September 2009 Blog Posts (169)

MORAL DILEMMA chapter 4

CH. 4 THE INTERVIEW

Ron Papasinsky called Jack and he accepted the invitation. Jack was on time at the Cisco Detective Agency owned and operated by Ron Papasinsky.

“I’m here to see Mr. Papasinsky.”

“Go right in, he’s expecting you.”

“How do you know me?”

“Saw the video, you were fantastic.”

“Thanks, I had one eye shut too.”

The receptionist laughed and Jack entered the office, Ron stood up and shook Jack’s hand.

“Glad you came.”

“No problem, what do… Continue

Added by RONALD FEASEL on September 30, 2009 at 11:00pm — No Comments

Pushing On Through

I can't decide exactly how the victims die. The choices have been whittled down to three or four, and the final decision will change the course of the story, but I can't find out enough about certain murder methods to make that decision. I suppose it's only right that information on how to kill people is not readily available. My non-writing friends think I'm weird enough as it is, but it is only fiction, after all.

Anyway, I've decided to push through and write the story anyway,… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on September 30, 2009 at 10:37pm — 3 Comments

Murder for Charity

Hannibal Jones stars in "The Gift of Murder," in one of 19 great stories featuring Christmas crimes, Chanukah homicide, Kwanzaa killings, and some stories that combine all three! This is truly inspired short fiction from the likes of Agatha and Anthony award nominee Elizabeth Zelvin, Anthony Award winner Bill Crider, and Kris Neri (Agatha, Anthony and Macavity Award nominee.) Learn more on my main blog, Another Writer's Life.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on September 30, 2009 at 9:34pm — No Comments

Story up at Mysterical-E

The Fall 2009 issue of Mysterical-E is now up, and among the stories on offer is "Picture Imperfect", by yours truly. It weighs in at 20,000 words (about), so make sure you've got a moment if you head over to read it.

Added by Pepper Smith on September 30, 2009 at 12:32pm — 2 Comments

Dinah Reprint

Hey all, Christopher Grant was kind enough to reprint "Dinah" (originally at ESC) at A Twist of Noir http://a-twist-of-noir.blogspot.com/2009/09/twist-of-noir-189-matthew-quinn-martin.html

Added by Matthew Quinn Martin on September 30, 2009 at 4:48am — No Comments

Ancillary Actions

I'd never used the word "ancillary" in my life until my first publishing days. Now I know and sometimes dread the word. Every job has aspects to it that outsiders don't know about or assume are done by someone else. Writers have a ton of ancillary tasks that not only aren't as much fun as writing, they actually take away from writing time.

First, of course is promotion, but there are a thousand things that come up. In my head I keep saying, "Maybe next week I can get back to my WIP."… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on September 30, 2009 at 1:49am — 4 Comments

I Have Publishing Surrounded: John Higgs's Writing Life

Thomas Carlyle wrote that “A well-written life is almost as rare as a well-spent one.” There may be some debate as to whether Timothy Leary’s life was well-spent. However, his biography by John Higgs is one of the most well-written and compelling books you’ll ever come across. “I Have America Surrounded: The Life of… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on September 30, 2009 at 12:48am — No Comments

'Smart People Recommend'...Me

On The Daily Beast's Buzz Board, under the headline "Smart People Recommend", Charles M. Sennott, head honcho of the innovative international news site Global Post, plugs THE SAMARITAN'S SECRET: "Matt Beynon Rees’s Palestinian detective novels reveal more truths about the 'Holy Land,' and I use that term loosely, than any straight journalism I’ve… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on September 30, 2009 at 12:36am — No Comments

How many words a day does it take to make a writer?

My writing is going well. The story has taken itself from me and moved in areas that I hadn’t thought of. That often happens when write. I know the beginning and I know what I want the end to be and I begin.

So far, I’ve been lucky with the beginning. Endings haven’t changed too much, from the concept I was working from, but the middle is something else.

My new Mad Mick Murphy Mystery, “Car Was Blues,” is going well, as I’ve said, but I am not sure it’s because of me or in spite of… Continue

Added by Michael Haskins on September 29, 2009 at 10:01pm — No Comments

Author Update

I signed a lot of books and made a bunch of new friends in the last few days. During the 3-day weekend the Borders chain welcomed me in Silver Spring and Waldorf, MD, and Manassas, VA. I want to thank all those managers for making me feel welcome, for promoting me to their customers, and most of all for ordering my novels!

Also last week, our pet Princess the Wonder Cat received her first fan letter. It came from a miniature long-haired dachshund named Princess Primrose. Princess… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on September 29, 2009 at 9:29pm — No Comments

Why do we write what we write? by Reid Jackson

I really enjoy writing fiction stories. The freedom and imagination is a wonderful thing to apply. I pick crime fiction because of the many stories that can be created between characters and situations. The internal struggle between yourself and what the world presents to each of us is a life long tale. The action and suspense in a tale draws upon the many possibilities that people encounter. The old west is also an area I find intriguing and I enjoy reading and writing on that genre… Continue

Added by RONALD FEASEL on September 29, 2009 at 9:00pm — No Comments

GUEST BLOGGING AT HARDBOILED WONDERLAND

I do a guest turn as part of Hardboiled Wonderland's series on narrative songs that run to the dark side of the street.

My pick: Bruce Springsteen's "Highway Patrolman" from NEBRASKA.

Added by Craig McDonald on September 29, 2009 at 12:00pm — No Comments

Interview with Adrian McKinty about Fifty Grand

Adrian was kind enough to take some time out of his busy life to answer a few questions about FIFTY GRAND which I was lucky enough to review recently.

AustCrime: FIFTY GRAND takes you into a slightly different place from THE DEAD trilogy in particular, having said that, there are also some similarities. Do you have a particular interest in the outsider taking control, stepping into the unknown… Continue

Added by Karen from AustCrime on September 29, 2009 at 11:52am — No Comments

Why You Haven't Been Published Yet

Because this guy took your slot.

Added by Dana King on September 29, 2009 at 6:35am — 7 Comments

Author Hours

I did a workshop on Saturday and as usual got the question, "Do you set regular writing hours for yourself?"

I always answer yes, but the sign on the door of my writing "business" would have to have some disclaimers:

BUSINESS OPEN:

M-F 7:00-11:00* ** *** ****

*-ish. If things are going well, I might continue until suppertime. If not, I wander the house from 9:30 on, doing little non-writing tasks and hoping the muse gets her butt back into the chair soon.

** Of… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on September 28, 2009 at 10:18pm — No Comments

Review - Truth, Peter Temple

Book Title: TRUTH

Author: Peter Temple

Publisher: Text Publishing

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-921520-71-6

No of Pages: 387

Book Synopsis:

At the close of a long day, Inspector Stephen Villani stands in the bathroom of a luxury apartment high above the city. In the glass bath, a young woman lies dead.

Villani's job as head of the Victoria Police Homicide Squad is bathed in blood and sorrow. His life is his work. It is his identity, his… Continue

Added by Karen from AustCrime on September 28, 2009 at 4:43pm — No Comments

William Safire, RIP: Language Loses An Outspoken Champion...

by Earl Merkel

September 27, 2009

Another good one bites the dust.

If you're not familiar with William Safire's ON LANGUAGE columns, you're simply not as good a writer as you could be. Period.

He was also a take-no-prisoners -type of columnist-- and one who backed up his opinions with carefully researched fact. No "nabob" he, Mr. Safire will be missed by those who savor both finely honed writing and the practice of column-writing as a… Continue

Added by Earl Merkel on September 28, 2009 at 10:49am — 2 Comments

New short story of mine is up and running

If anyone's interest, my short story 'Charlie Flash' is up and running on Darkest Before the Dawn (www.darkestbeforethedawn.net)

The story features my two homicide detectives, Turner Hahn and Frank Morales. Give'em a try--you might like'em.

Added by B.R.Stateham on September 28, 2009 at 2:30am — 6 Comments

Wisconsin Book Festival

I’ll be part of the Wisconsin Book Festival in two events on Saturday, October 10. First, I’ll participate in a mystery writer panel at the Mount Horeb Public Library, 105 Perimeter Road (in Mt Horeb, of course), at 1 p.m. Later, I’ll be at Booked for Murder, 2701 University Avenue in Madison at 3:30 p.m., as part of an afternoon-long series of presentations by regional mystery authors. I’ll have copies of BLEEDER for signing at each event. Hope to see some of you… Continue

Added by John Desjarlais on September 27, 2009 at 9:43am — 1 Comment