Historical Fiction?

by Kathleen Ernst

Recently, a reader asked if my Chloe Ellefson Historic Sites Mysteries are historical fiction.

The first three books in the series are set in 1982.  I was in my early twenties then, so for much of the cultural context, I simply tap my own memories.  For me, and for some of my readers, the '80s were the good old days.

On the other hand, some of my readers weren't born until well after 1982. I occasionally get emails from people wondering about details like coiled telephone cords.

So, are the Chloe books historical fiction?  Depends on who you ask.  Some writers' organizations set an arbitrary date---if a book is set before 1960, for example, it is indeed "historical."

The Historical Novel Society takes a different approach.  That group considers any novel historical if it takes place before the author was born.  That means an author approaches the setting through research, not memory.  I like that definition because it focuses on process.  It does set a sliding scale, though.  A book set in 1990 might be classified as historical fiction, while a book set in 1943 might not.

When I'm writing for kids, the whole notion of historical fiction presents a different challenge.  My latest children's mystery is set during the War of 1812.  It's hard for an eight-year-old to get a handle on "two hundred years ago."

I sometimes get letters from kids who seem to think I lived through the War of 1812.

I cherish the curiosity evident in that letter.  How cool that the young letter-writer finished a book and felt compelled to write to the author!  The literal meaning of "two centuries ago" doesn't matter.

Bottom line:  I don't really care how my books are classified.  I hope they tell good stories and touch readers' hearts.  If they foster an interest in history... that's frosting on the proverbial cake.

Speaking of cake, I'm celebrating the publication of my 25th book--Traitor in the Shipyard--with 25 weeks of book giveaways.  Interested?  You can find all the details on my own blog, or on my Facebook Author Page.  Readers make everything possible, and I'm grateful!

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

Killing the Good Guys

by Kathleen Ernst

I recently joined a book group to discuss my Chloe Ellefson mysteries, and one of the members had a question I hadn’t fielded before. In the first book, Old World Murder, a very nice character is killed about mid-way through. “How can you create such an appealing character and then kill him off?” she asked.

We discussed the choice of victims in murder mysteries, and the conversation moved on. However, I’ve been thinking more about it. In the second Chloe mystery, The Heirloom Murders, two nice people are killed. In The Light Keeper’s Legacy, which comes out in October, another nice person takes the hit.

I didn’t plan to kill a sympathetic character per se. In each case, the victim suited the needs of the story. Creating a sympathetic victim can up the emotional stakes too, making it even more important to find the killer and bring him/her to justice.

I’m well into the opening stages of writing a fourth Chloe mystery. In this one, by chance, I took the opposite approach. The victim is a generally unpleasant woman. Once the crime is committed lots of people can go on the suspect list because she did so many not-nice things to so many people.

Obviously, there is no right or wrong approach. I do think, though, that I’ll try to keep balance in mind as the series progresses.

How about you? Do you prefer your mysteries to include unlikeable murder victims? Do you appreciate the extra heart-tug when a favorite character dies? Or does it not matter? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

http: kathleenernst.com

image courtesy Simon Howden, http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=404

Policewoman, Pin-up

My Chloe Ellefson series is set in the early 1980s. I’ve blogged before about the way television shows like Cagney and Lacey and T.J. Hooker portrayed women officers. While finishing Chloe #3, The Lightkeeper’s Legacy, I got a new glimpse of women officers of the time.

A scene called for one of the male officer characters to empty his mailbox. Always on the look for tiny tidbits that will make in-the-know readers smile and nod, I did a quick eBay search for police-related periodicals of the day. All I wanted was a title, but when I came across the August ‘82 of Police Product News: The Law Officer’s Magazine, I had to have it. (Seriously, could you resist those guys on the cover?)

I had no idea I was buying a magazine with a centerfold.

Based on the Letters section, the inclusion of a policewoman pin-up was the subject of ongoing controversy. A female reader had previously written to object to the “practice of using sexuality as a means of selling your magazines.” Another had evidently claimed in an earlier issue that the centerfolds existed because “majority rules…”, which I assume referred to the fact that forces were at that time predominantly male.

In response, a male sheriff from Pennsylvania wrote, “The centerspread is just an extra in a fine magazine to brighten up a dull day or night for officers.”

A male officer from Washington State added, “I believe that a few people are too sensitive to the centerfolds. …I’m glad the profession is opening more to women. There are certain areas of public relations that women can handle that prove a little difficult at times for men. …My wife is a police officer and I have seen her control subjects verbally who would have probably kicked my bucket no matter how nice I would have been.”

The magazine’s main content clearly offered a variety content-rich and helpful articles for officers. I’ve only seen the one issue, so I don’t know how long the centerfolds continued.

As a novelist it’s not my job to pronounce personal judgment, but to observe and consider how my characters might feel about the pin-ups. My cop, Roelke McKenna, has a less-than-ideal relationship with a female deputy sheriff named Marge. Marge can come across as officious and pushy. I think I’d like to explore the working relationship between Roelke and Marge, and their perspectives on the role of female officers, in a future book.

Want to weigh in? Were the centerfolds disrespectful? Fun and harmless? Offensive because, as far as I know, only women were chosen? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

And a blue-light special: Amazon has chosen to feature Old World Murder, the first Chloe Ellefson mystery, throughout January. Kindle downloads are just $1.99!

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Happy Solstice

by Kathleen Ernst

Last Friday, I finished a revision of the third Chloe Ellefson mystery, The Lightkeeper’s Legacy. I’d already turned in a draft that let Midnight Ink finalize the title (yay!) and begin work on the cover art. Despite my best efforts, though, that draft wasn’t where I wanted it to be. I spent the next six weeks cleaning it up and trimming the word count.

Saturday was a family day. Late that afternoon, my husband and I attended the annual Solstice Service at my church. As the sun set we lit candles, sang, listened to an ensemble of nine harps, and honored the turning of the seasons. A storyteller acted out the Italian tale of Befana, an old woman who delivers gifts to children on Epiphany Eve. I always love this service—the celebration, the stories and traditions from many cultures, the act of lighting candles against literal and figurative darkness. (Photo at left from First Unitarian Society, Madison, WI.)

That evening, I sat down at my desk to work. I ran a spell-check on the manuscript, fixed a couple more small things, and hit print.

It felt like quite a milestone. The past year I’ve juggled promotion for The Heirloom Murders, researching and writing The Lightkeeper’s Legacy, and writing and revising a children’s project which will also be published next year. The new Chloe story was more complicated than the earlier ones. I didn’t plan it that way; that’s how the story emerged. I’m grateful for the opportunities, but the deadlines and travel have at times been a bit overwhelming. So it seemed a bit symbolic that I was able to print a working draft of Chloe #3 on the same day I celebrated the solstice.

Today I made copies of the manuscript to send to content reviewers and trusted first readers. While they’re out, I’ll take a break from the story so I can return to it during the editing process with a fresh eye. As the days start getting longer again, I’ll be able to look ahead to new projects. I’m already eager to get started on Chloe #4.

As 2011 winds to a close I wish you all a chance to pause and reflect, to celebrate the changing seasons, to feel the satisfaction of projects completed and the excitement of projects not yet begun. Happy holidays!

Romance, Romance

by Kathleen Ernst

I had lunch this week with two friends who (good pals that they are) told me they loved The Heirloom Murders, my second Chloe Ellefson mystery. They also agreed that they’re ready to see some action between Chloe and and cop Roelke McKenna.

In the first book, Old World Murder, Chloe was recovering from a bad breakup and definitely not ready for a new romance. In book 2, she tries to figure out what kind of man she might want to be with. Book 3, which I’m still revising, offers some new ideas about her life, her wishes, and the possibility of a relationship. (Roelke is definitely still in the picture.)

Here’s the challenge: I hope to write many books about Chloe, which presents a common dilemma. Stringing the possibility of romance along for too long can become annoying. Getting two people together too quickly can kill the tension, the energy.

Some of my favorite authors have handled things between two main characters differently. One kept them apart a little longer than I liked—five or six books, maybe. Another killed the guy off, leaving the heroine to start fresh (and upsetting many fans, based on online reviews.) Another chose to get her couple married quite quickly, and then let the inevitable frictions between spouses provide tension in the books that followed.

I’ve tried to build some complexity into both of the main characters, Chloe and Roelke. Falling in love isn’t a simple thing for either of them. Still, I don’t want to frustrate readers, either.

There’s no single right answer, of course…but I’d love to hear your thoughts!

http://kathleenernst.com

Images from 123RF.

When One Thing Leads To Another…

by Kathleen Ernst

I’ve mentioned here before that I often write in coffee shops. This post is about some nice and unexpected things that came my way because of that.

My favorite haunt is a local spot called the Prairie Cafe. The staff is nice, the food is good, and they make the best mocha lattes in town. There’s an outlet right next to the table in the quiet corner. All good stuff.

After my first Chloe mystery came out, several young women who work there told me they belonged to a book club. Would I be willing to meet with the group to discuss Old World Murder? Of course I said yes. Alisha, who manages the cafe, offered to host the gathering in the cafe, which is closed in the evening. It turned out to be a marvelous gathering. In addition to good conversation, the club members put out a pot luck to shame all pot lucks. They gave me flowers. I got a beautiful thank-you card, and even a gift certificate from the cafe (more mochas!).

I gave Alisha a copy of The Heirloom Murders when it was released. (The acknowledgments thank the Prairie Cafe staff for their hospitality). She and my husband Scott put their heads together and came up with a plan to display both of my books on a shelf beside the cash register. Pretty good exposure! I think we even sold a few.

Alisha is a professional baker. I like to work with friends whenever possible, so we asked her to bake the cake for the launch party for The Heirloom Murders. The party was last week, and she provided an amazing cake. In addition to creating the book itself, she created a hand cultivator, Swiss flag, and a chunk of green cheese from fondant. (That all actually makes sense if you read the book.) And she added a crystal to represent the legendary diamond at the heart of the plotline.

I know that writing in public places isn’t for everyone. Sometimes, though, you end up making new friends, selling a few books, and serving a cake that will, I hope, have my guests ready for more when the next book launch rolls around.

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.

Advice From Sue Grafton

by Kathleen Ernst

Sue Grafton, author of the Kinsey Millhone series, was the Lifetime Achievement honoree at Malice Domestic this year. You may know it as “the Alphabet Series.” Sue published A Is For Alibi in 1982; her latest is U Is For Undertow. All told, she’s officially sold a bazillion books.

I had never heard Ms. Grafton speak before, and she didn’t disappoint. She managed to convey both humility and pride in her accomplishments; she expressed opinions, but often with a touch of self-deprecating humor.

One of her comments struck me in particular. “You have to be willing to fail,” she said. “You have to work right on the edge of your talent.”

I’ve been thinking about that. Am I willing to fail? Yes, been there, done that. Many times, actually. I have sixteen books in print. I also wrote ten or twelve that were never published, prior to getting my first book contract. Those will never see the light of day, but I have several newer manuscripts I love that have not sold.

Am I working at the edge of my talent? A trickier question.

I am willing to try new things. Does that count? Old World Murder, the first book in my Chloe Ellefson series, is told entirely in alternating 3rd person point of view, in 1982. In the second book, The Heirloom Murders, I experimented with two timelines. Most action still takes place in 1982, but that’s interwoven with a thread from 1876. (The book won’t be published until September, but content reviewers have given it a thumbs-up.)

And I’m not complacent. I know that learning to write good books is a perpetual journey. I don’t take anything for granted, and look for opportunities to learn and grow.

So I’m not sure about the whole “working at the edge of my talent” thing. But I like the concept. I’m going to keep it in mind—an ongoing challenge to do everything I can to make each book stronger than the last.

Feedback

by Kathleen Ernst

We writers get a lot of feedback. In the course of publishing a book we may hear from critique groups, trusted first readers, content specialists, agents, editors, reviewers.

Sometimes an email pops up from a reader I’ve never met, which is always a wonderful surprise. What I’ve come to treasure are the opportunities to have an actual conversation with people who have read one of my books.

I’ve visited several book clubs since Old World Murder came out last fall. I love to share some behind-the-scenes stories about how the book came to be, but I also try to leave lots of room for open discussion.

Sometimes people mention some little something that I would never have guessed would resonate in a particular way. Sometimes a reader asks a question that helps me think more about what to reveal within the pages of a mystery, and how to reveal it.

And sometimes it becomes clear that one or more readers interpreted a scene or event entirely differently than I’d intended. It’s fascinating to listen to the conversation as each group member explains what they believe happened. My thoughts may range from Really? to That’s exactly what I meant! Some comments are validating, a few may be surprising, all are interesting.

The most surprising comment I’ve heard about Old World Murder came from a person who thinks that Ethan, protagonist Chloe’s best friend, is angry with her at the end of their final conversation. Not my intention! And, from what I can tell, not what most readers took from the scene. I’ll take a careful look at their first conversation in the next book.

Have you ever read a book, and learned later that others interpreted a key conversation or action completely differently? Writers, have you ever been surprised by something a reader interprets in an unexpected way?

Review copies of The Heirloom Murders, Book 2 in the Chloe Ellefson series, are going out this week. I will be waiting to hear what reviewers, and especially readers, think of this one.

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