It was fun and as cozy as a family gathering to attend the noontime "Celebration of Mysteries" at Main Library yesterday. As part of the National Sisters-in-Crime 20th anniversary, a panel of regional mystery writers ("just some" we were told) assmembled to talk about writing mysteries set in the South. The participants ranged from a somewhat new kid on the block with Terry Hoover (her first book Double Dead is due in January) to the well-established writing team of Jim and Joyce Laverne (the Sharyn Howard mysteries and more). Others included multiple Shamus award nominee Richard Helms (his series are with Pat Gallegher and Eamon Gold), award-winning Gwen Hunter (with the Dr. Rhea Lynch series) and Daniel "Chipp" Bailey (novels featuring television reporter Cassie O'Connor). The panel moderator was Cathy Pickens whose first novel won a mystery writing award (she has two in print) about an attorney named Avery Andrews. Her promotional pix is included here.
Pickens guided the discussion with a few questions for writers while permitting ample time for questions from the audience. To start, officially, though, Pickens asked the authors what makes the South a unique place for mysteries. Daniel Bailey noted the region has "so many colloquies." He added further that the actions of individuals come into play too. He would hear it said "people wouldn't do that--but they do it in the South." Gwen Hunter complimented on the significance of family secrets which can carry into Southern fiction. For her, "the secrets that we hide from generation to generation" can become great plot devices so that for novels "its the little things that get revealed book to book." Richard Bailey said that customs are "part of what the Southern thing is about." He added a sense of fatalism for the region that goes back to the Civil War era. Terry Hoover said the South does "revel in exceptional characters." Consequently, the mysteries become more character-driven and the actions are more observational. Jim Leverne added a newer and very public aspect of Southern culture is NASCAR.
That led to some additional talk about having mysteries set in the South. Bailey has used the low country of South Carolina for novels and said "the locale become a character in my books." Hoover said the locales are extoric to people in other parts of the county. Hunter mentioned how she has garnered good book sales abroad with some of her titles.
[This was a fun session and I want to share more so I'll add a part 2 later when I also hope to photos from the panel discussion.]
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