Plan interrupted

Dear Agatha,

I wonder what you would think, if you were alive today, about the works of JK Rowling and her world of Harry Potter.  She is the dame of British writing today, at least I think so, and at this moment I can't recall another single contemporary British writer at all off the top of my head.  I know that the world of wizardry isn't your genre, but I suspect you were quite well read in all genres and I'm sure you would have at least read these.

Well, Christianne bought me a book written by Rowling under her pseudonym, Robert Galbraith.  It is very, very different from the Harry Potter series!  Although I didn't feel like I was reading children's literature per se when I read the Potter books, this book is definitely more grown up.  It has lots of F-words.  And - the genre is also far different from the others: a crime drama.

So naturally I can't help comparing her work to yours.  And naturally she falls short.  But there are similarities that I wonder if extend even beyond the two of you.  Will I always need a dictionary by my side when reading British writers? 

She crafted the novel well enough.  I certainly did not guess the ending.  I enjoyed her characters and her writing style and finished the book definitely wanting more, considering a reread of this one before moving on to the sequel. 

A few days ago a post from my old (not old, but you know what I mean) English professor showed up on my Facebook feed referencing an upcoming writer's conference.  I haven't written in so long.  I used to be part of that world, or at least part of the atmosphere of would-be published writers who desired to support their family with their art.  But life.  Life happens and there is a husband, a very supportive husband who still would love for me to write, but there's also babies to raise and bills to pay and obligations to meet and dreams to put on hold.  And so, except for an occasionally lengthy Facebook post and irregular submissions to my blog, I stopped writing.

But what's funny, to me at least, is that the day after I saw that post from Professor Haake, I picked up Galbraith's The Cuckoo's Calling to finish it, and I felt this desire rekindle inside of me to write.  I'm sure the message from Haake put something into my subconscious perhaps, but Galbraith's style of writing reminded me of mine - not that I could ever write that well, mind you - but, except for her perhaps-excessive descriptioning, I resonated with her tone and the flow of her words.

Every time I finish one of your works I think to myself: I could never write a detective novel.  There are just too many pieces to figure out.  Nor do I really have any desire to, honestly.  But the novel by Galbraith made a sort of bridge in my mind ~ that a detective novel at least *could* be written the way that I write... if I could fit all the pieces together anyway.

Are you following me?  It makes sense in *my* head. 

Next up is Poirot Investigates.  Here we go.

With admiration,
Beth

4. The Man in the Brown Suit (1924)

Dear Agatha,

Wow.

I don't know much what else to say.  I love this book.

Love, love, love, love, love.

I never have you figured out - I'm always caught off-guard at who the culprit is, and who is actually innocent.

I loved the character of Anne Beddingfield.  She is so fun, sarcastic, independent, and yet soft enough to fall in love.  And how the men love her!  I actually wish she was a recurring character in your novels. I'd love to read more of her.

I've been so busy working that I haven't had any time to read for pleasure.  I re-started this book last Friday while at work.  While I'm working a lot, we've certainly slowed down and I have more time for reading.  Anyway, I re-started this Friday, and finished it yesterday morning before church.  Grace said, "Mom! You read fast!"  Not really.  I just enjoyed reading it so much that I turned off the TV and read.  I took a hot bath and read.  I even read while riding the stationary bike. 

It felt so good to read for fun again and this book was such a delight, dear Agatha.  I'm hoping to read some more of your autobiography soon before I start the next book you published, some short stories of Poirot.  (Actually Christianne bought me a book, recently, so I should read that sometime soon as well.)

I decided on a plan.  I want to read all your published works, then visit England and see where you've lived.  If money is not an object, I'd like to travel to Africa and other places you write about.  But after that I want to read all your works again.  Sounds like a good plan to me.  Robert only smiled when I told him.

Thank you, dear Agatha, for another beautifully crafted work.

With admiration,
Beth