INSPIRATION FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES by Sally Carpenter
Hi, Marilyn, thanks for hosting me
again. Always a pleasure to guest on your blog.
Marilyn asked me to share where I
got the ideas for my new cozy mystery, “The Quirky Quiz Show Caper,” book four
of the Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series.
This book wraps up the character
arc started in my first book, “The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper,” in which
38-year-old former teen idol and TV star Sandy Fairfax began his career
comeback and attempts to reunite with his estranged family. In the previous
books we met Sandy’s parents, his sister and his ex.
In “Quiz Show,” readers finally
encounter Sandy’s brother, Warren, a college professor. Since every member of
Sandy’s family is musically inclined, naturally Warren teaches music. The
futuristic architecture—it was futuristic when built in the 1960s—of the
college buildings is based on the Oral Roberts University campus. I’ve been to
ORU. When I was in high school, my church youth group took a mission trip to
New Mexico and we stopped for the night in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Some of us visited
the campus, although all I remember is seeing the Prayer Tower and sweltering
in the high humidity.
Warren also plays the organ for an
old art deco theater in Van Nuys. I love theatre organs and have seen/heard at
least three in various cities. I also adore old historic theaters and felt one
would be a fun place for my characters to romp in.
At the end of the previous book
(“The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper”), we learned that the orchestra founded and
directed by Sandy’s father is facing bankruptcy. In “Quiz Show,” the family is
planning a gala fundraiser. I live in an area where high-priced benefits for
various worthy causes take place weekly. These events have the same features:
cocktails, dinner, silent and live actions, casino games and sometimes a celebrity
performance. My gala is black tie attire, mainly because Sandy looks sharp in a
tuxedo (he looks good in anything, really), even though he doesn’t like wearing
one.
I originally planned to title the
book “The Bloody Black Tie Gala Caper” but the fundraiser itself only lasted
one night and wasn’t enough for a 200-page book. I had to give Sandy something
else to do. In the previous books he had given concerts and acted on a TV
sitcom. I don’t like repetition so he needed something new to do.
“Hollywood Squares” came to mind.
Many actors have appeared on that show over the years. With Sandy’s charm and
quick wit, he’d be a natural. However, due to copyright issues I couldn’t use
“Squares” so I created my own cheesy game show, “Raise The Stakes.”
About the time I began writing
this book I re-watched the movie “Quiz Show.” Yes, you’re right, from that I
got the idea that the games on “RTS” were not completely honest. What does
Sandy do when the show’s producer orders him to take a dive live on national
TV? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
“The Quirky Quiz Show Caper” is
available in print and ebook from Cozy Cat Press on Amazon.com.
My bio:
Sally Carpenter is native
Hoosier now living in Moorpark, Calif.
She has a
master’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school her
plays “Star Collector” and “Common Ground” were finalists in the American
College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition.
Carpenter
also has a master’s degree in theology and a black belt in tae kwon do.
She’s
worked as an actress, college writing instructor, theater critic, jail
chaplain, and tour guide/page for Paramount Pictures. She’s now employed at a
community newspaper.
In her
Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series are: “The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper” (2012
Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel), “The Sinister Sitcom
Caper,” “The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper” and “The Quirky Quiz Show Caper.”
She has
short stories in two anthologies: “Dark
Nights at the Deluxe Drive-in” in “Last Exit to Murder” and “Faster Than a Speeding Bullet” in “Plan
B: Omnibus.”
She
penned chapter three of “Chasing the Codex,” a group mystery written by 34
authors with Cozy Cat Press.”
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