Great Women and Firsts

by Julia Buckley
Have you ever heard of Emma Jentzer? Me, neither. But I recently found out that Emma was the first woman special agent of the Bureau of Investigation (predecessor to the FBI). The Bureau, formed in 1908, accepted Emma as an agent in 1911 after her husband, the first agent, died. At the time, Emma was a translator at Ellis Island. All in all, a highly accomplished woman!

I learned about Emma in THE BOOK OF WOMEN'S FIRSTS (Read and Witlieb, Random House, 1992), a book filled with accomplishments by women many of us have never heard of, but really should know. Here are some examples:

RUTH CLEVELAND was the first and only president's daughter to have a candy bar named after her (1921). The candy company which made Kandy Kakes decided to change their candy bar's name to Baby Ruth after the daughter of Grover Cleveland and Frances Cleveland. Ruth was born between Cleveland's two terms of office and became a national sensation.

Sadly, Ruth was a sickly child, and died from diptheria at age 12.

MARY CLARKE was the first woman to reach the rank of Major General in the U.S. Army (1978). That same year she received a doctorate in military science from Norwich University. Clark retired after 36 years in the Army, "the longest army career of any woman."

EDITH ELEANOR MCLEAN was "the first premature infant to be placed in an incubator" (1888). McLean weighed only two pounds when she was born in New York City.

EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY was the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for poetry (1923). Millay is one of the more famous women in this book, and her collected works contain some of my personal favorites.

JERRIE MOCK (and not Amelia Earhart) was the first woman to fly solo around the world (1964). She retired in 1969 after setting 21 records in aviation.

MARY ANN PATTION was the first woman to navigate a clipper ship (1856). She learned the skills from her husband, a clipper ship captain, who fell into a tuberculosis-related coma on a long journey; Mary Ann, pregnant with their first child, took over and plotted the four-month course home. Her husband never emerged from his coma and did not see the birth of their child. The insurers of the ship gave Mary 1000 dollars for her feat, which was considered cheap of them.

Four years later Mary, too, died of tuberculosis.

DOREEN WILBER was the first woman to win the Olympic Individual Archery Championship (1972).

ESTER VAN DEMAN was the first Roman field archeologist (1901). Deman spent thirty years in Rome and became an "authority on ancient Roman building construction."

MRS. RALPH HENRY VAN DEMAN was the first woman to be an airplane passenger in the United States. Why? Because she walked up to the plane in which Wilbur Wright sat (he was instructing Signal Corps officers) and got in beside him before a test flight. Wright allowed her to stay, and after her four-minute flight, she said, "Now I know why birds sing. It was wonderful. There is no earthly sensation I can compare with it."

Who are the women you admire for being the "First?" Are they historical, or are they members of your friends and family?

Allah King's Statement on Michael Vick

Allah King, famed militant basset hound and companion of human, Duffy Dombrowski, has issued the following statement:

"It's okay with me if Michael Vick plays football. He was charged with a crime and fulfilled his legal requirements.

I, however, do not anticipate ever cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles until the time the NFL offers franchises to the cities of Kabul or Baghdad.

In the meantime it would be okay with me if I never heard about Mr. Vick again.

By why of postscript, Mr. Vick should be grateful that he didn't harm a basset hound. The hound rescue people I know are nuts and playing football would be the least of Michael Vick's worries."

Of Yard Sales & Crazy Tales

by Felicia Donovan

Friends of mine and I decided to clear out our respective "treasures" this past weekend. You know the stuff - eight-track tapes, vinyl albums (which, apparently, are quite vogue these days) and the assorted collection of clutter that ends up in the back of your closet until you decide to move and realize that you a) either bought it again when you couldn't find it or b) could have used it a year ago but it's of no use now.

Our adventures began with the "Early Birds" who somehow missed the signs and ads indicating an 8AM start. At 7:30, they began to show up.

"We haven't even taken off the tarps," I lamented as they strolled up the long driveway.

"We'll help you," they all offered.

"Damn right," I thought to myself. "If you're showing up this early, you'd better have stopped for coffee, too."  I promptly put them to work clearing and helping me setup. That'll teach 'em.

But the most interesting point of the day, by far, was the elderly woman who pulled up my friend's long, curvy driveway lined with other cars along the edge, in her Lincoln Continental. Pulling in - not a problem. Backing out - well, let's just say that's where all the fun began. First of all, when a Lincoln backs up into a Nissan, guess who wins? Fortunately, the Nissan was just pushed a little and no apparent damage was caused. One friend repeatedly banged on the Lincoln's window to alert the driver that she was hitting the Nissan.  At the same time, a couple, who had just arrived for bargains, came charging up the driveway when they saw the Lincoln repeatedly push the Nissan.

"Ma'am!" everyone yelled. "You're hitting that car!"

"I am not!" the driver insisted.

"Three witnesses saw you."

This prompted the driver to finally emerge. She looked around at the small crowd and threw her arms up in the air.

"Well," she said gruffly, "Do they have a problem?"

Undaunted, she proceeded to get back into the driver's seat. One gentleman stepped forward and made a firm offer to back the Lincoln out on her behalf. We all breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The elderly driver finally relented and we watched as the gentleman deftly back the Lincoln out of the long, curvy driveway. The owner jammed her hands onto her waist and in a loud voice said with much indignation, "Well! He could have at least offered to give me a ride!"

With shaking heads, we all watched her walk down the driveway and take control of her car again.

Yard sales. Used comforters, $5. The Monkees on vinyl, $1. Plots for future stories - Priceless.

Countdown

Keith here.

The pub date for Smasher: A Silicon Valley Thriller is October 1.

(I learned today that the publisher is going to change the subtitle of my first book, Dot Dead, from “A Silicon Valley Mystery” to “A Silicon Valley Thriller” at its next printing. I guess I really am a thriller writer after all.)

Thank you to the readers of this blog who helped me pick out the author photo for Smasher. (Click here.)

There’s still lots to do.

My new website is under construction and will need lots of copy. I need business cards, postcards, and bookmarks. No press interviews are set up yet. I have some guest blogging appearances to worry about. I have empty days to fill visiting bookstores.

But I do have 16 appearances and signings scheduled in NorCal and SoCal beginning October 20. Best of all, about half of them will be with the award-winning all-around-terrific writer, Libby Fischer Hellman whose Doubleback will be out this October, too. I’ve never been part of this kind of crime fiction Martin-and-Lewis shtick before, but I have watched Theresa Schwegel and Megan Abbott do it twice so I think we’ll be ready.

One of the most fun things I’ve done is commission a book trailer. Talented writer and friend Ben Hess has a day job running Bay Area Picture Company, and he’s done great by Smasher. We’ll post a link to the trailer on my website, on the Midnight Ink site, on Facebook, YouTube, and wherever else we can think of. (Suggestions?) Anyway, he ended up with two versions – a “long” and “short” one. The long one is one minute fifty seconds, but I’m told that watching something that long would exercise the patience of a saint in this day and age, so I think we’ll go with the one shorter by forty seconds everywhere but the website. I've posted them below. Let me know what you think of them both, please.

Amidst all this, I’m trying to finish up my latest manuscript. I shipped off draft #3 to my agent last week and am waiting to see his keen insights in written form. No rest for the wicked.

Cheers.

P.S. Don’t worry about getting the complete schedule of Smasher appearances. You’ll probably hear from me, whether you want to or not.



Longer version







Shorter version

Who Am I To Judge?

I need to read nineteen mysteries and six short stories in three months. Why? Because I registered to attend the Bouchercon Convention in October, where I will have the privilege of voting on the 2009 Anthony Awards. Which means I have to read all of the nominees’ works.

I know some of you are thinking “What, you didn’t read them already?” Four. I’ve read four. Death of a Cozy Writer (already an award-winner—go, Gin!!), State of the Onion, Pushing Up Daisies, and Stalking Susan. I’m humbled, and so behind on 2008.

If you thought, “Well, you don’t have to read all their works”, shame on you! I do have to read them. I will even make a list of criteria and rate each work on a scale of one to five.

I jumped on the Internet to check availability at my local library. The good news is we have a great library; the bad news is two of the critical nonfiction works were not purchased by any of the thirty-four libraries in my county. I’ll have to see if I can remedy this oversight.

I know some of you are thinking “Why aren’t you buying these books?” Did I mention I was flying to the convention?

Seven of the books were available the day I searched the online catalog, and I raced over to check them out. My arm muscles got quite the workout carrying my book bag to the car. For that reason alone, I may deduct points for all books over three hundred and fifty words.

Bless the Internet. I didn’t even have to leave home to see each of the nominated covers. But what rating criteria to use? The most artistically appealing? The cover most related to the book’s content? The cover that entices me to pick up it up, read the blurb on the back, and maybe the first page or two? Hmmm.

I narrowed my decision down to two covers. I belong to the same online mystery group as one of the two authors. Guess which cover I’ll choose.

Nineteen books in three months are roughly six books per month or a book and a half per week. I’m also going to have to read my book club book—all 580 pages of it (not a mystery, no)—during this same time period and the complimentary Rex Stout book the Bouchercon organizers sent as well. Good news is I read fast. Really fast.

I thought about recruiting my children to help select the best children’s/young adult novel. My daughter would be thrilled to help out. Not so much my son. He’s lost to the video game monster, and he has summer reading from school. I will read the books myself and decide, but my daughter will get a kick out of rating the books and comparing our ratings. Maybe I can snag her a signed copy of her favorite at the convention. My kids love autographs…and souvenirs.

I’d say more, but right now I have to read.

Turning Japanese!

Nope, I’m not referring to the 1980’s tune by the Vapors, but of the news that the foreign rights for the first two books in the Supper Club series, Carbs & Cadavers and Fit To Die, were sold to the Japanese.

Why? I have no earthly idea. I am trying really hard to picture a young woman in Tokyo trying to visualize the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, of attempting to decipher Bennett the mailman’s southern drawl, of the appearance or taste of regional food like sweet potato pie or chicken fried

 steak.  Will they enjoy the camaraderie between The Flab Five? Are they as tempted by a cupcake (or green tea ice cream) as my pudgy, loyal, and often self-effacing characters? Or do these readers simply scratch their heads and wonder what the heck my book is about?

I cringe whenever someone posts a new review on one of my books, but boy, I’d love to see what the Japanese Amazon reviews will say about them! And it’s been one of the highlights of my writing career to hold the Japanese copy of Carbs & Cadavers. It’s small, it has adorable illustrations of James peeking around a nutritional chart at the beginning of each chapter, and it’s, well, filled with Japanese characters!

For those of you possessing photos of your foreign language (or large print) book covers, please post them. I’d love to see how other countries have transformed your work!

September Fair, by Jess Lourey

The fifth book in my Murder-by-Month series has been released (early), and I am days away from having a new website! How much excitement can one gal take?

The Minnesota State Fair—beloved home of 4H exhibits, Midway rides, and everything on a stick. The festival fun is riding high until the recently crowned Milkfed Mary, Queen of the Dairy, a Battle Lake native, is brutally murdered while her regal likeness is carved in butter. Can Mira James, covering the fair for the Battle Lake Recall, expose a deadly State Fair secret and win a blue ribbon for caging a killer? You’ll have to read September Fair to find out, but the smart money is on “yes.” :)

I am giving away three free copies of September Fair, and YOU could be a lucky winner. To be eligible, in the "Comments" area of this blog, tell me your three favorite State Fair foods/areas/events/rides. The winner will be chosen based on an empirical formula taking the following into account:

1. How related to me you are (less is better).
2. Whether or not I can recycle your answers in future interviews.
3. Poignancy and/or humor.
4. Last but not least as long as I am drawing breath, spelling and grammar.