Cindy Brown's Blog

I’ve decide to move from a blog to a newsletter. It’s chock full of the same type of slightly silly news about theater and mystery, and includes the old favorites (like “best places to hide a dead body” and “fun with research”) but comes just once a month straight to your inbox. Interested?  Sign up below. And please feel free to peruse the blog archives!

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What’s better than an independent bookstore? Nothing! Not even chocolate or cheese (though libraries come close). As a reader, I have loved independent bookstores for decades. As a new author, I now appreciate them even more. They have put my book on their shelves, hosted events, promoted me as an author, and recommended Macdeath to their readers.

I hope absolutely everyone goes out Saturday and buys a book and thanks these wonderful people who work hard for the love of books. To whet your whistle, I asked a few booksellers to recommend their favorite books, and to include a mystery and a funny read.

Annie Bloom’s local author’s window

From the staff at Annie Bloom’s  Books in Portland, Oregon:

The Burning Room by Michael Connelly (a mystery)

Bark by Lorrie Moore

Waking, Dreaming, Being by Evan Thompson

Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore (a funny read)

The Utopia of Rules: On Tech, Stupidity, and the Secret Joys Of Bureaucracy by David Graeber

Celebrating Shakespeare’s b-day with a sword fight outside Another Read Through

From Elisa Saphier at Another Read Through in Portland, Oregon:

I’d like to highlight my local indie authors and so will give you:

Rene Denfeld’s The Enchanted

Kate Gray’s Carry the Sky

Karelia Stetz-Waters’ Forgive Me If I’ve Told You This Before

Tracy Manaster’s You Could Be Home By Now

And everyone laughed through Christopher Lord’s reading of The Christmas Carol Murders (and his next The Edwin Drood Murders) so his books for humor, for sure.

(If it were someone else asking about funny books, I’d have given your name, BTW.) Thanks, Elisa!

From Karen Emmerling at Beach Books in Seaside, Oregon.

The lovely Karen Emmerling at Beach Books

All the Light We Cannot See (WWII, won Pulitzer Prize) by Anthony Doer

The Rosie Project (funny story of man with Asperger’s looking for a wife) by Graeme Simsion

Natchez Burning and The Bone Tree (suspenseful first two books of trilogy alternating between present day and the 60’s) by Greg Iles

Any Louise Penny mystery – Still Life is the first.

From Gayle Shanks at Changing Hands Bookstore:

My favorite reads lately are:

Euphoria by Lily King
Did you Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg (coming in Sept)
What Comes Next and How to Like It by Abigail Thomas
Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing by Mira Jacob (A funny title but not a funny book!)
Cuckoo’s Calling and The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith aka J.K. Rowling

Books and bodies at the Poisoned Pen

 From David Hunenberg at The Poisoned Pen

Here is my list of “goodies”!

Kit Larson Bye, Bye Love -Cat DeLuca series. Funny series!

David Joy Where All Light Tends To Go 

Joseph Kanon Leaving Berlin

Cindy Brown Macdeath (!!! exclamation marks my own)

Shona Patel  Teatime with Firefly

And of course if you’d like to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day by buying a copy of Macdeath, you can find it on the shelves of these very fine bookstores:

Annie Bloom’s, Portland, Oregon

Another Read Through, Portland, Oregon

Beach Books, Seaside Oregon

Broadway Books, Portland, Oregon

Changing Hands Bookstore, Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona (two locations)

Clues Unlimited, Tucson, Arizona

The Poisoned Pen, Scottsdale, Arizona

Dead Darlings

Every writer has heard “kill your darlings,” and unfortunately, we all have to do it sometime, mercilessly cut scenes we really love. But who says those poor murdered darlings have to stay dead? Can’t they live in some other form (like this blog)?

The one below used to be in Chapter 11 of Macdeath. During this scene, Ivy meets her Uncle Bob  over lunch at Toyko Express, where she tells him she’s lost her waitress job at the Olive Garden (and he realizes she’s in need of money). Ivy begins by saying:

“Don’t know any rich guy who wants to be a patron of the arts, do you?”

Bob smiled and his chins tripled. “Actually, I just heard about this website…”

      “Yeah?” A patron of the arts website? Maybe there were grants for individual actors or something.

“Yeah, it’s a place where young women like yourself…”

“Young women?” Hmm.

Bob rewound. “Where women artists can go online to meet patrons who’ll support them.”

      This had potential. I rummaged around in my bag and found a pen and an old bill to write on.

“What’s the website?” I asked, my pen poised over the back of the envelope.

“Sugardaddy.com”

        I threw the pen at him. Typical Uncle Bob. The thing is, every so often he’d tell you something for real, so you had to be prepared.

He caught the pen, and slid it back across the table. He looked at the envelope I’d pulled out of my purse. “Hey, you never opened that.”

I looked down. Oops. I turned the envelope over. It was from the electricity company, and it was over a month old. Bob gazed at me, a question in his eyes and teriyaki sauce on his chin.

“Oh, I’ve got automatic bill pay now,” I said, sliding the bill back into my bag.

Dead Darlings

Every writer has heard “kill your darlings,” and unfortunately, we all have to do it sometime, mercilessly cut scenes we really love. But who says those poor murdered darlings have to stay dead? Can’t they live in some other form (like this blog)?

The one below used to be in Chapter 11 of Macdeath. During this scene, Ivy meets her Uncle Bob  over lunch at Toyko Express, where she tells him she’s lost her waitress job at the Olive Garden (and he realizes she’s in need of money). Ivy begins by saying:

“Don’t know any rich guy who wants to be a patron of the arts, do you?”

Bob smiled and his chins tripled. “Actually, I just heard about this website…”

      “Yeah?” A patron of the arts website? Maybe there were grants for individual actors or something.

“Yeah, it’s a place where young women like yourself…”

“Young women?” Hmm.

Bob rewound. “Where women artists can go online to meet patrons who’ll support them.”

      This had potential. I rummaged around in my bag and found a pen and an old bill to write on.

“What’s the website?” I asked, my pen poised over the back of the envelope.

“Sugardaddy.com”

        I threw the pen at him. Typical Uncle Bob. The thing is, every so often he’d tell you something for real, so you had to be prepared.

He caught the pen, and slid it back across the table. He looked at the envelope I’d pulled out of my purse. “Hey, you never opened that.”

I looked down. Oops. I turned the envelope over. It was from the electricity company, and it was over a month old. Bob gazed at me, a question in his eyes and teriyaki sauce on his chin.

“Oh, I’ve got automatic bill pay now,” I said, sliding the bill back into my bag.

It’s been far too long since I found a good place to hide a dead body. Crimelandia seemed like the perfect opportunity.  This year’s Left Coast Crime conference was held in Portland (hence the name) at the Lloyd Center Doubletree Inn. I have to say, the hotel wasn’t the best place to hide a body (not enough dark creepy niches), but the mystery writers I met helped me find a few choice spots.

Vinnie Hansen showed us that you could hide a body behind a fake plant–sort of.

Craig Faustus Buck found John Clement under the registration table (note the hands of the shocked volunteer on the table above).

Not even the hospitality room was safe, as Gayle Carline discovered. Her poor lifeless body was uncovered by LJ Sellers and Mike Befeler.

The best place to hide a dead body at Crimelandia? The speakers podium, as Lisa Alber discovered. And the prize for best sport (and most flexible) definitely goes to dead body Vinnie Hansen.

All the Best Places to Hide the Body – Crimelandia

It’s been far too long since I found a good place to hide a dead body. Crimelandia seemed like the perfect opportunity.  This year’s Left Coast Crime conference was held in Portland (hence the name) at the Lloyd Center Doubletree Inn. I have to say, the hotel wasn’t the best place to hide a body (not enough dark creepy niches), but the mystery writers I met helped me find a few choice spots.

Vinnie Hansen showed us that you could hide a body behind a fake plant–sort of.

Craig Faustus Buck found John Clement under the registration table (note the hands of the shocked volunteer on the table above).

Not even the hospitality room was safe, as Gayle Carline discovered. Her poor lifeless body was uncovered by LJ Sellers and Mike Befeler.

The best place to hide a dead body at Crimelandia? The speakers podium, as Lisa Alber discovered. And the prize for best sport (and most flexible) definitely goes to dead body Vinnie Hansen.

Laughing Ain’t A Crime: Balancing Humor in Crime Fiction

In a few days, I will get to attend my first writer convention as an author – pretty dang exciting! The Left Coast Crime conference is in Portland this year (lucky us). Crimelandia takes place from Thursday through Sunday. I’ll get to connect with writer friends, meet new readers, present a one minute schpiel during the debut author breakfast on Friday morning, and participate in a great panel that same day from 11:30-12:15, “Laughing Ain’t A Crime: Balancing Humor in Crime Fiction” (yes, I borrowed the title for this blog post:).

Not sure what to expect as a panelist (and a bit nervous to feel the truth), but I’m sure it will be great fun, especially since we have the witty and engaging Catriona McPherson as our moderator.

LOVED her latest book, The Day She Died, a cool and creepy story with a touch of dark humor. It’s nominated for an Edgar!

And check out my fellow panelists:

Mike Befeler – Mike writes “geezer-lit (!)”Mystery Scene Magazine says he “portrays the grumpy, arthritic, and sometimes amorous retirement home residents in a down-to-earth way that’s refreshing. Sometimes sad, but mostly funny, his tale of a plucky and sarcastic ‘old fart’ will win your heart.”

 

Heather Haven - Like me, Heather is a former theater geek (and playwright) who now writes mysteries, including the award-winning Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries. She’s also a ghostwriter like me – I wonder if we’re psychic twins?

 

Helen Smith – Another playwright/mystery writer! Helen writes the Emily Castles Mysteries. Booklist calls her “gin-and-tonic funny” (isn’t that the best compliment ever?)

 

Laughing Ain’t A Crime: Balancing Humor in Crime Fiction

In a few days, I will get to attend my first writer convention as an author – pretty dang exciting! The Left Coast Crime conference is in Portland this year (lucky us). Crimelandia takes place from Thursday through Sunday. I’ll get to connect with writer friends, meet new readers, present a one minute schpiel during the debut author breakfast on Friday morning, and participate in a great panel that same day from 11:30-12:15, “Laughing Ain’t A Crime: Balancing Humor in Crime Fiction” (yes, I borrowed the title for this blog post:).

Not sure what to expect as a panelist (and a bit nervous to feel the truth), but I’m sure it will be great fun, especially since we have the witty and engaging Catriona McPherson as our moderator.

LOVED her latest book, The Day She Died, a cool and creepy story with a touch of dark humor. It’s nominated for an Edgar!

And check out my fellow panelists:

Mike Befeler – Mike writes “geezer-lit (!)”Mystery Scene Magazine says he “portrays the grumpy, arthritic, and sometimes amorous retirement home residents in a down-to-earth way that’s refreshing. Sometimes sad, but mostly funny, his tale of a plucky and sarcastic ‘old fart’ will win your heart.”

 

Heather Haven - Like me, Heather is a former theater geek (and playwright) who now writes mysteries, including the award-winning Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries. She’s also a ghostwriter like me – I wonder if we’re psychic twins?

 

Helen Smith – Another playwright/mystery writer! Helen writes the Emily Castles Mysteries. Booklist calls her “gin-and-tonic funny” (isn’t that the best compliment ever?)

 

What Can’t You Make with Bisquick?

In Macdeath, Riley (an actor and sort of doofus who’s talented in spite of himself) lives off a box of Bisquick for a week. This is based on a true story, and though the actor who told it to me mostly made biscuits and pancakes, it got me thinking about what you could do with a box of Bisquick and not a lot of other ingredients. So here goes…

You can make:

Flour tortillas! http://www.thedailymeal.com/flour-tortillas

Beer bread – I suspect my Bisquick-eating actor friend had a few beers in his fridge. http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/bisquick-beer-bread/a7972952-f3af-4385-aa50-b2bf9aff4118

Jam Drops – If you were really broke, you could make these using some of those tiny tubs of jelly you get in restaurants. http://www.food.com/recipe/jam-drops-195506

7-Up Biscuits – Even though buying sour cream might have been a stretch, I had to include this recipe because, well, because they’re 7-Up Biscuits! Whoda thunk it?http://www.angiessouthernkitchen.com/2012/06/7-up-biscuits/

And my favorite idea: Churros!  I would totally eat these. http://www.thedailymeal.com/bisquick-churros

What Can’t You Make with Bisquick?

In Macdeath, Riley (an actor and sort of doofus who’s talented in spite of himself) lives off a box of Bisquick for a week. This is based on a true story, and though the actor who told it to me mostly made biscuits and pancakes, it got me thinking about what you could do with a box of Bisquick and not a lot of other ingredients. So here goes…

You can make:

Flour tortillas! http://www.thedailymeal.com/flour-tortillas

Beer bread – I suspect my Bisquick-eating actor friend had a few beers in his fridge. http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/bisquick-beer-bread/a7972952-f3af-4385-aa50-b2bf9aff4118

Jam Drops – If you were really broke, you could make these using some of those tiny tubs of jelly you get in restaurants. http://www.food.com/recipe/jam-drops-195506

7-Up Biscuits – Even though buying sour cream might have been a stretch, I had to include this recipe because, well, because they’re 7-Up Biscuits! Whoda thunk it?http://www.angiessouthernkitchen.com/2012/06/7-up-biscuits/

And my favorite idea: Churros!  I would totally eat these. http://www.thedailymeal.com/bisquick-churros