In the previous thread, Kathy D. asked me what happens next — to Tess, to her baby, to “The Girl in the Green Raincoat.”
If you haven’t read it — well, spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk.
Still here? Okay, you were warned.
I’ll take the easiest question first. Carla Scout is not going to have long-term problems associated with her premature birth. That part of the novella was inspired by three families I met when I was a reporter and their three surviving children had no health issues. (However, one girl’s twin had died and one of the families had been in NICU previous with a child who did not survive.) As the doctor told Tess and Crow: the baby’s fine, you’ll be wrecks forever. (By the way, Jennifer Weiner did a lovely job of writing about a more fraught premature delivery in “Good in Bed” then jumping ahead 13 years in “Certain Girls,” where it turns out the girl has some hearing impairment due to her premature delivery.)
What does Carla Scout mean for Tess and the series? I haven’t a clue. But I would like to go off on a tangent here and note that a lot of my books touch on the dangers of amateurism. Tess started as an amateur and progressed toward being a professional in fits and starts. Like her creator, she’s self-taught, although possibly a quicker study. The stand-alones often turn on the problems inherent in nonprofessionals trying to solve crimes. This isn’t a knock on the subgenre known as amateur sleuth novels, which I enjoy. But I also know that crime investigations are, generally, best left to professionals, and I’ve meted out some pretty stern punishments for people who think they know better than homicide detectives. (See To the Power of Three, or even the forthcoming Life Sentences.) In “Girl in the Green Raincoat,” Tess was not behaving as a professional. She was playing a game, out of boredom, and it almost had disastrous consequences.
Will/how/when “The Girl in the Green Raincoat” be published? I hope to have some answers soon.
I’m not through with Tess, by any means. But I can tell she’s through with me, at least for a little while. Dennis Lehane used to say that he imagined his series characters, Patrick and Angie, sitting in a room, listening to a phone ring, saying: “It’s him! Don’t pick up!” I think Tess would take my calls. (I’ve inflicted much less psychic damage on her over 10 novels than Lehane inflicted on Patrick and Angie in five.) But she’s a new mom, she has a lot on her plate. She’s got to figure out childcare. Crow has to decide if he’s really going to get an MBA. (I’m arguing against it.) Given the state of the economy, Tess has chosen a poor time to take on an equity partner.
So, for now, she’s on maternity leave. Not to sound too airy-fairy about this, but she’ll let me know when she’s ready to come back to work.
The last installment really resonated with me, since my daughter spent a long time in the JH NICU after her birth. Just like Carla Scout, my daughter is fine but I’m still a wreck!
Tess is an old friend who has been with me through a lot of tough times, so I’m glad she’s not gone forever!
Thank you, Tara. The comments from families who have firsthand experiences with NICU have meant the world to me.
I was born a couple months early and insanely underweight (less than four pounds). I’m totally fine (well, whatever problems I have can’t be linked to that, anyway). I am glad to hear that Carla Scout is, too.
Kelly
This has nothing to do with your post. I just wanted you to know that I bought my first package of Berger’s cookies tonight and they are so good I need to figure out how to ration them. I might never have tried them if not for Tess.
Gush fest
Phew, I am so relieved that Tess will be calling eventually. A few comments: did anyone notice that Ken Bruen posted a few entries back, WOW, I originally found him through the Memory Project and was thrilled to see him here. And he calls Laura “gal”, be still my heart.
Also, the 14th chapter of the serial was some of the best writing ever. I was sitting at my computer in South Beach at 2AM, sweating bullets til the last word. I think I had an out of body experience and became Tess until she (I) was safe.
Slan, bella
Thank you Laura, for your explanation of Carla Scout’s health and the possibility, maybe probability that Tess (and Crow, I hope) will return after maternity leave. (And it appears that Dempsey will also reappear as he’s been adopted.)
I am glad to hear that.
But I am sad that this series is over. I was so happy to open the NYT Magazine every week and “doggedly” look for “The Girl in the Green Raincoat.”
It made getting the NYT more fun for those 15 weeks.
The stand-alones are great; that is true. But getting to know Tess has been fun and this series had some excellent, tight, good reading and characters, including the two moms and their daughter and her boyfriend, Crow’s protege.
By the way, where can one get Berger’s cookies in New York City? This is also an important point.
So, best wishes to Tess and her family and friends, until she’s ready to reappear.
Kathy D.
Laura,
would you consider wirtting a series charecter other than Tess? I’m just thinking of how Walter Mosley concluded his Easy Rawlins series this year and is launching a new P.I series this…
Gordon.
As this thread has been a wonderful sort of higgelty piggelty (I am not complaining!), I wanted to share the following as I think that Laura will get a kick out of it. I went to NYC today and spent the morning at the main Library on Fifth Avenue. They have a special exhibit going on now dedicated to Yaddo, a major artist’s retreat that began in the 20′s. Artists (like Milton Avery), composers (like Aaron Copeland), writers (like Truman Capote and Katherine Ann Porter), etc., would send in an application asking to be invited to go to Saratoga Springs where they could work and receive support. One young author applied to be invited up for a month. On the application the writer answered the question “Plans for work done at Yaddo” as follows:
“Novel on Italian imigrant family and first generation American. External and internal affects, family stresses. Not just a broad novel but trying for depth.”
The write was accepted to the retreat! The book was written. Laura, can you name that author? Of course you can!
–Marjorie
P.S. to kathy d.: I don’t think that you can find Berger’s in New York. And whatever you do,don’t let anyone talk you into thinking that a ‘Black and White’ is the same cookie. Not even close. Jackie, lucky you! Don’t forget to include a big glass of cold milk. I think it adds to the Berger experience because the chocolate is so rich.
Maybe Berger’s cookies can be found online somewhere.
Black-and-white cookies (big ones) can be found in New York. My sister loves them. These are black-and-whites with frosting. Some are good, if fresh, others mediocre.
Thanks to all. Will read the rest of the stand-alones I haven’t yet read. Loved What the Dead Know and Every Secret Thing. And there are more Tess books for me to read as well,earlier ones.
Kathy D.
Victory: there are Berger’s cookies available through online/phone orders at bergercookie.com It seems like this is the real Baltimore deal.
Kathy D.