January 2009 Blog Posts (201)

Heartbreaking

No, this is not my big announcement, but I have to write this.

One of the perks of my life is that my husband often brings home books to me. Books he thinks I might like to review, or books that he is pretty sure he won't want to assign for review but that he'll think I'll like. Sometimes these pile up and gather dust. Sometimes, though, I love… Continue

Added by Clea Simon on January 14, 2009 at 2:14am — 1 Comment

Why did the writer miss her deadline? It was foggy out

This morning I pressed SEND on my first draft for MAKEOVERS CAN BE MURDER. The manuscript should now be safely in the hands of my editor in NY. Ahh...sweet sigh relief. Deadlines remind me of the many ways we writers love to procrastinate.

Read post… Continue

Added by Kathryn Lilley on January 14, 2009 at 12:30am — No Comments

When in Doubt, Edit

At workshops I present, I often meet people who can't get past the first fifty pages. They need to make those initial chapters perfect first, they tell me, and then they can go on. That's probably never going to happen, hence a completed MS will never appear.

Still, when I'm stalled, I usually print off what's done and do an edit, which serves a few important purposes. First, it gets me back into the story. I may have stalled because I'm worrying about presenting a character or… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on January 13, 2009 at 10:22pm — No Comments

Please cast a last minute vote for Juan Pablo

With only two days left to vote in the P & E polls, my poetic 'other self' Juan Pablo Jalisco has suddenly slipped from first to second position in the Poets section. Please could I ask anyone who has not yet voted in the Poets Category to cast a vote for me under thename of Juan Pablo Jalisco at http://www.critters.org/predpoll/poet.shtml Perhaps a few more votes might help Juan Pablo back to the top spot?

Of course any further votes for A Study in Red in the thriller section… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on January 13, 2009 at 6:16pm — No Comments

Drumroll, please

Am waiting for something to arrive in the mail, but as soon as it does, I will have a big announcement!

In the meantime, Chris Verstraete hosted me in her series of writing tips over at her Candid Canine blog. Drop on by to see what I and her other guests have suggested!

Added by Clea Simon on January 13, 2009 at 6:55am — No Comments

Do You Hear What I Hear?

(Cross posted to One Bite at a Time.)

The sole discouraging aspect of my initial Bouchercon trip last October was learning how many writers toss a book if they’re not into it within two or three pages. As someone who likes books that break the story to me gently, I am inclined to write that way, and it was disconcerting to think even other authors wouldn’t give a book any more of a shot than an editor only looking for the next… Continue

Added by Dana King on January 13, 2009 at 6:50am — No Comments

Interview with Moi

Come over and check out the new interview of me. It's out in advance of my virtual book tour which begins next month

California Chronicle

Hope you enjoy it!

Added by Kim Smith on January 13, 2009 at 3:55am — No Comments

The Search is On For the World's Best Lover - Great Gifts For Each Entry

Inspired by Dr. Ava Cadell, Founder of Loveology University® says, “Our Valentine’s Day contest was propelled by the ever-growing demand from people who need to be coached in all matters of love, relationships and intimacy. Through Love U, an online College of Sexual Knowledge, anyone can learn how to enrich their relationships and become a great lover. Most people know ‘how’ to have sex, but being romantic and making love is a truly an art-form… Continue

Added by Nikki Leigh on January 13, 2009 at 3:00am — No Comments

Another Cool Review

I like to use this blog to direct you to interesting web sites, even if I choose my own. Today I’d like to introduce you to a fan named Ron Stutler.

I met Ron in a mall bookstore when I signed a copy of "Collateral Damage" for him. Recently he wrote to tell me that he read the book faster than he expected to. He compared it to past TV shows and movies, and said he appreciated that I could write an urban story without excessive foul language.

More interesting to me,… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 12, 2009 at 10:59pm — No Comments

Weekly Blog - Monday 12th Jan

Last week, I spoke to Suzannah Sorrell, the editor of up and coming mens’ quarterly ‘1 Degree East’, regarding my debut novel Justice For All. Suzannah really enjoyed the book, and she plans to include a couple of features on me in the magazine’s next two issues: first, an excerpt from JFA in their Q1 issue (due out at the end of January), and then an interview with yours truly in their Q2 issue. More news to follow in the coming weeks.

And now for some good news on The Beholder. My… Continue

Added by Steven Hague on January 12, 2009 at 8:57pm — No Comments

From the Road

I'm traveling but wanted to remind readers that Wednesday P.J. Coldren will again guest blog here. Her topic this week is reviews: how she chooses what to review and how she approaches the task. Again, good for authors to hear from the "other" side.

Added by Peg Herring on January 12, 2009 at 8:13pm — No Comments

The Roman baths Museum by Margot Justes

Many years ago, I was in London and took one of those standard day tours to Stonehenge and Bath. I expected to be delighted and see a few things I haven’t yet seen and I expected to learn something new–one of the many reasons I love to travel.

On this trip, the bus rolled along the lovely serene English countryside and the first glimpse of the enormous stones was surreal. They are magnificent, and back then you could actually go up close and personal as the saying goes. We reached… Continue

Added by Margot Justes on January 12, 2009 at 10:46am — No Comments

Remind a friend

The most important reminder when you make a grievous error, suffer a dramatic loss of judgment or do that one thing that makes you feel as if you are utterly worthless in this world, is simply this:

Your friends love you anyway.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 12, 2009 at 6:03am — 2 Comments

1/11/09 - Catching up

Eek, looks like I forgot yesterday. Well, I did sort of lose focus on the day because I had to to drop some mail off because the mail came too early and then I had to get some grocery items and then I went to lunch spontaneously with Barb and Jody and we did spend an hour and half talking. And then I had to come home and walk Tug and then deal with laundry and vacuuming and then the day just was away from me.

Finished MOSCOW RULES by Daniel Silva. 'Twas a good entry in the series but… Continue

Added by PK the Bookeemonster on January 12, 2009 at 4:58am — No Comments

First new post in awhile

It's a new year and I'm still in the midst of Dennis Lehane's The Given Day, the book I took with me to read on the plane to and from Australia (my wife and I took a trip there over the Christmas holidays, to visit my sister in Melbourne). I didn't do quite as much reading as I thought I might--too many other activities, including trips to Phillip Island, the Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles, and several trips into downtown Melbourne on the train. I also got in a couple of very nice… Continue

Added by Craig Larson on January 12, 2009 at 3:30am — No Comments

Do you have a character blog?

I'm on the hunt. For character blogs, of course. If you are a published author and have a blog set up just for one of your characters to blog, will you please visit www.bookmarketingbuzz.wordpress.com, fill out the poll and leave your character's blog link in the comment section?

Thank you!

Dorothy Thompson

Book Marketing Buzz…

Continue

Added by Dorothy Thompson on January 12, 2009 at 1:07am — 3 Comments

Jumpstart the Muse workshop

Register now for:

How to Jumpstart the Muse by Kim Smith

Have you ever had long stretches where your Muse goes on holiday and didn't invite you? Did it take off and didn't leave a forwarding address? I have too! Daily writing prompts and free-style writing can save the "empty mind" syndrome every time. Come and join in the fun as we "locate" the Muse once it takes a hike and leaves us still on the porch.

Date: January 26

Time: 7pm… Continue

Added by Kim Smith on January 11, 2009 at 6:26am — No Comments

Neat New Interview site

The coolest news of the last week is that I was interviewed by a web site. Whohub is a directory of interviews with professionals in a variety of fields: communication, arts, technology, marketing, and any other activity with a creative flair. The site, through some sort of artificial intelligence I imagine, e-mailed me and asked me to participate as an author. I was directed to a web page on which I responded to question in an interview that was… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 11, 2009 at 5:29am — No Comments

Good News For Murder Mystery Writers

There's good news in the midst of all the doom and gloom recession - for murder mystery writers like me that is (I hope)! According to an article in the Saturday Telegraph Review section today, 'Misery memoirs will nosedive in favour of romances and murder mysteries.' Yes, I hear you all cry.

The article, written by Helen Brown, examines what kind of books we'll be buying through a recession. Most publishers agree we're likely to turn away from the grimmer stuff including misery… Continue

Added by Pauline Rowson on January 11, 2009 at 1:39am — 1 Comment

Small Crimes keeps rolling along..

Small Crimes keeps rolling along...

Chauncey Mabe at the Sun-Sentinel will be reviewing Small Crimes this Sunday, but the review is online now at SunSentinel's Off the Page blog, and it's a terrific one. A short blurb from Chauncey's review:

"Small Crimes proves a deft entry in the tradition that goes back to Jim Thompson’s The Killer Inside Me, James… Continue

Added by Dave Zeltserman on January 11, 2009 at 1:36am — No Comments