DEBORAH CROMBIE: It is always a huge treat to have the lovely and talented Ellen Crosby visit here on JRW! I am a big fan of her Wine Country mysteries, but I love everything she writes, and her Sophie Medina books, featuring Washington, DC photojournalist Sophie, rate up at the top of my "jump up and down with excitement" list! Sophie's latest adventure, DODGE AND BURN, does not disappoint!
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I AM WHAT I WRITE?
The week before last I drove out to Slater Run Vineyards, a beautiful, bucolic family-owned vineyard in the village of Upperville, Virginia to tape an interview for Write Around the Corner, a television show that airs on Blue Ridge PBS in southern Virginia.
Slater Run Vineyards
The show—which the producers will film anywhere as long as it’s not a television studio—features interviews with Virginia authors and has been on the air for seven seasons. We are a prolific bunch here in the Old Dominion, which is why there will be a Season 8—among our tribe are such well-known names as David Baldacci, John Grisham, Barbara Kingsolver, Donna Andrews, Art Taylor, John Gilstrap. Alan Orloff, Tara Laskowski, Angie Kim, G.M. Malliet, Ed Aymar, S.A. Cosby, Beth Macy, Adriana Trigiani, Kwame Alexander, Maggie Stiefvater, Nikki Giovanni, Elle Cosimano, Brendan Slocumb, and Jeanette Walls—to name but a very few. (Everyone I neglected to mention please forgive me).
The first thing Rose Martin, the well-prepared program host, said to me was this: You’ve led a fascinating life traveling all around the world and so much of your life is in your books. Will you tell us about it?
Huh?
I write a mystery series about a woman named Lucie Montgomery who owns a vineyard in Virginia (I don’t) and another about Sophie Medina, an international photojournalist who lives in Washington, D.C., has a former CIA operative husband, and becomes embroiled in solving crimes (not me, either, though I have worked as an international journalist). But as I thought about Rose’s question, I began to realize that she was right: snippets of me and my life have somehow made their way onto the pages of all my books. Songs I was listening to, events that were happening in the world, where we took our summer vacation, what mattered to my three sons at the time, conversations I had with my husband.
In Dodge and Burn, my fourth Sophie Medina book which will be out on May 7, an insignificant but beautiful Ukrainian icon is stolen from the home of Robson Blake, a wealthy philanthropist, while his collection of Old Master paintings is left untouched. When Sophie shows up to take his photo, Blake is dead and his state-of-the-art alarm system is turned off. Who stole the icon, who murdered Robbie Blake—and why? My late husband’s mother was half-Russian and half-Ukrainian, plus we lived in the former Soviet Union when André’s job as a journalist brought us to Moscow thirty-five years ago, so it’s a pretty short line connecting the dots between my interest in the war Ukraine is fighting against Russia and plundered art as a spoil of war.
Sophie is
also asked to take pictures of a soccer camp being hosted by an organization
that offers support to homeless individuals when the Real Madrid soccer team
comes to Washington for a “friendly” game with D.C. United. I suspect the idea for
the soccer camp for homeless kids came to me as I was writing and also
listening to World Cup soccer games being played in Qatar in the background
during “WhatsApp Watch Parties” my oldest son, who lives in Germany, organized
for himself, a cousin in Paris, and my husband in Virginia.
In the acknowledgments for Dodge and Burn, I mentioned that many of the instances involving art theft that I wrote about were taken from news accounts of crimes that actually happened in 2022 and 2023 while I was writing this book. Stolen, looted, and plundered art is the fourth most trafficked item after money, drugs, and arms--and once I Googled “stolen art” to begin my research I quickly fell down the rabbit hole. I won’t spoil the plot, but the crime and criminals in Dodge and Burn ended up being based on a true crime that I read about—which hadn’t been my original plan.
So Reds,
here’s my question for you: do you consciously or unconsciously insert yourself
or your life into your books? And, readers, do you think reading a book by a
favorite author offers insight into his or her personal life? Do you ever think
about the person writing the book, or do you just focus on the story?
Here's more about DODGE AND BURN:
When billionaire philanthropist and art collector Robson Blake hires Sophie Medina to take photographs for him, she doesn't expect to show up and find her client dead. It seems he was the victim of a burglary gone wrong. But why was his state-of-the-art security system turned off . . . and why, in a house full of priceless Old Masters, is the only thing missing a beautiful but insignificant Ukrainian religious icon?
Before long, Sophie finds herself in the crosshairs of a D.C. homicide
detective who suspects she knows more than she is saying about Blake's murder -
and he's not wrong. To Sophie's mixed delight and horror, she's recently
learned she has a half-brother . . . who might also be an international art
thief, with eyes on Blake's collection.
As the police get closer to finding Blake's killer, Sophie is certain someone
is trying to frame her for his murder. Can she find the real killer in time -
even if it means turning in her own brother to prove her innocence?
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ELLEN CROSBY is the author of the Sophie Medina mysteries, the Virginia wine country mystery series, and MOSCOW NIGHTS, a standalone mystery. Her books have been nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award and the Library of Virginia People’s Choice Award; THE FRENCH PARADOX was chosen as one of The Strand Magazine’s Top 20 Mysteries of 2021 Previously she worked as a freelance reporter for The Washington Post, Moscow correspondent for ABC Radio News, and as an economist at the U.S. Senate. She is currently busy writing the next Virginia wine country mystery due out in 2025.
I'm clearly living in the dark having not read any of your books, Ellen! I plan to remedy that, stat. The new book sounds like a must-read.
ReplyDeleteI know I've used bits from many parts of my life and myself in my books, but I've only twice put a living person whole cloth in a story (one being my mother). Even then, the character insisted on changing away from the real person.
Hi, Edith, thanks for giving me a try! I don’t think I’ve ever put a living person in one of my books, but I do recognize what was going on in my life at the time if I happen to re-read something I’ve written.
DeleteCongratulations, Ellen, on your newest book . . . it sounds quite intriguing and I'm looking forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought much about it, but I think I keep the writer and the story separate as I read . . . .
Thanks for the congrats, Joan! It was a fascinating book to write—I started getting a daily newsletter on news in the art world and there was inevitably a story on an art crime somewhere. It didn’t take long for me to fall down a rabbit hole of reading and research.
DeleteELLEN: Congratulations on your new book! I have enjoyed reading your Wine Country mystery series but have not read any Sophie books. I also read several of the authors you listed but did not know they were from Virginia!
ReplyDeleteAs for the writer-personal life connection, I hope that most of them don't experience the harrowing events they write about!!
Thank you for the congrats, Grace! There are now 4 Sophie books so I hope you’ll give them a try.
DeleteHi, Ellen! Congratulations on the new book! As for thinking about the person behind the book, I don't consider that they've done anything they write about. (If we did, as Debs said, we'd be in big trouble, not to mention, we'd never have time to write!) But for those authors I've met, I tend to hear their voice when their main character speaks.
ReplyDeleteAs a writer, there are dribs and drabs of my personal experience in my stories, but mostly as a jumping off point. I'll think of some mundane moment and wonder what if...? From there, it all becomes pure fiction.
Hi, Annette, good to hear from you! I agree with you about hearing the voice of an author I know in their books—which is interesting when you read as a writer rather than a reader, don’t you think?
DeleteCongratulations on your latest book, Ellen!
ReplyDeleteMy first thought is always, Wow -- this author has really LIVED! but then I remind myself that mystery writers make up stories -- that's their job, after all. But I surely do love learning about the connections between those stories and their writers. So, thanks for today's essay, Ellen.
You are most welcome, Amanda!
DeleteCongratulations on the next Sophie Medina! I just saw the Bill Nighy movie "The Beautiful Game" about the homeless world cup.
ReplyDeleteI use placeholders and touchstones in my books and stories: placeholder names until I come up with a better one (Joy became Martha Rae), placeholder foods (casserole became mac and cheese with crabmeat). Touchstones from my life that I've inserted into my fictional world: gardens, houses, diner food (hot meatloaf sandwiches).
That's a fun idea, Margaret!
DeleteHi Ellen, the book sounds wonderful! I know that I rob my life constantly, so I'm not surprised to hear the same about you. Every word we write is filtered through our brains so it would be hard not to insert our points of view and experience, right?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Roberta—I agree with you. I also think that it’s important to “restock the well” and take a break from writing to make sure you (I) get out there and live so there are more experiences to mine! For me traveling is one of the best ways to do that.
DeleteCongratulations! I really enjoyed one of your Sophie Medina novels and now must go read more! If I like a book, I always look at the author bio and sometimes wonder how it connects to the content of the novel. Thanks for your essay! I love the idea of a What's App watch party for the World Cup. My family and I were at a vacation house at the beach that had no TV hookup. We ended up going to a dive bar and spending hours there, eating some pretty gross food, in order to watch the matches.
ReplyDeleteGillian, the World Cup WhatsApp party was a great idea. It was generally night time in Europe so the guys would be drinking a beer or a glass of wine while they watched in Paris and Stuttgart. It was afternoon here so my husband usually had a cup of coffee. If the game was on a weekend, another son in Chicago and my oldest son’s brother-in-law, also in Virginia, would watch. But weekdays they had to work. Still, they were pretty lively sessions—especially once everyone got their feed set to the same time so no one saw a goal or a missed penalty kick before everyone else.
DeleteEllen, welcome back to JRW--and mea culpa, I truly meant to start reading Sophie's adventures, but realize I need to up my game and write stuff down so I don't forget again. I don't think about the writer as a person when I'm reading a book except as a general sense. Like Debs, I know she goes to England and does on-the-ground research when she's writing a new book. Julia is familiar with the setting of her books, Jenn was a librarian--I know that they draw on their knowledge and experiences when they write.
ReplyDeleteFlora, I think you'll really enjoy the Sophie books. Not only a great character and settings, but always such interesting research.
DeleteThanks, Debs!! And Flora, I hope you’ll give the books a try. I think doing research is a bit different than mining your life for information for a book, though—it’s more nuanced and subtle, if that makes sense?
DeleteCongratulations on your upcoming release. I 'm looking forward to Sophie's latest adventure. Art crimes have always fascinated me - I mean how does one walk the Mona Lisa out of the Louvre?
ReplyDeleteAs a writer, bits of my life do show up in my books. Most are not first hand experiences, but what ifs based on events I've been involved in. As a reader, I'm always curious about the author and if they have a personal connection to some of the scenes they describe. I've often noticed in reading that some scenes have a clarity that is lacking in other scenes. Those are the ones I wonder about.
That’s an interesting comment about finding scenes in a book that have a clarity you don’t find elsewhere, Kait. And art crime is fascinating to read about, even if it’s an awful thing. What’s worse is the looting and plunder that goes on in war zones, the destruction of art and history and culture that can never be replaced. I find that heartbreaking.
DeleteBear of little brain today, but I just picked up on topic of mining first hand experiences. It is interesting that you as authors use little of them. I wrote an editorial/blog for 10 years for a local magazine. Life, parents, and kids was my resource. I tried not to embarrass them, but everything in their lives was fodder for my essay. One of these years, I am going to collate all the essays, and present it as the story of someone's life.
DeleteMargo, Crosby is my maiden name and my author name. Otherwise I go by "de Nesnera" which is my married name. When I wrote local feature stories for The Washington Post I often wrote about subjects that touched on the lives of my three sons, but since no one knew me as Ellen Crosby, that was my invisibility cloak and gave me anonymity!
DeleteI’m glad to read about your new book, Ellen. With my connection to Loundon County via my youngest son I loved learning about Slater Run Vineyards. I also checked the website at Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookstore to see if you’re on their Events calendar but nothing came up. Will you be there?~Emily Dame
ReplyDeleteEmily, fun to know you have so many writers in your area!
DeleteEmily, I don’t think it has been publicized yet but I will definitely be at Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookstore (along with other writers) later in the summer. I’ll post the information on my website when I can—thanks for asking.
DeleteThanks, Ellen. I’ll stay tuned.~Emily
DeleteI'm happy to make your acquaintance, Ellen! This book sounds very intriguing to me. I often think I am catching glimpses into author's real lives here and there. No way for me to prove that however, but I do think about the person writing the book. Sometimes I know things about the writer's background and so little things come across as very natural. But maybe it's all in my head and that's okay, too.
ReplyDeleteIt does make a difference to me when I know the writer. Ellen and I have been friends for a long time, for instance, and because I know about many of the interesting things she's done and places she's lived, I suppose it does add a certain versimilitude when I read her books.
DeleteJudi, I agree with Debs about knowing the writer and it's nice to make your acquaintance as well! Also, I don't know if this is true for anyone else, but I read the author's bio and the acknowledgments before I read the book--which gives me some perspective when I read the story.
DeleteEllen wants everyone to know that she's having a bit of trouble with Blogger, but she will be here to respond to comments shortly!
ReplyDeleteI have officially given up on Blogger today, alas!! 🤷
DeleteHi Ellen! Congratulations on your new Sophie Medina mystery.
ReplyDeleteAs a reader, I often wonder if the author sprinkles the story with pieces from her personal life experiences. I often wonder how authors create characters with different personalities in fiction.
Like Grace, I hope the authors did Not have these harrowing experiences in real life.
Diana
Diana, I think that also comes under the subject heading of “Where do you get your ideas?” And the answer for every writer I know is “everywhere.” Then somehow those ideas insinuate themselves into what we write.
DeleteI, on the other hand, am not nearly as interesting as my characters!!!
ReplyDeleteNot. True. 😉
DeleteThe travel for research would be a nice bonus! -- Storyteller Mary
ReplyDeleteResearch travel is absolutely The Best!! I always want to travel to the places I write about since I think you need all five senses to write a story—something you can’t get from Google or Google Maps.
DeleteI don't assume the author is one of the characters but I recognize frequently that an author has personal knowledge of setting or events. I've read (and loved) the wine country series. I thought I heard you are writing a new Lucie book? Please say yes! I've lived in the Shenandoah Valley for two years now and love it!
ReplyDeletePat, you are correct. I am writing the 13th wine country mystery, though my life has been rather tumultuous these last months so I’m not sure when it will be out in 2025.
DeleteI think my feeling is one of tremendous fondness for the authors of my favorite books/creators of my beloved characters, more than curiosity. Thank you for Duncan and Gemma, for Gamache, for Clare and Russ and all the rest...And thank you for a new Sophie Medina novel, just in time to be added to my birthday wish list!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Beth!! (And thanks).
DeleteSlow arriving today – long day at hospital. For those who have gone on this journey, I didn’t know it was so time consuming and stressful and just hard and I am not the sick one!
ReplyDeleteBack to the question, while I am still awake. I have known several of the book characters. What you say? Yes. From book 1, I knew Louise Penny’s Ruth, Gabriel and Olivier. They lived on my street in a place that was almost as beautiful as Three Pines, but with a lot less dead people. They were my friends. There was a duck, but it might have been ours. I loved the characters, because I knew them like I knew my friends. It is funny how when they were speaking their part in the book that they had a face of the people on my street. I suppose underneath that might be why I so much enjoy her books. It is probably why I don’t like her movies.
There are now many books where I learned to like and love and grieve and rejoice with the characters, but that was a learning curve. I anticipate, love and rejoice on seeing these people again in the next edition of the story – just as you would do the same for (most) of the people in a family reunion with the possible exception of weird uncle Ted.
As for the authors – until this blog, I did not search out authors unless there was something I needed to know. Is there anything in their Bio that would influence how I interpreted their book, and/or did it matter. I was actually shocked to find out that Debs was not British, nor is Elizabeth George? Did it really matter – nope the writing held up to the picture.
Now for a chair and a nap – 6:30 was early. Thank heavens the local community was having a lunch-a-month, and I don’t have to make supper! Cabbage Rolls – wahoo!
Sending hugs to you, Margo!
DeleteMargo, my youngest son, who has autism, just spent 3 weeks in two hospitals after falling at work and shattering his knee. I was late to reply to everyone on this blog today because we were back at his surgeon's office this morning. He still needs to spend another month in a wheelchair wearing a brace with his foot propped--so I know exactly what you're talking about. Hospitals are exhausting. And like you I fall in love with characters in books who live with me long after I've finished reading. They become friends.
DeleteI acknowledge that there are likely pieces from the author’s real life in their writing, but I guess I don’t really think about it and just focus on the story when I am reading.
ReplyDeleteBrenda, it's not so much a specific event in my life that I write about (no one ever gets murdered!) but I can always tell what was happening in the world (and my world) when I wrote a particular book because snippets of songs or a vacation we just took seem to find a way into my story.
DeleteCongratulations, Ellen. I got plugged into your series after our signing at the Pen together (was that last year?) Ugh, I can't remember. I just know I binge read all of your mysteries - love, love, love! To answer your question, oh yes, bits and pieces of me and mine are all over my work :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jenn! That was such a fun event--I know you were the reason we had such a huge crowd. You are so popular and beloved at the Pen and deservedly so. Hope we see each other again and thanks for the kind words about my books. xo
DeleteYay, Ellen! Another big fan here... We met ages ago (on a yacht which I at some point put into one of my books, to prove your point!)
ReplyDeleteHallie, did you really put that yacht in a book?? And was everyone barefoot like we were? Did they also spend $1,000 in the hotel bar on a Sunday night because there were no restaurants open that they could get to? (All 20+ of them!) That weekend was memorable--and hilarious!
DeleteBefore I read blogs or was on Facebook, I never thought about the authors when I was reading. Now that I know more about them, sometimes I do connect things in a book.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I got into your winery series by buying some at my library book sale. Sorry about your husband. When I hear you talk at Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookshop, I thought he was with you. Glad to hear that you will be in my area again.
Sally, thank you for the kind words about my husband. He passed away on Christmas Day--the past few months have been tough. I'll be back at Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookshop this summer with a number of other authors; the event isn't entirely set up yet but I'll have news about it on my website when everything is arranged.
DeleteMy prayers are with you. Hope to see you this summer.
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