Some time ago your very own Casey Daniels, a long time friend, asked me to guest blog at The Little Blog of Murder. I decided then that since I’m a former Clevelander (12 winters of snow), and my own series, the Ministry is Murder Mysteries, takes place in a small fictional town somewhere in Ohio, blogging would be a cinch. I’d write about Ohio, about the reasons I set my series there, the joys of Ohio life. Easy. I sat down to do it.

Nada.

Not that there weren’t joys, mind you. My years in Ohio were good ones. I finished raising my children there. I wrote a lot of novels, walked a portion of Lake Erie’s shoreline–the parts you can get to, anyway. I drank Great Lakes beer, shopped at the West Side Market, went to Indian’s games. I even fell in love with the story of Whiskey Island, a peninsula near The Flats, where the Irish settled when they first arrived during the late nineteenth century.

And no, in case you’re wondering, it was NOT named Whiskey Island because the Irish settled there. Caught you!

I was so intrigued with Cleveland’s history, I wrote a novel about Whiskey Island, called. . . can you guess?. . . Whiskey Island. Then I followed with a sequel, producing two of my most popular books. So Cleveland was fertile ground for me then, and it’s still the home of two of my four children and my first grandchild. I really do love the city.

Fast forward to this very moment in time. I never wrote that guest blog about the joys of living in Ohio. I never spilled the beans about why I chose to set my series in the state, or where the town of Emerald Springs “really” is. Every time I tried, I found myself reminiscing about Cleveland. So in honor of the city, and to get this out of my system, I give you the Top Ten Reasons to Live in Cleveland, Ohio.

Just remember, I don’t live there anymore. If you’re not pleased find somebody local to complain to. I’m out of there!

Emilie’s Top Ten Reasons to Live in Cleveland

10–Beautiful summers and autumns. (You won’t see winter or spring on this list.)

9–Real men who aren’t afraid to view football games from a Dawg Pound or shower Milk Bones on opposing teams.

8–No sissy California smog. Cleveland has smokestacks billowing the real thing with no apologies.

7–A river that once caught on fire and now lends that mystique and name to a great microbrew pale ale.

6–A baseball team logo guaranteed to ignite conversations (and occasionally fistfights) among strangers.

5–A place where having a “ski,” “wicz,” “nik,” “ich” “nka” or any combination of “z’s” and “k’s” in your name goes unnoticed. Kind of like Dennis Kucinich.

4–Homemade pierogies and fresh kielbasa.

3–Neighborhood bars and some spectacularly beautiful churches (often on the same block) where everybody really does know your name.

2–Citizens who have traditionally welcomed and still welcome newcomers to Lake Erie’s shore, while keeping the best of their own traditions.

1–A world class orchestra, beautiful museums, affordable housing, and excellent medical care. You just can’t beat this place! Just plan to spend February in Florida. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Emilie Richards
www.emilierichards.com
Look for Beware False Profits, from Berkley Prime Crime