Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books, Movies, and TV
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of you.
My younger brother just called to wish me a happy day, and I was quite surprised to find out it is today!
(Now I’m going to go take a look at some comments, and I bet some of you already know what day it is!)
P. S. Diane and BB just told us that the Kindle format of Leslie Meier’s St. Patrick Day Murder is now being sold for just $1.99.
(I should start by telling you this has absolutely nothing to do with mystery books.)
It’s been so long since my last rant (well, maybe not THAT long!) that you all are probably thinking I have gotten a dose of niceness. Not to worry, things are normal here!
I have ranted before about our neighborhood grocery store (many times!) and thought I would “make nice” and try not to blast it again. But I simply cannot hold myself back!
I have told you all about HEB (our Texas grocery store chain) knocking out all of the other grocery stores here in San Antonio. Boy! Had I only known that when we first got here our HEB had competitive prices only to get rid of all of their competition. (You know what they say about monopolies!) Skip forward several years, and our HEB is the only game in town. (We have Walmart and Target superstores, which are a nice, but they aren’t able to carry as many grocery items.) Unfortunately, our “regular” HEB grocery stores are becoming less grocery stores, and more “sell-big-money-item” super-size stores.
Apparently HEB has profited a whole lot by this “kick-them-out-of-town” strategy, as they have been building new HEB super-size stores that are simply huge. Luckily, I don’t have little children who I cart around the stores, because the new HEBs make that a real trick for parents. In our neighborhood HEB, as you walk in the “grocery store” the first thing that greets you is some type of big money item marketed toward kids. That’s right, depending on the time of year, you can be sure that you will be greeted by a bouncy-ball ca$tle (or something just as co$tly) to entice your children.
As you keep walking toward the back of the store, to your left you will find the aisles of seasonal candy, decorations, and more candy. Behind the seasonal candy are aisles of toys, including more expensive toys like bicycles. Just what you want to have to maneuver through – after you have finally explained to your little ones that several hundreds of dollars for a huge bouncy-ball castle doesn’t fit in your budget.
Continuing toward the back of the store, you go through – and I am NOT making this up!!! – the big screen television area. Of course, no big screen television area can be complete without the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition >>> so I guess we know who this area is geared to! Not to worry, little children aren’t the ones purchasing the big money televisions, but they make sure your little ones are entertained throughout the store by crowding big screen TVs in the aisles – with animated movies playing all day long.
I could go on and on about the marketing wizardry that takes place over at “My HEB”, but I should probably wrap this up. Before I do, lest you think I’m picking on this mega-money machine, let me finish by telling you why I find their motto “My HEB” preposterous. Their (to me) most blatant marketing “let’s-make-the-shopper-have-to-walk-the-entire-store-to-promote-impulse-buying” ploy: The last time I ventured into “My HEB” I discovered that they have separated the coffee and tea. They have placed each of these items (literally!) on opposite sides of the mega store. Is there a college degree that focuses on how to make more money for the store while making things more difficult for the consumer? If so, we have some Summa Cum Laude graduates right here at “My HEB”!
It is for all of these marketing shenanigans that I actually avoid going to My (neighborhood) HEB. Since they are a monopoly, I drive to another “My HEB” that is just a little farther from our home, but I come home a lot happier. Yes, this “My HEB” also has big screen televisions and aisles of toys, but I don’t have to “obstacle course” nor “scavenger hunt” through this “My HEB”.
Do you remember the days when customer service was more important than marketing?
OK, here’s a warning: If you are reading the comments, then this will all be a repetition. But, this is exactly why I do NOT like authors’ pseudonyms!
One of MJ’s recommendations for the February 2013 list:
“Ada Madison – ‘Function of Murder’ This series is so smart and intellectual. The story is well crafted and well paced (which is why I really like it – it’s such a smooth and even read). The sleuth (Sophie Knowles) is a math professor at a Massachusett’s college. There’s plenty of drama with the characters and the interaction keeps the story moving, holding the reader’s attention. There’s several possible suspects for the murder of a prominent city official during graduation festivities. Also, subplots involve other student problems to resolve throughout the story. Although I haven’t read of her other series (Margaret Grace – Miniature Mystery series), this is obviously a gifted writer/author who knows how to tell a story, with much attention to detail. Don’t be ‘turned off’ by the math professorial connection. I’m NOT a math (or science) person, but it is very relatable to my ‘level’. It’s an entertaining/easy read.”
My reply:
“MJ, have you tried Ada Madison’s Camille Minichino mysteries? Those are the ones that first caught my attention of Ada Madison/Margaret Grace/Camille Minichino. I am now reading all of her Grace mysteries, and will follow those with her Madison books.”
MJ:
“I haven’t read the Minichino books yet, but plan to do so. Originally I had been ‘put off’ by the technicalities of the series, but after reading the Sophie Knowles mysteries, I plan to start with the Hydrogen Murder. Although I haven’t read the Miniature mysteries yet either, I recommended this series to a friend who is a hobbyist in miniatures. She really enjoys that series (and she isn’t even a cozy mystery reader!).”
My reply:
“MJ, I’m not a “miniaturist” nor am I a physicist-type of person, but I truly enjoy both the Miniature Mystery Series and the Periodic Table Mystery Series. I hope other people aren’t staying away from Minichino’s/Grace’s/Madison’s mystery series because they think the authors (really the “author”) is going to get technical. “They” are on my favorite authors list. I always look forward to reading “their” books.
(This comment is one of the reasons I don’t like pseudonyms! They are GREAT when an author isn’t good, and the publisher doesn’t want you to know they write other series >>> that you might try reading UNLESS you know you don’t like one of the author’s pseudonyms! In this case, I like books by two of this author’s pseudonyms so much, that I am going to go ahead and read the author’s other pseudonym’s books.)”
I am serious about this! I think the publishers must be behind this move for every author having a pseudonym, or in some cases two, three, or four of them. I can’t imagine any other reason than because the publisher wants all of the new series to go out as a ” new series by a new author”>>> thus getting more publicity, and better yet, making sure that in case the author’s other series are stinkers, people would try the “new series by a new author.” In the case of the author MJ and I are talking about, I have her listed in my alphabetized favorite authors’ list, in three different places: Margaret Grace, Ada Madison, and Camille Minichino. To me, even with all three of those names, SHE (not they!!!) is a great find. I just wish she only used one alias!
Wouldn’t it be easier for you to follow an author you enjoy if he/she was able to write all of her/his series under one name? What do you think?
(PS>>> I should add that I have talked about this very same problem before, on various occasions! Can you imagine having an Agatha Christie Miss Marple, a Jane Doe Poirot, and a June Dough Tommy & Tuppence?!?)
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I hope you all have wonderful Valentine’s Days.
