Duo Spans Larchmont & Oklahoma to Produce Murder Mystery

by Colleen Davis Gardephe

(February 28, 2007) More than 30 million Americans telecommute to work. So when it came time to plot a murder mystery filled with red herrings, humor, lovable characters, a touch of romance, and an adorable Irish Wolfhound, Larchmont resident Marian Edelman Borden wasn't going to let 1,400 miles interfere with a promising book collaboration. She wrote her first mystery, Murder Off the Books (Echelon Press), with an online friend from Oklahoma. Until the two women finished the manuscript, they had never spoken and remarkably, they still haven't met. How they wrote the mystery and sold it is itself a fascinating tale.

Writing partnerships have always been intriguing. The sheer mechanics of who writes what is simpler when the two authors are sitting side-by-side at matching computers. But what happens when the authors live 1,400 miles apart and have never met? Judging by the seamless quality of the writing, the two women are in sync when it comes to plotting a murder.

"My co-author is Rhonda Dossett. She lives in Oklahoma and is the head of coal mines for the state. I live in Larchmont and wouldn't know a coal mine if I fell down a shaft," laughed Ms. Borden.

And humor, insists Ms. Borden, is probably the reason they started writing together in the first place. "We both posted stories on an Internet writers’ forum. When I read Rhonda's material, I was impressed that she could create a compelling storyline that included a heavy dose of humor. We both agree that if you can't laugh in life, what's the point."

The two began collaborating on stories for the Internet audience. The process, which they continue today, was remarkably easy. "We talk through the general direction we want to go, whether it's a scene, a story, or even a book," explained Ms. Borden. "Then we divide up scenes and each write drafts -- many, many, many drafts -- which we pass back and forth until we're both satisfied with the result."

When Ms. Borden says, "talk through," however, she means virtual speech since the two communicated strictly by e-mail. "I was a little superstitious," she explains. "While we were writing Murder Off the Books, we were also writing short stories and sending them out to a variety of magazines. I had this idea that we shouldn't actually talk to each other until we sold something, but it was one rejection after another. One Sunday morning, while I was laboriously typing in a revision I thought was important, I finally decided this superstition was just stupid. So I picked up the phone and dialed Rhonda, who was astonished to hear me on the other end. Anyway, we talked through some important changes in the book, and in a twist that I wouldn't have believed if it were in a fairy-tale, the very next day we sold our first short story."

The two writers spent one year writing the novel and another 12 months trying to convince someone to publish the book. While this is Ms. Borden’s first novel, she has written eight non-fiction books, including The Baffled Parent's Guide to Sibling Rivalry and KickStart to College. Their agent suggested that the two women create a pseudonym because he believed a single name would be an easier sell for the book, hence the birth of Evelyn David.

The collaboration appears to be a winning one. The early reviews of Murder Off the Books have been strong. “One howling good whodunit, and a terrific debut,” opined Julia Spencer-Fleming, Edgar finalist and author of All Mortal Flesh. "Evelyn David's quirky sense of humor sparkles on every page. Murder Off The Books is a clever, witty romp with plenty of twists and surprises. A laudable debut," wrote Kathryn R. Wall, author of Bishop's Reach and the Bay Tanner Mysteries .

Murder Off the Books has its own website, which includes a new e-story from Evelyn David and notices of two additional murders in the series. Fans can even find Murder Off the Book t-shirts for people and dogs. (See: Mystery Apparel.)

The co-authors are busy dividing up the country for book signings and talks. "It's one of the advantages of having a partner who lives 1,400 miles away," said Ms. Borden. "We can cover more territory."

Ms. Borden will be signing copies of Murder Off the Books at Anderson's Bookstore on Saturday, March 24 from 2-4 pm. "Please stop by for some wine, cheese, and chocolate," she urged. "I love to talk about mysteries.”

Colleen Davis Gardephe is a freelance writer, lives in New Rochelle, and is the author of 100 Pieces of Folk Wisdom for Pregnancy and Parenting.

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