This is the Writer's Brain on Vacation

 LUCY BURDETTE: As I’m writing this, it’s early March and I’m frantically wrapping things up with several projects and starting to pack for New Zealand. This has made me think–is there ever a vacation during which I can turn my writing brain off completely? I doubt I will be setting a book or story in New Zealand, though never say never! We went to Australia about ten years ago and I’ve not written anything about that, aside from a blog post. I did start a short story about a crime on Lord Howe Island off the coast of Australia, but I realized quickly that I didn’t know enough to continue. I didn’t understand the local culture or how the police would behave–I’d be flying in the dark and subject to making  mistakes and garnering criticism. Maybe this trip will be different? Maybe I’ll write nothing and only relax. What are the chances Reds? Have you ever done that?

JENN McKINLAY: No. I don’t think I’ve ever been on vacation (since I got published) when I didn’t work. That is a very sad statement. I remember when the Hooligans were little and we’d go on our annual beach vacation to San Diego, I’d get up at 5 in the morning and work in the bathroom - usually sitting on towels in an empty bath tub - just to get the day’s pages done so I could be on vacation during the day with the fam. Most of my vacations - Florence, London, Paris, Ring of Kerry, etc. have been because I needed to research the area of the place I was writing about. Maybe someday I will travel without my laptop…someday!

HALLIE EPHRON: I do think that, if you’re a writer, your “writing brain” never turns off. I can be in the bathtub and still seeing myself as a character. Or go somewhere and imagine the words I’d use to describe its essence. I think every trip I’ve taken in the last ten years has generated a setting or a situation or a feeling that’s turned up in a story I’ve written. It’s an occupational hazard.

I confess, I’m the least fond of the Agatha Christie novels that she obviously set somewhere she vacationed or visited. Take me back to London or St. Mary Meade I want to beg of her. And Roberta you are so wise to NOT write a story set someplace you don’t know well enough. I started setting YOU’LL NEVER KNOW, DEAR in Beauford, South Carolina, and realized I didn’t know enough about its amazing history, so I created a fictional town nearby that I could have my way with.

RHYS BOWEN: I have taken some vacations with the express purpose of writing about the place where I am staying. This was true for Mrs. Endicott in Cassis. Also Tuscany and Venice. I never set a book in a place I am visiting for the first time, but somewhere I am familiar with. I go back knowing what details i want to reassure myself about.

If I am not writing I am always jotting down ideas for future reference.I find airports, trains, cafes are wonderful sources of inspiration. As Hallie said, you cannot turn off a writer’s brain.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: The only non-England trips I’ve taken in ages have been my yearly jaunts to the Round Top antiques fair with my daughter, and even though I am not “writing” writing, I am always looking at things and people and thinking about my books. I don’t think it’s possible for writers to ever really turn their writer’s brains off–and I’m not sure I’d want to. Nevertheless, Lucy, I hope you have a lovely vacation and come back refreshed and ready to dig into your book!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I agree with Hallie, writer’s brain never switches off. And I also agree with the idea that you need some familiarity with a place in order to write well about it - They’re all large cities on the water with lots of snow and cold weather, but Boston is different from NY which is different from Chicago in so many small ways that you can get wrong if you’re not reasonably well-versed in the area!

As for vacations, since I started writing professionally at the turn of the century, 98% of all “vacations” have either involved writing (Nantucket,) research (anyplace in New York State,) meetings with agents and the publisher (NYC) or conferences. The latter has been great - my kids have accompanied me to Alaska, California, Alabama, Chicago, Florida, Michigan… they and their Dad got to have fun while Mom taught or spoke!

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Hmm, so interesting! I have never gone anywhere for the sole purpose of research (except for my entire TV career, which I did not realize was research at the time.), but wow, everything is possibly something. And it's not only setting, of course, it’s how people behave, or what they do or say or eat. Or, for example, the sign we saw in Nevis when we had to go to the police station to get a drivers license. (They make tourists buy them :-)) There was a big sign, warning that houses were being broken into across the island, and to especially beware, because the perpetrator “might be disguised as a vicar or a meter man.”

It makes me laugh even to type that.

I have never ever not taken my laptop.

Red readers and writers, do you take your work on vacation, or are you able to switch gears completely?

Celebrating Molly Murphy

 RHYS BOWEN:  Since this week is celebrating the publication of VANISHED IN THE CROWD, the 22nd Molly Murphy novel, I thought I'd share some Molly pictures with you. One of the things fans like about this series is that it involves real time, real place.  When I first started the series I went to New York and chose a home for my heroine.  It is on Patchin Place and still exists, unchanged.  A few years ago a man emailed me to  say he was now living in Molly's house and sent me pictures.  When Clare and Tim were in New York last year they met him and he invited them inside for a tour.

When I was writing the first books and my knowledge of New York was limited to  tourist areas I went there for every book and walked any streets that Molly would walk. What would she hear, smell, see?  Now I know her part of New York well enough that I could give a guided tour.  I said this jokingly once to the Minotaur publicist. Her eyes lit up. "Molly walking tour of New York???"  Not really, I said hastily.

The nice thing is that most of Molly's New York is still there, hardly changed. You can still walk up Mulberry Street, see the Jefferson Market building, cross the Brooklyn Bridge.  Over the years I have taken plenty of pictures and I'm going to share some now. This is Patchin Place.

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This is looking down Patchin Place toward the Jefferson Market Building In Molly's time it was both a market and a police station with holding cells.

This is the last working gas lamp in New York City.  It's in Patchin Place.

Molly's house on the right.  And some typical houses from the neighborhood. Molly lived briefly in a fancy house like this on Fifth Avenue.

And finally the pharmacy around the corner that was open and working in Molly's day.  I love how I continually find little gems like this!

I hope you've enjoyed this little tour. Next time you go to New York check out Molly's old haunts!

And writers, how important is it to you to visit the sites you are writing about and know them well?

NEWSFLASH; I've been given some free copies of the Audible version of the book.  If you'd like to be in a drawing for one, email me at Authorrhysbowen@gmail.com. i'll pick some names from a hat and give you instructions on how to claim the audio version.

Me Time.

 RHYS BOWEN: As most of you know, I'm finding myself more and more involved with my husband's health issues. He's 92, has had a bad fall and our lives seem to be dominated by doctor visits, picking up meds and deciding what he can eat. The problem is that I don't like to leave him for too long as he's a bit wobbly these days and won't use his walker or cane all the time.

A few days ago I had a mini-escape. My daughter Clare had spring break and we got a day pass to a local hotel pool.  We lay in the shade and read, stood in the chest deep pool and talked, sat in the hot tub and ordered lunch and a cocktail.  It was heavenly.

And it made me realize how important ME TIME is.

I'm wondering what other Reds and Reddies do when they want to escape, decompress and recharge? For me the pool is one of the most important. To lie in pleasantly warm water, weightless, looking up at palm trees, recharges me rapidly.  My favorite would be a beach. Just wandering along the edge of the waves, finding shells, watching sea birds brings me great peace and contentment. Alas Arizona is not near any ocean.  

When I am back in California I go to a little beach on the San Francisco Bay. It's called China Camp and was a settlement when the Chinese were driven out of the city a century ago. So a couple of old shacks and a perfect little cove.  It's only about fifteen minutes from my house. I buy a year pass and go whenever i need to get away and think. It's great for plotting out the next scene of a book or just letting my mind wander before I come back to real life.

What else do I do? I have regular massages. Love them. A spa day is a real treat. But I don't do many of the things my friends do to feel relaxed and special. Manicures? No. I have tried. I come out looking glamorous and in two days I've chipped half my nails.  I do like pedicures. It's fun to change toe nail colors in the summer.

Facials? I've tried. I lie there with pads on my eyes while soothing herbals blends are stroked into my skin and I think, "I must remember to get more eggs on the way home."  Or... In that scene I just wrote she shouldn't say she's angry.  I find myself writing to do lists. And begrudging the time all these substances on my face are taking.

I'm not good with meditation either. I try to relax and think of nothing.  Impossible. I try to picture myself floating on a cloud or lying on a calm ocean. And start writing the to do lists again, or rewriting my last chapter.

I've tried sound baths. They don't seem to work either.  Actually, now I think about it, the best way to relax is to have lunch with good friends. Lots of laughter, memories, encouragement. 

So what suggestions do you have for me at this moment? Quick little re-charge sessions?