August 2008 Blog Posts (153)

BOOKPAGE & INDIE NEXT

I'm very happy to report that BLOOD ALONE is now the September Mystery of the Month in Bookpage, the book review magazine distributed to over 3,000 libraries and bookstores. Check out a copy! From the review:
"Blood Alone is an intriguing blend of history and fiction, superbly crafted and paced, easily the best period mystery I’ve read in quite some time."

And, BLOOD ALONE is an INDIE NEXT pick for October (Indie Next replaces Book Sense, the independent bookstore website).

Added by James R. Benn on August 19, 2008 at 10:19am — No Comments

The Blurbs

OK, my groveling seems to be paying off and, once again, crime writers are proving themselves to be the nicest bunch of people I could ever hope to be associated with. I sent out my plea, and am now beginning to receive some very nice blurbs about my upcoming UK debut, Switch. Here they are:

“A terrific little-guy-in-big-trouble thriller . . . think Saw meets Payback moving at warp speed — with the emphasis on warp.” — Lee Child, Nothing to Lose

“Think… Continue

Added by Grant McKenzie on August 19, 2008 at 8:54am — No Comments

A sneak peek into Hoover's FBI

I’ve encountered zillions of people during my sixty years in the writing business, but none more intriguing than an ex-FBI agent we’ll call Scotty. I first met him during my days of editing Nashville Magazine. He was a friend of one of my equally fascinating staff members. She would relate stories about him that sounded a bit off the wall but still believable.

After a few years, she asked me to meet with him at her place one night to talk about a book he wanted me to co-write. We… Continue

Added by Chester D. Campbell on August 19, 2008 at 3:38am — No Comments

Odd Book Titles

OK so this blog entry has little to do with crime but I thought some of you might find it entertaining. Choosing a book's title is always a tricky job. Sometimes it comes to me in a flash, and at other times it will take me ages to come up with something appropriate and catchy. Choosing a non fiction book title is easier because it usually reflects the contents of the book, (though not always- some business books have really zany titles.) But there are none quite so wacky as those featured in a… Continue

Added by Pauline Rowson on August 19, 2008 at 3:05am — No Comments

See my blog at ...

I am now blogging on my own website and have no idea how to get those posts to appear here. Accordingly, if you have any interest in my random musings (really, they can on occasion be entertaining), please visit me here

Added by Alafair Burke on August 19, 2008 at 12:00am — 1 Comment

What Makes a Page-turner?

Start with honesty: I don't know. Something in the character/plot/style mix, but setting, pacing, and vocabulary help, too. To misquote, I don't know what (the) art is, but I know it when I read it.

I started two books this morning (Don't ask; it's how I do things) and both sucked me in immediately. One isn't even a book yet; it's an unpublished MS that the author let go of with great reluctance over lunch the other day. She doesn't think it's ready; I can't believe I only got a… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on August 18, 2008 at 10:21pm — No Comments

The Latest

I want to thank everyone who attended this month’s meeting of the Maryland Writers Association. You made me feel at home, and I did feel as though some folks benefited from my little talk on marketing novels.

And I must declare my cross town experiment a success. My signing at the Borders Express in St Charles Town Center Saturday evening went well. I wondered if it would impact Sunday’s event at the larger Borders Books and Music the next day about a mile away. Since I sold out at… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on August 18, 2008 at 10:13pm — No Comments

Message from a reader of 'A Study in Red'

Two days ago I received an email from American Author Tom Cooke who had obtained a copy of 'A Study in Red' and who contacted me through my website to give me his thoughts on the book. Tom has kindly given me his permission to place his personal message here and I would like to share his opinion of the book with everyone. Thank you Tom!

Brian,

Got STUDY IN RED two days ago . I will admit that I am not a Riperlogist so I approached the book with mild curiosity and… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on August 18, 2008 at 9:07pm — No Comments

New Paperback Agreement

Well, at long long last my publisher is going to make me legit and rescue me from the twilight that is ebooks and audiobooks only. He recently informed me via email that he was adding my entire series thus far (five novels) to the paperback print queue. I am cautiously elated. I know what kind of legwork and self-promotion it's going to take from my end, but that's something that I have been prepared to embark on for a long time. I have plans within plans, as Frank Herbert once wrote. In any… Continue

Added by Timothy C. Phillips on August 18, 2008 at 5:21pm — No Comments

One Bite at a Time

Today begins my new blog, One Bite at a Time. Credit for the title goes to my beloved Spousal Equivalent, who gave me the best writing advice I ever received, and I've received a lot of good writing advice. (The doldrums in which my "career" currently resides are due entirely to my own failings; I have been singularly fortunate in getting the attention and good advice of many.)

One day a few years ago, The Spousal Equivalent caught me whining about how discouraging it was to know I… Continue

Added by Dana King on August 18, 2008 at 5:00am — 2 Comments

T&T BACKSTORY: THE GREAT KEYS STORM OF ’35

The coming Labor Day weekend marks the 73rd anniversary of the Great Florida Keys Storm of 1935 — still the most powerful hurricane to strike the United States. At this writing, another hurricane is threatening the Keys — a tropical storm named Fay.

The ’35 hurricane occurred at a time before tropical storms were given names. Storm forecasting was an uncertain science. And officials charged with the responsibility of informing and evacuating citizenry in the storm’s path were more… Continue

Added by Craig McDonald on August 18, 2008 at 12:42am — 1 Comment

What's Worse?

...then getting stuck behind someone on their cell phone while in traffic? Getting stuck behind someone on their cell phone and watching TV!!! It happened to me the other day on my way to work. The car in front of me was weaving slightly. I could see this little square light where their rear view mirror was located but couldn't make out what it was. Finally I was able to pull up besides them. I couldn't believe what I was seeing! They were watching one of those tiny TVs and talking on… Continue

Added by Tory Richards on August 17, 2008 at 9:22am — 4 Comments

BURN NOTICE: THE FIX by Tod Goldberg

As a fan of USA Network's Burn Notice, I've wanted to read this tie-in since last November, when I heard Tod Goldberg was tapped to write it. The Fix has burned spy Michael Westen reluctantly helping an aging socialite who's been swindled out of a sizable chunk of her fortune. He also encounters a femme fatale from his past who accuses him of implicating her in a crime. This last has to do with the falsified dossier (from the TV series) that got Michael burned in the first… Continue

Added by Gerald So on August 17, 2008 at 7:23am — No Comments

Sub-Orbital Travel by Margot Justes

I am somewhat-well-really greatly-out of my depth or altitude here. I went to my local travel agency, Suburban Travel in Glenview, IL; more about the travel agency later.

At any rate, I was going to post a couple travel tips for people going to Europe. In the process I found out that sub-orbital travel is quickly becoming a reality, as in 2010 reality-flights have already been booked and paid for.

That is amazing, exciting and many other ‘ing’s’ I cannot think of at the… Continue

Added by Margot Justes on August 17, 2008 at 6:31am — No Comments

Weekend in Waldorf

Yesterday I told you I'll be at the Borders Express in St Charles Town Center in Waldorf, MD today. If you miss me there it's okay, because tomorrow I'll be down the block at the larger Borders Books and Music at 3304-A Crain Highway. The signing there is from noon to 4 pm!

Added by Austin S. Camacho on August 16, 2008 at 10:03pm — No Comments

Upcoming Evelyn David Events

Hunterdon Library, October 4, 2008, 1:00 pm, 314 State Route 12, Flemington, New Jersey 08822, (908)788-1444

Bouchercon 2008 - Charmed to Death, October 9-12, 2008, Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel, 101 West Fayette St., Baltimore, Maryland 21201, (410) 752-1100

AAUW NYC Branch House, Thursday, October 16, 2008, 6:15 p.m., 111 East 37th Street, NY, NY 10016, 212 684-6068

Pequannock Township Public Library, October 29, 2008, 7:00 pm, 477 Newark… Continue

Added by Evelyn David on August 16, 2008 at 2:15pm — No Comments

Newsletter #8

I recently revamped www.JAKonrath.com, and invite you to stop by for a chance to win twenty million dollars! (Void where prohibited, which is where you live.)

It was designed by Jack Passarella at www.authorpromo.com. Besides a new look and easier navigation, JAKonrath.com also sports brand new content:

*New Videos, including the extremely expensive book trailer for my latest Jack Daniels thriller, Fuzzy Navel!

*Lengthy excerpts from all of my novels, including… Continue

Added by JA Konrath on August 16, 2008 at 10:22am — 1 Comment

Spring ahead ... to <i>Probable Claws</i>

Just got the word: Probable Claws, my fourth Theda Krakow mystery, will be published next April by Poisoned Pen Press! More info as I get it, and an excerpt will go up on my site soon. But in the meantime: someone is trying to poison shelter cats, and when Theda investigates she finds herself arrested for murder!

Until then, I've reviewed Colin Cotterill's Curse of the Pogo Stick for the… Continue

Added by Clea Simon on August 16, 2008 at 2:39am — No Comments

A Worthy Venture

One of the reasons I love Crimespot is that I can quickly scan and see if there's a topic of interest that's being discussed that I want to read about - instead of taking the time to actually go around to a bunch of different sites, waiting for them to be updated.

One of the shortcomings of aggregators, however, is that they don't filter content. You still have to scan it to see what all the posts are about, and sometimes the short teaser doesn't give the complete…

Continue

Added by Sandra Ruttan on August 16, 2008 at 2:36am — No Comments

French Women DO Get Fat

The headline this week read: “French paradox a diet myth.” It turns out that French women are struggling with a spike in obesity rates. I pause now to snort out a supersized American “Hah!” Continue

Added by Kathryn Lilley on August 16, 2008 at 12:30am — No Comments