You Have the Right to Six Words - Bouchercon Week

Sorry I haven't been around much. I've been working diligently to finish up the six-word memoirs scrapbook pages of the authors who will be at Bouchercon. Not sure if I'll get everyone done. But then again, not sure if I'll be able to see everyone to get the pages signed, but I'd like to at least have them ready. The book is really turning out nicer than I had hoped. Actually, it's turned into two books now and may make a third by the time pictures have been added and all memoirs have been completed. But between that, prepping and packing, and oh yeah, that pesky full-time job that pays the bills (ha), I've been pretty busy. I have not, however, stopped reading, so I have some reviews to catch up on after B'Con. But as promised, we will not miss the six-word memoirs this week. So, let's get to them so I can get back to work on the scrapbook.

I am so giddy about this week's memoirists, I can't even tell you! This is a great group of authors to represent for us during Bouchercon week.

To start us off, we have Hilary Davidson. Hilary just snagged her first crime novel book deal, but she's no stranger to writing. After interning for Harper's Magazine in New York City, Hilary returned to her home town of Toronto for a magazine job. From there she decided to strike out on her own and try her hand at freelance work. In the past ten years she's written 18 guidebooks (yes that number IS 18), and gads of newspaper and magazine articles. But the world of crime was calling Hilary and she started dabbling in fiction. After her short story "Anniversary" was selected for the anthology A PRISONER OF MEMORY AND 24 OF THE YEAR'S FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES, agent Nat Sobel took notice. And at this time next year, Hilary will be releasing her first crime fiction novel, titled THE DAMAGE DONE. But you don't have to wait to enjoy her fine writing. She's published short works in Thuglit, Crimespree, Well Told Tales, Beat to a Pulp, Spinetingler, and The Rose & Thorn. And you can see her prize-winning short story "Beast" here. In addition to the publication of her novel, Hilary will celebrate the publication of another short story in 2010. This time "Son of So Many Tears" will be published in the 2010 Thuglit anthology. I am confident that in a few years, someone is going to say to you, "have you heard of Hilary Davidson? She wrote this awesome novel." And you'll be able to say, "Where have you been? I read Hilary's six-word memoir before she even published her first novel. I've known how great she is for-ever!"

When she isn't conjuring up crime and criminals, Hilary studies krav maga and karate, where she's earned a brown belt. And she never tires of traveling. With all of these accomplishments, her memoir fits perfectly:

Thought small sins pointless. Dreamed big.

Our next memoirist this week likes to bring comedy to the crime fiction genre. Don't believe me? Let's put his bio to the first sentence test:

"Lee Goldberg is an ex-Navy SEAL, freelance Sexual Surrogate and a professional Pierce Brosnan impersonator."

I think the man knows how to write a hook! And write them he does. For print and for television. Instead of following his mother's wishes and attending law school or following his grandfather's wishes and going into the family furniture business, Lee attended UCLA, working as a freelance journalist to pay the bills. Lee published his first book .357 VIGILANTE under the pen name Ian Ludlow, but since the publisher promptly went bankrupt, Ian Ludlow was no more. But that didn't deter Lee Goldberg. He climbed back on the bike to try again. And since climbing back on, Lee has published non-fiction, fiction, and television scripts. He's well-known these days for writing the book series MONK, which is based on the television show. His newest MONK novel and the ninth in the series, MR MONK IN TROUBLE is due out this December. MONK is not the first book series Lee's written based on a television series, however. He also wrote the DIAGNOSIS MURDER novels. Lee broke into television with a freelance script for SPENSER: FOR HIRE. DIAGNOSIS MURDER, MONK, HUNTER and NERO WOLFE (for which he won an Edgar nomination) are just a few of his other television credits.

Not giving up after that first let down led Lee Goldberg to a job he loves. And he sums it up with six words:

Paid to pretend, best job ever.

Our next guest today comes to us from across the pond. And I can't tell you how surprised or thrilled I was to have her respond to my e-mail asking if she would participate. Her writing is a magical trip back in time with a gutsy, intelligent, independent woman. These days Ariana Franklin writes the Mistress of the Art of Death series about a twelfth century female pathologist. But Ariana, like Lee and Hilary, started her writing career in journalism. She dropped out of school at the age of 15 to pursue journalism, and by 20 she was the youngest journalist on Fleet Street in London. Ariana loved the journalist's life, but when she married fellow journalist Barry Norman, she left it behind and gave birth to two daughters. Just because she left journalism didn't mean she left writing, however. She continued to write anything and everything: magazine articles, biographies, ghost stories and especially women's history. It was Helen Heller who encouraged Ariana to try her hand at a historical thriller, and try it she did. She took Raymond Chandler's famous line, "When in doubt, have a man come in with a gun" and she molded it to fit her needs. She has a woman come in, and she comes in with a poison or a dagger or a crossbow. Or in Adelia's case she comes in to investigate the results of the poisons or daggers or crossbows. This year Ariana published the third book in the Mistress of the Art of Death series, GRAVE GOODS, and April of next year will bring the fourth title, A MURDEROUS PROCESSION, in this highly accurate, incredibly fun historical thriller series. While Ariana claims

Success has taken me by surprise

Being a great fan of this series, it doesn't surprise me at all!

And anchoring our list of authors today is a man who at 19 wanted to be Ernest Hemingway. William Kent Krueger began writing at the "first light" of day in his efforts to emulate Hemingway. Kent discovered this time of day also worked well for him. So, writing longhand in wire-bound notebooks while sitting in a local cafe at 6:00 each morning, a writer was born. Years later he is writing in that same cafe at 6:00 each morning, but now he's writing full time. Kent's series of Cork O'Connor books have garnered him a Barry Award, three Anthony Awards and four Minnesota Book Awards, among numerous other awards and recognitions. That's not too shabby for a man who was kicked out of Stanford for "radical activities."

Kent has been married to his wife, Diane, for over 35 years. They have two children and call St. Paul, Minnesota home. Kent's ninth Cork O'Connor novel, HEAVEN'S KEEP was released last month. So what six words did Kent find to capture his amazing experiences?

Ambitions failed. Blessings, never. Hope
abides.

How can you help but succeed with an outlook like that?! I'm excited to, hopefully, have the chance to meet Kent this weekend at Bouchercon. Our other three memoirists will, unfortunately, not be making it to the convention this year. That's part of the reason I chose them for this week. I wanted to add them to the celebration! Hilary, Lee, Ariana, and Kent, thank you so much for celebrating mystery and crime fiction with us today through your six-word memoirs. We look forward to all the intrigue and thrill you continue to bring to us, your fans, through your writing.

O.k. everyone, I will once again go quiet until next week when I will return with stories and pictures and reviews and (hopefully) some new interviews lined up! We will also have Week 22 of the Six-Word Memoirs. If you're going to be at Bouchercon, I'll see you this weekend! Happy, happy reading everyone!!

The Serpent's Tale - Ariana Franklin

The Serpent's Tale is Ariana Franklin's second book about Adelia Aguilar. In this tale, Adelia is still in England, living with the Fen's, Mansur, and her infant daughter Allie when King Henry summons Adelia to investigate the poisoning murder of his mistress, Rosamund. The initial supposition is that Queen Eleanor had the mistress murdered, but Rowley does not believe that to be the case.

While Adelia is investigating at the home of Rosamund, Eleanor and her minions arrive with intentions of going to war with King Henry. They force everyone alive at Rosamund's home to travel with them, but they are ultimately forced to take up residence at the nunnery at Godstow for the winter - travel is impossible due to the snow and cold. On their way to the nunnery, another murder is discovered. And yet another murder takes place while they are confined to the nunnery. Adelia must discover who the murderer or murderers are before they harm her or her daughter. In the meantime she prays for the arrival of King Henry to rescue them all.

Ariana Franklin has a special talent for transporting her readers back in time. The Serpent's Tale, like Mistress of the Art of Death, takes place in Twelfth Century England. This time period puts her heroine at a distinct disadvantage because of the way women were treated during this time period. And Franklin doesn't discount that; instead, she uses that fact to develop her protagonist. It doesn't hurt that King Henry supports Adelia, though.

Adelia is one of my favorite female protagonists in crime fiction. She's smart, determined, educated; beneath that sometimes tough exterior, she's compassionate and gentle and kind. Adelia wrestles with the cultural beliefs that allow women to be mistreated in this time and place. Adelia, being from the forward-thinking city of Salerno and also having forward-thinking foster parents, wasn't subjected to many of these cultural norms before coming to England. And while there is little she can do to change their ways, she does use some rather conniving approaches to improving a few women's lives. As the reader, you can't help but cheer her on.

The character of Mansur is as wonderful as ever. He's often just a silent player in the background, but that is what makes his character so powerful. I think I identify with him because he IS silent. He, like I learned many years ago, learns most by simply listening. He is at an advantage in this realm because most of the English people who surround him don't believe he can understand what they are saying, so they speak freely around him. But still, listening is a powerful tool, and he uses it to his advantage.

The addition of Allie in this book brought further depth to Adelia's character. At the conclusion of Mistress, Adelia's feelings for children, specifically Ulf, were heightened. That attitude combined with her love for Rowley makes her attachment to Allie completely natural. It also brings out the softer, more vulnerable side of Adelia.

Franklin's portrayal of Queen Eleanor was quite fascinating. Of course, the Queen is also a woman, and while a woman of power, still a woman. Adelia begins to see some of the same barriers in front of the Queen that are in front of every woman in this time period.

While there isn't a lot of question about who is responsible for the murders in this plot, it is still a page-turner. This is not a book where a murder occurs at the beginning and the remainder of the plot is investigating that one murder. Instead a murder occurs, investigation begins, more murder and mayhem, more investigation. I think you get the picture; the action mimics the chaos of this period with mercenaries running loose at the behest of this queen. And of course the reader is constantly waiting for King Henry to show up.

Yes, King Henry. Franklin illustrates King Henry toward the end of the novel in a manner I found eerily relevant to so many people throughout history, and even to some people today in America's time of turmoil:

Because you outstripped them, Adelia thought. In your impatience, you outstrip everybody, your wife, your son, Becket, and expect them to love you. They are people of our time and you are not; you see beyond the boundaries they set; you see me for what I am and use me for your advantage; you see Jews, women, even heretics, as human beings and use them for your advantage; you envisage justice, tolerance, unattainable things. Of course nobody keeps up with you.

Oddly enough, the one mind she could equate with his was Mother Edyve's. The world believed that what was now was permanent, God had willed it, there could be no alteration without offending Him.

Only a very old woman and this turbulent man had the sacrilegious impudence to question the status quo and believe that things could and should be changed for the betterment of all people.

The turbulence of the time period, the amazingly intricate characters and an exotic setting all add up to an incredible novel. Another wonderful book by Ariana Franklin.

A Twelfth Century Coroner

The Mistress of the Art of Death, written by Ariana Franklin, is the story of a young prodigy from the University of Salarno in Italy who is asked by the King of Sicily to travel to England and find out who is brutally killing children. The English have accused the Jews of this atrocity, and Henry II, the king of England, is concerned because the Jews are a great source of revenue for him. However, this young prodigy happens to be a woman, Adelia. In Italy, this is not a problem, but in England, it is. She is forced to hide her true identity so as to avoid being charged with witchcraft. Adelia is traveling with an Italian investigator as well. His name is Simon and he brings further complications; he is a Jew himself. But, he is determined to find the monster committing these crimes, be he Jew or Gentile.

I enjoy books that deal with forensic anthropology, and this one is no exception. The fact that it takes place in the Twelfth Century adds to the allure. The plot is complex and there are quite a few characters. But the book is so engrossing that it isn't difficult to keep track of who is who and what is happening.

I enjoyed the growth that Franklin portrays in Adelia. This woman who has been hidden for years in her studies of death is now out in the real world dealing with living, breathing, feeling human beings. And this immersion in life changes her in ways she has difficulty understanding. Simon becomes someone she trusts and admires. She enjoys spending time with Prior Geoffrey, her first patient in England. She develops a special relationship with Ulf, the young grandson of their housekeeper. And she feels a romantic attraction for Sir Rowley Picot, a man who is very unlike herself. I had a little trouble with that relationship, though. She seemed to make a drastic change all of a sudden as opposed to a gradual realization. And that was my only criticism of the novel.

In an author's note at the end of the book, the author explains true events that were the basis for the novel. Those events coupled with the details of the time period make the novel almost a time travel. Being engrossed in the pages takes you away to a land and a time completely different from the modern world, but sharing many of the same human tendencies.

This was an outstanding novel.