“Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone”

 

Australia. A family reunion at a mountain ski resort. What could possibly go wrong?

If you were an author who wrote “How to Write Mystery Books” - wouldn’t you think they would have actually written a book or two? And what if every member of said author’s family had murdered someone…couldn’t that become the basis for a great who-done-it?

The novel’s point of view is an interesting one. I felt I was sitting in a coffee shop with a friend, and they were retelling the events of their family reunion. Each flawed character had a story to tell. Each story became more twisted and tied into the other stories. You almost need a scorecard to keep everything straight.  In their end, with almost Holmes-like precision, we have our killer, or killers as it were.

I don’t want to be a spoiler, so I will leave it there. There are two more books in this series which are now part of my extensive TBR pile.

“Caravans”

As I am not a worldly person, this book intrigued me. What I knew about Afghanistan could fit in a thimble. Now, perhaps, I have two thimbles of knowledge.

1946. Afghanistan became a volleyball to be batted back and forth between the United States and Russia. The fallout from this Cold War game resulted in people torn apart. The caravans of nomads, much like our own Native Americans, roamed freely over the continent. Borders were nonexistent. The cities seemed to be groaning under the weight of modernization. How to move forward without losing the past? Will the struggle for power wipe out what was? The cultural balance was starting to slip.

Such a barren, hostile landscape. Yet, it seems there was much to be gained by possessing these ancient lands. The characters, in the book, were in some ways like Afghanistan itself. Looking for different life paths than what was available to them. Caught between wanting to cling to the “old” life while embracing future “improvements.” In the end, the game continued…

Letter from a Witch

To whom it may concern,

I have found myself reflecting on what it is about Halloween that I like so much. The costumes? Celebrating the dead? Or perhaps, embracing the notion of the paranormal? Not sure. But I do know that I love all that is Halloween. Okay, to be honest not everything. My devotion to this holiday is kinda odd at this point in my life…we live in an adult community. We have no trick-or-treaters. This holiday is all about me.

If I had to describe my Halloween style, I guess you would call it quirky with a hint of darkness. I’m not into all the blood and guts. Nor am I into a cartoon version of Halloween. It’s safe to say that, just like me, my decorations are moody. My collection of ephemera for Halloween, while somewhat vast, is not large by any means. I don’t own a 12 foot skeleton (nowhere to store it). I always keep an eye out for the odd decoration when I’m out thrifting, keeping in mind that with limited storage, I have to have a place for it to live in the off-season.  

I revel in the minutia of the holiday. The little things that turn my normally cozy home into a cozy home for a dead, costumed, dark, quirky, slightly eccentric, witch. I don’t put out all my decorations. No way. I brainstorm a theme and then, full on, decorate my library room. You’ll find the theme repeated throughout the house (mainly in the public rooms). I’m pretty sure that if I ever find myself living alone, the decorations may creep…into other areas of the house. My husband does not share my obsession. However, he has learned to tolerate the occasional spider web or low flying bat for the month of October.

I have no idea where or when my love for this holiday manifested itself. I do know that creating costumes for my boys and crafting an environment to celebrate the holiday has always brought me joy. Give me a reason to decorate AND wear a costume…I’m there. (this actually spilled into my teaching - they called it  living history - we all know better than that).

Whatever the reason, as I said, all this brings me joy. I take pride in the small haunted world I create each year. I suppose you can take the witch out of the girl…or can you?

Yours in Halloween creepiness,

Lori