Macbeth meets Google

Writers (and readers) are by nature curious. We're interested in what motivates people as they traverse the vagaries of life.

Curiosity has seen me jiggling the handle of a locked door at the British Museum that said PRIVATE- KEEP OUT. I was certain that's where they hid King Tut. (I was there researching interesting bits about King Tut and honey for the next in the Megabyte Mystery series Dead Bee in the Sarcophagus. 


Dead Bird through the Cat Door has been described as Lady Macbeth meets Nancy Drew. You might wonder how Macbeth and his wife got mixed up in an eco-mystery (for young readers aged 8-12) about the owner of the bird sanctuary Aviary Finch kidnapping cats to kill birds. 


Curiosity about the bird kingdom led me to research birds, their habitats and what (in nature kills them). I had a lot of bird facts (thanks Google) and I thought I should weave in some bird imagery. 

WARNING: You are about to get an unprecedented, never before seen, glimpse inside the brain of Jan (yes, I am talking about myself in the 3rd person - I've become that sort of writer!)

So, I'm thinking, bird imagery from literature ... maybe Shakespeare. I google: birds and Shakespeare and Macbeth pops up - lots of bird imagery in Macbeth (aka the Scottish play). Two of my characters are Scottish (one of them is a bad guy). 
Lightening Bolt! I'll make one Scottish character a Macbeth fanatic and pepper in clues by using quotes from the play. 


So Dead Bird through the Cat Door can be described as Google meets Shakespeare ... meets Macbeth ... meets out, out dang spot! ... meets Nancy Drew.


Wow, lightening bolt hurt - writer needz to rest now!