GOODWEATHER
REPORTS
VIII February 1, 2008
January has flown by in a schizophrenic series of snowy days followed by balmy days giving way to rainy days and beginning all over again. We try to be frugal with the kerosene and with the wood and on the very cold days, I spend a lot of time looking like a street person, in assorted layers of warm clothing and a knit watch cap.
The page proofs have been corrected and sent back and I'm working my way into the next book Birdie's book. I've realized that I've only thought of Birdie as the sweet little old octogenarian so now I'm looking into her past-- and am surrounded by research materials ranging from a 1906 history textbook that belonged to my grandmother to a primer all about Baby Ray that was my mother's in 1924 to material about the Depression in North Carolina to the exodus of rural folk to Detroit in search of jobs to a grim tome I found in a used book store years ago Fighting the Traffic in Young Girls all about the white slave trade and it's illustrated . . .
I've put in some time at the library, straining my eyes over the microfiche to read the newspapers from the period I'm writing about and I've had several long conversations with a friend who grew up in Detroit about the enclaves of mountain folk who migrated there to work in the car plants. ( Ypsilanti , she tells me, was known as Ypsitucky, because so many Southerners lived there.) I spend a lot of time Googling dress styles, car models, and popular music of the 30's through the 50's. Comic books, chewing gum, Lydia Pinkham Vegetable Compound a hodge-podge of stuff that helps bring the time alive so I can write about it.
QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS FROM YOU ALL
( or you uns,' as Miss Birdie would say)
There've been quite a few questions about what happened to various folks from the different books. I've answered them all individually because I really can't do it here without taking the chance of spoiling a yet unread book for some of you. But I will say this: No, I don't always tie up all the loose ends because doing so would make the closing chapters way too long and possibly somewhat dull. The end of Old Wounds , for instance, originally had a lot more information about what happened to whom but my editor thought it was too much. On reading it over, I agreed and out it went. I do usually have an idea in my mind of what happened to various characters and if you write and ask me specifically, I'll tell you my idea.
Another reason for leaving things unresolved is that some of these characters may end up in a later book. As I said above, I'm working on the Miss Birdie book (THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS) now and guess who just showed up in the opening scenes which take place in 1922? --- Romarie, Little Sylvie's oldest sister.
A different thing several folks have commented on is how idyllic my life here on the farm must be. Well, it's pretty nice it's actually Very Nice and I wouldn't trade with anyone but you all do realize, don't you, that when I take the pictures or write the lovely descriptions, I leave out the weeds and the dust bunnies? And I don't mention the icy road we can't always drive up and the cow poop that Dan the Border Colllie just had to roll in. And the chicken Something killed a few nights ago. It's not total Paradise ; some of it takes a little putting up with.
Pepper in Beaufort asked if my books are in hardback. Nope, they're all nice affordable paperback originals except for Art's Blood, which came out in a hardcover book club edition from The Mystery Guild.
Deb Andolino of Aliens and Alibis, an on-line book store http://www.aliensandalibis.com/contact.htm suggests books by Phillip DePoy and by Mark DeCastrique for those who like stories set in the Appalachians .
Recent Reads I've Enjoyed
Southern Discomfort and Uncommon Clay Margaret Maron This lady tells a great story with a wonderful cast of Piedmont North Carolina characters. I finished one and picked up another one right away. And I've read then both before several times.
Touchstone Laurie R. King A book to wallow in for the wonderful setting and characters. I read this slowly, savoring it in small bits till toward the end when I was rushing along to see what happened next,
Un Lun Dun - China Mieville An alternative London , reminiscent of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere with touches of Frank L. Baum's Oz books, this is billed as a Young Adult read but this Old Adult really liked it.
The Ladies of Grace Adieu Susanna Clarke I loved this enchanting collection of tales by the author of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
After Dark and The Old Gods Waken - Manly Wade Wellman The late M.W. Wellman spent a lot of time in our county and brought more than a touch of fantasy to his novels and stories of the mountains.
A Day in the Life of a Born-Again Loser Helen Norris I visited Helen Norris recently at a nursing facility in Black Mountain . This lovely woman, once poet laureate of Alabama , is in her nineties now, sound of mind but suffering the after-effects of a stroke. I am just now reading her beautiful collections of stories. She's a masterly writer.
The Christmas Wife - Helen Norris Yes, this was a movie with Jason Robards and Julie Harris
Water Into Wine Helen Norris
Persuasion - Jane Austen Jane Austen needs no words from me. She goes without saying. But I've been listening to a wonderful recording of this book read by Juliet Stevenson who absolutely brings it to life.
Blue Ridge Nature Notes George and Elizabeth Ellison This beautiful little book is a shorter version of the Ellison's Blue Ridge Nature Journal. George writes wonderful essays and Elizabeth 's breath-taking watercolors adorn the work.
A writer acquaintance introduced me to this interesting site. http://www.shelfari.com/VickiLane/shelf
I haven't had time to do anything more on this site than just begin to list some of my favorite books, plus books I've read recently, but it's a quick and very easy way to keep track of what you've been reading really nice for those of us who read a lot and six months later can't recall the name of the book we want to recommend.
My Schedule 2008
I'll be teaching a 1o session class on writing popular fiction. February 13 April 23 (skipping March 26), Wednesdays, 6 - 8:30, at The Randolph Learning Center in Asheville , The class is offered through UNCA's Great Smokies Writing Program. For more information contact Dr. Elaine Fox ( fox@unca.edu ) or see http://www.unca.edu/gswp/
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Tuesday, February 19 - Two Book Clubs
10-12 - Book Club
2 4 Book Club at North Asheville Library on Merrimon. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Love to see some of you all there!
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Saturday, April 5 Vicki will be a presenter at the Isothermal Community College Writers Workshop, Spindale , NC (more info to come)
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April 25 -27 MALICE DOMESTIC (A convention for fans and authors of the traditional' mystery, held yearly in Arlington , VA )
http://www.malicedomestic.org/
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Tuesday, May 20 - IN A DARK SEASON on sale in bookstores everywhere !!!!!!! whoopee
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May 23 25 WNC Woman Writers' Retreat at Lake Logan . Presenters: Lavinia Plonka, Peggy Millin, and Vicki Lane http://wnc-woman.com/events.html
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September 12-13 Carolina Mountains Literary Festival, Burnsville , NC . Vicki will be leading a workshop. More info to come. ( This is a great local festival in a charming town. I loved being part of it last year. ) http://cmlitfest.org/
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October 9-12 BOUCHERCON, Baltimore , MD. ( The convention for fans and writers of mystery.) http://www.charmedtodeath.com/
That's it for this month! As always, I love to hear from you!
~ Vicki
To email me: vicki_lane@mtnarea.net
To visit my website: www.vickilanemysteries.com
To visit my Amazon blog: http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/A2MQM33N9H56R1/ref=cm_blog_dp_artist_blog
To visit my new blog:
Brief and daily (so far) words and pictures http://vickilanemysteries.blogspot.com/2007/12/something-new.html
Here's a link to the website of a friend and neighbor of mine a documentary photographer who's spent years capturing the essence of our rural county. Look around a bit. http://www.robamberg.com/
