workshop and they had each of us start our own writer’s notebook in order to have a shared experience with the students we would be teaching. I continued that practice as a teacher, completing every assignment that I asked my students to complete and it made me love the writing process and getting involved in that process myself.

What else gets you up in the morning? What are you passionate about? And how does this influence your creative life? (or does it?)

My two kids get me up in the morning and I love every moment spent with them (even the tough ones). They certainly influence my writing. There is one scene in The Sweet Spot between my main character and her sister that came directly out of my life. As I was writing a chapter and completely lost in my fictional world, my daughter Annie started bringing in all of her baby dolls. By the time I pulled my head out of the chapter I was surrounded by baby stuff and Annie was telling me all about the baby she would be having at the hospital and why I needed to watch her things. I added the whole scene to the book.

I am also a passionate reader. I read about two or three middle grade or young adult novels a week, often when I am supposed to be sleeping.

You are also a teacher. What advice would you give to a young person who thinks they’d like to be an author?

Live a writerly life. Keep a writer’s notebook and write down your observations of the real world. Don’t be afraid to show your work to others and be willing to accept feedback. Read, a lot. Study your craft. I wish I had known at a younger age that I would be a writer some day. I probably wouldn’t have avoided all of those writing courses in college. And most important, never give up the dream. If you keep at it, learn from your mistakes, and continue working, you will definitely find your sweet spot.

Visit Stacy’s blog stacymozer.com for more information about Stacy and her books. Stacy also blogs at Sporty Girl Books, From the Mixed Up Files of Middle Grade Authors and  http://selfpubmg2k15.blogspot.com/ She is on twitter at @SMozer.

 

Posted in Creative Minds Profile, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment