• Home
  • Author Services
  • Bookstore
  • Being Indie - Blog
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Author Services
  • Bookstore
  • Being Indie - Blog
  • Contact

When The Magic Happens - with Kathleen Kaska

7/4/2013

10 Comments

 
Picture
When Magic Happens

by Kathleen Kaska

            Magic in my writing often comes in the form of coincidences; those serendipitous things I believe are much more than happenstance. Some are small affirmations that I’m on the right track, like when I decided to set one of my mysteries in southwest Montana. The story is about a rancher’s attempt to save a herd of wild horses. I later found out this very area is home to one of the largest wild horse population in the country. What an affirmation that was!

            Another time, my husband and I were exploring the back roads around Hot Spring, Arkansas when we made the wrong turn back to town and had gotten lost. The road wound us deep into the woods, and while my husband attempted to get us out, I went into deep contemplation of a murder plot I was having trouble with. Suddenly, I spotted an algae-covered pond and the brain cells began gyrating. By the time we’d reached the end of the road, the entire plot was laid out before me as if I had been watching a movie. I looked up at the road sign as we turned onto the highway. I got chills when I noticed we’d been traveling on a road named Murder’s Row.

            The most recent magical moment happened a few weeks ago. My frustration level over my current Sydney Lockhart mystery had become so high, I felt like deleting the entire 80,000-word manuscript and starting over. Instead, I decided to give my brain a break and relive our 2009 vacation to Maine. It was one of those trips where we had no plans, no reservations, and no schedule. One afternoon we drove into the tiny town of Kingfield, and seeing the old Herbert Grand Hotel, we stopped in. (By the way, historic hotels are where my Lockhart mysteries are set.) It was off-season, and the owner gave us a tour and recommended his best room, a suite with a fireplace and baloney overlooking Main Street and the Carrabassett River. But what caught my eye, was the picture hanging over the bed, it was of a beautiful redheaded girl holding an envelope and smiling (By the way Sydney has red hair, too). I called her "Little Sydney" because I imagined this is what Sydney Lockhart looked like when she was young. I told my husband that the message in the envelope was for me, and one day I would find out what that message was.           

            At the time, I’d set my current story at the historic Excelsior Hotel in Jefferson, Texas because I wanted to include a ghost element in the subplot and the Excelsior is known for its numerous resident ghosts. But, I soon discovered that the Driskill in Austin, Texas (Sydney’s home and mine for twenty-five years) was considered the most haunted hotel in the state. So mystery number four became Murder at the Driskill instead of Murder at the Excelsior. Well, the ghost thing wasn't working out and I was having a difficult time finishing this book. I began to wonder if I’d made the right decision to switch venues. To break the block, I decided to do a little more research into the ghost thing. I found this news story and YouTube video about ghosts at the Driskill, and in watching that video, the message in the little girl’s envelope was revealed.

            The murder in my book takes place on the fifth floor in the Yellow Rose Suite. A portion of the video “coincidently” was shot on the fifth floor. As the camera panned on the Yellow Rose Suite, I noticed hanging on the wall right next to the room was that very same painting that hung over our bed in the Herbert Grand Hotelin Maine.

            The story goes the painting is of the little girl was Samantha Houston who died at the Driskill Hotel in 1887 when she tumbled down the stairs chasing her ball. Her spirit had remained on the fifth floor since that time and she is often seen and heard bouncing her ball and giggling. The message in the envelope?—“don’t ditch the ghost.” I got busy writing and soon the plot problems disappeared and the book’s draft is completed. One big coincidence; I think not.

            Incidentally, the painting is not really that of Samantha Houston, although it makes a great story for the hotel’s promotional literature. The painting is entitled Love Letters by artist Charles Trevor Garland. If you’d like to see the video, here’s the link: http://www.kvue.com/news/Special-Assignment-History-and-hauntings-of-the-Driskill-Hotel-174483061.html

            Look for Murder at the Driskill early next year.

            Thanks, Karla, for having me as a guest on Armchair Publishing. 



Kathleen Kaska
Website
Blog
Facebook


Picture
Picture
10 Comments
Eloise Hill link
7/5/2013 02:26:30 am

Kathleen, I thoroughly enjoyed your post! Although my background is in nursing, I currently work as psychic, teacher of various metaphysical subjects and author a tarot mystery series, so lovely synchonicities, like you described, show up in my life all the time. Recently, I was reading for a client who had a question about a new relationship and I kept hearing the Madonna song "You Must Be My Lucky Star" blaring in my head. It was really loud and a bit distracting, so about half-way through the reading, I stopped and asked my client if that meant anything and he turned pale and said, "OMG, that's our song!" Love it when that happens! Loooking forward to checking out your Lockhart series:)

Reply
Kathleen Kaska link
7/5/2013 06:38:08 am

Hi Eloise,
Thanks for stopping by. I enjoyed reading about the incident with your client. I believe the more we pay attention to our feelings and intuitions, the more we learn about ourselves and others.Thanks for sharing.

Reply
Mike Starring link
7/5/2013 02:49:42 am

Eerie! I'll write more when my hair lays flat again.

Reply
Kathleen Kaska
7/5/2013 06:39:52 am

Hi Mike,
I know you, so I won't touch that comment with a ten-foot "barber" pole.

Reply
Kathleen Kaska link
7/5/2013 06:58:37 am

Hi Mike, I know you, so I won't touch that comment with a 10-foot "barber" pole.

Reply
Evelyn Cullet link
7/6/2013 01:55:53 am

I enjoyed reading your blog post Kathleen. As a matter of fact, I'm in the middle of reading Murder at the Arlington, right now. The title interested me because I stayed at the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs last November, and walked the very same mountain path that your protagonist walked. So the setting was very familiar. Please contact me via my website's "Contact Me" page: http://evelyncullet.com/contact-me/, if you're interested in being on my blog. Thanks.

Reply
Kathleen Kaska link
7/6/2013 03:18:18 am

Hi Evelyn,
I'm so glad you are reading Murder at the Arlington. I love that old hotel. My husband and I have spent many, many nights there. It is our Hot Springs home. I will contact you today!

Reply
PJ Nunn link
7/8/2013 04:51:02 am

Ooh Kathleen, that gives me chills - the good kind! Can't wait to see the book!

Reply
Lee Jenna Tyler link
9/16/2013 09:21:46 am

Oh Kathleen,
I still have chills. Lucky you have a husband to curl up with at night! I am now a new reader and can't wait for this one. I remember that story about Samantha from a tv show (though I can't remember which one); isn't it interesting that there are stairs behind the little girl in the Garland painting? Coincidence? I've visited often in Maine, Montana and Texas so the stories will be very evocative for me. Thank you and I'm so very glad I found your post!

Reply
Kathleen Kaska
9/24/2013 09:44:04 am

Hi Lee,
Thanks so much for your comment. I did get chills when I first saw the painting at the Driskill. I'll keep you posted as to the release date of the next Sydney Lockhart mystery.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    The Author in all of us

    There is a story inside. One that needs out and to be read by others. It's there and now it's time for it to flow from author to the reader. Join us as we celebrate Indie authors.

    Archives

    October 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012

    Categories

    All
    Amazon VS
    Anacortes Senior College
    Barbara Bickmore
    Books By Barbara Bickmore
    Bringing A Book Together
    Channeling Characters
    Character Channeling
    Demanding Characters
    Diy
    Do Character Talk
    Don't Be The Expert
    Don't Rush
    Don't Wear All The Hats
    Editing
    Ending A Story
    Finding Your Muse
    Flash Fiction
    Heidi Thomas
    Hire A Pro
    I Chose To Self Publish
    Indie Ebooks
    Is Self Publishing Free
    Jared McVay
    Joan Silling
    Judith Kirscht
    Kathleen Kaska
    New Author
    New Authors
    Nicole Persun
    Once The Book Is Complete
    On Writing
    Peter And Penny
    Remarkable Women
    Revising Your Work
    RIP Barbara Bickmore
    Self Publishing
    Self-Publishing
    Shelburne Cover
    Staying In Character
    Susan Wingate
    Terry Persun
    The Man Who Saved The Whooping Cranes
    The Other Life
    Where Does A Story Start
    Who's Working For The Authors
    Writer's Other Life
    Writing
    Writing The End

    RSS Feed

What We Do

Ebook Services
Printed Book Services
Book Cover Gallery
Other Services
Tiny Hands Art


OUR BOOKS

Books by Armchair ePublshing
Books by Karla Locke
Armchair Shorts
Adventure w/ Peter & Penny
Armchair Cruising Book

CONTACT US

360-588-6968
armchairepub@gmail.com
Other ways to connect with us
Picture
Photos used under Creative Commons from CollegeDegrees360, mripp, Sir Hectimere, Gonmi, Ale Márquez, roseannadana, melenita2012, Dean Hochman
Armchair ePublishing
  • Home
  • Author Services
  • Bookstore
  • Being Indie - Blog
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Author Services
  • Bookstore
  • Being Indie - Blog
  • Contact