Sacked by Sandy

I was really looking forward to this blog post--I love writing tips. And sometimes making suggestions for other writers gets my creaky gears groaning, too.

But then life intervened--in the form of Hurricane Sandy. Or Cyclone Sandy or tropical storm Sandy or whatever you want to call her. All I know is I was at the end of a lovely vacation, when Sandy stranded me for four extra days. 

In Rome. 

Italy.

I know. It's hard to feel sorry for someone stranded in Rome. And I did eat more than my share of amazing pizza while waiting for news of the storm as it roared toward our home in Connecticut. But I didn't write a word, either for you or for me.

So my best, short writing advice? Apply butt to chair, hold your nose and write, as my good friend Hallie Ephron would say.

On the other hand, if you're still waiting in the dark and the cold, or your house was damaged, or you've lost some precious sense of safety because of the storm, please know that we are all holding you in our hearts. Don't worry about writing now--the words will come when the time is right.

Lucy Burdette is the author of the Key West food critic mysteries, most recently DEATH IN FOUR COURSES.  Read more at her website, or follow her on Twitter, or like her on facebook.

Happy Release Day: Lucy Burdette and Hank Phillippi Ryan

Lucy Burdette and Hank Phillippi Ryan both have books out—this week!!! And fitting in with the girlfriends theme, they both involve big transitions.  We’re so excited about this...we cannot wait to tell you. First----Lucy. And tomorrow Hank!

And a lucky commenter will win a signed copy of DEATH IN FOUR COURSES  today—or THE OTHER WOMAN tomorrow!

Hank: After eight books written as Roberta Isleib, you've got a new name and a new series. Talk about transition! Tell us about that!

Lucy: My publisher was looking for a cozy mystery proposal with a food critic as the protagonist. And I was looking for something new to write! And at the time, my husband and I were lucky enough to be spending the winter in Key West, which is a foodie paradise and chock full of interesting characters. And thus the series was born! I love food, so it’s been a delicious adventure to write these books—and a great excuse for “research.” DEATH IN FOUR COURSES, released yesterday, is the second book in the new series. 

Food critic Hayley Snow is attending a conference of prestigious food writers. After finding the keynote speaker's body bobbing in a dipping pool, she has to turn sleuth--or come to her own bitter finish.

As for the name, the publisher asked if I'd be willing to change it. My grandmother's name, Lucille Burdette, immediately sprang to mind. I love having that bit of family history in my life--and it's so much fun to be LUCY!

Hank: Tell us about the new character, food critic Hayley Snow.

Lucy: She’s young—I can’t even bear to tell you how much younger than I—so she’s insecure and anxious about finding herself and succeeding, as I was in my 20’s. However, she’s much braver than I am—more foolhardy too. It’s a little odd to be writing about an amateur sleuth, as I certainly would never try to solve a mystery myself! Dial 911—and run as far from the body as possible—that’s how I would handle a murder…

We are alike in a few ways—she’s devoted to her family and friends and loves a good meal. My husband feels that he’s been eating better than ever since I started to write about a food critic. He’s a little disappointed now if I don’t take a picture of his dinner before he tackles it…

Hank: SO. Back to Key West! Your books are such a treat on so many levels—was it fun to be in Key West as a writer, not just as a visitor?  

Lucy: As I hope you’ll be able to tell in the books, I’m mad for Key West. The food, the tropical setting, the interesting characters, the energy! But the island also has a long literary history. Ernest Hemingway lived here (you can tour his home and see the descendants of his polydactyl cats), and Tennessee Williams, and Judy Blume, and Annie Dillard, and Alison Lurie, and Jimmy Buffett…I can’t tell you how much I love feeling like a tiny part of this!

I had a major thrill when I received my first-ever (in ten books!) review from Publishers Weekly. Here's my favorite little snippet: "Anyone who's ever overpaid for a pretentious restaurant meal will relish this witty cozy." 

Hank: Congratulations Lucy! And readers, there are lots of ways to order the book—you can pick your poison:

Barnes and Noble
Amazon
Indiebound
Or for a signed copy, RJ Julia Booksellers
 

 
And don't forget to leave a comment to be entered in our double-barreled drawing--for a copy of DEATH IN FOUR COURSES today, and THE OTHER WOMAN tomorrow!

 

Check out Lucy's website
Follow Lucy on Twitter @LucyBurdette
Or "Like" her on Facebook

Those Elusive Ideas by Lucy Burdette

Ideas for books and stories are everywhere out in the world--it's putting my finger on them that's not so easy. But here's an example of how a story evolved--the pieces were all there; I simply had to put them together.

Every year Mystery Writers of America publishes an anthology of short stories centered on a theme that is chosen by a big name guest editor. Two years ago, the editor was Nelson DeMille and he called for stories based on the very rich.  I very much wanted to be included, so I racked my brain for ideas. At the time, I was staying in Key West and my sister and her husband had come to visit for a couple of days. We wandered down to Mallory Square, where the sunset celebration takes place every night. The big cruise ships dock there too, though almost always they are required to set off before sunset so they don't block the tourists' view.

On this particular night, one of the ships seemed to be delayed. And then we spotted a man carrying his luggage off the boat, by all indications arguing with the crew. He steamed off into the crowd and the ship left the dock. Now that got us all thinking...and finally we came up with these ideas: What if his girlfriend had not returned to the boat in time to depart the port? And what if a detective from out of town happened to be watching, and had seen the same man squabbling with a woman on Duval Street earlier that day? And what if her picture turned up as a missing person in the crime report of the Key West Citizen the next day? And what if the cat man of Key West had seen something that turned into a clue?

All I had to do was to figure out what happened to her....

And where the detective had come from and why he was there...

And why he preferred to spend his vacation in Key West helping the local cops solve a crime...

The last part was the easiest. I borrowed Detective Meigs from my advice column mysteries and gave him an unwanted, nonrefundable vacation from his sister. And had him greeted at the airport by a taxi driver with a parrot on his shoulder.

And out of all that emerged my short story "The Itinerary" (by my alter-ego Roberta Isleib), now published in THE RICH AND THE DEAD, edited by Nelson DeMille. And even better, nominated for an Agatha Award at the Malice Domestic convention!

Here's how it begins: 

"Detective Jack Meigs knew he’d hate Key West the moment he was greeted off the plane by a taxi driver with a parrot on his shoulder. He hadn’t wanted to take a vacation at all, and he certainly hadn’t wanted to come to Florida, which he associated with elderly people pretending they weren’t declining. But his boss insisted, and then his sister surprised him with a nonrefundable ticket: He was screwed." Read the rest of the story here.

Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleib is the author of nine mysteries including the first Key West food critic mystery, AN APPETITE FOR MURDER. Please follow her on twitter or facebook.