It was not a dark and stormy night when Newtown author Justin Scott spoke Tuesday night at the library about writing thrillers and mysteries. Nevertheless, the Booth Library Mystery Book Club was out in full force eager to hear how a successful writer like Mr Scott infuses suspense into his stories.

Mary Maki, Liz Arneth, Bonnie White, and several others sat in the second row with pencils and notepads ready. “Although Kim [Weber] scheduled this the same night as we usually meet, we would have come anyway,” said Liz. She asked Mr Scott what the difference was, from a writer’s point of view, between mystery writing and adventure thriller writing. He replied that with a good mystery, the dramatic event –– such as a murder –– happens in the beginning. It sets the stage for what follows. “Then the reader has to find out why this happened, and who caused it to happen.” With thrillers, he said, “it’s all about the narrative and moving the story forward and turning the pages to see what happens next.”

Robert Louis Stevenson was a master of the adventure-writing technique as shown in his children’s classic Treasure Island, and Mr Scott’s talk Tuesday night was largely about his own analysis of Stevenson’s book. But he has lately turned out a few mysteries of his own, as well. The first three Ben Abbott mysteries based in Newbury (which is Newtown disguised) titled Stonedust, Hardscape, and Frostline, will be followed by a fourth, McMansion, “which is still in the word processor,” Justin Scott said.

During a discussion about all terrain vehicles (ATVs) during public participation at Monday’s selectmen’s meeting, Selectman Bill Brimmer said he had received suggestions that there should be an ATV park in town. “I could really see the town getting behind that,” he said, tongue in cheek. The first selectman’s office has been receiving complaints about the use of ATVs and other motorized vehicles in town parks and on town streets. There have also been complaints about the noise generated by ATVs, especially on private properties.

On behalf of the Board of Selectmen, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal on Monday voiced condolences to Rep Julia Wasserman for the loss of her home and possessions and to a Sandy Hook family whose home was also extensively damaged by fire. He also commended firefighters, ambulance personnel, police, and EMTs who responded to the fires.

Wendy and Charlie White, former owners of the Ice Cream Shop in Newtown, are celebrating 50 years in business at their Woodbury location, 705 Main Street South. They are inviting all their past employees and customers to join them Memorial Day weekend to celebrate. Those VNA ladies are no slouches behind the wheel. Chris Wiemels was spotted this week driving around with live forsythia blooms in the dashboard vase of her California Sunset-colored VW Beetle convertible, a spiffy model that also sports black and white flowered seat covers.  And Mary Tietjen finished 28th in a field of 35 (34 men and her) at a Porsche Club of America race two weeks ago. Mary, her husband Ron, and their four sons all have been racing Porsches for years. Mary says she started because she got bored attending the races and having to stand on the sidelines watching the men drive.

Speaking of cool cars, have you heard the story behind Bob Tendler’s haircut? Bob, if you haven’t seen him in a while, has exchanged his always-impeccable longish coiffure for a very short haircut. It all started with an offhand comment Bob made to his wife, Debbie, that he was thinking about getting a convertible so that he could take full advantage of the warm summer weather and Newtown’s scenic back roads.  Debbie reportedly replied, “You’ll never get a convertible — it’ll mess up your hair.” Bob showed her. He’s now got the top down on both his hairstyle and his new Lexus convertible.

It is getting harder and harder to put out the paper these days. On Wednesday morning, Bee publisher Scudder Smith decided he would simply have to remove some unsightly spots from the editorial department carpet right now with the aid of a strong cleaning fluid. A couple of whiffs later, all the reporters and two editors were coughing and wheezing, and Jan Howard was gasping for breath and reaching for her asthma inhaler. Luckily, Scudder and carpet cleaner were shooed from the work area, and the window was opened so our headaches have finally begun to subside.

Still, I think a nap would be in order, so I’ll end things here. But I’ll be back next week, so be sure to…

Read me again.