July 2008 Blog Posts (167)

Great news for 'A Study in Red'. Audio Contract Signed.

I'm thrilled to be able to announce that I've signed a new contract with the publisher of my award winning novel 'A Study in Red - The Secret Journal of Jack the Ripper' which will see the book released later this year in audio book format. Double Dragon have themselves signed with a leading UK studio who will be producing their audio books to a very high standard, complete with sound effects, music, professional readers etc. I'm delighted that 'A Study in Red' will be given the… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on July 12, 2008 at 12:00am — No Comments

Do We Get More Strange the More We Sell?

It seems there are two types of famous writers, and I'll begin by saying I admire both types. One type finds something that works for them and then repeats it. I've heard a few admit that it's tough to come up with new stuff after the third or fourth book, but the good ones do it. Mediocre writers' work may bore some readers after while, but there seem to be enough who don't get bored to make the repetition profitable.

The other type of writer tries for something different each time.… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on July 11, 2008 at 10:25pm — No Comments

THE LINEUP #1 On Sale

Patrick Shawn Bagley, Richie Narvaez, Anthony Rainone, and I have finished editing The Lineup: Poems on Crime, a 6" x 9", 44-page chapbook featuring work from 14 poets including Bagley, Ken Bruen, Crimespace's own Daniel Hatadi, and me.

The Rap Sheet's J. Kingston Pierce recently invited me to wax a bit about the project's history, and about the place of crime in poetry.

Copies of The Lineup are available from… Continue

Added by Gerald So on July 11, 2008 at 9:00pm — No Comments

Award Received for 'Purple Death'

I'm delighted to have received the award earned by my forthcoming novel 'Purple Death' for 'The Authors Lounge Best Cover Illustration Design' for June 2008. this follows on from the success of 'A Study in Red' in the previous month's poll, and I would like to say a very big thank you to Graeme Houston for his wonderfully evocative design, and to all of those friends who supported my books nominations. More information about the… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on July 11, 2008 at 8:23pm — No Comments

Sassy Sleuths on the Prowl!

Harley Jane Kozak, Sue Ann Jaffarian, Kathryn Lilley and Patricial Smiley were Sassy Sleuths over at Vroman's in Pasadena on Saturday. Click here for the post.

Added by Kathryn Lilley on July 11, 2008 at 7:00pm — No Comments

Deathryde: Rebel Without A Corpse Digs Up A Good Review in The Washington Times

If you have a taste for slambang satire that plays games with the names of dead celebrities from James Dean to Barbara Stanwyck and a hearse driver with the marvelous name of Coffin Joe, Michael P. Naughton's Deathryde: Rebel without a Corpse (Gilded Hearse Press, $12.95, 183 pages), is your kind of book. It's the story of a gang of criminal undertakers engaged in a caper known as "Harold and Maude" involving a group of Hollywood funeral homes and an ancient but unforgotten mafia… Continue

Added by Michael P. Naughton on July 11, 2008 at 1:14pm — No Comments

Stereotypes and Writing

I’ve been pondering this one for a while, and decided to finally get my brain in gear and write it.

A number of years ago, before my first novel made it to print, a reader complained about the fact that my characters of a particular nationality weren’t the way characters of that nationality were portrayed in movies. I explained to her, politely, that the characters in the movies were stereotypes, and that I don’t use them.

Stereotypes are a sort of shorthand that is used… Continue

Added by Pepper Smith on July 11, 2008 at 4:09am — No Comments

Phew...

Nice bit of news - my editor over at the Barnes and Noble Library of Essential Reading loves my introduction to The Mysterious Affair at Styles,, Poirot's first adventure, so look for my name to be linked to the great Agatha Christie when this new edition comes out next March. What an honor!

And… Continue

Added by Clea Simon on July 11, 2008 at 3:00am — No Comments

My Modest Proposal ... and You Can Call Me Crazy If You Like

Here's the scenario: Author sends MS#1 to Publisher A. She waits six months, hears nothing, sends MS#2 to Publisher B. Waits eight months, hears nothing, sends MS#3 to Publisher C. Finally, after a year and a half, she gets a "No thanks" from Publisher A on MS #1. Undeterred, she sends it to Publisher D. Still waiting to hear from B and C. If Author is really on the ball, she now sends MS#2 to Publisher A, but the details of who's got what are beginning to get murky.

Does that sound… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on July 10, 2008 at 10:34pm — No Comments

Meet Me in NYC at Thrillerfest

Tonight I’m off to Thrillerfest. I will be one of countless authors present, but the star-studded cast will also include ThrillerMaster Sandra Brown and Spotlight Authors Eric Van Lustbader, Dr. Kathy Reichs (the real “Bones”), and Brad Thor. Sandra Brown will be receiving her ThrillerMaster Award from 2007 ThrillerMaster James Patterson.

There will be lots of fans there too, so if you’re in the NYC area, come mix and mingle… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on July 10, 2008 at 9:42pm — No Comments

Elesewhere on the web

Tomorrow I head for Thrillerfest in New York (drop me a note if you’re in that area) but today I want to tell you about one of my other favorite web sites.

I post something almost every day on Gather. Gather is a place to stay in touch with your friends, with your family, and with the world. You can always find smart articles about the latest political debate or that new hit movie. Members also post interesting photos and video. It’s a great place for me to keep everyone up to date… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on July 9, 2008 at 10:52pm — No Comments

Shameful Secrets: Who Do You Like?

It's just like junior high. You have a crush, but it's embarrassing to admit it. You promise yourself you won't tell anyone, but somehow it comes out.

So I'll confess first. I like George Michael. I know, I know! Can't help it; love his music, think he's cute. Now what has that got to do with reading?

Some are embarrassed to admit they read romances and mysteries, as if they should be reading "better" stuff. I have two arguments: first, even serious readers need to gear… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on July 9, 2008 at 10:37pm — No Comments

First Review!

Ms. Edwards of MysteryFiction ezine's Voice in the Dark has this to say:

Review

Title: Justice is Coming

Author: John Boundy

Publisher: Zone Press

ISBN: 978-0-9796698-4-2

Genre: Thriller Mystery

For the reader who likes tales of good versus evil, here is a story you will enjoy. Thriller, mystery, murder, fraud--a little of everything blended by talented author John Boundy to craft a tale the reader will enjoy.

Milton Conger… Continue

Added by John Boundy on July 9, 2008 at 3:22pm — No Comments

NY Times Bestselling Author Lisa Jackson on Virtual Book Tour in August

I'm proud to announce that NY Bestselling Author Lisa Jackson will be touring with us again at Pump Up Your Book Promotion in August! The book on tour this month is called LEFT TO DIE and looks scrumptious! Here's the cover:

Is that the most beautiful cover you've… Continue

Added by Dorothy Thompson on July 9, 2008 at 1:21pm — No Comments

The Lineup: Poems On Crime, Issue 1 Out Now

"...every word has purpose: to plant clues, reveal character, move toward resolution."

Gerald So

Edited by Gerald So of Thrilling Detective, with Patrick Shawn Bagley, R. Narvaez, and Anthony Rainone.

Including the hard-hitting poets Patrick Shawn Bagley, Ken Bruen, Sarah Cortez, Graham Everett, Daniel Hatadi,… Continue

Added by Daniel Hatadi on July 9, 2008 at 11:00am — No Comments

Audio Books and E Books

My second Inspector Horton novel, Deadly Waters is out in audio format as a download and as a CD and in cassette form on www.audible.co.uk where you can listen to an excerpt of it being read by the British actor Gordon Griffin. It's strange hearing your work… Continue

Added by Pauline Rowson on July 9, 2008 at 3:44am — No Comments

Article

If you're in the mood for a little light reading, there's an article about me in one of the local Chicago dailies...

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=215185

Added by Doug M. Cummings on July 9, 2008 at 1:38am — No Comments

Why Couldn't Shakespeare Write Shakespeare?

I get really aggravated when people say that someone other than WS wrote Shakespeare. Reasons given are that he only had an eighth grade education, had no experience with royalty and the lifestyles shown in the plays, or that the collected works are simply too great for one person to have written.

Let's take the education thing first. Who in the world thinks that education has anything to do with genius? I've known plenty of idiots with PhDs and lots of scantily-school people who are… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on July 8, 2008 at 11:01pm — 3 Comments

The Sign on the Door - Redux

Last week I mentioned the challenge of writing during my lunch hour at my day job - people assuming that this is a good time to interrupt my flow, as if there WERE no lunch break. I received a few interesting suggestions for cure, like taking my laptop and lunching at the nearby Starbucks, but the most refreshing response came from my fraternity brother Gary who gave what he described as the Dilbert response:

“Put a sign on your office door that says, "LUNCH HOUR -- I am currently on… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on July 8, 2008 at 10:56pm — No Comments

THE KING OF STING CRAIG GLAZER -- MODERN ROBIN HOOD?

Our special guest LIVE on our show this Saturday, 2pm Pacific Time is "the King of Sting" Craig Glazer. ... they actually called him by the same slogan as THE SAINT -- Robin Hood of Modern Crime.

"We decided to rip off the bad guys — we were pirates — we were good guys wearing black hats,” Glazer says. “There were contracts out on me all over. I mean, the Mexican mob wanted me dead, and the cops were… Continue

Added by Burl Barer on July 8, 2008 at 2:48pm — No Comments