New Short Story Anthologies

by Paula Gail Benson

Three great new anthologies are on the horizon. Please add the following to your “to be read” lists:

Dark of the Day: Eclipse Stories, will be released on April 1 (in time for the April 8 total solar eclipse). The anthology is edited by Kaye George and published by Down and Out Books. Stories are by Eric Beckstrom, Paula Gail Benson, Michael Bracken, John Rogers Clark, IV, Bridges DelPonte, Cari Dublei, John M. Floyd, Kaye George, Debra H. Goldstein, Toni Goodyear, James A. Hearn, Laura Oles, Katherine Tomlinson, Joseph S. Walker, M.K. Waller, Carol L. Wright. (I’m very proud to be included with these terrific authors!)

Donna Andrews, Marcia Talley, and Barb Goffman edited Three Strikes—You’re Dead!, an anthology of sports mysteries coming out April 23 from Wildside Press. Every author in it is a member of the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime. The authors are: William Ade, Kathryn Prater Bomey, Maddi Davidson (the pen name of authors Diane Davidson and Mary Ann Davidson), Lynne Ewing, Barb Goffman, Sherry Harris, Smita Harish Jain, Adam Meyer, Alan Orloff, Rosalie Spielman, Shannon Taft, F. J. Talley, Robin Templeton, and Joseph S. Walker.

Malice Domestic announces its 18th Malice Domestic anthology titled Mystery Most Devious, edited by John Betancourt, Michael Bracken, and Carla Coupe Malice Domestic and published by Wildside Press. The anthology will include stories by Mary Adler, Sue Anger, Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier, Susan Love Brown, Joslyn Chase, Leone Ciporin, P.A. De Voe, Christine Eskilson, Roberta Gibson, Hope Hodgkins, Smita Harish Jain, Jackie McMahon, Linda Norlander, Josh Pachter, Jill K. Quinn, Jennifer Slee, and Sarah Stephens. It’s due to be released with a book signing at Malice Domestic in April.

Happy reading!

 

The Difference Between a Shamrock and a Four-Leaf Clover

by Paula Gail Benson

On March 1, Terrie Farley Moran, author of the Read Em and Eat mystery series and current author of the Jessica Fletcher novels including Murder She Wrote: Death on the Emerald Isle, posted the following on Facebook: “Welcome to March, the month of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Please remember that the SHAMROCK has THREE leaves and decorate accordingly. This is my annual public service announcement.”

 

I’ve thought a lot about Terrie’s PSA, particularly since noticing several companies offering jewelry that had four-leaf clovers instead of shamrocks.

For instance, Talbots features a pin with a lady-bug perched on a four-leaf clover:

Talbots Jewelry

 

Betsy Johnson has a necklace that has a four-leaf clover and horseshoe:

 

Betsey Johnson Jewelry

The shamrock, as Terrie mentioned, is associated with St. Patrick, who is said to have used it to demonstrate the concept of the Holy Trinity, three persons in one God, when teaching the Irish about Christianity.

According to his biography in Britannica, Patrick was born in Britain, captured, and sold into slavery. The six years he worked as a herdsman in Ireland made him turn strongly to his religion. In a dream, he saw a means of escape, but encountered more servitude before being reunited with his family. After his return to Britain, he received a letter asking that he come back to Ireland. Although concerned about his abilities and safety, he did go and is now recognized as Ireland’s patron saint and national apostle.

In her article, “Four Leaf Clover Symbolism and Good Luck Meaning,” Dani Rhys provides a quote from John Melton, written in 1620, as the first mention of how people viewed four-leaf clovers: “If a man walking in the fields find any four-leaved grass, he shall in a small while after find some good thing.”

Rhys also notes that the four-leaf clover is likely connected to the “luck of the Irish” because it grows more often there than in other countries. “Abundance in this case means there is about 1 four-leaf clover in every 5,000 regular three-leaf clovers in the European Island, whereas there is only 1 four-leaf clover in every 10,000 three-leaf ones outside Ireland.”

I’ve been fortunate to have kept a shamrock plant alive in my office for several years. It looks a bit straggly but continues to thrive.

Also, my uncle had an amazing capacity to find four-leaf clovers in a field of green grasses. When he passed away, his wallet contained a collection of many pressed four-leaf clovers.

Whether you seek luck or symbolism, may you have the clover that suits you best! Happy day after St. Patrick’s Day!

My Word for the Year: Communicate

by Paula Gail Benson

Last month, I wrote about receiving the book One Word that Will Change Your Life, which advocates that you select a word to focus upon for the year instead of making resolutions. In the comments to that post, Saralyn Richards and Gay Yellen responded that “gratitude” and “kindness” were words that had significance for them. Debra H. Goldstein asked me, “have you found your one word and has it been sustainable?”

After a month’s delay, Debra, here’s my answer: “the word ‘communicate’ seemed to find me and keeps returning to my attention.”

From Google’s Oxford Languages Dictionary, the first definition of “communicate” is to “share or exchange information, news, or ideas.” The sentence illustrating this definition is “the prisoner was forbidden to communicate with his family.”

At my church, we are anticipating a visit from an Estonian pastor whose grandfather (also a pastor) spent years in a Soviet slave labor camp. I’ve read some of the book Grandfather Pastor Harri Haamer wrote about his prison experience, We Shall Live In Heaven. When he was housed with hardened criminals, one of them asked if he was a “smasher.” He did not know that meant “burglar.” He quickly learned that these inmates claimed fifty percent of any package received by someone in the cell. When a package came for Pastor Haamer, he demanded they give it to him, which earned him respect. Then, he proclaimed, “I’m sharing all the contents of my package to you.” Some protested, only fifty percent, but Pastor Haamer insisted they take all. The oldest criminal told him, “at least come and share with us.” That formed a bond between them.

Pastor Haamer also heard the odd terminology of calling one of the prisoners a “cow to be milked.” He learned this inmate was a spy for the prison officials, who withdrew him from time to time to “milk” him for information he heard in the cell.

The Google Oxford Languages Dictionary’s second definition of communicate is “to convey or transmit (an emotion or feeling) in a nonverbal way.” This reminded me that even when people speak different languages or have no language at all, they may be able to communicate through expressions or gestures. We humans sometimes receive our most delightful and useful nonverbal (at least not “spoken”) communications from our pets that purr in delight or bark in warning.

Communication also may falter if translation is missing. One of my former law clerks was blind. He loved science fiction and fantasy stories. I remember discussing the initial Star Wars (now known as Episode IV) with him and stopping myself after mentioning how I felt seeing one of the opening scenes as a space vessel seems to be traveling overhead. I apologized thinking I had intruded in an area he could not share, but he told me he knew exactly what I meant because a version for the blind had descriptions of the visual actions taking place.

What I have noticed in my own communications this year is that what may be clear in my mind is not always successfully conveyed by spoken or written word. Often, I’m in a rush and leave directions that indicate there are multiple steps, but don’t adequately spell out each one. I rely that someone else remembers as I do, which may or may not be the case.

Already, just by focusing on “communicate,” I’ve noticed areas where I can improve clarity. It’s a continuing process, but I do find myself stopping to ask, “did I make that understandable for the person who will be reading or hearing it?”

Debra, so far, the focus on “communicate” has been sustainable. I’ll keep you updated as the year progresses!

Celebrating All Things Edgar

by Paula Gail Benson

By Unknown author; Restored by Yann Forget and Adam Cuerden – Derived from File:Edgar Allan Poe, circa 1849, restored.jpg; originally from http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=39406, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77527076

Edgar Allan Poe, one of the country’s earliest practitioners of the short story, inventor of the detective fiction genre, and significant contributor to the emerging genre of science fiction, was born on January 19, 1809.

In recognition of his birth, Edith Maxwell reminded readers of an anthology compiled by New England authors, Edgar Allan Cozy, in which each story is based on one of Poe’s short stories, supplied with a cozy atmosphere, and set in the fictional town of Raven Harbor, Maine. Edited by Sadie Hartwell, it contains stories by Ms. Hartwell as well as Barbara Ross, Sherry Harris, the late Shelia Connolly, and Edith Maxwell. It’s available through Amazon.

In addition, on January 16, 2024, the Mystery Writers of America announced the Edgar nominees. Here are the nominations for short stories:

BEST SHORT STORY

“Hallowed Ground,” by Linda Castillo (Macmillan Publishers – Minotaur Books)
“Thriller,” Thriller by Heather Graham (Blackstone Publishing)
“Miss Direction,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September-October 2023 by Rob Osler (Dell Magazines)
“The Rise,” Amazon Original Stories by Ian Rankin (Amazon Publishing)
“Pigeon Tony’s Last Stand,” Amazon Original Stories by Lisa Scottoline (Amazon Publishing)

Note that two of these nominations are for Amazon Original Stories. Each of these authors is known for their longer works.

Linda Castill is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Kate Burkholder series, set in the world of the Amish.

Heather Graham is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 200 novels of category romance, suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult and Christmas family fare.

Rob Osler’s debut mystery DEVIL’S CHEW TOY was 2023 Finalist for the Anthony, Macavity, Agatha, and Lefty Awards.

Scottish crime writer Ian Rankin is best known for his Inspector Rebus novels.

Lisa Scottoline is a #1 bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of 33 novels.

Along with the Edgar nominees, the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award finalists were announced. The estate of Robert Lloyd Fish, an American writer of crime fiction and recipient of an Edgar Award, has sponsored this award for the best first short story by an American author since 1984.

Here are the nominations:

ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD – Endowed by the family of Robert L. Fish.

“Errand for a Neighbor,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, January-February 2023 by Bill Bassman (Dell Magazines)
“The Body in Cell Two,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, May-June 2023 by Kate Hohl (Dell Magazines)
“The Soiled Dove of Shallow Hollow,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. January-February 2023 by Sean McCluskey (Dell Magazines)
“It’s Half Your Fault,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, July-August 2023 by Meghan Leigh Paulk (Dell Magazines)
“Two Hours West of Nothing,” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September-October 2023 by Gabriela Stiteler (Dell Magazines)

One Word

by Paula Gail Benson

This year, I received a gift that has me thinking differently about New Year’s resolutions. The gift is a book entitled One Word that Will Change Your Life (Expanded Edition), written by Jon Gordon (a leadership speaker with a training/consulting company), Dan Britton (a speaker, writer, coach, and trainer who serves as the Chief Field Officer with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes), and Jimmy Page (author, speaker, and leadership coach). It was given to me and other members of our church’s congregational council to encourage team spirit and help establish and focus on “relationships” (the word selected for our council members this year).

So, what is the “one word” method? How does it work and how do you determine your word?

The authors explain in the Introduction: “One Word that Will Change Your Life is a proven way to create clarity, passion, power, and life change. Each year, resolutions are rarely kept, and goals are often easily forgotten. But One Word sticks. By living a single word that is meant for you, you’ll find renewed purpose and meaning throughout the year and achieve laserlike focus and power for your life.” (One Word, p. x)

According to the authors, while 87 percent of people make new resolutions and goals each year, 50 percent of those folks keep their resolutions and goals only through January. The authors contend, with resolutions and goals, “[s]uccess is measured by what we accomplish instead of who we become.” (One Word, p. 2) They said, “By embracing, owning, and living a single word for 365 days, our lives changed. Instead of being weighed down with unrealistic resolutions and unmet goals, One Word provides an entirely new perspective on how we approach our year. It frees us up. One Word gives us renewed purpose and meaning.” (pp. 5-6)

The authors recommend a three-step process for finding your word: (1) prepare your heart by removing yourself from “busyness” and contemplating in “silence”; (2) ask God what word is right for you and listen for an answer; and (3) keep your mind on the word as you face life and consider how its perspective changes how you view and react to events.

You can start the process at any time and concentrate on a single word for any amount of time you choose, but don’t repeat a word—select a new one for the year or time-period.

The book itself takes about 49 minutes to read. It is available in audio format. At the end of the book is an “action plan” that provides questions and exercises to help discover your word and think about how to use it. Also, there is a website: GetOneWord.com, and X and Facebook accounts.

In addition, these authors have collaborated on a One Word book for children and a book called Life Word, about finding your passion and creating a legacy.

If you went with a single word instead of a list of resolutions or goals, what would your word be?

Do You Drabble? Why You Should!

by Paula Gail Benson

Loren Eaton’s website

Last year, I wrote about the great experience of participating in Loren Eaton’s Advent Ghosts. I’m so pleased he’s offering the opportunity again this year. Even better, it will not be for a single day, but an entire week!

What is Advent Ghosts? It’s a mass storytelling extravaganza, featuring tales of exactly 100 words. Loren opens his website to anyone who wishes to contribute a “drabble” in the tradition of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, celebrating the spectral, mystical, and magical elements of the season. You can send your drabble to Loren for him to post or put it on your website and send Loren the link, which he will display on his site for readers to find.

What’s a “drabble”? According to Wikipedia, it is a story of exactly 100 words (not counting the title or author byline). Some attribute the origin to the Birmingham University’s Science Fiction Society, which took the word from Monty Python’s Big Red Book (1971). Drabble was a competition where the first person to complete a novel of 100 words won the game.

Loren Eaton

Loren Eaton’s Advent Ghosts isn’t a competition, but a sharing of carefully crafted very short stories. I’ve been participating since 2015, when I contributed a piece of magical realism entitled “Beneath the Decoration”:

On the mantle, the shimmering stag perched, a desperate silver spray-painted statuary, a fake gray fur secured with a lopsided satin bow looped around his neck. His glittering eyes beseeched. The jolly fat man’s nose twitched. “An indignity, even for a replica reindeer. Won’t you join my sleigh tonight?” The twinkle in Santa’s eyes loosened the beast’s frozen shoulders. Dipping his mighty head, he shook off the fur loop and pitched it from his antlers. He reared and jumped into the open sack, hearing “Ho, ho, ho” as the drawstring closed above him. Up the chimney, they escaped décor purgatory.

In 2016, I wrote a poignant tale of a first Christmas without a spouse. I called it, “Ever Here”:

The flood washed everything away, including me. At the kids’ urging, Con stayed. So, among the tangled roots that emerged from the drained lake bed, my spirit lingered. First, Con rebuilt the dock, certain of the water’s return. The construction lulled me to sleep beneath green foliage blanketing the bank. Then, I awakened among brown leaves, hearing metal clanking above. I peered around the planks and saw a lighted framework tree. We’d had one each Christmas, now for thirty-seven years. Eyes glistening as he viewed it, Con said softly, “Not evergreen, but ever here.” I stretched, yawned, and nestled deeper.

For 2021, I relied upon Icelandic folklore to come up with “The Yule Cat’s Fury”:

As Skeggr placed the candle stub on his grandmother’s tombstone, its melting wax burned his fingers.

“I’m alone without you, Amma,” he said. “I’ll receive no Christmas gift of clothing to save me from the Yule Cat’s fury.”

He heard a low growl from the shadows.

“The thirteen Yule Lads played no tricks on me. Window Watcher saw I had nothing worth stealing.”

A light flickered nearby, illuminating Candle Snatcher, who handed Skeggr a ribbon with attached bell.

Gratefully, Skeggr donned his new apparel before leaving.

Seizing the smoldering stub, Candle Snatcher whispered, “Yule Kitty, follow your collar bell’s ring.”

Last year, I returned to the nostalgic with “Traditions”:

Mom always prepared the wooden Advent calendar, placing unique treats in each drawer.

In the spring, celebrating twenty-five married years, Pop gave Mom a new engagement ring. She removed the original and told me. “Joe, this is for your bride.”

I said, “Keep it for me.”

We lost Mom unexpectedly. Auto accident. With Sheila beside me, I watched Mom’s remains guided into the mausoleum vault.

The holidays approached. Important little things went undone. Regretfully, I lifted the empty Advent calendar, not having the heart to fill it until I heard something rattle in drawer 24. Mom’s engagement ring for Sheila.

Don’t you want to join in the fun? Here are Loren Eaton’s instructions:

(1) Email me here at ISawLightningFall [at] gmail [dot] com if you’d like to participate.

(2) Pen a scary story that’s exactly 100-words long — no more, no less.

(3) Post the story to your blog anywhere from Saturday, December 16, to Friday, December 22. Hosting on ISLF is available for those without blogs or anyone who wants to write under a pseudonym. (Don’t worry, you’ll retain copyright!)

(4) Email the link of your story to me.

(5) While you should feel free to write whatever you want to, know that I reserve the right to put a content warning on any story that I think needs it.

Here’s Loren’s post announcing the event: https://isawlightningfall.blogspot.com/2023/11/shared-storytelling-advent-ghosts-2023.html

Here’s Loren’s link to the stories shared last year:

https://isawlightningfall.blogspot.com/2022/12/advent-ghosts-2022-stories.html

I hope you’ll consider participating. It’s truly a joy. Thank you, Loren, for sponsoring the event. I look forward to it each year!

A Holiday Stories Submission Opportunity

by Paula Gail Benson

The Bethlehem Writers Group (BWG)—originally begun by writers based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, known as “Christmas City , USA,” and now having members across the country—is no stranger to holiday stories. Its 2009 anthology, A Christmas Sampler: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Holiday Tales, featured stories about a mall Santa who has forgotten a child’s name (Paul Weifknecht), a woman who believes despite contrary evidence that she is pregnant (Courtney Annicchiarico), a bachelor’s Christmas traditions (Headley Hauser), a small town lawyer resolving a mystery after Santa falls from her roof three weeks before Christmas (Carol L. Wright), a deceased man who refuses to leave his beloved alone for the holiday (Ralph Hieb), and a relationship where partners differ about being ready for marriage (Emily P.W. Murphy) [story descriptions paraphrased from Amazon Kindle listing and authors of the stories indicated in parentheses]. The anthology won the 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards for Best Short Fiction and Best Anthology.

Each year, the Bethlehem Writers Group has a short story contest. Here are the details about submitting for the 2024 contest:

“We are seeking never-published (including online or blog posts) short stories of 2,000 words or fewer on the theme: Holiday Tales. We define holiday stories as those that involve any holiday from US Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, or stories that reference those holidays. (There are many such holidays, so let your imagination fly.) While our theme is broadly interpreted, the holiday must be an important element in the story, not just referred to in passing. (DIE HARD would not be accepted!)”

This year’s celebrity judge is Marlo Berliner, the multi-award-winning, bestselling author of The Ghost Chronicles series.

Why not enjoy the 2009 BWG anthology while working on stories to submit for this year’s BWG’s contest?

Writing Discoveries

by Paula Gail Benson

Book by J.K. Rowling

The first weekend in November, the South Carolina Writers Association (SCWA) held its annual conference. Entitled “Storyfest,” it featured a day of master classes followed by two days of panels, guest speakers, readings, and pitch sessions. The entire event was invigorating—truly a great opportunity to connect with other writers, improve craft skills, and find inspiration.

I attended one of the master classes. Called “Before Fade-In: Pre-Writing to Help You Conquer Page One” and taught by Geoffrey Gunn,* a filmmaker who now lives in upstate South Carolina, it provided excellent story techniques that were transferable from working on screenplays to other writing mediums.

One exercise that resonated with me was in the category “Choosing to Do.” Geoff had us list our top five favorite films or novels. We could choose to list particular works or the authors/directors who created them.

The exercise helped to examine what we gravitate toward as readers or viewers. We were asked to think not about what we wanted to write, but about what we wanted as entertainment.

I decided to list movies that I found particularly interesting and could view multiple times. As Geoff pointed out, my five might have been the most eclectic of the class. They were: (1) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (the third book in the series and I think the most involving storyline), (2) To Kill a Mockingbird (such a simple, yet inspiring premise—how important it is to be able to walk around in another person’s shoes), (3) Shakespeare in Love (I love Shakespeare’s plays, but find his biography fascinating—to be able to combine his stories in a contemporary piece that helps a new generation discover him is fabulous), (4) Murder on the Orient Express (Agatha Christie’s classic with its unique ending), and (5) School of Rock (well, that seems out of the blue, but its structure and plot are just really neat, and it taught me a lot about rock and roll appreciation).

After we came up with our lists, Geoff asked us to evaluate the common elements, to understand where we got our ideas so we could keep the reservoir full. He suggested we could invite inspiration into our own creative process by reviewing our top five list when we didn’t know what to write next.

When I reviewed my diverse list of five, I found at least two appealed to the YA market, all five had aspects of legal elements (which ranged from living under a society’s customs or rules to actual criminal offenses to courtroom action or justice delivered outside lawful processes), and all five had realistic, if not always perfectly happy solutions.

Here is what I decided “connected” my list of five:

(1) They all dealt with a person who needed to fit in but didn’t within their societal structure. (Harry, Scout, Shakespeare and Viola, all the suspects in Murder, and Dewey Finn)

(2) The person(s) needing to fit in take(s) an unconventional journey to find belonging.

(3) In the end, the person(s) discover(s) “home”—the place he or she or they need to be.

The exercise has given me a lot to think about and has provided greater insight into my own writing.

Why don’t you try it? See what it tells you about your work.

Very best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving!

______________

*Geoffrey Gunn is a terrific instructor. Here is his bio from the SCWA Storyfest event: “Geoffrey Gunn is a writer, producer and director specializing in independent film. His past writing and co-writing credits include anime legend ‘Mamoru Oshii’s Garm Wars: The Last Druid’ and the dark comedy ‘Dirty Weekend,’ both of which enjoyed international film festival runs before finding their way to theaters, home video and streaming services. Additional writing credits include the Lionsgate release ‘Siren,’ micro-budget darling ‘Cinema Purgatorio’ and the Lifetime thriller ‘Fatal Family Reunion.’ He made his directorial debut with the award-winning short film ‘Last Night at the Ellington,’ which was the recipient of a South Carolina Indie Grant. With over 15 years of experience in the business of independent film, Gunn also routinely works as a panelist, teacher and consultant on screenwriting and filmmaking.”

A New Story

by Paula Gail Benson

As I celebrate my birthday this week, I’m also partying about a new story being published in A DEATH IN THE NIGHT by Dragon Soul Press. The anthology, released on August 30, 2023, contains eleven tales of assassins, which, as described on Amazon, may be about persons who are well paid, who are paying a debt, or who are being blackmailed. Each hired gun faces a unique journey. Some need to be wary of becoming too close to their marks.

The following authors’ stories are featured in the anthology: Victoria Azzi, L.N. Hunter, Charles Kyffhausen, Barend Nieuwstraten III, Fulvio Gatti, Edgar Mahaffey, Gray Stanback, Hennifer Strassel, Douglas Allen Gohl, Frank Sawielijew, and myself.

My story, “Crossfire in the Crosshairs,” occurs in the pandemic and involves a single mother working as an assassin to support her pre-school aged, precocious daughter. As mentioned in the narrative, “Assassinations remain essential services during Covid.” Chelsea Lebouef, the mom, is tasked to slay a famous cellist, hopefully managing to spill some blood on his instrument to heighten its value. She learns there will be multiple shooters to handle the job, but not until she makes arrangements for her daughter’s care and arrives on the job does she realize her competitor is her ex-husband.

I hope you’ll check out my story and the others. Dragon Soul Press has been a great company to work with and has supplied a lot of beneficial materials for promotion. (Notice the great banner above!)

Here’s a link to purchase on Amazon. Happy my birthday, everyone!

Recognizing a Character’s Name in a Mystery Story

by Paula Gail Benson

Barb Goffman, writer and editor extraordinaire

Barb Goffman, whose stories have been finalists for exactly forty national crime awards, will be celebrating two nominations at San Diego’s Bouchercon. Her story “Beauty and the Beyotch,” already the winner of the Agatha Award at Malice Domestic, is among those nominated for the Anthony and Macavity.

Originally written for a themed anthology about theatre, Barb liked the final version of the story so well that she decided to submit it to major publications where it might be seen by a larger readership. Published in Issue 29 of Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Barb describes the story as “a tale about three high school girls told from two perspectives about . . . the struggle to make their deepest desires come true. What happens when those dreams collide?”

The first time I read the story, I immediately recognized one of the character’s names: Elaine Naiman, who lives in Canada and is a friend I’ve met at Malice Domestic. When I approached Elaine about an interview, she mentioned that Barb had included another name in the story, that of Joni Jackson Langevoort.

Joni explained: “Both Elaine and I learned of this opportunity for a character name in one of Barb’s stories at the Malice Domestic live charity auction; Barb asked me for a donation to my favorite local animal charity (she knew my four rescue cats and one rescue pup!), and she would use my name in a story. I did that happily, to the rescue agency where I found my beloved pup Arthur. I said she was welcome to use my full name, but because so many in the mystery community know it, she might want to use my maiden name of Jackson. I didn’t ask for any input, I felt whatever Barb wrote would be fabulous! She is an amazing short story writer, truly. And I loved the story, was so excited when it won the Agatha and have voted for it for the Macavity and Anthony awards!”

Elaine also was delighted with the outcome. She said: “Barb had a ‘Name a Character’ in an auction at Malice. I bid, but didn’t win. When I spoke to her, she told me if I made a donation to an animal charity, she’d put my name in a story. I didn’t say not to use my last name, so she used both. I didn’t have any input about the character, but I loved the story and was glad to be the ‘Beyotch.’ Usually, I’m a good person when I’m in a book.”

Joni Jackson Langevoort

I had the opportunity to ask Barb some additional questions about her story. Here are her answers:

  • Did the story idea come first or did knowing the names of the characters help inspire it?

The story idea came first. When I name a character after someone who wins naming rights at an auction (or, in this case, when two people I’m friends with bid for naming rights at an auction but lost, and I offered to name characters after them if they’d make a charitable donation), I try to use the name for an important character in the story. If the character is going to be a bad guy or a victim, I make sure to ask first if the person would mind that. Some people shudder at the idea. Others relish it.

That said, sometimes the real life person influences the character. In this case, Joni the character and Joni the person both have blond hair. I could have sworn I remembered Joni the person once having a cute pixie cut, so I gave Joni the character that hairdo. The real Joni subsequently told me I’d never seen her with that haircut. It’s a good thing I write fiction.

Elaine Naiman with a figure of Chris Pine at Rock of Ages Quarry where a Star Trek movie was shot. Elaine has photos with everyone!

  • How difficult was it to balance multiple points of view in the story?

“Beauty and the Beyotch” is told from only two points of view: Joni, a shy introvert, and Meryl, her new and more outgoing friend who is best friends with Elaine. Elaine views Joni as a strong rival for the starring role in the school play, which Elaine thinks is her due.

At first I’d thought about writing the story from the points of view of all three main characters (switching POV when scenes change), but I realized it wouldn’t work for the story I wanted to tell. When writing a crime story, you want to keep some things secret from the reader for part of the story—motives or thoughts or actions. Sometimes you can achieve that by having something happen between scenes or by having a character think something in a scene in which she’s not the POV character so the reader doesn’t see those thoughts. In the end, with this story, I thought it best to keep Elaine more removed from the reader. What we know of her comes only from what we see her do and say and what other characters think about her. We don’t see her thoughts.

Getting back to balance, it was a little difficult. Although I went back and forth, scene by scene, for most of the story (the story opens with a Joni scene; it’s followed with a Meryl scene, then a Joni scene, etc.), when I neared the end, storytelling needs dictated that the last three scenes be from Meryl’s perspective. The part of me that likes consistency remains bothered I didn’t have a Joni scene between Meryl’s final two, but I’m probably the only person who noticed or cared. Thankfully, I don’t think the story feels too weighted toward Meryl. If it did, that would have been a problem.

Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Issue 29

  • In my previous interview with you for The Stiletto Gang, you mentioned that a key scene from the story is based on a real-life experience. Could you tell us more about that?

When I was in high school, a group of girls—whom I thought were my friends—snubbed me publicly, telling me that I couldn’t sit with them at lunch anymore. It was mean and humiliating. I like to build my stories from emotions that readers can tap into. That helps make the characters—their thoughts and actions—more real and relatable. So when I decided to write a story involving high school girls, this is the memory that popped into my head, and that’s why there’s a scene in “Beauty and the Beyotch” based on that incident. When I was plotting the story, I thought about why that incident could have come about—not why the real-life girls did what they did but why my characters might act as those girls did that day and how I could build a crime story (and a coming-of-age story) around that memory. And I did.

  • Are you pleased with the reception the story has received?

Wow, yes. How could I not be? Three major award nominations for this story with one win (so far at least—fingers crossed!). I’ve heard from a bunch of readers who said they really enjoyed the story. One reader even named it his story of the week. That’s everything. I write to be read, and I write to entertain and make an impact. With “Beauty and the Beyotch,” I’ve achieved all three things. And I’ve been given the chance to reach even more readers with interviews like this, so thank you, Paula, for inviting me to do this.

Barb, Elaine, and Joni, many thanks to you all for recounting your experiences with “Beauty and the Beyotch.” For readers, if you haven’t had a chance yet, here’s a link for the story. I know you will truly enjoy it!