Musings on the Art of Writing

As a child, I discovered fantastic worlds created in books. When I began writing about the worlds of my own imagination, I realized how hard authors work to set their characters free to live for our enjoyment. This blog will explore that weird and wonderful process.


Monday, January 19, 2015

Mystery at the Fringe

I originally wrote this book for 8 to 12 year olds in 1994 when my daughter was ten and her brother, seventeen.  We lived in Edmonton at the time and enjoyed the Fringe Festival.  When our son busked during this two weeks of off-the-wall entertainment, it gave me an idea for a children's mystery.

Sam Spada, PI, is eleven years old and know all there is to know about being a detective.  At Edmonton's Fringe Festival, a crime takes place and she is on the job.  After talking to all the suspects enjoying the festival, she thinks she knows who did it.  But, she must conquer her one fears to confront the culprit.




Samantha Spadavecchio is the name and I've got my act together in spades.  Sam Spade.  You see I'm a detective.  A private investigator.  I don't carry a gun, like the PIs on TV; I just use my wits.

Tell it like it is; I always say and I'm good.

My life as a PI began the boring summer my best friend went east to Toronto.  I was eleven and had nothing to do but watch TV all day, every day.  Mom soon put the kibosh on that.  Then Mrs. P., an old lady down the street, lost her cat.  I was 'on the job'.  I found the orange tabby huddled under Miranda's porch.  It gook a can of tuna to get the silly thing out.  Mrs. P. gave me two whole dollars.  Hey, easy money.

That's when I decided to solve all the mysteries in Edmonton and make a fortune.  And a fortune earned is a fortune spent, I always say.

That's how Sam Spada, Private Investigating Agency, was born.  I was Sam Spada, of course.  My brother's old fort behind the garage became our office.  We spent hours playing cards waiting for a case.  But, our first case did not come to us.  We saw it happen!


If you wish to read the rest of Chapter 1, click here.  To purchase your own copy, click here.