What am I writing? ‘The Woman in the Library’ told me

What am I writing? ‘The Woman in the Library’ told me

Regular readers of these posts will recall that I have been writing mystery novels — or, if you prefer, detective stories –– for much of the time ( eight years ) I’ve written this blog.

Imagine my amazement, then, when I was reading Sulari Gentill’s amazing mystery “The Woman in the Library” (copyright 2022, Poisoned Pen Press, an imprint of Sourcebooks) and discovered that it wasn’t really mystery or detection that I was writing at all!

It’s hard for me to tell much about the tale — partly because I don’t want to spoil it, and partly because this episode in Chapter Eleven so impressed me that I’m writing about it before I finish the book. But suffice to say for this excerpt that a group of new friends, bound together by the events of Chapter One (which I did say I wouldn’t spoil), includes the narrator of the story, who is a writer. One of her neighbors turns out to be a writer, too.

Neighbors Leo and Winfred (Freddie) are getting to know one another, and they’re talking about their manuscripts. Each wants to know how the other writes, and also what they are writing. “I ask him about his novel,” Freddie reports, then adds:

“I fancy that Leo writes historical fiction, and for some reason I’m convinced his era is the Roman Empire. I have no reason to suppose this… it’s just a fancy.

“Romance,” he says. “I write romance.”

My surprise clearly needs no words because he continues to explain. “My agent will tell you it’s a story about passionate friendships and reluctant relationships in modern America, but really it’s a romance.”

“Oh… set today?” I’m still thinking gladiators.

“Modern America, remember.”

“Have you… have you always written romance?”

“Yes, and what’s more, so have you. The mystery writers, the historical novelists, the political thriller writers, the science fiction writers… everybody but the people who write instruction manuals is writing romance. We dress our stories up with murders, and discussions about morality and society, but really we just care about relationships.”

“You can’t be serious. You’re saying Stephen King writes romances?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Leo sits back in the sofa. “The killer clown is entertaining, and all that, but what we’re really interested in is whether the fat kid gets the pretty girl.”

There are many other wonderful moments in “The Woman in the Library,” I can say with just over 100 pages left to read, knowing that some I haven’t read yet will equal what I’ve read already for that power — and for the laugh-out-loud joy of another scene. But the diagnosis here — I’m a romance writer! — has put “The Woman in the Library” on my Sustaining Books list already, along with making it a very strong candidate for my favorite new book of 2022.

There’s a wonderful puzzle left to solve, but after I become “the woman in the library” myself and have to take this copy back, I will be a different writer for having read it.

I don’t exactly endorse things, but this is one of my favorite kind of Sustaining Books.

Filed under:
Sustaining Books, Writing

Advertisement:
Advertisement:

Welcome to ChicagoNow.

Meet
our bloggers,
post comments, or
pitch your blog idea.

Meet The Blogger

Margaret H. Laing

I moved to Chicago from the south suburbs in 1986. I have diverse interests, but I love writing about what I’m interested in. Whether it’s a personal interest or part of my career, the correct words to get the idea across are important to me. I love words and languages — French and Scottish words enrich my American English. My career has included years as a journalist and years working in museums, and the two phases were united by telling stories. I’m serious about words and stories. So here I am, ready to tell stories about words and their languages.

Subscribe by Email

Completely spam free, opt out any time.

Monthly Archives

July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014

Latest on ChicagoNow

What am I writing? ‘The Woman in the Library’ told me

from Margaret Serious by Margaret H. Laing posted today at 9:51 am

Chicago Gourmet 2022: tickets and information

from Show Me Chicago by Carole Kuhrt Brewer posted today at 8:38 am

Familiar to his new coach, Eastern DE Miles also recognized by conference foes

from Prairie State Pigskin by Dan Verdun posted today at 5:00 am

PHOTOS: SpaceX Dragon Docks to Space Station, Delivers Science Experiments and Cargo

from Cosmic Chicago by Michael Galindo posted Tuesday at 6:48 pm

What’s Happening This Week in Space: July 18th, 2022

from Cosmic Chicago by Sophie Sanchez posted Tuesday at 1:49 pm

Read these ChicagoNow blogs

Cubs Den

Chicago Cubs news and comprehensive blog, featuring old school baseball writing combined with the latest statistical trends

Pets in need of homes

Pets available for adoption in the Chicago area

Hammervision

It’s like the couch potato version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Advertisement:

About ChicagoNow

FAQs

Advertise

Recent posts RSS

Privacy policy (Updated)

Comment policy

Terms of service

Chicago Tribune Archives

Do not sell my personal info

©2022 CTMG – A Chicago Tribune website –
Crafted by the News Apps team

Read More

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *