Today’s blog requires a little bit of audience participation: namely the use of your imagination.
I was thinking about the theory of how we “identify” with characters in novels, and I started thinking about what if I actually was the character in a mystery novel–and what a crazy mystery novel that would be.
Not that it kept me from thinking the whole thing through.
So, say you were a character in a mystery novel. Not one of your characters, but you–pretty much as you are right now.
1) Do you want to be in a cozy/traditional mystery or would you prefer to be in a noir or hard-boiled crime story? (See, I won’t put you into a novel you don’t think you can handle.)
2) Would you like your mystery to take place now or would you like it to be historical? And if you opt for historical, what historical period do you want?
3) You need a profession of some kind. Here’s your choices: Journalist, Private Detective, Lawyer, Cop, Nosey Old Lady or Ex-Jewel Thief.
4) You’re going to be involved in a murder, that’s a given, but do you want your murderous adventure to be triggered by: Kidnapping, Grand Theft, Blackmail, Espionage — or your choice.
5) Do you want a sidekick or a steady romantic interest? One or the other. Don’t be greedy! No, your sidekick cannot be your romantic interest–not in the first book of your new series!
6) Do you carry a gun? Do you carry any weapon?
7) It’s not always going to go your way, you know. Something bad is going to happen to you. Would you like to be: beaten within an inch of your life or lose the love of your life to…unforseen circumstances?
8) Do you prefer that the killer be a stranger or someone you know quite well?
9) Are you planning to wind things up with all the suspects gathered in a drawing room, or would you prefer a car chase and then a shoot out? Or…what about a shoot out in the drawing room?
10) Something unexpected but significant is going to happen to you in the very last moments of your mysterious adventure. Will it be poignant, funny or romantic?
Okay, let’s see your answers!!!
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This makes me think of that Stranger Than Fiction movie!
1) Cozy/traditional (I need to be able to sleep)
2) Take place now.
3)A journalist (I know what I’m doing THERE).
4)ooohhh, kidnapping.
5)A side kick. They’re easier to count on.
6)No, no gun. I’ll take some mace.
7)This one is tough, Diana. Hmmmm. I want to triumph but I also want to be recognizable. Besides, I think, in a cozy, losing the love interest gets more sympathy so I’ll take that one.
8)Someone I know. Makes it more horrific somehow.
9) Drawing room. No shoot out. Just a good old case of “it was YOU Mr. So and So with the wrench in the family room.”
10)ROMANTIC! I need a little romance. But wait…can I have romance if you knock off my dude?
by Laura
on May 21st, 2007 at 6:21 am
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Okay, I’ll play!
1) I have to go with cozy/traditional, my fave.
2) Current time period. I don’t do well without electricity and modern plumbing.
3) Tough choice between Journalist and Ex-Jewel Thief, but I’ll have to go with Journalist since I actually know something about writing and I know nothing about being a jewel thief, even an ex-jewel thief.
4) Espionage
5) Since I’m married I guess it better be the sidekick.
6) No guns. How about a can of Big Sexy Hair hairspray? I bet that could slow someone down.
7) Aw. I hate getting beaten up, but I guess I’ll take that instead of losing the love of my life. Sheesh! What a choice, Diana!
8) Stranger
9) A shoot out in the drawing room sounds fun—genre bending, but I guess I should have picked the gun instead of the hairspray.
10) I think we’ll need a little comic relief after getting beaten up and having a shootout in the drawing room!
Fun post, Diana!
by Sara
on May 21st, 2007 at 11:22 am
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Let me get this straight: I’m me, but without the husband and the two kids, right? In that case:
1. I’ll take the cozy/traditional, thank you. Just as long as it isn’t too cozy. I’ve just been told to leave anything sexual out of my new book, because the cozy readers don’t want their characters having sex (or talking about it, either), and it’s damned hard work and not much fun.
2. Now is good. With some flashbacks.
3. I’ll take ex-jewel thief. Middle-aged, mostly reformed ex-jewel thief, but maybe not entirely a new woman.
4. Grand theft. Of course I’ll be the main suspect, seeing as the stolen object is the Hope Diamond. Personally, I suspect my ex-partner - also the love of my life - the one I went to prison to protect.
5. I’ll take a steady romantic interest, since in #7, you’ll be killing the love of my life. The new love interest is probably the cop. Either that, or the guy from the museum.
6. My weapon of choice is a hat pin. Very long, very sharp, very feminine, with a very big ruby at the end. I keep my hair tightly scraped back in a bun, and stick the pin through for decoration. That way, it’s always there when I need it.
7. See #4. Can’t let you mess with my looks, sorry. The ex-partner can get killed, though. Nothing more than he deserves for leaving me to languish in prison while he got off scot-free.
8. I’m OK with someone I know being the bad guy. Let’s make the museum-guy be the villain and the cop be the new love-interest. Or vice versa.
9. How about a late-night foot-chase through the dark hallways of the Met, until I stab the villain with my hat pin? If I can’t have sex, at least I can have some fun.
10. Let’s go with funny. I’m gonna need it after burying the love of my life. Funny AND romantic might be good… If you could throw in poignant, too, I wouldn’t mind.
What about yours, Diana? What’s your story?
by JennieB
on May 21st, 2007 at 11:59 am
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1. traditional
2. historical - Edwardian, please.
3. Nosey old lady - godmother from whom I’m to inherit, thank you very much.
4. I’d like to see what one can do with Espionage in such a tame period of history.
5. I’ll take the sidekick - let the romance come later, like book three. Perhaps a daft but shrewd (how’s that for confused?) lady’s maid or housekeeper?
6. Some dagger or something with family historical significance.
7. Kill off my sappy fiance, please.
8. Killer should be someone of the village or someone I met on holiday.
9. A chase is exciting. How about through a garden labyrinth? Always wanted to do that. Unmasking in the glass house?
10. I agree with Jenny B (who needs to send me her address for biscotti, BTW) - funny and romantic is the best, but I’ll pick poignant if I have to choose just one thing.
I’ll expect the fully-fleshed manuscript in about four months time, ‘kay Diana? 
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1.Cozy
2.Definitely historical…around 1760-ish, since I’m somewhat familiar with that time period from my reenacting hobby.
3.Nosey old lady/midwife/village witch or something like that.
4.Can I combine kidnapping *and* blackmail? (Kid-mail??)
5.Sidekick
6.Hatchet…no need to re-load!
7.I doubt that the village witch would have a serious love interest, so I guess I’ll have to take a beating. 
8.Someone from the village. A corrupt preacher or town councilman, maybe?
9.A chase through the woods
10.I would prefer funny, but poignant works too.
by Becky
on May 21st, 2007 at 3:23 pm
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Becky…LOL on the reason for the hatchet!!!!
by Laura
on May 21st, 2007 at 4:21 pm
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Laura, I love your ruthless streak! Yes, go for the sympathy vote and then later in the series you can find Twue Wuv!
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I love these answers. Talk about a way of getting to know each other. 
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Sara, I love the idea of you and a big can of hairspray fending off the villains. I bet you’d look very cute with a black eye, too!
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Wow, Jennie! Look at you go. You’ve practically got the damn book outlined. And I want to read it!
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Reggie, I love those chases through garden labyrinths! Nice one…with a full moon overhead and lots of creepy shadows…
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Ooh, Becky. I love the local witch with a hatchet on the village green! Now there’s a line up you don’t often see in CLUE.
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