Reading & Writing about Lizzie Borden

Today I thought I'd mention some Lizzie Borden novels I heard about... 

And I want to say thank you to our dedicated followers who come back often to check the blog, even when we slack off!

Well the slacking off for me was due to a reason... to my surprise, I started LIZZIE BORDEN, ZOMBIE HUNTER 2!

(Photo: Stephen D. Sullivan taken at Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum)

I didn't intend on starting it yet. I had thought up some ideas, had a part-outline and have been stewing on it, but I needed a break from the Dr. Bowen novella I've been working on. I'd hit a part that wasn't working so I wanted to stop for a bit and let it simmer...

  To my surprise, the Lizzie 2 idea popped right up!  I've written the first 3 chapters and outlined it up to Chapter 7. It's exciting! I may have to do some tweaks, of course, and change a little bit, but so far, so good! It's fun to be working on this, I might add! I'll have to put my thinking cap on to come up with some new, strange zombies! 

The dilemma is working around and continuing some things from book 1, LIZZIE BORDEN, ZOMBIE HUNTER, without giving a lot away. As some themes have to be continued in the second book, I may have to put in a disclaimer that it's best to read book 1 first. I don't want to spoil the first book's surprises!

It's also hard to not be working around the actual trial for a framework, but I do have some references and flashbacks to the initial events that should work. The trial can't be forgotten...

The Bordens: Lizzie, her father Andrew, and stepmother Abby Durfee Borden.

After all, even if Lizzie was declared not guilty, it's not like there were never any reminders in her life of what happened, or that she ever forgot. The newspaper certainly didn't let her forget it. Nor did neighbors and former friends who shunned her and acted like she was a leper. 

I'd think, try as you might, how can you totally put such a horrific event as your parents' murders out of your mind? How could she? (Especially if she'd done it!) Could you?

For story purposes, of course, Lizzie has to be haunted by past events, since the "other" crime - namely the release of zombies in the area - hasn't ended. It's continued with another outbreak for another strange reason... I love making up the strange reasons. haa!

So stay tuned. I'll post progress - or struggles - as I go along!

In the meantime... there is never a dearth of Lizzie Borden reading material...

* Coming in October: Author Erika Mailman has a new take on the Borden murders concentrating on Irish maid Bridget Sullivan, in The Murderer's Maid, A Novel of Lizzie Borden. 


   * Not so new - I just found that the original Lizzie Borden book, The Fall River Tragedy, A History of the Borden Murders, written right after the trial by reporter Edwin H, Porter, has been reprinted and  is now on Kindle. Not sure who published it. 

* Or read the actual 1893 Lizzie Borden trial transcripts for yourself in two PDFs. 

It may give you a different perspective on the crime. 
Happy Reading!