Thursday, June 25: Femme Fatale
SUMMER READING
by Deborah Elliott-Upton
The temperature gauge where I live proves even more than the calendar pages that summer has officially arrived. My family is enjoying a little downtime following the wedding. For the newlyweds, this meant a trip to Costa Rica. For my husband, it meant a weekend with the Cowboy Action Shooters and for me, a wonderful excursion in the book store where I plucked two novels written by writers I’d heard about from reliable friends. I think word-of-mouth is always the most reliable advertising.
Usually, I read mostly short stories and personally recommend two (that I’ve read so far) from the July/August issue of Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. I don’t think you’ll be surprised to find these authors included on the Criminal Brief masthead. John M. Floyd’s “The Powder Room” and Robert Lopresti’s “Shanks on Misdirection” are superb – the kind of stories that make you want to read more about the characters. (Also, included is a photo of our leader a.k.a. James Lincoln Warren looking a bit like Phil Donohue.)
My FWR’s (Friends Who Read) have suggested several novels and I am now getting to the stack that’s been collecting on my nightstand and also reading a manuscript one of my WFWR (Writer Friends Who Read) gave me to critique and so far this is one great coming-of-age story. I can’t wait until this one is published and I can provide more details.
The first book I chose to read was Diane Chamberlain’s Secrets She Left Behind. I’ll admit I didn’t completely get the “why the culprit done it” until the end, but I discovered the “whodunnit” fairly soon into the story. This didn’t keep me from reading to find out why.
I enjoyed the way Chamberlain switched points of view with every chapter. This is only done with a deft hand. Many writers attempting this feat make many readers groan. (One who also did this well was Terry Mcmillan in Waiting to Exhale. The best – in my humble opinion – is still Stephen King’s The Stand
Chamberlain’s story swept me away from the sweltering heat of the Texas plains and onto the sandy beaches of Topsail Island on the east coast. I wasn’t just introduced to characters through a plotline, but met people, who seemed as real as if I were sneaking into someone’s diary. Turning the pages, I empathized with their heartaches. Only a great writer makes this magic happen. Enjoy it when you find it; it’s rare.
The book was 490 pages. It stopped just at the right time for the story to end, and yet, much too quickly.
Which is exactly what a good summer read should do.
When I closed the book, I poured myself a glass of Giddyup1 and thought about why the characters had been so compelling. The short chapters reminded me of the tight word count necessary to a short story. No time for wasted words, extraneous phrasing and meandering.
An editor once said I tended to meander with my characters. At the time, I believed I was only adding bits of characterization to the narrative. Since then, I’ve realized a reader doesn’t need to know complete description and full names of every character, even if theirs are interesting to the writer. Maybe especially if they are interesting to the writer. It’s easy to get caught up with how witty and clever we writers think we are sometimes. Thank you, Mr. Mystery Editor.
It’s time to close out the computer, hit the pool and then dive into a new novel. I think this is going to be a sensational summer for reading. So, what are you reading now? I may need to add to my collection on the nightstand.
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Giddyup
In a pitcher, stir together:
frozen limeade mix (thawed 12 oz. container)
12 oz. cranberry juice
12 oz. gingerale
12 oz. tequila.
(NOTE: I use the limeade container as a measurer)
Chill. Just before serving add 1 can lite beer to the mix. Stir gently and serve over ice.
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Good one, Deborah. You almost had me believing you drink that stuff until you poured in the lite beer.
You captured the essence of summer reading perfectly!! Pass the Giddyup and let’s get to the next book…. :]]
Dick, you know me so well. I am not a beer drinker, but in this case beer merely gives the drink a little fizz — I had to be told it had beer in it originally or I probably wouldn’t have even tried it. On a hot day, it just tastes good.
Wow, what a treat this was. First for the nice words about my story, and then for the review of my sister’s latest novel. Or did you know Diane is my sib? I’ll make sure she sees this.
I’m currently setting aside books for my summer trip. My wife refuses to agree to renting a trailer to be sure we are carrying enough.
Have a great summer.
Summer reading, on the beach, is the best!!! I’m planning to spend two weeks in Florida and I can almost feel the Atlantic breeze as I indulge in a few good books. Now I have Giddyup to look forward to. I like your ‘measurer’.
What am I reading right now? IN ASHES LIE, a fantasy novel, by Marie Brennan. (I just finished Liz Williams’ PRECIOUS DRAGON, a futuristic Daoist/Buddhist fantasy.) In contemporary mystery, I’m working on Reginald Hill’s A CLUBBABLE WOMAN and Robert Wilson’s THE IGNORANCE OF BLOOD. In histmyst, THE LIBRARY PARADOX by Catherine Shaw. In classical lit, THE ILIAD and THE ODYSSEY, translation by Robert Fagles, and in Victorian lit, THE MOONSTONE by Wilkie Collins. I’ve also been working my way through AHMM and EQMM; I subscribe by Kindle to both.
Rob Lopresti (my brother) told me to stop by Criminal Brief today, and I’m so happy I did! Deborah, your discussion of Secrets She Left Behind actually made me tear up. It’s a wonderful feeling when a reader “gets” what I’m trying to say with my writing, and it’s a particular honor when another writer appreciates my work. I wish you many more wonderful reads this summer!
Hey Deborah — Many thanks, for the kind words about my AHMM story. I felt honored to be in the same issue with folks like Lopresti and Estleman. (Rob and I are still wondering how JLW got his photo in there.)
And I’m always glad to hear readers and writers say good things about THE STAND. I swear I loved that novel, and King once said it remained his fans’ favorite book. The long version was 1150 pages, and I still didn’t want it to end.
… included is a photo of our leader a.k.a. James Lincoln Warren looking a bit like Phil Donohue.
Not a chance. My actual doppelgänger is Captain Kangaroo.
Rob and I are still wondering how JLW got his photo in there.
You’re wondering … ?
Great read. I think I’ll see if I can find this book. I may be kind of behind but right now I’m enjoying some of the older works of Preston and Childs. I just finished Mount Dragon and now I’m reading The Ice Limit. Those guys can sure keep you guessing and scare the poop out of you at the same time.
I explained how JLW’s photo showed up for no reason other than that he “charmed them.” In her column in a later issue Linda used those words in saying how they had fallen under his spell. Some guys have all the luck.
Deborah… makes a body want to dive into a couple of books and have a glass or two of giddyup. My nightstand also has a stack of books that are patiently waiting for me to enjoy. You have given me some very good ideas on what to add to my revolving stack! Thank you! Great article!
Deb…I’m slow sometimes, so I didn’t get to your blog for a few days. When I did arrive, it was a treat! Thanks for your comments, and for the “Giddyup” recipe. I think it’s going to be my favorite new drink of the summer….not sure about its impact on my study habits but it’s too hot this week to worry about details. Looking forward to seeing you soon!