Wednesday Writing Wisdom (42) Patricia Cornwell

“One thing I’d like to advise is: Treat your writing like a relationship and not a job. Because if it’s a relationship, even if you only have one hour in a day, you might just sit down and open up your last chapter because it’s like visiting your friend. What do you do when you miss somebody? You pick up the phone. You keep that connection established.”

 

Patricia Cornwell

 (June 9th, 1956)

 Fun facts about

Patricia Cornwell took a job with Virginia's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in 1984. She began as technical writer and during her six years there she went on to work as a computer analyst.

Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series is believed to have influenced TV shows such as Cold Case Files, and the CSI series.

Patricia Cornwell's books have sold more than 100 million copies. Her books have been translated into 36 languages. She has written 26 bestsellers to date.

Never playing the role of the hermit literary author, Cornwell has also attracted attention in her personal life—she had an affair with a female FBI agent in 1996, an experience the seventh Kay Scarpetta novel is thought to draw on, though with a guy.

 

 

Mysterious Romania (XXII) Devil's Lake

Peril at the lake. What could be more fun than a relaxing walk through the quiet forest, and then  a rest on the shore of a lake whose waters are bluish-green as if the sky and the sea mingled their colors in the its waters? Well, for those not familiar with the legend, everything might seem idyllic. But don’t let yourselves lured and jump in its waters.

Situated on the left bank of Nera river, near Sasca Montana, Caras-Severin county, this lake appeared after the roof of a cave The Devil’s Cave, collapsed. Its surface is of about seven hundred meters, which makes it the largest karst  lake in the country. Its depth is of about nine  to twelve meters.

Can the legend  have a seed of truth? The bluish- green color of the waters is quite impressive. The people who live in the area say that the lake is in fact bottomless and that there are many underwater tunnels. Furthermore, those who dare to take a swim in its waters never return on the banks.

When reaching the Devil’s lake, after a tiresome walk, you may feel a

state of euphoria but, no matter how inviting the water looks, don’t let yourselves lured to enter the lake. You may never know… there is certainly some truth behind the legend.

 What brought the name The Devil's Lake. The  name of the lake came like this: the legend says that one day a man was fishing in the lake. The devil, taking the appearance of a man comes and asks the shepherded to fry a fish without the fish bending its tale. (It’s well known that while frying, the fish takes a curbed form). The shepherded tells the Devil whom he recognizes that he will do it if he can fry a goat’s head without the teeth being revealed(it’s also known that while frying a whole head of the animal the lips will open and reveal the teeth). The shepherded takes the fish and puts it on a spike and thus he manages to fry it and keep it straight. The Devil, no matter what things he tries he doesn’t manage to do what the shepherded asks. Angered the Devil  jumped in the waters and ever since the lake is called the Devil’s lake.

Old wise women say that if you give a person who betrayed you to drink water in which you add some drops from the lake's water, that person will soon find his/her death. Hm! What do you think? A bit too drastic, in my opinion.