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Friday, June 5, 2015

My Mother Isn’t a Psychopath. She’s a Mystery Writer...a Guest Post by Lauren Carr

Lauren Carr joins us today with a guest post about how having a mystery writer for a mother can be a bit...uncomfortable...when you're a teenager!  Lauren is celebrating the recent release of her latest Mac Faraday mystery, Open Season for Murder.  Thanks for another great post, Lauren!

My Mother Isn’t a Psychopath. She’s a Mystery Writer
By Lauren Carr

Last year, my son, Tristan confessed that he had yet another embarrassing moment.

Here’s something to keep in mind: He’s a teenager, which means every day is filled with embarrassing moments. He’s humiliated waking up in the morning. However, according to him, this moment was particularly distressing.

My son had been selected to give tours to new incoming freshmen. Apparently, some parents were present. During the orientation, a mother came up to him and asked, “Is it true you’re Lauren Carr’s son? I love her mysteries! Give Gnarly a hug for me.” (Notice she didn’t want him to hug me.)

He was horrified by the attention, of course. However, I couldn’t miss the little smile on his face when he told me about it.

I knew before having children that I would not be your average mother. At the last Pampered Chef party I attended, the sales rep was left speechless when I pointed out how, with a slight adjustment to the measurements of the ingredients to her salad dressing recipe, we could make a neat little Molotov cocktail.

I haven’t been invited to another sales party since. I’m still waiting to get mad about that.

How could I ever expect to be a normal parent? What type of mother sits around all day thinking about ways to kill people? My son should consider himself lucky. If I wasn’t a mystery writer, I’d be a psychopath. Now, what kind of mother is that? At least he doesn’t have to sleep with his eyes open.

It’s bad enough that my son’s English teachers know that his mother is an author. His current English teacher is a fan of mine. He hasn’t spoken to me this whole school year after he found that out. Thankfully, she didn’t ask me to come speak to his class. Heaven forbid I enter the school building while my teenaged son is there!

But that’s not the worst thing about having a mother who writers about murder.

He claims the most disconcerting moments for him is when I insist on doing research in his presence. The last time I took him to the dentist—and I mean the last time—I had the nerve to ask the dentist which tool on his tray would make the most unusual murder weapon.

Laying back in the dentist chair, with the suction hose in his mouth, my son widened his eyes in horror while the dentist on one side, and me on the other, examined the various tools on the tray directly above him.

Now that I think about it, the dentist had no problem explaining how each one could be used to kill someone. I wonder if that says something about him … or his patients.

“A scalpel is so cliché,” I told our dentist. “I’m looking for one that when the police see it, they’ll have no idea that it was a murder weapon until Mac points it out in the end.”

“I have just the thing for you,” the dentist said, “but I don’t have it here. I’ll mail it to you.” A few days later, the weapon arrived at our home in a padded envelope with a note, “Here’s your murder weapon. Enjoy!”

No matter how hard he tries, my son can’t completely ignore me and my chosen profession. Sometimes, the opportunity presents itself for me to gather ideas for my latest mystery and I have to grab it.

Like the other day.

I was on my way to pick him up at school when I came upon a police road block. With cars backed up on the road, the police were stopping everyone to search their car. I practically jumped up and down in my seat with anticipation about getting patted down and having my car searched. Think of the material I would have to use! So, you can imagine my dismay when they waved me through! They searched the guy in front of me and behind me—but they completely ignored me! ME!

Obviously, I didn’t look suspicious enough to warrant a search.

So, when I picked up my son at school, I told him, “Okay, we’re going to be coming to a road block. The police are searching cars. Look suspicious.”

He scrunched down in his seat.

“Sit up. They won’t be able to see you. And try to look sneaky.”

By the time we came back to the road block, I had my eyebrows knitted together and my mouth screwed up into what I hoped to be an evil snarl, while my son was hiding in the back seat where hopefully no one would see him and know he was with me.

Again, the police stopped the cars in front of me, and the one behind me, while waving me through. Couldn’t they see the body in my back seat? That should have looked suspicious, don’t you think? I knew when they waved me on that I should have reached back and pinched Tristan to make him scream out for help.

Now, I’m not allowed to pick him up from school.

Poor kid. It’s hard being the son of a murder mystery writer.



Open Season for Murder
"Robin, it's me, Ashton."
Spring is in the air. In Deep Creek Lake, the burst of blossoms on the trees has the effect of a starting pistol in the race to get the resort area ready in time for the seasonal residents return to Spencer, Maryland.
In this latest Mac Faraday Mystery, Lauren Carr once again brings murder to the Spencer Inn, Mac Faraday's five-star resort located at the top of Spencer Mountain. "I have to confess," the author says, "personally I would wonder how the Spencer Inn hangs on to their five-star rating with all the murders that happen there."
Obviously, the high society guests in her book aren't worried about the Spencer Inn's mortality rate because they’re dying to attend the Diablo Ball, which is hosted by Mac Faraday's new bride, Archie Monday. An annual charitable event to benefit the Humane Society, the Diablo Ball used to be hosted by Robin Spencer, Mac's late mother, and would kick-off Deep Creek Lake's summer season.
"Naturally, in my book, the Diablo Ball truly is an event to die for," Lauren says. As readers have come to expect from every Lauren Carr mystery, Open Season for Murder delivers a punch even before the party invitations are put in the mail when uninvited guests begin RSVP'ing. 
Intrigued by a mysterious phone call, retired homicide detective Mac Faraday can't resist diving into the cold case of Ashton Piedmont, a young woman who had disappeared into the moonlit waters of Deep Creek Lake five years earlier. 
Mac quickly discovers that not only is the Diablo Ball drawing in A-listers from across the country, but someone is going to a lot of trouble to gather together suspects and witnesses connected to Ashton Piedmont and each one seems to have their own agenda for coming to Spencer.
When murder strikes, it is up to Mac Faraday and his friends to find the killer ... or is it killers? When it comes to murder in Deep Creek Lake, you never know. 
But readers do know this, if it's happening at the Spencer Inn, you know it's an event to die for!

About the Author
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday and Lovers in Crime Mysteries. Her upcoming new series, The Thorny Rose Mysteries will be released September 1, 2015.
The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. This year, several books, over a variety of genre, written by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services, which is currently accepting submissions. Visit Acorn Book Services website for more information.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.
She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

7 comments:

  1. Embarrassing teenagers is so much fun! Thank you, Must Read Mysteries, for having me on your blog today. It is always fun to visit your site!

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  2. Thank you for visiting, this one is a hoot!

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  3. Wait. Salad dressing. Molotov cocktail? Must experiment. Luckily for my kids, I never got published until they were out of the house. They think it's pretty cool now. My SIL runs out and gets my books and sends me pictures and one DIL featured me at her book club. My kids married right! I bet he'll come around--after he leaves home.

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  4. That's what my hubby keeps saying. One day, when the hormones stop raging, he will be human again.

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  5. Loved the post and boy, did it bring back memories. My oldest (35) is still mortified by my behavior sometimes, lol. I was in the fire service for several years which to them was an "in" to the knowledge of whatever was going on in our small town. I had heard them say while still in elementary school, "oh, yeah, my mom was at that plane crash, car wreck, heart attack, etc. yesterday or was on the news last night." By middle school and high school it wasn't so amusing anymore. I sure miss those days and having the boys at home. I still like to pull things on them even though they are both adults now. One day your son will think you hung the moon and you were right all along about everything. Even the creepy stuff. Have fun with him. Deb in Tex

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  6. What a delightful post! Good thing for my sons I wasn't writing crime fiction full time while they were in high school. Tell us what WAS the dentist's weapon, though!

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  7. I loved this post!! You see an embarrassed teenager--I see a blackmail opportunity. You know, "Take out the garbage now or I'll show up in your English class when you least expect it." That kind of stuff. Congratulations on the new release!

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