I would call zip lining over a pack of alligators a pretty daring deed but for Nancy and Rick, it was all a part of a Florida vacation. Much more to my liking would have been the glass-bottom boat ride that Nancy said was really fun. And, of course, true to being a cozy mystery writer and reader, I probably couldn’t have resisted the Escape Room, where Nancy and Rick had to follow clues in order to find their way out of locked rooms. All in all, it sounded like an exciting, fun, and unforgettable vacation, but we were happy to have Nancy back, safe and sound at yesterday’s Cozy Critique.
Once again, five of us sat around the hundred-year old table, eating coffee cake and M&Ms, drinking coffee or punch. Carolyn, looking trim and tanned, joined us and it was great to welcome her back. She brought squash from her garden! And, she brought three delightful paintings–a large one of a bouquet of roses, another of a lovely pig named Willena, and a beautiful bluebird.
I’m happy to be able to share pictures of those paintings. She has had fabulous success with her paintings at the Junk Ranch in Prairie Grove and was honored at the Center for Art and Education in Van Buren.
Peg recently returned from a vacation in New York where she visited with family and friends and explored some breath-taking scenery. She went to Letchworth State Park or The Grand Canyon of the East. It is “one of the most scenically magnificent areas in the east.” The Genesee River has made gorges and waterfalls. The park has hiking trails and is a natural retreat. Peg said she enjoyed being in a place where her neighbors were geese.
Jane, too, has been traveling with her son Mark. She visited the Custer State Park, the Badlands, the Mammoth Dig (which has been an ongoing exploration for twenty-five years) and, of course, Jane wrote a poem about the bison she saw in Custer State Park. She named it Sharing the Road. It is actually a rhymed story about a shaggy beast she viewed up close. A thought-provoking look at life from the bison’s viewpoint.
My critique group is excellent for keeping me on track. Yesterday, we discussed murder weapons. Yes, in Moonstruck and Murderous, Ned runs up against, not one, but three murders! Truly chilling. Jane suggested a rock for a murder weapon, but I was leaning more toward something from a farrier’s equipment. I think Peg had a good suggestion, so I’ll try that on for size and see how it looks once it is written into the story.
After one of our critiques, I feel as if I’ve been to a writing workshop. As the Critters left yesterday, to go back to their separate lives and adventures (no more alligators, Nancy) I could hardly wait for the next time. I’m sure the discussions will be about more daring deeds and, possibly, some deadly discussions about the results of greed and avarice as encountered in the Ned McNeil cozy mystery series.
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