For many years I’ve traveled to Nimrod Hall in Millboro, Virginia, for their annual writing retreat. Nimrod has inspired several of my stories and given me hours of valuable writing time.
Cowpasture River near Nimrod Hall during my morning exercise
Nimrod Hall, established in 1783, has been providing summer respite from everyday stress since 1906. It has been operating as an artist and writer colony for over 25 years. The Nimrod Hall Summer Arts Program is a non-competitive, inspirational environment for artists to create without the distractions of everyday life.
I’m honored to have my story “War and Murder at Nimrod Hall” in the anthology. My story is set at historic Nimrod Hall. Over on the Virginia is for Mysteries blog, I shared how Nimrod Hall inspired me.
This post also appears on the Virginia is for Mysteries blog. Click here to read it and more stories from Virginia is for Mysteries, Volume II.
“War and Murder at Nimrod Hall” is part of Virginia is for Mysteries, Volume II
In high school, I hated Ohio and American history. I didn’t want to memorize the dates of battles, the names of generals, the placement of Ohio’s 88 counties and their county seats. In college, I avoided taking a history course of any sort. But after graduate school, historical fiction, biographies, and memoirs ignited my interest. I find social history, and the civilian parallels to military history, fascinating. Thus, I am more interested in sex during the Civil War than in mapping troop movements at Gettysburg, what was happening in medicine and sources of corruption than who was in charge of which part of the armies. Thus my story for Virginia Is For Mysteries,“Death Comes to Hollywood Cemetery” was born, with the amateur detective being Clara, a good-natured prostitute who specialized in serving men with benign fetishes in and around Richmond during the Civil War.
I enjoyed writing Clara, and readers seemed to enjoy the story, so for Virginia is for Mysteries, Volume II, I decided to take Clara from Richmond to the West. But why Nimrod Hall? For one thing, it’s historic, the property established as a farm in 1783. For another, I’ve enjoyed summer writing workshops at the modern (but rustic) Nimrod Hall of today for more than 10 years. It still stands near the Cowpasture River, and has the original fieldstone fireplace.
Nimrod Hall’s original stone fireplace from 1783
I’m familiar with Bath County, Millboro and Millboro Springs, and Warm Springs. In addition, the Bath County Historical Society is the baby of Richard L. Armstrong, the man who wrote a booklet titled, The Civil War in Bath County, Virginia. He was very helpful and willingly shared his thoughts. If you are ever in Warm Springs, stop by—and then enjoy the waters at what are now called the Jefferson Pools.
The ladies baths in Warm Springs, built in 1836
Ultimately, I was able to weave local war history and the names of its actors with the Civil War railroad system, the history of Nimrod Hall and its public scandals into a story in which Clara arrives at the farm to become enmeshed in murder and intrigue that never happened—but could have!
Nimrod Hall
Learn more about Virginia is for Mysteries, Volume IIhere.
The anthology of nineteen short stories, set in and around the Commonwealth, features Virginia landmarks and locations such as Virginia Wine Country, the Poe Museum, Luray Caverns, Colonial Williamsburg, the Great Dismal Swamp, Nimrod Hall (my story!), the Barter Theater, and Mill Mountain, to name a few. Visit VirginiaIsForMysteries.com to learn more.
The stories transport readers across the diverse backdrop of the Old Dominion to a unique and deadly landscape, filled with killers, crooks, and criminals.
Authors: Meriah Lysistrata Crawford, Adele Gardner, Debbiann Holmes, Maria Hudgins, Teresa Inge, Maggie King, Kristin Kisska, C. B. Lane, Vivian Lawry, Michael McGowan, Kathleen Mix, Jayne Ormerod, Yvonne Saxon, Rosemary Shomaker, Rosemary Stevens, Linda Thornburg, Heather Weidner, Lee A. Wells, and Ken Wingate
You may recall that in one of my previous blogs, I mentioned talking with writers about writing as one of the best things about a writing workshop at Nimrod. Although not as interactive, there are lots of ways to get inside writers’ heads.
His short answer is that how much you write (publish) isn’t a reflection of how well you write. But there are many paragraphs of well-crafted opinion that are well worth reading. Of course, you already know that Stephen King wrote one of my favorite books on writing.
Stephen King’s On Writing
On Saturday, August 29, NPR’s Scott Simon interviewed Ursula Le Guin on Weekend Edition. Among other things, she talked about the effect of aging on her writing. She is 85. It’s well worth a listen.
If you are a magazine person, there are many places to get insights about and from writers. Two of the most popular are Poets & Writersand Writer’s Digest.
There are many books by writers about writing, both classic and modern.
The Spooky Art by Norman Mailer, Aspects of the Novel by E.M. Forster, Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing
One of my favorite bits is one of Elmore Leonard‘s rules: Leave out the parts the reader is going to skip anyway. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Not that I am a cycling enthusiast, but any event this big piques my interest. Some weeks ago, when I first became aware of the upcoming races, I started noticing bicycles—and they are everywhere! Did you ever count how many clutches of bicycles are fastened to motor vehicles?
Although the Virginia DOT says that all vehicular laws apply to bicycles, clearly this isn’t the case with parking.
Also, DUI statutes don’t apply to bicycles in Virginia. Although one can be charged with DUI/DWI for drunk bicycling in 22 states, Virginia isn’t among them. Still, in my opinion, one would be stupid to do it. The person most likely to be injured is the cyclist, but think of the trauma to family, and to the motorist who might have killed someone. It’s like riding without a helmet: just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
But I digress. I was talking about bicycles being everywhere, and used for all sorts of purposes. When I was a Nimrod this summer, I intentionally saved this picture for now.
I have a long history of public speaking–lectures, workshops, panel presentations-facing with a group of friends or hundreds of strangers makes no difference to me. When I can work from an outline or talking points or questions, no problem. Humorous and lively.
When reading aloud in public, the problem is that it is reading! This photo from my reading during the first week of Nimrod this year depicts the problem perfectly.
I have not yet mastered the ability to read something verbatim while maintaining eye-contact with the audience. Awkward. And distancing.
On the other hand, reading aloud to myself is essential, especially dialogue. It’s like practicing job interview questions and answers aloud in front of a mirror. Sentences are a whole lot smoother in thought than in practice. If the words do not fall smoothly from my lips, it can not ring true in the reader’s ear. It is absolutely necessary for dialect. Does it sound overdone? Reading aloud can work for narrative as well, Identifying sentences that are too long or stilted. Sometimes, it is helpful to have someone read your work aloud while you listen. Good luck!
Most years we have only one group picture. But at breakfast today Jane Shepherd (seated in the middle next to me) gifted everyone with a Jane Austen tattoo!
Week 2 writers with their tattoos
Here’s a close-up of mine, taken by Foust.
My tattoo
And then Charlotte Morgan introduced us to her Frog “King”–i.e., Elvis. Charlotte is the author of the novel, Protecting Elvis. She worked on that book at Nimrod the same summer I worked on a first draft of “Love Me Tender” (published earlier this year).
The Frog King
Even after the room was empty and the car loaded, we chatted on the front porch of Square House.
So I said goodbye to Jimmy, the man who provided such great food this year.
Jimmy
And goodbye to Nimrod, comforted to know it will be waiting for us next year.
The last day at Nimrod is always bittersweet. All the paths not walked. All I won’t see come to fruition–like this rose in the Square House flower box.
Rose coming on
And the naked ladies are just coming on. There will be a huge display, but searching now reveals only spears of varying heights, rather like an asparagus bed in spring. I guess the summer heat here is recent.
Naked lady bed
Away from here I won’t walk before breakfast. When will I again notice a toad or see a katydid?
Toad
Katydid
But what I’ll miss most is the focus on writing with other writers, discussing ideas, process, and progress–not to mention book recommendations! Of course there is always some of that in my life, but it’s scattered and intermittent.
Nimrod is addictive. One of the writers from last week, Molly Todd, drove over from Richmond for a few more days–and brought her husband!
Molly Todd and her husband
Except for being the last, it was like every other day. We talked writing before dinner, and after everyone read for five minutes. I read three pages from my new novel, developed this week.
Cathy Hankla, this week’s writer in residence is wonderful. She’s been working her magic here for more than twenty years. Cathy has published eleven books–short stories, novels, and poetry–so far. She’s won numerous prizes and is the Susan Gager Jackson professor of creative writing at Hollins University.
Cathy Hankla
Charlotte Morgan, a novelist, is the writer in residence for Week 3, but she’s also the coordinator of the Nimrod writing programs. Anyone who comes during the first two weeks gets a two-fer, for Charlotte gives generously of her insights and support. Her laugh is famous!
Charlotte Morgan
And so I’m wrapping up, having just headed back to Square House in the dark that is so much darker here than in the city.
This picture from my morning walk is just a reminder that Nimrod is very rural. One sees old cisterns, cow pastures, horses grazing… In years past I’ve seen deer, close enough to photograph, but the rabbits are usually too fast and always too small.
Morning walk at Nimrod Hall
The wonder of the morning, however, was absolutely stationary: one of the most notable trees of Virginia. Here I am, standing inside the biggest sycamore I’ve ever seen.
Me inside the tree
Indeed, here are all of the Week 2 writers with this tree.
Week 2 writers with the tree
I will not tell you where it is, for the property owner treasures his privacy. But when last officially measured, it was 33′ in circumference and 105′ tall. This tree is incredible.
View of the tree
Here it is from the other side. I can imagine children sheltering from the rain, or defending the castle. Or maybe the attackers were pirates, for the tree overlooks water, as sycamores do.
View from the tree
Returning to reality–if writing fiction can be labeled reality–I started restructuring my novel. News flash: deciding to do it is a whole lot easier than doing it!
Because we are such an intimate group this week, only one writer was “on” today, Jane Shepherd. Jane writes memoir and fiction.
Jane Shepherd
We were together when I found the diary and scrapbook that launched me into my historical novel. AND she is the one who brought the wedding cake seen here and in earlier posts.
At Nimrod there is a sameness, but always a new adventure. I love it.
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