  Mystery
This week: Revisionist History Edited by: Jeff  
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"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."
-- Carl Sagan
Random Mystery Trivia of the Week: Jeffrey Archer, in addition to being a bestselling author, also lived a personal life that rivaled those of many of his characters. A wealthy British citizen, he became a member of Parliament, but lost his first fortune and his credibility in a fraudulent investment scheme. The success of his novels brought him back to popularity and he eventually became deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, but resigned after a scandal involving a prostitute. He subsequently ran for mayor of London, but was forced to drop out when he was charged with perjury and perverting the course of justice in a prior libel case, which ultimately lead to his own conviction and imprisonment.
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REVISIONIST HISTORY
When most of us were in school, history was a subject of absolutes. Events and dates and facts about what happened and when, who won and who lost, where it took place, et cetera. From what I remember about my high school history classes, it was a lot of memorization and seemingly objective statements about what happened in the past.
Then I got to college and started taking more involved history classes, and other social sciences like anthropology and sociology, which examined particular issues and events in greater detail. What I learned from these classes was that - while my high school classes were really good about giving an overview of a particular event - the details of the event were often far more complex and intricate than a simple matter of what was being fought over, and who emerged victorious from the conflict. In many cases, it wasn't just a matter of the noble Christopher Columbus discovering a new world, or brave frontiersman expanding into the untamed American West. There's often another aspect to these events, whether it's the subjugation of native peoples to achieve a goal, ulterior motives for their actions, or sometimes even details and information that's omitted by accident or on purpose.
Don't worry, this isn't going to be a historical lecture.  But I think it's interesting that there's often so much more to history that general story that most people know. When someone decides to really research an event from the past, there's often untold treasure troves of additional information that can completely reshape someone's interpretation of the event. Supposed heroes can become downright villainous, and nobodies can become heroes.
What does this have to do with writing? Only the fact that history - believed to be immutable facts in black and white - can have varying shades of gray; hidden secrets and shady pasts that rest just beneath the surface that everyone takes for granted. When it comes to your own writing, especially in the mystery genre, so much of your story is about uncovering the truth; about those hidden secrets and shady pasts. Don't be afraid to lead your reader down a certain path, to let them believe a certain "truth" of a past event. Then, as the reader (and the characters) delve deeper into the past, realize that there's more to the story than originally thought. Heck, maybe even the commonly believed surface story got everything completely wrong. If real-life events can be mis-characterized and misunderstood, it should be a piece of cake for your fictional characters and stories. 
There's an old saying that history is written by the victors. But that doesn't always mean that it's 100% the truth, or that there isn't a deeper, more complex story to be told. Whether the issue is historical research or writing a mystery story, don't ever be satisfied with the general story that everyone's been told. Dig deeper and find out all those shocking secrets that are just waiting to be found. Allow yourself to rewrite history in pursuit of the real truth.
Until next time,
-- Jeff
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Are there any historical events (personal or otherwise) that you discovered were very different than you originally believed?
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This week, I would encourage you to check out the following mystery items:
I suppose I was going crazy. Oh, this is not to say that this was actually unusual for me. Periodically, I looked at the world around me and simply knew that the world was mad and I the only sane member of it.
Kellan pressed himself close to the cool metal wall as he peered down the dim, cluttered corridor. Red light glowed from behind the grates in the ceiling. He took a deep breath and silently reassured himself as he surveyed the contents of the hallway. He had to do this. He held his silver gun up in front of his face, twisting it in his hand. He wondered if this would work. What if the gun malfunctioned? What if he couldn’t bring himself to pull the trigger at the crucial moment? He let his mind wander to the potential consequences of a failed attempt at this kill. He’d be at the mercy of whatever mercenaries accompanied Filip.
As I listened to the strange, feminine voice on the other end of the phone, Ran felt chills snake quickly down his back. He tried to suppress a shudder that, nonetheless took over his shoulders and arms. The lady’s voice was not familiar, but her alluringly stern words were: “Stop celebrating with her! I’m your real mother.”
The sun was setting and Jen still hadn’t finished changing the flat tire that had left her stranded on an unmarked country road in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone reception. It was just her luck to take a short cut and end up being late for the one event of the year that required her attendance. Her attire, a long dress and high heels, didn’t speed things along, either.
It was a bright spring day in Chesney upon Tyne, 1921. Marline Hodburry was just getting the post which had come through the letter slot. . The usual mail seemed to have come, the church bulletin from St. Michaels, and few advertisements . However there was one piece of mail which stuck out among the rest. A blue envelope of high quality stationary with a silver eagle sticker on the back. The Hodburry’s had never gotten anything like this in the mail. Cards came from family of course but not like this.
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| ASIN: 0995498113 |
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In response to my last newsletter on travel (the question was regarding wanderlust and the appeal of double lives):
I think if you're a writer or just a reader you most certainly have Wanderlust. Why else do it? Personally I'm a gypsy at heart. While not a world traveler, I've meandered my way across the country any number of times, preferring the old highways to the interstate roads. Taking them you're forced to slow down and observe. If you're a true wanderer, speed isn't as important as discovery. -- drifter46
That's a great point... as readers and writers, isn't escaping into another world kind of a requirement? And I couldn't agree with you more... the speed and even destination are really secondary to the experience and the discovery for someone truly afflicted with wanderlust.
Travel is always hectic, especially when spaceships and magic are involved. -- BIG BAD WOLF is Merry 
If airports are this much of a hassle now, I can only imagine what will happen when we can take not only international flights, but interstellar ones as well!
Great NL Jeff. I have never really thought about it in depth but leading a double life is probably even more common than we think, especially considering the anonymous nature of the internet. I'm not much of a traveler, although I've been a lot of places - strange to think that way but it's true. Your NL's always really make me think and in turn, want to write. Thanks for the inspiration! -- Brooke 
Thank you, Brooke. I agree; I think that double lives, in grand terms like spies or con men or extravagant extramarital affairs might be less common, but I would be willing to bet that quite a few people lead or would like to lead a double life if it merely means an escape from your own particular corner of the world for a little while.
I predict the latest DB Cooper story will not pan out. If you ask me he died after jumping out of the plane. -- DB Cooper 
Sorry to hear that the story didn't pan out. And my condolences!
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Amazon's Price: $ 19.95
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Mystery: August 10, 2011 Issue [#4550]
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