Monday, September 1, 2014

Secrets and Treasures






When I was a child there was a game we made up and played once in a while. We called it Treasure Hunt.  I’m sure many others played this game, too. One of us would hide a “treasure” which usually consisted of a cookie wrapped in waxed paper or something like that. I think once we were brave enough to hide a quarter. The person hiding the treasure would write out clues and the other kids followed them to find their reward. (Maybe that’s one of the reasons I enjoy mysteries so much.)

Recently my husband commented that it seemed like most of my books contained hidden passages or compartments. Was he right? Had I gotten into a theme I didn’t particularly want? I sat down and thought about it. No, there was one book with hidden passages, and one with hidden compartments. However, that old Treasure Hunt came to mind. There are two books that include hidden treasures. Make that three books. Treasure can be something valuable that’s not made of gold or silver.

In the back of my mind I guess I figure if I like the idea of hidden places or things, other people might, too. Will I include more hidden things in future books? Probably. It’s fun to put together the puzzles.

I’ve read books by other authors that entranced me while I followed their clues to hidden anythings. It’s all a part of the mystery, and it’s generally a fun part.


 
I asked myself if I’ve ever found a hidden treasure – for real. Yes, but not in the same sense as in the books. I’ve discovered that when people pass away they often leave something tucked in a drawer or high on a shelf that was special to them, whether it was a treasure to anyone else or not.

My grandmother told me about a hidey hole where she’d put a few things away and when we lost her I found a vintage woman’s watch. She married in 1918, and when I looked at her wedding picture I realized she was wearing that very same watch the day she was wed. The watch might not be a treasure to anyone else, but it is to me. It was interesting, too, because as far as I know there was something new (from that time) about it. It had a little thingy on it where you could attach a chain to wear it around your neck. But it also had little thingies where you could attach the two ends of a band to wear it on your wrist. It was my grandmother’s, it was unique, and it’s a treasure to her granddaughter – me.

How do authors come up with things like hidden passages and compartments? It takes a little work. You have to decide how these passages would fit into a house and still remain secret. You have to decide where a hidden compartment would be located. I usually draw sketches to make it more clear to myself. And, of course, there’s research to see where others have placed these things.

Here’s the thing. When you write fiction, some part of it has to be realistic. You can’t just stick a hidden passage anywhere you want to and hope it makes sense. Also, there should be excuses why they’re not obvious to the characters.

When I was a child my grandparents (other side of the family) moved to a different house, and it was an old two-story home. As kids we wanted to explore the basement. Would you believe, one of us saw something that looked unusual and pushed on the wall.  A secret compartment popped open. It was long and narrow, and the only thing inside was a very old cane. I kept that cane for years and then it just disappeared. I have no idea what happened to it.

Now that you’ve read this far, here’s one of the surprising points of this post. It’s really all about figuring out what readers enjoy reading about. Secret passages? Secret compartments? Spooky old houses? Dark and stormy nights? Basements and attics are usually great places to find unusual clues – like an old cane. Why would someone hide a cane?

Some readers prefer suspense and some prefer horror. Some enjoy an old-fashioned mystery.

What “makes” a book for you?

Until next time, I hope you find a fun hidden treasure where you least expect it.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website.
CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

Hidden Compartments and Unexpected Treasure: They Call Me Ace – A Bogey Man Mystery
                Awkward Moments – A Bogey Man Mystery

14 comments:

  1. When I was a little girl, we lived in a big, old house. In one of the bedrooms, there was a hollowed out space in the wall. I have no idea why it was there. My mother covered the hole with a picture. Even though everyone in the family knew about the space, I loved to "hide" objects in it. (Please remember that I was very, very young.) So, Marja, in answer to your question, I love hidden places and secret compartments - in novels and in real life.

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    1. It's kind of fun to have a hiding place, Pat. You had one ready-made. It's something you'll always remember. : ) My grandmother lived in an older house. There was a metal box that was in the service porch. You could access it from the outside or the inside of the house. It's where the milkman left milk in the day. Great hiding place for a small child. Great minds? Thank you for commenting!

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  2. My mother had a hidden space in the floorboards where she kept all of her money in envelopes to pay the bills and spending money for the week. I don't remember how I found out about it.

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    1. I'd love to have a hidden space, but in today's houses there generally aren't any floorboards. I'd be curious to hear what your mother said when you found the hiding place, Marilyn. Thank you for commenting!

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  3. My brother and I used to love exploring the upstairs of our grandparents' farm house. We found lots of things to look at, mainly old photograph albums. In one, all of our father's college track medals had been stolen. No one ever knew (or admitted) who had taken them. I think finding the cane in an old compartment presents a very intriguing mystery. Why indeed hide it there?

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    1. I'm sorry to hear about your father's medals, Pat. What a terrible thing to do to someone. Yes, the cane was an interesting find. I wish I still had it. Thank you for commenting!

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  4. I grew up in a big old house with lots of hiding places. Years later I and a friend with her young son stopped in to visit my parents. The boy went off to explore and reappeared an hour later in the kitchen where we were chatting. With a look of great surprise, he said, There are places! He grew up in modern apartments, and the nooks of old houses were a revelation. I love surprises, exploring, and discoveries. I find all that in mysteries.

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    1. I can only imagine how your friend's son felt in the old house, Susan. What fun he must have had. I love exploring, too. Thank you so much for commenting!

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  5. This doesn't have to do with a house, but when we bought our end tables, we noticed after they were delivered that each of them had a handle in the back. We thought they were there to make them easier to carry, but when we pulled the handles, the backs of the end tables opened with a small space for hiding things. I thought that was great. Who would ever think of looking for anything in the back of an end table? Hey, I may use that in one of my novels.

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    1. The discovery is half the fun, Evelyn. I once had a jewelry box with a hidden drawer. Are we having fun yet? Thank you so much for commenting!

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  6. This is the girl who you brought the book to for my birthday (from Georgia lol) loved your book finished it in two days! Would love to read more! Thank you so much!

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  7. Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed the book. You just made my day. I hope you have a chance to read more. And thank you for stopping in today!

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  8. Always like those hidden spots. Guess that is why Geocaching appeals to my wandering nature. Treasure is in the eye of the beholder sometimes just a smile gets a person feeling like treasure was just received. Your books are a treasure to me and my friends.

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    1. Wow! Jake, you just made it all worthwhile. The work, the frustration, the work... Thank you!

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