Celebration! Birthday thoughts, mystery & suspense stories, cover reveal

Posted on by - 2019, Story Collections

 

It’s my birthday! Thanks so much for joining me in the celebration.

Is this a milestone of sorts? I’m not allowing the number and its associated labels to mess with my head. Today is another day full of wonder, delight, and possibility.

A day for reflection, to be grateful for a loving family, close friends, sound health, and the good fortune to be living in a time and place that affords women the freedom to work in artistic and intellectually stimulating fields. For me, that means law, fiction writing, and dance. Not necessary in that order and sometimes simultaneously!

Today, I’ll write about writing. So far, 2019 is a banner year for short fiction, both solo works and collaborations with gifted writers and editors. If you’re more interested in novels, stick around until the end of this article for news about my next novel and a cover reveal!

mystery and suspense stories“Dzintra’s Tale,” now in the July/August issue of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, was inspired by experiences of my late father and late aunt during their exodus from Latvia in 1944 and subsequent years as displaced persons. Click here to read more on the blog Something Is Going To Happen, where I give some of my family’s history and the way it triggered my imagination in writing the fictional story “Dzintra’s Tale.” To readers who have been moved by the story enough to contact me directly, I thank you for sharing your personal stories of friends and family from the Baltics and WWII DPs.

The July/August EQMM issue includes stories by these fine writers, with whom I’m proud to share the pages (click on any name to learn more): Vicki Weisfeld, Richard Helms, S.J. Rozan, Trey Dowell, Michael Bracken, Marilyn Todd, Aoife Clifford, Peter Turnbull, Chris Holm, Brendan DuBois, Twist Phelan, Steven Hockensmith, R.T. Raichev, Takemaru Abiko, Tara Laskowski, Tony Fisher, and James Hadley Griffin. Thank you to editor Janet Hutchings and associate editor Jackie Sherbow of EQMM.

mystery and suspense storiesReleased in June, the anthology The Best Laid Plans, 21 Stories of Mystery and Suspense, includes my story “Sucker Punch.” I’ve lightened up on this one—just have fun with it!  In this diverse collection, each writer offers a unique twist on the theme suggested by the anthology title. Here are a few that really grabbed me: P.A. DaVoe’s “Gambling Against Fate” features a 14th century murder investigation with fascinating details about the legal system of the Ming dynasty, and Edith Maxwell’s characters in “The Stonecutter” are so well drawn I was fully immersed in their tale.

They’re all great. For no-spoiler summaries of all 21 stories, click here to check out Kevin Tipple’s review. And click on any name to learn more about the authors in this anthology: Tom Barlow, Susan Daly, Lisa de Nikolits, Peter DiChellis, Lesley A. Diehl, Mary Dutta, C.C. Guthrie, William Kamowski, Lisa Lieberman, Edward Lodi, Rosemary McCracken, LD Masterson, KM Rockwood, Peggy Rothschild, Johanna Beate Stumpf, Vicki Weisfeld, and Chris Wheatley. A big thank you to Superior Shores Press and editor Judy Penz Sheluk, who also contributed a story.

mystery and suspense storiesComing in September from Level Best Books, the anthology Me Too Short Stories, Crimes Against Women, Tales of Retribution and Healing. In my story, “No Outlet,” a woman haunted by memories of a long-ago crime is spurred into action on behalf of a younger woman in trouble. Here is what editor Elizabeth Zelvin wrote in her announcement of the anthology:

“What do women want? A voice. To be heard. Respect. To be believed. Justice. To be both safe and free. The women and children in these stories use the means at hand to protect themselves and those they love… These women are neither femmes fatales nor throwaway victims, nor are they the tough-talking, gunslinging superheroines at the shallow end of crime fiction. These stories, written by women, are about women and girls as strong, as vulnerable, and as varied as their counterparts in real life… In this anthology, you will hear their voices.”

In addition to yours truly, here are the voices you will hear (click on names to learn more): Lynn Hesse, Rona Bell, Ana Brazil, Ann Rawson, C.C. Guthrie, Carole Sojka, Dayle A. Dermatis, Diana Catt, Eve Fisher, Ginn Gannon, Julia Buckley, Julia Pomeroy, Madeline McEwen, and editor Elizabeth Zelvin.

Save the date! The launch party happens on the evening of Tuesday, September 24, 2019, at The Mysterious Bookshop, 58 Warren Street, New York City. Even if you can’t make this date, New Yorkers, be sure to visit The Mysterious Bookshop when you get a chance. It’s an amazing store! [Dancer friends, the store is only a few blocks from Gibney Dance!]literary, mystery, and suspense stories

Now, here is a big thrill I got in May. My collection Your Pick: Selected Stories, won the Eric Hoffer Award for Best Short Story Collection, and was also a Finalist for the Montaigne Medal. Your Pick benefits from the input of my readers over the years. Your comments and reviews helped me select the most-loved stories from my previous collections.

 

Last but not least: A Cover Reveal!

Coming January 2020, Seven Shadows, the fifth Dana Hargrove novel.

Isn’t this cover riveting? Kudos to my cover artist, Roy Migabon.

 

mystery and suspense cover reveal

In Seven Shadows, former prosecutor Dana Hargrove, now a trial judge in Manhattan, is presiding over a high stakes media case when strange things start to happen. Is someone watching her? In the fifth standalone suspense novel of the series, Dana and her family scramble to find out who is lurking in the shadows—before it’s too late.

If you are a blogger or reviewer, please contact me to request an advance reader copy. ARCs will be available in October! Woohoo!

Now, back to “work.” Even on my birthday. “Imagination is my refuge, conception and creation my delights.”

Thanks for reading.

[Attaching here #64Selfie. Didn’t get around to taking the #65Selfie yet.]

Travelogue (3): Road Trip to Montréal

Posted on by - 2019, Travelogue

Time for another road trip, and boy, this one was splendid! A trip to Montréal, My New Favorite City!

Friday, June 28 — Friday July 5, 2019

TRANSPORTATION, MOVING, & PARKING: MORE FUN THAN YOU MIGHT THINK

A six-hour drive from our home in Cortlandt Manor, New York, got us there early Friday evening. Our Airbnb apartment was on Rue Saint André, an excellent location close to everything. [The actual accommodations were not 5-star, however, but we made do!]

The street was torn up for water main repair and we had to park (temporarily and illegally) a block away to unpack. Oddly, as we made multiple trips hauling our stuff from the car, we blended in well with the local residents because—what’s this? Why is half the neighborhood moving? Everywhere, people were carrying boxes and sofas and mattresses and TVs out of their apartments.

We learned later that this was Moving Day! (actually, Moving Weekend). Originally by law, and now by tradition, virtually every lease in Montréal starts on July 1. Whoa! When this got started, they forgot it was also Canada Day. Click here for a complete explanation.

That evening, we found a garage to park the car (very affordable and beautiful) Gare d’ Autocars de Montréal on Rue Berri, under the Greyhound bus station. After that, we took the Metro or walked everywhere the whole week.

For you Beatles fans who are taking or have ever taken the Montréal Metro, I ask you this: After the ride, do you find yourself humming “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” all day? The three electronic notes in the Metro right before the doors close are the first three notes of “L in the S with D.” Play the video in the link and listen to the first three notes when the song starts, 20 seconds in.

With that, the Transportation section segues into…

MUSIC

The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal was going on all week at the Place des Festivals in the Quartier des Spectacles. We just couldn’t believe how many great performances there were: all FREE!

We saw many, many groups, but here are the standouts:

Thomas de Pourquery & Supersonic Excellent brass and vocals, very deeply felt.

The Lowdown Brass Band from Chicago  Energy, rhythm, emotion. My favorite musician in the band was Shane Jonas on Vocals and Trumpet.

Here is a selfie taken by the Lowdown Brass Band after the performance. Do you see me and Kevin in the audience? Keep looking. There. Front left. Really, that’s us. No kidding.

Big Band Intersection A fine brass band that plays a lot of Beatles in interesting arrangements.

Urban Science Brass Band A kooky group of ambulating musicians in colorful costumes with two dancers.  A lot of fun. We followed them through the festival for about 45 minutes.

Baritone Madness  Three baritone saxes. Simply excellent.

David Helbock’s Random Control  An amazingly talented and unusual group from Austria. They play very interesting arrangements of jazz classics.

Plena Libre  A Puerto Rican group with a lot of energy and great rhythms for dancing.

Dancing is often helped with a glass of wine beforehand, as we confirmed with a couple of excellent glasses at Bistro SAQ, overlooking the main plaza at the Jazz Festival. Also had delicious snacks to go with: a cheese plate and fried falafel appetizer.

Which transitions us from Music into…

FOOD

Delicious food all week long. Not a single bad meal. Here are most of the places we ate!

Fruiterie du Plateau  Started every day with breakfast at home with sumptuous breads and beautiful produce from this neighborhood grocery store on Rue Roy.

The Food Lab, Rue Saint Laurent. Gourmet. Halibut for me, “Piglet” for Kevin.

Eggspectation at the Complexe Desjardins. Delicious hamburgers and fries.

La Baraque du Vieux, Rue Saint Vincent. Not gourmet but plenty good basic lunch while touring Vieux Montréal.

Taverne Portugaise on the Place des Festivals. Great Portuguese food, loved the veggies.

La Belle et la Boeuf, Rue Saint Catherine. I had delicious grilled cheese and bacon, Kevin had hamburger.

Restaurant du Jardin Botanique. A surprising delight for a cafeteria-style botanical gardens café. Great tasting salads, squash soup, veggie pizza, chocolate croissants.

Terrasse Nelligan  A terrace on the 5th floor of the Hotel Nelligan, Rue Saint-Paul Ouest. Went for lunch, when they have sandwiches, burgers, fish and chips. Very good.

 

OTHER SITES AND EVENTS

Busy all week! Other places we went:

Vieux Montréal, beautiful historic buildings. My favorites were the churches:

 

 

Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel

 

 

 

Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal

 

 

 

I love the art work, sculpture, and stained glass.

[See also the photo at the beginning of this post.]

Also in Vieux Montréal, watched part of a triathalon competition at Port Montréal and saw Cirque du Soleil’s amazing performance, “Allegria”  [A tip if you plan to go: Bring a hooded sweater. They keep that tent very cold!]

Mont Royal: Walked up to the lookout for a stunning view of the city

The Biosphere: A geodesic dome constructed for Expo ’67. Saw the display of photos and memorabilia from the World Fair, and Kevin reminisced about a family trip there when he was 12. Went to the top for the view.

Parc Olympique: Place of the 1976 Olympic Games. Wanted to go up but the observation tower is closed for construction. [Is it me, or does that building remind you of someone’s face, especially at night.  Hint: Star Wars.]

Planetarium: Went inside to cool down in the AC and saw a cool movie about the universe narrated by Tom Hanks.

Botanical Garden: Very pretty and, as noted above, fantastic lunch.

 

WEATHER

Hot, hot, hot weather all week, high 80s and low 90s, which is, apparently hotter than their average July. On Saturday, June 29, it rained off and on, including during the Supersonic concert. We toughed it out under umbrellas, the music was so good.

Of course, you wouldn’t want it any other way but hot for…

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Bye-bye Montréal! Checked out Thursday morning, July 4th, and took a slow drive down to Williamstown, MA, avoiding US 87 and taking smaller scenic roads, like US Routes 4 and 7.

Besides the improved scenery, we needed extra time to finish the audio book we were listening to, Six Years by Harlan Coban. A bit sappy and occasionally predictable, but for the most part a very suspenseful story. We had to finish it!

We’d never been to Williamstown before, and it was a lucky pick for the 4th of July. Had a great dinner on the outdoor patio of Trail House  with, of course, apple pie for dessert. Then we followed the crowd through town to find the fireworks, which were set off at the Taconic Golf Club. There was live music before the fireworks, and a huge lawn to spread out on.

The next morning, after a stay at the Howard Johnson’s and coffee and bagel at Tunnel City Coffee, we took scenic routes to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. This self-portrait is my favorite! What an imagination he had.

Then south on US 7, where we stopped at Fiddleheads Grill in Great Barrington MA , for a delicious lunch. We ate outside and had the deck to ourselves, overlooking a field.

Continuing south on US 7, then Routes 55 and 22, still about an hour from our home, we passed a spooky group of buildings in Dutchess County that look like an old prison. But then we saw a sign: “Olivet University.” Really? A University? I looked it up and found that the site was the former Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center, in operation from 1924 to 1994, home to thousands of patients, at the forefront of insulin shock therapy, electroshock therapy, and lobotomies. Purchased by Olivet in 2013. Read an article about it here: “An abandoned asylum once on the cutting edge of lobotomies may be reborn as a Christian college.”

Some creepy looking photos of the abandoned site can be found online. Writers: A good setting for a crime story or novel, perhaps?

So it’s back home, back to the old grindstone. Tongue-in-cheek, friends. My grindstone is pure joy: writing fiction! Current word count of my WIP is 50,000. Fifth Dana Hargrove novel is in the works. More on that to come.

Thanks for taking this trip with me.