cars – Debbie Young's Writing Life

Me & My Mini #2: Amie McCracken

Posted on January 26, 2022January 25, 2022 by Debbie Young

cover of Mrs Morris Changes Lanes — Cover design by Rachel Lawston inspired by the single-track roads of the Cotswolds in spring

Although I’ve never owned or even driven a Mini car, it seemed the perfect choice for the heroine of my recently-published novella, Mrs Morris Changes Lanes, in which an unusual loan car takes the heroine on a lifechanging journey.

Even prior to publication, as soon as I shared the wonderful cover design by Rachel Lawston, showing a purple Mini driving down a Cotswold lane, friends began to tell me how much they missed their Mini.

I couldn’t resist finding out more about the reason for their brand loyalty to the iconic little car. I was sure it must be different from Mrs Morris’s. I invited them to share their experience in a new series of guest posts, which began just before Christmas, with historical novelist Anita Davison. (Click here to read it if you missed it.)

My second guest is US author Amie McCracken, currently based in Germany. Like me, Amie enjoys a touch of magical realism. She is an editor, designer and author. Her latest novella is Leaning into the Abyss, set in the US and Mexico, which starts with the startling premise of Rhea’s fiancé falling off a cliff to his death on their wedding day.

The story of Amie and her Mini is less dramatic! Over to Amie to tell us all about it.

Hello, Amie! To start with, please tell us why and when you acquired your first Mini.

On Christmas Day 2013 in fact. I had been on the lookout for one and thought I would fly to the UK since they are cheaper there, but a friend found one near me in Germany that was pristine and I couldn’t pass it up.

How much did it cost and how much did you sell it for?

I bought it for 4,000 Euro in Germany and sold it in the US for 8,000 dollars.

They were never manufactured in the US, so they are a huge novelty.

And our buyer happened to be Austrian so she could read the German manuals and receipts!

How long did you keep it and why did you sell it?

I sold it in 2017 because it made sense. The plan had been to restore it, completely decked out in TARDIS style (the US plate we had on it said GALIFRY). I had even used it in a video announcement of my pregnancy and brought my son home from the hospital in it.

But we found an interested buyer and I knew it just wouldn’t work to bring the car back to Germany again. It was the right time, though I still miss her.

Please describe it in as much detail as you can remember.

A 1989 Mini Mark IV, none of that BMW crap. It had been repainted, so it was a glistening black. The interior was gray, and the driver’s seat dug into the middle of your back terribly. The heater never worked, so when it rained we had a sponge on the dash to wipe away the condensation. But the car ran when I needed it most. At least, most of the time.

Many Mini drivers seemed to feel compelled to name their Minis, as if they have a personality of their own. (Do they have a personality of their own?!) What was yours called?

Foxy. My plate in Stuttgart was FX 1989.

What is it about Minis that makes most owners feel so attached to them?

I think it comes down to the history.

They are a classic, and most classics come with the history of their entire model.

A Mustang is more than the metal and rubber it is made of, but is the smell of burning tires and speeding down a straight track.

A Mini is an everyday car that putts along with personality and carries a twinge of cheekiness.

I know mine liked to break down at the most inopportune moments, but when I was really in a pinch she stepped up and did the job.

What did you most love about your Mini?

I loved feeling so tiny yet safe. She handled like a Formula 1 car.

What drove you nuts about it?

But without the heater working rainy days and cold days were the absolute worst.

Where did your longest journey in your Mini take you?

The car moved with us across the ocean from Germany to the US.

But the most memorable trip was from Coburg to Berlin to catch a flight, stuck in European summer traffic, with plenty of time to spare and yet still needing to reach speeds beyond the 140 km/h the speedometer could read. We reached the airport with seconds to spare, but as we watched the plane board from the other side of the empty security line, and had the security officer tell us that digital tickets were not accepted, we gave up and got back in the Mini to drive home.

What was your most exciting trip?

See above…

What most surprised you about your Mini?

How well a car seat fit in the back!

Did you ever have any accidents or any scary trips in your Mini?

No. Even when we drove next to American semis and SUVs, I felt safe.

Who was your favourite/most interesting/most difficult passenger and why?

My son on all counts. He was never a fan of riding in the car when he was a baby, so it was always an adventure! Plus, trying to maneuver him into the back seat with a rear-facing infant car seat while he was asleep and without waking him—that was a true challenge. Part of the restoration plans involved adding a third door.

Was your Mini a one-off buy or did you stay brand loyal and buy more Minis later?

I have not bought more Minis, though I believe I will one day. Always the classic versions. Never a BMW.

What car do you drive now?

Now it’s a 1973 VW Type 2 camper! (Also called a Bulli here in Germany.)

What do you miss about your Mini?

The novelty of owning a fun and classic car.

What would be your dream car if money were no object?

A Koenigsegg. Or maybe a Lamborghini Diablo. I like to go fast. Which, admittedly, the Mini does not satisfy.

In Mrs Morris Changes Lanes, what did you think of her Mini and of her adventure?

I loved it. The Mini is certainly a magical car, and the perfect one to bring someone back to their roots. It is a mischievous car, one that I could see yanking a person out of their intended path to create a little bit of chaos and stir things up.

Thank you, Amie, for sharing your fond memories, anecdotes and photos of your beautiful Mini!

Extract from

Leaning into the Abyss

by Amie McCracken

The world was in chaos around me. I sat in the eye of the storm, glass of water growing heavy in my hand, every now and then feeling a kiss on my cheek or the pat of a hand on my shoulder. Dad sat in his own separate world in the far corner, ensconced in his wingback chair, waiting for the rest of us to leave. His house was the closest to the hotel, and the largest, so we had convened here to understand what was going on.

“Rhea.” The drone of a voice burrowed through my headache and fog. “Rhea.” There was nothing to be done other than to sit here and let the planet circle the sun. “Rhea.” Phoebe’s voice broke through the barrier and clanged in my ear. I turned to face her. “The police are here. They want to speak with you and Andrew’s parents.”

“Please don’t leave me alone,” I whispered. I squeezed her hand with the force of a woman in labor. She still wore her navy bridesmaid’s dress, long and elegant and curving delicately over her hips. Her dark hair had fallen loose and she tucked a wisp behind her ear. I had not noticed before that her face was heart-shaped, giving her a child-like sweetness. My gaze darted in the direction of The Parents. They seemed to be enveloped in a whirlwind of anger and frustration and shame. It was blue and crackling, menacing, terrifying. I didn’t want to be swallowed by that.

To find out more about Amie and her books and services, please visit her website: www.amiemccracken.com

Have you ever owned or driven a Mini? Amie and I would love to hear about yours!

Writing

Trust Me, I’m a Bell Ringer

Posted on May 6, 2021 by Debbie Young

In this month’s issue of the Hawkesbury Parish News, I share cautionary tales about buying and selling our family cars.

Debbie learning to ring bells on the dumb bell — Learning the basics of bell ringing on the dumb bell, under the guidance of St Mary’s Tower Master Colin Dixon, who is also Editor of the Hawkesbury Parish News (Photo: Laura Young)

When buying or selling a car privately, it pays to be wary of would-be scammers, so when last month we decided to part with a vehicle we no longer needed, I braced myself to fend off shady dealers.

Sure enough, the first offer was what I’ve since discovered to be a classic case of overpayment scam:

Via email, the buyer offers your asking price without even viewing the car and asks to pay online, in this case by Paypal.
You then receive an email confirming his payment – but of a higher amount.
The buyer emails again, regretting his silly mistake and asking you to refund the difference direct to his bank account.
Then he disappears without trace, taking your refund with him, while his original payment to you bounces.

Suspicious when his supposed proof of payment went straight into my spam box, I called his bluff, rebuffing and blocking him without paying a penny.

The next offer came from a much more plausible source: a lady who told me she lives in Chipping Sodbury and works for Marks and Spencer.

What could be more respectable? I thought, before realising that was exactly what a scammer might expect me to think.

Last year I came close to committing an unintentional but plausible scam myself. At a dealer near Wells, we viewed and made an offer for a car, and I set up a bank transfer to pay for it. When I dropped my husband off to collect it and drive it home, the salesman was pleased to see us. “We’ve received your money, thank you,” he beamed, but his face fell when he double-checked. “Oh no, that’s from a different Young.”

“But I’ve paid from my Marks and Spencer bank account, and they told me it would be in your account by 5pm,” I replied. It was already gone five. “But I must dash – I’ve got to get back for bell ringing practice.”

Even though the money had not arrived by the time the dealership closed for the evening, the trusting young salesman let my husband drive the new car away. His nerve almost failed at the last minute.

As he handed over the keys, he said: “You realise if the payment doesn’t come through by the morning, I’ll have to report you for car theft.”

When I checked my bank account the next morning, the money still had not left my account. When I phoned to ask why, I was told it had been stopped it as part of a routine check for money-laundering. The transfer eventually went through, but it cost the salesman a sleepless night.

Only with hindsight did I realise my bell ringing practice would have made a great cover story for a scammer, second only to wearing a clerical collar. Or indeed living in Chipping Sodbury and working for Marks and Spencer.

Fortunately my Marks and Spencer lady turned out to be as genuine as my bell ringing practice, but I fear I may have put the car dealer off bell ringers for life.

A Note about the New Bells of St Mary’s

photo of the Wulfstan bell — Fresh from the mould, our new Wulfstan bell, named after our former parish priest, St Wulfstan

This month, our local parish church of St Mary the Virgin will take delivery of a wonderful set of eight new bells, which have been cast especially for us, after a mammoth fundraising effort by the Friends of St Mary’s. I’m on the Friends’ committee, and I also run their website.

For more information about this exciting and historic event in the life of our village, visit www.friendsofstmaryshawkesbury.com, where over the coming weeks we will be sharing the story of their blessing, installation and inauguration.

More About Money-Laundering

cover of Fatal Forgery by Susan Grossey — Constable Sam Plank’s investigations into historical financial fraud start with this first novel in Susan Grossey’s excellent series

I’m lucky to have a friend who is an expert on money-laundering – or rather on the prevention of money-laundering. If I ever have any qualms about the trustworthiness of a deal, I know I can count on Susan Grossey for advice. She is the author of a series of books and numerous articles on the topic, which have also inspired her to write an excellent series of mystery novels about historical financial crime. It’s kind of heartening to know that dodgy deals pre-date the digital age and online banking! I highly recommend her Constable Sam Plank series, which kicks off with Fatal Forgery – read more about Susan’s books and where to buy theme on her website: https://susangrossey.wordpress.com/

In Other News

cover of Murder Lost and Found — The ebook is now available for pre-order and the paperback will be out on 23rd May.

Meanwhile I’m gearing up to launch my next novel, Murder Lost and Found, which is due to be published on 23rd May – a date I chose as auspicious because it will be my daughter’s eighteenth birthday! One of the themes of this story, which kicks off when a dead body is found in the village school’s lost property cupboard, is the deceptiveness of eyewitness evidence, a dilemma encapsulated by the quote from psychologist Elizabeth Loftus in Psychology Today:

“Eyewitnesses who point their finger at innocent defendants are not liars, for they genuinely believe in the truth of their testimony. That’s the frightening part – the truly horrifying idea that what we think we know, what we believe with all our hearts, is not necessarily the truth.”

I’ve had great fun writing this story, the seventh Sophie Sayers Village Mystery, which sees Sophie gain new confidence as she reaches the end of her first year in the village of Wendlebury Barrow. I’ve introduced some fun new characters too, including a trio of mischievous workmen and Anastasia, a beautiful young intern that to Sophie’s horror Hector has appointed while she was away on holiday.

PRE-ORDER THE EBOOK from the retailer of your choice here: www.books2read.com/MurderLostAndFound.

The paperback will be available from the launch date – more news on that to follow soon.

Family, Travel

I is for Italy

Posted on September 30, 2011July 18, 2016 by Debbie Young

In her quest to find some English-speaking playmates on our French holiday, Laura has turned us all into licence plate spotters. Learning the country abbreviations on foreign cars is certainly improving her knowledge of European geography and languages. While recognising a car labelled I is Italian is pretty intuitive, identifying a German car from a D or a Swiss from CH is rather more of a challenge.

Until now, whenever we’ve been abroad on holiday, she’s bonded happily with children of any nationality, whatever language they spoke. Aged 3, she spent a happy afternoon playing with a French-speaking Swiss girl on a boat in a Greek harbour. The same year, she received her first kiss was from an adoring Greek boy in Athens, transfixed by her blonde hair and blue eyes. She had a memorable afternoon in a Greek playground with a huge von-Trapp like German-speaking family, ranging in age from about 12 to 2. In their contest to see who could stay the longest on the roundabout, Laura represented the UK admirably – she was joint winner with the 12 year old.

But now she is anxious about not being understood. Sadly, she’s just reached the age at which children on longer absorb a foreign language by osmosis. From now on, if she wants to learn another tongue, she’ll have to work at it. I hope her early friendships with foreigners will persuade her that the hard graft is worthwhile.

In the meantime, learning each country’s name in its own language is a good starting point.

While perusing the car park in La Charite sur Loire, I’m reminded of another interesting difference in languages: the names of car models. It’s hardly an original observation – we all know the urban myth of the new car launched under the brand name of Nova. To its American designers, it sounded like a classic brand in the making, with intimations of novelty, newness and being bang on trend – until the Spanish market rejected it as meaning simply “it doesn’t go”. Not a great strapline for a motor car.

The battered silver car now parked adjacent to our van looks as if it won’t go, but it’s actually branded a “Manager”. This might sound prestigious to the French ear, but to me it just sounds daft – talk about damning with faint praise! I speculate as to whether it’s a mid-range car, the poshest model being the President or Chief Executive. The luxury version would be the Commodity Trader or Banker, while lower down comes the Clerk (make that a Senior Clerk if it’s got air-con). And at entry-level for the first-time car-buyer, there’s always the cheap and economical Tea Lady.

But who am I to criticise? If I dared, I could have a sticker on the back of our camper van saying “My other car is a Ka.” The Ford Ka. That’s got to be the worst named car in the world. Now there’s an argument for Esperanto if ever I heard one.