Stripes

By Mark W. Danielson

It may be snowing in the northern US, but it’s springtime here in Texas.  Normally wildflowers announce this time of year, but our continued drought has delayed the annual highway tapestry.  What we do have is plenty of road kill, and for whatever reason, dead skunks are everywhere.  At the rate they are being squashed, you’d think they’d be nearing extinction.

Of course, skunk road kill isn’t limited to Texas.  You’ll find them everywhere in the US, and nearly all are found lying near a stripe.  Remember the “Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road” song?  There’s a reason that song was written, and while its lyrics mention other road kill, the skunk takes top billing by revengefully stinking its way to Heaven.

So, why is it these cute critters seem find so many car bumpers?  Experts say it’s because they dine on road kill, but I have a different theory.  Skunks have poor eyesight and I think they’re attracted to stripes.  I know this because I’ve witnessed numerous live skunks walking roads and taxiways as if the stripes were their Yellow Brick Road.  Of course, being black, all that drivers may see is their reflecting eyes, and by then it may be too late.  Imagine how hitting a skunk will skink up your car and garage.  Like tornados, it’s best to avoid them.   

Now, before you wish skunks were never born, here are a few fun facts about them.  Their developed claws help them dig and catch food such as mice, moles, voles, rats, birds and their eggs, and rip apart road kill carcasses.  They also like grasshoppers, wasps, bees, crickets, beetles and beetle larvae, fruits, nuts, garden crops, birdseed, pet food and scavenge on garbage.  They roll caterpillars to remove the hairs before eating them, and roll beetles with defensive scents to deplete the scent before they eat it.  Like bees, they won’t bother you unless threatened.  When you see skunks IN this way, they’re actually beneficial critters.

So while you’re celebrating Saint Patty’s Day or any other day, keep your head on a swivel and give them a brake.  Oh, did I mention there are four to five in each litter and they are full grown in five months?  Yes, it looks like they’ll be around a while longer.   

Accolades to My Alpha and Beta Readers

by Jackie King

There should be a special place in heaven for friends of writers. Especially for smart friends who love to read and who volunteer to read your work. Some of these are called alpha readers and some are called beta readers, and I've just recently learned the difference.

Alpha readers are the folks in your critique group or other friends with generous hearts who will read your work as it’s produced. I have a group of these folks who support me emotionally on a regular basis: my remarkable critique group. I owe these fellow writers untold thanks.

L to R: Carolyn Hart, Jackie King and her Beta Reader, Judy Rosser

Beta readers are volunteers who agree to read your entire manuscript after it’s as good as you can get it, or nearly so. Two extraordinary women, Judy Rosser and her daughter Anna Dooly, undertake this momentous task for me when I finish a book. On February 20, a Thursday, I sent them copies of THE CORPSE WHO WALKED IN THE DOOR. The following Tuesday, Judy delivered the entire manuscript back to me with about 150 sticky notes flagging problems they had found. I spent the next few days correcting and changing everything marked, greatly improving my book.

Beta Reader Anna Rosser Dooly and her teasing husband, Tom

I was thunderstruck when Judy said, “Print us a clean copy and we’ll read the book again.”

This was generosity beyond belief and I was both stunned and humbled. Of course, I jumped at the chance. And that’s where I am now, waiting for my pure gold friends to finish their second reading of THE CORPSE WHO WALKED IN THE DOOR, and return it to me with their final suggestions.

I have also reread the book myself and made changes during this time. I never seem to finish with editing. Very soon I’ll write an email to my publisher, Dan Case of Deadly Niche Press, attach the novel, then take a deep breath and push the ‘send’ button.

Just thinking about this scares me. It’s sort of like sending your teenager off to college and worrying that the world won’t accept him or her. But I will do it. Very soon.

While I’m still worrying about THE CORPSE WHO WALKED IN THE DOOR, my fickle heart turns to a new idea. A title popped into my head along with a cool way to get rid of a body.

THE VANISHING CORPSE, now just a small stack of ideas on index cards, is slowly taking form inside my head. I can hardly wait to move onward.

Because they’re not worth it

Money’s always in the news. I could bluff my way through some politics but economics, which was always a closed book, is even less penetrable than an obscure Serbo-Croatian dialect. Nonetheless, there’s one aspect of the money thing that I really need explained to me. And it relates to the ongoing banking crisis. It seems that Mr Bob Diamond, the ex CEO of Barclays, ‘earned’ just short of £100,000,000 over the 6 years he was in charge. Now that he’s left, having allegedly presided over a period in which corruption was rife and profits were valued more than customers, he’s been given a bonus of another £22,000,000. Just pause to absorb that a moment – one hundred and twenty-two million pounds in six years.

OK, the l’Oréal adverts tell us ‘it’s because you’re worth it’ and Mr Diamond may well have such a grasp of finance, people, the world – even where the Higgs Boson hangs out – that he IS worth that much money. But even if he is, why does he need so much? What’s he saving for? He must have had a few pennies before he took the job. He must already have at least one house, a car, maybe a boat, even a couple of racehorses, so why does he need £22,000,000 on top of the £100,000,000? And why did he need £100,000,000 in the first place? I leave conclusions about his probity to others – what concerns me is that he represents the sickness of the system by which we’re all forced to live. While people with nothing are having the few pounds they need for food, clothes and shelter refused them, why do those at the other end of the scale, who already have more than they can spend, just keep on accumulating the stuff (and even resent having to give some of it back in taxes – taxes which, by the way, aren’t gifts to the government but the money needed to maintain the social infrastructure essential to keeping a nation civilised)?

You may be asking, what does this have to do with murderous musings? Well of course, it's the root of all evil, but I’m not suggesting a cull of the rich. Nonetheless, people whose thinking and ways of being are dependent on accumulating excessive wealth provide a rich harvest when it comes to dubious moral stances - and crime depends on precisely that. Money is no longer a means, a convenient way of bartering, it’s become an end in itself.  It seems to imply a new set of values. There’s something going on which I don’t understand, the proliferation of a type of person significantly different from the rest of us, a Hannibal Lecter of the cash register. Perhaps if I suddenly acquired many millions, I’d feel the need to multiply them further, but why? Is it to wave wads of notes in front of others to show how powerful I am? If anyone can explain to me why people need more money than they can possibly spend, I’ll be very grateful. And maybe I’ll learn to write better books.

Putting an End to Bullying

by Jean Henry Mead

Teen suicides, school shootings, and cyber harassment have placed a spotlight on bullying.  The dangerous and debilitating practice is as old as mankind but there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight, although a number of organizations have been formed to study the problem and educate both children and adults in ways to put a stop to bullys’ power struggles.

Psychologists have determined that certain types of people become bullies due to a number of factors. Among them are: victims of poor parenting, children and adolescents who have been bullied themselves,  those who are unhappy and frustrated with their lives, lack of respect or empathy for others,   and envy of classmates,  to name but a few. Examples of family factors that contribute to bullying include not only a lack of parenting skills, but conflict and addictions within the home, domestic violence and child abuse.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Victims of bullies are often shy and lack resilience which hinders their coping skills and sometimes leads to suicide.  Resilience studies have been around since the 1950s when researchers concluded that while some children have the resilience to cope with bullies, others do not. However, they can learn from adults at home, school, and their communities.                                                                                          

Parents are advised to take time to talk to their kids about their activities for at least 15 minutes a day  and discuss the dangers of bullying. By keeping the lines of communication open, problems can be resolved before they become serious. Experts advise parents to encourage their children to report bullying as soon as it happens and to stand up to the culprits by telling them that bullying is unacceptable and by walking away. If violence is involved, children should tell an adult immediately after the attack.

The website, stopbullying.gov advises adults how to put a stop to bullying by intervening immediatey.   

·         Separate the kids involved.

·         Make sure everyone is safe.

·         Meet any immediate medical or mental health needs.

·         Stay calm. Reassure the kids involved, including bystanders.

·         Model respectful behavior when you intervene.

Avoid these common mistakes:

·         Don’t ignore reports of bullying. Don’t assume that kids can work it out themselves.

·         Don’t immediately try to sort out the facts.

·         Don’t force other kids to say publicly what they saw.

·         Don’t question the children involved in front of other kids.

·         Don’t talk to the kids involved together, only separately.

·         Don’t make the kids involved apologize or patch up relations on the spot.

Get police help or medical attention immediately if:

·         A weapon is involved.

·         There are threats of serious physical injury.

·         There are threats of hate-motivated violence, such as racism or homophobia.

·         There is serious bodily harm.

·         There is sexual abuse.

·         Anyone accused of an illegal act, such as robbery or extortion—using force to get money, property, or services.

There’s currently a campaign to get bystanders involved. School children are hesitant to try to stop bullying because they fear reprisals, but if a group of kids intervene, the outnumbered bully usually gets the message and backs down. 

I was one of many children bullied at school and am currently writing a novel on the subject for middle grade students, tentatively titled, The Bullies of Cherrywood Middle School, third novel in my Hamilton Kids' Mystery series.

Guest blog links

by Carola

I'm posting a couple of links today as I'm knee-deep in taxes AND having fits about my approaching deadline.

Here's a post about Zeitgeist--If you don't know what that is, click here http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2014/03/zeitgeist.html?showComment=1394564077097#c181693304197194834

The Book People are a British bookseller who take a selection of books to workplaces. People can look at them and order what they want on the spot. Great idea! They asked me to answer some questions in connection with their promotion of one of my Regency trilogies, but they carry my mysteries too and my answers include both subjects.

http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/blog/index.php/2014/02/25/an-interview-with-carola-dunn/

Meanwhile: 
The first Daisy Dalrymple mystery was picked as the February book for GoodReads' Cozy book group.

If you belong to Goodreads, do join in!
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1683000-daisy-dalrymple-death-at-wentwater-court---carola-dunn

 


What you might call "Death galore!"











And while I'm about it, the latest three Polish Daisy covers:

Overture to Disaster Goes Free

By Chester Campbell

I haven't commented on the final book in my Post Cold War Political Thriller Trilogy since a post back in September shortly after it came out in ebook format for the Kindle. I haven't done much in the way of promotion except an occasional tweet, and the results are obvious. It has registered few sales and has received no reviews on Amazon. I suspect one problem is that my loyal readers are all fans of PI whodunit mysteries. The political thrillers are a different breed, the action sweeping across continents, the characters dealing with complex motivations.

My friend Tim Hallinan began his review of the first book (Beware the Jabberwock) with the observation: "This is a change of pace for Chester Campbell, best known (to me, at least) for his Sid Chance PI novels." Happily he added: "Here he's working in the global intelligence thriller territory of Ludlum and Trevanian, but (I'm happy to say) with more character development."

Hallinan (author of the popular Poke Rafferty Bangkok thrillers and the Junior Bender humorous mysteries) concluded his review with: "Short chapters, great pacing, good characters, and high stakes. I really enjoyed this book." As busy as he is I've been reluctant to ask him for a review of the final book in the series.

So I've decided put my money where my mouth is and do a freebie promotion on BookBub for Overture to Disaster. Previous BookBub promos have resulted in lots of new reviews. I have my fingers crossed on this one.

If you'd like a free copy for the Kindle, check here March 10-12 to get yours.

Visit me at Mystery Mania

Hell Nurse

By Mark W. Danielson

Here’s a great plot for a horror story.  A patient visits a back pain clinic and gets more agony than relief.  It begins with being ignored at the front desk and then being greeted by an angry nurse who escorts him into the back room among multiple victims on gurneys.  His curtain is drawn long enough to change into hospital garb before being opened so all can witness his IV being inserted.  Left staring at the ceiling, the victim then inspects every rusty bolt in the converted factory as loaded gurneys are wheeled back and forth in front of him.  Ninety minutes later and shaking from the cold, the anesthesiologist says, “Time for a nap,” and the victim falls into a groggy state.  Having been wheeled under bright lights and rolled onto his stomach, pain rips through his shoulders as his arms are brought forward and legs raised to prepare for a foot long needle.  The next thing he knows, the patient awakens in the recovery room.

Checking his body for missing parts, he is relieved to find everything is intact.  Unfortunately, that included the back pain.  His stomach groans when the doctor schedules another visit.  On his way out, he notices a sinister grin from the nurse from hell.

After the second injection yields the same result, X-rays show the victim has a compression fracture.  Assuring him this is an easy repair, the doctor says the patient must be awake for this one in case he nicks a nerve.  When the time comes, lying awake, face down and deadened from the lower back down, the doctor strikes a nerve as if acting on his own premonition.  With pain shooting down the patient’s leg, the doctor calmly says, “This is why we keep you awake,” adding they took a biopsy as a precaution.  Suddenly concerned, the patient contemplates that while waiting for the medicine to diminish so he can put weight on his legs.  Eyeing Hell Nurse, he watches her make her rounds, numbing everyone with her gaze.  When he learns his biopsy is missing – he is convinced Hell Nurse was at fault.  Although the repair fixed his sharp pain, the rest hangs like sewer stink.    

Not satisfied, the doc said, “Once you’re heeled, we’ll get you back for another procedure.”  Mulling this over, the patient remembers the victim in Stephen King's Misery and wonders if this is a bad dream.  He watches a dozen people come and go while recovering, wondering if anyone feels better afterwards.  His missing biopsy keeps popping into his head, and yet he still returns for a fourth procedure.  This time before the privacy curtain is drawn, he insists on speaking to the doctor first.  Reluctantly, Hell Nurse releases her grip, but before walking off, mentions something about an implant.  Now left to his thoughts but fully clothed, he contemplates his future as more gurneys are paraded by.  When the doctor shows up an hour later, he convinces him he really needs this procedure to determine where the pain was coming from.  Submitting to the IV, Hell Nurse promptly screws it up, and although the doctor does the next one, it hurts more than any before.  To make matters worse, the doc yells at his nurse for mentioning implants, and then assures the patient this is only another pain blocking injection.  Now all the patient can think of is a bad joke --   Why is pain like a cockroach.?  Because it resists pain block injections!   

Clearly, there is a time when even the most loyal patient cries Uncle, and now this patient is screaming it.  It matters not that the doc wants him back for a disc repair, there is NO way this patient is ever returning to THAT office.  Turns out it was a good thing, too, because a consulting neurosurgeon (read second opinion) says definitely NO to more surgery.  Instead, get in the pool and do physical therapy.  As you might imagine, this is a true story and I was the victim.  My compression fracture repair was good, but the second opinion was even better.  As for Hell Nurse, don’t be surprised if she shows up in one of my stories . . .