Real (?) People in Books

by Sandra Carey Cody

One of the questions writers are often asked is: “Do you use real people in your books?”

There’s no simple yes or no answer to this question - at least not for me. My characters are cobbled together out of bits and pieces of a lot of people, myself included.  The old actor, Nathaniel Pynchon, introduced in Put Out the Light is a good example. He isn’t anyone I know. He’s arrogant and self-centered. He isn’t nice, but I think he’s interesting. He says and does the mean, hurtful things that I don’t allow myself to say or do.  And, frankly, it’s nice to have a place to release my nasty impulses where no one gets hurt.

Sometimes, a fictional character is the result of a glimpse of another human being. On a recent trip to the grocery store, I was in line behind a young woman with two children - a baby sitting in the seat of the cart and a little girl. I’m guessing the child was about six. When it was their turn at the checkout, the mother put their items on the conveyor, the store clerk rang them up, and, without being told to, the little girl started bagging the groceries. Young as she was, she knew what she was doing. First, she very carefully arranged an assortment of canned goods in the bottom of a bag, then she proceeded to place lighter, more irregularly-shaped items on the base she had constructed. When the bag was full, she selected another and filled it with the same meticulous precision. I watched, amazed, and wondered what her story was. Was she just naturally organized? Had her mother or another adult coached her? If so, for what reason? Old-fashioned character-training? Or had a special family situation made it necessary for her to pitch in beyond her years? Did the child enjoy what she was doing? Had she any sense of her uniqueness? She was certainly different from most of the kids I've encountered in checkout lines; there was no whining, no begging for some of the treats that stores place so enticingly at child-eye-level. I glanced at the mother. Apparently, she took the child’s help for granted. I don’t mean that she seemed indifferent. She smiled at the little girl and nodded approval, but didn’t seem to find her child unusual. 

This incident lasted no more than fifteen minutes, just a small interlude in a round of everyday errands, but it stuck in my mind. The child will probably show up as a fictional character some day. She'd make a perfect amateur sleuth - smart, competent, someone who slips under the radar and is under-estimated until it's too late. When the story is written, chances are her appearance and actions will be completely different than the incident I witnessed. To tell the truth, I don't remember how this particular child looked. I'm imagining pigtails, but that might change. I doubt I’ll use the supermarket setting but, wherever it unfolds, that little girl's spirit will be present.

            So ... back to the original question: Do I use real people in my books? I’m not sure. Every idea comes from somewhere and I suspect most writers would have a hard time tracing the finished product (or character) back to its genesis. 

Coming Home

by Sandy Cody

I'm home. That's how it feels to be writing a post for this blog. I've been away for a while as a poster, but I've continued to read ClassicAndCozy and, always, I've been grateful to be a part of this family of writers. I was reminded of that recently when I started a new book. My first published works were the Jennie Connors mysteries, published by Avalon Books, and the Avaloners group was my introduction to these talented, generous people.

I've been writing other things for a while, but always knew I would come back to Jennie. That's where I am now - writing the sixth Jennie Connors mystery. Feeling the need to renew my acquaintance with Jennie and the characters who share her crime-solving adventures. I decided to re-read the books in that series. I began with LEFT AT AT OZ - amzn.to/2chHD5A  When I opened the book, the first thing I saw was the acknowledgement:

"Writing for Avalon makes me part of a very special group of writers. Whatever our genres, we share a belief that "happily ever after" is possible and that good will triumph over evil. Thanks to the wonder of the internet, many of us have become friends, though we have never met face-to-face and our physical addresses span the globe. I am truly grateful for the encouragement given me by my fellow Avaloners."

A bit about Jennie: She's an optimist by nature and an unrelenting champion of the underdog. She has two young sons and works as Activities Director of Riverview Manor, a retirement community where the residents are feisty, mobile, alert, and just bored enough enough to stir up trouble. If there's a murder to be solved - Whoo Hoo and Hurray! They're in.

So, here I am again - blogging on Classic and Cozy and writing a Jennie Connors mystery. I've come home. More than ever, I want to share my belief in "happily ever after" and to show good triumphing over evil. It's good to be back.

An Empty Field

 by Sandy Cody

January 16, 2015 - The new year has begun, but just barely. It’s sixteen days old; there are still three hundred forty-nine days left, stretching before us like an empty field, just waiting for us to build or plant whatever we choose.

It is, as Dickens said in what is probably one of the most-quoted openings in all of literature: “the best of times, the worst of times”. The best, because beginnings are exciting. They’re full of promise, with the leaving behind of the false starts and, worse yet, the no-starts, of last year. We have all those days/hours/minutes/seconds in which we can build a house in that empty field. Let’s make it a big house, a huge house - and offer shelter to a needy world. Or we can plant wheat or corn to help feed a hungry world - or how about a field of daisies just because they’re beautiful. Why not? The world needs food for the soul too. Simply put, the opportunities are limitless, just there for the taking.

So much for the best. What about the worst? Beginnings can also be intimidating. Think of all the mistakes you might make. What if you do plant daisies, then forget to water them and they all die? You’ll have added ugliness instead of beauty to the world. That could happen. You could plant corn with the promise that you’ll feed the hungry, then let weeds take over and have nothing but thistles to offer. The trouble with making promises is that if you don’t keep them, someone is going to be upset. The risks are limitless too, but we have to take them because doing nothing is the biggest mistake of all.

To the writers among us, that open field might seem like blank pages - just waiting for a story to unfold. There’s a lot of space for characters to pursue a dream, to find their happily-ever-after. But, wait a minute, if you look at the field again, you’ll see a sky filled with clouds. Is a storm brewing for our characters? Let's hope so. It wouldn’t be much of a story without a few storms. That’s okay. That’s what writers are for. We’ll guide our characters through and help them find shelter, but only after they’ve been tested and proved themselves worthy. Words will be our seeds, hopefully to be watered by inspiration and fertilized by research and, when those fail, nudged into growth by the encouragement of people who care about us.

So ... sixteen days into 2015 I wish you a Happy New Year - filled with opportunity and risks that make you grow.

Getting to Know Us...an Interview with Sandra Carey Cody

Yes, we all have bios on this website, but there is so much MORE to know about our Classic and Cozy bloggers.  So the 2nd Friday of each month is dedicated to getting to know us better.  This month I'd like to introduce you to someone who helped me along when I first came on the blogging scene, Sandra Cary Cody. Not only does she write cozy mysteries, but they are set in one of the many places I’ve lived—Memphis, TN.  I’ve read all of her Jennie Conners cozy mysteries, where, with the help of the residents of Riverview Manor Retirement Home, they solve murders. I highly encourage you to rush off and read them too…but wait….take a moment to read the interview first. 

Okay, inquiring minds want to know…why a writer? Certainly not for the fame and fortune…or maybe it is?

You’re right. It’s not for fame and fortune, though I certainly wouldn’t say no - at least to the fortune part. As for being famous, I don’t think I’d be enjoy that; I like my privacy too much. So ... why? I honestly don’t know. The closest I can come is to say that I’m a lover of stories. I come from a family of great storytellers, most of whom tell their tales under guise of truth. I’m the first to admit mine are fiction. And, of course, like all writers, I’m a reader. If you read enough, eventually I think you’ll be compelled to jump into the pool (or onto the page).

When did you first put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) to create the your classic and cozy characters?

I was a late bloomer. I didn’t begin to write until my kids were grown and didn’t become a published writer until after I was a grandmother. What took me so long? When I was younger, I revered writers so much it didn’t occur to me that I could actually BE a writer. It took me a long time to gain the confidence to share the stories I’d always carried around in my head.

Do you have a set writing schedule?

The short answer is “yes”. I start out every day planning to write first thing, but the day seldom goes according to plan. The time I actually get words on the page is usually in the evening or late at night. Dinner’s over. The kitchen is cleaned up. The phone doesn’t ring. My time is my own. And, truth be told, I’m not a morning person. I’ve learned to use my crabby morning brain to edit what I wrote the night before - and I’m usually amazed at what my good-natured evening brain thought was wonderful.

Is there a certain routine, food/drink, or location that summons forth the muses for you?

I like to write alone in a bedroom that’s now an office. My desk is near a window that looks out into the treetops. It’s a great spot for daydreaming (a necessary part of writing). Food/drink? Tea and chocolate. Music? No, I’m much too distractible.

What do you do when not writing?

I’m a quilter, though I haven’t made a quilt in a couple of years. Both quilting and writing take over your life and I chose writing. I also like to be outdoors: camping, hiking, fooling around in the yard. I love old movies, especially anything with dancing, i.e., Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire - maybe because I’m so klutzy myself. Reading, of course.

I imagine you’ve been reading all of your life (all great writers have.)  What was your favorite book as a child?

Heidi. I don’t even know how many times I re-read that book - and I cried every time. Even now, I feel sad when I think about Heidi’s unhappiness when she has to leave the mountain and live in the city. Same for Little Women. I still haven’t accepted Beth’s death.

Do you re-read books?  If so, which one have you re-read the most?

Yes, of course. There are the childhood favorites mentioned above and lately, I’ve been re-reading books by Ruth Rendell, trying to learn from her. She does an amazing job creating suspense and sketching her characters without putting limits on the reader’s imagination. Another writer I go back to again and again is Pearl Buck.

But there is more to life than reading, writing (and arithmetic)…what is your most memorable adventure in your life? <<I think this is the point where Barbara Walters would ask you if you were a tree, what kind would you be, but I’ll skip that and throw a softball…>>

Being the mother of sons, we’ve done a lot of camping and hiking. I’m not sure it qualifies as an adventure, but when the boys were in their late teens, we took a ten-day canoe trip in Maine, following channels cut by loggers to connect the lakes. It was rugged country; there were no amenities - a far cry from the parks and campgrounds we usually frequented. Moose were not something distantly sighted, but were up-close and personal neighbors - sometimes a little too up-close and personal for me. (By the way, if Barbara ever asks, I’d be a willow - slender, graceful, ethereal.)

If you were on American Idol, what song would you sing to WOW! the judges? 

I’m a sucker for old musicals so I’d pick something from one of them - maybe “Younger Than Springtime” from “South Pacific”. Now, if you’d asked me that the day after we returned from our Maine adventure, it would be “I Enjoy Being a Girl” from “Flower Drum Song”.

Last question…movie rights…who will play your two main characters when Hollywood comes knocking on your door? 

Am I allowed to flashback and cast a young Audrey Hepburn? She’s my all-time favorite - the perfect combination of beauty and vulnerability, plus she was so good at those comedic double-takes that the Riverview’s residents inspire in Jennie. It’s hard to pick one other character because Jennie has a host of sidekicks among the residents of Riverview Manor. I’ll take Nate, though, because I love him and because I see him so clearly; he’s Peter O’Toole. At the risk of sounding greedy, please may I have one more? Good. Thank you. Maggie Smith would be the perfect Tess; I can see her scheming away beneath a calm and cool demeanor.

Hey, this was fun! Thanks.

Catch more of Sandra the third Friday of every month here on the Classic and Cozy Blog.   

For a complete list of Sandra’s books click on over to her website http://www.sandracareycody.com/

And be sure and check out her blog https://birthofanovel.wordpress.com/

First Lines

by Sandy Cody

One thing writers try very hard to get right is their first line. Of course, we want to get every word, every line, right, but we all know that first impressions count, so we spend a little extra time honing that first line. So ... in the name of research ... and, just for the fun of it ... I took a little time to look at how some of my fellow Classic and Cozy authors began their novels. I found an interesting variety in the few I've chosen.

The first two begin (very effectively) with a one-word exclamation; for these two, I included the next sentence to give a sense of what prompted the single, excited cry. The third example is a short sentence that leaves no doubt that someone is facing a rough morning. The fourth is a bit longer, using a snippet of intriguing description. All, I think, do what their creator set out to do: arouse the reader's curiosity. The fifth is from one of my books, so I'll leave it to someone else to decide if it would entice a reader to continue (fingers crossed here).

In each case, I included a blurb after the first sentence to give an idea of where the story might be headed.

BLOND FAITH by Jayne Ormerod 

  

“’RUN!’ The command was redundant, as the sound of a gunshot had been a sufficient catalyst to get me galumphing down the dark paneled hallway faster than a speeding bullet.”

Blurb:  The sound of gunshot has Ellery Tinsdale running for her life, while Samantha "Sam" Green races to offer assistance.  Chaos ensues as the two team up to find out who pulled the trigger that killed the reverend.

Amazon link:  http://www.amazon.com/Blond-Faith-Blonds-Beach-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00L4LLXS2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1411124455&sr=8-3&keywords=blond+faith

A QUESTION OF FIRE by Karen McCullough

“’Miss!’  The word slithered from the bushes behind her, startling Catherine Bennett out of the few wits she'd managed to recover in the peace of the dark, quiet garden.”

Blurb: When Cathy Bennett agrees to attend an important party as a favor for her boss, she knows she won't enjoy it. But she doesn't expect to end up holding a dying man in her arms and becoming the recipient of his last message. Bobby Stark has evidence that will prove his younger brother has been framed for arson and murder. The man who killed Bobby saw him talking to her and assumes she knows where the evidence is hidden. He wants it back and he'll do whatever it takes to get it, including following her and trying to kidnap her.

Amazon link:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002W5RBZS

REUNION IN OCTOBER by Gina Ardito

“No one should have to face a morning with decaf.”

Blurb: Francesca lost her first love. Emily’s teetering on her last nerve. Will they risk their hearts to gain everything they both desire? 

Five years after her fiancé, Michael, left her for a job on the other side of the country, Dr. Francesca Florentino is focused on her work as an emergency room physician and has no time for a love life. That is, until Josh Candolero charms his way into her heart on the same night Michael returns, vowing to win her back. 

Meanwhile, Emily Handler, a 911 dispatcher married to her high school sweetheart for the last seventeen years, can’t seem to figure out what happened to that spark she and hubby, Roy, used to share in their marriage. A life-altering heart attack was not exactly the shake-up she had in mind. 

Amazon link: http://amzn.to/1mid2rh

RELATIVE CHAOS by Kay Finch

“I clomped over Aunt Millie’s threshold in my black steel-toed sneakers that looked like the Goodwill drop-off after closing.”

Blurb: Poppy Cartwright's Klutter Killer business is taking off. But when her Aunt Millie, hoarder extraordinaire, wants professional organizing help, Poppy moves Millie to the top of her to-do list. Surprised by the appearance of a handsome and mysterious handyman hired by her aunt out of the blue, Poppy is in for an even greater shock when amid the piles of junk in Millie's garage she discovers ... a corpse. Poppy is content to leave the case of the unidentified man to the police until witnesses begin to describe a suspect who matches Poppy's son to a tee. Now she must juggle her messy aunt, a suspicious cousin, and a booming business as she searches for clues that will clear her only child. One thing is certain Poppy won t rest until she lines up every detail, a task that might organize her right into a killer's sights.

Amazon link: http://amzn.to/XNetSS

LOVE AND NOT DESTROY by Sandra Carey Cody

“He stood at the crest of the hill, already shamed by the act he was about to commit.”

Blurb:  A baby is found in a basket on the grounds of a small-town museum during their annual Folk Festival. Twenty-two years later, a homeless man is murdered in the exactly the same spot. Connection? Or coincidence? Peace Morrow, the foundling, now an adult working at the museum, is haunted by this question and thus begins a quest that explores the nature of family, of loyalty and responsibility. As she tries to reconstruct the victim's history, his story becomes entangled with her own search for family roots. Her journey leads her through the dusty boxes in the museum’s storage area, to an antique market in a tiny hamlet in northern Pennsylvania, and, ultimately, to the innermost reaches of her own heart.

Amazon link: http://amzn.to/wxIV81


If any of you have a first line you'd like to share, either one you've written or one by another writer, please feel free to include it as a comment. Of course, as always, we welcome any comment you care to leave.