Curator, Cop

I often describe the protagonist of my Chloe Ellefson mysteries as a reluctant sleuth. Museum curator Chloe is much more interested in folklore and artifacts than in solving crimes. She gets pulled into investigations when her specialized knowledge is needed.

Otherwise she leaves police work to local cop Roelke McKenna. In the newest installment, Heritage of Darkness, Chloe and Roelke collaborate to solve a murder that takes place at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum.

Chloe and Roelke are becoming more than friends. A romantic relationship has presented challenges, however. The two have very little in common.

So I was intrigued when Milwaukee radio host (and discerning reader) Mitch Teich asked me about the professional attributes Chloe and Roelke share.

Mitch is quite right. Every museum curator is a bit of a sleuth.

This wooden goat head reveals a lot about traditions that play a role in Heritage of Darkness.  (Image courtesy Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum)

Obviously the historical research needed to create programs at historic sites and museums involves investigation. Curators must be able to find and interpret clues in written records, oral tradition, artifacts, visual images, folklore, etc. in order to plan events and activities.

Old World Wisconsin's "The Spirit of Christmas Past" 

Chloe is a curator of collections. In a museum setting, artifacts are valued for what they can reveal about the people who made, owned, or used them.

Artifacts like this ale bowl always leave me wondering about the original owners. (Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum)

When an antique ale bowl disappears in the first book of the series, Old World Murder, Chloe's primary concern isn't the antique's monetary value.

In order to understand who might desperately want the bowl, she considers all the other reasons it might be important.  She must explore what's known about the piece in order to discover what has not yet been revealed.

So I guess Chloe and Roelke have more in common than it may initially appear.  That's good, because I have a lot more crimes in mind for these two investigators to solve.

For more information about the Chloe Ellefson mysteries, visit www.kathleenernst.com

Fiction in Real Places

by Kathleen Ernst

Is it wise to set a murder mystery in a real place? 

The first book in my Chloe Ellefson series, Old World Murder, is set at a large historic site where I once worked.  I used to be a curator at Old World Wisconsin; Chloe is a curator at Old World Wisconsin.  You know what they say: write what you know.


Several writers advised me to fictionalize the setting, but I simply couldn’t do it.  I sent the manuscript to a former colleague before publication, and it made the rounds among administrative types.  Happily, they gave it a thumbs-up.

They weren’t just being kind to me.  They were being savvy.  In these difficult financial times, museums and historic sites are looking for new audiences, new ways to let people know just how much they have to offer.  In my case, I think the site staff realized that my books might bring a few new visitors to the site.  Yes, my fictional characters are involved in murder and mayhem.  But the site itself is portrayed—quite accurately—as a gem.

I’ve been delighted to hear from readers who have indeed discovered the site through Old World Murder and book 2, The Heirloom Murders.  I’ve got locations guides for each book posted on my website.  Readers can download them and take a Chloe Tour on their own, seeing each real building or place that appears in the books.

And this year, I worked with Old World Wisconsin staff to create special “History and Mystery” tours, focused on the Chloe Ellefson books.  Participants arrive before-hours for a behind-the-scenes look at locations featured in the novels. 

I take guests into the buildings they read about and discuss the choices I made when writing the books.  I’m able to share some background about the site, providing pertinent context that didn’t quite make it into the novels.  Guests also get to visit areas that are not normally open to the public. 


The curator of research, who has worked at the site since the 1970s, shares little-known stories about identifying, relocating, restoring, and researching each structure.  That’s a rare treat, and I can tell that participants would be happy to listen and ask him questions all day.


The experience ends with a private reception and—of course—a booksigning.  The combination must be appealing, because the first tours have sold out.  One lady on the first tour flew in from New York!  So far we’ve raised $2,000 for Old World Wisconsin.

So is it wise to write about a real place?  For me, the answer is definitely yes.  I think Old World Wisconsin staff would agree.  The site supports and promotes my books; I support and promote the site.

In future books, when Chloe visits other historic sites, I hope to do the same thing.  The Light Keeper’s Legacy, which comes out in October, is largely set in an old lighthouse on an island in Lake Michigan.  A special fund-raising tour there sounds like great fun to me!

For more information, visit http://kathleenernst.com

Heirlooms of Importance

By Kathleen Ernst

I didn’t set out to write an “issue” novel when I began The Heirloom Murders, second in my Chloe Ellefson series.

I did want to include a plotline about the importance of preserving heirloom varieties of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.  Historic sites like the real outdoor museum Old World Wisconsin, where my fictional protagonist Chloe works as a curator, play a key role in perpetuating these heirlooms.

And as I’ve written here before, it is important.  When I worked at Old World Wisconsin back in the 1980s and ‘90s, I learned how much genetic diversity we’ve lost in the last century or so—over 90%, by most estimates.  

Small seed companies have been overrun by big ones.  Small family farms have been gobbled by huge factory farms which practice monoculture.  Consumers have come to expect produce that looks good after long traveling half-way around the planet, which encourages growers to focus on only those varieties that can make the trip.

Educators at historic sites help visitors consider that some endangered variety might be the only one that can stand up to the next pest, disease, or drought.   

And happily, more and more home growers are raising heirloom verities.  I try a few new ones each year in my own garden.  Initially, I hoped that The Heirloom Murders would help introduce the fun and of raising heirlooms to a few more gardeners, perhaps in turn keeping a few more varieties vibrant.

But when I started writing The Heirloom Murders, I discovered some pretty scary stuff.  A few mega-companies have been working hard to take control of the world’s food supply.  They promise farmers in rural areas that their company’s genetically-modified seeds will produce better yields and resist drought, parasites, and insects.  If the sales pitch works, people stop growing their time-honored varieties of grain or vegetables and buy the genetically-modified seeds—sometimes taking out loans to do so.

Tragically, things don’t always work out as promised.  In India, for example, many farmers who purchased genetically modified seed have experienced total crop failure.  Traditionally, farmers would save seed and replant the following year, but the new genetic modifications force farmers to buy more seed from the company each year.  According to a watchdog organization, an estimated 125,000 farmers in India have committed suicide after crop failure and financial ruin.

The situation so frightening that a number of countries around the world, from Poland to Peru, are banning the sale and use of genetically engineered seeds.

So as it turns out, the importance of preserving heirloom seeds is even greater than I knew.  I felt good about including that theme in my mystery.  And that made it especially rewarding to learn that The Heirloom Murders was being awarded the Anne Powers Fiction Book Prize by the Council for Wisconsin Writers.  (That's me at the awards ceremony, below.)

By the way, if you’d like to learn more about heirloom gardening, check out Putting Down Roots:  Gardening Insights From Wisconsin’s Early Settlers, by my friend Marcia Carmichael, Historic Gardener at Old World Wisconsin.  Marcia’s book earned Honorable Mention in the Outdoor Writing Category of the CWW’s awards.

And if you’ve got some space in your garden, why not try some heirloom seeds?

Visit http://www.seedsavers.org/ to get started.

You can learn more about the Chloe Ellefson mysteries at http://kathleenernst.com

Going, Going, Gone?

by Kathleen Ernst

One of the great things about writing novels is having the opportunity to explore interesting topics along the way. Since my Chloe Ellefson mysteries are set at historic sites, I have all kinds of opportunities to introduce readers to aspects of the museum world.

When planning book 2, The Heirloom Murders, I decided to shine a light on the role historic sites play in preserving old agricultural traditions. Interpreters at living history sites help perpetuate not just old methods, but historic livestock breeds and antique varieties of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

It’s a pretty big deal. According to the USDA, we’ve lost ninety-seven percent of the vegetable varieties once grown in the United States. People have gotten out of the habit of saving their own seeds, passing them along, swapping with neighbors. Large seed companies have overtaken small local ones. Vegetables grown today are largely chosen for their ability to look good after being shipped long distances. Luscious-tasting varieties that didn’t look pretty were discarded. We’ve lost a lot of flavor and diversity along the way.

Even worse, some of those old varieties might have been the only type to withstand the onslaught of some new pest or disease. In The Heirloom Murders, Chloe explains the situation to cop Roelke McKenna this way:

Chloe tapped her pencil against her clipboard. “You’ve heard of the Irish potato famine, right? Mass starvation, mostly because a blight hit the potato crop?”

“Yeah. Lots of Irish people came over here.”

“Right. All the potatoes in Europe succumbed to the disease. But in the Andes, people were growing hundreds or thousands of potato varieties, and some of them proved to be resistant to the blight. If that hadn’t been the case, we wouldn’t be eating mashed potatoes for dinner every Thanksgiving.”

I didn’t know anything about heirloom gardening until I went to work in the historic sites biz myself, way back when. Now I grow heirlooms in my own gardens. Mostly vegetables, but a few flowers too.

My first goal for any novel is to tell a good story, about characters that readers will come to care about. But if a couple of readers get intrigued by old varieties of vegetables, fruits, or flowers too…well, that would be pretty darn cool.

All photos were taken at an agricultural fair held at Old World Wisconsin, which has an extensive historic agriculture program. For more information about heirloom seeds, check out Seed Savers Exchange.

The Real Me

by Kathleen Ernst

“So,” my agent said recently, “don’t take this the wrong way, but you need some new author photos.”

The whole professional photo thing is not one of my favorite parts of the writing biz. I’ve found a wonderful local photographer for studio work, and I dutifully made an appointment and updated my headshots. (Photo, left, by Geri Gerrold)

But I’m a low-key person. I never wear suits. I rarely wear makeup or pantyhose. I wanted to supplement the “For the Media” page on my website with some casual photos as well. Shots that reflected both my personality and my new Chloe Ellefson/Historic Sites series. Fortunately, I have a professional photographer friend who thought that a day spent taking pictures at Old World Wisconsin (setting for Old World Murder) sounded like a good time.

So I’m borrowing an idea Beth Groundwater had a while back (imitation equals flattery, right?) and posting some shots below. I’d like to narrow the field to a top pick for full figure (Group A), and top pick for tighter views (Group B). What do you think? I’d love your opinion! (All photos by Kay Klubertanz.)

Group A:

A1

A2

A3

Group B:

B1

B2

B3

Which are your favorites? And…how do you choose to present yourself to the world?

Witty, Pithy, Memorable? by Kathleen Ernst

I need a slogan.

I have, I think, a pretty good platform for my new series. Old World Murder introduces Chloe Ellefson, Curator of Collections at a huge historic site called Old World Wisconsin. Future books will get Chloe to other historic sites (much as Nevada Barr gets protagonist Anna Pigeon to various national parks.)

Since I was once a curator at Old World Wisconsin, and know the world of historic sites well, I feel qualified to write about it.

But I want a slogan. Something I can use to promote the series, and not just a single book. Something witty. Something pithy. Something memorable.

Sisters in Crime found a good one: "SinC Into A Good Mystery." It works on buttons and bumper stickers.

Some authors choose names for their protagonists that can do double duty. Laura DiSilverio’s first book, Swift Justice, (due in October) features Charlotte Swift, a PI who runs Swift Investigations. Easy to remember.

Sandi Ault obviously planned ahead when she created her series. Her protagonist is Jamaica Wild; the books are known as the Wild Mysteries. They are largely set in wilderness areas, and each title incorporates the key word (Wild Indigo, Wild Inferno, etc.) She has a great logo to represent the series.

I had good reasons for choosing “Chloe Ellefson” as my protagonist’s name. Still, it doesn’t give me a whole lot to work with on the marketing end.

The only thing I’ve come up with so far is this: “Set your sights on the next Chloe Ellefson/Historic Sites Mystery.” Someone told me that might make people think of the National Rifle Association.

I’m not particularly clever when it comes to these things. So what do you think? What might work as a clever catchphrase for my series? I’ll be on the road on the day this is posted, and unable to access the internet and respond immediately, but I’m open to any and all suggestions!

A Peek Behind the Scenes, by Kathleen Ernst

The official publication date for Old World Murder is October 1, 2010. And I want to spend the next six months helping to create some buzz.

When I worked in the historic sites biz, I learned that visitors are fascinated with behind-the-scenes stuff. Where are the collections stored? Why is that farmhouse furnished the way it is? What research led to that program? People pay extra for tours that offer answers to that type of question.

So as I thought about promoting Old World Murder, I decided to do something similar. I'd make a video or two to help draw readers into my (and my protagonist's) world, and--I hope--intrigue them about the book.

Now, watching me stare at a computer screen is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But there is, of course, more to creating a book than the actual writing.

The plot of Old World Murder revolves around a missing antique Norwegian ale bowl. I needed to understand what antique Norwegian ale bowls looked like, and how they were used. That kind of research is the fun stuff! And I thought readers might enjoy it, too.

I got to see a lot of gorgeous old bowls at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum--some on display, some in storage. My husband Scott and I recently completed a short video about my visit. This is not a book trailer; it's a peek behind the scenes.

I embedded the video into a blog post that provided additional context. I've also posted it on my website, my Facebook fan page, and on my (brand spankin' new) YouTube channel. I don't pretend to know that making short videos will make a noticeable difference in sales, but it was fun, and I've gotten some positive feedback.

Have you seen or done any promotional video-based projects, trailers or otherwise? I'd love to hear about your experiences!

Greetings

I'm not usually a ditherer. But I must confess to a certain amount of shilly-shallying as I thought about writing my first post for InkSpot. What to say, and how to say it?

Here's the main thing: I am thrilled to join the Midnight Ink authors' club.

I've written fifteen books for the J/YA audience, eight of them mysteries. I already feel at home in the genre, and love hanging out with mystery writers and readers. Still, several people in the biz expressed concern when I mentioned that I was writing an adult mystery. No one seems to mind when an established adult-audience author decides to write a kids' book. Evidently the reverse isn't always accepted as easily.

So I'm doubly grateful to Brian Farrey and everyone at Midnight Ink for picking up Old World Murder. This new series features Chloe Ellefson, curator at a large historic site called Old World Wisconsin. (The photo above show me, working at the same site back in 1982). It's set for publication in October, 2010. And at the risk of sounding unprofessional... yippee!

I'm also grateful to my fellow MI writers, who have extended a warm welcome.

For now, I'll leave it at that. We'll have lots of opportunities to chat. I hope to be around for a long time.

Kathleen Ernst

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