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Vol. VI, No. 6
In this issue:
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For antiques dealer Josie Prescott, an abandoned storage unit is the
perfect place to find some killer treasure, but finding a dead body
amongst the wares is more than she bargained for.
Sponsored by Lehman College’s City and Humanities program, Jane’s visual lecture is free and open to the public. 
May I ask a favor? Please ask your librarian to order it! 
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Vol. VI, No. 5
In this issue:
Jane Spoke About “Smuggling Dolls” at the
Westport, CT Library… She’ll Come to Your Venue, Too!
Does your organization, book club, or library host events? Jane would love to participate! She can deliver one of her many visual lectures, business communications training workshops, or participate in your book club discussion. Contact Jane directly for more information! |
Talk about putting on putting on the dog! Look at the cake the gorgeous, thoughtful, brilliant Jane Murphy, a librarian in Westport, CT organized for a recent talk brought to the event! So special! (And how cute is her “Me, Jane” photo?!)
Jane’s talk on “Smuggling Dolls” fits with her latest Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery, 
A Detective Takes on the Nazis
-Come to MA in Jan 2013
Join Jane on Thursday, January 10, 2013 at MIT’s spectacular Endicott House for an evening of delectable food and wine and an engaging, informative presentation. Jane’s presentation on “Finding Stolen Art: A Detective Takes on the Nazis” tells the story of the Nazi’s plunder of art (a fact that’s pivotal to the plot of Consigned to Death).
According to Interpol and the FBI, the Nazis stole almost 20 percent of all Western art. 
To this day, more than 20,000 objects are still missing. This visual lecture traces one woman’s effort to recover her family’s art. It’s a real David vs. Goliath tale—inspirational and fun!
For more information or to reserve your spot, call Michael R. Fitzgerald, General Manager, at 617.715.4901 or email him at mrfitzg@MIT.ED.
Dolled Up for Murder got two terrific reviews last week—by the great (and Edgar-winning) Joe Meyers in the Connecticut Post and by the great John Valeri in Hartford Books Examiner.
Here’s what Antiques to Die For is about: When the body of a lively new acquaintance, Rosalie Chaffee, washes up on New Hampshire's rugged coastline, antiques dealer Josie Prescott is pulled into the mystery. A blow to the head suggests foul play. And when the victim's much younger sister, twelve-year-old Paige, asks for help, Josie finds herself doing what she does best—hunting for a valuable antique.
Paige can't tell Josie what exactly they're looking for. All her sister told her before she died was that it was worth a lot of money, and Paige fears greedy relatives are already scheming. As suspicion falls on the victim's boss, the CEO of a modular furniture company about whom Rosalie was penning a biography, the mystery deepens. Soon, an illicit love affair, a devious wife, an old diary and a threatening stalker steer Josie closer to the truth—and a killer surprise.
Read an excerpt! Are you a member of a book club? Here are the discussion questions (and martini recipe!)
for Antiques to Die For. Buy your copy today!
It's available in large print, too!
Silent Movie Posters Were Hand Painted
From 1924 to 1928, Batiste Madalena had designed and painted nearly 1,500 movie posters for the Eastman Theatre in Rochester, New York using tempera on illustrator board. When the Eastman Theater changed hands, the new owners trashed all the old posters, literally putting them out on the curb. Luckily, Madalena saw what was happening in time to rescue a few hundred of them. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) in New York City featured his work in a 2008 exhibition. Silent movie posters are the pivotal antique in the eighth Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery, Lethal Treasure, which will be published by St. Martin’s Minotaur in June 2013.
—did you suffer any damage from Hurricane Sandy?
Karla from Omaha
A: Thanks for asking… we’re fine… our midtown Manhattan neighborhood was spared Sandy’s fury. Our landmark casement windows held. Our power never went off. The plants on my terrace survived without damage. Many other areas in the tri-state area were hit much harder than ours.
Taken by a surveillance camera around 9:30 p.m. on Monday, October. 29,
2012, this Port Authority of New York and New Jersey photo shows the PATH
station in Hoboken, N.J., flooding.
I hope you’re all safe and sound, too.
The Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries. "Ingenious ... engaging!" Publishers Weekly.
www.janecleland.net Jane does Business Communications training work, too! www.janecleland.com
P.S. Please add "Jane_K._Cleland@mail.vresp.com" to your address book!
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Vol VI, No. 4
In this issue:
“What’s It’s Worth” is Back on the Website—Get Ready for Fun!
Want to see more? Here ya go! Click on this link to “What’s It Worth? You Be the Judge!” |
Here’s the Cover Art for LETHAL TREASURE,
Josie #8, Out Next June
Once again, Hank is a cover boy! You’ll note that he’s playing with movie film… the pivotal antique is silent movie posters.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Join Jane at the magnificent Endicott House for an inspiring writing weekend— January 11-13, 2013. You’ll find your unique writer’s voice as you journey through six modules with thought-provoking workshops and inspirational activities. Click here for the detailed agenda. This weekend workshop is intimate, appropriate for both novices and more experienced writers, including those who’ve participated in Jane’s past workshops. Here’s some comments from past attendees (some of whom will be back in January!):
- “You are amazing. Thanks for a truly fabulous weekend. I came back with a glow.” Lita Nelsen
- “It was probably late Monday afternoon before I came down from the high of this past weekend... I left feeling inspired, invigorated and renewed. Some people can write and some can teach, you are one of those unique individuals who can do both! Thank you for sharing your expertise so generously with us, and for putting together a program that seemed to touch us all, regardless of our different backgrounds and experiences.” Deb Carlson
- “Thank you for a wonderful inspiring weekend. I really enjoyed your workshops. You have the talent to engage your audience and share all your knowledge. Your warm understanding feedback was a pleasure to hear. Thank you again. I am off writing.” Theresa Jay
- “Thank you so much for the Rubric and for the wonderful and inspiring weekend. I am looking forward to editing a few pieces that I have had tucked away in my desk for too long. Also, several of the prompts you gave us over the weekend provided me with insight about where I need to go with my writing. Now I am actually looking forward to getting back to working on my memoir!” Jean Mudge
- “I just returned from an amazing Aspiring Writer’s weekend at MIT’s Endicott House. I was absolutely WOWED by everyone’s writing, honesty and openness, including Jane’s, who shared above and beyond my expectations and turned a group of strangers into a family.” Elizabeth Dougherty
To register, buy a gift certificate for someone you love, or for more information, please call 617-253-5211 or email info@mitendicotthouse.org. Questions about the workshop content, the instructional design, or whether you’d feel comfortable attending? Email Jane directly.
Verdura’s Wrapped Heart
A secondary plot on 2013’s Lethal Treasure, involves a gorgeous wrapped heart by the legendary jewelry designer, Fulco di Verdura. Verdura designed one-of-a-kind pieces for many of the most glamorous women in the world including Coco Chanel, Babe Paley, Greta Garbo, and the Duchess of Windsor, among scores of other leaders of 1940s society. If a brooch such as this were to sell today, assuming provenance could be confirmed, it would likely fetch more than $250,000.
Q: Joni from Connecticut sent an email saying, “In Dolled Up for Murder, Josie drinks a Diet Coke… I would like it if you would persuade readers to drink something healthy.”
A: Jane replied: “Josie doesn’t drink Diet Coke often… she prefers martinis." ☺
Joni wrote: “You are so cool. Martini's are more healthy, of course.”
Each book features a special martini. And in each book, Josie always uses her father’s favorite toast, “Here’s to silver light in the dark of night.”
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Vol VI, No. 3
In this issue:
 Smuggling Dolls—the Genesis of Dolled Up for Murder In the latest Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery, Dolled Up for Murder, there’s a Civil War theme, which required in-depth research. Here’s a comment from Jane on what she learned in the process:
Excerpt from Dolled Up for Murder
Downstairs, I made a beeline for Hank’s area. He was curled up in his basket, asleep. I squatted beside him and stroked under his chin, his favorite place to be rubbed. Second favorite was his tummy. “Hank,” I cooed, “you’re such a good boy. Are you a good boy, Hank? Yes, you are. What a good boy.” Hank’s fur was mostly silver with charcoal and apricot highlights. His vet called the color chinchilla. Hank had lived at Prescott’s for just over a year now, ever since Gretchen had spotted him wandering around outside. We hadn’t been able to find his owner, so we’d adopted him. It had taken him about a minute to settle in. It had taken me about two minutes to fall in love with him. “I’m leaving a little early, Hank. I’ll see you tomorrow… okay?” He turned his head just enough to lick my hand. His eyes stayed closed. I stood up and he settled back in, curling into a tight little comma. Buy your copy today! Also, please ask your librarian for the book, and if it’s not in their collection, ask them to order it! Thanks! Cara’s Raspberry Lemon Lace Squares—Barbara’s Solution
Calling All Book Clubs! Jane Wants to Participate!
Jane loves participating in book club discussions. Thought-provoking book club discussion questions for Dolled Up for Murder have been posted online. These questions are guaranteed to result in lively discussions. Jane loves to attend or call in book club discussions. Contact her directly to set up a time! A New Author’s Tribute to Jane’s
Favorite Mystery Author: Rex Stout Read this lovely tribute to the creator of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin from a fellow St. Martin’s Minotaur author. Jane integrates all sorts of Wolfean trivia into her Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries for her pals in the Wolfe Pack. If you don’t know Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe stories, you’re in for a treat! Jane recommends starting with one written in 1950s or 60s.
Antiques Fact: Did You Know?
Antique Dolls Need Furniture, Too!
Ask Jane: How Do You Select the
Antiques Featured in Your Books?
The Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries. "Ingenious ... engaging!" Publishers Weekly. P.S. Please add "Jane_K._Cleland@mail.vresp.com" to your address book! |
In researching dolls of the Civil War era, I came across a doll named Nina who, it seems, came to America from Europe with her papier mâché head filled with morphine or quinine, an effort orchestrated by Southern sympathizers to get medical supplies past the Union blockade and into the hands of sick Confederate soldiers. Nina lives in the Museum of the Confederacy, by the way, in Richmond, Virginia. Nina hid medical supplies. Think what else could be hidden in dolls’ heads or in their hollowed out legs, or under their clothing, strapped to their little bodies. Jewels, perhaps, or gold coins, or military secrets… or who knows what else. And that’s the genesis of dolls in 
Enough of that. Let’s do what Josie does when she’s upset or confused. She finds her Maine Coon cat, Hank. Since smuggling dolls is so dark, I thought you might enjoy reading a brief excerpt from 
Several readers wrote for the recipe for the Raspberry Lemon Lace Squares Cara baked in 
Jane: I try to find an antique that will interest readers. Also, Josie needs to be able to use it to solve a crime. It’s not as easy as it sounds. I make a lot of false starts before I find the one. In Josie #8, |
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Vol VI, No. 2
In this issue:
Dolled Up for Murder Is Getting Great Reviews Dolled Up for Murder, from Publishers Weekly to Library Journal and from librarian and blogger Lesa Holstein in Arizona to Fresh Fiction reviewer and blogger Jen Vido in Maryland, the reviews for the seventh Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery, Dolled Up for Murder. have been stellar. Here’s a sample: “In Cleland’s winning seventh Josie Prescott antiques mystery… the action builds to a seamless and fitting conclusion.” www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-250-00184-9 "... a winning cozy series." Library Journal “Beautifully written,” Lesa Holstein www.lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com “Just the right amount of intrigue paired with quirky, lovable characters.” Fresh Fiction, review by Jen Vido http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=32548. Buy your copy today! Also, please ask your librarian for the book, and if it’s not in their collection, ask them to order it! Thanks! LIM College Hosted a Fabulous Launch Party… the Down-side of Blue Martinis
A Non-Josie Short Story: “Last Supper” Appears in the June 2012
Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Now on Newsstands “Last Supper,” a short story that appears in the June 2012 Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine (now on newsstands) introduces a new character, Laney, a 12 year-old orphan. Laney might be young, but that doesn’t mean she’s blind to human frailty or stupid. She knows that people almost always do what they want or need to do—no matter what they say to the contrary. I hope you’ll enjoy meeting her.
DEADLY THREADS Now Available in Paperback!
Jane’s Going on Tour! Come Say Hello!
From New Hampshire to Arizona, Jane’s hitting the road! Come join her… she loves meeting readers!
Book Clubs: Discussion Questions for DOLLED UP FOR MURDER Available On-line (along with the recipe for Blue Martinis!) 
Thought-provoking book club discussion questions for Dolled Up for Murder have been posted online. These questions are guaranteed to result in lively discussions. Jane loves to attend or call in book club discussions. Contact her directly to set up a time!
Antiques Fact: Did You Know?
Union Currency is Rarer Than Confederate Currency
Meet Barry Simpson, whom Josie describes as the “numismatist to the stars.” Here’s a snippet from Chapter Eight of Dolled Up for Murder: “This is Union currency, issued to support the Civil War. It’s way rarer than Confederate money, because fewer were printed. Best guess is that there’s only between three and five thousand extant. If this is genuine, it’s an example of the first ever federally issued one-dollar bill. Think on that… the first ever. That’s Salmon Chase on the front. He was secretary of the treasury under Lincoln, and is considered the man who bankrolled the Civil War. In as good condition as this appears to be, which is to say uncirculated, it’s worth two thousand dollars, maybe more.”
Ask Jane: How Do You Pick the Martinis You Feature in the Books?
Ask Jane: How do you pick the martinis you feature in the books? Jane: I have fun with it! After this year’s launch party a bunch of us went out for a nibble and we talked about which martini Josie might try next. Now that I’m writing Josie #8, I know the answer. (Josie’s told me her choice!) But I’m not telling you yet!
The Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries. "Ingenious ... engaging!" Publishers Weekly. P.S. Please add "Jane_K._Cleland@mail.vresp.com" to your address book! |
The sixth Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery, 