Sunday, March 1, 2009

Bobby G. and Me

My blog partner, Bob Goldsborough (whom I have never referred to as ‘Bobby’-it just made for a catchy title) and I have been sharing our thoughts with you for almost six months.

Did you ever wonder why we teamed up? Any curiosity about our vintage look? And I don’t mean that we’re over 50!

If the style of my frock, his snappy fedora, my chic cloche hat ever brought a question to mind this post will tell all.

Bob writes an historical mystery series set in Chicago in the late 30’s and early 40’s. I write a series set in the early 90’s solving mysteries around ‘cold cases’ from the 30’s and 40’s.

Bob’s newspaper man, ‘Snap’ Malek and my amateur sleuth, Grace Marsden, have never met. Maybe they should someday but even if we split the difference in ages and set the story in the 1960’s, Grace would toddling and ‘Snap’ would be doddering – equally unstable.

Bob and I met at Centuries & Sleuths and have known each other for years; we are much closer in age.

Our publisher, the dynamic Karen Syed of Echelon Press, suggested we team up after she observed our successful team work at engaging passers-by at Printers’ Row Book Fair. She thought we could do signings together. She even named us!

Not to let a good idea fade from lack of attention Bob and I made an appointment with a photographer to get “shot” to further the “duo” theme. If the photographer had used an old Press camera with flashing powder it would have been authentic for ‘Snap’ and I’d have a better explanation for the look of surprise on my face. We took several shots to the head because I kept blinking. The camera loved Bob’s mysterious smirk; not too keen on my deer in the headlights look.

Bob brought a great fedora as a prop. I wore a vintage dress I found in a resale shop in Westmont, My Favorite Things and a 40’s style black velvet cloche trimmed with sequins from another resale gem, Elm Classic in Elmhurst.

The photographer produced the authentic manual typewriter. Bob’s rolled up sleeves and rakishly tilted fedora is a perfect pose. He’d say, “Who’s posing? If Raymond Chandler wrote this way it’s good enough for me.”

I chose the red boa from the prop room (another blog to describe what was in there) to complete my noir ensemble. For the look I was attempting check out the cover of Bob’s third Snap Malek mystery, “A Death in Pilsen.” The cover model had the advantage of age, air brushing, and glossy immortality.

Bob and I enjoy doing book signings together, chatting up new readers and keeping light hearted in this business. And yes, we occasionally dodder arm in arm.

Luisa Buehler


BUY The Rosary Bride: A Cloistered Death (A Grace Marsden Mystery Book One) NOW!

BUY Three Strikes You're Dead (A Snap Malek Mystery Book One) NOW!

2 comments:

Pam Ripling said...

Love, love, love it! You two do look like you just stepped off the cover of a 40's mystery magazine! Well done!

Anne
http://beacon-street.blogspot.com

Helen Ginger said...

That was so much fun to learn about that shot. It sounds like y'all had a lot of fun doing the photo!

Helen
http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com