Hi everyone, and welcome to the party. A huge thanks to Apryl
for inviting me to join in!
My name is Jana DeLeon and I write humorous mysteries set in
the bayou of Louisiana, which is where I grew up.
Perception and timing are two
important things you must take into account when writing mysteries. There's a
subtle art of misdirection while still giving real clues that must happen, or
the reader might feel cheated at the end of the book, particularly when the
story takes a surprising turn. Sometimes this happens in real life and it makes
a situation humorous. I'd like to share a story with you about my brother and
my grandma that I think you'll enjoy.
First of all, to understand the story, you have to understand a bit about my grandmother. Grandma Heyse was born in 1909 in Louisiana and started picking cotton when she was four. She died just one week before her 93rd birthday. She was widowed in her thirties left with an eighth grade education and seven kids to support, and she did it all on her own. She was an old school Southern Baptist and in fact, worked as the church janitor for decades before retiring at age 85. Religion was part of Grandma, not just something she believed. She was in church every time the doors were open, read her Bible every day, and never missed a Billy Graham special. If faith was ever going to move a mountain, Grandma had the faith to do it. She never drank, never smoked, wouldn't even play Old Maid because she considered it gambling, and didn't cook or sew on Sundays because no work was allowed.
As kids, my brother and I were fairly sure she had a relationship with God so personal that he might just call her directly on a land line and chat. She always seemed to know when we were up to something and exactly what it was. And since she lived next door to us, it was like having a second mother with second sight.
My grandfather died young, and was buried in a cemetery in a secluded wooded section of my hometown in Louisiana. There was no charge for the land or plots. You simply needed to find a spot, bury someone and mark it with the headstone. Well, as time went by and the cemetery grew more crowded, grandma began to worry that someone might "get her spot" next to grandpa, so she decided to pre-purchase her headstone to save her place. The cemetery was really secluded and dark with huge oaks and cypress trees and quite frankly, over the years had become the type of place that women really shouldn't venture to alone. So when my brother was home on leave from the Marine Corps, she asked if he would drive her to the cemetery to ensure everything was in order.
They found my grandfather's grave with grandma's shiny new headstone next to it. My brother stood there, waiting patiently, as Grandma studied the headstone. After a minute, she made that "hhhmmmmmpffff" sound that she always made when something had perturbed her and said to my brother, "Well, they got the date wrong."
Now, bear in mind what I just told you about my grandma and her life.
My brother panicked and his first thought was "My God, she knows when she's going to die!"
First of all, to understand the story, you have to understand a bit about my grandmother. Grandma Heyse was born in 1909 in Louisiana and started picking cotton when she was four. She died just one week before her 93rd birthday. She was widowed in her thirties left with an eighth grade education and seven kids to support, and she did it all on her own. She was an old school Southern Baptist and in fact, worked as the church janitor for decades before retiring at age 85. Religion was part of Grandma, not just something she believed. She was in church every time the doors were open, read her Bible every day, and never missed a Billy Graham special. If faith was ever going to move a mountain, Grandma had the faith to do it. She never drank, never smoked, wouldn't even play Old Maid because she considered it gambling, and didn't cook or sew on Sundays because no work was allowed.
As kids, my brother and I were fairly sure she had a relationship with God so personal that he might just call her directly on a land line and chat. She always seemed to know when we were up to something and exactly what it was. And since she lived next door to us, it was like having a second mother with second sight.
My grandfather died young, and was buried in a cemetery in a secluded wooded section of my hometown in Louisiana. There was no charge for the land or plots. You simply needed to find a spot, bury someone and mark it with the headstone. Well, as time went by and the cemetery grew more crowded, grandma began to worry that someone might "get her spot" next to grandpa, so she decided to pre-purchase her headstone to save her place. The cemetery was really secluded and dark with huge oaks and cypress trees and quite frankly, over the years had become the type of place that women really shouldn't venture to alone. So when my brother was home on leave from the Marine Corps, she asked if he would drive her to the cemetery to ensure everything was in order.
They found my grandfather's grave with grandma's shiny new headstone next to it. My brother stood there, waiting patiently, as Grandma studied the headstone. After a minute, she made that "hhhmmmmmpffff" sound that she always made when something had perturbed her and said to my brother, "Well, they got the date wrong."
Now, bear in mind what I just told you about my grandma and her life.
My brother panicked and his first thought was "My God, she knows when she's going to die!"
It didn't even occur to him that she was talking about her
date of birth.
Keep reading to meet the other awesome authors in the Romance Blogfest!! :)
I could use a little humor.
ReplyDeleteI love your books and enjoyed reading about your grandma
ReplyDeleteYour swamp team ladies have absolutely perfect timing and humor; thanks for all the laughs and stunners, Ms. Jana. I couldn't ask for a better series ♡ blue ribbon for you
ReplyDeleteLove the swamp team stories! Thanks for the laughs, sometimes to myself and often out loud!
ReplyDeleteThe perfect combination of mystery, suspense and humor. I have read every Miss Forums books, more than once. I recommend these books to everyone I know and they have replied that they are the best books they have ever read! Keep writing these wonderful books. Thanks Jana
ReplyDelete😂😂😂I just love your grandma story. She sounds like she was a hoot!
ReplyDelete