Fiction and Truth. Together? Not An Oxymoron.

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“Since we cannot expect truth from our institutions, we must expect it from our writers.”  Edward Abbey, quoted in my 2018 post, reprinted below.

(OK. Here goes. Trump is the only president to have removed more protections from U.S. lands and waters than he put in place. He removed 35 million acres of public lands and ocean preserves. President Biden, with legal help from dedicated organizations’ legal teams, restored most of it. Below, I share links to those organizations.)

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Parker-izing. Saying A Lot, With Not Much

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I’ve been camping by a  river for a while. No cell or wifi (heaven!) but did some Robert Parker searches for this post before I prepped and packed 10 days of food for my husband and me and the 2 dogs. (Who wants to leave the river and shop?)

I often think about how to “Parker-ize” my writing: keep my own style and voice for the mystery series but lean it down to its bones …so to speak. Parker-ize it. (My term.) I listen and re-listen to his books on tape as I drive. (Joe Mantegna’s narration delivers a to-die-for Boston/ Spenser incarnation. Here’s a short listen.)

Sometimes, I have to pull over and replay a bit over and over.

When asked about his popularity, Parker said, ““I dunno. I think people just like the way it sounds.”

Oh yes.

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Wildlife. Real. Magical. Maybe …. Both

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In my “Mystery In Maine” series, I had my narrator say this, but I think it might apply to me as well.

“Up close with wildlife of all sizes and attitudes, I liked to create conversations that took me some place I needed to go. Sometimes the effort saved me from trouble. Sometimes it got me into trouble.”  

Recently, I met with a book group who’d read my first novel, “Deadly Trespass.” The opportunity to talk intimately with people who now had relationships with my characters and the book’s contents, was exhilarating. I came home and made a list of what they liked, so I could make sure their enthusiasm got transferred and infused … in detail … with my current writing.

One woman said she very much liked the narrator’s imaginary conversations with animals … the “magical realism” of them.

Wow. Didn’t think I was doing magical realism. I only offer up animal conversations occasionally and they are short and used to reveal character, move the plot, or add to the drama of a situation.

I think most of us have conversations with animals. Often, it’s just us speaking, but sometimes we imaginatively supply their possible replies. I think when this happens, the moment is magically real.

So I thought about some special animal moments I’ve experienced and have decided they were prepping me for my author foray into magical wildlife realism.

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