Auntiemwrites Crime-Mystery Author M K Graff

Why I still love Tom Hanks Wednesday, Mar 25 2009

Uncategorized Auntie M Writes Crime 3:31 pm

Tom Hanks has that boy-next-door quality I find so appealing. I think he’s actually gotten nicer looking as he’s aged.

He’s not classically handsome, but there’s something about him in goofy roles or serious ones that has always struck me. I like his diversity, that his wife has a career, too, and that they produce some things together. It looks like a nice marriage from the outside looking in.

So it was a happy note I read in People last week, when some stars were asked about their Kindle machines:

Here is what good ol’ Tom had to say:

“I got a Kindle for newspapers and magazines, not for books. Quite frankly, I prefer to buy books from my neighborhood bookstore.”

See, I knew I liked him!

(PS For those of you wanting to know: Doc is weight-bearing and today hobbled 300 ft in therapy!)

4 Responses »

Sheesh! Friday, Mar 6 2009

Uncategorized and broken things, brit books, good books Auntie M Writes Crime 3:59 pm

I can hear you saying. She says she’s back and then whoosh, she’s gone again!

Just when I thought things were leveling out at home, Doc lost his balance and fell, fracturing his spine, or so we thought. So we’re in the second of two hospitals this week, and I’m writing this after he had a bone scan prior to an operation to follow either tomorrow or Monday. Good thing they did this scan, too, as the spine ultimately wasn’t fractured…his pelvis is, which doesn’t require surgery. So I must give up my nice bed and two- TV room(Yes, TWO TV’s in the room) and head back in a day or so to the land of rural hospitals and pretzel-inducing chairs for a week before heading home.

To say Doc is pissed frustrated would be such a gross understatement I shouldn’t even go there. The surgery would have relieved this new lower back pain, which now will take its own six weeks to heal. The med center we are at, however, has the neurosurgery and orthopedics floor in the newest wing, so instead of sleeping in a lounger curled up like a pretzel, I’ve been stretching out in this chair thing that opens each night almost to the size of a twin bed. And since he’s getting IV meds with the two points of pain now, he’s out for the count and we’re both getting the best rest we’ve had in 12 weeks. Plus they have wireless here. . .

So when he’s gorked out resting, I’ve managed to read a Reginald Hill I’d missed.

The Roar of the Butterflies is one of Hill’s Joe Sixsmith series, the black, balding and middle-aged guileless PI who solves crime with his common sense and more than a stroke of luck. He is the Everyman of crime, hopelessly in sex with a hot nurse who lives near him, and somehow managing to eke out a living solving crime.

This one centers around a poncey golf club, and is worth reading just to hear a main character try to describe the game to non-player Joe. Different from Hill’s Dalziel and Pascoe series, the sly wit and crafty plotting remain. A delicious treat all around.

5 Responses »

Catching Up Friday, Feb 27 2009

Uncategorized Auntie M Writes Crime 7:32 pm

Auntie M has been gone: in a physical sense, I was able to get Doc coverage and headed west to Port Townsend, WA for a long weekend celebrating my Screw Iowa writing sister’s MFA graduation. It was great chance for me to recharge my depleted brain cells, to eat hot meals prepared by someone else, and NOT to deal with daily bed baths, commodes, dogs, sheet changes, exercises, cooking, or physical therapy, not to mention a healthy dose of mental support. I’d never been to Washington State at all, and would love to go back and explore at my leisure. AND it never rained when I was there! I stayed in a hotel built in 1898 with 14 ft ceilings over an art gallery and had a great time exploring this neat town.

At home, I’ve been gone in a mental sense: there is not much time to blog, as things are pretty much the same with the added exception of three times a week jaunts to town for the above-mentioned PT. Since Doc cannot bear weight yet on the bad leg (11 weeks and counting in bed–yikes!) he is working on range of motion to the knee, mostly on his back on a table. Frank, our great therapist who got me walking again after my bilat knee replacements three years ago, has promised Doc he WILL walk again, although there are some days I know Doc doesn’t believe him. He is soldiering on, and trying to stay positive, but it’s clearly getting to him.

I’m determined to try to work some time for myself into the daily grind, and to that end, here I am snarking away! Aren’t you glad I’m back???

Seriously, you need to remember to check out ecowomen.wordpress.com starting next Monday. The gals are celebrating a YEAR of great eco blogs and there will be giveaways for you to try for, plus neat articles to read. Yours truly will be blogging next Friday on her eco pet day, too.

On the book end, I’m reading a new one (A Distant Domain, will review when finished) by Val McDermid, that mighty Scot who had the temerity to talk herself into Oxford to read English, and we’re all the better for it.

She was a journalist for 16 years before writing full time, with a range of novel series and stand- alones that are always a great read. McDermid writes with great craft and a keen eye for characterization, and is a feisty broad who would approve of that tag. When I interviewed her a few years ago for “Mystery Review” mag, it was just after lunch and she was craving a large toddie to hold her over until tea time! She and her partner had just had a little boy, and the tough and tumble author found herself humbled and amazed by the experience. For those of you not familiar with McDermid, she’s the author of several series, including the PI Kate Brannigan novels and a thriller series featuring criminal profiler Tony Hill, televised under the generic name “Wire in the Blood” starring Robson Green. Here’s McDermid with Robson, he of the seriously sexy green eyes:

Her stand alones are equally brilliant and meticulously researched: A Place of Execution won the Anthony Award for Best Novel, while The Mermaids Singing took the Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel. The Grave Tattoo follows a Wordsworth scholar to the Lake District, my favorite place on our great Earth.

That’s the news from NC, where it was 68 today and supposed to snow Sunday night~

Thanks to Google Images

3 Responses »

Spudguns Unlimited Monday, Feb 9 2009

Uncategorized big boys and their toys Auntie M Writes Crime 5:19 pm

Auntie M is very fond of Appleton, Wisconsin.

Two of her favorite people live there: author Green Girl with her Team Testosterone; and her artist pal Alice King Case. Both are great women with artistic brains and savvy sensitivities.

Which is why my ears perked up when Doc was watching the DIY Network last night and a bit from Appleton, Wisconsin came on. Then I had to chuckle as I listened as Joel Surprise (his real name?) was interviewed about his business, the Spudgun Technology Center.

Yes, you read that correctly. And here is is, above. An entire business and website dedicated to various methods, equipment and means of shooting POTATOES are far as they can go! Who knew??

When I’d wiped my eyes, I watched the segment. Apparently this of great interest to men across the nation, a wonderful pasttime for those males who’ve not outgrown their competitive natures.

Their motto is: “Because we are men, and because we can.”

(I swear I’m not making this up)~

Just check out the looks of delight on those weirdo’s big galoophs gents faces!

For those of you who want to clue their mates in, the pressurized models shoot the furthest. . .

(Thanks to Spudgun Tech Ctr. and Google Images)

4 Responses »

Clean Cut with Reservations Thursday, Feb 5 2009

Uncategorized good book with a reservation Auntie M Writes Crime 4:40 pm

Lynda La Plante has written nine novels and is the creator of the Prime Suspect series I adored with Helen Mirren playing Detective Jane Tennison.

So when I picked up La Plante’s newest novel featuring Det. Anna Travis I knew I was getting into a well-plotted book with surprises, and this one did not disappoint on that level. La Plante writes strong female characters with more than a touch of realism, and Clean Cut follows that route.

Travis has been having an affair with DCI James Langton, whose emotional baggage comes to the forefront when he’s almost killed. His obssessive ruthlessness on a case revolving around illegal immigrants almost destroys him and affects his relationship with Anna, causing her to re-evalutate him, herself and their union.

Here’s Auntie M’s hesitation: the novel lacks good editing. La Plante uses the word “now” entirely too much, sometimes as much as three times in one paragraph. I’ve found that writers who are used to writing screenplays tend to do this, but a good editor should have picked up on that.

I also bemoan her lack of apostrophes. No one, Brit or not, speaks without using them. Really. The novel is filled with “I have”, “I will,” “There was” etc. in dialogue, where natural speech would be: “I’ve” or “I’ll” or “There’s” at least some of the time. This has a jarring effect on the reader, bringing you out of the fictional world and cursing the lack of editing.

I perservered as this is the third Anna Travis novel I’ve read, so obviously I’m either a glutton for punishment or La Plante’s storyline exceeds the annoyance. The other two Anna Travis books are: Above Suspicion and The Red Dahlia.

I’d be interested in hearing if anyone out there reading these novels is bothered by the same things…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Doc goes for an Xray and checkup tomorrow; six weeks and counting. He’s hopping around twice a day on his good leg for exercise, which exhausts him, but at least he’s out of bed for one hour out of 24 now.

One Response »

Politeness Counts Saturday, Jan 24 2009

Uncategorized random or deliberate acts of kindness Auntie M Writes Crime 3:47 pm

Ask anyone who knows Auntie M well and they will tell you if she calls you rude, that’s right up there with calling you the absolutely worst sucky, snarky, foul-mouthed name she knows. And she knows plenty–if she were ever to be on The Actors Studio and host James Lipton asked her the Bernard Pivo questions, she would no trouble answering: “What’s your favorite curse word?”! (Holly Hunter’s was CSMF–you figure it out.)

Auntie M bemoans the lack of manners in most younger generations, but this is not about knowing which fork or spoon to use. Social graces aside, pure plain manners seem to be flying out the window in far too many homes, with a direct correlation to how these children treat their teachers, other students, and often, their own parents. Forget polically correct behavior–what happened to socially correct behavior?

Which is probably one reason she and her family made the transition from NY to NC so smoothly: they still teach manners down here.

To youngsters anywhere from just talking to ten years younger than me, I am “Miss Marni”–and Doc is “Mr. Arthur”. That’s just how it is. Doesn’t matter if the Miss is a Mrs. or Ms, either.

And they say “please” and “thank you,” too.

Everything goes down better when couched in terms of please and thank you.

There’s a reason for that old adage: “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar” or some such wording.

Auntie M is convinced his manners were one of the things that changed her relationship with Doc from colleague to trusted friend to romantic relationship to husband (18 years in May). His respect for her has never wavered, something Husband #1 was sorely lacking in asshole that he was, which is just one of many reasons why she’s not still married to him.

Auntie M is convinced that when we do something nice for someone or treat them respectfully, we get that given back to us tenfold, and by being that way, we potentiate the kindness we see in the world. You know, that pay-it- forward thing.

Just last night as we were falling asleep, (Doc in a medicated haze in his hospital bed, me next to him in our regular bed, near but an ocean away) he said to me: “I really have noticed the efforts you’re making cooking meals to bring back my appetite. Thanks.”

You’re most welcome.

Thanks to Google Images.

3 Responses »

Fiction on the Rise Thursday, Jan 22 2009

Uncategorized books, holding it in your hand, reading Auntie M Writes Crime 2:01 pm

Auntie M is one of those people who want to hold a book in hand, hard cover, paperback, it doesn’t really matter. And I get pretty annoyed with people who announce the book is dead and we will all be reading online only in the future.

That’s why I was so heartened to read Ann Patchett’s article in the weekend Wall Street Journal’s Culture page, The Triumph of the Readers.

The author of Bel Canto and the recent novel Run shares a details of a board meeting from her local Nashville Public Library Foundation. Her library has noted a trend supported by a recent report from the National Endowment for the Arts: for the first time in 25 years, the number of people reading fiction is on the rise.

She goes on to say she’s not the least surprised, as when she travels around the country giving talks, the audiences are packed with readers hanging on her every word about the process an author goes through to produce a novel. They want to talk about literature, they love literature, there is no death of literature.

Patchett adds that whenever she sees someone floundering in a bookstore, she helps them find a good book to read. And she is always giving out lists to others of books she’s read and enjoyed, to spread the wealth of what is out there and share a great find. My kind of gal.

Phew! For a moment there I worried a Kindle was the only way I’d get to read in the future.

~~~~~~

Today Doc ‘hopped’ around our bedroom twice and it’s only afternoon! He’s sleeping better at night, and although the pain is still intense, there is a definite upward movement, after a long, long month.

And for those of you who worried, yes, I DID get to shave my legs this weekend!

2 Responses »

Mozilla Firefox Start Page Sunday, Jan 18 2009

Uncategorized books, mysteries and murders Auntie M Writes Crime 12:31 pm

Auntie M has been reading a ton lately, mostly at night between doses of pain med to Doc, when he’s hurting and neither of us are sleeping.

Ellie Hatcher is Alafair Burke’s new homicide detective in the second of this Manhattan-based series.

Readers were introduced to Hatcher in Dead Connection, a midwesterner who has grown to love New York except for the killers and crime she finds there. In Angel’s Tip, Hatcher has a new partner and a new killing spree to investigate.

With a suspect quickly in their sights, most New Yorkers start to relax, until Hatcher realizes the murders are far too reminiscent of a string of killings from a decade ago. She does not make friends as she pushes to keep the investigation open.

These thrillers combine a fast pacing and enough quirks and twists to keep you reading to the last page.

~~~~~~~~~

On a different note, thanks to all who have sent good wishes and prayers to Doc, and to all of your for being so understanding that my time is limited right now. He is healing very slowly, much to his chagrin, and in bed 23 1/2 hrs out of 24 most days. Our MN son came in this week for a long weekend and has been doing tons of “Doc” chores around here.

Today Doc walked six steps on his good leg with the walker and that indeed progress. He’s doing arm exercises in bed every few hours, too. Pain is still a big issue but we think we’ve got him on a better regimen now.

Thanks for all the positive energy you’ve sent our way!

3 Responses »

Undaunted Thursday, Jan 8 2009

Uncategorized Outside the box Auntie M Writes Crime 9:19 pm

Tomorrow Doc has to go to the orthopedist for X-rays and followup. He’s been in bed except for trips to the commode (right next to the bed) since Dec 16th. All he wanted today was to take a shower. In a real, tiled shower stall with a forceful spray like this:

After all, it had been since December 21st since he’d taken one pre-op.

EEEWWW I can hear you saying.

Now, Nancy Nurse is here to tell you that much can be accomplished by a good bed bath, along with a back rub.

BUT there’s also nothing like the force field of hot water rushing over your skin, instead of your wife washing you with a wimpy wet cloth, or washing your hair with soapy suds instead of a bottled cleanser you towel out.

So Auntie M got him out of bed with great care and he used the walker haltingly to get the ten steps to our shower. And couldn’t get over the step into it. Having the use of only one leg meant he would have to hop up, way too high. . . he’s been in bed for three weeks and didn’t have the strength to do that now as he did preop.

There was much cursing gnashing of teeth and almost tearful regretful commentary. By both of us.

Doc wanted this shower, he NEEDED this shower, he was going to HAVE this shower.

So I improvised. Needs must. I stuck him, carefully again, in his wheelchair, the leg up and balanced, starkers. For those of you who don’t read Brit novels, that means baby-ass naked.

I put a garbage bag down in front of the shower, laid large towels over it, ran more rolled up on either side. Then I backed Doc as close to the shower as I could get him and got in the shower behind him.

Voila! I used the handheld and washed his hair, lathering it up generously. He was able to lean back so that most of that water ran into the shower stall. Then we worked our way down, rinsing him off sitting in the wheelchair, leaning forward for his back, standing at the end briefly for the ‘ahem’ bits.

I toweled him off and he sat there and shaved with a real shaver, not the electric. Got him carefully back into bed, with only minor grunting on both of our parts. He looked better and smelled heavenly.

One huge load of wet towels later, mission accomplished.

Best of all, I got a big smile, especially AFTER I gave him a double dose of his pain meds!

3 Responses »

Cold in Hand Thursday, Jan 8 2009

Uncategorized great books Auntie M Writes Crime 8:48 pm

Auntie M really admires writers who take risks, especially when they turn out well. Susan Hill is one who comes to mind, but this week I’ve finished John Harvey’s newest, Cold in Hand, a great read that had me turning pages, thinking: “This can’t be happening!”

Det. Charlie Resnick is a jazz-loving, sad kind of guy who tries to keep the thread of his heritage alive while reveling in his relationship with another detective. If you’ve read Harvey’s series, you’ve seen this relationship grow and develop just when Charlie thought love would never find him again.

Which is why this novel is so startling. And well-plotted. And very human. It’s a great read and Charlie always comes across as someone real and recognizable. I like that in a book, when the characters feel real, less artificial. This one had me turning pages way after Doc fell into his drugged two hour sleep each evening.

And Harvey has Charlie impart things I never knew about the jazz world, so I’m constantly learning, too. Give him a try.

Leave a Response »

« Previous Page — Next Page »

	Anonymous on RADEGONDE AND THE FIRST CRUSAD…
	Anonymous on Bruce Robert Coffin: Bitter…
	mel westemeier on SJ Bennett: The Queen Who Came…
	Anonymous on wreck Your Heart: Lori Ra…
	Anonymous on Sally Smith: A Case of Mice an…

Auntiemwrites Crime-Mystery Author M K Graff

Why I still love Tom Hanks Wednesday, Mar 25 2009

Sheesh! Friday, Mar 6 2009

Catching Up Friday, Feb 27 2009

Spudguns Unlimited Monday, Feb 9 2009

Clean Cut with Reservations Thursday, Feb 5 2009

Politeness Counts Saturday, Jan 24 2009

Fiction on the Rise Thursday, Jan 22 2009

Mozilla Firefox Start Page Sunday, Jan 18 2009

Undaunted Thursday, Jan 8 2009

Cold in Hand Thursday, Jan 8 2009

Death Unscripted: A Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery

THE GOLDEN HOUR shortlisted!

THE GOLDEN HOUR: The 4th Nora Tierney English Mystery

The Blue Virgin

Winner Best British Cozy

Death at the Dakota: A Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery 2

The Scarlet Wench

The Green Remains

Author Page

Blogs I Follow

Archives

Contact Auntie M: bluevirgin.graff@gmail.com

Recent Words

Recent Comments

Picture

Goodreads reviews for The Blue Virgin Reviews from Goodreads.com

Blogs I Follow