You Know You're a Writer When...

 

It's most likely true that most writers like journals of every size, shape, and color, just as today's poster says. One of my granddaughters is the writer of her generation in our family. I always include a journal of some kind in her Christmas gifts. Her second grade teacher had the entire class keeping a journal. Smart teacher.

What other things show that you are a writer?

You know you are a writer when an idea hits, and you can hardly wait to get home to start writing.

You know you are a writer when you get butterflies in your tummy as you submit your work for publication. 

You know you are a writer when you edit, edit again, and then one more time so you have the best piece of writing you can produce.

You know you are a writer when you haunt the calls for submission pages on facebook and other online spots.

You know you are a writer when you say no to a social invitation because you have to finish a writing project.

You know you are a writer when you carve extra time from the day to devote to writing. 

You know you are a writer when you hold your first published book in your hand.

You know you are a writer when someone asks: "What are you working on now?"

You know you are a writer when you attend a writing convention or conference and are surrounded by people who do what you do.

You know you are a writer when a rejection arrives, and you feel disappointed but are looking for a lesson to be learned.

You know you are a writer when you can revise a problem area to create a better piece of writing.

You know you are a writer when you have the need to keep reading about your craft.

You know you are a writer when writing feels satisfying.

About those journals:  I hope you keep one and seek out new ones when you shop. They're so handy for writing about our feelings and our writing life, also for jotting down story ideas. The nice thing is that they come in all sizes, colors, and even shapes just as the poster photo says. 

Encourage Other Writers

 

One of the reasons I started this blog fourteen plus years ago was to encourage other writers. Writers tend to ride the waves in their journey. Ups and downs. When things are going well, and we're up, life is good. When we hit the valleys and the doldrums set in, we need some encouragement.

Who better to encourage a writer than another writer? No one else understands what the writer is going through better than one who has been there a time or six. 

You may not have a blog to send encouragement to writers like I do, but you can still offer that bit of uplift so often needed. As anothe writer, you can do it one on one, or in a writers' group. 

When we critique the writing of  others, we need to point out the trouble spots, but equally important is to highlight the places where good writing stands out. We all need that bit of encouragement as much as we need to know where we should improve.

When I attend our state writing convention, I love the awards ceremony on the last day. Winning in any category is such an uplifting experience. Sure, we like the check that comes with the win, but the fact that a judge picked your sub out of all the others is a huge boost in your confidence level as a writer. Hearing my own name called is great, but I also enjoy watching others receive their awards. I smile and applaud as each winner goes to the podium to receive their certificate and check. More encouragement.

It's the same when you submit something to a publication, and it is accepted. You feel on top of the world. Someone liked what I wrote. They liked it well enough to publish and allow many others to read my words. What can be better than that? 

Make encouraging other writers a must-do whenever you have the opportunity. How many times have you walked by a person whose wardrobe you admited, but you never told them? If you read something another writer has offered through publication, take a minute to drop a note, make a phone call, or make a comment. It will do that writer a world of good.

Remember the old song that had lyrics that went "Accentuate the positive, latch on to the affirmative, and don't mess with Mr. In-between." Bing Crosby recorded the Johnny Mercer song. Maybe that should be a theme song for writers. We all need to be encouraged, to be lifted from the doldrums, now and then. Help your fellow writers by doing this for them. 

Hopefully, they will return the same to you when it is needed. 

Readers and Book Clubs

 

Annie Dillard, credited for today's photo quote, is an essayist who writes about the natural world. She gives us a great visual image of a person who is a 'real reader.' One who must have reading material with the same need as air to breathe. 

In a group of friends recently, the conversation turned to books. One other woman and I suddenly became the only ones speaking. The other two didn't have much to offer. Two of us were the kind of readers that Ms. Dillard spoke about, while the other two were occasional readers, if at all. I don't think they felt the need to read like I do and the other woman does. 

Reading allows us to travel to other periods of history, to other lands, and into the minds of the characters in books. For me, reading is an adventure. I cannot imagine life without books or magazines or ezines online. When I finish a book, and there is not another one waiting for me, I feel a bit panicky. Time to go to the library! Or the bookstore. In recent years, I download books onto my Kindle, so there is never a time that I cannot find something to read. 

Book Clubs were born out of the love of books that men and women had for reading. Book Club members enjoy discussing what they read almost as much as the actual reading. My Book Club is small, only five members. We have lost four--one to a move and three who are no longer living. Even so, the five of us have some great discussions, a lot of laughter, and the chance to see a different perspective of other readers. We don't all come away with the same perception of the same book. 

If you aren't a member of a Book Club, start one. You know who among your friends are readers. Ther is no certain number needed. Book Clubs can be run in a very simple way or as elaborate as having the hostess prepare dinner followed by the discussion. Mine made two rules when we first organized. 1. No food (coffee allowed) 2. What was said at Book Club stayed at Book Club. 

Some libraries sponsor Book Clubs. Check yours to see if they have one, or can guide you to one in your community. 

I read a book some time ago about a woman who was dying of cancer, titled The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. Mother and son decided to start a Book Club with the two of them being the only members. They suggested books to one another, each reading the selection for that period, then discussed it together. The books often led to other discussions about life and death and the trauma they were experiencing. The Book Club of two turned out to be a bonding of mother and son. And later, a treasured memory for the son. 

There are Book Clubs for children, too. Middle grade and high school students can all benefit from a Book Club geared to their grade level. If your child or grandchild enjoys reading, they would most likely enjoy this kind of activity. I remember the girls in my fifth and sixth grade class reading and sharing the Nancy Drew mystery books. We were not a formal Book Club, but we chatted about the books and were all very excited when we discovered a new one.

 My husband read as a boy, then stepped away from reading throughout his career. He said he read so much at work each day, that more reading in the evening or weekends did not appeal. Once he retired, he started reading again and now always has a book going. We read different kinds of books, but I like the idea that we are both reading. 

I'm a reader who has need to read. How about you? Are books a big part of your life? Books can enrich your life. 

Are Writers Magicians?

We are home from vacation and playing catch-up. Ken and I spent nine days traveling to and staying in the mountains of northern Georgia. We drove through  Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia from our home in Kansas. We were a bit too early for fall colors, although we did see bits of color off and on. Mountain roads bordered by trees on both sides, clear blue skies--all seemed magical at times. 

Our poster today tells us that 'A piece of writing is like a piece of MAGIC. You create something out of nothing.' Note that I underlined two words in the quote. These words make it personal. The person who was quoted is telling us that we are each creating something out of nothing.

When we begin to write, there is only a blank piece of paper or a blank screen in front of us. My next door neighbor cannot write my blog post for me. Nor can my husband. Or the postman who drops all that junk mail in our mailbox. It is up to me to start from nothing and achieve something. 

Give it some thought, and you'll soon realize that what writers do is a kind of magic. We don't wave our magic wand and whisper enchanting words. We do start with nothing and produce a story, essay, article, or poem that we hope others will want to read. 

We're designers, manufacturers, and builders of the written word, words that make up those stories, essays, articles, and poetry. 

Think about the many times you've sat before that blank page or screen with not much more than an idea that's been swirling in your mind, perhaps for quite a while. You begin to write and the magic occurs. That first draft is not perfect. Even magicians have to practice and refine those tricks we enjoy.

When you write, you are in charge. You are the one who can create the magic. 

 

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ON VACATION. NEXT POST SEPTEMBER 27. KEEP WRITING!

Looking For Stories to Write

 

I spent my day in a hospital waiting room yesterday. My husband was in for a diagnostic test, scheduled at 1 p.m. We were to be there at 11:30 a.m. His test was delayed until almost 4 p.m. due to an emergency situation and other peoples' tests taking longer than usual. Thus, a very long wait for me and my daughter. 

We watched people come and go through the day. The hospital allowed 2 family members, but there were at least two larger family groups. Rules? Those must be for other people, they must have thought. 

Watching people and overhearing bits and pieces of their conversations was a glorious field of stories waiting to be told. I didn't have a notebook with me to jot down some ideas of what I saw in these people. They're all still in my memory bank this morning, and I can make those notes today.

Chatting with the nurses after the procedure while my husband was being monitored made me realize that each of them also had a story. In visiting with them, I learned a lot about each one. 

Wherever you go, there are people who have a story. The writer is the one to unearth that story through observation and conversation. In addition, you see people you can use as the basis for a character. 

The important thing is to be observant and to make notes when you can. Train yourself to be watchful.

The poster for today tells us we walk past myriad stories every day, but only the good writers will see a handful. Most see none at all. 

Watch for the interaction of two or a group of people. There could be a story unfolding right before your eyes. When you feel like there is nothing left to write about, take a good look around you. You should be able to find a story, a basis for an essay, or article, or even a poem. 

My husband's tests came out alright for which we are grateful. 

Writers and Pride

 

There is little more to be said than what today's poster offers to writers.  We move along our writing path by days, months, and years without paying attention to what we have accomplished. We get caught up in the everyday bits and pieces of our writing world and forget to mark our glory moments.

Take a few moments today to look back at how your writing life is different today from when you were the newbie. And if you're still in that newbie category, you can still do this. You may not have a great many achievements to list yet, but perhaps some small satisfying ones. 

Make a list of your achievements. That list doesn't have to include only things you've had published but also ones that brought you satisfaction in some way. Winning some kind of writing award should go on your list. Being a presenter at a writing workshop or conference definitely deserves to be on your list. Or being asked to speak to a group of school children about writing or a book you've written. Also to adult groups. 

If you've ever received a nice note from an editor, that should most definitely hit the list. Or fan mail from readers. 

The more you think about your achievements, the longer that list will be. Read it and pat yourself on the back. You earned it!

Make Sure You Have a Story to Tell

 

Our poster for today is a bit of a revelation. "Tell the readers a story! Because, without a story, you are merely using words to prove you can string them together in logical sentences." 

But, you're probably wanting to tell me that you don't have a 'story' in an essay, or an article, or even some poetry. Most essays have a story of some kind. The essayist often opens with an experience, and that is the same as a story. Then he/she goes on about what that experience showed them or taught them, or how it is part of a universal truth. 

An article can also relate an experience of some kind, but it is filled with science or other facts. And remember, that a story has a beginning, middle, and ending. So does an article. Those who write these articles still pay attention to an opening and the middle, and then bringing it all to a summary or closing. 

Most poems tell a story, even if in the mildest terms. They are not all narrative poems which definitely tell us a story, but there is still that beginning, middle, and ending. 

None of the above will work if all you do is string together words that make logical sentences. It's great to be able to do that, but it's not enough. Even when you write stories for you family stories collection, you need more than those logical sentences. You're telling a story! Be sure it has a beginning, middle, and ending. 

Yesterday, I read a piece written by one of my Followers that was published at a women's memoirs website on their Rosie the Riveter section. Writers were asked to send a story about women helping in WWII. Sara Etgen-Baker wrote a wonderful piece that was told in story form. She could have written a factual memoir stating what happened. Instead, she took the facts and turned it into a true story. And done very well. You can read her story here

I have seen many essays subbed in critiquing groups that received comments like. Pretty words here, but what is the purpose? What are you trying to tell your reader? They are inferring the "where's the story?" situation. 

When you are editing your work, add the question "Is there a story here?' 

Don't Set Limits For Your Writing

 

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. We place limits on ourselves when we should be plunging ahead. 

Plunge ahead? Yes. Why? Because if you draw a line in your writing life and refuse to venture across it, you'll stay right where you were when you drew that line. You are telling yourself that you shouldn't venture farther into the writng world. Perhaps you're afraid. Many writers do live with fear. Nothing to be ashamed of. 

Instead, you need to sit down and have a talk with yourself to figure out why you have fear about writing or submitting. Lots of writers can write again and again, but when it comes to submitting their work for publication, they cringe. The only thing that might happen is that your work will be rejected, and if it does, consider yourself one of thousands of people who are in that group. You can even puff out your chest and say, "I got rejected, so I must be a writer!" 

You're not alone. Other writers face fears as they write. The lack of self-confidence brings on fear. Are you in some kind of writing group? Have you ever had a compliment on something you've written from someone in the group? Maybe about one paragraph, or even one phrase. Or the entire piece. If you have, move your confidence level up one notch. Writers progress bit by bit. We don't become overnight sensations. 

Don't set limits. Instead, set your goals and work towards them a little at a time. Cliche or not, Rome wasn't built in a day, fits here. We make progress a little at a time but only if we allow ourselves to make a few errors and continue writing on a regular basis. 

When Is The Time To Write?

 

When is the time to write? That's a question worth pondering. 

Should you write after you've taken a course on the subject? Or should you write when the mood moves you? Or perhaps when an idea comes popping into your mind. Should you wait until someone inyour critique group tells you to write something to present at the next meeting? Maybe you should write on a scheduled time.

My answer is to write whenever, however, wherever. Any time and all the time. There are days we have little time to spare, but hopefully, we can squeeze in a half hour of writing. 

It is especially time to write when an idea for a new story, essay, article, or poem comes to you. Don't let it sit too long, or it disappears. If you can't get to the actual writing immediately, jot down the main ideas and put it in your writing area. Act on it as soon as you make time to do so.

For a writer, the time to write is always. If you're a writer who says to a friend, "I haven't written anything for months now," maybe you aren't a true writer. Only an occasional one. It's quite alright if that satisfies you. If you're intent on being a writer, you need to write more often. On a regular basis. Even if it is only minutes per day, it's helpful to keep the habit. 

Professional writers spend hours each day plying their trade. Hobbyist writers have a little more flexibility, but it may be harder for them to establish a writing pattern. This is where discipline comes in. 

Aim at writing that 'whenever, however, wherever' that I mentioned above. We all have times when we have to change our scheduled or usual writing pattern, but once the situation is taken care of, go back to your normal writing plan. The more we write, the better writers we become.

Write About World Events for Posterity

 

The world was saddened yesterday at the loss of Queen Elizabeth, who reigned over the United Kingdom for 70 years. Only this past June, the country celebrated her long reign, as did many in other countries. She was admired by many, including me. 

When world events like this occur, it might be a good idea to write about them for your Family Stories Book. We can add other things to that group of storiesm including family history. Something like the loss of Queen Elizabeth would be an appropriate choice, as well. It's a piece of history that happened in our lifetime. Future generations of your family might be interested in learning about the many days of mourning and celebration of her life taking place now. A royal funeral has as much interest as a royal wedding. 

Sad as it was, maybe the January 6th storming of the capitol building in Washington would be worthy of a few paragraphs, or more, written by you and included in your Family Stories Book.u The day President Kennedy was assassinated should be worth remembering it in writing. Don't we all know exactly where we were when we heard the tragic news? I had the difficult task of relaying the news to a fourth grade class I taught. Not easy to explain to 10-year-olds. To this day, I don't remember what I said. 

Those of you who remember the end of a war should write something about it for your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Korea, Vietnam, WWII. Or any other major conflict in which the United States fought. Most people alive today were children or teens when WWII was over. Still, there are some memories. I remember a man on the radio saying "The war is over." I was only 6, but we retain things that impress us. 

When you write about these historical milestones, give the facts but also your feelings and perhaps how your family was affected. If you have a special remembrance of a historical figure who dies, add that. I was privileged to see the queen in person from afar. We went to a special ceremony at the palace in London where she reviewed the different horse guard troops. It was a fascinating event. We were with our South African friends who had dual passports, South African and British. Mike told us, "Watch that clock. At exactly 8:30, the queen will appear, and she will exit at exactly 9:30." And she did, wearing a beautiful yellow coat and hat. 

Take some time to write about events like this. Posterity will thank you.

Traps Writers Can Avoid

Recently, I found myself receiving too many writing-related newsletters. They all offer some benefit, and when I first read each one, I signed up. Suddenly, there are too many, and I'm going to look them over and decide which ones to keep and which to use that awful 'unsubscribe' choice. I was reminded of an article that I had published some years ago about the traps we can fall into in our writing life. I'm posting it for you today.

 Watch Out For These Five Traps

Writers are urged to write often, write voraciously, to write, write, write. Even so, we know that to win the prize—publication—there are myriad things we must do besides putting words on paper or our computer screen.

Each of the following writer-related items is beneficial, but if we aren’t careful, they become traps. We can become caught in a spider web of good intentions which eat into our writing time. Let’s consider them, one by one.

Reading About Writing:  We buy or borrow dozens of books that give us the keys to good writing. We immerse ourselves in one after another. We might become so busy learning that the application part is forgotten. Read books on the craft of writing but be selective and limit the number.

Websites, Blogs and Newsletters for Writers:  The editors of both offer articles to read and classes to take. They present markets and contests, writing prompts and exercises. Seldom satisfied with one, most writers subscribe to several, sometimes many more than several. They do have some excellent information but take precious time to read. Pick the ones you like best and unsubscribe from the others.

Critique groups:  A face-to-face critique group offers constructive criticism and praise for our work, as well as an opportunity to network with other writers. We can profit greatly in a group like this. They also take time. Ask yourself if it’s worth the precious hours you might otherwise spend writing. Beware of joining more than one critique group.

Research:  This is a necessary part of writing for many as well as being pure joy for some writers. We can get so involved in the process that far more time is spent than is needed. With practice, a writer can determine the appropriate amount of time to give to the research end of a story or article. 

Organizations for Writers:  Joining a local, state or national group offers networking possibilities with other writers, leads on markets and publishers, and a way to keep up with the latest trends in your field. All of them require officers and committee chairs and members who will serve on the committees. Keep your membership in a select number of these groups and limit your participation to what you can handle. And kindly bless those in leadership positions.

All of the above are worthwhile endeavors. The key is to maintain a healthy balance. Review your writing activities occasionally to make sure you aren’t falling into a trap. When you produce fewer and fewer pages, it may be time to step back and assess the reasons. 

Financial experts advise clients to take the savings out of the paycheck first. Writing is no different—those thousand words a day must take precedence over all the other writing-related aspects of your life. You know what the traps are, and by practicing self-discipline, you can avoid all of them. Your greatest benefit will be more time to write.

Building Your Story

 

Do you remember building with your childhood blocks? Or legos? Or Lincoln logs? You started with the first piece and added layer after layer until you decided it was finished. Or wanted to destroy it! Then build it again. 

We build the pieces we write, too. Whether they are fiction stories, essays, articles, or poems. We start with the idea, that's our ground piece. Then we add things like characters, events, descriptions, sensory detail, sense of place, and more. Each one is another block on top of your first layer, or your idea.

What happens if a child builds his tower of wooden blocks too quickly? It's off center, and before long, it topples to the floor. When we build our stories, we have to do it carefully, making sure each layer is centered and relevant. If we don't, we may end up like the child--starting all over again.

Some writers like lists. Why not make a list of the parts you want to include in your tower of story blocks? The one below is only the main pieces to include. You may think of others to add to your own list. Or you may subdivide any one of mine into smaller and more detailed points.

A. Story idea

B. Characters

C. Sense of Place

D. Sensory Details

E. Description

F. Opening

G. Closing

H. Tense

I. Active vs passive verbs

What other things might you use as building blocks for whatever you're writing? 

I mentioned at the beginning of this post that sometimes children destroyed their tower, only to rebuild. If what you are writing doesn't turn out the way that pleases you, you can knock it down and begin again. 

Children build towers with their blocks. Bakers create wedding cakes, layer by layer. A mason constructs a brick wall, one row at a time. Writers also build their stories, essays, articles, and poems a bit at a time, using many pieces, which hopefully fit together well in the end. 

Emotion in Writing

 

When you read a book or a short story, how do the words on the page affect you? Do you read to find out what happens next? Do you read as an outsider looking through the window to what the author has created? Do the words you read bring out emotions of any kind in you? Or are you merely an observer? 

Our poster tells us that in order to evoke sensation in the reader, they need to have the feeling of being rained on, not only told that it is raining. Easy? Maybe not. 

One way you can give your reader the feelof the rain, as referenced above, is to show, rather than tell, as often as you can. It's far easier to tell a story without showing anything than it is to show what is happening. Perhaps the writer needs to show more to allow him/herself to feel, too. 

I think that sometimes we use telling more to cut down on words. To show a character in a rainstorm might take up an entire paragraph. That might be alright in a novel but not so much in a short story, especially those that must be written to a required word count. 

A.  Jane got caught in a violent thunderstorm. 

B.  Thunder rolled across the darkened sky, and a streak of lightning flashed ahead as Jane quickened her pace. The pitter-patter of raindrops soon turned to a downpour, soaking Jane's summer dress. Her shoes were sodden, and she could feel her hair plastered against her cheeks. She shivered in the cool temps. Another flash of lightning as she ran for the nearest shelter.

A. definitely has fewer words and tells us that Jane got caught in the rain. B. shows us the sky and lightning, allows us to hear the thunder, and feel the cold, wet clothes Jane is wearing. B. also brings us right next to Jane's side whereas A. feels rather generic. She gets caught in a rainstorm. Ok, so what? 

Another thing to consider is that the writer must feel some emotion when pounding out the words. If the writer doesn't feel the emotion, the reader most certainly will not. When the advice 'write from your heart' is given, we should heed it. Too often, we keep our own emotion tempered down, especially when writing a personal essay. It's almost as if we're afraid to feel the experience again, especially if it is something difficult to deal with. The successful personal essay is written by someone who can let the emotion emerge and write with feeling. 

A good story line will be even better if the writer puts his/her own emotions into the story. With practice, it can become a habit. 

Musing About September

 

T

It's a holiday, so a repeat post from last year about Labor Day and September topics. 

Today is Labor Day which honors the achievements and contributions of the American worker. Individual states started celebrating a day to recognize those who worked in the late 19th century. President Cleveland signed a law passed by congress in 1894 to make Labor Day a federal holiday. Today, most people consider it a time to have one extra day on a weekend, a time for picnics and barbecues. It's also considered the official end of summer, even if you live in a state that has hot temps all through September. There was once an unwritten rule that no one was to wear white shoes after Labor Day. 

The photo today shows our Kansas sunflowers. Lots of other states have them, but the sunflower is the official flower of the state of Kansas. They go well with the Meadowlark, our official state bird. 

I've been on a reading binge lately. Reading is one of the most relaxing things I do. How about you? Does curling up with a book with a favorite beverage by your side help you forget about everyday cares and chores? We know they will be there when we finish the chapter or the whole book, but we've still managed a bit of escape for a while. Kids do more reading during the school year than in the summer, so a family trip to the library might be just the thing this month.

This first weekend of September brought a multitude of college football games to watch in person or on tv. My husband and I are football fans. I keep telling him how lucky he is that I like football because many women do not. The men in their lives watch with other men or alone. I grew up with a dad and three brothers who watched the game, so it was either fight it or join them. Both my mother and I joined them and became fans. 

I've noticed that several neighbors have put a fall-themed wreath on their front door. I suspect several have also done a bit of fall decorating inside their homes, too. Time for me to get with it and switch the summer wreath to fall on our door. 

Does September affect your writing life? Maybe those writers who have children back in school now find more time to write. Sometimes, a change of seasons gives us inspiration to write. When I walked for exercise, I found the fall walks stimulating and came home filled with thoughts about what I had been writing or ideas for a new piece of writing. 

Enjoy this holiday Monday and a shorter work week for many. Not all have the blessing of a day off today. Farmers have chores seven days a week. I wonder if we shouldn't have a special holiday to honor our farmers. We too often take them for granted. 

September is a New Beginning for Writers

 

It's the second day of September, and officially, still summer. In Kansas, our summer temps last well into this month. Still many days in the 90s. By the third week of this month, we will be in fall-- officially. Depending where you live, leaves may have turned color or started to fall gracefully to the ground, piling up waiting for you to come and gather them. 

The weather and official calendar days don't matter. To most of us, September feels like a new beginning. Maybe we were conditioned into that because we started a new school year in the beginning of September. Now, most schools begin sometime in August. Whichever, the lazy, hazy days of summer are over, and it's the perfect time to begin a new writing project or something else regarded to writing.

You can take a class on our craft either in person or via zoom. You can read a new book about the writing world. You can make plans to attend a convention where you can schmooze with other writers. You can fulfill that oft-said vow to clean up your writing space. Looking at my own, I think I need to put this at the top of my list. My usual neat-and-tidy self somehow gets lost when it comes to my computer desk. 

Maybe you can start on a new story, essay, or poem. Skim though those notes you jotted on a slip of paper or in a small notebook this summer but never got around to using. Now is the perfect time. 

It's also a good time to do some marketing. If you have a book that was published, and you've let down on the marketing of it, get inspired to rev it up again. Go through your files and see what never-published pieces you have that are ready to submit. Then, begin the search for a good place to submit your work. 

Yes, September is the month of new beginnings, almost like January when a whole new year begins. Don't forget to take a break now and then and go for a walk on one of these September days. There's a different feeling in the air. Enjoy, then head back to your writing world with a renewed vigor. 

Book Review: A Little Scandal in St. Andrews

 

I've been away this week enjoying a lovely vacation in Scotland. Not there in person but through Christina Hamlett's newest book titled A Little Scandal in St. Andrews. You may remember a book review here on Book 1 of this  cozy mystery series about an amateur sleuth in the UK. 

In Book 1, A Little Larceny in Lynmouth, we met Rochelle Reid, known to friends as Rocky. She lands in the small seaside village of Lynmouth after losing her job in London. The old house turned into flats that she moves into turns out to be the scene of a murder. In this first book, Rocky solves the case and finds a boyfriend at the same time. 

In her newest book, author, Christina Hamlett (also a many times guest blogger here) takes us on a delightful romp during a championship golf tournament at St. Andrews in Scotland. Rocky and her boyfriend, Jon Tapping, stay in Rusacks Hotel, historied and famed. 

Rocky has her old job back and a flat in London and Jon in her life. All is well. Then, she is asked by company execs, including Clive, a friend from Lynmouth who is with M15, to go to St. Andrews and keep an eye on a list of people they give her. Besides being what she considers a paid vacation, they enlist Jon to go along and arrange for him to be a caddy to Kevin Chan, one of the tournament golfers. What could possibly go wrong? Plenty!

Rocky is to reperesent her company, which is a sponsor of the tournament. She has her list of people to engage and watch. A Saudi prince and his wife, six golfers from various countries, one of them an Italian playboy, an American woman who heads a pharmaceutical company, and a wealthy American couple who look more like an elderly man and his granddaughter. 

The hotel's Assistant Manager for Guest Relations easily becomes a confidant and keeps Rocky informed of many happenings within the hotel guests. She also meets a sleazy appearing photographer who is there to capture the elite clientele on film. 

Before long, there is a murder and priceless jewels that disappear. True to her nature, Rocky starts investigating with Jon's help. Jon, whom she thought was a fishmonger when she met him in Lynmouth, but actually the son of a titled couple, is a willing accomplice. He checks things from his position as caddy, and Rocky concentrates on the hotel guests.

There are twists and turns, a bit of romance, and the murder and theft finally solved. I must admit that I had not figured out who had committed murder, and I had only a mild suspicion regarding the jewel theft. Thus, I kept turning pages to find out who and what and how. 

Besides the delightful story, I felt as if I had stayed at the famous Rusacks Hotel myself. The descriptions were vivid but not overdone. Cozy mysteries bring us a tale without horror, violence, and avid sexual scenes. Instead, A Little Scandal in St. Andrews offers a dual mystery, some humor, and a little romance. As an added treat, the first pages of Book 3, A Little Drama in Dunster is included at the end of Book 2. Rocky's fans will want to read about her next adventure.

You can purchase the book at Amazon in Kindle and paperback forms. $3.99 for the Kindle version and $16.90 for the paperback.