What a pleasure! I love it when an author writes a guest post about libraries. I think you’ll enjoy Margaret Lucke’s piece. Let me introduce you to the author of the Claire Scanlan Haunted House books.
Margaret Lucke flings words around in the San Francisco Bay
Area. She writes
tales of love, ghosts, and murder, sometimes all three in one book. Her Claire Scanlan Haunted House series includes House of Whispers and the just released House of Desire. She also writes mysteries featuring artist and private
investigator Jess Randolph, the latest of which is Snow Angel. Margaret is the editor of Fault Lines, a short story anthology published last year by the
Northern California chapter of Sisters in Crime. She teaches fiction writing
classes and workshops, and has written how-to books on the craft of writing
fiction.
Area. She writes
tales of love, ghosts, and murder, sometimes all three in one book. Her Claire Scanlan Haunted House series includes House of Whispers and the just released House of Desire. She also writes mysteries featuring artist and private
investigator Jess Randolph, the latest of which is Snow Angel. Margaret is the editor of Fault Lines, a short story anthology published last year by the
Northern California chapter of Sisters in Crime. She teaches fiction writing
classes and workshops, and has written how-to books on the craft of writing
fiction.
Thank you, Margaret, for sharing your story.
*****
About
Books, Shelves, and the Libraries that Hold Them
Books, Shelves, and the Libraries that Hold Them
by
Margaret Lucke
Margaret Lucke
A big thrill for
an author comes the first time they see their new book on the shelves of their
hometown library or, even better, in a library patron’s hands.
an author comes the first time they see their new book on the shelves of their
hometown library or, even better, in a library patron’s hands.
What is a bigger
thrill is to help bring a library to the place where they live, where none
existed before.
thrill is to help bring a library to the place where they live, where none
existed before.
When I was a kid I
loved to browse the shelves of my school library and the public library nearby.
I wanted to be a writer when I grew up, and I loved to run my fingers along the
spines of the upright books, reading the titles and the authors’ names. On
reaching the spot where my name would be, I’d push open a little space between
the books by authors whose names fell before and after mine in the alphabet.
Right in that spot—that’s where a book with my name on it would be someday.
loved to browse the shelves of my school library and the public library nearby.
I wanted to be a writer when I grew up, and I loved to run my fingers along the
spines of the upright books, reading the titles and the authors’ names. On
reaching the spot where my name would be, I’d push open a little space between
the books by authors whose names fell before and after mine in the alphabet.
Right in that spot—that’s where a book with my name on it would be someday.
Then I grew up,
moved to the other side of the country, and achieved the dream of having a
couple of books with my name on the cover. What I no longer had was a hometown
library.
moved to the other side of the country, and achieved the dream of having a
couple of books with my name on the cover. What I no longer had was a hometown
library.
When I took up
residence here, my town was the second largest city in California not to have a
public library within its town limits. Many of us wanted to change that. When
the state’s voters passed a library funding bond, we had our chance. Our city
and county governments, the local schools, neighborhood businesses, and
individuals who love libraries banded together to create an application for the
state funds. We appointed a task force to select the right site and a good
architect. We held fundraising drives to raise money for costs that the bond
funds wouldn’t cover. We held town meetings where residents debated the merits
of shelving styles and carpet patterns. We cheered when a crane lifted a large
magnolia tree over the roof and set it in place in the atrium that brings
sunlight into the center of the building.
residence here, my town was the second largest city in California not to have a
public library within its town limits. Many of us wanted to change that. When
the state’s voters passed a library funding bond, we had our chance. Our city
and county governments, the local schools, neighborhood businesses, and
individuals who love libraries banded together to create an application for the
state funds. We appointed a task force to select the right site and a good
architect. We held fundraising drives to raise money for costs that the bond
funds wouldn’t cover. We held town meetings where residents debated the merits
of shelving styles and carpet patterns. We cheered when a crane lifted a large
magnolia tree over the roof and set it in place in the atrium that brings
sunlight into the center of the building.
On the day of the
grand opening, the town had a large and festive celebration. I had my own small
private celebration as I wandered the stacks. There amongst the thousands of
books on the shelves were a few that were written by me. I ran my fingers along
the row of spines, gratified that there was no longer an empty space where my
name belonged.
grand opening, the town had a large and festive celebration. I had my own small
private celebration as I wandered the stacks. There amongst the thousands of
books on the shelves were a few that were written by me. I ran my fingers along
the row of spines, gratified that there was no longer an empty space where my
name belonged.
The library
quickly became the heart of our community, serving the town as a cultural
center, an educational center, and a place of entertainment. It warmly welcomes
local authors.
quickly became the heart of our community, serving the town as a cultural
center, an educational center, and a place of entertainment. It warmly welcomes
local authors.
When my novel House of Whispers came out, the
librarian invited me to do a reading and talk. I’m not sure whether I qualified
as culture, education, or entertainment, but that evening was one of my most
rewarding experiences as author. The room was filled with friends, neighbors,
well wishers, and supporters, all of them eager to hear about my new book.
librarian invited me to do a reading and talk. I’m not sure whether I qualified
as culture, education, or entertainment, but that evening was one of my most
rewarding experiences as author. The room was filled with friends, neighbors,
well wishers, and supporters, all of them eager to hear about my new book.
Now House of Desire, the next in my Claire
Scanlan Haunted House series, has been published. I’m eager to share this story
at the library, to help readers there discover Claire’s mysterious world. She
is a real estate agent with a talent she’d rather not have—when she goes into
certain houses, she can sense presences and energies that no one else detects.
When her philandering brother-in-law is accused of murdering a rival in a grand
San Francisco Victorian, she must risk a perilous journey into the past to find
the only witness—a time-traveling “soiled dove” from the 1890s who is invisible
to everyone but Claire.
Scanlan Haunted House series, has been published. I’m eager to share this story
at the library, to help readers there discover Claire’s mysterious world. She
is a real estate agent with a talent she’d rather not have—when she goes into
certain houses, she can sense presences and energies that no one else detects.
When her philandering brother-in-law is accused of murdering a rival in a grand
San Francisco Victorian, she must risk a perilous journey into the past to find
the only witness—a time-traveling “soiled dove” from the 1890s who is invisible
to everyone but Claire.
Sadly, the library
is currently closed, thanks to the pandemic that has disrupted all of our lives
so profoundly. It has just begun allowing curbside pickup service, a small
hopeful step. I’m eagerly looking forward to the day when it will fully reopen,
when I can find House of Desire on
its shelves and share the book with its patrons. In the meantime I’m at home,
at the computer, plotting out the next Claire Scanlan mystery.
is currently closed, thanks to the pandemic that has disrupted all of our lives
so profoundly. It has just begun allowing curbside pickup service, a small
hopeful step. I’m eagerly looking forward to the day when it will fully reopen,
when I can find House of Desire on
its shelves and share the book with its patrons. In the meantime I’m at home,
at the computer, plotting out the next Claire Scanlan mystery.
Twitter:
@MargaretLucke
@MargaretLucke
Amazon
link:
link:
Great story. I love that she "made a space" on the shelf where her name would go, when she was a kid.
I also love author stories about libraries and this one was great! Well done to Margaret and her community for banding together in order to have a library. Love that. Since her new book is available for my Kindle, I'll take a look and see if it might be a good match for me. Thanks for sharing this, Lesa!
How lovely to see a blog post written by Margaret (Peggy) Lucke, one of my Sisters in Crime NorCal fellow siblings and wonderful human being. I didn't know this story about the establishment of a library in her California town, and I loved it!
I can attest that Peggy Lucke did an absolutely fabulous job putting together our chapter's Fault Lines anthology last year, as I was privileged to be part of the team that judged the submissions.
Isn't that great, Jeff? I love that, too.
You're welcome, Kay. And, thanks for checking out Margaret's book!
That's my kind of morning surprise, Margie. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Great story, and well told. The books sounds interesting to me. I hope there's an audio version!
I did enjoy her story, Sandie.
Thank you for hosting me, Lesa. I appreciate the opportunity to share my love of libraries with you and your readers.
Thank you for taking the time, Margaret!