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Dana King
- 53, Male
- Laurel MD
- United States
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- Blog Posts (62)
- Discussions (503)
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Dana King's Discussions
Best books? Says who?
Replied Nov 12
Best books? Says who?
Replied Nov 11
Dana King's Page
Latest Activity
The humor in my writing tends to appear when characters are bantering back and forth. I have written a couple of scenes intended to be funny in and of themselves, but not many.
Working comedy into a murder story is hard; working a murder into a c...
A program such as that to analyze speech and writing is something up with which we should not have to put.
I like NCIS for some reason. The science is all wrong--the abilities of the geeks in the stories to crack any computer code in seconds is silly--but I do like the play of personalities between the main characters.
But a good cop show that is not ...
I have watched Law and Order but find it superficial and PC.
My favorite cop shows are British police procedurals based on famous series. Nothing at all wrong with those.
Also, I think t.v., in general, appeals to the common denominator audience, folks who watch a lot of it but hardly, if ever, read books. So a reader/writer is not likely to find something in a t.v. program that's more than superficial, two-dimensi...
From my favorite crime/mystery writer.
I was going to stay out of this, but IJ brings up a point I wish had been discussed in more detail during the Bouchercon panel referred to above.
So far the one comment here with which I wholeheartedly agree is John McFetridge's: they should have...
I have to admit, Burke does have a way with words. And I agree with everything he says.
Profile Information
- Hometown:
- Laurel MD
- About Me:
- 53 years old, recovering musician, currently working for a consulting firm. (No, not music consulting; neither am I reading your email or listening to your phone calls. Unless you email me, or call me.)
I've had several short works published, and I'm a regular contributor to the New Mystery Reader web site. (www.newmysteryreader.com) I have an agent who is currently looking for a publisher for my novel.
- I Am A:
- Reader, Writer, Critic
- Website:
- http://danaking.blogspot.com
- Books And Authors I Like:
- Raymond Chandler, Ed McBain, Elmore Leonard are the first tier. I also stay current with John Connolly, Robert Crais, Dennis Lehane, and Carl Hiaasen. Lee Child, Declan Hughes, Michael Koryta, Simon Kernick, SJ Rozan, and Robert Wilson are among those who also keep me up at nights.
Favorite books that require occasional re-reading: The Big Sleep; Farewell, My Lovely; Money, Money, Money; The Frumious Bandersnatch; Basket Case; Get Shorty; Glitz; The Hot Kid; The Maltese Falcon.
- Movies And TV Shows I Like:
- The Wire; Deadwood; The Sopranos; The Departed; Pulp Fiction; Godfathers I and II; Goodfellas; Casino; Sunset Boulevard; Double Indemnity; Body Heat; Monty Python and the Holy Grail; Animal House; Blazing Saddles. (Not everything is a mystery..
Dana King's Photos
Dana King's Blog
Why I Don't Watch TV Cop Shows
(Also posted at One Bite at a Time.)
I haven’t watched a TV cop show since The Wire went off the air, except for a random viewing of Numb3rs when The Sole Heir is visiting. This excerpt from James Lee Burke’s In the Moon of Red Ponies explains why better than I could.
Most television cop shows make use of the following story line: A likeable individual is raped or assaulted, or a hardworking family loses one of… Continue
I haven’t watched a TV cop show since The Wire went off the air, except for a random viewing of Numb3rs when The Sole Heir is visiting. This excerpt from James Lee Burke’s In the Moon of Red Ponies explains why better than I could.
Most television cop shows make use of the following story line: A likeable individual is raped or assaulted, or a hardworking family loses one of… Continue
Posted on November 12, 2009 at 2:44am — 5 Comments
October Reads
(Also posted on One Bite at a Time.)
Recommended Reads from October, in the order I read them:
The Friends of Eddie Coyle, George V. Higgins – A seminal book. Few crime fiction writers since have been unaffected by Higgins’s work, and this is the book that got him noticed. Should be on a shelf with Chandler, Hammett, et al for crime fiction writers, and anyone else interested in how the gerne has evolved.
Chasing Darkness… Continue
Recommended Reads from October, in the order I read them:
The Friends of Eddie Coyle, George V. Higgins – A seminal book. Few crime fiction writers since have been unaffected by Higgins’s work, and this is the book that got him noticed. Should be on a shelf with Chandler, Hammett, et al for crime fiction writers, and anyone else interested in how the gerne has evolved.
Chasing Darkness… Continue
Posted on November 3, 2009 at 6:43am — 3 Comments
Starting Over
(Also posted on One Bite at a Time.)
I read the first chapter of the book I’m revising last night. (I have a strict and probably over-complicated regimen for edits such as this that I might describe some day, if I think it won’t make me look too geeky.) Tonight I’ll edit what I read last night.
My writing style has changed a lot. The previous book and the WIP are multi-POV stories that needed a much different voice from this first-pers… Continue
I read the first chapter of the book I’m revising last night. (I have a strict and probably over-complicated regimen for edits such as this that I might describe some day, if I think it won’t make me look too geeky.) Tonight I’ll edit what I read last night.
My writing style has changed a lot. The previous book and the WIP are multi-POV stories that needed a much different voice from this first-pers… Continue
Posted on October 31, 2009 at 2:48am — 4 Comments
A Milestone, of Sorts
(Also posted on One Bite at a Time.)
I finished the first draft of the work-in-progress last night. Took me almost three times as long as usual. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad. There were a lot of plotting issues, including a misguided attempt to write this one by the seat of my pants. I won’t soon try that again. I have great regard for writers who can do that well, which includes most of my favorites, but I’m just not wired that w… Continue
I finished the first draft of the work-in-progress last night. Took me almost three times as long as usual. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad. There were a lot of plotting issues, including a misguided attempt to write this one by the seat of my pants. I won’t soon try that again. I have great regard for writers who can do that well, which includes most of my favorites, but I’m just not wired that w… Continue
Posted on October 29, 2009 at 5:04am — 6 Comments
Notes from Bouchercon 2009
(Also posted on One Bite at a Time.)
I finally got my Bouchercon notes together. While debriefing myself, deciphering my handwriting, adding books to my Amazon wish list and movies to my NetFlix queue, several thoughts and questions came to mind. Please comment at will.
Do readers—other than those with a local connection—really care about where a story takes place as long as it’s appropriate and done well?
Interesting point from Peter… Continue
I finally got my Bouchercon notes together. While debriefing myself, deciphering my handwriting, adding books to my Amazon wish list and movies to my NetFlix queue, several thoughts and questions came to mind. Please comment at will.
Do readers—other than those with a local connection—really care about where a story takes place as long as it’s appropriate and done well?
Interesting point from Peter… Continue
Posted on October 24, 2009 at 12:04am — 4 Comments
Comment Wall (52 comments)
- At 12:48pm on August 14, 2009,
Michael Wiley said… - Thanks for the friendship, Dana. We share an admiration of Chandler, Crais, Rozan, and others. Hope you have a chance to check out my website www.michaelwileyonline.com.
Best,
Michael
- At 10:05am on August 12, 2009,
Preetham Grandhi said… - Hi Dana, I want to introduce you to my debut novel "A Circle of souls" which is a murder, mystery, psychological thriller and a tale of justice and hope. Do visit www.acircleofsouls.com to read more about the book. Make sure you sign up to win an autographed copy of the book. You can also read more reviews by clicking on the More Reviews button at the website. Thanks for your time in advance.
Best regards
Preetham Grandhi
Early Endorsements for “A Circle of Souls”
Linda Fairstein, NYT Bestselling Author: "A fascinating debut - this novel takes the reader to the darkest places in the human soul, from a writer with the authenticity to lead us there. A stunning thriller and an important read."
Judge Judy Sheindlin, star of the Judge Judy Show: "The seminal work of this fine author kept me glued to my chair until the adventure was over and the mystery solved. A great read!"
Book Synopsis:
The sleepy town of Newbury, Connecticut, is shocked when a little girl is found brutally murdered. The town s top detective, perplexed by a complete lack of leads, calls in FBI agent Leia Bines, an expert in cases involving children.
Meanwhile, Dr. Peter Gram, a psychiatrist at Newbury s hospital, searches desperately for the cause of seven-year-old Naya Hastings devastating nightmares. Afraid that she might hurt herself in the midst of a torturous episode, Naya s parents have turned to the bright young doctor as their only hope.
The situations confronting Leia and Peter converge when Naya begins drawing chilling images of murder after being bombarded by the disturbing images in her dreams. Amazingly, her sketches are the only clues to the crime that has panicked Newbury residents. Against her better judgment, Leia explores the clues in Naya s crude drawings, only to set off an alarming chain of events.
In this stunning psychological thriller, innocence gives way to evil, and trust lies forgotten in a web of deceit, fear, and murder.
- At 11:15pm on June 14, 2009,
carole gill said… - sweet of you to comment on my blog, Dana.
It's appreciated, believe me!
don't get on here often--but will to see how my friends are and you're one of the very best who always helped me with stuff I asked!
best wishes and all kinds of good things!
- At 2:44am on April 23, 2009,
Reece Hirsch said… - Hi Dana -- "Double Whammy" is also my favorite Hiassen. I think you're absolutely right that his plots are driven by the comedy. That's fine, as long as it's funny (and Hiassen certainly is).
Reece
- At 7:09am on February 21, 2009,
Charlotte Williamson said…
- I love to start arguments...ah...excuse me...Discussions.
Don't you just love Sematics.
Charlotte
- At 7:05am on February 21, 2009,
- Dana,
The article I mentioned talked about Revolutionary Road.
Charlotte
- At 5:22am on February 21, 2009,
- Dana,
In regard to your blog, Reviewing the Reviewers, there is a website you and the other members need to check out. It is MidwestBookReview.com Authors can get reviews on their work. The website tells them what they need to do in order to be considered for review.
Charlotte
- At 5:13am on February 21, 2009,
- Dana,
And we think Rhett Butler had a hard time getting "Frankly, my dear. I don't give a Damn " on film. Clark Gable had to threaten a lot of people to get that past the censors. Look at the filth that gets on film today.
I feel vindicated in my discussion opinion. This morning when I booted up my computer, guess what popped up on MSN? An ariticle entitled, "How Hollywood takes good books and makes them into bad movies." Is someone out there penning their articles from internet discussions? Creepy!
Charlotte
- At 3:20am on February 19, 2009,
B.R.Stateham said…
- Dana, when you come back thru Salian, give me a call and I'll take you out for some BBQ ribs that'll knock your socks off!
- At 10:43pm on December 2, 2008,
Sandra Ruttan said…
- Thanks Dana - wish you could be there. It should be a lot of fun!
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