Hey, it's kind of fun to find other Harringtons out there, especially ones that like, read, and/or write crime fiction. Right now I'm working on one for Woman's World. Had an idea early this a.m., decided to give it a whirl and think I can finish it today (The Body in the Suit). Since Woman's World is one of the few well paying mags for essentially flash fiction mystry, it's worth a try. Surprisingly, it's hard to do, even though a bit formulaic.

Best to you,

Pat

Pat- nice to see you here. Why does your profile list you as a male?

Yer pal-

Brian

Hi, Pat (Patricia?! What's your pref?). Anyway, welcome to your virtual beach bar and bookstore!

Hi Patricia...A beach bar and book club and a Bridget O'Hern mystery novel in my hand, a pleasing symmetry.

Well, I obviously hit the wrong key and have corrected the mistake--as you can see from the pix, I am a female, with kids and grandkids, and cats. Which answers Jeff question. Somehow I ended up with four cats. They all had sad stories when they meandered into my yard, and I'm a sucker for a sob story: No one loved me, she didn't understand me, I was thrown out of the house. They're always scruffy, the kind that I think no one would adopt if I took to the Humane Society. But . . . the good news is that each has played a prominent role in a mystery or two. One even helped me win a Derringer Award.

Yours in mystery,

Pat

It's great to see you here. What a great setting for a book--you were smart to do that, makes you just have to go there for research! My Tempe Crabtree books are just set where I live--not too exciting.

Marilyn,

Thanks for visiting and saying, "Hi!" Part of the problem with setting a book in a different era (1930's), is that I'm trying to be pretty close to the reality of what happened there, and the times. On the other hand, I'm writing a mystery-a whodunit-so I'm trying not to load the story with too much underpinnings of social history, etc. My goal is to get the book into all the resorts on the island, or as many as possible. Yup, I'm having fun with this. Even had the privilege of interviewing a retired deputy police commissioner from the time when Antigua was under the Leeward Islands Royal Police Force.

Cheers in mystery,

Pat

Hi Pat!
Here's another place where I can occasionally see your writing, perhaps. I'm hoping to soon see more info about Murder Visits Antigua!

Hello Pat. I just found Crimespace and saw your profile here. Thanks for the recent info re: grants. I hope things are going well.

Pat,

Glad to see you here. That's pretty impressive having your work used as a college text. A very unique honor!

Mark

Pat,

Great hearing from you. Your new books sound great! Can't wait 'til their out!

Dawn
www.mysteryloverscorner.com

Wow, this is fun, having so many friends come to CrimeSpace that I've met and enjoyed online for years now. Hope our paths cross in person sometime. You never know. I've decided at my stage of life (grandmother, don't you know), that I will look at each day as having some adventure in it. And that usually happens. Not the big overwhelming safari or skydiving kind, perhaps. But nonetheless. I usually meet someone, even casually, who is really interesting, or I learn something new or see a familar scene in a new way--fresh eyes--and all that.

Sure beats being dour--of course, it helps to avoid all forms of current news, which doesn't lend itself to "yahoo" moments.

Best to all,

Pat

Happy to circle round you. Do we get nap time too? That would be great! lol

Thanks for dropping in. Hope you enjoyed my blog. Thursdays are always the wildest as a lot of the girls from Romance Divas drop by to razz me up. Yeah, I love it. Nice to meet you. :-)

Thanks Pat. let me know how it works out for you,
Rick

Pat, how did your research trip to Antigua go? Or are you still there? I hope you're not working too hard!

Update on my Antigua trip. It went well--how could a person say otherwise? Fun thing going up to the Caribbean Stonehenge, although little of that left right now. I've been asking and asking to go up with our Antiguan friend. He acts as my kind of "minder" while I'm on the island. The megaliths are on Green Castle Hill, bout 600 ft. high, vertical grade of 35-40 degrees in places. And it's all above a stoney masonry factory carving out the limestone and volcanic rock to make fences around expensive resorts and compounds. So, they often are blasting. At any rate, one of the villages, Bonehead (true name) led the way, Wayne and I followed. Made it about 7/8's of the way, wind gusting about 35 knots and I had to stop. Guys went up and took pictures for me. The way down was harder, and I had this idiotic picture in my head of a debutante, hands outstretched on either side to a "gallant" escort walking her down the steps into the ballroom. The guys did hold my hands, but I was sweating, slipping, sliding, and they were, too. All, in all, it was not a pretty site. And then we had to cross paths, through a kind of pasture, with a bull who didn't look too happy to see this sweating, redfaced lady encroaching on his turf. Then had an interesting session with trying to get a diabetic testing kit that I ordered for the retired Leeward Island Police Force commissioner. He couldn't afford one, so I had my son Stateside buy and FedEx on to my attention. (Things have a way of not getting to people in the small villages dotting Antigua). Finally ransomed the diabetic kit from customs and got it to my friend, who also is vetting my manuscript. Let me tell you, power in developing countries is with the individual holding the rubber stamp--seal of approval. Never have any doubt to that. Had to have five sets of papers rubber stamp to get that testing kit "free at last."

Truly, I had a marvelous time, a learning one, and I'd sure do it all over again.

Tan and Happy,

BTW, I was asked to come back in November as Antigua has started an annual Literary Festival for Caribbean authors. This WIP plus my story published on Amazon Shorts, "Antiguan Memories," makes me eligible, I guess. If anyone has the time, please check out the story. It costs 49 cents from Amazon. And, I desperately need some reviews on it--write me off list, if you'd like a copy to peruse. The story is speculative fiction: Set in the 1930s with a disillusioned Anglican priest, a mute Antiguan young man, and the spirit of a murdered slave girl--who all are seeking release from their captive states.

Many thanks.

Pat


Pat

Thanks for the add, Patricia - lovely to meet you on here!

:))

A
xxx

Thanks for reading my update, Patricia. And I will keep you posted on her reactions. It's a bit strange basing a character on a regular person ... but she knows full well that I just took the idea of a young, sharp, outdoorsy female hunting guide and would never begin to assume it was actually her ! Cheers, Mak

Hello Patricia. Here's to new found friendship. Cheers!

Thanks, Patricia.

Glad to be your friend!

Hi Patricia,

Thanks for seeking me out here on Crimespace. Happy Holidays!

Thanks for adding me Patricia, good to know you. Have a great Christmas and New Year.

Brian

Hi Pat,

Thanks for the comment. We've just added yet another little rescue dog, Penny to our family two days ago. She's another unwanted and abandoned little girl in need of a loving home. I hope the video gives you a good feel for the novel and maybe entices you to get yourself a copy of a work I must say i'm quite proud of. Keep an eye out for a contest beginning on March 1st for the chance to win an advance copy of my next release 'Glastonbury' as well.

All good wishes

Brian

Just saying Hi from another Pacific Northwest writer. I'm very fond of Ross and John and Lew Archer too. Named my son Travis after Travis McGee long before the name was popular.

Thanks for the positive feedback. Sales are slow because print reviewers won't give me a chance. Unknown author, unknown publisher, mass market paperback—three strikes against me . . . not to mention the controversy. Yet, I plug along.

I understand the frustration--and the competition. I think stick-to-it-tive-itis is the key. Somehow, somewhere, I think the dwindling number of traditional big name publishers are going to fizzle--or not have as much clout. It used to be there were the Big Five. They are all conglomerates now. I've read--don't know how accurate the info--that some of the publishers are losing money with the big advances to big name/quick spotlight celebraties, but then the sales volume just isn't there. We'll see:-)

Pat

Hi Patricia,
Yes, we love our little dog, and I can never get over other people's cruelty to such lovely animals. I hope you feel inclines to get a copy of Glastonbury. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

god to hear from you.

Best regards

Brian

Hi, Pat. How come we ain't friends yet? Ha.ha. Just sent you an invite. I just returned from two weeks in Egypt. Like to tell you how it went. Hope you enjoyed your time in Antigua. I am eager to read your new mystery novel regarding this country when it comes out.

Yes, indeed, Pat. I hope you're having a great time down there in Antigua. Definitely we have to go to the races after your return. And, I want to hear how your trip went too. We'll have plenty to talk about in-between losing our money on the horses. (Just kidding about the losing. I play to win!) And we still haven't visited the Police Museum in Seattle yet.

Hi, Pat. How was the trip? Please give me a call about the track. I guess they've changed the rules about going to the back stretch since I've been back there.