My Dick Francis addiction

kiya@evpl — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:46:00 GMT

Dick Francis jockey, mystery writer 10/31/1920 - 2/14/2010

My friend Theresa turned me on to Dick Francis and his mysteries. Her whole family was already hooked. And it only took one before I was, too. Francis' books followed a certain formula, but that formula included honorable men of integrity, often with a secret sadness or some emotional damage, and a determination to get to the bottom of whatever problem the bad guys were causing, no matter the cost. The heroes in these books are people you feel good about liking. They did tend to get beat up a lot, and because of that, I don't recommend reading too many in a row. Dick Francis is very realistic in his descriptions of pain - as a steeplechase jockey, he was well-acquainted with injury and pain.

In addition to having characters I liked, the books were very well-researched. I always learned things I didn't know while reading a Dick Francis novel. It might be about horses and racing, but it could just as well be about photography, wine, glassblowing, planes, acting, marksmanship, investment banking, or hurricanes. Folks often had the perception that because he had been a jockey, Dick Francis only wrote about horses. Not only was that wrong, even the books that were about horses and racing, were also about life, and loyalty, and knowing when you had to stand up for something, no matter how difficult. The critic John Leonard once said, "Not to read Dick Francis because you don't like horses is like not reading Dostoevsky because you don't like God."

If you've never read Dick Francis, you have a treat in store. Where do you start? Nearly all are standalone novels [exceptions: 4 about Sid Halley: Odds Against, Whip Hand, Come to Grief, and Under Orders; and 2 about Kit Fielding: Break In and Bolt], so you can start almost anywhere without worrying about order. So what about my favorites? Reflex is great, and you'll learn a lot about cameras. Risk introduces you to the most interesting accountant. Blood Sport is his first set in the US, and gave me the first glimpse at depression where I thought I actually understood for a moment what living with depression is like. Nerve was the first I ever read, I'm pretty sure. Oh, and The Danger looks at the psychology of kidnapping. The Edge takes place on a train ride across Canada......well, it's clear I can't pick a favorite for you. So, start with his earlier books. His later books, written with his son, are good, but not quite as wonderful as the ones he wrote with Mary, his wife. And if you like it, don't read them all at once. Promise yourself the next one at a certain time in the future - re-create the sense of anticipation his fans always felt as the seasons changed and it was almost time for this year's Dick Francis. Ah well, rereading Dick Francis is almost as good as reading him for the first time.

EVPL books and audio books by Dick Francis
Dick and Felix Francis website
BBC obituary
Dick Francis Books fan site: home of the Dick Francis, complete with favorite DF quotes and trivia questions
Earlier blog entry re: Dick Francis

The Author gave me... ...breakfast?

kiya@evpl — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 21:46:00 GMT

You never know what you might find when you go exploring on authors' websites. Maybe there will be a contest - a chance to win a signed book or other prize. Perhaps some short stories about minor characters in an ongoing series. With Google or other search engines it can be easy to locate author websites. Here are some interesting things I've located lately.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips writes modern romances with engaging characters, strong women, and very descriptive love scenes. When I went looking for her website I found an epilogue for one of her books, a contest, writing tips, information about the charities she supports, a message board, and the grand prize - RECIPES! So far, my favorite is the Baked Oatmeal - a casserole that can prepared ahead and pieces reheated in the morning for a quick and easy hot breakfast - SO much better than instant oatmeal, and just as easy in the morning. The whole family likes it, and I've started experimenting with adding different fruit before baking. My kids also liked the Harvest Soup, and the Pumpkin Dip was yummy for dipping apple slices.

Emilie Richards writes a mystery series about a minister's wife, occasional romances, and what is often called "women's fiction" - including her Shenandoah Valley Quilt series. Her website includes her blog - I loved this entry about her recent trip to Guatemala. Also included on her website is information about quilting, and the quilts she describes in the Shenandoah Valley series, along with other treasures.

Jeffrey Cohen mostly writes mysteries and screenplays, but he also has a couple of nonfiction books about raising children who are somewhere on the Autism spectrum.

Whatever he is writing, you can be sure his sense of humor shows through. Cohen's latest gift to his readers is a song about all the different subtypes of mysteries: cozies, noir, hard-boiled, etc. Take a couple of minutes to watch the video, and see why his fellow authors are taking up a collection to buy him a trench coat.

Last but not least, Len Fisher writes about science for those of us who are interested in science, but not especially well-educated in the field. At least one magazine describes him as "the guy who puts the Fizz in Physics." His website features cartoons, his blog about the writing he does, some humorous stories from the media about science.

Please share the authors' websites that you like to visit.

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My Dick Francis addiction

The Author gave me... ...breakfast?