A decent morning of writing, about 1,200 words, not bad for a day when I need to close shop a little early, get to the gym, then get to campus for office hours and class, and then zip home for an interview. I did an interview yesterday, too, for the Baltimore Sun’s shopping column, Five Things I Want to Buy Right Now. I won’t upstage the writer by revealing what they were, but I will say the list did not include some very basic needs, such as new gym shoes. (And no, Dave White, it did not include the item that I mentioned in an IM to you, the one that left you virtually nonplussed.) The fact is, I hate shopping.
Yesterday, the last of the pre-publication reviews came in, from Library Journal. Very positive, with one cavil: Smart readers might figure out the twist. Hmmm, but Booklist’s cavil was that the twist was a stretch. (Kirkus and PW had no cavils, and gave the book stars.) At any rate, it seems like a good day to talk about twists.
The fact is, WHAT THE DEAD KNOW doesn’t really have one. All the information is there, if you want to put it together. The reader knows more than any character in the book. I planned it that way. Since I published Every Secret Thing, I have consciously allowed the reader to have more information than any one in the book, including the police and, in my series books, Tess Monaghan. I don’t write straight-forward whodunits anymore because . . . I actually think they’re much harder to do well.
But in writing crime novels, I often think about the stunning image at the end of Janet Malcolm’s book about Sylvia Plath. I won’t tell you what it is because the book is one that I think everyone should read, and that final image is its reward, a well-wrought metaphor. (And, okay, also Malcolm’s defense of some of her own journalism, and the uproar she caused when she asserted that all journalists are confidence men, of a sort.) So, to try to paraphrase without stealing the image — everything is there. But can you find it? Can you choose that which is important and eliminate that which is not?
(For some reason, this puts me in the mind of a favorite Oz book, Ozma of Oz IIRC, in which the Gnome King has transformed the Royal Family of Ev into knick-knacks and only Billina the chicken can save them all. It’s a snowy day in Baltimore and I wish I could lock myself in the house and re-read all the Oz books in which the Gnome King features, particularly The Emerald City of Oz. But it’s not to be.)
On another topic (from a long ago blog), just got back from seeing PORGY AND BESS at the Savoy theatre in London. Laura, you were right. Clarke Peters is AMAZING. His performance is not to be missed. In fact, the whole production was sensational. Sportin’ Life, who has the best songs, was also sensational. Thanks for pointing out the fact that this production was on.
I can window shop for hours but hate going into the store and actually spending money. When I need something, I usually tell my daughter and she finds it on the internet.
Glad to hear there’s someone else who hates to shop. When people find that out, they just usually give a look like I’m completely off my rocker, but that’s beside the point.
And I’m one reader who will NOT figure out the twist (not smart, not that way). Heck, I’m always amazed that you can come up with ANOTHER idea for a whodunit. Can’t wait to read WTDK!
What is the title of Janet Malcolm’s book about Plath?
Does this hatred of shopping extend to the Internet? I love shopping on line, just hate going to stores.
It’s called The Silent Woman.
In some ways, I think it’s more interesting if one knows the whole context. Malcolm had been sued by one of her subjects for libel, her subsequent article on “Fatal Vision,” which is far harsher than I remembered, may have been influenced by that experience.
But The Silent Woman is a very good book and as objective as journalism can get. (Not very, according to Malcolm. I don’t disagree.)
I cannot remember the last time I did serious shopping. Probably American Apparel for yet another hooded sweatshirt. Every introverted instinct kicks in as soon as I walk into a department store or clothing shop and especially with winter, having to take all those layers off, try on the item and put it back on ends up not being worth it.
Except with formal evening dresswear. Then I can shop for hours. Go figure.
I love wandering and browsing but when it comes to going out and actually trying to find something to wear?!?! I keep looking for the store calle “Normal Clothes for Normal People” because I’m sure as hell not going to waste money on most of the stuff that I see out there.
I don’t hate shopping- I hate buying. I could walk in and out of stores or look in windows for hours in NYC.