Date: Fri 16-Aug-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Illustration: C

Location: A-9

Quick Words:

Book-Review-author-Sipherd

Full Text:

(story on Newtown author Ray Sipherd & his new book, 8/16/96)

New Mysteries From Ray Sipherd Are For The Birds (& Their Lovers)

(with photo, book cover)

By Andrea Zimmermann

The first selectman has been murdered. The chief suspect is local

ornithologist and artist Jonathan Wilder who discovered the body in a corn

field four miles east of the center of town, according to Lt Lydecker.

Although much of the evidence points in his direction, Mr Wilder claims to be

innocent. The macabre crime is thought to be part of a larger plan to kill

some of the town's most respected citizens. It is Mr Wilder's opinion that he,

himself, may be a victim soon if he cannot untangle the mystery that surrounds

Dance of the Scarecrows .

"Jon Wilder is initially a pretty inept detective," said Newtown author Ray

Sipherd, who anticipates the release next week of the first in his series of

Jonathan Wilder mysteries. He will be at The Book Review in Newtown to sign

his new book on Tuesday, August 20 at 7 pm.

"I tried to figure out the mystery as if I was confronted by it... The

character is a lot like me - maybe a little reserved. No, he's a combination

of me and Harrison Ford. And he has a great sense of justice and injustice,"

says the author.

No one has written mysteries with an ornithologist as the main

character/detective, and there are a lot of readers who are birders, said Mr

Sipherd. The low-key mysteries feature Wilder, a single fellow, whose work

sometimes takes him to international locales.

Like the character he created, the author has a great interest in birds. In

1967, when still a resident of New York City, he began to spend weekends in

Newtown. That is when he became more aware of birds and started to learn more

about them. Avian habits and lore are woven into his stories to provide color

and clues.

Art also figures into the mysteries because Jon Wilder renders birds in a

fashion similar to that of the late Roger Tory Peterson.

"I know a lot of artists and my wife, Anne Marie, is an artist, so I got tips

from them," said Mr Sipher.

The author liked the challenge of writing a mystery: "It's something of a game

to create them; a great deal of fun," he said. He believes it is important to

be fair with the readers and give them enough clues to eventually figure out

the identity of the perpetrator(s). But also, he throws in enough red herrings

to cast doubt and maintain the suspense of the story.

Dance of The Scarecrows is Mr Sipherd's first mystery story, but he has been a

professional writer all his life. He is one of the four original writers of

the children's television series, "Sesame Street," which he wrote for 17 years

and for which he received three Emmy Awards.

He is also the author of seven children's books and has contributed to Sesame

Street music albums and videocassettes. His extensive television work includes

creating more than thirty programs for WNET, including the award-winning

documentary, Years Without Harvest , as well as the weekly hour magazine of

the arts, All Things Considered . He is senior staff editor with Reader's

Digest Books.

"I began life as a dramatist and am very used to [writing] dialogue," said Mr

Sipherd. He has implemented this talent in writing his mysteries, a collection

of short stories, The Christmas Store , and a recent novel, The Courtship of

Peggy McCoy .

Mr Sipherd is putting the finishing touches on the second in the series, The

Audubon Quartet , which focuses on four unknown pieces by Audubon that have

come to light and are worth a fortune. Is there a murder? "Yes, several," the

author said, with a twinkle in his eye.

Mr Sipherd works five hours each day on his work; sometimes longer. He said he

"lives" with the characters, and moves them around like actors in a play that

he is directing. The work is demanding and challenging, he added.

People have asked why he doesn't just stick to one type of writing.

"I love to write and I just like to try different things," he said. "And I

hope to include what I learned in my research and make it interesting and

vital. Bird feathers are important [in the story]."

Although he borrows habits and patterns of characteristics from real life, Mr

Sipherd said his characters are purely fictional. For this first mystery, he

double-checked on police procedure with Newtown police Lt Dave Lydem, and bird

habits with Milan Bull, director of the Connecticut Audubon Society.

"When it works right, there is almost no better feeling. And the gratification

is enormous," said Mr Sipher. "And then having it published and someone pay

you for it, is even better!

"No, really, you want to share it with someone... with the public."

Ray Sipherd will be signing copies of his new mystery novel, Dance of the

Scarecrows, on Tuesday, August 20, at 7 pm, at the Book Review in Newtown. On

Saturday, August 24, from 2 to 4 pm, he will also sign his work at the Hickory

Stick Book Shop in Washington.