Category Archives: Uncategorized

Midwives and Midwifery

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During the course of the Will Rees mysteries, midwives have made appearances in several books. Lydia herself has had occasion to require the services of a midwife and (spoiler alert) will need her again.

Midwives have a long history. There are references to midwives in Ancient Greek and Roman texts as well as in the Bible.

In the seventeenth century, however, the reliance on midwives began to diminish. Male doctors began to claim they were the proper individuals to help women deliver their babies. The men were educated while the women were ignorant. (And that was the kindest insult. They were also accused of being lazy, dirty and drunk.)

In A Midwife’s Tale; the Life of Martha Ballard, 1785 – 1812, edited by Laura Thatcher Ulrich, the midwife’s perception was much different. Most of these women had borne children themselves (although not all) and they were very experiences. Usually a younger woman would shadow an older midwife (it was not always a formal apprenticeship) to learn the necessary skills.

The male doctors, although they believed themselves far better at this, did not have the years of practice. In the above autobiography, there is a harrowing scene in which the male doctor takes the baby in a breech birth out in pieces. He had not learned to massage the mothers abdomen to turn the baby for the birth

The male doctors were also guilty of spreading puerperal fever. They would not wash their hands after dissecting corpses, going immediately to deliver babies. This has been well documented.

The account by Martha Ballard illustrates both the difficulties and the rewards of this profession. She leaves home at all hours and during all weathers to deliver babies. But she is far better paid for her skills than she would have been at any other type of ‘women’s work’,

It was her proud claim that, during all her years of practice, she lost only three babies.

Some history of the Great Dismal Swamp

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When Rees and Lydia accompany their friend Tobias to the Great Dismal Swamp to rescue his wife, they do so as much to mend their own relationship as to help a friend.  (Marriage is challenging and Will and Rees’s relationship was tested in A Circle of Dead Girls.)

The swamp proves to be a more challenging environment, and the community in which Ruth has taken refuge, more exotic than they could ever have guessed.

            From the 1700s right up to the Civil War, fugitives from the neighboring plantations fled into the swamp to escape bondage. The swamp, which was more than a million acres at that time, (estimates range from one million to three million acres) was and is still a harsh environment. The Great Dismal has shrunk to 112 thousand acres. A Wildlife Sanctuary, it is home to deer, a large population of black bears, bobcats, more than 200 species of birds and many insects. (Insect repellent is a must.) It is a peat bog; items dropped on the thick water-soaked peat can disappear without a trace in a manner of minutes.

Suffolk Mystery Festival

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The Suffolk Mystery Authors Festival is just about my favorite. It is smaller than Bouchercon but everything is perfectly done.

This year I was on a panel with some awe-inspiring panelists. Such thoughtful responses. I look forward to meeting with them again next year.

Next up, my blog tour with Partners in crime.

Murderous March

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Very happy to announce A Mystery Conference from the Mavens of Mayhem. Frees and virtual this year. BUT YOU MUST REGISTER. Registration is now open.

Murderous March Conference

2021 Murderous March

Hosted by The Upper Hudson Chapter of Sisters in Crime, The Mavens of Mayhem
The East Greenbush Community Library
The Albany Public Library
Guest of Honor – Multi-award winning mystery author Sujata Massey
Special Guest – Edgar Award winner Alison Gaylin

* This author will mail out bookplates.

FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2021

(Note: All times are Eastern)

1.00 – 2.00 pm

Pitch Workshop – moderator Jenny Milchman *

What Agents Want & How to Give It to Them
Figuring out how to woo an agent or small press editor can be as puzzling as a good mystery. In this informal session, writers will receive an overview of the publishing process today, learn how to describe their book and themselves as writers, and discover the secret to a difficult-to-turn-down pitch.

2.15 – 3.45 pm

Master Class I – Sujata Massey (Guest of Honor)

A Journalistic Approach to Writing a Novel: How to Add the Right Details Without Becoming an Encyclopedia
Sujata will break down the journalism techniques she uses for creating pictures on the page, weaving real facts with the fictitious. She’ll also give tips on how to cultivate valuable sources in government and academia and the importance of sensitive representation of characters with different cultural backgrounds.

4.00 – 5.30 pm

Master Class II – Alison Gaylin (Special Guest)

Creating Lead Characters: Series versus Standalone
From hardboiled crime-solvers to noir antiheroes to the unreliable narrators of psychological suspense, compelling lead characters are a key element in crime fiction. We’ll discuss how to create protagonists that are multi-faceted, surprising and real – whether they’re driving one story or an ongoing series.

6.00 – 7.00 pm

Meet-the-Authors Cocktail Hour
Authors will introduce their series or latest book and present a brief reading. Bring your favorite drink!

SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 2021

(Note: All times are Eastern)

10.00 am                     Welcome and Conference Overview by Frankie Y. Bailey, President,  Mavens of Mayhem

10.30 – 11.30 am         Historical Mysteries Panel – Shakers, Quakers, Revolutionaries, and Depression-era cops. Journey with us to exciting mysteries of the past

11.45 am – 12.45 pm      Short Stories and Other Shorts Panel – No matter where you are on your writing journey, short fiction presents an opportunity to try something new, refine your craft, and have the satisfaction of writing “the end” after just 10,000 words. Tune in as these authors share their insights and inspirations behind writing short fiction, and tips on getting started and where to submit.

1.00 – 2.00 pm              A Conversation with our special guests Sujata Massey and Alison Gaylin 

Don’t miss this lively and informative chat with our honored guests.     Moderator – Elaine Viets

2.15 – 3.15 pm             Gothic Romance and Romantic Suspense Panel – Step away from the comfort of your armchair and flirt with danger as this panel delves into the darkly alluring genres of Gothic Romance and Romantic Suspense.

3.30 – 4.30 pm             Police Procedurals: Fact or Fiction Panel – Ripped from the headlines!  Go behind the scenes and learn how to turn your police procedurals into page-turners as four experts from the field talk about how murder is handled in real life.

4.45 – 5.45 pm             Pathways to Publication Roundtable – This isn’t your grandmother’s publishing world! Getting a book published has changed drastically over the past decades.  Join this panel as they discuss the variety of paths to publication available to authors today.

5.45 pm                       Wrap-up

PITCHES

Publisher Harriette Sackler (Level Best Books) and agent Josh Getzler (HG Literary) will take pitches at a time and date TBA. Indicate on your registration form if you wish to pitch your manuscript. You will be contacted.

* This author will mail out bookplates.

Suffolk Mystery Convention

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Very excited to announce that the Suffolk Mystery Convention will be held on March 6. I will send along information in a week or so.

I will be discussing my new Novel Death in the Great Dismal.

It is an appropriate choice since Suffolk is the town nearest the swamp.

It is an amazing experience to go from the streets of Suffolk and the small peanut farms nearby to the alien environment of the swamp. It is also very buggy!

Murder on Principle – Cover

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So excited to reveal the cover for my new Will Rees mystery: Murder on Principle. I am not sure when it will be released. Death in the Great Dismal will be available Jan 5, 2021.

I am guessing sometime this summer. Stay tuned for more information!

Death in the Great Dismal -Goodreads Giveaway

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I am so excited to announce a giveaway for my new book: Death in the Great Dismal. Will and Lydia travel south, to the Great Dismal swamp, They have been asked to rescue Ruth, a woman taken from Maine and sold down south. She has escaped to a village in the heart of the swamp and is living there with other fugitives.

Of course, Will and Lydia are in the village no more than a few days when the first murder occurs.

The Giveaway ends the first week of January.

Death in the Great Dismal – Giveaway

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I am so excited to announce a giveaway for my new book: Death in the Great Dismal. Will and Lydia travel south, to the Great Dismal swamp, They have been asked to rescue Ruth, a woman taken from Maine and sold down south. She has escaped to a village in the heart of the swamp and is living there with other fugitives.

Of course, Will and Lydia are in the village no more than a few days when the first murder occurs.

The Giveaway ends the first week of January.