August 2009 Blog Posts (175)

Another new story up at The Flash Fiction Offensive

So...like they say it's feast or famine...new story "The Ricochet" up at The Flash Fiction Offensive...thanks for reading!

Added by Matthew Quinn Martin on August 14, 2009 at 2:36pm — 1 Comment

Review - Death in the Truffle Wood, Pierre Magnan

Book Title: DEATH IN THE TRUFFLE WOOD

Author: Pierre Magnan

Publisher: Vintage Books

Copyright: 2006

ISBN: 978-0-099-47022-9

No of Pages: 201

Book Synopsis:

In Banon, a small peaceful village in upper Provence, the local community's principal source of income is the cultivation of truffles. Outsiders rarely venture to this remote region, but a small group of society's drop-outs have chosen to set up home on the outskirts of the village. When one of… Continue

Added by Karen from AustCrime on August 14, 2009 at 11:53am — No Comments

Don't pay the ransom. I've escaped!

It seems like forever since I’ve sat down to blog. I guess a few months is forever to some. Would you believe that I was kidnapped by members of the MWA Florida board of directors and held on bread and water until I agreed to join them?

If you knew Jim Born, president of the chapter, mystery writer, FDLE agent, and all around scoundrel, you’d believe me. Honestly.

Thanks to some board members, namely Diane Stuckart, Linda Hengerer, Miriam Auerbach, Rhonda Pollero, Deb… Continue

Added by Michael Haskins on August 14, 2009 at 5:39am — 2 Comments

Whose Abu are you?

Here's my latest post on the International Crime Authors Reality Check blog:

In the West, our names tend to be pretty nailed down and unvaried. Unless you’re the child of some Hollywood goof who named you Moon Unit or Pilot Inspektor, you’re likely to share your name with many other people. Take me, for example. The family name Rees accounts for 15 percent of Welsh people – not to mention people descended from Welsh immigrants… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on August 14, 2009 at 12:38am — No Comments

Israel: Less corrupt than Somalia!

Seems even those holding the keys to the Holy Land need reminding that thou shall not steal. By Matt Beynon Rees - GlobalPost

JERUSALEM — In its international survey of corruption, Transparency International (TI) ranks Israel a respectable number 33 out of 180 countries.

Pity the poor people of Somalia (rank: 180), because the graft… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on August 14, 2009 at 12:30am — No Comments

Found this joke on the net . . . .

Found this joke about editors/publishers on the net:

What's the difference between a publisher and a terrorist?

Answer: You can negotiate with a terrorist.

Added by B.R.Stateham on August 14, 2009 at 12:00am — 1 Comment

Is That All There Is?

Not surprising for those who read here regularly, I have a complaint about a book I just finished. WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE MENTION TO THE AUTHOR THAT THE PLOT DOESN'T RESOLVE?

I have every sympathy for the pressures put on authors to get the next book done, and I know from personal experience that a writer can leave big plot holes when there isn't time to let the thing rest in a drawer somewhere until he can look at it with fresh eyes. But surely those who have agents and editors galore… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on August 13, 2009 at 10:57pm — 3 Comments

Readers Meet - Writers Read

This weekend I'll be greeting the summer travelers. Tomorrow I will greet morning flyers at the Borders in Baltimore Washington International Airport. If that's your chosen airport look for me there from 8 am to noon.

And for writers my latest blog post is about changing Point Of View.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on August 13, 2009 at 9:22pm — No Comments

New story "Dinah" up at Eastern Standard Crime

Racefans!

I've got a new story up ("Dinah") at Eastern Standard Crime...enjoy!

Added by Matthew Quinn Martin on August 13, 2009 at 5:03pm — 1 Comment

Sojourn in Hammett's San Francisco

Just got back last night from a vacation in California, the last half of it in San Francisco. While my wife attended an academic conference, I made a four or five block pilgrimage to the corner of Post and Hyde streets to view the apartment where Dashiell Hammett lived from 1926 to 1929, where he wrote most of his short stories and his first three novels, the last being one of my very best favorites, The Maltese Falcon. (He lived in the top floor corner unit in the photo… Continue

Added by Eric Christopherson on August 13, 2009 at 3:00pm — No Comments

Another great review for TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET

I'm thrilled that Caryl Harvey, a reviewer at the I Love A Mystery website, gave my second Claire Hanover gift basket designer mystery, TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET, a great review and recommended it to the website's readers. I especially liked the last paragraph:

"TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET is Beth Groundwater's second gift-basket-designer mystery. Groundwater's familiarity with Colorado ski resorts adds realism that roots her readers into her mystery. Her heroine Claire is great fun as an… Continue

Added by Beth Groundwater on August 13, 2009 at 10:41am — No Comments

So you want to write about the military?

I have never been in the military. However, I do have quite a few loved ones who are. Hanging around them must have rubbed off, because I find myself wincing at quite a few books about the Armed Forces where the author didn't do enough research. So here are a few basic facts to keep in mind.

Note: I am only covering the US military, since if I started in with the rest of them, we would be here for years…

United States military ranks, in order from lowest to highest, are as… Continue

Added by M.C. Peery on August 13, 2009 at 10:30am — 2 Comments

Aristotle's Secrets of Dramatic Storytelling

I'm blogging this month on Aristotle's Secrets of Dramatic Storytelling, at http://jjdesjarlais.bogspot.com -- c'mon over and learn from the Father of Logic who adored one of Western Civilization's great crime stories, "Oedipus Rex."

PS: My contemporary mystery BLEEDER is now listed at Amazon.com for pre-ordering. The official release date is August 15.

John Desjarlais
http://www.johndesjarlais.com

Added by John Desjarlais on August 13, 2009 at 3:05am — No Comments

Thank you, Oline!

"It's easy to get caught up in the adventures of grad student Dulcie Schwartz." – Oline Cogdill, Sun-Sentinel

Big sigh of relief - and big thanks out to Sun-Sentinel critic Oline Cogdill!

Simon makes her elements of the supernatural work in `Shades of Grey'

By OLINE H. COGDILL

Sun-Sentinel

-"Shades of Grey," by Clea Simon; Severn House (216 pages, $28.95)

It's easy to get caught up… Continue

Added by Clea Simon on August 13, 2009 at 12:15am — No Comments

ROGUE MALES REVIEW

Oline Cogdill reviews ROGUE MALES: CONVERSATIONS AND CONFRONTATIONS ABOUT THE WRITING LIFE.

Added by Craig McDonald on August 13, 2009 at 12:09am — No Comments

BLOG BOOK TOUR FOR KILLER CAREER STARTS TODAY

Hi Gang,

Please stop on by my blog today at http://morganmandel.blogspot.com to get the link for the first stop on my blog book tour at Cicero's Children, Mary Welk's blogspot. This one's about Villains and Heroes - Gotta Love 'Em.

I have prizes - gray tee shirt for a guy without the cover art on it, cap or tote bag for a gal with the cover art on it. To be eligible you need to comment at my blogspot either before or after you comment at one or more blogspots during… Continue

Added by Morgan Mandel on August 13, 2009 at 12:00am — No Comments

Forgive Them, For They Know Not

Had lunch with a friend who just signed her first contract, and I got a flashback. You're excited. You've finally done what you longed to do. You tell people you know, "I'm going to be published." And then, like in the Sinatra song, they spoil it all by saying something stupid.

"So you're going to be just like J. K. Rowling, huh?"

"When will I see your book on the NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller List?"

"I guess your husband can retire now that you're making all that… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on August 12, 2009 at 10:47pm — 7 Comments

Another Cool Review

I like point out changes on my web site, and share reviews of my work. Today I'd like to introduce you to Steve Reeves.

Steve is the author of a thriller entitled Squawk 7500 - http://www.squawk7500thebook.com – which I reviewed for the International Thriller Writers newsletter. Steve was kind enough to return the favor by reading my latest release, Russian Roulette. While several people have posted reviews of my book on blogs or their web sites, Steve was the first I know of to give… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on August 12, 2009 at 9:51pm — 1 Comment

2009 Ned Kelly Short List Announced

http://www.nedkellyawards.com/2009.html

BEST FIRST FICTION

Ghostlines, Nick Gadd *

Crooked, Camilla Nelson *

The Build Up, Phillip Gwynee *

BEST FICTION

Bright Air Barry Maitland *

Deep Water Peter Corris *

Smoke & Mirrors Kel Robertson *

BEST TRUE CRIME

The Killing of Caroline Byrne, Robert Wainwrights

The Tall Man, Chloe Hooper

A Question of Power, Michelle Schwarz

THE SD HARVEY SHORT… Continue

Added by Karen from AustCrime on August 12, 2009 at 10:25am — No Comments

'A Taste of Old Revenge' about to be sent off to my publisher. . . maybe.

'A Taste of Old Revenge,' the second Turner Hahn/Frank Morales novel of mine is ready to send off to the publishers. The same one who did the first Turner/Frank novel. I gotta feeling I'm going to have to mimic the route Louis L'Amour took in climbing that literary mountain--doing dozens of Westerns seemingly in the closet until finally, someone catches on and takes notice.

Maybe the idea is to build a fan base large enough to force a major agent/publisher to take notice. Who knows?… Continue

Added by B.R.Stateham on August 12, 2009 at 2:46am — 11 Comments