Monsters Still Stalk Me: The Magic that Stokes my Mysteries

Hello, All Readers.

Autumn and its magic approach! 

Being a shy kid, I made good friends with books. But I was also lucky enough to grow up with fog-shrouded castles, moonlit forests, prowling creatures, and times when every night and day felt like Halloween. Please journey with me, and I will lay all the magic before you.

In the late 1950s, Universal Studios in Hollywood began releasing for television their 1930s and ’40s horror classics, seen before only in theaters—Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and The Wolf Man. Oh, my. I was hooked. These weren’t just movies to me. They were portals! As a child, I didn’t so much watch these films as enter them. And in many ways, I never left.

DRACULA, starring the enigmatic Hungarian actor, Bela Lugosi, captivated me. But so did his castle in Transylvania’s Carpathian Mountains. There was something irresistible about it with its enormous battlements, cobweb-choked staircases, meandering, candlelit corridors, velvet-draped rooms, and ancient, tarnished splendor. Was I frightened? No! I saw all of it as invitations to discovery. I imagined tiptoeing throughout the many floors, towers, and rooms of the castle by day while the vampire slept. I brushed my hand along the cold stone walls, covered with centuries of portraits. How many of those depicted were also vampires? I listened for the flutter of Count Dracula’s black cape as he rose from his coffin at dusk in chambers far below. This was a setting that was alive—more accurately, the living dead—a place where anything could happen. That sense of atmospheric possibility is something I still chase in my mysteries.

FRANKENSTEIN and its four sequels, the first three movies starring the iconic Boris Karloff as the monster, had mountaintop laboratories. They showed me a world where strange things happened: lightning crackled to reanimate dead tissue as machines, among which I hid, hissed and sputtered. Science felt like magic there as my eyes bugged out. I feared not the monster since I pitied him but the consequences that could come from a story of creation with its careless science, rush to power, and dark secrets! And I learned that characters don’t have to be perfect to be compelling. Those that are flawed, scarred, misunderstood, or different can form the truer heart of a story. Such lessons color every character I create.

THE MUMMY and its iterations, starring a linen-wrapped Boris Karloff and later, the brooding actor, Lon Chaney, Jr., sparked my curiosity about Egypt: Its ancient tombs, hidden chambers, arcane burial rites, and hieroglyphics made me want to solve mysteries. I became an Egyptologist, brushing sand off a forgotten artifact and watching for asps and cobras as I entered cursed tombs. I was thrilled by the mystery more than by the monster! That childhood fascination is why I sometimes include puzzles, codes, clues of course–and snakes!–tucked inside everyday places in my books.

THE WOLF MAN, made famous by Lon Chaney, Jr. as the werewolf, enthralled me the most! His ancestral home, Talbot Castle in fictional Llanwelly, Wales, from which the monster would emerge on his nightly, full-moon forages for human blood and flesh, was intriguing enough. But the estate was surrounded by a foggy forest, covered with blackened trees twisting skyward, poison wolfbane blooms, and gypsy encampments where palm reading and magic charms to ward off evil spells could be had. I didn’t fear any of it. It enchanted me! I wanted to soak it up and explore everything. I pictured myself stepping into the forest’s moonlit clearing as autumn leaves crunched under foot. Lantern lights flickered in the woods. Why? There was a thrill in not knowing what was behind the next tree! This movie taught me that mystery isn’t just about clues. It’s about mood, tension, sometimes lunar radiance, and the delicious darkness. When I write nighttime scenes for my young readers, I’m channeling that sense of eerie wonder from the forests of Talbot Castle.

***BTW, please watch for my October Blog where I will take you on an in-depth tour of my imagined childhood at Talbot Castle from The Wolf Man.***

These worlds, compliments of Hollywood, continue to shape my mysteries! The fabulous horror films entertain but also deeply imprint within me that:

  • Atmosphere matters
  • Shadows are invitations
  • Mystery is emotional and desired
  • Unusual characters are unforgettable
  • The world is full of secret doors! 

The following timeless emotions bridge my childhood and my stories today! Even if young readers haven’t seen the old Universal horror films, they can understand the feelings behind them:

  • The thrill of exploring places that seem forbidden
  • The curiosity to discover something hidden
  • The importance of considering consequences before taking actions
  • The excitement of not knowing what comes next
  • The enchantment that empowers from embracing imagination with abandon
  • The gift of empathy for characters who don’t quite seem to fit in

So, get a clue, dear readers. When I write for kids, I’m not recreating horror; I’m recreating magic—the magic of stepping into worlds that feel bigger, stranger, and more exciting than my own! May your imaginations and their magic feed your lives and art as they still feed mine. I hope you’ll make the Universal horror classics must-watch movies this autumn! And if you’re like me, those walks through the portals will dazzle you far beyond Halloween.

When Detectives Resume Detecting

Hello, Kids, and All Readers,

Alert readers may remember that in my May 31 newsletter, I shared that our four Botanic Hill detectives declared a summer moratorium on mysteries following their exhausting eighth case, Bougainvillea Street: Stolen Tiara, to recuperate and explore personal passions. They promised to share their experiences with us in late summer.

Well, here we are! I hope you enjoy the sleuths’ reports. And if they overlap with some of your own pursuits this past summer, all the better. Kids, please let me know!

Do any of their reports hint at a beckoning mystery???

Lanny’s Report

“I am so happy that I got the lead role of Sherlock Holmes, my hero, in our local Las Palmitas Junior Theater’s summer production of ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’! I beat out five other prospects. The director, Mr. Connors, told me it was my posturing–Holmes with one hand on his hip while looking up at the ceiling when he was pondering a dilemma, then raising an index finger on his other hand when a brilliant idea hit that made the director shout, ‘I have found my Holmes!’ Plus, there was my cool, practiced British accent. Lexi, Moki, Rani, and our families came to my opening and closing night performances. They gave me a gift–a famous Holmes’ possession–a look-alike Persian slipper that he filled with pipe tobacco. Mine was stuffed with mini Tootsie Rolls. Yay! The scariest part on stage was when I had to wrestle the large hound, a mastiff named Maxwell, owned by a cast member! But the dog was as friendly as a ginormous puppy while playing his ‘ferocious’ part! My role prompted me to do extra research about Holmes’s deductive reasoning techniques. They should come in handy for the Botanic Hill detectives’ work! Stay tuned . . . ”

Lexi’s Report

“I had a blast finally learning some of the fundamentals of playing the electric guitar! This was a dream come true since I love rock music almost as much as being a detective. I still have a long way to go. But because I was a fast learner, my teacher, Ms. Bloomquist, taught me some chords so I could at least stumble though one of my favorite David Bowie songs, ‘Heroes.’ Then, there were some riffs from Jim Morrison and The Doors’ songs, ‘Roadhouse Blues,’ and ‘Light My Fire.’ I’m going to continue my lessons so someday, I can play ‘I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,’ by the Rolling Stones, and ‘Smoke on the Water,’ by Deep Purple. Ms. Bloomquist said that last song has inspired many to learn how to play guitar. I believe her! Stay tuned . . . (ha, ha!)”

Moki’s Report

“This summer, I volunteered to teach little kids how to surf at Mango Beach. My four eight-year-old students (two boys and two girls)  made me feel like a rock star because, somehow, they learned that by their age, I had won a few surfing championships in Hawai’i. (No, I didn’t tell them!) Being a teacher isn’t easy. You have to go back to the beginning of what and how you learned something to break it down into teachable pieces and in an order that makes sense. My students had varying degrees of experience. All went well until one day, they started screaming and ran from the water. There was a school of leopard sharks near our feet just off shore! It took ten minutes, but I managed to convince them that it was safe to go back into the water because leopard sharks are harmless to humans. I was so proud of how much my students learned that I took them to Moo Cow’s Dairy Town for ice cream cones on our last day to celebrate their successes. They want me to come back next summer. I’m in! Stay tuned . . .”

Rani’s Report

“My internship application was accepted! I spent six weeks at the Antiquities Research Collective (the ARC) in Cortez Park where Lanny and Lexi’s parents work alongside the director, Dr. Leland Abbott. During the teen summer program, I assisted in preparing for a special Grecian art exhibit that will open soon. We interns got to go behind the scenes, like in the basement storerooms and into employees’ offices, to help identify artifacts that might be displayed to enhance the program. About one week before our internships ended, the most amazing thing happened! An exact replica of the Niki of Samothrace statue, also known as Winged Victory, the original being housed at the Louvre in Paris, arrived in a large truck. When the doors opened, we were the first to see the eighteen-foot-tall, headless, armless statue with its gigantic wingspan! Soon after it was uncrated and moved to its outdoor location behind the ARC building, Dr. Abbott noticed something unusual. He wants help from the detective squad! Stay tuned . . . ”

But now, our heroes are recharged and ready to tackle Case #9, Lotus Street: Winged Whispers. It will launch in one year. Stay tuned . . .

Did you get a clue, dear Reader? What mystery is buzzing? Will our famous sleuths accept Dr. Abbott’s challenge? Find out in Book 9, coming in Fall 2027. But first, watch for Book 8, Bougainvillea Street: Stolen Tiara, finally available on September 22, 2026.

(Photo Credit: Left: Daria Ivanenko; Right: Alexander Popadin, both on pexels.com)

Redefining “Deep State” with Mysteries

Hello, All Readers, especially Educators, Families, and Kids,

Feel like you’re getting hit over the head daily—maybe hourly—by social media noise, conflicting news about world events, and the rapid rise of AI?

 

Like me, you might find yourself wondering whether the truth is actually out there. What’s real, what’s false, and what sits somewhere in between? Are we absorbing information, misinformation, or outright disinformation? Learning to tell the difference is essential to our well‑being and our pursuit of happiness.

If you’re a critical thinker who questions what you see and hear, then hunts for reliable sources to separate wheat from chaff—bravo. I call this healthy skepticism, grounded in fact‑finding and evidence, deep‑state thinking: the practice of thinking deeply and critically. Adults, where did you learn these skills? Kids need them, too.

As a teacher, I taught my students how to question, analyze, and evaluate information so they could become lifelong deep‑state thinkers. We practiced looking beyond the small picture to consider long‑term consequences, asking “thick” questions that require more than a yes or no, and running information through a personal “sieve of truth”—prior knowledge, experience, and verified facts.

And I used one more tool: mysteries.

Why mysteries? Because they train readers—kids and adults alike—to think like detectives. Mysteries nudge us to slow down, notice what others miss, question every assumption, and follow clues instead of vibes. They make critical thinking feel like play, not homework.

In a mystery, every detail might matter… or be a clever distraction. Readers learn to:

  • sift real clues (and suspects) from red herrings
  • predict what’s next and give logical reasons
  • think beyond the small picture to the big picture’s pros and cons
  • ask pertinent questions, e.g., “Yes, but what about/if ___?”
  • test theories instead of jumping to conclusions
  • revise ideas when new objective evidence appears
  • stay curious, even when the truth feels slippery

Sound familiar? It’s the same skill set we need to navigate today’s chaotic information landscape. When the world feels loud, fast, and a little unhinged, mystery reading becomes a surprisingly joyful way to practice deep‑state thinking—thinking that’s skeptical, evidence‑based, and resilient.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the daily barrage of “breaking news,” hot takes, and algorithmic noise, grab a mystery! Let your brain stretch, play, and sharpen itself. The truth may not always be obvious, but with the right tools—and a good puzzle—you’re far better equipped to find it.

To these ends, I decided to ramp up readers’ deep-state thinking in The Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries, Book 8, Bougainvillea Street: Stolen Tiara, which will be released this September. I hope I have nudged you sufficiently to pick up your copy this fall.

So, get a clue, all readers. Prepare for a brain workout or rehab as you witness the value of critical thinking and questioning along with our four amazing detectives in their upcoming mystery. May reading mysteries and developing or honing deeper deep-state thinking be gifts for all of us.

Summer Sleuthing: Dive into a Mystery!

Hello, Kids and All Readers,

When I was growing up, summer meant that I suddenly had more time to read. What a gift! I hope children everywhere feel the same way. My TBR pile included Nancy Drew, Phyllis A. Whitney mysteries, and a sprinkling of the Hardy Boys adventures, along with any other whodunits I could uncover at my local library.

To this day, there’s something magical for me about reading a mystery in the summer. The long, lazy afternoons seem to invite daydreaming. So, daily, I push myself away from the computer earlier to sit with a book and read. If I can’t afford to hop on a plane, my armchair adventures will always transport me to destinations where, via a great mystery, anything can happen: a missing artifact, a coded message, a lurking figure, or a secret passage awaiting my discovery!

Likewise for kids, mysteries can turn downtime into adventures. For adults, they can offer nostalgia, clever puzzles, and a break from the real world.

Why Kids Love Summer Mysteries

  • They turn boredom into excitement. A long car ride becomes a chance to solve a case.
  • They encourage active reading. Kids aren’t just absorbing a story — they’re participating in it.
  • They build confidence. Solving a puzzle or clue before the characters do is a powerful feeling!
  • They prevent brain cobwebs. Engaging mysteries keep the brain sharp, making kids smarter and better prepared to restart school.
  • They fit the season. Summer is full of new places, new people, and new possibilities — perfect ingredients for a mystery.

Why Adults Love Mysteries, Too

  • Mysteries are smart but not heavy. Perfect for escapist reading poolside or at the beach or lake.
  • They tap into childhood wonder. Adults remember the thrill of their first whodunit. (“Hi, Nancy Drew!”)
  • They are cooling. Get the shivers while reading a dark, chilling mystery in the warm summer sunshine.
  • They’re great for family reading. The perfect genre that can entertain multiple generations at once.
  • They offer mental play. Adults love the fun challenge of spotting clues, guessing whodunit, and predicting twists.

Mysteries can create a unique reading experience because they invite fun conversations where kids and adults can debate suspects, compare theories, and celebrate when they crack the case. This collaborative, connected reading is perfect for summer: You can read alone or together, then share with a buddy, a book club, or with relatives from near and far. What wonderful memories you’ll be creating!

So, get a clue, Kids and Adults. Whether you’re packing for a road trip, flight, or cruise, planning a staycation, or looking for a book that keeps you turning pages well after sunset, mysteries deliver! They allow readers of all ages to explore worlds full of secrets, surprises, and satisfying reveals. May each of you enjoy this season of mysterious exploration. I hope it is delightfully cringeworthy.

(Photo Credits: Left to Right–Nurcan Aytas; Armin Rimoldi; Uriel Mont; and Pixabay. All on pexels.com)

When Detectives Hang Up Their Magnifying Glasses

Hello, Kids and All Readers,

It’s late May. In the Northern Hemisphere, that means–HERE COMES SUMMER! How will you spend it this year?

After months of cracking codes, sneaking through shadows, and outsmarting adults who really should know better, our four young Botanic Hill detectives have declared a summer moratorium on mysteries. (Or so they say.)

What have they planned for their big escape? And will they really be able to avoid a good mystery if one comes their way? (My guess? No! Your prediction?)

Lanny, Lexi, Moki, and Rani are temporarily going in separate directions to explore personal passions—some creative, some charitable, some surprising, and maybe some (You fill in the blank!). I’m wondering if any of their summer adventures will lead them back into a mystery! Hmm . . . . Only time will tell.

One thing is certain: They can’t be apart for long! So, they’ve built in time together at Mango Beach each weekend to hug and share how their passions are progressing.

Dedicated readers know that Lanny idolizes Sherlock Holmes. The boy discovered that the Las Palmitas Junior Theater is presenting “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” his favorite Holmes-and-Watson adventure. He’s determined to capture the leading role of the Master Detective himself! Will he succeed? Or will he end up playing the Hound? Maybe a criminal? (Hey, Lanny! It might be instructive to be the crook to learn how “the other side” thinks. Or would that destroy your escape?)

As readers are also aware, our emotional Lexi loves music, especially classic Rock ‘n’ Roll. But she’s been so busy solving mysteries that she knows how to play records and music videos but not musical instruments. To remedy that, she’s signed up for guitar lessons! Will she like the guitar? How far will she get this summer? Will she discover some new-to-her musicians and their tunes?

Moki thought about taking a cooking class to appease his stomach. He chose to do something to benefit the community instead. After a bit of thought, he volunteered to teach little kids how to surf! The athletic instructors at Mango Beach had been after the Hawaiian surfing champion for years to join them. This summer, watch out waves. Here comes Moki the Master!

And our Rani wants to learn more about Grecian art. What better place than at the Antiquities Research Collective (the ARC) in the heart of Cortez Park! The detectives know the ARC well: Lanny and Lexi’s parents work there. And the sleuths have often picked the brains of Dr. Leland Abbott, the director, while solving their cases. The ARC is hosting a teens’ summer internship program as it prepares for a very special ancient Grecian art exhibit. Rani’s application is in. She intends to be a part of the team!

Will our savvy sleuths’ summer plans stay on track or derail? Escape–or mystery? Trouble has a way of finding the four, even when they’re armed only with sunscreen and slushies. No matter how their summer plans turn out, the Botanic Hill detectives have pledged to give their full reports in the August 31 Newsletter–so stay tuned!

For now, get a clue, dear Readers! Do you think our sleuths will succeed at taking a break? Or will an irresistible mystery cross their paths? So, what are your plans this summer? Whatever you do, and wherever the season takes you, the detectives and I hope this summer exceeds all your expectations.

(All photos from pexels.com)

 

Teetering on the Brink

Hello, Kids and All Readers,

Are you familiar with this quote?

“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” ~Madeleine L’Engle, author of A Wrinkle in Time Quintet

My interpretation of this famous quote is that children are better readers of truth than adults. In my opinion and experience, kids accept mystery, possibility, and emotional honesty better than adults. So, we writers of children’s literature should tackle big themes (love, courage, loss, good versus evil, etc.) without trepidation. These are too important to be constrained by adult expectations. We can explore them more freely since children do not avoid difficult truths or analyze them to death; they meet them with curiosity. Having taught kids for decades, I know that is true. So, I never underestimate children. Neither did Madeleine L’Engle. And she believed that the most profound truths are best communicated simply, clearly, and imaginatively.

As a children’s mystery author, I embrace L’Engle’s style. But here is the problem: I’m an adult. I have been complicating important themes for years now! So, the big question that stalks me with every word I write is, “How do I let go of my adultness and let the child within surface to craft a children’s book with simplicity, clarity, and imagination?” In other words, how do I uncomplicate the complicated? Well . . .

Here, to date, is “The Joseph System” for doing that:

First, I remember what I learned as a teacher and from L’Engle: Adults often underestimate children. Kids are honest–often painfully so! They lack the self-consciousness that constrains adults. Kids have free-flowing imaginations that, sadly, too often disappear with adulthood. So, childhood is the perfect time to explore bold ideas! Kids like learning topics that their high school siblings are studying because it is cool. They’ve told me so. Or you can just read their happy facial expressions. And it bears repeating: I don’t underestimate children, ever. I also never talk down to them.

Second, I embrace higher-level vocabulary in my Middle Grade books (for kids ages 9 to 109). As a teacher, I “taught to the high,” then differentiated the curriculum to pull the others up. I apply this same technique when I write by building in supports for advanced vocabulary learning. Some of these supports include surrounding a word with context clues, following a “big word” with a bracketed [synonym of simple definition], and having our chief detective, Lanny the Lexicon, provide a vocabulary lesson. This isn’t as easy for me as it may seem, however. I must determine what words and ideas need support and when to back off and let the kids be conquering heroes.

Third, I try to make history come alive for children by showing them how it still influences what we do today: The Golden Age of Hollywood’s experimentation with color film and special effects over one hundred years ago; the glory of ancient Egypt and its culture; the many sides of Edgar Allan Poe; the amazing but underrated actor Boris Karloff; the teenage writer Mary Shelley, whose Frankenstein monster from 1816 is still undergoing iterations in the arts; Bass Reeves, one of the earliest and most innovative Black deputy U.S. marshals; the allure and truth about pirates; the wonders of geology; the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the horrific Japanese Internment Camps; and the Wild West days of Old California. Why not teach history through literature in a fun, relevant way while kids are still fascinated by it? Hence, my “mysteries with a twist of history”!

Fourth, I try my best to follow the Rules for writing Middle Grade literature, mainly to protect kids. I must avoid foul language, sex (innocent crushes are okay), drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll–okay, not the last one! And we must never place children in danger that can leave permanent physical or emotional scars. This is challenging in my mystery books since our four mature detective heroes are solving serious crimes. often in scary places. So, my strategies include using danger to teach when and how to take risks safely, showing respect for parents’ constraints, knowing when to push back for more freedoms, the detectives caring to be consistently trustworthy, and most characters learning from their mistakes. Watch how I really push danger to the limit in my Book 8, Bougainvillea Street: Stolen Tiara, being released this September. (“Look out, Moki and Lexi!”)

Fifth, I accept that as a children’s literature writer, I must navigate the constant tension of teetering on the brink with my characters, plot points, word and theme choices, and settings if I am to successfully turn what could be difficult for kids to understand into something understandable–but never watered down.

So, get a clue, Kids and All Readers. Children’s literature is neither for “babies” nor is it “cute.” This wonderfully powerful genre can provide magical entertainment and inspirational learning. But it is not for faint-of-heart writers, because they must release that imaginative, honest child within while simultaneously tempering the doubting, resistant adult without. Kids rock! Become one if you write for them. (Or even if you don’t!) It will make you a better person and a more authentic author.

(Photo by Guillermo Berlin on pexels.com)