Interrogation Room #28: Barry Lyga, Author of GAME

Today we're dragging Barry Lyga into the pressure cooker known as the Interrogation Room. If you're not familiar with his work, there is a gaping hole in your life. Having published 10 novels in 7 years (with another on the way in a few short days), he's a busy and elusive man. But not elusive enough to escape the Sleuths. 

We heard GAME, the sequel to his bestselling novel I HUNT KILLERS, is out on April 16th and available for pre-order now at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and IndieBound. Of course, this development drew our attention. We've got questions. He's got answers. But first, a bit about GAME:

I HUNT KILLERS introduced the world to Jasper (Jazz) Dent, the son of the world's most infamous serial killer.

When a desperate New York City detective comes knocking on Jazz's door asking for help with a new case, Jazz can't say no. The Hat-Dog Killer has the Big Apple--and its police force running scared with no leads. So Jazz and his girlfriend Connie hop on a plane to the big city and get swept up in a killer's murderous game.

Meanwhile, Jazz's dad Billy is watching...and waiting.

Now, let's have a little chat with Mr. Lyga...

Prior to reading I HUNT KILLERS, I was a huge fan of BOY TOY and THE ASTONISHING ADVENTURES OF FANBOY AND GOTH GIRL. While both of those books have certain suspenseful elements, they don't have the same catch-a-killer tension of IHK. How did you come to write a high-concept murder mystery series?

First of all, thanks for being there from the beginning. And you know what? I think you've hit on something important -- there were suspenseful elements to those other books, even if they weren't explored in a sort of formal, genre-specific way. So I think if you draw a line from my first book or two up to I HUNT KILLERS, it's not quite as jagged and tangential as it might seem at first. For me, writing is all about the characters, so it was pretty natural to go from writing about "normal" kids with "normal" problems to someone with the kinds of issues Jazz has in I HUNT KILLERS. It's a difference of degree, not kind.

That said, I pretty much stumbled into writing the series. My editor and I were chatting about what I might work on next and she mentioned that she loved serial killer stories. I was intrigued by the idea of doing something like that in YA, but couldn't get around the idea of writing a teen actually torturing and murdering people in horrible fashion. But then I thought, "What if his father was the killer, instead?" and the entire story just blossomed in an instant.

Your hero, Jasper "Jazz" Dent, is the son and intended protege of the world's most infamous/horrific/successful serial killer. Having been raised by such a monster, Jazz has the ability to think like a killer--helpful, considering, you know, what he hunts. Yet, in the first book, he had concerns about turning to the dark side and following in his dad's foot steps. When we meet Jazz again in GAME, is he still having doubts, or is he firm in his conviction to stop killers, not be one?

The answer to that question is…yes. :) Jazz is a complicated guy, with complicated things going on in his life and in his head.

Let's put it this way (spoiler free!): Very, very early in the new book, Jazz does something that seems to put him on a particular path. But the world doesn't let him stay there.

This time around Jazz and Connie are headed to NYC to assist in a murder investigation. What inspired the move to the Big Apple? And, um, where the heck is Howie (Jazz's loyal, but fragile, best friend)? We got a lot of love for Howie here at SSA!

I moved (some of) the action to New York for a couple of reasons. First of all, I decided that the idea of yet another serial killer in a little town like Lobo's Nod would be sort of…ridiculous. One (Billy) was bad enough. Then his copycat (the Impressionist) shows up. Okay, fine. But a third? That's stretching things.

I also wanted to take Jazz out of his comfort zone. He's figured out how to get through the day in the Nod, so I wanted to yank that away from him and see how he would survive (or not) elsewhere.

And never fear, Howie-lovers! Jazz might be in the Big Apple for a while, but there's still plenty going on in the Nod, so you'll get to catch up with Howie, who's nuttier than ever.

What can you tell us about Jazz's latest quarry, the Hat-Dog Killer? And, is he/she Jazz's biggest problem in GAME? IHK seemed to indicate he might have some daddy issues to deal with this time around.

Well, it's safe to say that Hat-Dog is what Jazz THINKS is his biggest problem. Whether that turns out to be true or not, you'll only know when you read the book. As to daddy issues… This is Jazz! His whole life is daddy issues! I can promise you plenty of Billy-nastiness.

How far will this series go? Are we talking trilogy, a 10 novel epic that ends with Jazz profiling killers for the FBI, or a never-ending saga akin to Doctor Who where Jazz eventually chases killers through time and space? For the record, I'd be down for I HUNT ALIEN KILLERS.

I love the idea of Billy Dent with a sonic screwdriver, but I don't think it'll go on that long! There will be at least three books, possibly four. We'll see. Oh, and the prequel stories! Don't forget them. They don't necessarily tie into the mysteries, but they really give you intimate looks at the characters.

We've heard that ABC Family acquired the rights to develop I HUNT KILLERS as a television series. Can you share anything about that process? Are we close to tuning into Jazz's adventures on a weekly basis?

There's really nothing to report here. They're working on it. It's not at a stage where I'm directly involved right now -- a few months back, I spent some time with them putting in my two cents, and now they go off and do their thing. TV is a strange process. I don't spend a great deal of time thinking about it simply because there's nothing for me to do right now and there's no way for me to impact it at this point. Either the network will love what the production folks are putting together, or they won't. There are some really talented people working on it, so I feel like things are in good hands.

And believe me -- as soon as there's news, I'll be the first one to tell you!

There seems to be this thing in publishing that I call the "Boys don't" myth. As in "Boys don't read" and/or "Boys (as protagonists) don't sell". You've certainly proven the latter wrong, but I'm curious about your experience with readers. Do you find a lot of young, male readers excited about your work?

That's a more difficult question to answer than it should be, simply because so much interaction these days is online, and depending on someone's e-mail address or Twitter handle, it can be tough to tell if you're talking to a guy or a girl. Or even a kid or a grown-up! I notice that most of my contact is from girls, but honestly, I think that's just the nature of things -- I think a teen guy is much, much less likely to reach out to an author. When I hear about young male readers, it's usually from a mother or a girlfriend, reporting that her son/boyfriend/whatever read the book and loved it. I don't know why young guys don't reach out as much.

What's next for you, and where can readers find you?

Well, there's the third book in the KILLERS series, of course, and some other projects that are too early to discuss. Readers can find me at barrylyga.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter (@barrylyga). Oh, and I'm also on Tumblr these days: barrylyga.tumblr.com.

What writing secret will you reveal to us under the harsh light of the interrogation room lamp?

That there IS no secret. There's no magic spell. No potions. No tricks. You just sit down and you do it until it's done.

How do we know we can believe you?

You're kidding, right? I lie for a living! You can't believe anything I tell you!

Well, Barry, since you cooperated, I guess we have to let you go. Thanks for giving us the info we need. We can't wait to read GAME.

Be sure to pre-order your copy from your preferred bookseller: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or IndieBound

And if you're feeling lucky, enter our GAME giveaway. One winner will receive a free copy of Barry’s latest.

THIS JUST IN: Barry's on a mission to put the "Man" back in "Manicure". Check out the video below and do your part to make sure he has fancy fingernails for his upcoming college reunion.
 
 

Riddle Me This...

batman.wikia.com

 

Batman is one of my favorite heroes for many reasons. Sure he's a billionaire, a master martial artist, and friends with Superman. He's also a genius when it comes to logic and observation. There's a reason folks around the DC Comics Universe call him The World's Greatest Detective. 

In his vast Rogues Gallery of Villains, there is one personality known for taking the Dark Knight to task on his reasoning skills more than any other. Edward Nigma aka The Riddler.

From the books, to the cartoons, to the awesome movie with Jim Carrey in that spandex question mark suit (let's just leave it at books and cartoons)... I've always enjoyed the battles between Batman and Riddler because they are battles of the mind. And, if you're like me, you may have wondered how you'd do against Riddler's puzzles.

Here's a little test for you. I found this site that has 50 riddles and a 20 minute time-limit. Can you solve all (any?) of them before the clock expires? Examples include:

• At night they come without being fetched. By day they are lost without being stolen. What are they?
• Where is the only place today comes before yesterday?
• If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, I no longer exist. What am I?

Give it a shot and see how you do. For the record, I got 10 out of 50.

FYI~ Imagining that Robin was going to be crushed in a death trap if I didn't get them all added a lot of undue pressure, so I wouldn't recommend that strategy.

Have fun Caped Crusaders.

Lamar "L. R." Giles writes books for teens and adults. FAKE ID, his debut Young Adult Thriller, will be published by HarperCollins in 2014. He is represented by Jamie Weiss Chilton of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency and resides in Chesapeake, VA with his wife.

SSA Greatest Hits - At Home in the Dark

SSA has been around for over a year now, and the Sleuths having been digging in the crates, pulling out some Golden Oldies for all of you loyal readers out there. Here's one of my favs from last year...
 

I started out as a horror writer--I'm talking monsters, ghouls, and such--and I'm very much at home writing in the dark. Now, while I may have stumbled into mystery writing, I came with baggage. I never let the monsters go...or maybe I've got that backwards.

Some of my horror sensibilities still  rise up regardless of what I'm writing. In my YA debut FAKE ID the darkness seeps out in the context of the inciting crime, the villain, and the general disposition of some characters. I won't give specifics (hey, you've got to wait to read it just like everyone else), but I will talk a bit about motive. WHY am I at home in the dark?

Over the years I've often heard the question, "Where do you get such crazy ideas?" I've found in many cases the person asking is being polite, and trying to find a PC way to ask, "What's wrong with you?"  Don't worry, I'm never offended. If anything, I feel I'm disappointing those with inquiring minds. I didn't have a terrible childhood. To the best of my knowledge, there was very little trauma. I simply like dark tales as metaphors and coping mechanisms. Sadly, everyday life can be so much worse than anything I could ever dream up.

Almost any dark tale I've written or read is an examination of a real world phenomenon, a way to understand some social ill or heinous crime. Doesn't matter if it's horror or mystery, a werewolf or a serial killer. All of it represents the thing you never see coming...that's why darkness is ideal, to conceal movement and spring the trap.

As a writer, I've trained my mind to pick up on events that are unique. In our cynical, desensitized world where 'if it bleeds it leads' and infamy is only a Google-search-for-chloroform away, 'unique' is often synonymous with 'awful'. If you think my ability to distill stories out of the woes of the world makes me the most desensitized of all, I'm sorry to say, you've got it backwards.

My sensitivity leads me to want reasons, a logical chain of events that somehow explains (not justifies) a child's death at the hands of her mother, or an esteemed institution's cover up of a decade's worth of abuse and exploitation. I'm at home in the dark because someone has to be.

During my habitation, I've found that the darkest crimes and villains can be glimpsed on your evening news, not on the covers of books in your local B&N. When you see what they've done, you can't help but be pulled into the mankind's ultimate mystery: Why?

I'll keep looking for the answer, keep going room to room with my notebook tucked under my arm, and a pen clamped between my teeth, while I smack my flashlight hoping to get a few more minutes out of the weak battery and flickering bulb. I'll stay in the dark despite my worst fear...that I'll get to the final room in the House of Night, open the door, and find it empty. No answers, no rhyme, no reason.

The darkest possibility of all.

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Lamar "L. R." Giles is the author of FAKE ID, coming from HarperCollins in 2014. He resides in Virginia with his wife and is represented by Jamie Weiss Chilton of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Find out more on his website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. 

Mystery Mashup

A big piece of entertainment news dropped on Tuesday. Disney buys LucasFilm for an incredible amount of money, thus permanently bonding The Mouse House with a Galaxy Far, Far Away. Almost immediately, beautiful pieces of art combining recognizable elements of Disney and Star Wars popped up on the web, like this PERFECT piece from theFW.com:

courtesy of theFW.com

Of course, this has absolutely nothing to do with mysteries. BUT, the combination of the two mega-fantasy worlds got me thinking...what if some of our favorite mysteries were suddenly combined with unexpected, yet complementary, universes?*

Virtual Reality Check

Reality Check by Peter Abrahams + The Matrix

Cody, a former football star, has to find his missing girlfriend, Clea. But, when he meets an enigmatic messenger named Morpheus he discovers the circumstances surrounding her disappearance are stranger than he thinks. For Clea has been 'unplugged' and shown the true nature of the The Matrix. Will Cody follow her into the 'Real World'?

I Hunt Killer Cyborgs

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga + The Terminator

Jazz, the son of history's most infamous serial killer, has the skills to hunt down human monsters. But, when an unstoppable killing machine from the future comes to alter history, Jazz might find himself outmatched.

Mars vs. Mars

War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells + Veronica Mars

Veronica Mars, teen super-sleuth, must uncover the truth when alien invaders descend on her town. Is the takeover real, or is it a distraction to hide darker secrets hidden behind the mansion walls of Neptune's affluent residents?

Your Turn

Got any cool mashups in mind? Leave them in the comments

*I really wish I had time to do some mashup Photoshop art to go with each of the above entries. If you all think it would be fun, and some of my deadlines ease up, maybe I'll revisit this next month with visuals (including some based on your suggestions, should you have any). Sound off in the comments below!

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Lamar "L. R." Giles is the author of FAKE ID, coming from HarperCollins in 2014. He resides in Virginia with his wife and is represented by Jamie Weiss Chilton of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Find out more on his website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Book Giveaway Alert: Check out this week's Interrogation Room interview with Kathryn Burak and win a copy of EMILY'S DRESS AND OTHER MISSING THINGS
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It's no secret that I started my writing career with aspirations to be King. Stephen, that is. I love scary! And the first stories I ever wrote were the 'bump-in-the-night' variety. Being that it's October, a time perfectly suited for spookiness, I'm in the mood for a mash-up. Mystery + Frights = a few books I'll be reading this month. If you're in the mood for some scary, maybe you'll partake too...

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

 In case the title isn't enough of a sell, here's a description: Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude. When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in. Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening--to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?


Gone by Michael Grant

Though this series is several books deep, this is the first, and a great place to jump into the mystery of The FAYZ: 

In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE. Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened.Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day.It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

This book has been recommended here at SSA before. For good reason:

Shhhh!
Don't spread the word! Three-day weekend. House party.
White Rock House on Henry Island.
You do not want to miss it.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—three days on Henry Island at an exclusive house party. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their own reasons for wanting to be there, which involve their school's most eligible bachelor, T. J. Fletcher, and look forward to three glorious days of boys, bonding, and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly, people are dying, and with a storm raging outside, the teens are cut off from the rest of the world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn't scheduled to return for three days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

What about you? What creepy things are you reading this month? Leave some recommendations in the comments below.

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Lamar "L. R." Giles writes for adults and teens. Penning everything from epic fantasy to noir thrillers, he's never met a genre he didn't like. His debut YA mystery WHISPERTOWN is about a teen in witness protection who investigates his best friend's murder and stumbles on a dark conspiracy that leads back to his own father. It will be published in Summer, 2013 by HarperCollins. He resides in Virginia with his wife and is represented by Jamie Weiss Chilton of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Find out more on his website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Time After Time

***Sleuth Alert: Malcolm at Midnight by our very own W.H. Beck is in stores now...be sure to grab a copy!***

We tend to focus on the aspects of mystery here at SS&A. Crimes, clues, research. Today, I want to discuss another aspect of the books we write, the 'Young Adult' part.*

The precise subjects and age ranges that justify a Young Adult classification can vary depending on who you ask. But, it's safe to say that the Sleuths on this site are a bit older than the target YA age range (for the record--and this may sound coincidental--we're all celebrating our 21st birthdays this year). Lately, I've been thinking about the ways I tap into the memories and emotions of my own teenage experiences (just a few years ago, really...yes, really) and channel those thoughts into my writing with hopes of touching today's youth.

I write darker things, so I find myself accessing the painful, angsty memories most often. When it comes to character emotions, that tactic is effective, though sometimes uncomfortable. Seriously, who REALLY wants to go back to high school, even if it's just in your memory? Obviously, that's not enough, because things do change, and unless I want to write a series of period pieces set in the [actual year/decade redacted], I need to do an accuracy check with some modern teens. And I do. With interesting revelations...

Timeless YA Attributes:

• First love hasn't changed much over the years. 
• Neither has being an outsider.
• Parents still don't know anything (until they do)

The Future is Now:

• Tech is so very important. "No one talks on the phone anymore," says my high school senior sister via text.
• The internet makes being mean a superpower.
• The world feels more dangerous (things like school shootings have more relevance when you actually go to a school everyday).

This list goes on, but I'd like to hear from readers and writers out there. If you're a young reader, are there any specific books that you feel most true to your age and experience? If you're a not-as-young writer, how do you stay tapped into the group you write for?



*Sorry Middle Grade sleuths, just speaking from my own experience here.

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Lamar "L. R." Giles writes for adults and teens. Penning everything from epic fantasy to noir thrillers, he's never met a genre he didn't like. His debut YA mystery WHISPERTOWN is about a teen in witness protection who investigates his best friend's murder and stumbles on a dark conspiracy that leads back to his own father. It will be published in Summer, 2013 by HarperCollins. He resides in Virginia with his wife and is represented by Jamie Weiss Chilton of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Find out more on his website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Federally Protected Facts

Welcome to our Tuesday "Case Files from our Detectives." This month our theme is HARD FACTS. Mystery writing resources we turn to, from books to websites to people. Or how we wrestle with the practical matters of plotting and planning our mysteries. Whether you're a mystery writer yourself, a teacher planning a unit on mystery, or a reader who wants to know more about this genre, you'll find some great references and tips listed each Tuesday in July.

For my debut novel, WHISPERTOWN, I wrote about a topic that's super easy to research. WITSEC, also known as the Federal Witness Protection Program. And by 'easy' I mean 'incredibly freaking difficult'. Think about it (something I didn't do before I jumped in head first...), how much timely, credible information is available on the program that keeps people alive by being secretive? Though the program is run by the U.S. Marshals, there's no FAQ on their website (there is a handy fact sheet), and no Writer Liaison willing to answer questions about their clandestine tactics (I'm sure the witnesses are happy about that). Problematic, to say the least...


What did I do? I tapped a source that was as good, if not better, than a Marshal assigned to a protection detail, or a witness currently in the program. I'm speaking of a man named Gerald Shur. The Founder of the Witness Protection Program.

Okay, I didn't talk to him directly, but I discovered a neat little book he co-wrote with Pete Earley called WITSEC: Inside the Federal Witness Protection Program. In it, Shur explains how the program came to be, and tells amazing stories (some pretty hilarious) about the witnesses he helped protect over the years. Certainly, the information is old and censored, so not to pose a threat to anyone currently under Federal Protection, but there's still authenticity there. A little goes a long way. Shur's accounts inspired me in monumental ways, gave me my 'in'.

Combining true WITSEC history with the creative license all writers use, I was able to slip some facts into my fiction undetected, kind of like how the program hides witnesses. Hopefully, like the program, you won't be able to tell the difference.

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Lamar "L. R." Giles writes for adults and teens. Penning everything from epic fantasy to noir thrillers, he's never met a genre he didn't like. His debut YA mystery WHISPERTOWN is about a teen in witness protection who investigates his best friend's murder and stumbles on a dark conspiracy that leads back to his own father. It will be published in Summer, 2013 by HarperCollins. He resides in Virginia with his wife and is represented by Jamie Weiss Chilton of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Find out more on his website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Going There: Scene of the Crime

Here's the thing. When you write about fictional crimes...you kind of have to go there. What I mean is if you're writing about a burglary, you have to figure out exactly how it went down. Did the thief come through the window, or the door? Were people home, or were they on vacation with a bunch of newspapers piled up on the porch? What about the guard dog?

This can make for some amusing brainstorming sessions, particularly if you're writing something humorous/lighthearted. Like where the burglar is a woodchuck breaking into the acorn vault of the meanest, richest squirrel in the forest. Ha-ha. Good times.

BUT...there's the other side of it, too. The side where your story isn't lighthearted, the hero isn't a squirrel, and the crime isn't about stealing some mean creature's acorns. Like in my novel WHISPERTOWN, a boy named Eli dies under mysterious circumstances. You'll have to read it to know the truth behind the tragedy, but long before the story was a completed first draft, I had to go there. An amusing brainstorming session it was not. I had to think about Eli's life, had to imagine cutting it short, then walk through the emotions of the loved ones he left behind. These are very real things, even if used in a fictional context. Such emotions can be hard to write, and hard to read. So, for writers who have to go there, some things to keep in mind:

Know Your Audience

A brutal, life and death crime may not be appropriate for all audiences. Knowing that ahead of time may stop you from taking the ill-advised step of writing a story about something particularly vile (I'm sure you don't need examples here) then trying to market it to the Middle-Grade set. I knew that my novel would broach subjects only suitable for older teens, topics like realistic violence and sex. I'm not saying there's not a skillful way to present such subject matter to younger readers, but that brings me to my next point...

Know What You Can Get Away With

If you're working on the Woodchuck Burglar story, extreme detail is probably the way to go. Go wild, write about the Acorn Vault blueprints, and the double-crossing Blue Bird, and the treetop chase scene in full High-Definition prose. Writing about the death of a classmate in a modern, recognizable high school, may require a little more subtlety. Even writing for older teens I knew I couldn't give them full access to the scene as I envisioned it. So I scaled it back, made the description of the darker moments sparse, leaving room for the reader to imagine the rest on their own.

Know the Details

In order to write sparse, you actually need to know more (much more) detail than you're probably comfortable with. The more you know, the better sense you have of what can be alluded to, or what can be excluded all together. I know more about discovering a dead body than I care to. Lucky for you, I won't be passing on my vast knowledge. Well, not all of it.

Know the Way Back

Writing mysteries is more than just dreaming up a compelling hero. You have to dream up the villain, and their crime. You have to go there. That's not the hardest part, though. Once you go into the dark place, you still have to find your way back...

If you don't think that's a manageable trip, stick to Woodchuck Burglars.

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Lamar "L. R." Giles writes for adults and teens. Penning everything from epic fantasy to noir thrillers, he's never met a genre he didn't like. His debut YA mystery WHISPERTOWN is about a teen in witness protection who investigates his best friend's murder and stumbles on a dark conspiracy that leads back to his own father. It will be published in Summer, 2013 by HarperCollins. He resides in Virginia with his wife and is represented by Jamie Weiss Chilton of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Find out more on his website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

MYSTERIES AMONG US #11

Diana Renn: I always find airports to be intriguing places. Walk through the doors and you're instantly enveloped in mysteries. Who are all these people? Where are they going? Why is she hurrying? Why is he dragging his feet? What's in that bag? I'm also fascinated by the behind-the-scenes world of airports: the doors we never see behind, the corridors we don't enter. Boston's Logan Airport was in the news for a mystery a few weeks ago when a noxious odor made workers in a baggage room sick; four workers were hospitalized for evaluation. Bomb-sniffing dogs, et. al. were called in. The source of the odor was mice repellent. A couple had placed camphor in their suitcases. "To ward off mice." The repellent was disposed of, the room aired out, and the couple got to continue on their overseas trip. A happy ending, I suppose, though the mystery writer in me must wonder: okay, who does that? What's the story behind that story?

Laura Ellen: I know I can be accused of being a conspiracy theory freak and for always looking to strange, unnatural explanations when there are  perfectly normal, rational ones -- but I really do wonder what are behind CROP CIRCLES. Can it really just be a bunch of very creative (and obviously very bored) farmers getting together at night to create elaborate designs in fields? Okay, yes, I believe it is possible. My family and I go every October to a corn field maze that is quite elaborate and definitely man-made. Still, after looking at the photos here, I have to say, I am not totally convinced they are so easily explained away!

 L.R. Giles: Two words. Ball. Lightning. Big (or small) spheres of arcing electricity manifesting after lightning strikes. It doesn't happen a lot. In fact, it's a meteorological phenomenon so rare, t's nearly impossible to study, but so beautiful it's really a shame we don't see more of it. Unless, of course, it's the result of deep space invaders trying to pierce the dimensional veil and take over earth. Or maybe that's just The Avengers I'm thinking about. Anyway, it's a fun little (super?)natural mystery that worth a mention, I think."

Kristen Kittscher: I pass by a number of intriguing houses each day on my neighborhood
walk with my dog. There’s the adorable bungalow on the corner that’s
been boarded up for years. The two-story Victorian that has just the
faintest touch of Manderley about it. The one with the child's
vegetable garden out front. None, however, seems quite as mysterious
to me as the beautiful Craftsman house with the tire swing, crooked
mailbox, weeds, and an ever-changing assortment of broken toys and
tools scattered around the yard. At times it almost looks like an art
installation. Last week I saw a large butcher knife casually tossed
on the grass next to a dirty blanket. Nearby a Pabst Blue Ribbon can
rested next to a headless Barbie—as if she’d snuck away for a rowdy
night of debauchery but instead met a horrible fate.

Most puzzling is how little changes besides the scattered yard
assortment. The mailbox has been off-kilter at the precise angle for
years. The chair next to the rope swing never moves. Even the weeds
seem to remain precisely the same length. If I hadn’t once seen a
child peering out of a window, I would think that the house was
abandoned—that someone was simply sneaking by to stage different
scenes to baffle passersby.

Maybe they are anyway…

Talia Vance: Nature or nurture?  Psychologists have long struggled with the mystery of what shapes a person into the people they become.  Are we born hard-wired for certain personality traits?  How much impact do our environment, family and life experiences have on how we look at the world and behave.  Why are some people motivated by adversity and others crippled by it?  Two siblings with the same parents and same upbringing can have vastly different personalities.  Yet, some identical twins can be so similar, that their personalities and lives can mirror each other even when they are raised in completely different environments.  What really makes us tick?

Mysteries Among Us #10

Welcome back to "Mysteries Among Us." In this feature, we share mysteries that intrigue us. They could be mysteries in the national news, in our own communities, even in our own families. Or they could be mysteries from the past that continue to haunt us. Mysteries are everywhere! Maybe some of what we've found will spark ideas for fictional mysteries. We'd love to know what mysteries fascinate you too!   

L.R. Giles: I have an affinity for gangster movies, and there's a certain piece of underworld lore that has resurfaced in my mind as of late. What happened to Jimmy Hoffa? In case you don't know the name, Hoffa was a labor leader from the 1930s into the 1970s. He was also a notorious criminal. He disappeared in 1975 and was never seen again. Popular theories about his possible location include a junk yard full of old oil drums and somewhere underneath the New York Giants stadium. I'm sticking with my own personal theory...that he was abducted by aliens. I'm sure Jimmy would appreciate my optimism.

Elisa Ludwig: I'm fascinated by the story of Morgellon's disease, a skin disease which many thought was a parasite infection that makes the skin literally crawl. Other symptoms include chronic fatigue, brain fog, ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression, joint swelling and hair loss. Sounds pretty awful, right? Even though people in Florida, Texas and California—including singer Joni Mitchell—have reported having this cluster of symptoms, a recent CDC study found that there were no disease organisms present, and that the sensations they experienced were the product of "delusional infestation." The 2012 study should put a lot of people's minds to rest, but I for one, will still be interested to see where this discussion goes in the future.

Diana Renn: Ever since a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, I've been fascinated by The Loretto Chapel staircase. It's an elegant wooden spiral structure leading up to a choir loft, built with two 360 degree turns and no visible structural support. Oh, and no nails. When the chapel was finished in 1878, carpenters were brought in to consult on how to access the choir loft concluded a staircase would not be possible, due to the size and constraints of the building. The Sisters of the Chapel made a novena to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, and soon after, a humble carpenter showed up and built one. He then disappeared without pay or thanks. Some believe it was Saint Joseph himself. I just love the triple mystery involved here: who was the carpenter? Why or how did he use wood that was not from the region? And how was this helix-structured staircase built so cleverly? The Snopes website actually dispels some mystery about the last question; experts say it's not quite the engineering marvel it seems to be, yet the tourist industry relies on the legend. Still, enough mystery remains to intrigue me. I love mysteries about mysterious appearances and disappearances!

Mysteries Among Us #9

Welcome back to "Mysteries Among Us." In this feature, we share mysteries that intrigue us. They could be mysteries in the national news, in our own communities, even in our own families. Or they could be mysteries from the past that continue to haunt us. Mysteries are everywhere! Maybe some of what we've found will spark ideas for fictional mysteries. We'd love to know what mysteries fascinate you too!

W.H. Beck: I was sucked into a story recently on NPR about a recent rash of tuba thefts in schools in the Los Angeles area. It seems that in the last year, 23 tubas have been stolen from eight different schools. While authorities think they know why the tubas are being stolen--for either scrap metal or to supply Mexican polka bands (I am NOT making this up!)--the mystery writer in me can't help but think that maybe there's more to the story.

Kristen Kittscher: This past week in Dublin someone stole a man's heart -- literally! Authorities are studying closed circuit footage to determine who sneaked into Christ Church Cathedral, cut the iron bars of the cage that housed the heart of Dublin's patron saint, and fled. I always troll for news items about odd crimes, but this is one of the strangest I've happened upon lately. It's interesting to think about the criminal's motivation. Did he/she imagine having the heart would help them through a trying time? Was it a lover of puns who couldn't wait to read the "stolen heart" headlines? Is there a Da Vinci Code-esque story lurking there?

Elisa Ludwig: Thanks to my record-collecting husband, I was recently alerted to the mystery of musician Jim Sullivan, an L.A. songwriter who disappeared into the New Mexico desert in 1975, never to be seen again. There are a number of odd and fascinating things about this story: Sullivan was struggling with his career and had recently decided to move to Nashville—he was supposedly on his way there. He had checked into a motel but the key was left locked inside the room. His car was found locked and parked outside of a ranch nearby; his wallet, clothes, records and guitar were left inside. Some have said that the people who owned the ranch had mob ties. He was known to have a problem with alcohol. He had recorded a record titled UFO in which songs discussed leaving his family, alien abduction and long highways. Some people, including his wife, believe that he may have been abducted by aliens. He had also told a friend that if he were to die, he would just "disappear into the desert." The whole thing gives me the chills, and his lonesome, plaintive music just adds another dimension of interest. UFO was recently reissued by Light in the Attic Records (http://lightintheattic.net/).

Laura Ellen: The Bermuda Triangle has intrigued me my whole life. For centuries, this triangle shaped area of the Atlantic Ocean off the coasts of Florida, the Bahamas, and Puerto Rico has been the last known sighting of many ships and planes -- disappearing into the abyss -- while others have come close, reporting weird circumstances and strange weather patterns that can not be explained by anything short of paranormal or alien-esque causes. Is there really an area on earth, a void of some sort, like a doorway into an alternate universe? You be the judge. Here's some great articles and video clips on the Bermuda Triangle:

http://www.crystalinks.com/bermudatriangle.html

L.R. Giles: There's a mystery I stumbled upon while planning a vacation. In 1968 divers discovered an odd formation off the coast of North Bimini Island in the Bahamas. The pattern seemed to suggest some sort of primitive thoroughfare and was given the name The Bimini Road. Let's back up a sec. It's a road. Underwater. Which begs several questions. Road to where? Who built it? Why? Could this be a lost civilization similar to legends of Atlantis? I suppose it could be all of those things or none of them. The possibilities are fun to consider, though. Don't be surprised if you see some of my thoughts on the matter pop up in a future story or two. This one is just too good to leave alone."