IS THE PEN STILL MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD? LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! Agatha Christie- Part 1- Intro By: Kimberly Thorn

No not that Queen! But the Queen of Mystery, Agatha Christie! What self-respecting mystery writer (or reader) doesn’t acknowledge the Queen of Mystery? No one! She did many great things during her prolific life. For example, she is the third bestselling author of all time, with the Bible and Shakespeare earning the first two spots! That, in and of itself, is a major accomplishment, especially considering she was a woman. Another Christie accomplishment is that she is the most popular playwright! She has had more of her plays performed than anyone else! Although, you may be surprised to know that she contributed so much more than just her writing to the world! And that her contributions are still being enjoyed by the current generation and will be around for future ones.          

First things, first though. There is an elephant in the room that I’d like to address.

 

I am sure that some have heard the big debate that has happened over the last few months involving Christie and her works. There are some that think that Christie’s work is out of date and that it contains offensive language. That her stories need to be “softened.” They also have called her true character and purpose into question. Others vehemently disagree, saying that her original works should be left alone. That she wrote what she wrote on purpose. That her works showed ALL areas of life honestly: it was the good, the bad, and she even represented the ugly. That it tells of another time, but that it CAN still be relevant today, if we are careful.

No matter which side you are on, this debate has caused Christie fans not only to be in an uproar but it also has caused much damage within the Christie community itself. What was once a very diverse set of people, from literally all over the world, who were only first unified by their love for Christie’s contributions has resulted in a major division. Some fans have left groups because of this division.  As a huge Christie fan, this is my first and foremost reason for delving more into Christie, right now. I had intended to wait and reveal another author, but I feel too strongly about this matter to wait any longer. While I enjoy a healthy debate, I am heartbroken at the anger and discord that this debate has caused within an otherwise once loving and acceptable community of her fans.  Although Christie cannot defend herself nor can she answer our questions, I am learning about her to find out the answers to our questions. Or at the very least, to seek answers to ease the tension and create a healthy debate. Do we fellow Christie fans not owe it to her, as well as ourselves, to find the truth (or at least attempt to find the truth)? Personally, I think Christie would want more from us as fans. Let’s face it, Poirot and Miss Marple would seek to find the truth and not wrongly accuse someone of anything without those facts.  I hope you will join me on this Christie adventure!   

Some of the questions I will seek answers to in the following weeks are as follows:

 

How much do we actually know about her: specifically, her life and her writing?

What motivated her to write? Especially what she wrote?

Did she write what she wrote from experience, prejudices, etc?

How did she influence the mystery genre?

Why is she considered the “Queen of Mystery”?

How did she help change the roles of women in the early 19^th century?

Is it true that poison was her favorite means of murder and if so, why?

What are the “Christie clues”?

Do you think you know the answers to these questions? Or, do you have your own questions that you just absolutely HAVE to have the answer to? Did I miss asking a major question in this debate? Drop me a comment and let me know. If I can answer your question, I certainly will!  

WHAT WE'RE READING THIS SUMMER! by the Sand In Our Shorts Gang

It’s July, it’s hot, (in the northern hemisphere at least) and it’s time to grab a good book to read at the beach, the lake, the pool, or in the front porch swing! The Sand-in-our-Shorts writers are here sharing their summer reads with you. Their picks might be your next vacation read— check it out!

Michael Rigg:

I’m not much of a beach reader. Sun and sand and sweat don’t create an inviting atmosphere for reading. (And sunscreen makes the pages stick together.)  But sitting at a beach house in Sandbridge pouring over a novel, with the roar of the ocean as background? Well, that’s a horse of a different color. Especially if there’s air conditioning involved. Next on my summer

WHAT'S IN OUR BEACH BAGS? by The Sand in our Shorts Gang

Who would have thought? It's been almost a year since we started the SAND IN OUR SHORTS blog! What fun! 

When we started out, the original group of contributing authors worked together on an article, "What's in Our Beach Bags?"  We never published it.  We'll, here we are a year into this adventure, and on the cusp of another summer. So we thought, "Why not publish it now?" And here we go! A special mid-week post! 

As we all get ready to head to the beach for a little R&R (that's Reading and Relaxation, which is what writers do), we asked each what they have in their beach bag. Here are their answers:

Michael Rigg:

My beach bag has lots of sunscreen (I like the spray-on kind)—with as many SPFs as you can get—a big-brimmed straw hat, sunglasses, binoculars, and a small cooler with cold soda and water. Maybe I’ll throw in a bag of munchies, if there’s enough room. I’ll also need to bring an umbrella because I’m not supposed to get too much sun. I don’t do well reading in the sun, but I’ll bring a copy of Virginia is for Mysteries III to impress everyone around me! The final thing in my bag is a beach towel. Oh, and my iPhone. Along with my umbrella (which probably won’t fit in my bag), I’ll have a nice folding chair. Maybe instead of a beach bag, I need one of those beach carts with the humongous wheels.

 

Jayne Ormerod:

I've got a lot of sand in the bottom of my beach bag. Lots and lots of sand. Could almost start my own private beach in my backyard. That's testament to frequent trips to the beach to watch the sailboat races, enjoyment of which is augmented while sipping a glass of wine at sunset. This requires that I also keep wine glass stakes in my beach bag. They are posts that are shoved into the sand close to my chair. They have a little knob at the top in which to slip the stem of my wine glass, holding it upright throughout the evening and thus preventing spillage. Wine spillage is a class-one felony at my beach. Cheers!

GETTING BEATEN UP! By: Kimberly Thorn

I am still hard at work researching another awesome writer to share with you how they helped make the pen mightier than the sword.  While I work on that, I felt you needed to have some fun. I know I do at least. Until next time, when I introduce a new timeless writer, I hope you enjoy the following!

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Starting something new can be exhilarating but it can also be scary. Although I have written smaller pieces of prose, I have dreamed ever since I was a child that I would become a famous published author of novels. Specifically, that I would be listed on the New York Times Bestseller List. I am fast realizing that my dream is not going to be an easy one.  Writing a novel, any novel, but especially the first one is a tough job. It can be a big struggle. There are several reasons why. First, characters do not always do what you want them to do. Second, the greatest novel writers say that there should be a theme weaved into the novel. Third, writers need to know when to and when not to reveal certain information to the reader.