Featured Book for November: KILLER KEEPSAKES by Jane K. Cleland

[Jane_K_Cleland]

Nancy, I'm so glad you're enjoying Josie! Wonderful!

Becke, you suggested I paste in the KILLER KEEPSAKES excerpt. The system isn't allowing it, I'm afraid. But it's easy to get there using this one-click link to both the text and the audio file!

http://www.janecleland.net/htm/books/KK_excerpt.htm 

[becke_davis]

Harley, I'm so glad you're enjoying Jane's books. I talked to my mom tonight -- she's nearly finished with KILLER KEEPSAKES and loves it!!

[becke_davis]

Jane - Have you always been a fan of the mystery genre? If so, who were the authors who got you hooked? And who are your favorites today?

It must be odd to be both a successful writer as well as a reader of mysteries. Does that affect your enjoyment of reading them? 

Anything you've read recently that you'd like to recommend?

[becke_davis]

I'm interested in your writing process. Publishers seem to be pushing series books out much faster than they used to. Are you a fast writer, or do you like to take your time over each book?

Do you enjoy writing a series, or do you find it difficult to come up with new twists on the same thing? In a way, I think that might be helpful, because it gives you a framework. But what if you get the urge to write about something completely different? Would your publisher be open to that, do you think?

I mention this because I met Carolyn Hart at Bouchercon and we were talking about the three different series she writes. Much as I enjoy her hugely popular Death on Demand books, my favorites are her Henrie O. stories. She said that even though she enjoys writing those, the huge audience for the other series means her publisher always wants more of those.

Your thoughts?

[Jane_K_Cleland]

Oh, my God, don't get me started. There are so many authors I enjoy! I need more time! My all time favorite, though, is Rex Stout. I'm a huge fan of the Nero Wolfe stories. In fact, I integrate all sorts of Wolfeian trivia into my Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries. If you're not familiar with Nero Wolfe, you're in for a treat! www.nerowolfe.org

[Jane_K_Cleland]

I struggle with synopses... but once I get that down, writing the book is easier. I think of a synopsis as an aerial view of the story; writing is when you're down in the weeds, tripping over roots, etc. I take a month or more to write the synopsis; once it's approved I can write the book in six months!

[becke_davis]

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Jane_K_Cleland wrote:

Oh, my God, don't get me started. There are so many authors I enjoy! I need more time! My all time favorite, though, is Rex Stout. I'm a huge fan of the Nero Wolfe stories. In fact, I integrate all sorts of Wolfeian trivia into my Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries. If you're not familiar with Nero Wolfe, you're in for a treat! www.nerowolfe.org

---

My mom is hooked on Nero Wolfe. I have read a few of them, but I'm more into Christie, Josephine Tey and Ngaio Marsh from that era.

[Jane_K_Cleland]

I'm plotting the 6th Josie novel now... SILENT AUCTION (the 5th in the series) will be out next April. The primary antique is scrimshaw. In the 6th, DEADLY THREADS, the primary antique will be vintage clothing!

Jane

[becke_davis]

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Jane_K_Cleland wrote:

I'm plotting the 6th Josie novel now... SILENT AUCTION (the 5th in the series) will be out next April. The primary antique is scrimshaw. In the 6th, DEADLY THREADS, the primary antique will be vintage clothing!

Jane

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Those sound great! More books to read -- I can see my TBR pile is not going to grow any less in 2010!

[Jane_K_Cleland]

I'm glad you like the idea of vintage clothing! In KILLER KEEPSAKES I learned a lot about Chinese porcelain. Learning new things is one of the pleasures, I think, of reading (and writing!) traditional mysteries. I like learning anything! Gardening... cooking... quilting... detective work... Shanghai... sailing... anything!

[becke_davis]

I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I think the cover of Killer Keepsakes is a real knock-out! Your titles are great, too.

[Librarian]

Hi Jane-----------I just got Killer Keepsakes and started reading it. I'm around p. 50. I love mysteries and thought I would try these since my sister is an antiques dealer and collector and I will give her the book whren I'm finished. A long time ago, I read all the Nero Wolfe mysteries i could get my hands on and loved them. I will be on the lookout for the trivia you mentioned ! I'm enjoying your mystery and will have to get the previous titles!

Librarian

[Jane_K_Cleland]

Thanks! I love the new style of cover. St. Martin's Minotaur, my publisher, moved from illustration to photograph. I think they're mysterious and elegant. As to the titles... it's hard! I'm glad you like them!

[Jane_K_Cleland]

Thanks so much for giving Josie a whirl!

I thought you might enjoy an essay I wrote honoring librarians. (I'll paste it in here.)

I Love Librarians

by Jane K. Cleland

All of my nieces are librarians. Isn’t that odd? Any family can have a librarian in it... heck... I bet some families have two... but all? Okay... we’re a small family... I only have three nieces... but still... all of them are librarians. Lucky me. Librarians are a remarkable breed of people. They’re curious, knowledgeable, smart, and helpful. No wonder I love librarians.

One of my nieces is a communications expert, researching ways and means of framing and disseminating her clients’ messages. Another is a cognitive expert, assisting scientists in researching issues surrounding thinking and assimilating information. My third niece is an elementary education expert, working with youngins to instill a love of reading and learning. I’m in awe of all three.

I come by my attitude of respect and appreciation honestly; my mother loved librarians, too. When I was a mere slip of a girl she taught me that if you wanted to know something you could always consult a librarian because they either know everything or they know where to find out everything.

When I was in sixth grade, I consulted a librarian as to whether Paul Revere’s horse was a mare. (I needed it as a rhyme in a poem, and being an honest girl, I couldn’t just say it was a mare if it was, in fact, a stallion. Note of interest: She found a contemporary reference stating that Paul Revere’s horse was a mare; I thought you’d want to know.) When I was in eighth grade, a librarian held me enraptured as she discussed the Great Molasses Flood of 1919. (Yes, you read that right. Twenty-one people died a gruesome death, asphyxiated by molasses.)

To this day, I love working with librarians as I work to introduce readers to my protagonist, antiques appraiser, Josie Prescott. As an author, I’m in the enviable position of getting to do just that—a lot. As many of you know, I tour extensively [http://www.janecleland.net/htm/appearances/schedule.htm ] as I work to introduce readers to Josie.

I also work with Deborah Hirsch, a principal librarian at the Midtown-Manhattan Branch of the New York Public Library to coordinate a series of monthly programs h in my role as chair of the Library Committee for the Mystery Writers of America/ New York Chapter.  [http://www.mwa-ny.org/library.php#events ]

In fact, even when I’m traveling overseas, it’s not uncommon for me find myself in a library, like this one I just visited in Grenada. (note a photo was inserted here)

            I love the buildings. I love the books. I love the reverence implicit in the hushed conversations. But mostly, I love the librarians. www.janecleland.net

[Librarian]

Jane------Thank you for the accolades to librarians!!!!! My work as a librarian was mostly in elementary schools. I'm retired now but once a librarian, always a librarian and I can spread the joys to my grandchildren now!!!

Librarian

[becke_davis]

I'll second that. So many libraries have lost funding -- I know several librarians who are out of work. Like teachers, I think librarians deserve a huge amount of thanks and recognition!

[Jane_K_Cleland]

So, Becke, has your mom finished KILLER KEEPSAKES? Did she guess "who dun it"?

[becke_davis]

Yes, she finished it -- I'll have to ask if she guessed whodunnit it. She read KILLER KEEPSAKES first (even though I gave her all your books) and she liked it so much she's starting at the beginning now and reading the rest.

I have a couple questions. Early in Killer Keepsakes, you make a passing mention of sand trays. Roberta Isleib was a guest here recently, and sand trays were a prominent feature in one of her books. Was that a shout-out to her, or am I just imagining things?

Also, at one point you mentioned that while Mandy might perfectly remember a Renoir, she barely noticed a particular vase. This grabbed my attention because it reminded me of one of my favorite Agatha Christie books, CARDS ON THE TABLE. In that book, what the characters notice -- and fail to notice -- helps solve the crime. I think it's a fascinating idea, and I was excited when you brought it up.

[becke_davis]

Now that I look at my post, it's really a question and a comment. We all notice different things -- what does that say about us?

[Jane_K_Cleland]

Oh, I agree! The difference between perception and reality is an ongoing theme in my books. I've written a couple of blogs about it, too. (They're available on my website!) I find it a fascinating topic!