Maryann Mercer

, Female

Profile Information:

Hometown:: Champaign Illinois
About Me:: I took the plunge this year (after one too many mergers at my day job) and am now a part-time bookseller--poorer but happier. More writing time and less number crunching make for a good day.
I'm forging ahead with my mystery and a few short stories as well when I'm not recommending my favorite authors to others.
I Am A:: Reader, Writer
Books And Authors I Like:: Harlan Coben
JA Konrath
William Kent Krueger
Nancy Martin
Harley Jane Kozak
Robert Walker
Luisa Buehler
Dave Case
Michael Black
Helen McInnis
Dashiel Hammett
RIchard Bach (Illusions)
Carole Nelson Douglas
Michael Chabon
James Lee Burke
Agatha Christie
Arthur Conan Doyle
David Morrell
Barry Eisler
Lee Child
Laurie King
Movies And TV Shows I Like:: NCIS
Men In Trees
Cold Case
How I Met Your Mother
Saving Grace
Law & Order (CI and SVU)
Firefly & Serenity
Robin Hood ( BBC)
Second Sight (BBC)
Casablanca
Key Largo (any Bogie and Bacall really)
You've Got Mail
Sleepless in Seattle
The Bourne movies
Old musicals (Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly)
Bubba Ho-tep
Once
Old comedies ( It Happened One Night for example)
And don't even get me started on theater. We could be here all day!

Comment Wall:

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Rick Mofina

Thanks Maryann

Aug 23, 2007
Robin Burcell

Maryann! So glad you dropped by my page! And I can't wait for season two from Robin Hood, either! Have you checked out Life on Mars (season one) on BBC? Another great show.

Aug 24, 2007
Robin Burcell

I haven't yet seen Slings and Arrows. I'll have to watch for it. Life on Mars first season should be out on DVD if you have access. Season two starts ten years down the road. It may already be out, but I think we get BBC about a year later for some of those series. (And thank goodness they didn't decide to do that with Robin Hood! The mere thought is terrifying!)

Aug 24, 2007
Michael Haskins

Maryann, thank you for the invite. Look forward to keeping in touch.

Aug 25, 2007
Tony Berry

Maryann .. yet another apology for duplication. This system is driving me crazy. Just one post was intended.

Aug 25, 2007
Robin Burcell

It depends on what condition the body is in. Sounds like you'd need two drawings, one in each persona. The artist could use the same basic face and have an overlay with the female garb on. That would save time. But if it's just a straight death, no decomposition, an artist could get one out in just a few hours. If there is decomposition, he/she would enlist the help of a forensic anthropologist if necessary. And that could take hours or days depending on how fast the anthro. could get there.

Aug 25, 2007
Robin Burcell

Haven't yet seen Second Sight, but it'll be on my list!

Aug 25, 2007
Mark Coggins

Maryann, have a great weekend yourself!

Aug 26, 2007
Tony Berry

Nothing to do with broadband v- it works exceedingly well and is a must. It is sheer incompentancy on my part. Enjoy the trek.

Aug 26, 2007
Jim Barker

Thanks Maryann.

Glad you liked Scotland. You didn't miss much by missing Falkirk. We're a typical small Scottish town with nothing much to see - except our Falkirk Wheel. There are MUCH more interesting places to visit. It's a nice place to stay, but I wouldn't want to visit there... :)

Aug 27, 2007
Newt Love

Hey! If a author writes a novel in the forest, and nobody reads it, did it make a sound?
I'm newt, slithering from the shallow end of the gene pool, into the open ocean. Sharks are likely to eat me before the salt water kills me, but who wants a quiet life?

Aug 27, 2007
Linda Lee

Thanks for the add. Looking forward to getting to know you.

Aug 27, 2007
carole gill

You're very welcome! did you have meatloaf yesterday? actually, it's one of my favorite dishes!

Aug 28, 2007
carole gill

boy are you lucky I'm so far away! I might be mooching! seriously, that sounds gooooood! oh well. i'll just make the best of what i have. See i've lived in England for so long, that when i hear of something that sounds so American, I go a little nuts. all the best.

Aug 28, 2007
Kevin Allman

Thanks for the friend-vite!

Aug 28, 2007
Charlotte Williamson

Maryann,
Thanks for accepting me as a friend on crimespace.
I had'nt even finished up "mypage" before I got five hits. Look forward to hearing from you. Charlotte Williamson; dpwilliamson@juno.com

Sep 1, 2007
Keith Dixon

Maryann
Thanks for adding me. You have a job in a bookstore? How much do you have to pay to work there? :-) ... my dream job, I guess!

Sep 2, 2007
Keith Dixon

Maryann,
I once applied for and got a job at Foyle's, the famous book store in London. I was interviewed by Christina Foyle herself, a tiny woman with a monstrous ego! I was looking forward to working there, but I got a better job offer and I had to leave London before I took it up. Shame! Though Foyle's was - and probably still is - notorious for being badly organised. And they would fire people after five and a half months' employment so they wouldn't have to pay employment benefits.
As for Altered Life, yes, it's available through Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/Altered-Life-Keith-Dixon/dp/1411672933/sr=8-5/qid=1169814197/ref=sr_1_5/105-6536059-9483629?ie=UTF8&s=books
The best deal is probably through Amazon.co.uk, as it's on the Used and New marketplace for a really good price, depending on the postage rate to the US: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/1411672933/ref=dp_olp_2/202-1055920-6824603?ie=UTF8&qid=1144416014&sr=1-12
Thanks for the support!

Sep 3, 2007
Jon McGoran as D. H. Dublin

Hi Maryann,
Thanks for the invite. A reader, writer and bookseller... talk about vertical integration!
And blogging, to boot.
I keep meaning to keep up on the blogging, but I keep... not. I have a book comign out on Tuesday (Blood Poison by D. H. Dublin, coming out Sept. 4 from Penguin Books. Read more at www.dhdublin.com). Maybe when things settle down, I'll get better about blogging.
Thanks again for the add. Keep in touch!

Sep 3, 2007
Jordan Dane

I've often thought that if I never got published, I would want to own and operate a bookstore. You are my kind of woman. i wish you good fortune with your writing too. Keep the faith. The journey in self-discovery is worth the price of admission. Thanks for the invitation.

I've got my eye on you...

Sep 3, 2007
Clea Simon

I, too, used to fantasize about owning a bookstore. Now, of course, I know how difficult it is -- and as an author, I'm incredibly grateful for people like you (and yes, I link individual stores and Booksense on my site, of course!).

Sep 6, 2007
Lyn LeJeune

Oh, thank you and I'm so happy you like the book! Let me know when you finish...I am working on book II, The Book Burners, which is post-Katrina. If you have a mind to (as we say in the south) you could go to the amazon page and write a nice review. It helps. I will be posting more here on crimespace, but have been negotiating my way throuhg MySpace, devloping my page, etc. More to it than here. Thank you and New Orleans, Pinch, Scrimp and Romeo thank You!!!!!! pass the word along for NOLA. Warm wishes, Lyn

Sep 6, 2007
Peg Herring

Thanks for the invitation. Have you read THE HEIST? I was interested because it concerns an event where the tunnels under the city flooded and messed everything up. I don't remember the details, but I liked the idea.

Sep 6, 2007
Jon McGoran as D. H. Dublin

Hi Maryann,
Thanks for thinking of me. I appreciate it. And when you find it, I'd love to hear what you think.

Sep 7, 2007
Peg Herring

No. I've met Mike and Julie Hyzy a couple of times at conferences, so I read one of each. Mike says they're collaborating on one, that should be interesting.
I try to spread my reading out so I can speak intelligently to authors when I meet them rather than stutter, "Uh, what did you write?" It will take me a while to get on to second books, since there are so many authors I haven't read at all!

Sep 7, 2007
Lyn LeJeune

that was a great review....thank you so much. It was so professional. You do this for a living. The second book is half done - continues Pinch and Scrimp's adventure post-Katrina and is called The Book Burners. You're encouragement makes me want to turn this computer off and go under a tree and write.
warm regards, Lyn

Sep 9, 2007
Janet Reid

Thanks for the invite. Is my mission on earth on hold if I'm alive but look like death warmed over first thing in the morning?

Sep 11, 2007
James K. Bashkin

Thanks for inviting me. I hope you have a chance to stop by my website (found on my crimespace webpage) on fiction and crime fiction, and that you find it useful or interesting. Any comments, feedback or links back would be appreciated.

I'm just west of you (not sure on longitude!) in MO. I see we have some favorite authors in common (though the overlap isn't large, so I look forward to trying out some new authors). I don't think I've written on my website about any of the authors we like in common, yet, except for an oblique reference to Sherlock Holmes while discussing the setting of a PD James novel (in Hampstead Heath, not too far from 221B).

Sep 15, 2007
Douglas Quinn

Seems like we share many of the same authors we like to read. James Lee Burke and James Patterson have had the most influence on my writing. Have three novels published. Hope you'll check out my Crimesspace page and website.

Smiles,
Douglas Quinn
www.douglasquinn.com

Sep 16, 2007
Douglas Quinn

I only aspire to be as good a writer as James Lee Burke.

Sep 17, 2007
Douglas Quinn

When you get a chance, check out my Crimespace Blog re the info and pics from my recent book signing event.

Smiles,
Douglas Quinn
www.douglasquinn.com

Sep 19, 2007
Charlotte Williamson

Hi Mary Ann,
It's still summer in southwest Florida. Temps still in the nineties. A lot of rain, plus we got hit by a tornado on Sunday. I'm still tryingto recover from being slammed from Hurrican Charlie. Oh the joys of living in Florida. Home of Hurricanes, High taxes, and sky-high homeowners insurance. Tell me again why I'm living here? Looking forward to December. By then it'll be low humidity and low mosquitos.

Sep 19, 2007
Maryann Mercer

We're at 91F today, chance of rain tomorrow. Fall was fleeting but I know it will be back...and short! Always is in Illinois. Hangs around just long enough to get the crops in :o) When you're having those 'lows', we'll be having the first taste of winter. I shiver just thinking about it, but the change in seasons is one of the things I love about living 'up north! Stay cool!

Sep 19, 2007
Sarah Wisseman

Hi, Mary Ann--I'm doing a book signing at Wind Water and Light Gallery in downtown Champaign (10 East Main St.) on Thursday, Sept. 27, 6-9 pm. Stop by if you can. WWL is a great place to find birthday presents, all kinds of art, and other books.

Sep 20, 2007
Patricia Foulk

Thanks for welcoming me aboard. I see you like Helen MacInness, and we have similar taste in films. Ah, Judy and Gene - For Me and My Gal. (Sigh).

Cheers

Sep 25, 2007
Patricia Foulk

I've enjoyed Helen's later novels as well, especially The Salzberg Connection. I've visited that part of Austria and enjoyed the travelogue as well as the usual excellent plot and pacing.
cheers

Sep 25, 2007
Lyn LeJeune

Hi Maryann - Lyn LeJeune here. Still so thankful for your help and reading my book. I've so quite I few as my amazon rankings show, but I don't look too often. I'll know for sure at the end of the quater. So I picked up the latest Dexter book and it's good, although a bit predictable. I'm moving on later to something else while I get ready for my book fair in St. Pete. Went to the Friends of the Library Book sale and picked up a huge box of books....many obscura - for thirty bucks>
warm regards....Lyn

Sep 30, 2007
Eric Stone

Maryann, thanks so much. It's very gratifying when people not only like my books, but for the reasons that I hope they'll like them.
I hope all's well with you.
Best, Eric

Nov 22, 2007
Allan E. Ansorge

Pardon the interuption but I have a question. Were you at Love Is Murder last year?

Dec 4, 2007
Rose Mercer

Hi there, thank you for the invitation. Good luck with your writing and Season's Greetings to you and yours.

Dec 14, 2007
Hank Phillippi Ryan

How wonderful!
Thank you so much for the kind words.
And because this is my first full day on Crimespace, might as well make it fun. Maryann--go to my website and click contact--tell me your address and I'll send you my first book, Prime
Time, as a thanks-for-inviting-me holiday gift!

Dec 28, 2007
Douglas Quinn

Douglas Quinn
Author, Editor, Book Reviewer
rivercitypress@hotmail.com
www.douglasquinn.com

12 January 2008

Dear Family/Fans/Friends/Readers

Please join me in the first week of my Virtual Book Tour. Beginning tomorrow, Sunday, January 13th, writer Brenda Kay Wynn will publish an interview with Douglas Quinn on her webblog site at (click on the following or cut and paste into your browser) www.chronclesofelydir.spaces.live.com.

You are invited to go to Brenda’s site, read the interview and comment and/or ask questions. I am looking forward to responding to your comments and queries.

The interview will be posted throughout the four week tour. Weeks two, three and four will have different articles hosted by and posted at other webblog sites. Would love to interact with you along the way.

In addition, each time during the four week tour you leave a comment and/or ask a question your name will be placed into a drawing for a Free Signed Copy of Blue Heron Marsh.. Hope to see you all there.

Smiles,
Douglas Quinn

P.S. Please feel free to forward this invitation to your own email address list. The more people who participate, the happier I will be.

Jan 13, 2008
robert walker

Hello Maryann -- is everyone here enjoying the Sarah Conner chronicles much as I am? Say thanks for adding me as your criemspace friend. Enjoyed exploring your site here. Anyone wishiing to see my 3 steps to writing a great short story, check out my crimespace blog -- also anyoone know of any anthologies being put together in crime fiction right now?
Rob Walker
City of the Absent

Jan 16, 2008
Scarlett Dean

Thanks for invite! You're name is sooo familiar to me. We must have met at a conference. I see you like some of the same authors I do.
Will you be attending Love Is Murder next Fri-Sun?

Jan 26, 2008
len howlett

Hello Maryann,

Thanks for adding me as a friend. I have just concluded a seemingly endless stint selecting and qualifying for high deductible, exorbitant health insurance. I can now get back to writing and things more important than the lottery over my state of health and odds on the likelihood of my need of repair in the coming year. It'll be good to think about something else after these last several days of endless phone calls and interviews. I mention this because I got your email announcement and read your page and it reminded me that there was life on the other side of the misnomer we refer to as grown up stuff.

Jan 26, 2008
L.J. Sellers

Hi Maryann
Congratulations on your new situation. I made a similar decision a couple of months ago, and I couldn't be happier. Money can never buy more time to write. Good luck with your endeavors.

Apr 1, 2008
Doug M. Cummings

Hey Maryann,
If you grew up in the 'burbs, I hope you'll check out every Secret Crime!
Doug

May 1, 2008
K.R. Lewis

Hi Maryann:

Sorry for the delay in responding, but I was out of town on a hunting trip for 4 days and just got back this evening. Amazon would be your best bet I think for "Little Blue Whales" or Powell's. That's great that you're writing a Portland based mystery. The book I am currently writing, "The Sparrow's Blade," takes place about fifty percent in the Portland - Salem area, and the rest on the southern Orgeon coast...the original setting of LBW.

May 5, 2008
Paul Greenberg

Thanks Maryann! 96 degrees here today and Rocky was one hot dog!

Jun 10, 2008
Austin S. Camacho

Hi, Maryann! Thanks for the add. It's always nice to have a bookseller among my friends. I'll have to find you next year when I'm in the area for Love is Murder.

Jun 11, 2008