Hollywood Update: Filming is apparently underway for The Mystery in Hollywood Hills which I stumbled across and mentioned some time early last month. Cinematical seems to have the most comprehensive scoop on this and as of 17 Feb is reporting:

It's on. Starring Eric Roberts-spawn (and Aquamarine's girl-who-finds-the-mermaid) Emma Roberts, the Nancy Drew movie has had a lot of people (many of whom totally won't admit it) in a nostalgic frenzy since news of its existence was announced way too long ago. Now, finally, there's some good news: production has begun. Woo hoo! Not only that, but we've got a plot (the news of which is possibly slightly less good).In order to get her somewhere with lots of pretty people and parties ...

Hey, I'm not gonna cut and paste the whole piece. If you really need to know more (some will, some won't ) you can read all about ND MHH and more directly at Cinematical. Do it now ...

So Dire, So Dangerous, and then Poof: The 2006 Buffalo News Short Story contest, which this year focused on mystery/suspense writing, attracted over 130 writers and Nancy makes an appearance in the First Place winner's story:

The roar of the water was a reminder of childhood, summer days flirting with summer flings, and the bittersweet promise of freedom implicit in every Senior Skip Day.

"The Bills make me want to SHOUT -" Angela hunted for the source of the song, clambering up the statue of Nikolai Tesla like so many Goat Island tourists before her, the bronze of the statue polished by their passing.

The cell phone in Tesla's lap was Michael's, of course. And as she reached for it, she remembered mocking his fanboy devotion when he played her the ring tone, that song.

"I see you were smart enough to listen, and come alone," the caller hissed, in a French accent as fake as Groucho glasses. "Now we shall see whether you are smart enough to save your brother's life."

You will want to read the rest of this story ...

Pardeeville Science Fair: Eh? What does a Science Fair have to do with Nancy Drew? And Pardeeville? Well ... a series of clues ... boot prints, tool marks, finger prints ... apperently were left by the person behind the theft of "The Secret of the Old Clock" ... a first edition printed in 1930, which was stolen from the library on the eve of the fictitious "Nancy Drew First Edition Library Tour" and students have to solve the case. Hmmmm ... wonder if it had a dust jacket? Read more about this strange case ... and, since I know you want to, you may as well learn more about Pardeeville too ...