Been a really wonderful couple weeks… and to think I was dragging my heels, thought staying home and working on the next Dee Rommel was what I SHOULD be doing. Boy, was I wrong!

Jule Selbo

On October 29, I had the opportunity to be on a panel at Concord Massachusetts’s amazingly gorgeous library, thanks to crime writer Kate Flora. The other panelists were Joseph Finder and Janet Raye Stevens … Kate interviewed us and the place was full!  What did I learn? That these two wonderful writers keep their work close to their own vests, don’t seek out input from others, are patient with themselves and, for the most part, guide themselves through draft after draft – and then rely on their editor for the final ‘thoughts’ that might be considered before publication.

From there I went to NYC to see my friend (Maureen Kelly Stewart) perform her cabaret show at Chelsea Cabaret Club on 26^th Street. The name of her show was THE STANDARDS,  PERFORMED MY WAY.

Her interpretations of music from the 1930s, 40s, 50s and a few from the 90s – were fabulous – because I heard the lyrics in new ways.  “What makes a ‘standard’” ? she asked the audience. Her answer  – a song that not only LASTS through generations, but that has a universal emotion that continues to hit people in lots of different decades.  Made me think about the ‘older’ crime/mystery novels that we still read – because of the characters that still speak to us.

In NYC I went to the Broadway show ‘Maybe Happy Ending’. This is a show about two robots – their masters no longer have use for them, so they are in ‘retirement’ but miss their old masters and workday.  Where do they put that love and devotion?  There’s tension between them at the start – but then they fall in love with each other.  And how two robots travel that journey – a wonderful premise.

We walked the HIGHLINE to the Whitney Museum for the Roy Lichenstein show and took a docent tour. I learned that Roy gravitated to a teacher at Ohio State who had an inventive way of working with artists to explore WHAT THEY SEE and HOW THEY SEE it by using flashing lights and object manipulation.  I learned that Roy’s work was panned, over and over, but he didn’t care, he kept on.

I learned that Roy was a generous soul and allowed young artists to copy his work (which they did, almost dot by dot). He said, go ahead copy – and use the exercise to find your own voice.  I learned that many fellow artists, like Warhol, bought Roy’s work, even if the critics were unkind.

We went to THE POCKET, a new jazz club that recently opened mid-town.

  The Charlie Mingus Band was playing. Charlie is deceased, but his wife used her own money to form this band so that Charlie’s contemporary jazz compositions would not go unplayed. The band has been together for over a decade now and play all over the world.  How each instrumentalist plays off each other and riffs and changes and goes back to the written sheets was inspirational.

The place was sold out and all ages were there – people in their 20s and older – up to age 80s…. each piece seemed to tell a story and the ‘leaders’ of the band directed it all with waves of their saxophones.

Then election night.  Wow. To be able to share that with NYC buddies while eating homemade lasagna and carrot cake at an Election/ Birthday and Happy Engagement Party

Wow.

Then arriving at CRIME BAKE to experience Dedham’s Hilton Hotel again. The disaster serves as a  bonding experience with all the writers.  Despite food that was nearly inedible, despite a fire alarm going off as the banquet was about to begin, despite the carpeting that is held together with duct tape, despite the bar not opening until after 5 pm and 270 writers (most who enjoy a drink) trying to get the ONE bartender’s attention –  it was a great conference. I got to moderate a panel BOOK TO SCREEN and present questions to Tracy Sierra, Wayne Beach, Travis Kennedy and Joe Finder (I wanted him to sing because he had been a Whippenpoof during his college days, but we kept to the chosen topic).  Again, the SOLE AUTHOR idea was explored.  All four of my panelists were on this side of the fence: don’t ask for input from others too early.  Find the story you want to tell  – don’t be swayed.

And I agree. There’s always that impetus of WHY DID I DECIDE TO WRITE on this PLOT OR TOPIC OR CHARACTER  that we might not identify until later in the process. We must listen to ourselves first.

Congrats Crime Bake organizers!  So well done.

Taking time off for all of the above – worth it. Inspiration everywhere.