All Blog Posts (12,730)

December Treasures in My Closet

With the December holidays, people probably don't take as much time to read. These books, scheduled for December publication, may still be treasures that you'll want to watch for. If you don't have time to read them before Christmas, why don't you ask for one of them as a present? Or a true treasure would be a gift of all of the following books!

I just know that Chris Grabenstein asked for the publication date of Hell for the Holidays to be changed to December, so the… Continue

Added by Lesa Holstine on November 1, 2007 at 11:15pm — No Comments

Time On My Mind

posted by Jeanne

I can't speak for the rest of the country, but many of us on the East Coast have been shuffling around for the past week as if in a trance. We're Red Sox Nation and we've been through division championships, league championships and finally the World Series.

Of course we're glad that The Olde Home Team won the big trophy. Personally, and I note here that I've been a Sox fan for ...let's just say decades and leave it at that, I was suprised that the Series only…

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Added by Writers Plot on November 1, 2007 at 9:45pm — No Comments

Speaking of Mysteries

I've been doing "Mystery Talks" at libraries over the last few months as a way of letting librarians and patrons get to know me, and I have to admit it's more fun than work. After thirty years in the classroom, it's great to have audiences that actually want to hear what I have to say, and of course talking about mysteries will never bore a fanatic like me.

I feel a little guilty sometimes recommending Author A over Author B, because we all know that tastes vary, and Author B wouldn't…

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Added by Peg Herring on November 1, 2007 at 9:18pm — 1 Comment

Back from China

I just got back from China where we learned that both the police force and the fire department were part of the People's Army, which is a volunteer professional organization. While I was on the trip I had a chance to read Alan Cook's horror, crime book set in the fifties titled "Honeymoon for Three", a good read with the tension cranking up notch by notch. Also read my first Carl Hiaasen book called "Basket Case"--he has such a good sense of humor and carried it consistently through the book,… Continue

Added by Sheri Fresonke Harper on November 1, 2007 at 5:54pm — No Comments

Crimespace Short Story Competition

As a way of celebrating the joining of the 1000th member, Crimespace is proud to open its first short story competition. The plan is to run this heist every year, with the entries being crime fiction based

around a theme.

To kick it off, this year's theme is 'Australia'.

How you include it is up to you. Your story could be set in Australia,

have an Australian character in it, or simply mention… Continue

Added by Daniel Hatadi on November 1, 2007 at 3:05pm — No Comments

CLASSIFYING THE CONSTITUENTS OF CHAOS

Natchez, Mississippi: 4,380 miles

The whole quote is: "The classification of the constituents of a chaos, nothing less is here essayed." and it's from Moby Dick, which I am currently rereading.

A good road trip is something like that. You point your car here or there, pretty much at random but with an abiding sense of where you're headed, and soone or later you've made something of it. What? I'm not sure yet. But something.

And so far something very… Continue

Added by Eric Stone on November 1, 2007 at 7:05am — No Comments

CRUISING & ABUSING THE ARTERIES

Merriam, KS - 2,186 miles

It's a good thing that my doctor isn't along for this ride. America's heartland hasn't confronted me with much traffic on its highways, but it's clogging my arteries.

Lunch yesterday was at Al's Chickenette in Hays, Kansas. It's famous for its fried chicken. So of course, that's what I had. The place looks great, old neon, been there forever, but alas, the chicken was pretty bland. Nicely cooked but without much flavor.

Dinner was a big salad… Continue

Added by Eric Stone on November 1, 2007 at 7:03am — No Comments

Friends of the Library and Friends here

If you've got a few moments, check out my RSS feed from my group blog at http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com, found in the bottom left column

It's about the Friends of the Library sale from last Friday. Some of you may have been there, done that.

Also, if you feel inclined, send me out a friend request. I'm over my limit of 100 and it will take forever to erase the almost 2000 I sent out.

Thanks,

Morgan Mandel

Added by Morgan Mandel on November 1, 2007 at 6:39am — No Comments

Pushing it...

Pulp Pusher has launched a new segment dedicated to uncovering more of the story behind the fictional characters we know and love...Pushed for Answers has kicked off with Head Games author Craig McDonald. Also in the most recent update we have Maxim Jakubowski talking about Paris Noir and some great new short fiction from Simon Kernick, John Rector and Keith Gilman.…

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Added by Tony Black on November 1, 2007 at 2:33am — No Comments

At 12:01 tonight (or in the morning) I'll write the first few words (pages?) of my new project. Why do I commit to such as this? Fast writing. I usually feel like a failure when I quit producing. Nov…

At 12:01 tonight (or in the morning) I'll write the first few words (pages?) of my new project. Why do I commit to such as this? Fast writing. I usually feel like a failure when I quit producing. November isn't a real good month for daily writing. Daughter comes home from NOBTS and all I want to do is play with her. We visit family in Texas for Thanksgiving. We'll also be moving out of our apartment in Houston and trying to find room to store furniture…

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Added by Jess on November 1, 2007 at 1:08am — 2 Comments

Writers Need Readers

There is some concern in the publishing industry about the fact that every year there are fewer readers in this country. We all know why, and I'm not here to argue that it's wrong, wrong, wrong, even though it is.

The question is what can build interest in reading? Those factors need to be cultivated. For one thing, there's the popularity of certain books among young people. Once a kid has developed an interest in Potter or Goosebumps or Chillermania, chances are he will understand…

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Added by Peg Herring on October 31, 2007 at 10:57pm — 2 Comments

MANAGING TIME WISELY: IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD

(Or Listen to the Blogcast)

For many years, I was the official "cookie baker" for my family’s holiday get-togethers. Chocolate chip

cookies were my specialty, but I dabbled in sugar, chocolate, apple,

creamy fillings, and other gourmet styles, too.

As the years passed, and I became busier at work, I grew less entranced… Continue

Added by Jane Cleland on October 31, 2007 at 10:00pm — No Comments

Lead The Way

Posted by Doranna

Mr. Leash is Your Friend

Well, Mr. Leash is my friend. Especially when Mr. Leash is on other peoples' dogs. And I swear I wrote this before the events of the 21st and my previous blog, when Connery was attacked by the Giant Schnauzer. Honestly honestly truly. I even wrote it before the comments I saw in my SFF Net hang-out,…

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Added by Writers Plot on October 31, 2007 at 9:52pm — No Comments

I Am Legend

I'm currently reading Richard Matheson vampire/zombie classic I Am Legend from 1954. It's just recently been translated in Finnish - for the first time! I'm enjoying the book immensely and am wondering what kind of a shock it must've been to readers of 1954. It came out as a paperback from Gold Medal and people must've picked it up more from a habit than from really knowing what it's about. No wonder it's been so influential - there's lots of stuff that George Romero picked up from this (and I… Continue

Added by Juri Nummelin on October 31, 2007 at 8:19pm — No Comments

The Butterfly Children Effect and Me

Last night was one of the most emotional nights of my life.

First, I had to give a speech. And I do not like public speaking. It's like finding yourself in one of those weird dreams where you are suddenly starkers in a public place with nowhere to run and hide. Not comfortable with it in the least.

Second, the speech was about my Aunt, who suffered and passed away from a horrifying and, until lately, rarely seen disease called Epidermolysis Bullosa.

Third,… Continue

Added by DADavenport on October 31, 2007 at 12:27pm — 1 Comment

Viewing Tip

Turner Classic Movies will be showing

1946's Deadline at Dawn tonight (Tuesday, October 30) at

11:45 PM Eastern. I caught it at Eddie Muller's Noir

City festival earlier this year, and Megan Abbott

wrote an appreciation of it in the Film Noir

Foundation's latest newsletter. Trust me when I say

it's one of the damnedest movies you'll ever see.

Clifford Odets adapting Cornell Woolrich for… Continue

Added by Vince Keenan on October 31, 2007 at 9:23am — 2 Comments

The Cheap Catch-up

Doesn't that sound like a Ross MacDonald title? In reality, the lovely and brilliant folks at Worldwide Mystery (a branch of Harlequin) have decided to publish a mass market (i.e., less than $5) version of my very first mystery, "Mew is for Murder" in November. Worldwide only sells online (how do you think they keep their prices so low?) and they only print a limited number of books, so this is a limited-time offer.… Continue

Added by Clea Simon on October 31, 2007 at 8:30am — No Comments

Paying the Piper Goes On Sale!

Paying the Piper went on sale today. Naturally, I'm quite excited, so I think I'll spend the rest of the day gloating in a dark corner. :-)

Added by Simon Wood on October 31, 2007 at 7:33am — No Comments

Presenting... Murray!

Congratulations and a big "thank you" to Jacqueline and Graig Fantuzzi, who won the right to name a cat in my next mystery. Their donation to Boston's Animal Rescue League will help pay for adoptions, spay and neuters, and tons of other great services to animals and animal lovers.

As a small thank you, their… Continue

Added by Clea Simon on October 31, 2007 at 4:00am — No Comments

Magna Cum Murder

I attended my first Magna conference this past weekend and had a great time! I made new acquaintances and managed not to get killed on I-65. Every time I go to a writer's con, I feel pumped and ready to write when I get back. I needed the shot in the arm as I've been struggling with a couple of manuscripts. One is a stand-alone suspense, the other horror.

Thanks to several writing vets at Magna, I learned a few tricks for spurring the old creative juices. So now I'm off and running… Continue

Added by Scarlett Dean on October 31, 2007 at 1:17am — No Comments