February 2008 Blog Posts (177)

Meet me in Maryland!

I'll spend tomorrow with lots of fellow authors at the Bay to Ocean Writers Conference - http://www.baytoocean.com. From 8 am to 5 pm, the conference offers inspiration and instruction (not to mention a fine lunch) to aspiring and emerging authors. We'll hear from Barnes & Nobles Community Relations Manager Hannah Miller, marketing pro Shar McBee, and the best editor I know, Melanie Rigney, will discuss the essentials of writing a good novel: characters, conflict and construction. And… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on February 22, 2008 at 10:38pm — No Comments

Writing on the Road

Travel certainly inspires, but sadly some of the words that come to mind don't make for great literature. Here are the messages I would like to have sent yesterday, cleaned up a bit now that I'm removed from the situation:

The lady in the blue car: "If your call is important, pull over and talk to the person on the other end with the courtesy of giving him/her your full concentration. If it isn't, HANG UP and drive that car like you know where you are." (This message would have to… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on February 22, 2008 at 8:57pm — No Comments

Jordan Dane's Magical Mystery Tour

Can you hear Willie Nelson singing in the background, "On the road again..." Well that ain't Willie. That's me!

I just got word that I was selected as one of a handful of "lead title" authors from all the major publishing houses and featured on an upcoming Levy Entertainment Book Tour. I was requested to hit the road. (And they told me this was a good thing.) As a debut author, this is an amazing honor. More details and the official announcement below, but one last thing--Woo… Continue

Added by Jordan Dane on February 22, 2008 at 10:32am — 5 Comments

Judges for Sale

Writing in the Wall Street Journal in November of 2007, former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor said, “Judicial elections, which occur in some form in 39 states, are receiving growing attention from those who seek to influence them. In fact, motivated interest groups are pouring money into judicial elections in record amounts.”

Last year, candidates for one Wisconsin Supreme Court seat spent $6 million. Estimates run as high as $20 million this year for candidates running… Continue

Added by Christopher Valen on February 22, 2008 at 1:55am — No Comments

Getting Better

I went from 5 degrees to 40 yesterday, so things are looking up. As the temperature improves, I shed the weight of winter: wool coat, boots, gloves. I even washed Michigan off my car so that the wheels and brakes can move without the scrape of ice globules.

As I said earlier, drive time is when I think about a story and look for ways to tell it better. Immersed in the typing-and-composing thing, I often lose the big picture: where is the story going, what are the characters learning that… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on February 21, 2008 at 10:40pm — No Comments

The DEAD ALIVE of Action Movies

On August 21, 1993, I saw the movie DEAD ALIVE at the Music Box Theater in Chicago. Growing up, I watched tons and tons of horror movies, the gorier the better. I even subscribed to “Fangoria” magazine, whose sole purpose seemed to be to celebrate the goriest scenes from film. All of the gore in the movies I watched was wonderful, but I always wanted a little bit more. And then I saw DEAD ALIVE. As soon as I saw it, I realized that I’d been imagining this movie in the back of my mind for all… Continue

Added by John Weagly on February 21, 2008 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Come out to play

at my new blogspot...

http://www.murderby4.blogspot.com

I am posting with three of the best crime-writers on the market :)
come over to play with us!

Added by Kim Smith on February 21, 2008 at 8:05am — No Comments

Crowning

My baby is almost here. Publisher placed the order yesterday for the first run of 2,000 copies! She's already up on Amazon and B&N as a POD. Thanks to all of you for your support!

Added by John Boundy on February 21, 2008 at 2:03am — No Comments

Literary Martial Arts

I often point you to places on line that will help you find great writing. The Book Ninja - http://www.bookninja.com / - on the other hand, brings great writing to you. Almost every day, the Book Ninja gathers the most interesting, or controversial, or humorous writing about the world of literature from all over the internet. On your own you might miss an article about the new $100G Sami Rohr prize that asks, “Do Jews write Jewish novels?” or the piece in The Onion claiming satirically that the… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on February 20, 2008 at 10:44pm — 1 Comment

Here’s the Truth: Staying Published is like Spending Twenty Years on Survivor

or I'm Getting Tired of Swimming Back to the Island

(Warning: Content May Be Harmful to Unpublished Writers)*

Posted by Kate Flora

I appreciated Elizabeth Becka’s honest post last week because, for most us, there are too many reasons not to tell the truth. Most of those reasons are obvious: we don’t tell the truth because this publishing world we inhabit is a very small one, and we don’t want to say or do anything which might have a negative impact on our… Continue

Added by Writers Plot on February 20, 2008 at 10:30pm — No Comments

Dashing Through the...Plot?

Day One of the trip was uneventful, though I'd been warned of snow squalls and lake effect accumulations. I visited a few libraries along the way and arrived to find that my books had been shipped to my son's house as planned. Now I have copies to sell at my events, always a good thing.

As I drive, I work on plot knots, and I'm amazed at how my brain picks them apart when it's uninterrupted by "home thoughts" and such. The sequel to MACBETH'S NIECE had become too complex, too bogged down… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on February 20, 2008 at 10:01pm — No Comments

Review - Stalked, Brian Freeman

STALKED is the third Jonathan Stride novel. Set in Duluth on the shores of Lake Superior in Minnesota Stride finds himself investigating his own. His long-term work partner Maggie is in her house, asleep in bed, when her husband - downstairs, on the couch, is shot with her gun. Full review at:

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/node/3978

Added by Karen from AustCrime on February 20, 2008 at 12:35pm — No Comments

Criminal Misconduct

Timothy Masters was freed on January 26, 2008 in Fort Collins, Colorado after serving 9 1/2 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. The DNA from the victim’s body didn’t match that of Masters but of the woman’s former boyfriend, who had been dismissed as a suspect early in the case.

The lead detective, who relentlessly pursued Masters for ten years, is now under investigation for alleged misconduct. Evidence was manufactured. Rules were bent or broken. An innocent man suffered… Continue

Added by Christopher Valen on February 20, 2008 at 12:07pm — No Comments

Review and Interview

My very first interview and review. Check it out here.

Added by NL Gassert on February 20, 2008 at 6:31am — No Comments

Advanced Novel Writer's Workshop

Advanced Novel Writer's Workshop

Instructor: Carol Davis Luce

Length of workshop: Fifteen weeks

Sponsored by: Writer's Digest WRITER'S ONLINE WORKSHOP

Get help with your manuscript from a published novelist and the encouragement and feedback of your peers.

Throughout the workshop you’ll be able to participate in asynchronous discussion with the instructor and the class in Lecture Hall, unmoderated students-only discussion in the Student Union, and group… Continue

Added by Carol Davis Luce on February 20, 2008 at 4:56am — No Comments

The Billingtons

Weh-hey it's all getting exciting! Too busy to add more - how's that for mystery writing?

Added by Alison Bruce on February 20, 2008 at 1:55am — No Comments

Don Carpenter’s Hard Rain Falling (Harcourt, Brace & World, 1966)

The serendipity of discovering a book never ceases to amaze

me. All my life I have been networked to

fans of crime fiction, but recently a man walked into my library who knew I had

written Read ‘Em Their Writes. He handed me this title and told me he

thought it was one of the best crime novels he had ever read.…

Continue

Added by Gary Warren Niebuhr on February 19, 2008 at 11:32pm — 2 Comments

Meet me Tomorrow in Virginia

Tomorrow night I join the Arlington Chapter of the Jaycees. Their monthly "Pizza Feast" begins at 7:30 pm, and it will be combined with a "Meet the Author Night," when I will discuss the process of writing crime fiction and mysteries. Aside from being able to meet me and get some signed novels, it's a great chance to find out about how you can get involved with this great organization of young adults in Arlington County. The meeting is in the… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on February 19, 2008 at 11:18pm — No Comments

She's Leaving Home

It's time for the "Did I forget anything?" moment and the goodbyes. I'm planning to visit libraries on the way south today and then spend the night with my son and daughter-in-law. The biggest problem right now is books. I sold every copy I ordered and have a waiting list here at home, plus I have none to take on the tour. (NOT complaining about that!) It's just that I have to figure out how to get more. Between us my son and I have a plan.

The other concern in Michigan in February…

Continue

Added by Peg Herring on February 19, 2008 at 10:24pm — No Comments

Review - A Quiet Belief in Angels, R J Ellory

This is a different sort of crime fiction book - with an ongoing series of murders as a (for want of a better way to describe this) a backdrop to the central character's life. Slow, moving and fascinating. Full review at:

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/node/3968

Added by Karen from AustCrime on February 19, 2008 at 4:00pm — No Comments