For the love of a mystery

I confess: I love a small mystery.  I don't just mean big mysteries of murder and espionage, although I adore Agatha Christie. I mean an answer that begs to be revealed, a message that needs to be decoded, a package without a sender (and without wires, grease marks, or the smell of explosives), an anonymous letter with only a line of poetry.

I find mysteries tantalizingly frustrating. Frustrating because the mystery turns over and over in my mind, like a beautiful wooden box with no entry. I fumble at the box, trying to find the twist or turn or shake that will get me access to the box because I desperately want to know what's inside. Tantalizing because the mystery is by definition a message, and the message by definition is a mystery. 

I find mysteries romantic. By romantic, I do not mean "only permitted from a significant other or, if single, a potential suitor". I mean that mysteries carry a whole story -- why is the information concealed, kept secret, or denied? What is the importance of the information? What are the consequences of the information being concealed -- or revealed? 

I have been the recipient and the perpetrator of many mysteries. My aunt sent inspirational poetry to me anonymously when I was ten, and trying to solve the mystery of who the sender was got me through a very difficult period in my life. I once sent a line of my poetry to a guy I'd met in high school, and when we started dating, I discovered he'd put it on his wall, not even knowing it was me (and I proved myself a goddess when I claimed it). An old college friend anonymously sent me a CD for a 20-year reunion concert of my favorite local band -- or at least I think it was him. 

I find myself putting small mysteries into many of my novels. The protagonist asks, "Who sent me this message?" or "Why do I recognize this?" or "Why did this person say that?" or "What does this dream mean?" 

My wish list for secrets:

No nastygrams -- if you want to be nasty or mean, say it to my face

No postal bombs or anthrax

No pictures of your junk

Yes to subtlety

Yes to difficulty in solving

Yes to something you'd like to share

Coffee is always good

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Now at 32,000 words. Today's writing included a dream sequence, calligraphy in a foreign language, and doubts about a character's "insanity".

Love you all. Talk later!