Monday, June 28, 2010

Don't Start Something You Can't Finish

by Sophie

WEAPONS

So Juliet and I were talking about weapons over the weekend in our downtime (we were in Phoenix for the first annual Poisoned Pen Mystery Readers Conference, which was a blast - more on that in a moment) and we were both whining that all the other Pens know SOOOOOO much more than we do on the subject. Well, I was whining, actually; Juliet received an entire arsenal as a gift when she was a toddler, but I'll let her talk about that.

Weapons figure prominently on the cover of both of my books, which I find sort of amusing, especially since one of them is a gun, and what I knew about guns - until recently - you could fit on a matchbook cover.

I did what every good writer does and researched the heck out of the guns I put in my books - and then I backed it up by consulting experts.

But when Juliet and I were talking, it occurred to me that there is one weapon I know well:

Emotion.

How do we hurt each other most deeply? Consider this list of emotion words, and stack them up against any teetering tower of bullets, throwing stars, nunchucks, cat-o-nine-tails, nailguns and the like:

betray, spurn, vex, villify, condemn, castigate, shame, pillory, confound, defame...

I could do this all day, but regrettably I am on a churning-burning deadline so I must close prematurely. But as a consolation, here are a few photos from the weekend - -

The crew from the Poisoned Pen conference: Juliet; Phoenix SistersInCrime Roni and Shantelle; Barbara Peters, owner of the Poisoned Pen; and authors Lauren Willig and Dana Stabenow (yes, they are in p.j.s...long story)

Juliet and librarian extraordinaire Lesa Holstein of the Glendale Public Library, who graciously hosted a group of us for an event called "Women Who Kill"


Juliet, me, and Stefanie Pintoff, winner of this year's Edgar for Best First Mystery Novel
This is the villa we somehow got accidentally upgraded to, at the Arizona Biltmore. (A front desk clerk may have been involved.) SWANKY! And yes, those are my toes :)

10 comments:

Juliet Blackwell said...

Emotion is indeed the weapon of choice for so many of us, isn't it? When emotions run high...someone's going to get hurt.

Still reeling from our swank weekend ;-) Thanks, you road warrior, you!

Pamela Cayne said...

Thanks to both you and Juliet for an awesome panel on Friday night--it was great to see both of you!

And Sophie, promise you'll do another post on weapons as emotions sometime when you're not on deadline--I'd love to hear it!

Sophie Littlefield said...

Pam, I *promise*!! I actually think it is a great idea, and I have notes and everything. I'll get the job done the minute I come up for air. Thank you SOOO much for coming to see us. I emailed Barbara and told her all about it!!

L.G.C. Smith said...

Emotion is the ultimate weapon. I'm with Pam. I want to hear more on that when you get a breather. Pencil us in for Easter Break, 2012. :)

Sophie Littlefield said...

hee hee LGC...I am going to take a break sometime soon. I can't stand having my kids wander in and out and not be able to run off and do something fun with them. Also I pledge NEVER to let this happen to me again...this deadline horror...I am so NOT a last-minute crunch person!!

Shel said...

I'm more interested in why y'all are standing around in what looks like the hotel lobby in your p.j's. Now, I know that Dana Stabenow is a complete crazy woman (which only adds to her charm), so I'm thinking that she was possibly the instigator here...

Sophie Littlefield said...

ha! Shel, I'm gonna leave you guessing cause it's more interesting that way. :) Six words for ya though....Michael Koryta in a smoking jacket

Rachael Herron said...

Emotion. Damn it. I knew it.
(Somday I'm going to get and you will be so proud.)

Martha Flynn said...

AGHAGHAGH. Emotion? Foiled again.

Jeorge Mackay said...

To finalise, Sunday payday loans are a best suggested financial aid which shows lender’s consciousness for their borrowers. Such kind of loans shows lender’s positive attitude towards borrowers and their needs in every situation and know more about our services please visit us weekly payday loans.

http://sundaypaydayloans.directlendersuk.co.uk/
http://12monthloans.directlendersuk.co.uk/
http://weekendpaydayloans.directlendersuk.co.uk/
http://weeklypaydayloans.directlendersuk.co.uk/