Writing a cozy mystery novel set in 1986 is kind of like writing a contemporary novel and kind of like writing a historical novel. I have a lot of 80s information stuck in my head — that stuff we try to get rid of, you know? Like all the lyrics to “Jessie’s Girl,” and all the words to the whole Karate Kid movie, and who was drummer for what band and when. And the vernacular of the 80s is something that sticks with you, too. “Like I’m so sure!” and “Totally awesome!” are things I still say to this day. But then there are a lot of things I need to verify, and this makes me super happy for the invention of the internet.
As I’m writing book #1 in my Major Bummer Murders series, Gag Me with a Spoon, I find myself every day Googling things to perfect the 1986 ambiance of my story. These things make me laugh, so I thought I’d share them with you here.
Totally radical!
like everyone in the 80s
Duran Duran lead singer? [Simon le Bon]
Def Leppard drummer accident year? [Drummer Rick Allen crashed his Corvette in 1984, losing an arm in the crash. But he was back and drumming by the end of 1986! Read his account of the accident here.]
Punk concerts of 1985 in USA. [Live Aid! Need I say more?]
Short palm trees in Florida. [A list including the sago palm, my favorite.]
Top arcade video game releases of 1980’s. [The obvious ones like Pac-Man, Q-Bert, Centipede, Asteroids. But I’m trying to go a little more deep-pocket on the video games and find some niche hits!]
How to refill skee-ball tickets. [A very long story, which will end up in Gag Me with a Spoon.]
Donkey Kong start-up sequence? Pac Mans vs Pac Men? Unique video games 1986.
Sunscreen vs. Suntan Oil 1980s [Strange but not surprising to note that the “Maximum Protection” Sunblock from the 1980s was only SPF15, and the gold standard in skincare (pun relished) was actually Hawaiian Tropic Suntan Oil.]
Top 100 pop songs 1986. [Obviously, a long list. My personal faves from the top 100 are “Life in a Northern Town” by Dream Academy, “Walk This Way” by Run-DMC, “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin, and anything by Madonna, including “True Blue” and “Papa Don’t Preach.” Find the whole Top 100 list here. So many awesome classics on this list!
Best movies of 1986. [Let’s just say Top Gun for the win, but Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is on the list, too.]
What does Sticky Bumps surfboard wax smell like? [coconut, carnauba, and some say something minty. Some say it’s blueberry. So I’m taking some artistic license.]
What flavor are white Chiclets? [peppermint]
Are names of plants capitalized? [only if they contain a proper noun, like Douglas fir, etc.]
Madonna style 1984 vs 1986? [1984 was the height of the supreme Madonna-ness of early-days Madonna — the bangle bracelets and necklaces, the mesh gloves, the tiered tulle or lace skirts, and the “Like a Virgin” performance at the VMAs. 1986 by contrast was the platinum-blonde short-haired, more polished version of Madonna, just starting to ease us into the Cone Bra Era.]
So, if you are an 80s babe like me, check out my upcoming series MAJOR BUMMER MURDERS, starting with book 1, Gag Me with a Spoon, which will be released on Amazon on January 4, 2022. See my Amazon Author page here.