Behind the Scenes - The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel

When we launched the Virginia is for Mysteries anthology, one of the requirements was that the stories needed to have a Virginia landmark. This was my first published short story, and I chose the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel that runs from Chic’s Beach (Virginia Beach) to Cape Henry on the Eastern Shore.

I grew up there, and it was always Chic’s Beach, though over the years, I’ve seen the spelling vary from Chick’s to Chix. As locals, this is where we went to avoid the hoards of tourists that descended on our city every summer. It’s a quiet neighborhood on the bay near the bridge. I was always fascinated with the bridge and what was on the other side of the bay. The bridge is really a series of bridges and tunnels that cross the Chesapeake Bay and spans about 23 miles. My parents’ first apartment when they were newlyweds was nearby, and my dad patrolled the bridge’s construction site as a young police recruit.

And it was the perfect setting for “Washed up.” The title takes on several meanings in this mystery, but the obvious is when a suitcase with a shriveled hand and a rusty gun wash up on the beach outside a struggling bar. The notoriety from the media exposure does wonders for the bar’s bottom line. But like in real life, not everything is as it first seems.

We live in Central Virginia now near a lake. It’s beautiful, but it’s not the beach that always holds a special place in my life. The restaurants and neighborhoods have changed through the years, but bridge tunnel is a constant. And I try to sneak in a visit every few months.

Check out “Washed up” in Virginia is for Mysteries.

Behind the Scenes - The Mill Mountain Star

When we were planning the second volume of Virginia is for Mysteries, I looked at the map in the front of the book and realized most of the stories in the first volume centered around Coastal and Central Virginia. The requirement for stories in the mystery anthology was to feature a historic or popular landmark from the Commonwealth of Virginia. I wanted to set my story in the western part of the state.

My mother grew up in Roanoke, Virginia, and I remember her and my grandmother talking about the star on the mountain top. I finally got to see it when I was in the third grade and later as an adult when we did a book signing in the downtown area.

The neon star beautiful and big enough to be seen from miles around. I did some research on the history, and it became the setting of my story, “Spring Cleaning.” In the story, it's a symbol for Douglas Weimer, who is having issues at work. He laments that he’s been demoted and forced to give up his office with a view of the neon star that’s been atop the mountain since 1949. Douglas, a medical records manager, gets more than he bargained for when he’s moved onto a new team and receives a project with a drop-dead delivery date. His assignment in Roanoke, Virginia, gives new meaning to work deadlines.

Check out Visit the Blue Ridge for more information on the star that started out a Christmas decoration commissioned by the local Merchants’ Association. The City of Roanoke’s website also has some history on the star and its lighting over the decades. At one time, the town used the color of the star to indicate fatal traffic accidents in the valley. The star can be lit red, white, and/or blue.

Volume three of Virginia is for Mysteries is slated for publication this fall. Look for my story, “Derailed,” about the Church Hill Tunnel disaster in Richmond, VA.

Check out Virginia is for Mysteries and Virginia is for Mysteries Volume 2 at your favorite book retailer.

Behind the Scenes - The Poe Statue in Richmond, VA

Yes, there is an Edgar Allan Poe statue in RVA (Richmond, VA), but I made up the one in GLITTER, GLAM AND CONTRABAND.

In my Delanie Fitzgerald series, Chaz Wellington Smith, III’s infamous strip club, the Treasure Chest, is located on the corner where The Southern Literary Messenger once stood (15th and Main Street). While Poe was an assistant editor at the magazine at that location, the Treasure Chest is made up. Parts of the real building were preserved and are part of the Shrine at the Poe Museum in RVA. This is a must-see spot if you’re in Richmond. The collection of artifacts is vast, and the staff are so knowledgeable on the author’s life and works. My favorites are the “Unhappy Hours” held in the Enchanted Garden in the warmer months. They also offer walking tours of Poe’s Richmond. And if you visit, you must meet Edgar and Pluto, the museum cats.

I am fascinated with the Poe sites around Richmond, including his mother’s grave at the historic St. John’s Church (where Patrick Henry gave his famous speech).

Years ago, I read an article in the newspaper about time capsules in some of the monuments. I thought it would be interesting to have Delanie investigate, so I put a Poe Statue on the corner near Chaz’s business. He asks her to look into why someone is trying to dig around the statue. It turns out that there’s an online rumor of valuables hidden in the time capsule.

The real statue of Poe is located on the grounds of the state Capitol. The Father of the American Mystery is seated in a chair, and it was relocated to the other side of Capitol Square in 2017.

If you’re not able to visit, check out the Poe Museum’s website. There’s a wealth of information online. There are also lots of good blogs and podcasts about Poe’s time in RVA. One with lots of pictures is J.W. Ocker’s OTIS (Odd Things I’ve Seen). Gretchen Kelly’s “RavenTrekking” is also a good overview of the Poe sites.

Check out the adventures of Delanie, Duncan, Margaret, and Chaz in the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries wherever you buy your books.

Behind the Scenes - Renaissance Fairs

My sister and I went to our first Renaissance Fair in the nineties near Fredericksburg, Virginia. What fun. There were reenactments, jousting, crafts, demonstrations, and lots of singing. The venue had several vignettes that included a jousting ring, a Medieval ship on the pond, and a castle-like setting. I was amazed at the number of guests who arrived in costume. There were some theatre-worthy outfits.

Unfortunately, the fair we attended folded at that location. I’m hoping post-pandemic that the fairs and the fun will return. If you’ve never been, it’s an escape to another world with all kinds of characters and action-packed cosplay.

The RenList is a good source of information on schedules and events. This site also provides details on the themes and activities. The FaireFinder is also a wealth of information on Renaissance Faires, Pirate Festivals, Celtic Games, and Fantasy/Fairie Events.

I’m also fascinated by abandoned places. The Renaissance Fair near Fredericksburg, VA is listed on several of these type of sites. I love looking at the photos (especially of places I had visited). Renaissance Faires and the abandoned site made its way into one of my mysteries.

In THE TULIP SHIRT MURDERS, Delanie is investigating a lead on a stalker, and she meets a character who enjoys larping and Renaissance faires. Douglas Black, is very excited to share that he and his friends went on a quest to the abandoned site in Fredericksburg and pilfered artifacts and souvenirs.

Pop culture is always an underlying theme in my mysteries. Different activities, hobbies, and interests add flair to the characters. I also learn a lot during my research, and I end up adding things to my bucket list.

Behind the Scenes - Roller Derby

When I was little, I would watch roller derby on TV on Sunday mornings before church. Probably not the peaceful introspection my mom would have wanted, but I was fascinated with the game and the women athletes. I loved to roller skate in the seventies and eighties and thought it would have been so cool to try it. I’ve never been to an in-person jam, but it’s still on my bucket list after all these years. We have a local team, River City Roller Derby, and it’s definitely on my things-to-do-after-the-pandemic list.

In THE TULIP SHIRT MURDERS, sassy PI, Delanie Fitzgerald, tracks down a lead who is part of the roller derby scene. The skater agrees to answer Delanie’s questions if she’ll suit up and help the team out at practice when they are short a few members. And Delanie is braver than I am. After surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon, I may be relegated to the audience.

I had a lot of fun researching the sport. The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) site has a great overview (and anything you ever wanted to know about the rules). There’s a neat infographic and links to Roller Derby 101 videos.

I am fascinated with the jammers and the blockers. The jammers are the only ones who can score for their team, and they have the cool star on their helmets.

Check out the adventures of Delanie, Duncan, Margaret, and Chaz in The Tulip Shirt Murders.

Behind the Scenes - The Big 80s

I am Generation X. We were first generation “Sesame Street” and “M-TV.” Television, movies, music, and the mall scene were part of formative years, and we grew up with ever-changing technology. So, it was a natural fit for pop culture to play a key role in my mysteries and characters’ lives.

In the first Delanie Fitzgerald mystery, Secret Lives and Private Eyes, the sassy Private Eye is hired by a tell-all author to look into the rumors that 80s rock star, Johnny Velvet of the Vibes, faked his death and was living incognito on a small farm in Amelia, Virginia. Delanie’s whisked back to the era of boom boxes, teen mags, mix tapes, and other pop culture memories from the decade of excess as she searches for what happened to the members of the Vibes. Could the handsome John Bailey really be the Johnny Velvet?

My mix tapes were full of Duran Duran, Culture Club, the Cure, Billy Idol, Cyndi Lauper, and A-ha. And my closet doors were covered in pictures of C. Thomas Howell, Rob Lowe, Ralph Macchio, Llmahl, and George Michael. I sported blue eye shadow, banana clips, braces, and shoulder pads. Delanie is a bit younger, but she experienced the Big 80s in elementary school.

Check out how it all began for Delanie and Duncan (and Margaret, the English bulldog) in Secret Lives and Private Eyes.

Behind the Scenes - Drag Shows

In Glitter, Glam, and Contraband, sassy Private Eye, Delanie Fitzgerald, is hired to find out who is stealing from the talent at a local drag show.

I had never been to a show before, and my writer friend, Rosemary Shomaker, organized an outing for a group of writers at Godfrey’s in Richmond, Virginia. We had so much fun, and brunch was wonderful. The banana-stuffed French toast tasted like dessert. And the talent was extremely generous with their time before and after the show. They answered a lot of my questions, and everyone wanted to be in a murder mystery.

I made up the club in Glitter, Glam, and Contraband, as well as the entertainers’ names. My characters, Amber Alert, Ana Conda, Ginger Snap, Kiki Jubilee, Cherri Bomb, Nova Cain, Paige Turner, and Tara Byte were a lot of fun to write. I gave each of them a stage persona with props. Ana Conda brought her boa to the show until it scared someone in the audience. Ginger Snap and Cherri Bomb were sexy redheads. Nova Cain was a naughty nurse, Paige Turner was a librarian, and Tara Byte was a computer geek.

While I was writing the book, I did a lot of research on websites like Ru Paul’s Drag Race. There are also a lot of good sites with makeup tips. I always learn interesting stuff while researching books.

The Gang from Godfreys with authors Fiona Quinn, Tina Glasneck, Rosemary Shomaker, and me

Check out all the adventures of Delanie and Duncan (and Margaret the English bulldog).