Ellen here, happy to welcome back my friend – and neighbor – Nancy Cole Silverman. Yes, neighbor! Nancy and I only live a few blocks from each other and do power walks on a weekly basis where we hash out life and writing issues. We both love it. Anyway, Nancy has dropped by today to talk about The House That Vanity Built, the second book in her Misty Dawn Mysteries. Nancy, the e-floor is yours…
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get – Reading?
Most of us are familiar with the old axiom, ‘When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough get
Going,’ or some variation of it. Insert whatever word you like; Shopping, Weird. Name one. But for me, when the going gets tough, I turn to a good book. So, when I sat down to write the first of the new Misty Dawn Mysteries, I was hoping I might offer some form of escapism for both myself and my readers, and Misty Dawn, a former Hollywood psychic to the stars, and her sidekick shade Wilson Thorne seemed just the thing.
I had pulled Misty from the pages of my Carol Childs Mysteries, which take place present-day, inside of a busy Los Angeles newsroom. Misty, an aging hippie, had arrived in L.A. back in the sixties in an old flower-painted Volkswagon bus, selling love potions. Remember those? Flash forward fifty years and Misty’s former clientele that included the likes of Liz Taylor, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and a president’s wife who had Misty’s number on speed dial, and our heroine has fallen on hard times. Consequently, Misty was living under Carol’s roof until a client offered Misty her brother’s home. Enter the recently deceased Wilson Thorne, a set designer, who doesn’t understand he had died and needs Misty’s help to move on.
All pretty surreal, right? And great for escapism.
The problem being, I knew nothing about psychics, nor do I believe in them. But Misty wouldn’t leave me alone. So, being a former journalist, I decided I would interview a few local mediums. Not to be read by them mind you, but to ask who it is they read for and what were the more common questions asked. I came away with more than I had hoped to learn and lots of ideas.
The books, of which there will be three, basically wrote themselves. The ideas, once I gave myself over to Misty and Wilson, refused to be denied. Try as I might to go in a different direction with a plotline or ideas of my own, and passages—entire scenes even—would refuse to budge, and on more than one occasion disappeared from the page. Like packman eating the letters across the screen, words vanished right in front of my eyes. Creepy, right?
One reviewer, upon reading the first book in the series, The House on Hallowed Ground, even suggested I was channeling Thorne Smith, the creator of Topper. He believed I’d selected Wilson Thorne’s name as a subtle homage to Topper’s creator. Had I?
If I had channeled Thorne Smith, I’d no idea. Only that each book has led to more research and startling finds than I had anticipated. While the first book led me to interview psychics, book two, THE HOUSE THAT VANITY BUILT, led me to research bees and the effects of bee pollen. Did you know bee venom is a popular additive in cosmetics, considered by some to be the new botox? Or that it’s possible, as Misty would say, to milk a bee for its venom?
It’s all great escapism, with my hope to bring readers joy during this stressful time.
So, how dear readers, have you been? And what form of escapism have you allowed yourself during these stressful times?
Synopsis: Misty Dawn, a former Hollywood psychic to the stars, knows the dark and sometimes glamorous streets of Los Angeles are full of secrets, broken promises, and dashed hopes. When a young woman comes to her door because she’s lost her engagement ring and is afraid to tell her fiancé (the son of one of the world’s biggest cosmetics empires), Misty senses it’s no accident. Together Misty Dawn and her psychic charge, Wilson Thorne, must not only sneak behind the walls of the Conroy Estate (aka The House That Vanity Built), but go beyond the veil where the luminaries have laid plans to seek revenge. Murder, lust, and a quest for a fountain of youth are hidden inside a family’s secret, one that threatens to upend the young woman’s life, and quite possibly, Misty’s.
BIO: After twenty-five years in news and talk radio, Nancy Cole Silverman retired to write fiction. Silverman has two series with Henery Press, THE CAROL CHILDS MYSTERIES, featuring a single mom who works as an investigative reporter, and the MISTY DAWN MYSTERIES, centered on an aging Hollywood Psychic to the Stars, and her sidekick shade Wilson, a former Hollywood set designer. She also has written and produced numerous short stories, some of which are available on her website; www.nancycolesilverman.com. Silverman lives in Los Angeles with her husband and thoroughly pampered standard poodle, Ali.
Chicks on the Case 
Welcome, Nancy! Unfortunately, my concentration has been lacking these past few months, and I have found myself reading less than normal. But reading is still my favorite form of escape, and I’m sure things will be back to normal eventually. Congrats on the new series!
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Remember double-tasking? If there is one skill set I’m doing less of now it’s trying to balance multiple projects at once. Instead, I’m focusing more on the moment. The slower pace feels good, and reading doesn’t require me to be on the clock. Stay well, and read on.
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Hope you get back to reading soon, Marla!
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Thanks, Jennifer! I’m definitely still reading, it just seems to be taking forever to finish anything since I can’t concentrate for too long. Hopefully I will be “cured” soon, because there are so many books I want to get to!
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I feel your pain, Marla. My concentration is okay … well, as okay as it ever was … but the older I get, the faster I doze off when I try and read at night. (And I’m defining “night” here as “anytime after 3pm”) It’s so frustrating because I used to be able to read all night long with no trouble. *sad face*
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I can’t imagine caught without a good book. A day is not a day without something to read.
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Escapism. Yes, that is what the world needs now. Loved the first installment and looking forward to picking up the next! Nothing like a well-researched book to lift one’s “spirits.”
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Misty Dawn has been a fun character to write, with more sass and attitude than I allow myself. Definitely a kick n the pants and a roller coaster of a ride. I hope you enjoy The House that Vanity Built. Total escapism.
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Congratulations, Nancy! I waver between optimism and being incredibly ticked off and negative. You caught me on a positive day. 🙂 Stories are always my favorite form of escapism!
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I can relate. Which may be why I had such fun with these books, Misty could jump behind the veil and provided me hours and insights into a world beyond. Stay well and read on.
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Nancy, I love this series! But I also loved the Carol Childs Mysteries.
One wonderful avenue of escape for me is our weekly – now even bi or tri weekly – walks. To get out of the house AND do some brainstorming? Heaven.
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Same. Love getting out of the house! Finding inspiration is a plus!
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Our walks aren’t just a workout but story therapy as well. Thanks for being such a good ear, we’re a good pair.
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What a great rhyme! “A good ear” and “a good pair.” 🙂
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Those VW vans have never left Santa Cruz; we have one (and 2 Beetles) next door to us!
To answer your question, I rarely watch/stream anything during the daytime, but during this time of staying-at-home, I’ve been allowing myself to watch an hour or so in the afternoons when I want (lately it’s been “Picard,” a great treat for this Star Trek fan). But maybe I should rewatch “Topper”…
Thanks so much for visiting the Chicks today, Nancy, and yay for the new book!
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Yes, Corona-time has put an end to my double-tasking and the return to simplier days. Not totally bad. Like you, I find myself taking breaks, even a nap now and again! Most of all, living in the moment. After all, today will be tomorrow’s memories.
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“Psychic to the stars” sounds like a hoot! I have limited time to read most days, but my bewitching hour is from about 5:30am-7am. The world is quiet, I don’t think about what I need to do for the day, and I can escape guilt-free. I wish I could join you and Ellen on your walks, though!
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I wish you could join and Ellen and me, too. I’m a big fan of yours and I know you’d bring a laugh or two. Enjoy your early morning bewitching hour. I’m an early riser as well and love to putter at that hour-after all, what’s not to like, the day has yet to start.
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Aw, you’re so sweet. Early risers UNITE! (You and I could get three walks in before Ellen even rolls out of bed, I bet.)
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So wonderful when you hit that elusive sweet spot while writing, right? I’m definitely reading more these days. Thanks for hanging out with the Chicks today, Nancy!
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There is nothing like a good book to escape and remind me how others have gone through stressful times and learn from them. Read on!
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Congrats on the new book, Nancy!
I have a writer friend who also researched psychics & speaking to ghosts for her WIP. She told me some interesting stories.
Still, I don’t think I would like entire passages of my manuscript wiped out!
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It was a little unnerving. Perhaps I had too many programs open at once. Who knows, I just decided I wouldn’t go down that path and started another scene.
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I’ve been reading a lot more the last few months. It has been a great escape and helped me tremendously. So thank you to you and all the great writers out there for what you do.
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Writers need readers. Thank you.
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Welcome, Nancy, and congrats on the new series!
I’m a big fan of the Carol Childs books, and I KNOW I’m going to love Misty Dawn. And can I say that I’m envious of your psychic-interviewing research? That sounds absolutely fascinating!
Congratulations again, and if you (and Ellen!) are ever in my neighborhood, please count me in for one of your walks.
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And if you’re down our way, come walk with us. It would be fun. In fact, I think I see it our future. 🤔
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The words were disappearing after you wrote them? Please tell us more about that! Did it happen more than once? Were you freaked out?
Congratulations, Nancy!, on the latest Misty Dawn! And you know I LOVE your writing.
So happy that you are visiting us today!
#maliceflashback #psychicfeelings
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Yes! It happened several times. Finally, I decided if this happened it was a message. Now, in full disclosure, I’m not certain I didn’t have too many programs open and something went amiss, but it was chilling, and I decided to take it as a sign.
Oh, and thank you for the compliment- coming from a college writing teacher I treasure it. 😁
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You had me at Topper! Loved the movie with Cary Grant but the TV series was a hoot, too. It featured Leo G. Carroll as the banker…way before he ended up as the head of U.N.C.L.E (one of my many guilty pleasures). But after I close out here, I’m headed over to Amazon for a Misty Dawn fix. If she tickles the funny bones of the Chicks, that’s good enough for me.
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