Joan Curtis: Sexist or Dang Good Mystery Author? YOU be the judge!

Here ye, here ye, court's in session. Today we have Joan Curtis, author of the spiffy mystery The Clock Strikes Midnight, on trial for charges of discrimination toward men in her book. But before we get to the kangaroo trial, let's chat some about the book.

*Hey, Joan, thanks for sitting in the hot seat today. If it gets too hot…well, just sweat it out, there’s no escape. You asked for it. Why don’t we start by your telling the reader what The Clock Strikes Midnight is about? 

Joan: This is a story about two sisters whose lives are entwined in a bitter past shrouded in mystery. 

Janie Knox wants nothing more than to live her life quietly in Savannah, Georgia and never return to her hometown of Atlanta. At age 17, a week after a jury convicted her

stepfather of killing her mother,she packed all her worldly possessions in a single duffle bag, hopped on a bus, and vowed never to return. But, when she learns that she’s got three months to live, she journeys back home to finish what she couldn’t do when she left--kill her stepfather.

As the clock ticks away, Janie’s uses the last days of her life to right the wrongs that have haunted her for 20 years. She faces more than she bargained for when she discovers her sister’s life in shambles. Meanwhile her stepfather, recently released from prison, blackmails the sisters and plots to extract millions from the state in retribution.

The Clock Strikes Midnight is a race against time in a quest for revenge and atonement. This is a story about unleashing the hidden truths that haunt a quiet Southern family.

 

*One of the things I enjoyed about the book is I wasn’t quite sure what genre it fit in. That’s a good thing, I think. Sure, it’s billed as a mystery, but while it has some mystery elements, it’s really quite a bit more. Since we live in a label-pasting society, I’d call it a “women’s lit, character study, thriller.” How would you TRULY define the book, Joan?  

Joan: Although not a traditional who-done-it mystery, this story centers around the mysterious death of the sisters’ mother. That’s what makes it a mystery. Gone Girl is not considered a mystery but, it, too, is labeled in that category. (But, please, do not compare The Clock Strikes Midnight to Gone Girl coz I hated that book!) I’d say this book is a family saga draped in mystery. How’s that for a new genre?

*You’ve written two interesting, extremely flawed characters in the siblings, Janie and Marlene. They’re tormented by the past, seemingly unable to let it go. And it drives them to be who they are, for better or worse. I’m thinking worse. Tell me the truth, Joan, did you actually like these gals? Who they are before the end? 

Joan: I’m not sure I have to like my characters. I like things about them. Janie is strong and focused. Many of us upon learning of our impending death, might just say, “Oh, hang it. I’m gonna spend my final months doing exactly what I please.” Janie, on the other hand, felt compelled to reconcile with her sister and make up for what she had done in the past. Marlene, too, becomes a strong character as the book progresses. (Can’t say more!).

*I think my favorite part of the book was the surprise center section. We get a new back-story, another fascinating character study, one I wasn’t expecting. I liked the way the past intersects with the present in your book, forming the present. And, the center section bridges the gap in many ways. How’d you chart this? So you don’t mess up timelines? I know when I attempt such a thing, it’s tough. Do you have your own “murder board” set up in the living room, strings attached to port cards and the like? 

Joan: Wish I was organized enough to have a “murder board.” My books evolve. There’s no other way to describe them. The stories and the characters bubble to the surface as I write. That makes editing a nightmare.  (My own editing—before the manuscript is seen by outside eyes.) What I write in the beginning may not work at all later on. Originally, I wrote this entire manuscript from the points of view of the two characters as teens. Then, I re-wrote it from their adult points of view. So, I knew and understood the past as if it had happened to me. I would not recommend this technique to those at home!

*Janie appears to be seeking redemption. To a lesser degree, so is Marlene. But a lot of the things Janie wants to be redeemed for areof her own making. They carry around a wagon-full of guilt and they’ve been punishing themselves in different ways for years. Are they Catholic? Or just really, really messed up? We have survivor’s guilt, blaming oneself for abuse, mentally checked out parents. It’s a textbook case of psychology in many ways. So…what kind of research was involved, Joan? And, um, how much of this is true? (Ducks and covers.)  

Maybe I should confess. My husband is a psychiatrist and my background is sociology. I’ve read and heard many a story and learned a lot over the years. The characters are not Catholic, but they are Southern. They grew up in a typical Southern household where everything was made to look good. “Put a good face on it.” Janie and Marlene (having lost their dad very young) clung to each other until something destroyed that strong bond. Later they acted out in different ways. No ducks and covers, my characters are totally fictional.

*Atlanta plays such an important part of the tale. You describe it so well, it’s nearly a character. Having survived driving the Atlanta highways during rush hour (nightmare!), I can attest to many of the things you describe. Drivers are dang crazy. Do you live there?  

Joan: Thank you, Stuart. I’m glad the setting felt that real. I live in Athens, which is 75 miles northeast of Atlanta (the little a) I’ve had to work in Atlanta and have experienced that traffic first-hand. Yuck. The metro-Atlanta town where Janie and Marlene grew up, Decatur, is a place I know quite well. If I didn’t live in Athens, I’d probably move to Decatur or Savannah—another of my favorite Georgia towns featured in The Clock.

*I found it interesting that the one action piece in the book is experienced by the two main characters hearing it. They don’t see it, they’re not active participants. From one character’s POV, it’s a terrifically understated suspense set-piece. Did you intentionally set out to write quiet, effective suspense? Or do you just hate writing gunfights?  

Joan: Geez. I wish I could be that intentional. “I’m gonna write a certain way…” Instead, things just happen the way they do because they do. I put myself in that character’s place and imagine what she or he is seeing and hearing. I love it that you describe it as “understated suspense.” I’m going to tell people I planned that from now on!

*Okay, let’s talk turkey. Not being sexist, but I’ll bet your book will appeal to women readers more than men. I may be in the minority as a male reader who enjoyed it. HOWEVER…I think the male characters aren’t given their due. Poor Peter. What’d he do to deserve this (okay, okay, he purchased a house without consulting his wife. Major bad. But other than that, he’s a stand-up guy)? Dude takes an emotional beating. And, sure, Ralph’s a heinous villain, there’s no way to defend a sexual predator/abuser. But Janie seeks revenge on him for killing her mother. After he spent years in prison. I got more gripes about Janie's attitude toward men but it'd lead into spoilers. Finally, the character of Nick. Gah. HATE him. Opportunistic player, yet he’s presented as a woman’s dream. Okay, Ms. Curtis, start dancing…how do you defend yourself in my courtroom blog? You’re up on charges of sexism and discrimination against male characters. 

Joan: You forgot my favorite male character, Mark. He’s a lifesaver both to Marlene and to Janie. And, what about Marlene and Janie’s dad? Such a good guy. Indeed, Peter got a raw deal, but who knows what the future might hold for him. 

I wrote a book I’d love to read. I’m a female, so it makes sense that my book might appeal more to the ladies. But, the first reviewer was a man. I was a bit surprised when he gave it five stars. So, go figure… 

*Hmm, not sure I'm satisfied with that answer. What say you, readers? Guilty or not guilty on the charges of discrimination against men?

Joan, what’s up next for you?  

Joan: My next book is the first in a series. More mystery-like, The e-Murderer stars Jenna Scali, a thirty-something, criminology graduate student who works for a shrink and who gets tangled up with a serial killer. Yikes. Murder and mayhem follow.

*There you have it. Go get Joan's book here.

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Creepy Holidays

Over Christmas, my youngest niece came clean, declaring her disbelief in Santa Claus. Which is kinda' sad. I think part of the joy of Christmas is fooling kids, messing with their minds and filling them full of ludicrous stories.

When asked why she quit believing, she replied, "It's ridiculous." Well, yes, the world's youngest pragmatist. Santa Claus is ridiculous, when you think about it. I mean, come on, how can one (albeit, supernatural) person load up a single sleigh full of toys for all the good boys and girls in the world? And as my older niece blatantly said, "It never mattered how bad I was. I still got everything I wanted."

Huh.

It got me thinking. Sure, the Santa myth is crazy. But the Easter Bunny is even more out there. I know what Easter's supposed to be about. So how in the world did the holiday

end up revolving around a giant, scary bunny delivering chocolates? And isn't that creepy? I used to stay awake on Easter eve, fearful of the giant rabbit hop-hop-hopping through our house. Furthermore, Santa broke in through the chimney. How'd the bunny get in? Even as a kid, I wanted to declare "wabbit hunting season."


Then there's the Tooth Fairy. Good Gawd. It's gross enough that parents save their children's teeth. But for a fairy to sneak into your bedroom and collect teeth puts a whole new spin on obsessive-compulsive behavior. What's he (she?) do with those teeth? Why does he want them? And pay for them? In our holiday talks, my older niece said she knew it was all hokum when her cousin got paid about twenty dollars more for a fallen soldier of a tooth.

I'd love to keep the ol' holiday myths alive. But, frankly, they're all frightening. Strange creatures creeping into your house at night. Why they can't just knock on the door, use the postal service, whatever? Nope, instead they're acting like boogeymen. Something to warm the hearts of children everywhere.

A serious case of Claus-trophobia

No one loves Christmas more than me. But the big red guy at the center of it all? Creepy.

Have you guys seen the original German "Krampus" visualization? I mean, "Big K's" name alone probably terrifies women, but this guy's absolutely horrendous looking. Cloven-hoofed, horned, and he eats children. MERRY Christmas, everybody, Merry Christmas.

But back to the good ol' fashioned representation of Santa Claus. Still kinda spooky. I present my case:

A) A fat, old man with a beard who makes toys.

Well, get a life. And, really, toys are for kids. Kringle, katch a klue.

B) Santa makes a list. Then he checks it twice.

Okay, it's weird enough Santa makes a list, clearly he has a lotta' time on his hands. But poring over said list, time and again just seems sorta' anal-retentive. And by the way, who's Santa's boss, anyway? Who's paying his wages? How can he afford a full-time staff of elves? Reindeer food can't be cheap.

C) He sees you when you're sleeping.

I don't know about you, but I've got a restraining order out on the guy.

D) Santa laughs like a rusty, runaway train. Constantly.

How is that supposed to inspire warmth and good tidings? When I hear "ho, ho, ho," I run for cover, cowering beneath my bed. Spooky.

E) Like Kathie Lee Gifford and the Kardashians, Santa runs a "sweatshop."

Forget about that little dentist elf. That's a story for a different time. Seriously. Elves need to unionize.

F) Santa drops down chimneys.

Every Christmas, I shove the sofa in front of the chimney. Worse than an unwanted dinner guest. And much scarier.

G) Santa beats reindeers with a leash.

PETA, take note. And he laughs maniacally while abusing the poor creatures.

H) Sometimes Santa brings socks.

Jerk.

There you have it. You're welcome.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah and Kwanzaa and any other holiday I neglected to mention, everyone!

The Peter Pan Conumdrum

Well, we watched the recent live musical TV presentation of Peter Pan and clocked out half-way through. Too many "Lost Boys" twirling and prancing around.

We tuned in for Christopher Walken, an always interesting presence, even if he does subscribe to the school of Rex Harrison speak-singing. No problem. Guy's bizarre enough, I'd watch him read a French restaurant menu.

But. And we're talking a big But. Is it weird that I found Peter Pan attractive? It's clear she's a hot gal flying around, pretending to be a boy. Not for a minute did I think she was a boy, even with all the so-called masculine posturing. Her hips don't lie.

Yet it bugs, bothers me like that itch in the middle of your back you can't reach.

This damn musical's got me thinking, never a good thing. Why is Peter Pan always portrayed by a woman? What's up with that? Is it someone's subversive idea to twist gender roles and make males uncomfortable? It's like a distaff version of a Kabuki actor. 

What's that old saying? "Peter Pan's the 'boy' every male wants to be with and every female wants to be?" That doesn't seem quite right. Seems kinda messed up, in more ways than one.

I mean, if Nick Nolte were flying around on a wire in green tights, I wouldn't find him attractive. Who would, right? (But, come to think of it, I'd kinda' like to see that, I think).

My wife says a female portraying Peter Pan is tradition. Okay, I'll bite, but a tradition started by whom? Some transvestite Broadway producer?

(Cue scene:)

"I wanna' make 'Guys and Gals.' Bigger, bolder and better! (Spreads hands while chomping on a stogie). But, hold the gals, make it all guys, just put 'em in dresses. Brilliant! 'Guys and Guys Pretending To Be Gals!' I tell ya', we can't lose!"

Musicals are a weird beast. People don't generally break out into song while walking down the street. Well, maybe some do. But I digress.

I just never expected Peter Pan to upset my entire world-view. And, yeah, I still find whatever-her-name-is attractive, green tights and all. Especially the green tights. It's not easy being green.

Interview with a werewolf (and, um, Babe Ruth's underpants)

I'm a fan of the sibling writer team of Heather Brainerd and David Fraser. Their Josie Picado mystery books are a fun hoot-and-a-half. Here in the Midwest, we usually only accord one hoot, so you know the books have gotta' be good. Recently, they launched a new MG series that's fun for all ages. I had to hit 'em up about it.

*Stuart: Shadows of New York seems tailor-made for my geek sensibilities. There’s a werewolf nanny, a cad of a vampire, an awkward leprechaun, not to mention a wraith wreaking havoc across New York City. Not a question, but thank you!

*Heather: Um, you’re welcome. We just write what we like. It’s a happy coincidence when other people like it, too. 

*Stuart: You're giving me that "geek" look, Heather. Whatever. I'm used to it. Anyway, I enjoy how you and your brother, David, don’t write down to kids. It reads well for adults, too. 
 
*Heather: Between the two of us, we have five tweens/teens. (The teens were tweens when we started writing The Manny (its working title back then). So we kind of know the age group pretty well.

*Stuart: Josh seems like a well-adjusted kid for having basically “absentee” parents. I think that’s kinda’ cool. Still, he has a penchant for pushing, spying, prying where he shouldn’t. Frankly I think his “manny” is a little too lenient with him. Maybe a good time-out is in order?

*Heather: Yeah, Josh could do with a trip to the naughty stool, as we used to call it. But this is Aiden’s first full-time nanny gig. He’s still getting the hang of things.

*Stuart: Speaking as a parent, boy needs more than the naughty stool. Take away his iPhone! Just sayin'. Rosemary, on the other hand, speaks and acts like she’s Katherine Hepburn in a screw-ball comedy. I’ve never met a six-year-old like this. Please TELL me she’s not based on one of your children.

*Heather: Actually, I think she’s an awful lot like Dave’s younger daughter. My niece loves sparkly fashion, Disney princesses, and Doctor Who. A girl after my own heart.

*Stuart: Doctor Who? Yay. Sparly? Ugh. So, is Brad Pitt a werewolf or vampire groupie? I saw him pop up in the book.

*Heather: Werewolf, since they make great nannies. Plus, he’s trying to forget the whole Interview with the Vampire debacle.

*Stuart: Aren't we all? Moving on..."Babe Ruth’s underpants!” Lol. And explain. 
 
*Uh-oh, here comes Dave: Hi, everyone. This is Dave hijacking this answer. The sad fact is that it was just one of those things that show up from out of nowhere. There was no real thought process. However, that seems like a lame answer, so I'll come up with a better one. Here we go...

I live a little over an hour from Cooperstown, NY, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. I try to get there once or twice a year, usually coinciding with something like an old timer's game. One visit happened to be at the same time as a special exhibition entitled, "Major League Skivvies: The Uniform You Don't See." They had things there from George Hendrick's socks to, you guessed it, Babe Ruth's underpants. I thought that was the coolest thing in the world. A day or two later, I was working on The Manny. I needed something that a New Yorker might yell when shocked and Babe Ruth's underpants were still fresh in my mind.
 We now return you to your regularly scheduled interview.

(To the left are the people responsible for writing this thing. For once, you can't blame me).

 
*Stuart: (I think Dave's a lil'...well..."psycho-killer". I'll never forgive the interview he did with me!). There’s a chapter where there’s a detailed walk-through of a video game. It had me worried at first, thinking you or Dave, your sibling writing partner, were getting their nerd on. But you do tie it in to the tale quite cleverly.

*Heather: Thanks. That scene was totally Dave. I am so not a gamer. But I love the way he handled it.

*Stuart: Figures. Back on track, I was concerned about some of the characters’ names. I mean, “Larry Fancypants?” But I should’ve had faith. You explain it in a funny and surprisingly logical manner. One of the things I really like about the world you and Dave have created is the coherence and how it all hangs together. Did you guys create the Imaginary World first, plot later? How’d it come about?

*Heather: We don’t plot. Dave and I are total pantsers (though not of the fancy variety). We call our writing method “driving blind.” Makes for a fair bit of revision to create coherence, but that’s what works for us. Oh, and those wacky names? Our kids came up with them.

*Stuart: Kids. Whaddaya' gonna' do? In the book, we meet two different queens in the Imaginary World of Shadows of New York; the Queen of Shadows and the Queen of Fairies, both of whom I like. Tell me, in the sequel (there is going to be one, right?), is the Queen of Werewolves, Mira, going to play an integral role?

*Heather: Oh yes, Mira is an integral part of the next book in The Manny series. Or maybe not. We’ll see where it takes us.

*Stuart: The ending. Without giving anything away, I felt one of the villains didn’t get enough comeuppance and that the heroes were more forgiving than I certainly would’ve been. Now, I kinda’ think I know why you and Dave wrote it this way. Shadows is a MG book; bloody retribution probably isn’t the best thing for young readers. LOL. And it dovetails with a nice message about the nature of friendship. Am I on the right track here?

*Heather: Yes, you’re on the right track. And keep in mind that the villain in question will be serving penance for the next two centuries, so it’s not exactly a clean getaway.

*Stuart: Not enough penance in my opinion. So…Lady GaGa is the President of the Imagine Nation. LOL! A shame you couldn’t have used her “real” name. But it was a funny touch.

*Heather: We did use her real name until we begrudgingly changed it. It’s good to know that the President’s true identity is clear to readers.

Thanks for hosting us, Stuart! 

Stuart: Most welcome! 

What's it all about? In case you hadn't gathered yet:

What do you do when your view of the world gets turned on its head? Eleven-year-old Josh Cooper is surprised when his new nanny ends up being a dude, but that pales in comparison to how he feels when he learns the nanny, Aiden, is also a werewolf. Aiden teaches Josh about the Imaginary World, even introducing him to his friends Larry Fancypants (a suave-yet-goofy vampire) and Steve Lickerman (a tall-yet-meek leprechaun). This fascinating world seems harmless, until Josh learns of the shadowy wraith that’s stalking New York, attacking creatures and stealing their powers. As werewolves are ideally suited for fighting wraiths, Aiden is called upon to help capture the elusive Mr. Midnight, unintentionally drawing Josh even deeper into the strange and mysterious.

MuseItUp Publishing: https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/museitup/fantasy/urban-fantasy/shadows-of-new-york-detail

 Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-New-York-Manny-Book-ebook/dp/B00LU4WM1A/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1410208549&sr=8-7&keywords=shadows+of+new+york

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-of-new-york-heather-fraser-brainerd/1119963973?ean=9781771275682

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/shadows-of-new-york

 

Thanksgiving at Otto's Diner...pray you get out alive

Thanksgiving has come and passed and, dang, if I'm not exhausted.

My wife and I spent it in Oklahoma with her family, an enjoyable time. But the trip there was anything but.

Somewhere in the middle of Oklahoma we needed lunch. Inspiration struck me (usually not a good thing) and I suggested we find a "good ol'-fashioned diner." I told my wife it'll be an adventure. Which was really dumb of me because our "adventures" are tantamount to trauma.

Lo, and behold, "Otto's Diner" reared its little dingy head along a strip of dilapidated stores on Main Street in Woebegone, Oklahoma.

I knew we were in trouble as soon as we stepped inside. An aqua, orange and brown motif burned my eyes, all the colors of the Scooby Gang Mystery Machine. Squiggly lava lamp burps covered the laminated table tops. Some sorta cryptic type-written code filled the menu, clearly designed as an inside joke that unfortunate tourists weren't privy to. No one in Otto's appeared to be under sixty years old.The Twilight ("years?") Zone of diners.

Immediately, we were thrust into the nebulous world of

surrealistic dining experiences, hustled to a table before we could beat feet. I asked the very tired waitress if they had Coke Zero which totally stumped her. She hemmed, hawed, looked at me as if I'd shot a president or something. Tossing up her arms, she said, "we got Pepsi."

My wife asked if they had a low-fat salad dressing. Again, the waitress was mystified, clearly having never heard of such a strange beast. She turned around, opened a small refrigerator. Like a game-show model (except, not), she waved her hand over a grocery store selection of four bottles of Kraft dressings. "Got Ranch, honey."

Remarkably still in the spirit of the holiday, I ordered chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes. Because everyone knows small towns do those sort of things right. Right? Wrong. Straight out of a box and tossed into a microwave. Who knows what kinda' animal sacrificed their life posing as a "chicken fried steak." (Um, come to think of it, is chicken fried steak cow or chicken? Spam, maybe?)

I knew we'd entered "Children of the Corn" territory when the elderly regulars started bleating loud jokes about "Spaghetti Red," using it as a taunt, perhaps a challenge. Maybe a death threat. Brrr. Chilling. I'm still wondering what was so funny about "Spaghetti Red." The color connotation alone is the stuff of nightmares.

You know, the old guy who kept coming by to ask how everything was (presumably Otto) seemed nice, obviously taking pride in his culinary masterworks. I didn't have the heart to tell him everything sucked.

Worst of all, our waitress hovered three feet behind us while we ate. Watching us. Very carefully. Waiting. Perhaps for a tip? Or...waiting to grab us in an alley as we left.

My poor, full bladder had to wait. I didn't want to end up on someone's plate as "Spaghetti Red."

I do have to say, however, the wall photo of the ghost dog was kinda' cool. Oh, sure, a "ghost dog" they all take for granted, no big deal. But ask 'em about "Coke Zero?" Pure lunacy.