Tag Archive for: Bullet Books Speed Reads

Technology and Moving with the Times

by Kay Kendall


Historical mysteries are my favorites among all crime fiction. When plotting my own books, I like to show how patterns of human nature repeat down the decades, no matter what historical age one reads about. I also confess that I relish the details that show past eras—the changes in language and attitudes, in styles of dress and architecture. Also, by not setting my stories during the present day, I can focus more on character. Not for me the world of high tech and CSI tricks. I prefer to delve into people’s personalities—to discover what makes them tick—and what causes them to murder.

But last summer I had to write about more modern technology than I like to do in my plotting. I moved from writing a storyline set in 1923 (AFTER YOU’VE GONE) to a novella that takes place in 1989. Yikes. In the Bullet Book named ONLY A PAWN IN THEIR GAME, we had to introduce a few cell phones. This put me into shock.

When author Manning Wolfe asked me to write for her Bullet Book Speed Reads project, there was a snag. She didn’t want historical mysteries. Luckily, we compromised and settled on 1989—a time that was old enough for me but not too long ago for her.

That’s how ONLY A PAWN IN THEIR GAME landed in the tense summer of 1989. The Communist hold on Eastern Europe was coming apart at the seams. The metaphorical Iron Curtain was being shredded, and the REAL Berlin Wall was quaking. Emotions ran high in international diplomatic–and SPY–circles. Into this hot cauldron of intrigue we dropped our protagonist, Ms. Sammy Strauss.

Because this was a joint project with Manning, we had to agree on most everything, and at least from my point of view, the project went along smoothly. Toughest for me to cope with though, I must say, was how much new-fangled stuff to decide to add to the plot. Manning remembered more digital gizmos than I did for the time period. That difference intrigued me. The only reason I came up with to explain that difference was that in 1989 she lived in Austin, Texas, and I lived in Ottawa, Ontario. She had a cell phone, and I didn’t until 1991, and by that time I too lived in Texas. (On the other hand, ATMs were widespread in Canada in 1983, well before they became ubiquitous in the US.)

The story of the unexpectedly exciting—and dangerous—summer of 1989 shows Ms. Sammy Strauss flying from her home in Houston, Texas, to Vienna, Austria. Although she expects a carefree time serving a summer internship at the US Embassy in Vienna, that’s not what she ends up with.

I’m not used to writing about instantaneous communication, and fortunately, in 1989 the digital revolution had not yet gotten into full swing. Sammy mentions that her cell phone doesn’t work in Europe, and so she puts it away. Good, it doesn’t figure into the plot. She uses hotel phones and receives notes from the handsome stranger she meets on the plane ride from Texas to Austria. These written notes play an important role in the plot as competing spy rings clash in desperation and encroach and then threaten her life. Is the attractive man interested in her because he is headed for romance—or is he really trying to use her as a pawn?

Plotting on my next mystery is now underway. Again I must face more advances in technology. Although I’m not terribly happy about that, I’ll have to deal with it. The story begins a year after the conclusion of Sammy’s red hot summer in Vienna, when she meets up with the cast of characters from my Austin Starr mysteries. And thereby hangs my next tale, TANGLED UP IN BLUE. (Maybe I will give Austin or Sammy a cell phone with a blue case.)

Yes, that’s another song title by Bob Dylan, and it’s perfect for one of the crimes I have planned. The year is 1991 with flashbacks to 1970. At least there won’t be cell phones in those flashbacks.
~~~~~~~

 
Award-winning author Kay Kendall is passionate about historical mysteries. She lives in Texas with her Canadian husband, three house rabbits, and spaniel Wills. Visit Kay at her website http://www.austinstarr.com/
or on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/KayKendallAuthor

Only a Pawn in Their Game (Bullet Books Speed Reads #7)

by Kay Kendall

 My fellow Texan Manning Wolfe—friend,
author, ace lawyer—has launched an exciting new series called Bullet Books
Speed Reads.  
BULLET BOOKS!
ON A PLANE… ON A TRAIN…FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET!

Bullet Books are speed reads for the busy traveler, commuter, and beach-goer.
All are new original crime fiction stories that can be read in two to three
hours. Gripping cinematic mysteries and thrillers by your favorite authors! Page
turners for fans who want to escape into a good read. ALL ABOARD!

Manning asked me to write for her project, but there
was a snag. She didn’t want historical mysteries, and that’s what I
write. Luckily, we compromised and settled on a time
that was old enough for me but not too long ago for her.

That means ONLY A PAWN IN THEIR GAME is set in the tense summer of 1989. The Communist hold on Eastern Europe is coming apart at the seams. The metaphorical Iron Curtain is shredding and the REAL Berlin Wall is shaking. Emotions run high in
international diplomatic–and SPY–circles.

Into
this hot cauldron of intrigue I drop my protagonist, Ms. Sammy Strauss.


Sammy
expects a carefree summer during her internship at the US Embassy in Vienna.
Competing spy rings clash in desperation and threaten her life as every Viennese
waltz accompanies a murder. Is the handsome stranger she meets heading for
romance or using her as a pawn?

Can she figure out who’s playing the tune before the dangerous dance ends
badly?


Lucky
for YOU, the potential reader, you can read my new book ONLY A PAWN IN THEIR
GAME to find out the answer. This book and others in this new series are
available at all online book sellers in paperback and digital format. (NOTE: Keeping with my long-standing tradition, the name of my Bullet Book is also a Bob Dylan song title.)

~~~~~~~

 
 

Author Kay
Kendall is passionate about historical mysteries.  She lives in Texas with
her Canadian husband, three house rabbits, and spaniel Wills.
Her
second book Rainy Day Women won the Silver Falchion for best mystery at Killer
Nashville. Visit Kay at her website http://www.austinstarr.com/  

or on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/KayKendallAuthor