Writing Biographies for Middle Graders: Challenge Two for 2018

In this Year of Writing Dangerously, I am challenging myself. Last week I wrote about Challenge One for 2018—writing a thriller. I have a couple of ideas I’m trying out in my head.

Scenario one involves a current hot topic in the news. What happens when ex-partners disagree about who owns/what ought to happen to frozen embryos they created while still together. And what is some nefarious group sets out to “collect” (steal) the one million frozen embryos stored for some, of course, nefarious purpose?

In scenario two, during a presidential election cycle, a candidate is shot. He is elected post-mortem. Who is prez when he dies before taking oath of office? Do they vote again? Is it the Veep? Or is it the other candidate, a third party dark horse who finished second?

And there are many more possibilities for me to select among. But this post is about my second challenge, and it is one I for sure will complete in 2018.

The second challenge actually belongs to another of my writing personae, Caroline Adams, who writes historical fiction for adults and biography for middle grades students. Caroline/I is/am enamored of Intrepid Women, and this series of bios is about some of them.

In 2017, I actually did complete most of a middle grade bio of Elizabeth Jennings Graham, all but the last few pages. My writing group, in effect said, “Not even a good try. Start again.”

Well, that wasn’t what I wanted to hear. But it was exactly what I feared they would tell me. And, worse, I knew they were correct.

So, why the epic fail? I rarely been so far off between my vision and my implementation. Is it something about writing biographies? Something about writing for that age group? Something about how little I know of my subject? Maybe all three of these?

I am taking steps to rectify each. There is very little available on how to write biographies. For such popular subgenre, I was astounded at how little info there is on the how-to’s and the elements of an effective biography in book form. While there is more available on-line, I wouldn’t characterize it as a plethora. I discuss this more in a post this Thursday on www.carolineadamswriter.blogspot.com.

We all know, don’t we, that writing for children may be the most difficult kind of writing? Those guys are more vicious critics than the professionals. Their critiques happen in homes across America each night. The good, the bad, and the ugly. One must know the psyche of the age group you’re writing for. Understand their interests and concerns. Know the language attributes they use and understand. Find the intersection of what they already know and what they want/need to know. I thought I had this one nailed because of my education background. But no. The crit group pointed out how stilted and artificial I sounded. Sigh. Try again. It’s been a long time since I worked daily with children but it is essential I get the right tone for middle graders.

As to the third possible reason, am I bluffing my way through this since there is so little available about this woman. And much of what is there is contradictory, even to birth dates! So am I covering (or trying to cover) up my ignorance with fill about the era, the issues, the culture so as to disguise the lack of substantive content? How do biographers cover people like Lizzie when so little information exists? I am in contact with a man who has written an adult biography of Lizzie. He is pointing me to some of his resources since he is in New York City and has contacts with the history folk there.

These two challenges, writing a thriller and producing a good middle grade biography should be enough to occupy any free time I find I have. I’ll save other challenges for next year and beyond. There’s always something new to be learned, done or tried. Right?

Please share this post with others. Thank you!

Facebook: Writers, do you challenge yourself to try new genres, formats? Sharon Arthur Moore has set two challenges for herself for 2018. What are you working on in The Year of Writing Dangerously? http://bit.ly/2Dg1eTF

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Writing a Thriller: Challenge One for 2018

In another post I wrote about 2018 being The Year of Writing Dangerously. I meant it to mean you will challenge yourself to attempt what you’ve not tried before in the writing realm. For me, there are many paths to choose, and maybe I’ll go down more than one.

But there’s a part of me that is pulling hardest to write a thriller. Mysteries are but a hop, skip, and big jump from thrillers, after all. They are often grouped when you search for writing how-to books. Different but similar enough. After all, aren’t suspense book subgenres just strung along a continuum?

And domestic thrillers are hot, hot, hot. So the zeitgeist is there encouraging me to take the leap, too. So what’s holding me back?

Well, for one thing, I don’t write, have never written scary stories. And thrillers have to be scary in a way that mysteries often are not. Especially the cozies I write. There’s a level of tension cozies don’t reach. And the stakes are higher in thrillers. Often there are federal level investigators involved or government officials. Often there is a violent crime, but not always. But it’s always some serious stuff!

Thrillers are, well, thrilling. That is they make the reader feel intense emotions. Thrillers are most often about impending disaster. Often the villain is known early on and the tension arises from watching the unspeakable unfold. Waiting for someone, anyone to step in and stop the horror. The tension mounts as it appears the villain will triumph. There is no way to stop what is inevitable. Until there is.

A good thriller twists and turns in unpredictable ways that are always plausible, even if unanticipated. The ending is satisfying and conclusive, even if not happy. The logic of a thriller is the escalating tension to a breaking point.

I figured the first place to begin learning how to write a thriller is deconstructing some of the domestic thrillers I’ve enjoyed. Like The Talented Mr. Ripley, Gone Girl, and The Girl on the Train. Mystic River and Shutter Island. There are psychological thrillers as opposed to some other kinds of thrillers.

I personally am not interested in writing a spy thriller, military thriller, or a political thriller. Maybe I’d try a science fiction thriller since I have a nascent idea for one. But for me, the psychological thriller is the one I want to try. Psychological torture engages me more than physical torture or political intrigue.

Spy thrillers, political thrillers, and the others are more about the plot than having a character focus. Another kind of thriller is the comedy thriller which is personified by Fargo. It’s psychological thriller with an enormous violence factor and filled with black humor. These are dark shows that make you laugh and then feel bad about doing so. Even more talent is required to write a comedy thriller.

Standard psychological thrillers interest me most because they mess with your mind. In the psychological thriller, ordinary people are put into extraordinary circumstances and must try to find a way out. Along the way they undergo huge stressors. The pressure is unbearable, but they must bear it and find a way out. Imagine your baby being kidnapped and held for ransom. What could be worse? Or maybe someone from your hidden and secret past returns and blackmails you in escalating increments.

Other research I’m engaged in is discovering what makes for a scary story and what are the components of a thriller. How are they different? Alike?

One of my gurus, James Scott Bell wrote about the components of thrillers. His five C’s of thrillers are: Complex Characters, Confrontation, Careening (plot twists and turns), Coronary (readers experience scene emotions), and Communication (thrillers carry a message). Add to this list the inclusion of psychological manipulation and you get what I want to try.

Seems like a good framework to hang on the elements I am learning about, including the importance of the setting and atmosphere of the thriller and the importance of talismans/symbols that signal changes and hint at the message of the thriller. I want to use the unreliable narrator in my thriller. I am fascinated with the trope and want to give it a go.

It’s pretty obvious I’m not ready, yet, to start my thriller. But I am becoming more comfortable with its elements. Now all I need is a good premise and concept. Easy peasy!

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"The alphabet now ends at Y". :R.I.P. Sue Grafton

We’re starting the new year without one of mystery’s luminaries. She was gracious to new writers at conferences, but tough nevertheless. She had an opinion and she wasn’t afraid to use it!

One of her many admirable stances related to the integrity of her work. She wouldn’t allow a film version—neither TV nor movie—to be made of any of her books. I’m sure she didn’t want the inevitable Hollywoodization of Kinsey. Accordingly, she also made clear that no ghost writers were to take up a partial manuscript and complete it. Her work would end with her. Admirable, right?

At the last conference where I heard her speak, Left Coast Crime, she was quite clear on a number of points about another writing perspective. Among other viewpoints expressed, she was against writing groups and critique partners because she thought they aided and abetted the abrogation of the writer’s responsibilities.

She said that we should know if something is working, and if not, we should know how to fix it. She implied that using a writer’s group or critique partner would be a lazy way out and shirked the writer’s ultimate role and usurped the writer’s authority.

Well, I’d bet that 90% of the writers in that audience had a group or partner or both. It shook me. And I felt the tremors around the room.

Was I avoiding the hard work by shoving it off onto others? Was I such a poor writer and editor of my own words that I needed hand-holding? Maybe. That is a tough cookie to choke down.

She said we get better at being our own editors if we just do it. And be honest with ourselves. Then fix it.

It’s true. We know when something isn’t right, isn’t working, doesn’t make sense. But, we/I expect others to tell us the hard truth because we keep hoping we’re wrong. That the manuscript is okay. That it’s “good enough for government work.” That we can collect our “how wonderful”s and get on to something else.

No, Sue Grafton insisted, you will get it right. That is, if you want to call yourself a professional writer.

She was funny, brilliant, insightful, and helped open up the world of female detectives to those who would follow. All of us, mystery writers and others, hope you and Kinsey are at peace now after your fight with a devastating cancer. As your daughter said, “The alphabet now ends at Y.”

Happy Holidays and Why I Say It

I write this greeting because I have friends from so many traditions that Merry Christmas isn’t appropriate for all, and how I am to know what holidays they celebrate unless they tell me?

Since there are 29 holiday celebrations between November 1^st and January 15^th, it makes perfect sense to be more inclusive with the “Happy Holidays” saying. How that is taking away from Christmas escapes me!

Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, Saturnalia, Festivus, or any of the other seasonal holidays, I wish you a safe and joyous one!

See you next year!

Book Review: Smugglers and Scones

Morgan C. Talbot began her delightful Moorehaven Mysteries culinary mystery series as a USA Today Best Seller with Smugglers and Scones. Great way to start, eh? Red Adept Publishing released this book almost a year ago.

The setting is Moorehaven, a B&B located in the home of now-deceased classic mystery writer, A. Raymond Moore. Per the dead author’s instructions, Pippa operates Moorehaven as a retreat dedicated to mystery writers. No one else can book a room, so don’t get your hopes up. Darn!

Moorehaven’s beautiful seaside community in Oregon offers a perfect blend of serenity and stimulation for the mystery writers working on their manuscripts.

A. Raymond Moore author quotes open each chapter and reveal this mysterious man and set up each chapter’s focus. Talbot chose a delightful device to enrich her story.

Put together a local tale that is almost a hundred years old, add in a boat crash and handsome murder suspect with amnesia, flavor with a speakeasy museum and a documentary being filmed, and, well, there’s more! This mystery provides many avenues of exploration.

The plot twists and turns in Smugglers and Scones keep the reader guessing right up to the end. The book features a panoply of potential villains.

As a writer of culinary mysteries, I am appreciative of the skill Talbot displayed in laying out the clues and taking unexpected paths toward the solution. The conclusion, after providing a good range of potential killers, is satisfying and appropriate to explain the murders. Murders? Oh, yes. There’s more than one in this cozy.

Seacrest, Oregon is peopled with the usual assortment of delightful, quirky, or just plain weird folk. When you add in the documentary film crew, an itinerant worker, and the authors who use Moorehaven for their writers’ retreats, you throw even more fun into the mix. And the mystery authors want to be part of the action. A real life murder to solve? They’re loving it!

Check out Morgan C. Talbot’s website, “Mysteriouser and Mysteriouser” at morganctalbot.blogspot.com to find information on her books and access to recipes and more!

Since I love blueberries, I picked this recipe to share with you. Thanks, Morgan, for allowing me to reprint this. Readers, trust me, you’re going to love these scones! My family did.

Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

Scone ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup granulated sugar

2½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

zest of 1 large lemon

½ cup unsalted butter, cold

½ cup Greek yogurt, plain

4 tablespoons milk (for thinning yogurt)

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Egg wash ingredients

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon milk

Glaze ingredients

1¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Extra zest

Tips:

 - If you're using frozen berries, rinse them until the water runs mostly clear and pat them dry, then add them to the dough. - If you like a thicker, whiter glaze, add another 1/4 cup of confectioners' sugar.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F / 205 C.

2. In a bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.

3. Chop cold butter into small pieces and add to flour mixture. Combine with pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt and milk until smooth.

5. Add egg and vanilla to yogurt blend and whisk together. Drizzle over flour mixture and stir until moistened. Fold in blueberries. Dough will be sticky.

6. Using a 2/3 cup measuring scoop, add dough to scone pan sections and press into corners with spatula. If you don’t want to use a scone pan, flatten dough into a 1” high circle on floured surface and cut into wedges with very sharp knife. Place parchment paper or silicone baking mat on a baking sheet and transfer dough to it with spatula.

7. Brush tops with egg wash.

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

9. Let cool 2 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack.

10. To make glaze, whisk confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, unsalted butter, and zest together until smooth and drizzle over cool scones.

Additional Notes

Mr. Moore made his scones with heavy cream, but I found that substituting Greek yogurt, thinned with a little milk, cuts the fat content in half while preserving the luscious flavor. Plus, Greek yogurt instead of regular plain yogurt adds a sweet tanginess.

Gluten Free Version

For GF Blueberry Scones, simply substitute a 1-for-1 GF flour for the all-purpose wheat flour. The GF flour will be a little stiffer and reluctant to fully mix, so I set aside my spoon and worked the dough with my hands until fully blended. I also measured the dough into my scone pan with my hands, but that's entirely optional. These scones are so delicious, people won't know they're GF!

Bloggers rely on people spreading the word. Thanks for sharing this post.

Facebook: Looking for a new voice in culinary mysteries? Morgan C. Talbot has a tightly plotted mystery laced with mention of and recipes for delectable scones. Check out the review of SMUGGLERS AND SCONES and try one of the book’s recipes. http://bit.ly/2oC57fk

Twitter: Blueberry Scones w/ Lemon Glaze #Recipe and review of new book by culinary mystery writer @MorganCTalbot’s SMUGGLERS AND SCONES http://bit.ly/2oC57fk

Making a Holiday Happening Happen

The holidays are in full swing. From Halloween on it seems there is some food centered gathering or happening. Don’t get stressed if you are hosting. Instead, using careful planning and in-advance preparations, you can be the Perle Mesta of your neighborhood. (And if you know who I’m referring to, welcome to my generation!)

And as an added benefit, as a writer, I can collect dialogue bits, imagine someone face-planting into the punch, or a dead body on the kitchen floor. Parties like this are fodder for authors! But I digress!

To plan how much food to make, my rule of thumb is to assume each guest will eat one or two of each dish offered and will sample the sweets so I make a lot of mini dessert options. This column focuses on a Happy Hour menu.

For ideas beyond these check the archives of this blog for my Month-of Recipes I produce each February. In 2014, I did at least one appetizer recipe each day of February. In 2015, I shared at least one mini-dessert recipe each day. Add to your repertoire by reading those.

But let’s face it, they’re coming to be with you and not to evaluate the food. Much of this can be done a day or two in advance and reheated if necessary. But keep it plentiful, colorful, and easy on you and they’ll be impressed and you won’t be stressed.

Throw in a couple of prepared items like the taquitos and/or egg rolls from frozen section of the store. There also are other items you might like. Start in the frozen section first then fill in with some of these:

Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce

Thaw shrimp

Mix 1 cup catsup with the juice of half a lemon and 2-4 tablespoons horseradish (adjust to your taste). Stir. Let sit for a couple of hours before dipping in the shrimp.

Meatballs

Bag of frozen meatballs and jar of red pepper jelly

Coat meatballs in zipper bag. Cook on low in microwave for four hours.

Mushrooms with Stuffing

Buy the boxed stuffing mix and prepare as directed but put in another two tablespoons butter. Take the stem out of mushrooms and fill with stuffing. Bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Sharon’s Bruschetta

3 Roma tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

10 basil leaves cut in ribbons

2 T olive oil

Asiago cheese

1 loaf refrigerator French bread baked then cut into 18 (or so) slices.

In small bowl mix everything but oil, cheese, and bread.

Brush bread slices with olive oil and sprinkle on some cheese.

Bake in 350 degree oven for a few minutes until cheese begins to melt.

Remove from oven and spoon on tomato mixture. Sprinkle top with more cheese.

Kielbasa

Cut into rounds about 1/2” thick and brown on both sides. Have a dish of toothpicks for serving.

Cheese Platter

Buy the box of crackers with different kinds of crackers. Slice up a variety of  interesting cheeses paired with a bowl of grapes.

Veggies and Dip

Put a bowl in the middle of a platter and fill with dressing (ranch or something else).

Cover the platter with a broccoli base cut into bite size pieces.

On top of the broccoli, dot the surface with cherry tomatoes and a few cauliflower pieces. At the bottom, make a bow from red bell pepper. It will look like a wreath!

Puff Pastry Desserts

Get a box of puff pastry sheets and one of 24 puff pastry cups.

Bake the puff pastry cups and when cool put a teaspoon of fig jam (or other favorite) into the cup. Top with blue cheese crumbles.

Thaw one (or both) puff pastry sheets. Open up on pastry mat and roll thinner.

Spread a layer of Nutella over the top but not all the way to the edges. Sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts.

Roll up each pastry sheet tightly and place seam side down on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until nicely browned.

When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into 1” slices for serving.

Fruit and Cake

Bowl of kiwi and strawberries to spoon over bought pound/angelfood cake crumbles in a shot or liqueur glass

Candy Pretzel Rods

24 rod pretzels, 1 c choc chips, 1 cup white choc chips, 2T oil (divided), sprinkles or other toppings

Melt each chocolate in its own bowl and add oil. Stir to blend.

Dip one end of pretzel rods into chocolate. Roll in sprinkles (or crushed candy cane or other topping). Chill.

Holiday appropriate drinks.

Make one seasonal drink option, like eggnog (both naughty and nice) or peppermint martini, and offer wine, beer, and soft drinks rather than a full bar. Everyone serves him or herself.

Here’s an interesting sounding peppermint martini, if you’re into alcohol. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/230306/peppermint-martini/

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season filled with family, friends, food, and fun!

If you liked this post, I’d be appreciative if you’d share! Thanks!

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The After

As I worked on Tequila Mockingbird, book five in my current culinary mystery series, for National Novel Writing Month, I knew the series was nearing an end. Book six, Cooks in the Can, will conclude the adventures of personal chefs Alli and Gina in Glendale, Arizona.

So what’s in The After?

I still want to write culinary mysteries, but I am switching it up by moving Alli and Evan to Alaska and having Alli work for a couple of small businesses there. A common joke in Alaska is that Alaska is home to both the wanted and the unwanted. Perfect spot for the cop Evan, right?

Their small Alaska town will be populated with a variety of quirky folk, some of whom run small businesses in the town. In this series, the first book will feature Alli, but other books will have her as a supporting character with other small business owners being the focus. I’m not sure how to avoid the Cabot Cove Syndrome yet, but I’ll figure it out.

I already have some titles for these “murders with taste”, but for me, that’s no big deal. Punny titles pop into my head all the time. What do you think about these to pick from: Baked Alaska, Go with the Floe, Chocolate Moose, Dead and Breakfast, Mint to Be, Arsenic and Old Mace, Thyme to Die, Duds and Suds, and Iced? More are occurring to me all the time, so who knows which ones will be in this series.

My plan, at this point, is to create a small town in Alaska with a variety of quirky characters, each of whom runs a small business in town. Each book in the series will have Alli helping to solve the mystery created around the small business and its owner.

The titles above may have tipped you that one small business owner, Maeve, runs an herb shop. She supplies residents and area restaurants with spices and herbs, but a more lucrative component is her salves and infusions made with marijuana. That keeps her bottom line healthy.

Riley is the owner of the local bed and breakfast, Riley’s Roost—Where you rise and shine! She’s the self-appointed mayor and knows everything about everybody in the town. But she’s a busybody with a heart.

Another resident is Bud, the owner of Bud’s Duds ‘n’ Suds, the local bar that has the only laundromat for 50 miles. He sees the good, the bad, and the ugly in the town, and is privy to secrets told by inebriated customers.

I need a bakery, a diner, and a local newspaper still. And, of course, there is the realtor who gets into lots of spaces. Populating a town is a challenge and great fun!

As to recipes—this is a culinary mystery series, of course—rhubarb is very big in Alaska, so there will be several recipes using the ubiquitous plant, like this recipe from the University of Alaska:

Easy Rhubarb Jam    Yields 2 pints

5 cups rhubarb

3 cups sugar

3 ounce package strawberry-flavored gelatin

Combine rhubarb and sugar and let stand one hour.

Boil until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the strawberry flavored gelatin and stir until dissolved.

Let cool. Pour into freezer containers for storing in freezer or jars

for storing in refrigerator.

Jam should not be stored in the refrigerator for more than 2 weeks. Leave ½ inch

headspace.

Also, salmon is the lifeblood of Alaska, so several salmon recipes will be featured, including this salmon caviar one from an Alaskan friend of mine, Sandy Peacock that she received from her Alaskan friend, Chi Dragich. Thanks to them for sharing this absolutely delicious recipe. I ate it like a grizzly bear!

Salmon Caviar     Yields 2 quarts

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon saki

1-3 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon Dashi seasoning

Salmon roe from one salmon

Open the skein, flatten on wire rack, rubbing back and forth to separate eggs.

Flush with cold water, in rectangular plastic tubs, multiple times until water is clear.

Pick out bits of egg, veins, etc. Set in strainer to dry. Color of eggs will return and appear uniform.

In large bowl, mix well all ingredients except salmon roe.

Fold in eggs to seasoning mixture.

Place in sterile jars and refrigerate for up to 3-4 weeks.

Serve on crackers with cream cheese.

What do you think? Would you pick up a culinary mystery series set in The Last Frontier? Please share this post. Thanks!

Facebook: Sharon Arthur Moore is planning her next culinary mystery series. This one will be set in Alaska. Check out what’s on the horizon. Recipes included. http://bit.ly/2ASIx7M

Twitter: @good2tweat shares two #recipes from her next culinary mystery series set in Alaska. http://bit.ly/2ASIx7M