All Author’s Blog Blitz

All Authors Blog Blitz

I would like to welcome the very talented and cerebral Victoria Adams, who I feature today as part of the All Author’s Blog Blitz.
She is obviously able to cope with anything, as my eccentric sense of humour leaves her unfazed…

For the other half of the sandwich, I should be featured on lovely Jenn Roseton’s blog http://jennroseton.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/this-is-bit-embarrassing.html?zx=d09a093ecfbecc59

Lucinda’s Place

So, how does one conduct one’s self when you are invited into someone’s internet home and asked to create a guest blog? I for one like to try to do something that fits the décor, the mood, the general interests of my host. After all, that’s what folks do for me! Browsing around in Lucinda’s home, opening doors, gazing through windows, and peeking in closets I found that she loved gothic, humor, and heroes and heroines that filled slightly different roles. I think she would have had great fun with Shakespeare. I also discovered that she lives in Wales. Now, what little bit of something can I find that will fit in with interesting basket of thoughts?

Well, I live in the United States and I’m afraid that during our “Gothic” period it was pretty much tribal lands and a few Vikings. I suppose toward the end of the period some fellow sailed across “the pond” and wiped out half the continent with yellow fever. Not a particularly jolly topic there. After some head scratching I realized that there was a series by one of my favorite authors I could introduce. I was a bit odd in school and actually enjoyed putting book reports together (what future writer wouldn’t); I never got over it. Here then is a bit of a blurb about a different kind of hero and his different kind heroine during the early 20th century here in the United States. Allow me to introduce you to Isaac Bell and his lovely lady Marion Morgan.

I love historical fiction. That is, I love historical fiction when the author can take me there, walk me down the streets, show me the culture, the language, the feel of the place. One of my favorite authors, Clive Cussler, does this quite well. The majority of his books start with some small vignette in the past with a mystery. Then he launches you into a world of adventure and intrigue in the modern world while his characters unravel the mystery and save the globe from terrible fates. His series using his hero Isaac Bell is a bit different in that the series is staged entirely in the past. Isaac Bell is the son of a successful banker that has decided he’d rather be a detective. His employer is the “Van Dorn Agency” which is modeled a bit after the Pinkerton Agency.

Some critics will say that some of the dialogue is reminiscent of the period, but well, that is the fun of it all, I think. The first novel takes place at a time period that covers the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. It is when Bell meets his heroine and together they solve the mystery and save the day. The rest of the series is centered on cases that Bell takes and his lady is always there somewhere, helping him think through possibilities, and advancing her own career as a moving picture director. That, you see, is something I do like about Mr. Cussler. His lady characters are always accomplished in something. When these maidens are in distress they usually find some way to help everybody out of a pinch.

Lucinda’s discussion regarding the stereotyping of lead characters did get me to thinking about why certain authors hold my attention. Yes, Cussler’s men and women are overachievers. Most of them are good looking and in great shape (sort of a job requirement here). But they also have interesting hobbies such as refurbishing old cars or building boats by hand. There are no wilted daises in this group and some of the stories are really quite the lark.

Well, this is a taste of what you might find in my little corner of the world. My favorite subjects are in the areas of philosophy, science, history (and all that is related) and religion. My first book, Who I Am Yesterday, is about my first year of adjusting to my husband’s dementia. It has become popular enough that I have started getting speaking engagements. My work-in-progress is a book about the Book of Job. I feel I have a slightly different point of view regarding what we can expect from the cosmos and what we are supposed to be doing about it. Tune in sometime. You never know what closet you’ll find of interest.

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