Paula R. Stiles

Profile Information:

About Me:
Currently, I am the editor at Innsmouth Free Press. I publish speculative fiction and non-fiction (I'm a Templar historian). My specfic frequently crosses over into the mystery genre, as with the mystery SF novel I published with cowriter Judith Doloughan, "Fraterfamilias", which has been reissued in print and you can preorder here: http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com/?p=9379. It ships starting December 6.
I Am A:
Reader, Writer, Librarian, Editor, Critic
Website:
http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com
Books And Authors I Like:
Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Arthur Conan Doyle, B.J. Oliphant, Stephen Saylor, Lindsey Davis, Joseph Wambaugh, James Ellroy.
Movies And TV Shows I Like:
The Big Sleep, The Maltese Falcon, Mildred Pierce, Gilda, The Two Mrs. Carrolls, The Wicker Man, Desolation Sound, Da Vinci's Inquest, Da Vinci's City Hall, Intelligence, The First 48.

Comment Wall:

  • Suzi Hands-Black

    Thanks for the invite to be your friend in Australia, I happily accept. I love snow leopards by the way and your picture is beautiful. I have a friend here who is an artist and does wonderful wildlife pics of big cats and other African wildlife in pastels. Snow leopards of central asia are in a class of their own though. Cheers for now, Suzi

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Harley

    thanks, Paula! Lovely to be your friend.

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Tess G

    Thanks for the add.

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Sunflowercat

    Hi, Paula. What a beautiful snow leopard!

    Jun 14, 2007

  • James Roberts

    Hi Paula: Thanks for the invite; query on the Templars. Have you read the recent rash of Templar novels and is there one among them you'd recommend?

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Dave Zeltserman

    Hi Paula, thanks for the invite. Like you, Hammett is one of my favorites, and Maltese Falcon one of my favorite movies.--Dave

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Tom Cain

    Hi Paula ... Thanks for asking me to join your list. I was going to make a joke about Templars and Dan Brown but then I thought, no, why risk offending a snow leopard ... they may be beautiful and endangered .. but they've still got powerful claws!

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Hi Suzi,

    Thanks! Yep. Snow leopards are definitely classy. The most mysterious of the big cats.

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Hi Harley,

    Thanks! It's good to be here.

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    You're welcome, Tess!

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Thanks, Sunflowercat. I like your handle, too.

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Hi James. Can't really recommend any of the ones I've read recently. Eco's tome is too hefty and anything post-Brown is infected with his mediocre cynicism. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and National Treasure are decent movies in the genre, though.

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Hi Dave,

    Funnily enough, I'm watching The Maltese Falcon now on TCM (they had Gilda before that). As it turns out, TMF has a Templar-related back story (though the group they refer to were actually called the Hospitallers).

    They had The Big Sleep the other day and I was noting how well Bogart really got across what different characters Spade and Marlowe actually are, even though he appears to play them the same on the surface. Marlowe is a lot more laid back and funny than Spade and not nearly as mean. I got the impression that Marlowe was a much happier man than Spade, but maybe that had something to do with Bogart's own life during the filming of each film.

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Hi Tom,

    Any joke at the expense of Dan Brown is fine by me.

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Shirley Wells

    Hi Paula, and thanks for the invite.

    I've always thought Marlowe a much happier man than Spade, too. Far nicer in my opinion.

    While I'm waiting for Tom's 'Dan Brown' joke, I'll check out your web site...

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Thanks, Shirley and you're welcome, too.

    I wonder if the basic difference between Marlowe and Spade is that Marlowe found the love of a good woman and Spade...well...different. On the other hand, maybe it had more to do with what each one was willing to find.

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Thanks, Shirley and you're welcome, too.

    I wonder if the basic difference between Marlowe and Spade is that Marlowe found the love of a good woman and Spade...well...didn't. On the other hand, maybe it had more to do with what each one was willing to find.

    Jun 14, 2007

  • Amanda Stevens

    Hi Paula! Thanks for befriending me. I look forward to checking out Fraterfamilias. Sounds fascinating.

    Jun 15, 2007

  • Marlowe Chandler

    Hi Paula,

    Thanks for the invite. The dead guy in a novel I'm writing just happens to be named Dashiell Hammett.

    Jun 15, 2007

  • Penny Rudolph

    Hey Paula,
    very nice to meet you. What does a Templar historian do? I've long been fascinated with the Knights Templar and what really happened during the Crusades. Is that the Templar you refer to? If so, I can sure see why there might be a mystery connection. Is the mystery SF novel set during that time period? Sorry I'm slow to respond. I've been out of town on a panel at Murder in the Grove in Boise and computer wi-fi has been iffy. Cheers and best wishes!

    Jun 15, 2007

  • Debbie Behrens

    Hi, Paula, thanks for the invite. The Templars facinate me.

    Jun 15, 2007

  • Nancy Gardner

    Hi Paula,
    Nice to meet you. Sounds like you've got a terrific thriller!
    Nancy

    Jun 15, 2007

  • HappyRuby

    Thanks for inviting. Sounds like you are busy.

    Jun 15, 2007

  • Alafair Burke

    Thanks for the invite, and best of luck with Fraterfamilias

    Jun 15, 2007

  • Jordan Dane

    I've got my eye on you...

    Jun 18, 2007

  • Theo Gangi

    Good to meet you. Best of luck.

    Jun 20, 2007

  • Chris Redding

    Nice to meet you and best of luck on the book.
    cmr

    Jun 22, 2007

  • Joan Conwell

    Thanks for the invite--your book sounds like delicious fun!

    Jun 23, 2007

  • Sara Reyes

    Thank you for adding me. I love Templar fiction and non-fiction. Sounds like fun!

    Jun 24, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Hi Amanda,

    You're welcome. I hope you enjoy the book.

    Jun 25, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Hi Marlowe,

    Kewl. So, is the dead guy in your novel *the* Dashiell Hammett or is he named after the author?

    Jun 25, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Hi Penny,

    A Templar historian can refer to a variety of periods (if you're talking about both the original medieval order and the modern masonic orders). Myself, I'm a medieval historian. I study the original Templars, though I do some research on later groups as well. I focus on the sergeants and the associates of the Order--you know, the people who actually did all the work--rather than the knights who attract all the attention because they were the grandstanders.

    The book is set in the present day (NYC before 9/11), but there is an important backstory involving the Templar Trial (1307-1312). To go into any further detail would, alas, involve major spoilerage.

    Jun 25, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    You're welcome, Debbie. I like 'em, too.

    Jun 25, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Thanks, Nancy! I hope you enjoy it.

    Jun 25, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    You're welcome, HappyRuby. Yep. I am a bit busy these days.

    Jun 25, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    You're welcome, Clive1

    Jun 25, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    You're welcome, Alafair and thanks for the best wishes.

    Jun 25, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Hi Jordan,

    LOL! How very post-9/11 of you.

    Jun 25, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Thanks, Theo! You, too.

    Jun 25, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    Thanks, Chris. Good to meet you, too.

    Jun 25, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    You're welcome, Joan! I hope it is, yes. I'd hate to be responsible for a boring book.

    Jun 25, 2007

  • Paula R. Stiles

    You're welcome, Sara! Me, too, both fiction and non-fic. Do you have any favorites?

    Jun 25, 2007