Crime Reads featured an essay by D.M. Rowell about her path to writing a Native American mystery novel, Name the Dead. As a child, Rowell was heavily influenced by her traditional Kiowa Grandfather, C. E. Rowell. He was an artist, master storyteller, recognized Tribal Elder, and one of the last readers of the Sai-guats, winter count deerskin calendars that chronicled a hundred years of Kiowa history. Her grandfather’s stories, memories, and art instilled a deep respect and love for her Kiowa culture and traditions within Rowell. She’s also an award-winning and nominated producer/writer on several documentaries, including Vanishing Link: My Spiritual Return to the Kiowa Way seen on PBS, and winner of TrailDance 2007 Best Oklahoma Documentary.
Salon profiled the Francis writing family who have kept a horse-racing themed thriller series going for 60 years, thanks to the efforts of a talented lineage. The series, which started with Dick Francis's Dead Cert in 1962, was continued by Dick's son, Felix, after his father's retirement and eventual passing (in 2010). But Dick's wife, Mary, also played a large role in the success of the series as a researcher and editor, so much so that some critics often thought she deserved co-writing credit.
A new Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast episode is up featuring the Thanksgiving mystery short story, "They Shoot Pumpkins Don't They?" by Margaret S. Hamilton, as read by actor Donna Beavers.
Janet Rudolph has a running list of Thanksgiving-related mysteries on her Mystery Fanfare blog to keep you busy while you're recovering from gorging on your Thanksgiving feast.
Speaking of Thanksgiving reading, Jenn's Bookshelves will once again be hosting Thankfully Reading Weekend, November 23-27 (Wednesday through Sunday). There are no rules to the weekend, just a pledge to devote a good amount of time to reading, and perhaps meet some of your reading challenges and goals for the year. You can sign up to participate via Jenn's blog and share your reading progress via your own blog or by using the hashtag #thankfullyreading on social media sites.
The authors over at Mystery Lovers Kitchen have plenty of Thanksgiving recipes and reads for you, including Pumpkin Ginger Mousse from Leslie Budewitz; Easy Roasted Thanksgiving Vegetables via Lucy Burdette; and Cocoa Coffee Cake, courtesy of Vicki Delaney. Janet Rudolph also has an alternative to pie over on Mystery Fanfare, Chocolate Pecan Pie Truffles.
While we're on the subject of Thanksgiving fare, did you know that eels almost became the traditional Thanksgiving food instead of turkey?
This week's crime poem at the 5-2 weekly is "Kitchen Peril" by Amy Ralston Seife.
In the Q&A roundup, since Thanksgiving weekend has always been a big one for Hollywood, I thought it would be appropriate to share a link to an interview at The New Yorker with Rian Johnson, director of Knives Out and the sequel, Glass Onion, which premieres in cinemas for one week only from Wednesday, November 23 - Tuesday, November 29. In the Q&A, Johnson explains that he's been an Agatha Christie fan since he was a kid and decided to set his movies in modern-day America to engage with the culture of today, something Christie did herself.
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