Why do we like Whodunnits? By “Whodunnit” I mean the movies, TV shows, and books where we don’t find out the murderer, thief, or conman until the final scene. It’s an interesting question, considering it’s not always been the format of choice. For instance, take The Thomas Crown Affair—the original 1968 heist film. We know …
The following comes from one of the 19th century cookbooks I’ll be sharing at my next presentation THIS SATURDAY, Oct 19 at 2:00 at the East Side branch of the Spokane Public Library. Fannie Farmer’s Boston Cooking School Cookbook Published 1896 A FULL COURSE DINNER. FIRST COURSE. Little Neck Clams or Bluepoints, with brown-bread sandwiches. …
I’m giving my presentation on the marvelous collection of letters titled Dear Mother this Saturday up at the Loon Lake Library. (If you’re in the area—be sure to stop by at 2:00!) So I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much I prefer first-hand accounts when it comes to research. When I first discovered …
Welcome to Part 2 of my Look Up, Spokane! series. Last month I showed you some pictures I took of the Spokesman Review Building. Today, we’re going across the street. I had never noticed something rather fascinating about this more modern building: outside, along Monroe, are a series of twelve busts. Each bust is of …
My newest book follows Anna Katharine Green as she is inspired to write her first novel, The Leavenworth Case. Based on real events, and wherever possible using her actual words, I hope to revive interest in this most wonderful woman who laid the foundations of mystery fiction as we know it today, inspiring the likes …
Although my background in editing has taken me primarily into the realms of science-fiction and fantasy, within those genres I’ve worked with authors in every sub-genre from horror to romance to mystery. Two of my favorite books that I edited were Free Fall by William H. Keith and The Sign of Glaaki by Steven Savile …
How often do we look up anymore? More often than not, we’re looking down at our phone, or down at our feet to make sure we’re not stepping in dog poop or something. But the last time I was downtown in Spokane, I felt the urge to look up, to see what I was missing. …
Most people are familiar with a certain knitting spinster amateur detective who uses her remembrances of the past to solve mysteries. What most people don’t realize is she was not the first! Meet Miss Amelia Butterworth, and no, from what I can find, she’s no relation to the syrup. 😉 This Miss Butterworth is perhaps …
Although my presentation this month on Anna Katharine Green will be covering more than just her first book, The Leavenworth Case has enough to say about itself it could be an entire presentation unto itself. Instead, I’ll share some more about it here, as a taster for what’s to come in the presentation. We open …
