4th annual holiday mystery anthology to benefit Toys for Tots
Murder mysteries and selfless holiday giving might not naturally jump out as a logical pairing, but for authors Gail Farrelly and Elizabeth Zelvin it makes as much sense as finding a body while Christmas shopping, or developing an intimate relationship with the voice function of one’s Kindle.

Farrelly, a Bronxville resident, and Zelvin, from New York City, are two of 19 authors featured in “The Gift of Murder,” the fourth annual holiday crime anthology published by Wolfmont Press specifically to support Toys for Tots, the U.S. Marine Corps-sponsored organization to provide needy children with gifts each Christmas. The two authors participated in a discussion at Eastchester Public Library on Nov. 30.

Zelvin’s contribution to the anthology, entitled “Death Will Trim Your Tree,” is another tale featuring the protagonist from her two novels, “Death Will Get You Sober” and “Death Will Help You Leave Him.” Bruce Kohler, a recovering alcoholic modeled from Zelvin’s career as a psychotherapist, stumbles upon a dead acquaintance while shopping for Christmas lights. In Farrelly’s story, “The Kindle Did It,” the protagonist’s Kindle takes on a sinister role as a third wheel in a declining marriage.

It is the second time that Farrelly, author of “Creamed at Commencement,” “Duped by Derivatives” and “Beaned in Boston,” has appeared at the library to publicize the anthology series. In her prior appearance, she was joined by fellow contributors Thomas Cook and Chris Grabenstein, to promote “Carols and Crimes, Gifts and Grifters,” the 2007 compilation. Although previous years’ anthologies included only Christmas-related mysteries, “The Gift of Murder” proudly incorporates Chanukah and Kwanzaa whodunits as well.

All proceeds of The Gift of Murder go to the Toys for Tots organization, and the publisher is seeking to achieve as many sales of the book as possible prior to Christmas in order to give a large check to the organization for this season’s gifts. Revenue from any copies of the book purchased after the holiday season will go toward the organization’s work next year. 

The visit by the two authors was not merely an opportunity to market “The Gift of Murder.” In fact, most of the time was taken discussing the writing process with the audience, from finding a muse to finding an agent.

Zelvin, who incorporates her therapy background into all of her works, spoke on her decision to make that such a strong undercurrent in her novels and short stories. “I set out to write about recovery … because it’s an extraordinary process,” she said.  Zelvin also noted that unlike in real life therapy situations, it is gratifying to have control of her character’s recovery process. “I can guarantee that Bruce will never drink again.”

Farrelly described her story as that of “a man with a Kindle he’s crazy about and a wife he’s not so crazy about,” and talked about how her story is a departure from previous works. “I had never written a story like that where I made a thing into a person,” she added, referring to the voice function of the Kindle, which takes a central role in the story.

The source of ideas was a focal point of the discussion. For Zelvin, the characters themselves, typically Bruce and his two friends, Jimmy and Barbara, often do the talking. “If I don’t know what to write, the three of them start wisecracking in my head.”

Farrelly, who does a great deal of her writing at Lake Isle, says that conversations she overhears at the country club and on the Metro-North often appear in modified form in her stories. 

Both authors expressed their affinity for the title, as one of the more gratifying aspects of the writing process. “I had always loved the phrase, ‘The butler did it,’” said Farrelly. “Just those four words.”  Her love of this phrase made updating the subject to the modern-day technological device a logical twist.

“I always start with the title,” said Zelvin, who once wrote a story entitled “Death Will Tie Your Kangaroo Down” for an Australia-themed story contest.

Farrelly’s decision to write again for this year’s anthology was based partly in the gratification of seeing her text in print but mainly because of the importance of the cause to her. “The problem is it’s a bad year for kids who don’t have toys for Christmas,” she said, responding to the fact that donor bases as well as household incomes are down this year.

Tony Burton of Wolfmont Press, who began the anthology four years ago, has a very personal reason for lending his support to Toys for Tots. In a blog post on the BlogSpot page Acme Authors Link, Burton describes his own childhood, during which a house fire and a car accident crippled his working-class family’s ability to provide Christmas gifts.

The charity of extended family and friends was what made presents possible, something which has come to mean more with the passage of time. Now Burton, whose company prints the holiday anthologies without receiving profit, has an opportunity to give back with the help of writers like Farrelly and Zelvin.

According to Eastchester Library Director Tracy Wright, the Nov. 30 discussion tied in to the library’s monthly mystery club, which meets the second Wednesday of each month.  A panel discussion with members of the New York chapter of the Mystery Writers of America is scheduled for Feb. 10, and several other non-mystery related events will be taking place at the library over the next few weeks, including an art lecture on the works of Vasily Kandinsky, this Sunday, Dec. 13, at 1:30 p.m.

“The Gift of Murder,” published Nov. 1 of this year, is available in print for $13 at The Digital Bookshop, as an eBook at the same site for $6.50 or as a Kindle book at Amazon.com for $7. All profits go to Toys for Tots.