Spirit Writing

Linda — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:31:07 +0000

In the 1850s, when polite society dictated what a lady could and could not do, many of the fairer sex dabbled in parapsychology to gain prominence without being chastised by the men in their lives…..

“Didn’t I forbid you to attend that blasted séance at Maude Blanchard’s house?” the fleshy man blustered from across the table.

Eyes downcast, Caroline picked at the heavy linen napkin beside her plate before whispering, “Yes Father.”

“Then you willingly disobeyed me?” her dinner partner demanded as his beefy face purpled.

Pausing a moment to gather herself, Caroline looked up into the blood-shot eyes of her remaining parent. “Madame Reneé specifically asked for my assistance.”

“Madame Reneé,” he snorted in reply.

Straightening her shoulders, Caroline answered, “That’s right, Papa.” In a voice steeled with bravado, she added, “Together, Madame Reneé and I contacted Mother.”

“Madeline,” he choked out, “You communicated with my Madeline.”

Gaining confidence, the young blond woman leaned forward to grasp his gnarled hands saying, “Mother sends her love.”

Clearly she had bested the distraught man before her.

For the next 150 years, spirit writing has taken the following two forms:

In trance or automatic writing, an angel or spirit supposedly guides the medium’s hand to produce the communication.

The message flows through the clairvoyant who scribbles frantically on paper fed to her by a helper. Some may slip into a trance – like state while others report feeling the heat of angry words or the coolness of a calm message.

In slate writing, the spirit supposedly moves the chalk or slate pencil unaided.

Seated across from each other, the medium and assistant hold the corner of an ordinary slate pressed tightly against the underside of the table. The spirit writes with a small piece of chalk sandwiched between the slate and the table.

Often debunked by the great magician Harry Houdini, spirit writing forms the backbone of the successful Aunt Dimity series by Colorado author Nancy Atherton. Sharing clues from beyond the grave, Dimity Westwood helps her American niece solve one mystery after another.

First introduced to Dimity through a series of bedtime stories, Lori Shepherd not only lives in her English aunt’s honey-colored cottage, but also communicates with her there. Retreating to the study in the Cotswolds, the young mother of twin boys, cracks open the dark blue leather journal and poses a question.

Immediately the pages come alive with Dimity’s distinctive script and an answer. While this type of spirit writing does not exactly fit into the two types described above, it has served author Nancy Atherton well through 14 books over the course of 17 years with another one due out in 2010.

Categorized as light fantasy, the stories provide all of the elements of a good mystery without the sex and violence found in more graphic novels. The first two novels: Aunt Dimity’s Death and Aunt Dimity and the Duke can now be found under the title: Introducing Aunt Dimity, Paranormal Detective.

For a complete list of the Dimity mysteries or to learn more about this unconventional author, click here.

A ‘Cozy’ Read

Linda — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:43:06 +0000

Love mysteries, but can’t stomach the gory descriptions ?

Shriveled and puckered, its dead white skin glistened in the moonlight each time the corpse bobbed to the surface of the stagnant pool.

Do you grimace when you read details such as this?

A suspicious liquid trickled from the dented skull and mixed with the falling rain to form a pinkish pool under the body.

Do you shudder at what might happen next?

Suddenly, a scream of anguish pierced the stillness not once, but twice before fading into the chirrup, chirrup of the summer time insects.

If you can answer yes to one or all of the above, then make your next mystery a cozy, a light-hearted, g-rated novel.

The cozy reader won’t have to look far to find the basics of any good mystery: one or even two victims, a variety of clues sprinkled with red herrings, the usual suspects and an investigation with plenty of twists and turns. What’s missing is that sickening feeling in the pit of your stomach.

Just as readers come in all shapes, sizes and interests so does the cozy mystery. But under closer examination, certain similarities arise.

More times than not the crime solver is an intelligent woman with a college degree which she may or may not be putting to good use. The heroine can work at a multitude of jobs including: caterer, bed-and-breakfast owner, cat lover, librarian, book store owner, florist, dog trainer, homemaker, teacher. . .

Recent widow, Judith McMonigle turned her family home into Hillside Manor, a successful bed and breakfast.(Mary Daheim)
Owner of Goldilock’s Catering, Goldy Schulz habitually

sneaks into crime scenes in between cooking fancy food for the upper crust of Aspen Meadow, Colorado.(Diane Mott Davidson)
Miss Emily Dorothea Seeton, a retired art teacher, creates bizarre, often surrealistic sketches than only “The Oracle” can translate.

The action in a typical cozy takes place in a small town or village whose inhabitants enjoy gossiping with and about each other. Usually one particularly nosy character assists the sleuth .

At home in a honey-colored cottage in the Cotswolds, Lori Shepherd, mother of twins, relies on the common sense of Aunt Dimity, her deceased benefactress.

The quirky Vida Runkel, the Alpine Advocate’s House and Home Editor, knows everything about everybody in the small town and willingly shares this information with her publisher friend Emma Lord. (Mary Daheim)
Queen of the cozies, Miss Marple, resides in St. Mary Meade where her knitting camouflages her extraordinary powers of observation and inquiring mind. (Agatha Christie)

Since the cozy sleuth isn’t a medical examiner, detective or police officer, someone close usually has access to autopsy reports, crime lab results or forensic evidence and has been known to share information.

An elected official Milo Dodge, Skykomish County Sheriff, is required to keep Emma Lord of the Alpine Advocate up-to-date on any ongoing criminal investigation. (Their relationship fluctuates from the professional to the personal throughout the series.)
For convenience, authors Mary Daheim and Diana Mott Davidson have married their main characters (Judith McMonigle and Goldy Schulz) to policemen the second time around.
Miss Ess has not one but two pals at Scotland Yard: Chief Superintendent Delphick (‘The Oracle’) and Detective Sergeant Bob Ranger. (Hamilton Crane)

Likable characters bring the reader back time and again to a cozy mystery series. No cozy fan will pay for novels populated with low life scum or evil people.

What cat lover wouldn’t enjoy the antics of Koko and Yum Yum, the two Siamese cats who inhabit a converted apple barn in Pickax along with their human, Jim Qwilleran, the crime reporter from Down Below.
Both ex-wives of The Jerk, Goldy and Marla plot revenge against this rich womanizer and his latest bimbo while solving mysteries.
Who can’t empathize with single mother Emma Lord and her ongoing struggle to support her college-hopping son while publishing a small town weekly newspaper?

Most of the time, the crime takes place “off stage” and death is quick and merciful.

“He’s flying to Florida first thing in the morning. His

grandmother was found dead in bed.” (The Cat Who Went Into The Closet)
“. . . . emerged from the little grocery store with a stretcher. It was covered with black canvas.” (The Alpine Decoy)
“The man . . . . was sniffing at the scarlet patches and beginning to swear. ‘Tomato ketchup-tomato bloody ketchup!’” (Hands Up, Miss Seeton)

Sex very rarely graces the pages of a cozy mystery. If there, the act is implied or takes place behind closed doors.

“The Sheriff and I had our usual evening, which, as usual, did not include a sexual orgy.” (The Alpine Decoy)
Jim Qwilleran and his librarian friend, Polly, dine together, buy each other expensive gifts, but bid each other good night via the telephone. (Lilian Jackson Braun)
There’s no question that Miss Marple has always been a maiden and will go to her grave untouched.

Cozy mysteries are a fun read, engage the mind and provide entertainment. For more information or pick out a title, try www.cozy-mystery.com.

What’s your favorite cozy? I’m partial to the Cat Who series by Lilian Jackson Braun.