January 2009 Blog Posts (201)

Please add a Late Vote

With just four days to go in the annual Preditors & Editors Readers Polls, (voting ends on the 14th January) could I please ask any of my friends who may not have voted to please support my two nominations in the awards? My novel, 'A Study in Red - The Secret Journal of Jack the Ripper' is in the Thrillers section at http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelthrill.shtml and I'm also nominated in the Poets category under my pseudonym of Juan Pablo Jalisco at… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on January 10, 2009 at 10:57pm — No Comments

An Interview with a Gazette Newspaper Columnist

Anita Miller is the new "Book Groupie" weekly columnist at the Colorado Springs Gazette daily newspaper. When her first column extolling Harlan Coben's books appeared in early December, I emailed her to tell how much I enjoyed it. I thought he might enjoy it, too, so I sent him a link to the article. My email initiated a conversation with Anita about possible future column topics, and one thing led to another. She put my book, A REAL BASKET CASE, on her reading pile, enjoyed it, and asked me if… Continue

Added by Beth Groundwater on January 10, 2009 at 3:37pm — 2 Comments

Self-Publishing Pros and Cons

Tonight I got drawn into some forum threads about self-publishing and POD. Some of the disparaging comments kicked my adrenaline into overdrive. People choose print-on-demand for all sorts of reasons. It doesn't necessarily mean they're bad writers; perhaps they simply lack the armadillo armor necessary to persevere through the traditional channels. At least that's true of me.

In one of my comments, I mentioned my publisher, Virtualbookworm, as producing high-quality products. The… Continue

Added by Julie Lomoe on January 10, 2009 at 1:59pm — 3 Comments

TGIF

Made some progress last night in MOSCOW RULES; I'm a little over halfway done. I enjoy this series though I don't normally go for espionage-types. And though it is very well told and feels like authentic details, the plots seem to built the same each time: Gabriel kinda wants out of "The Office" (Israeli Intelligence) because he's done so much for them (like personally hunt down and kill six of the hijackers involved in the incident at the Munich Olympics) but keeps getting dragged in for just… Continue

Added by PK the Bookeemonster on January 10, 2009 at 10:24am — No Comments

New story published

The latest issue of The Thrilling Detective is out with a story by yours truly. Horns is a Val Lyon short story about murder, lust, bulls, bullshit and bull semen. It features a kick-ass detective, cowboys, barrel clowns and a 1700 pound bag of aggression named Terminator.

This story came about because of a brief article in Sports Illustrated some years ago about rodeo bulls being forgotten… Continue

Added by Mark Troy on January 10, 2009 at 6:17am — 1 Comment

Suspense Magazine updates

Hello Everyone!

We are in search of some freelance writers to contribute to the magazine. We are looking for articles, news, columns, etc related to Suspense/Mystery/Thriller. If you are interested please let us know.

editor@suspensemagazine.com

We have posted many new stories and a lot more are to come shortly! We have John Saul scheduled to interview this month and will play his interview in February, which can be found on his page, February… Continue

Added by John Raab - editor of Suspense Magazine.com on January 10, 2009 at 5:24am — No Comments

Don't Miss the Sizzling Debut

Well, Barbara has once again picked a winner in Beat the Reaper: a debut by Josh Bazell

Not only is this First Mystery Club Pick getting rave reviews:

"I didn't want to like it. I mean, a doctor writing a novel is kind of obnoxious. What, you don't have enough to do already? But maybe that's me. Anyway, I didn't want to like BEAT THE REAPER, but I did; I loved it. It is completely original, an utter page-turner, bold,… Continue

Added by The Poisoned Pen Bookstore on January 10, 2009 at 5:21am — No Comments

CALL FOR ENTRIES!

I found this call for entries on the USA Book News site:

The National “Best Books 2009” Awards are specifically designed to garner SIZZLING MEDIA COVERAGE & BOOK SALES for the winners & finalists throughout the 2009 holiday retail season and 2010! Winners & finalists will be announced October 2009.

They are celebrating their 6th Year of Honoring Outstanding Mainstream & Independent Books!

Last years… Continue

Added by The Poisoned Pen Bookstore on January 10, 2009 at 5:07am — No Comments

Emerson LaSalle

I’ve been meaning to post a link to this fab new website paying tribute to prolific pulp legend Emerson LaSalle. LaSalle was author of such unforgettable titles as The Savage Bat People of Planet Danger, Vixen Shamus and Wrath of the Nazi Wolf Men.

I’ve also been meaning to put to rest once and for all the persistent rumor that I slept with Mr. LaSalle shortly before his death two years ago. While I will admit to harboring a bit… Continue

Added by Christa Faust on January 10, 2009 at 4:28am — No Comments

Yes, I'm Back...

On Crimespace and I actualy have some crime fiction to talk about now! I wrote a short for the Seattle Noir anthology called "Freak Show" last summer, and it made it to the final three stories before being bumped. Sigh. So I'm looking for a market for the story, preferably one that pays. I know about Hitchcock's and Ellery Queen, but beyond that I'm pretty much a rube when it comes to crime fiction markets. Anybody have any ideas?

I'm also brewing up another story, short or… Continue

Added by Dave Bara on January 10, 2009 at 3:05am — No Comments

New Publishing Company

Melanie D. Calvert-Benton and Gary L. Benton have announced the future

opening of Dancing Fox Publishing. Dancing Fox Publishing of Jackson,

Mississippi, will strive for excellence in the publishing field.

Gary a professional web designer is designing a web site and we should be

online within a couple of weeks. We will consider any writing genre, except

porn, or manuscripts with

We have decided to make our services free of any… Continue

Added by Melanie C. Benton on January 10, 2009 at 1:57am — No Comments

If I Were an Agent, I'd Pick You

Eureka! I mentioned yesterday that I'm judging the initial round of a contest, and I'd read a couple of good samples and a couple of bad ones. Well, the last one I read was a winner, and if I were an agent, this person would get a contract ASAP.

What is it that set it apart from the others? There's the rub: I can't really say. There are books that hook me as a reader from page one, and this is one of them. The character is unique, the plot pulled me in, the writing style is neither… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on January 9, 2009 at 10:56pm — 1 Comment

Quantum Of Solace Review

Posted over at Musings From The 21st Century.

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Added by Dave Bara on January 9, 2009 at 5:40pm — No Comments

Jumpstart the Muse!

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 9, 2009 at 8:50am — No Comments

Doing Well in the Polls

Both of my nominations in the P & E Polls are so far doing well.

A Study in Red is still at #1 in the Thriller section and my poetic self Juan Pablo Jalisco has just gone to joint #1 in the Poets section.

Please, if anyone is kindly disposed to add their votes to my nominations, got to http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelthrill.shtml to vote for 'A Study in Red - The Secret Journal of Jack the Ripper' and to… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on January 9, 2009 at 7:19am — No Comments

The Long Tail & Hawaii 5-0

Another review comes in for THE FRAILTY OF FLESH. This book seems to have some legs. I worried it would be overshadowed by the year-end busyness and releases from big names, but those things seem to only have delayed the discovery instead of preventing it.

Sandra Ruttan has a perfect recipe for this multilayer thriller. First layer:

This…

Continue

Added by Sandra Ruttan on January 9, 2009 at 6:01am — No Comments

01/08/09 - More MOSCOW RULES/Bookworms Carnival/Guilty Pleasures

I started MOSCOW RULES by Daniel Silva last night; actually just a few pages in so I don't have an opinion on it yet. But I don't want to leave you empty handed so.... The author's official website can be found at http://www.danielsilvabooks.com/content/index.asp. Among other information, it talks about his next book, THE DEFECTOR, being released on July 21st of this year. On his publisher's website, there is an interesting interview with him from around the release of his previous book which… Continue

Added by PK the Bookeemonster on January 9, 2009 at 4:38am — No Comments

1/07/09 - MOSCOW RULES - Daniel Silva/ Crime Thru Time

Todays Blog/Website of the Day is the official Crime Thru Time website: http://www.crimethrutime.com/. This is the companion to the Yahoo group of the same name. The site states, "Crime Thru Time is a web site dedicated to Historical Mysteries.We began as a discussion list and have since grown to a web site complete withinformation about upcoming releases, series/author book lists, timelines, and links of interest.Est. March 5, 1999."

I've been on a Veronica Mars binge, watching the… Continue

Added by PK the Bookeemonster on January 9, 2009 at 4:35am — 5 Comments

Doom and Gloom in the Book World

When Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Co announced a freeze on the purchase of most new manuscripts (story here) and Harper Collins and Pearson, parent company of Penguin Group (USA), announced they were freezing wages and considering layoffs (story here), we knew times were tough.

The bad economy… Continue

Added by The Poisoned Pen Bookstore on January 9, 2009 at 2:00am — 3 Comments

I need Each of You to Please Help Me Out!!!!

Silent Scream is listed on the Preditors and Editors site for Novel of the Year. Currently it is sitting in 9th place. I have until hte 14th to get it to number one. It would be so great if we could get it there. It would mean that the girls are being heard even better.

Here is the link please if you haven't voted please vote and then tell others- Help the girls with their voice.

http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novel.shtml

Please give the girls a voice. Help them be… Continue

Added by Yvonne Mason on January 8, 2009 at 11:28pm — No Comments