Maryland Looking Back and Forward

By Elaine L. Orr

Montgomery County, Maryland was a great place to grow up. Beaches to the east and mountains to the west. In the 1950s, the DC suburbs were growing rapidly as veterans and their families used the GI Bill to buy their first homes. Schools surged and the Catholic parish we belonged to got so big a new one was created down the street from us. My father, a Presbyterian, was a parish scout leader and oversaw the Sunday donut time.

It didn't seem odd to me to have Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish neighbors, a family that had recently arrived from Germany, and a native of Costa Rica who worked at the Organization of American States. It was only after I moved to the Midwest in the 1990s that I fully understood that most suburban neighborhoods were not as diverse. 

We didn't have Black neighbors in the 1950s and early 1960s, though my parochial school had a few Black students and I had Black teachers in high school. When my nieces and nephews played on the teams or cheered at my old high school, they would have thought it weird beyond belief not to have Black fellow students, friends, and teachers.

Our immediate neighbors included two families of Japanese descent. I didn't realize until I was an adult that they must have been interred during the War. Among my memories are that the family next store bought the same set of Golden Book Encyclopedias that our parents bought for us. Their very bright son read them cover-to-cover, while we referred to them on occasion.

The family across the street had an immaculate lawn and some neighbors grumbled that the family, especially the dad, didn't want people running across it. I remember my father saying very directly to another neighbor that it was their lawn and they could have it any way they wanted. Again much later, I realized my dad knew that they had likely had homes and possessions taken away and no one should criticize them for decisions about their property.

My parents bought their small house for $13,500. The homes in the neighborhood, Garrett Park Estates, now sell for millions. Of course, applying the concept of present value of money would mean the house (based on just that calculation) would have been worth more in 1951. But not that much!

In fact, my parents' former home was just sold and torn down so a developer could build a McMansion. The old home sold for $1.9 million. The new one has not been on the market, but I've seen pictures. In today's economy, I would assume $3.5 million or more.

Clearly, this would not be a neighborhood for first-time homebuyers today. Nor would the area near the  house I sold in Takoma Park, MD (for $194,000) in 1994. It's estimated to be work about $900,000 today. 

As I think about moving back to Maryland someday (so I can annoy my family) I realize buying or renting would be almost impossible. Unless I sell a lot more books. When you live in a place with reasonable prices (Springfield, IL for my husband and me), you get used to, well...living comfortably on retirement incomes.

I didn't intend to write a morose post! Perhaps it's a version of be grateful for what you've had and have today.

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Elaine has set two of her mystery series in Maryland. To learn more about Elaine's writing, visit her website or sign up for her newsletter.

What on Earth are We Doing?

By Elaine L. Orr

For the first time since I began the Irish Roots author blog in 2011, I did not post anything during a month (February 2026). If I want an easy excuse I could say it's because I had back surgery on the 19th and it's been tough before and after. (Successful, but not what you want to do for fun.)

While that may be a factor, the bigger issue is that I am overwhelmed by the U.S. actions to start a war that will kill a lot of people and cannot be won. We focus, appropriately, on the US service members who were killed and I wish I could bring them back for their families. We seem to gloss over the fact that we are killing many hundreds of women, children, and men with our bombs and drones. Some are in the military, most are not.

Have we become immune to sorrow because we see killing all the time in movies and on television? Or are we simply trying to ignore bellicose chest-beating from political leaders?

The Secretary of War recently bragged about the March 4th sinking of the Iranian IRIS Dena with a torpedo in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka. This was the first sinking with a submarine-fired torpedo since World War II. Think about it for a moment. Eighty-seven young men either died immediately or drowned. (The Sri Lankans recovered their bodies.)

These sailors signed up for service in their country's military for some of the same reasons men and women sign up for service in the U.S. They may have been motivated by patriotism but also simply needed a job. They have families who relied on them. They may have had pictures of their children taped to the bunk above theirs in their sleeping quarters just as US submariners do.

I accept that the US military did not purposely bomb a school full of young girls, but lack of intent doesn't make it better. Have you seen the pictures of the girls' bodies separately wrapped in sheets awaiting burial? I can't get that image out of my head any more than I can remove the one of people covered in grit running from the collapsing Twin Towers in 2001.

This is not a game. We are sending our young people into horrific danger and causing the same for millions more. Where is the outrage and sorrow?

Before you think that I'm anti-military, be assured I am not. I visit my parents in Arlington National Cemetery and fly a flag on Memorial and Veterans Day. The two charities to which I give monthly are World Central Kitchen and Armed Services YMCA. In case you've never heard of the latter (and especially if you want to donate), they help "junior enlisted personnel and their family members. The Armed Services YMCA empowers military families, no matter who they are or where they’re from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships, and opportunities for all to grow and thrive." That includes food for families whose budgets can't be stretched far enough.

One of the questions asked of current military and political leaders is if we will run out of bombs and drones. I told my doctor yesterday she needs a magic wand to make growing chronic back issues better. That need pales in comparison with our nation's need to feel empathy for our own service members and those whose lives we end and uproot.

Don't be afraid to pray and cry for an end to the carnage.

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Eaine's favorite book (of hers) is Falling Into Place, a story of grace as a World War II vet struggles with his wife's death...and life since he served. To learn more about Elaine's writing, visit her website or sign up for her newsletter.

What Draws Us to Family History Mysteries?

By Elaine L. Orr 

Among the broad topics that fascinate mystery readers, genealogy or family history mysteries have gained fans in the last few years. They vary from cozy mysteries to forensic mysteries so a reader can take their pick on level of gore, though in general there is far less of it in these books than, for example, thrillers.

Historical mysteries may delve into a family's past but the focus is on solving a mystery that occurred in the past rather than using census data or family heirlooms and diaries to get the clues. There could be some of that but it's not the main focus.

As I was looking at books for this blog post, I noted there are also some contemporary romances with a genealogical theme.

What is it that captivates us? Is it that old secrets refuse to remain buried? Sometimes the past collides with the present so there's no way to ignore it.  Essentially, what happens when ancestry holds dangerous secrets?

As an author I delve into some of the other series, but it takes time to write so I would probably be reading more of them if I weren't writing a lot! There are very different choices when you ask for genealogy mysteries versus family history mysteries. I don't know what Amazons criteria is for the varied search results.

The series noted below are simply a smattering. Personally, I love English history, so I especially enjoy Nathan Dylan Goodwin's books. These are the Amazon links. Some books are only on that site, others are also sold elsewhere.

The Lost Ancestor (The Forensic Genealogist series Book 2) by Nathan Dylan Goodwin 2014. Eleven-book series set in England. This book is on Kindle Unlimited.

Family Secrets (Ellie McLellan Genealogy Mystery Book 1) by Beth Farrar. Ten-book series set in Quebec. The protagonist works with her genealogy group. Looks as if all books are on Kindle Unlimited.

Paging the Dead (A Family History Mystery Book 1) by Brynn Bonner. 2013. Four-book series set in North Carolina. This series may be finished, but you don't want to miss looking at the gorgeous covers.

The Attic's Deadly Secret  (The Heritage Mysteries Book 1) by Lyra Embrerlyn. 2025. A five-book series. Novella set in New England.

The Unscheduled Murder Trip (The Family History Mystery Series Book 2) by Elaine L Orr. 2021. A five-book series set in the mountains of Western Maryland. Not in KU because the books are at all sites, but a box set of the first three is.

Even if you don't like ancestry research when it's talked about around the Thanksgiving table, take a look at some of these. I think you'll find some favorites.

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Note: The photo of trees in a forest is from Depositphotos_135536030_XL.

To learn more about Elaine's writing, visit her website or sign up for her newsletter.

When You Start Writing too Soon

 By Elaine L. Orr

When an idea comes to me it's exciting and also tempting to put words on paper. I may start with a few sentences but then graduate to a few pages of notes. If I'm in the middle of another project, I can stow those pages in a computer file or paper folder and have enough information to continue when I go back to it.

It's not necessarily a good thing when I have time on my hands. I may start a book immediately. After a few chapters I realize I don't know the characters, setting, or or perhaps plot well enough to continue. What I have may be good but the phrase "now what?" enters my mind too often. That's OK if you're writing an outline but troublesome if you're in the middle of a chapter.

I have finally learned that what I omit if I make an early start is showing the normal world. In most mysteries, an event propels a sleuth (professional or amateur) into action. They may get involved reluctantly but eventually there is enough at stake to push to find a killer, kidnapper or embezzler. Take your pick.

Having a period of time before the inciting event lets the reader know something about the sleuth as well as their town and some of the other people in it. Without that first chapter, or however long it takes, every time the author introduces a character or they visit a place, the reader will want an explanation.

I started a new book before Thanksgiving, The Handyman's Last Bite, and I was considering introducing a couple more characters so the pool of red herrings could be larger. (How's that for a pun?) Then I did a forehead slap and realized I should have mentioned those people in an earlier chapter. They need to be part of the Ordinary World before it turns upside down.

Cozy mystery authors are familiar with the four-part structure discussed for that genre (and others). 1) The Ordinary World, 2) Reactive Phase, 3) Proactive Phase, and 4) Confrontation. If you search for "four-act structure for mystery novels" you'll fund a number of very good articles. If you want more, you can go to The Creative Penn, a multifaceted site that deal with writing, publishing, marketing and more.

I don't want to "have" to use a certain structure, but the concepts are helpful. Plus, the new Ordinary World chapter in The Handyman's Last Bite provided some good ideas for other parts of the book.

If you want to become familiar with the thought process of a writer who is a meticulous outliner, get to know William Kent Krueger. I've read many of his books -- intricate and firmly ensconced in their environment.

Back to my handyman to be sure he doesn't mess up the project.

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To learn more about Elaine's writing, visit her website or sign up for her newsletter.

Ye Gads, Another Year

By Elaine L. Orr

I stopped making lists of New Year's resolutions a few years ago and substituted telling myself one or two things I needed to do better. I stopped the lists because too many things appeared year after year. I'm not going to lose 25 pounds. I should. Maybe if I aim for five and a commitment to keep it off..

I do want to keep writing, though it gets harder to focus and all of my fingers hurt. So, I have started dictating more. When I do a Facebook post I don't pay attention to capital letters, which is why they appear throughout the post in odd places. I do pay attention for the blog and my books. As helpful as dictating is in preserving my joints, you have to edit a lot. 

I'm also trying to learn to use AI in ways that benefit my publishing work. Note I don't say my writing, though I have asked ChatGPT a number of questions about research and plotting. If I didn't work by myself I'd have someone to talk to about those topics, and I enjoy occasionally asking questions.

What is on my mind fifteen times a day is what is happening in our country right now. It might not be so prominent if there weren't constant news stories about using the federal budget process and other policy options to decrease access to food, medical care, and now clean water. And to silence disagreement, of course. (Look at the recent vetoes of Colorado water conservation or water quality legislation. Bipartisan bills, I might add.)

I think the thing that bothers me the most is the belief that retribution and vindication are policy options. No, it's not that. It's that so few people speak up about it. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert stated, correctly I think, that Trump vetoed the bills because she (who represents Colorado) wanted the Epstein files released.

We've gotten through other difficult times before. When I say the Pledge of Allegiance in classrooms in which I sub, I don't say the line, "under God." It has nothing to do with my religious beliefs. In the McCarthy era of the 1950s, that line was inserted into the pledge as a test of loyalty to the US. I'm a big fan of separation of church and state.  

The students never ask about it. I was secretary of a Lion's Club in Iowa and sat in the front of the room. We also said the pledge. Someone asked me about it. They didn't do it to imply that my choice was wrong, they were simply curious.

The other thing about dictation is when your mind wanders you talk about something and it appears in the text. I should probably make a resolution to stay on point.

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To learn more about Elaine's writing, visit her website or sign up for her newsletter.

Books that Mark a Turning Point

By Elaine L Orr

Books that are part of a series, especially a long one, may simply be individual components of a set of characters and their action, or books may end aspects of a series and lead to others. 

In my Family History Mystery Series, which has five books, in the first three only the main character, Digger, knows that her Uncle Benjamin's ghost arrived soon after his burial. If her contact with him were only in her residence it could have stayed that way. But he was often with her, which could be comical if she was trying to communicate with him in front of others. But that's a difficult set of scenarios to maintain.

In book three, Mountain Rails of Old, his presence becomes known to her boyfriend, who had begun to think she was keeping something from him. Boy, was she. Even now, after five books and a long short story, no one else can see or talk to him. But having someone else know about him changed a great deal about how Digger could approach her world -- and the long-ago mysteries she works to solve.

In the fourteen-book Jolie Gentil series, the first six books have her reestablishing her life in Ocean Alley and resuming friendships, especially with Scoobie. My plan was to have him be killed at the beginning of book three and that book would have been titled Justice for Scoobie. Since he had become the favorite character, that really wasn't an option. And I liked him.

A relationship evolved from friends to romance to marriage. Book ten is titled The Unexpected Resolution and they are married on New Year's Eve. It also marks the beginning of major changes in their lives. Scoobie learns a great deal about his past and a new character, an unknown much younger brother, represents a major shift. I see this as the beginning of the second chapter of their lives.

Jolie continues to solve mysteries but with more family members in her life she has to be more responsible. This led to another character becoming if not a partner at least a valuable friend in crime solving. I can't claim to always think three books ahead, but I had a local newspaper reporter lose his job and spend a couple of years training to be a Private Eye. That would make him an assistant as needed -- though he certainly wouldn't have thought of himself that way.

I found I liked having a character whose business it was to untangle mysteries and eventually George garnered his own series, the Shore Shenanigans Series. Jolie will continue with a 15th book and George will have some involvement, but George will be the predominant character in his series with Jolie and Scoobie occasionally playing supporting roles.

With a new year approaching and a lot of writing ahead, I am grateful to have published for the past fifteen years. I'm even more grateful that I still like it.

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To learn more about Elaine's writing, visit her website or sign up for her newsletter.

Learning to Spot AI in the Writing World and Beyond

 By Elaine L. Orr

I think one of the byproducts of generative artificial intelligence is mistrust. If I get an email from someone I don't know I'm immediately suspicious. It's especially true for book marketing outreach.

At least twice a day I get a friendly email from someone telling me how great one of my books is and how much they can do to propel it to a bestseller list. It can be any book not just new ones. However I had long short story issued in mid December and that has been a popular target.

Though the language isn't always identical the concepts are. Basically I've written something brilliant and they want to help me make money. And maybe pay them a little bit to do it. In checking with author friends it seems we are all getting deluged with these emails.

I do regular chuckles about some of the reels on Facebook. I must have looked at short videos about babies in the past, though I don't remember looking at any besides family. In any event, they now pop up regularly on my Facebook feed and I find it easy to tell which ones are fake. The kids are too cute and the pets they are interacting with are too perfect.

Every day I get one that shows a toddler reacting to having a new infant in the house. The toddler is too articulate for their age, their speech too precise. A lot of three-year-olds are talkative but they don't form all the words perfectly. The toddler in the reel is always furious that there's a new baby. The giveaway is that all the adults do is laugh. Any legitimate mom or dad would be interacting with the toddler not merely laughing at them.

I've also been asking ChatGPT to write very short stories similar to those I write. I name titles of my books that they can use as samples. It's impressive in the sense that they write a few thousand words in less than ten seconds. 

However, each thing they write is full of metaphors. I can't stand overuse of metaphors because I think it detracts from the story. If you're telling a reader that someone's eyes are almost as turquoise as the Caribbean Sea, immediately they're thinking of the time they went to the Bahamas rather than the character in your story.

The real giveaway is that while there is a series of actions and a character may solve a small mystery, there's no cohesion among the character, their actions, and steps necessary to actually solve a crime. In some ways it reminds me of some of the Hercule Poirot stories. He gives you detailed information on how he solved a crime but there's no way a reader was given enough information to do it with him. 

Before you say it's pretty haughty of me to make such a statement, go read a couple of the stories. Of course the setting, the crimes themselves, the characters, and the humor make Agatha Christie's stories far better! I carry a thin book of Poirot and Miss Marple stories so I always have something to read in a doctor's office.

I would like ChatGPT to compile a list of 2026 writers conferences in the Midwest. I'll let you know if it's a good list.

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To learn more about Elaine's writing, visit her website or sign up for her newsletter.