Found: New Mystery Series
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| Wed, 06-08-2005 - 7:15am |
It's not a new series but it is for me. I am currently reading Earlene Fowler's first Benni Harper mystery: "Fool's Puzzle."
How Fool's Puzzle got published from Ms. Fowler's site:
I had written short stories off and on for about ten years without being published. I decided on a whim in January of 1992 to take a novel writing class at Orange Coast College, a community college in Costa Mesa, California. I wrote the first chapter as part of the class assignment and it was really bad. I read all the criticisms of the other members of the class as well as the teacher and finished all but two chapters during the summer while working part time at the Huntington Beach Library in the Children's Department. I wrote half the book sitting in McDonald's, probably because I was used to working with children swarming around me.
I took the novel workshop again in the fall, but the teacher had gone on sabbatical and was replaced by Jo-Ann Mapson, author of Hank and Chloe and Blue Rodeo. I turned in my revised first chapter as part of the first assignment and she asked me to stay after class. She then asked me how much of this book I had done. I told her I was almost finished. She told me she'd like to read it when it was done. I was really excited about that. It was the first time anyone had shown an interest in my work. She read it in two days and told me that she thought it was marketable. She had me add to some sections and helped me draft a cover letter and proposal to her New York agent, Deborah Schneider. Deborah agreed to read it on Jo-Ann's recommendation. It took her a few days to get to it, but she read it one night on the train ride home. She messengered it out to Putnam-Berkley and within a week, I had a three-book contract for the series.
For more info try her website http://www.earlenefowler.com/index.html
I've already requested the second book from the library


Hey Maggie!
My mom introduced me to the Benni Harper books a couple of summers ago. They're fun. I've always wanted to learn to quilt, and her use of quilt patterns in her stories fascinates me. Enjoy!
cindy :)
I've been reading the Benni Harper series pretty much since it started. I've enjoyed them a great deal. I really like her characters. And I enjoy the quilting information, even though I don't quilt myself.
Enjoy!
Liz
Liz
You're in for a real treat, Maggie! I read 'Fool's Puzzle' about a year after it came out and gradually caught up with the series this past year. In fact, I finished her last Benni Harper book 'Delectable Mountains' last week. Fowler doesn't age her characters in real-time. Think she said in her newsletter that the books have progressed from 1992-1996. This is great because Benni's grandmother, Dove, is such a hoot and there are other characters that really add to this series. The relationship between Benni and Gabe Ortiz has been fun and interesting to read as they learn more about each other. The hard part now is waiting till 2007 because that's when Fowler says her next Benni Harper mystery will be out. Sure feels like a long time away! I bought 'Fool's Puzzle' again to start re-reading the series. Enjoy it all, Maggie!
Donna
Earlene Fowler, author of the Benni Harper series, is one of two authors I've attended book signings for (Michael Connelley the 2nd author).
Earlene appeared at the tiny Mysteries to Die For bookshop in Thousand Oaks, CA (near LA) four years ago ... people were packed in like sardines to see her, and lined up outside the door.