AN ORCHID TO DIE FOR - April 1, 2026

This month’s blog post is the second in a series of articles about how I get my ideas for stories. “An Orchid to Die For” appeared in AUTUMN NOIR, an anthology published in February 2022 by Unsettling Reads. The publisher’s name gives you a hint about the direction they wanted.

The Call for Submissions included specific requirements. Here’s an abbreviated summary:

1.    Respect genre norms for crime, mystery, noir, suspense and/or thrillers.

2.    Feature the autumn season.

3.    Pick from one of four quotations. The one I chose was from Gillian Flynn. “Dark sides are important. They should be nurtured like nasty black orchids.”

I couldn’t resist that one. I’ve grown orchids for years with varying degrees of success. What I didn’t know at the time was that my collection would be destroyed by Hurricane Ian by the end of that year. The reference to black orchids in particular was also a plus, since Nero Wolfe was one of my favorite detectives, and his orchid-growing skills were far above my own attempts.

I decided to use one of my favorite characters, private investigator Zoe Tanner, and set the story in the fictional Florida town of Porta Larga. I decided she would be hired to find a stolen black orchid amidst hints of evil, death, and power, which superstitions attributed to black orchids. It was my first woo woo story, and it put Zoe in peril. Spoiler alert: She survived and has appeared in several other of my stories. This one remains one of my favorites, especially because of the fun of twist at the end.

I should also add that after leaving Florida behind, I started a new collection of orchids. To my surprise, they’re flourishing with me in the Pacific Northwest.