tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post5198657390031307422..comments2024-03-28T15:01:21.285-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: Be They Sinister or Sleuthy, Seniors Have a Place in Short StoriesLeigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-52451079252097779582017-03-22T12:51:59.523-04:002017-03-22T12:51:59.523-04:00Debra, lack of filters. That's an important ch...Debra, lack of filters. That's an important characteristic too, and one I actually make use of (a little) in my story. I hope your new book is selling well. I expect it is.<br /><br />Leigh, yes, Sesame Street references. Mr. Hooper, Oscar, and Maria are all from Sesame Street!<br /><br />And Teresa, thank you! And thank you for organizing everyone to make this book happen and writing a story yourself. We would not be here without you.Barb Goffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16013123434790272424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-75084077974735080162017-03-22T05:41:12.998-04:002017-03-22T05:41:12.998-04:00Love your new story! Fantastic characters! Love your new story! Fantastic characters! Teresa Ingehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09666880625322906160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-27143050643128006262017-03-22T05:23:20.571-04:002017-03-22T05:23:20.571-04:00Barb, the main name play I think I caught was a Se...Barb, the main name play I think I caught was a Sesame Street reference, not that I’m <i>au fait</i> with the characters. I also like to slip little tidbits into articles, such as this one a few weeks ago:<br /><br />[… letters of complaint should be addressed to Velma@idontcare.com]<br /><br />Usually people get the asides (I think), but I was surprised no one seemed to get this Poe reference in my review of B.A. Paris’ <i>Behind Closed Doors</i>:<br /><br />“Shortly past the halfway mark, I began to see how this must end. The payoff was worth the trip. In approval, I sipped a glass of sherry, a special red from the Montilla region of Spain. Taste the story; I think you’ll like it.”<br /><br />It may take another glass of the sherry (actually I prefer very dry wines), to relate the story of the señora citizen. I bet John’s right, too.<br />Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-36713529188995363392017-03-22T00:13:02.102-04:002017-03-22T00:13:02.102-04:00Enjoyed the column. I, too, enjoy utilizing older...Enjoyed the column. I, too, enjoy utilizing older folks for their wisdom and their lack of filters. My first published short story, Legal Magic, introduced a group of senior citizen mah jongg players. These same players became the comic foil and co-sleuths (with the 29-year-old protagonist)in my book, Should Have Played Poker: a Carrie Martin and the Mah Jongg Players Mystery (Five Star 2016).Debra H. Goldsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17533446284471717884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-13082504334152480882017-03-21T22:16:34.165-04:002017-03-21T22:16:34.165-04:00Thanks for commenting, John. I haven't read al...Thanks for commenting, John. I haven't read all your stories--yet!--but I must tell you that I have a favorite Angela story. There's one involving prison escapees and knitting. I still smile thinking about it. The ending was perfect.Barb Goffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16013123434790272424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-20218971326357311102017-03-21T21:56:47.862-04:002017-03-21T21:56:47.862-04:00Coming into this late, Barb--Loved the column. It...Coming into this late, Barb--Loved the column. It's fun to stop and think of how many older folks ARE the stars of the show, in some of these mystery series, on TV and on the page too. And thanks for the kind words, to you and Leigh also, about my crazy old schoolteacher. Angela might be irritating to the "real" law in their little town, but she does find a way to solve the cases, now and then.<br /><br />Leigh, I'm wondering also, about who you're referring to. If your first convention was the one I'm thinking of, which was also my first convention, I have a sneaky suspicion.John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-16721454831314660212017-03-21T21:06:40.956-04:002017-03-21T21:06:40.956-04:00Leigh, thank you. I love doing little things like ...Leigh, thank you. I love doing little things like that (Mystery Queen Magazine). I did a little something with some of the names I used in this blog post, but no one has mentioned it. Sigh.<br /><br />Anyway, I love Angela Potts! She is one of my favorite characters. (Poor Chunky.)<br /><br />And I must, must, must hear the story about senora citizen. Please message me with the details! Or if it's too juicy to write down ... well, we'll have to figure something out. Any chance you'll be at Bouchercon in Toronto and could share the story in person?Barb Goffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16013123434790272424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-73754945518380066582017-03-21T20:54:19.194-04:002017-03-21T20:54:19.194-04:00Mystery Queen Magazine… ha! I like that.
John Flo...Mystery Queen Magazine… ha! I like that.<br /><br />John Floyd has a lil ol' lady schoolteacher who trots around after a sheriff solving his crimes. Good thing the sheriff isn't homicidal!<br /><br />When attending my first convention, people told me how nice and helpful mystery writers are. That's proved true. Except… except for one and ohhhhhh, does that señora citizen deserve the death penalty. And I wasn't even the target!<br />Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-19993180417251761662017-03-21T16:15:41.672-04:002017-03-21T16:15:41.672-04:00Thanks about my story, Bonnie. And thanks again fo...Thanks about my story, Bonnie. And thanks again for reading and blurbing the book. We all appreciate it. (The official copy I sent should have arrived yesterday. I hope you received it.) And your Professor Woodhouse is a perfect example of a sleuth who can hide in plain sight because no one suspects her of being anything except old. <br /><br />Joyce, it's always nice to be taken seriously, isn't it. (No matter how old you are. And no matter whether you're real or fictional.) I hope you enjoy the book!<br /><br />Michael, thanks for stopping by. I didn't set out to write about senior protagonists, but they just have certain characteristics that are ripe for short stories, especially mysteries. Good luck with your two stories featuring retirees. Knowing your track record, you'll finish the second one and place them both with ease.<br /><br />Diane, I love the Crimestoppers idea. That has humor written all over it. Very cool! Barb Goffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16013123434790272424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-60579778748034666982017-03-21T12:37:17.039-04:002017-03-21T12:37:17.039-04:00Loved your blog, and you are so right that seniors...Loved your blog, and you are so right that seniors can do almost anything in plain sight. In my DD McGil Literati Mysteries, two twin sisters, Glendy and Lucille - both in their 80's - are die hard Cubs fans and will do almost anything to get the reward monies from Crimestoppers. Diane Gilbert Madsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03751946784955483918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-72428766719808881892017-03-21T12:17:04.524-04:002017-03-21T12:17:04.524-04:00I've realized that the older I get, the older ...I've realized that the older I get, the older my protagonists get, though they still lag behind me by a few years. I've only written a handful of stories (mostly genres other than crime fiction) with "seniors" as protagonists, but I have a couple of mysteries--one making the rounds and another only partially written--that feature retired protagonists, and neither story would work if its protagonist were younger.Michael Brackenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01072019804281421944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-13955262382966230872017-03-21T11:50:01.591-04:002017-03-21T11:50:01.591-04:00Love it, love it! I did a blog post some time back...Love it, love it! I did a blog post some time back on the fact that older people in stories are generally portrayed as wise sages, dithering in senility or other 'colorful characters', never as anyone to be taken seriously as a protagonist. Good for you! I have this high on my TBR list.<br />Congratulations.Tonette Joycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03282619985489614075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-40984518575874819092017-03-21T11:30:03.754-04:002017-03-21T11:30:03.754-04:00Congratulations on your story in 50 Shades of Cabe...Congratulations on your story in 50 Shades of Cabernet, Barb--I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Eve's already mentioned my favorite older sleuth, Miss Climpson, who cleverly exploits people's preconceptions about older women as she helps Lord Peter with his cases. Then there's Jessica Fletcher of Murder, She Wrote, though I don't remember how old she was supposed to be. (I have to admit I didn't watch more than an episode or two of the series.) I'll also mention Professor Minerva Woodhouse, from my Woodhouse Investigations stories for AHMM. She's able to help her daughter, private detective Iphigenia Woodhouse, not only by supplying shrewd insights but also by doing occasional bits of undercover work (most recently at a retirement community). She often gets people to open up to her because they assume she's hopelessly, helplessly senile. (She's not--just deeply eccentric and more than a little scrambled.)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17673578800047888317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-15041387471701093332017-03-21T10:43:03.295-04:002017-03-21T10:43:03.295-04:00Thanks for stopping by, Eve. Your comment makes me...Thanks for stopping by, Eve. Your comment makes me wonder: Why do so many senior amateur sleuths have the word miss before them? Do they have to be single to sleuth? Heck, I'm single but I don't hear people calling me Miss Goffman. (Thank goodness.) Barb Goffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16013123434790272424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-30580961512721896252017-03-21T10:31:47.877-04:002017-03-21T10:31:47.877-04:00Miss Marple! Miss Silver! Miss Climpson! And ma...Miss Marple! Miss Silver! Miss Climpson! And many more...<br />I have many seniors in my stories - Matt Stark and her brother Harold pop up regularly. And King's River Life published my "When I Grow Old, I Shall Wear Purple", about a witness protection person in a nursing home - which works great, except that he claims to be from a small town in SD, and that's way too easy to check. <br />I think nursing homes, retirement centers, etc., are great venues for mysteries, because people are taken at their own valuation - and what if they're lying? Why shouldn't they lie? After all, you're in your 70s or 80s, who cares if you claim to be a retired judge, or a circus performer, or anything else? Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-90094424307959125112017-03-21T09:39:34.234-04:002017-03-21T09:39:34.234-04:00Mel, OMG, the Holy Cannoli Retirement Villa. Love ...Mel, OMG, the Holy Cannoli Retirement Villa. Love it. Let's retire there together someday, and people can underestimate us together. Could you imagine what we could do if we put our heads together?!<br /><br />And Art, thanks so much for stopping by. I had fun writing this post. It's always fun when you *have to* re-watch favorite movie scenes in order to quote the dialogue correctly.Barb Goffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16013123434790272424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-87636057046531378162017-03-21T09:07:52.627-04:002017-03-21T09:07:52.627-04:00Fun post, Barb--and congrats on the new story!Fun post, Barb--and congrats on the new story!Art Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02409008167752619352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-32542448622209123232017-03-21T08:23:01.263-04:002017-03-21T08:23:01.263-04:00Grinning while reading this, Barb! And thinking -...Grinning while reading this, Barb! And thinking - how true. In the mob book, The Goddaughter Caper, a group of retired mob senior citizens at the Holy Cannoli Retirement Villa figure out a scheme to raise money for a Vegas trip - in a totally illegal and hopefully hilarious way.<br />My first crime award was a for a short story called "The Perfect Mark," in which a pensioner flips the tables on a young person out to rob her. It's being used in school systems in New Zealand and Finland, partly for the purpose of exposing preconceived ideas about the aged.<br />Good column! I haven't seen one like this before.Melodie Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07870938103759179132noreply@blogger.com