Can You Speak Caruso?-- by Reb MacRath

No, not that Caruso! In my crime WIP I thought of the other Caruso, the world's most famous male redhead not that long ago (to my way of thinking): the star of NYPD Blue for a single season in 1993 and CSI Miami from 2002-2012. David Caruso left Blue too soon for a film career that never took off. Some critics and fans never forgave him for abandoning the role they'd loved. But finally, nine years later, he came back and stayed on top for a decade.

In my WIP I thought of Caruso while creating my redheaded villain, who's older but characterized by the same blend of gravitas and fire. Above all, I tried to help readers hear his spellbinding baritone voice. A form of shorthand, I admit, but not lazy writing. I allowed myself one reference to Caruso, then let his dialogue do the heavy work along with his actions and outbursts.

That said, here we are at the heart of this post. My Aussie editor suggested deleting the reference because it's dated and may be unfamiliar to most readers. Similarly, he objected to a reference to the town of Stepford. I've drawn the line against both objections. I expect my readers to be hip to CSI Miami and Ira Levin's Stepford Wives, as well as Tarantino's best films. I expect my readers to be readers of classic and current crime fiction and film. 

On the other hand, my editor rightly pointed out that non-US readers won't know what I mean by 'ten Ben Franklins'--slang for ten-dollar bills. Or 'bupkes'--old-fashioned slang for 'nada' or 'diddley.' And 'dude' is best left to stoned surfers. When I agreed with these and other catches, I worked to find alternatives, mindful that slang sometimes changes overnight. By the way, 'till' is not standard usage in the UK. Then again, in the UK, they misspell 'color' as 'colour'. 

But there's no pleasing everyone. And, for my money, there's no need to try. When I read books from other countries I want to feel as if I'm there. Context when needed is a wonderful thing. But I'll take Irvine Welsh, as is, pleased to Google when I must--if he can dig Mark Twain  as is.

What are your thoughts on these matters? Have you drawn certain lines in your own work about what your readers should know? Do you identify first as a writer of your country or do you hope to 'equalize' for universal appeal?

This is my report.

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