January 2009 Blog Posts (201)

About That Plot

I'm judging a contest myself, and I took advice from P.J. Coldren's comments here yesterday as a starting point. Having read two entries, my mind centered this morning on plot.

If I had to choose the most important element for me, it would be plot. I appreciate beautifully written prose and lovingly rendered characters, but if there's no plot or a bad plot, who cares? I suppose for literary fiction we can allow the character study novel or the moment-in-time study, but a steady diet… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on January 8, 2009 at 11:01pm — No Comments

Fling into DC? Meet Me Tomorrow

On Friday afternoons, Washington's Congressional staffers often leave town to visit their home states. This week I'll be greeting them at Borders in Washington Dulles International Airport in Sterling, VA. I'll present my novels to the travelers from 3 pm to 7 pm.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on January 8, 2009 at 10:48pm — No Comments

Live tonight on COS's "Today's Author" on Blogtalk radio

Me, the author who doesn't like to talk on the phone will be doing a 15-minute live Internet radio interview tonight at 8:30 EST on Circle of Seven's "Today's Author" program about my debut thriller FREEZING POINT. You can listen in here, or come back later and check out the interview in the show's archives.

And as if that's not enough, I'm also going to do a half-hour live call-in program on… Continue

Added by Karen Dionne on January 8, 2009 at 10:22pm — No Comments

A new blog and a few other things that might be of interest

I'm very excited to announce the launch of my new blog called, SAM HARPER CRIME SCENE

http://samharpercrimescene.blogspot.com featuring none other than my

protagonist, homicide detective Sam Harper. The inspiration for this

blog came from readers and fans—I love it!

In an attempt to do something a different with this blog, I've

developed a series of short Harper stories to post in segments that

will… Continue

Added by Marta Stephens on January 8, 2009 at 11:59am — No Comments

Suspense Magazine kicks off 2009!!

Hello Everyone,

We are very excited about this year. We have Steve Berry, bestselling author, as the first author of the month. The lineup so far this year is:

February - John Saul

March - Charlotte Hughes

April - John Lesocrat

May - John Sandford

Email me with any suggestions or comments!

editor@suspensemagazine.com

Added by John Raab - editor of Suspense Magazine.com on January 8, 2009 at 5:36am — 1 Comment

Here's to a new year.

Happy 2009 everyone! I hope the new year holds something good for all. I took a two week vacation from writing anything at all except Christmas cards. I have to get back to it and I need to gather some motivation other than friendly kicks in the but from friends and family. It is how ever hard to kick one's own butt. I finally did some last night. I have to retype it onto computer as it is in long hand. Wish me luck.

Added by karen vaughan on January 8, 2009 at 4:17am — No Comments

Well It's Time To Vote For the 2009 Dilys Award

The Dilys Award has been given annually since 1993 by the IMBA to the mystery titles of the year which the member booksellers have most enjoyed selling. The Dilys Award is named in honor of Dilys Winn, the founder of the first specialty bookseller of mystery books in the United States.

Last years winner was William Kent Kruger with Thunder Bay. The nominees were: Rhys Bowen, HER ROYAL SPYNESS (Berkley), Lisa Lutz, THE SPELLMAN FILES (Simon & Schuster), Deanna Raybourn, SILENT IN… Continue

Added by The Poisoned Pen Bookstore on January 8, 2009 at 4:05am — No Comments

Radio Show TONIGHT!

Tonight, Lea Schizas will be my guest on Introducing...WRITERS! -- Lea will be talking about her books, her job as Editor in Chief to Red Rose Publishing, and life as a stay at home mom.

Join us, won't you?
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/kims
730 pm central
830 pm eastern

Added by Kim Smith on January 8, 2009 at 3:02am — No Comments

Speaking of Crime...

There has been some interesting buzz on the net about Herman Rosenblat's memoir, Angel at the Fence, being canceled(Click here to read story) after receiving information that the story was made up. Oprah had Rosenblat and his wife, Roma Radzicki Rosenblat on her show.… Continue

Added by The Poisoned Pen Bookstore on January 8, 2009 at 2:43am — 1 Comment

Another New Year...

The only resolution I kept last year was finishing my book...now I'm in the throes of editing so I can pitch at my next conference. The writing part is defnitely fun...editing not so much. It's a buckle down, ignore the phone, avoid the tv and all fun thingd task and drives me crazy. Still it has to be done if I want someone to want the story, right? Newest resolution...get the edit done, pitch successfully and keep my fingers at the keyboard no matter what! Happy New Year all!

Added by Maryann Mercer on January 8, 2009 at 1:55am — No Comments

Thanks to everyone, please keep voting

Just a quick thank you to everyone who has so far voted for 'A Study in Red - The Secret Journal of Jack the Ripper' in the Preditors and Editors Annual Poll. The book is currently doing very well in the polls, so please, if you haven't voted yet, be kind enough to go to http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelthrill.shtml and place a vote for my novel. Voting runs until the 14th January so there is plenty of time left and it would be… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on January 8, 2009 at 12:12am — No Comments

Guest Blog #1 Contest Judge

As promised, today's blog is from P.J. Coldren, one of the judges for Malice's writing contest. Here's what she has to say about the process and increasing your chances of moving up.

***

I've been asked to guest blog and I thought I'd write about something I've been doing for a long time: I'm a preliminary judge for the (St. Martin's Press) Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Competition for the Best First Traditional Mystery Novel. I'd like to start off by saying that these are my… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on January 7, 2009 at 9:20pm — 9 Comments

The story "B*tch" is up at Powder Burn Flash

My story "Bitch" is up at Powder Burn Flash.com and I believe that you will enjoy it...maybe not initially, but you'll see what I mean. Hey, don't take my word for it, Geoff Eighinger gave it four hats at Eastern Standard Crime.

Added by Cormac Brown on January 7, 2009 at 2:29pm — 2 Comments

Genre Flash 3

Genre Flash 3.pdf

Welcome to Genre Flash a publication featuring some of the best in Australian genre fiction and true crime.

Genre Flash 3 includes articles by crime writer PD Martin and crime & sf writer Alison Goodman; the latest in Aussie Crime Fiction, True, Crime, SF and Fantasy; and a competition...

Enjoy!

Added by Lindy Cameron on January 7, 2009 at 11:11am — No Comments

The Wire/Library visit

The Blog/Website of the Day is the episode guide to The Wire: http://www.hbo.com/thewire/episode/season1/episode01.shtml. I'm sure many have heard about this show that is now over -- all the raves are true. This is one amazing story told over five seasons. Life that is real, life that is on the streets, life that is not fair, day after day, so much depth and excellent characters. Like Band of Brothers, this is a testament to how good television can be and should be. I would also add HBO's… Continue

Added by PK the Bookeemonster on January 7, 2009 at 10:02am — No Comments

Hey! Where's Book tv for fiction?

I know this confession means that I'm officially a nerd, but I spent pots of time over the holidays watching Book tv on C-Span . I watched some great book discussions and interviews with amazing authors.

But mosty I was watching it in a state of jealous snittery. Read rest of… Continue

Added by Kathryn Lilley on January 7, 2009 at 1:30am — 2 Comments

Meme of Tears

What's hit you on an emotional level and made you cry?

Book:

TO THE POWER OF THREE by Laura Lippman

A book that hit me on an emotional level. Sometimes, life is such a game to teenagers, and then they make choices they can never take back that are like throwing a boulder into a pond, and the ripples spread out and hit everyone else in reach, and sometimes those ripples have the force of a tsunami and wreak destruction on the people in their… Continue

Added by Sandra Ruttan on January 6, 2009 at 10:55pm — No Comments

St. Francis as a Mystery Writer?

Okay, maybe not. But I keep remembering the prayer, because it applies in every situation, throughout life, and for all eterniity.

We have to have the serenity to accept what can't be changed. The economy is lousy, the industry is quirky to say the least, and the process of getting published is often unfair and illogical. Accept it; it's what we've got. In addition, each writer has certain talents and lacks others. You may tell a great story but lack the ability to make your… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on January 6, 2009 at 10:02pm — No Comments

Free First Chapter of The Dead Guy

I forgot to mention that anyone can go to HewittsBooks and open a FREE PDF file with the first chapter of The Dead Guy.

Why not give it a quick read? It's a short chapter, and if it doesn't hook you, fine. But you might find that you need to read on ...

Thanks!

Doug…

Continue

Added by Doug Hewitt on January 6, 2009 at 2:06pm — No Comments

I don't like Mondays

Today's Blog of the Day is a terrific resource: The Historical Mystery Homepage. http://members.tripod.com/BrerFox/historicalmystery.html. It is updated with new releases as well as listing histmyst authors by alphabet and books/series by era if one has a particular time period they enjoy and would like to read. There are many many different historical mystery series to choose from, so jump in! Join usssssss......

I made the online… Continue

Added by PK the Bookeemonster on January 6, 2009 at 10:00am — No Comments