-
Kelli Stanley
Female
United States - Share
- Blog Posts (11)
- Discussions (32)
- Photos (9)
- Photo Albums
- Videos (1)
Music
Kelli Stanley's Discussions
San Francisco in Dec
Replied Dec. 2, 2007
Reality Bites
Replied Aug. 27, 2007
Reality Bites
Replied Aug. 25, 2007
Writing in the Dark
For the Love of Chrysler ...
I'm a big believer in serendipity. You know, those chance encounters and opportunities that come your way and (as long as you're not actually starring in a noir) can lead to fabulous fun.
As a writer, I like to let serendipity guide me sometimes, through plot points and character development ... and this weekend, a bit of research fell into my life the same way.
I was in Tiburon Saturday--one of Marin County's most beautiful towns--visiting my brilliant and wonderful agent. And it just so happens that Tiburon was hosting a one day Classic Auto festival at the same time.
Now, I love classic cars--you know, when American cars were truly special, built to last, and featured rumble seats or (a bit later) some truly amazing fin work.
These cars are wonders of engineering, and at the Tiburon show, many were lovingly restored or sported full ownership histories posted on the window.
An event like this gives me the chance to really develop a feel for a period car model--a tremendous research opportunity for my 1940 series ...
I'm not in Tiburon very often, but last year, when I was writing CITY OF DRAGONS, I happened to stumble in to Tiburon on another warm day. And--you guessed it--they were hosting the very same car show. The odds of me being in Tiburon on the day they host a day-long annual car show--twice, in consecutive years--well, that's just serendipity for you.
Of course, inspiration struck. I'll be starting the sequel to CITY OF DRAGONS very soon, and it was both lucky and wonderful, lighting upon the chance to see
a glorious 1940 Packard Station Wagon (Wood Sides)
Or a 1940 Cadillac Convertible
Or Gertie, a 1939 Chevrolet "Master Deluxe Business Coupe"
Or a 1934 Pontiac
... or even a 1918 Pierce Arrow.
What car was my favorite? Well, I love the rumble seated 1934 Pontiac ...
but I liked the idea of driving this 1967 Jaguar convertible.
In a word ... classic. And serendipitous!! :)
BTW, we launched Criminal Minds, our group blog and virtual panel, last week--and traffic has been brisk! Come by and comment in the month of June, and you could win a $50 Independent Mystery Booksellers Association member gift certificate, a $50 Barnes and Noble, and signed copies of our books! I post on Thursdays.
Back soon, with photos of San Juan Bautista ... and a talk about Vertigo.
Kelli Stanley's Page
Latest Activity
Thanks a million, Benjamin!! :)
That's a terrific accomplishment for a debut novel. Congratulations!
Profile Information
- Hometown:
- San Francisco
- About Me:
- Thanks for stopping by! It gets lonely around here with just a fedora, a typewriter and a bottle of bourbon ...
NOX DORMIENDA, my debut novel, won the Bruce Alexander Memorial Historical Mystery Award at Left Coast Crime in 2009 and has been nominated for a Macavity Award. A Writer's Digest Notable Debut (July/August 2008), it marks the first of a new series and new genre: Roman Noir. Set in first century AD Britain and featuring Arcturus, a hard-boiled protagonist in the best Marlowe tradition, NOX is a new kind of historical mystery, a suspense thriller that combines a classic noir style with the rich texture of the ancient past.
CITY OF DRAGONS--an explosively dark novel set in 1940 San Francisco, and introducing ex-escort and PI Miranda Corbie--will be published by Thomas Dunne/St. Martin's Minotaur in February, 2010. A small-time Japanese gangster is murdered in Chinatown ... and no one wants to know why. Miranda defiantly pursues the truth, uncovering searing racial hatreds and a legacy of pain and exploitation.
I live in San Francisco, which proudly claims the mantle of Noir City, and hold an MA in Classics.
When I'm not writing, I can be found in bookstores, classic film festivals, speakeasies and anywhere the fog blows.
For more information, please visit my website at www.kellistanley.com
- I Am A:
- Writer
- Website:
- http://www.kellistanley.com
- Books And Authors I Like:
- In no order:
Raymond Chandler, Thomas Hardy, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Catullus, Euripides, Hammett, Sayers, Christie Highsmith, MacDonald, Tey, Elisabeth Sanxay-Holding, du Maurier, Goodis, Woolrich, Hemingway, Steinbeck, Tennessee Williams, L'Engle, the Brontes, Fitzgerald, and many friends and contemporaries, too many to list ...
- Movies And TV Shows I Like:
- Film Noir, film noir, film noir. German Expressionism, early '30s musicals, Warner crime melodramas, B-movie science-fiction, Italian neo-realism, John Ford westerns, Judy Garland, screwball comedies, pre-code soaps ...
If pressed to name a favorite of favorites: Casablanca. Favorite Noir: Gilda.
And who has time for television?
Welcome to Roman Noir.
In NOX DORMIENDA, Kelli Stanley has created a startling new genre of mystery: the Roman noir. Written in a fresh and uncompromising voice, here is a novel as evocative of ancient times as it is masterful in crafting a mystery as entangled and ingenious as any modern story. I look forward to vanishing again into the world she has created. Don’t miss your chance to do the same.
James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of The Judas Strain
NOX DORMIENDA (A LONG NIGHT FOR SLEEPING) nigh cost me a night's sleep! A Roman noir ... and with a depth of scholarship that should be off-putting but works beautifully. The language is a sheer treasure ...
From classical to sheer class and for a book that is so meticulously researched, it has a wild and wondrous sense of humour. What a series this is going to be! Imagine Ellis Peters re-written by Elmore Leonard and you'll have some notion of this gem of a novel—and it moves like a gladiator on speed.
Ken Bruen, Barry and Shamus Award-winning author of Priest
From first page to finis, NOX DORMIENDA by Kelli Stanley is chock full of chills, thrills, and breath-taking adventure. Fueled by fascinating characters and rich details from Londinium in 83 A.D., this unforgettable tale brings the past eerily alive while leaving you hungering for the next book in what surely will be an exciting series. Stanley is a terrific writer.
Gayle Lynds, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Spymaster
Kelli Stanley skillfully introduces readers to Roman Britain noir in NOX DORMIENDA. A credible mystery, a touching love story, sufficient suspense to keep the reader invested and eager to discern the guilty—and to discover whether or not the innocent will be spared from paying—all steeped in authenticity and a love for history that bodes well for the successful launch of a splendid, informative and entertaining series. Praeclarus nixus!
Vicki Hinze, www.vickihinze.com
Kelli Stanley's Photos
&width=93&height=124)
Kelli Stanley's Blog
NOX DORMIENDA Wins Bruce Alexander Memorial Historical Mystery Award
I was extraordinarily honored a few weeks ago. My debut novel, NOX DORMIENDA (A Long Night for Sleeping), won the Bruce Alexander Memorial Historical Mystery Award at Left Coast Crime in Kona, Hawaii.
I was and am stunned, grateful and humbled. My fellow nominees were friends who exemplify excellence in the field ... Rhys Bowen, Laurie R. King, and Tasha Alexander. It was my first trip to Hawaii, and one I will always treasure.
My next book, RICE BOWL, starts a new series, set in 1940 San Fran… Continue
I was and am stunned, grateful and humbled. My fellow nominees were friends who exemplify excellence in the field ... Rhys Bowen, Laurie R. King, and Tasha Alexander. It was my first trip to Hawaii, and one I will always treasure.
My next book, RICE BOWL, starts a new series, set in 1940 San Fran… Continue
Posted on April 11, 2009 at 7:37am — 12 Comments
Released!
Today -- July 18th -- is the official release day of my debut book, NOX DORMIENDA. Still feels unreal to me ... and a little like a deep-sea diver with the bends. :) Physical copies still won't be available for about a week, but this is a rite of passage, a marking of time and a culmination of a lot of teamwork.
I'm celebrating by writing, but I wanted to thank Crimespace for being the first and one of the best places to meet people. I've made friends here I plan to have for a lifetime.
So tha… Continue
I'm celebrating by writing, but I wanted to thank Crimespace for being the first and one of the best places to meet people. I've made friends here I plan to have for a lifetime.
So tha… Continue
Posted on July 19, 2008 at 5:31am — 3 Comments
Comment Wall (85 comments)
- At 9:05am on February 4, 2009,
Reece Hirsch said… - Kelli -- I do plan to make it to the next MWA lunch on the 21st. We're on -- veggie ravioli at John's Grill!
- At 3:18am on February 4, 2009, Reece Hirsch said…
- Kelli -- Thanks for the invite! It's nice to meet another Bay area writer. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to talk one of these days at an MWA Norcal meeting.
Nox Dormienda sounds really intriguing. And what a cool blurb from Ken Bruen!
- At 10:47am on December 1, 2008,
Meredith S. Cole said… - Kelli-
It was great to meet you at Bouchercon! I hope you are feeling better...
-Meredith
- At 2:08pm on September 19, 2008,
Mari Sloan said… - It was GREAT meeting you and I just finished Nox Dormienda. It portrays the times and mix of cultures exactly as I pictured them when I was taking high school latin. I LOVED it! It fulfilled all of my expectations, and more. I love your smart-ass voice and your characters, and can't wait for more. Come back this way again soon and LOOK ME UP!!!!! Thanks, Kelli!
Mari
- At 12:11pm on September 17, 2008,
R.J. Mangahas said… - Well then, I may have to try and dig out the ol' fedora before B'Con.
A whole closet full huh? That's a lot of hats.
- At 12:01pm on September 17, 2008, R.J. Mangahas said…
- I have a fedora too, but it's not really my trademark. It's just a cool hat.
- At 11:55am on September 17, 2008, R.J. Mangahas said…
- Sounds like it's going to be fun. Should I just seek out the fedora? ;)
- At 1:19am on September 16, 2008, R.J. Mangahas said…
- Thanks for the add Kelli. I just added Nox Dormienda to my TBR. I'm looking forward to this "Roman Noir." And I hope to run into you at Bouchercon.
- At 1:45pm on August 30, 2008, Mari Sloan said…
- I'm just glad I'll get a chance to meet you so close to my home. Touring has to be wearing you out but your book is beautiful and it'll be worth it. Soon you'll have new friends ALL over. See you a week from tomorrow!
:-) Mari
- At 4:22pm on August 26, 2008, Mari Sloan said…
- Your book is already on sale at MTDF, btw, and looks GREAT!
About
© 2009 Created by Daniel Hatadi on Ning. Create Your Own Social Network
