There it was, sailing high above the maple in the back yard, white and full and serene. The Snow Moon, or Hunger Moon, shone down in all its brilliance.
I, of course, thought of how mysterious it looked. Our scientists have pretty much proved it isn’t made of green cheese. It’s rocky and dusty and given to extremes in heat and cold. Not at all a friendly place to visit but very nice where it is, hung in space at just the right distance to give light and take care of the movement of the tides, and to excite possible plots in the minds of mystery readers and writers.
Take, for instance, Moonlight Can Be Murder. You know what happened in Ednalee, Oklahoma when the moon was full.
Then, my wandering, over-active imagination stirred up a plot involving another full moon and a mysterious message that no one could decipher. You know why nobody knew what it said? It was written in shorthand! I could have said it was written in cursive because I understand that type of writing is being phased out but how about good old Gregg shorthand? Nobody uses it any more (do you?) But, it is ingrained in my memory and in the very fingers of my hand. I learned to write this way in high school and liked it so well, I even took more shorthand classes in college. When I hear someone speak, I mentally write what they say in shorthand. A secret language! Ha! Fits right in with a mystery.
There’s only one problem–well, two. In the first place, my computer doesn’t have a program for Gregg shorthand. In the second place, not very many people could read it. But, maybe that would be the attraction, the pivotal point.
Anyway, that lovely silver orb far above me excited intricate and sinister plot lines. 
Maybe I gazed at it too long. Perhaps, as well as exerting a strong pull on the oceans, it influences a creative force within cozy mystery writers. In a full moon, strange things happen.
I loved shorthand in school. I wonder if their is a Gregg Shorthand book on the Internet? I remember a lot of it, but it would be fun to review it.
If you check Amazon, you might find one. Or Barnes and Noble.
In high school I competed in shorthand and made it all the way to state competition where I came in 4th in Class 2A. Yes, I still remember it and yes, I still write conversations in my head – especially prayers. Between that and sign language, which I still sign in my head, my mind gets a little befuddled at times! I think incorporating shorthand into one of your mysteries is a fantastic idea! Sign language, too, for that matter!
You are a multi-talented woman! Of course, I knew about your signing but had forgotten you are a whiz in shorthand. Congratulations on both! I’ve tried signing, just a bit, and think it is wonderful but also hard. Shorthand is a great deal of fun. Helen took shorthand too, in school.