September 2009 Blog Posts (173)

Speaking of Elephants

I'm reading the fourth in Jim Benn's Billy Boyle series, and the term "seeing the elephant" came up. I wasn't familiar with it but it wasn't hard to figure out that it refers to being in combat, the idea being that once a person has "seen the elephant" he's forever changed.

I love learning such words and phrases, whether they come from the past, from different sections of the country, or from social groups outside my experience. I recall that in 1969 my husband-then boyfriend-just… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on September 10, 2009 at 9:36pm — No Comments

Scared away

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

I keep finding new reasons why I write my novels about the Palestinians. Usually these reasons have nothing to do with the Palestinians.

Here’s the one that may be the deepest, the one I’ve known about for a while, but have only recently been able to face up to: it’s because I’m scared of home.

Not so long ago, I read the 1992… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on September 10, 2009 at 7:02pm — No Comments

Blog Tour Continues

The SERPENT IN THE THORNS blog flog contines at http://www.itsacrime.typepad.com/

As always, check my website www.JeriWesterson.com for the rest!

Added by Jeri Westerson on September 10, 2009 at 10:52am — No Comments

Goddess Fish Blog Tour

Hey, I'm one of their tour partners and will be hosting my first author this Saturday. Come on by my blog if you'd like to meet a new author.

Romance with an Attitude Blog

Added by Tory Richards on September 10, 2009 at 9:27am — No Comments

The Frame That Holds The Art

Remember when you read “Heart of Darkness” and it opened with Marlow sitting on that boat with those old guys and how he started telling them that story of how he went up the river to find Marlon Brando?

And how about that book that was letters Robert Walton wrote to his sister about this weird doctor called “Frankenstein”?

And that book Washington Irving put together from that colorful guy called “Crayon” with all that stuff about Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van… Continue

Added by Steve Weddle on September 10, 2009 at 7:40am — No Comments

Mitzi Chats About All Things Mitzi TV

New video interview at: http://mitziszereto.com/blog

Added by Mitzi Szereto on September 10, 2009 at 6:36am — 1 Comment

Writing Tools - New Project Worksheet

I have had way too many ideas that I forgot for lack of writing them down. So I have learned how to keep them. Even if I have plenty to work on right now, later on when I just can’t focus, I go to one of my folders and jumpstart my muse with them. When there’s a new concept I start on it right away, even if I’m busy with another project. At the very least I put the pertinent details down so they can be remembered. Now this is only true with pretty detailed ideas, anything very basic or vague… Continue

Added by M.C. Peery on September 10, 2009 at 4:30am — No Comments

THE CONVICT'S SWORD gets another review

They've been thin as hens' teeth, but now some of the electronic mystery review sites seem to be picking up the book. This is the first (and one hopes not the last). What I like about this one is that the reviewer "gets" the characterization and that she still likes, or likes even better, my protagonist in this novel. I've been a little nervous about other comments that found Akitada to be unlikeable in this novel, when all I was trying to do was to show that even good people sometimes lash out… Continue

Added by I. J. Parker on September 10, 2009 at 12:51am — 7 Comments

Officer Down

140 police officers in the United States died in the line of duty in 2008, a 14% decrease from 2007 when 181 officers died, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The 181 deaths in 2007 temporarily reversed a downward trend that had begun in 1980 when a record 205 officers died in the line of duty. Law enforcement officials attribute the decrease to better training, bulletproof vests and the use of tasers. But better training and equipment has not prevented a 20% jump… Continue

Added by Christopher Valen on September 10, 2009 at 12:48am — 5 Comments

It Ain't No Use

The irony of college football games introduced with a song by one of those hat-wearin' good old boys whose grammar should keep him out of higher education apparently escapes most people, but it bugs me.

I can give you the sociological explanation for "ain't," and I even understand it. Contractions, which are natural to every language over time, follow a general pattern of combining the verb with the negative: you aren't, he won't, they didn't. For some reason, the first person… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on September 9, 2009 at 10:26pm — 4 Comments

SERPENT IN THE THORNS blog tour starts today!

The blog tour begins at www.readingthepast.blogspot.com. There will be a variety of mystery and history sites and it should prove interesting. Stop on by!

Added by Jeri Westerson on September 9, 2009 at 3:48am — No Comments

Edgar Nominee: Bog Child

Last week on my blog, I talked about Siobhan Dowd, who died far too soon, and left two manuscripts behind. I read one of them: Bog Child, Edgar nominee this year. I was careful not to let the fact that Ms. Dowd was no more cloud my opinion of this book. The point of my reading all the YA Edgar nominees was, after all, to take an honest look at YA mysteries. Heartbreaking stories aside.

So I cleared my head and began… Continue

Added by F.T. Bradley on September 9, 2009 at 1:45am — No Comments

Brain Stutters

I taught high school speech for many years and observed a wide variety of "brain stutters," bits of nonsense that are sometimes irritatingly noticeable in a person's oral communication. Common, of course, are "um," "you know," "I think," and "uh" (my students used to count the "ums" of a certain teacher's instruction in order to counter their boredom with his class). Others are unique to an individual and have no logical connection to anything else in the sentence, like a man I know who adds… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on September 8, 2009 at 10:15pm — No Comments

Another Cool Review

I like to share reviews of my work, and today I’d like to introduce you to Hope Rutherford.

I met Hope at Borders Express at the Waldorf Mall in Maryland. It was my last event there before the store closed. I signed a copy of Blood and Bone for her, and recently Hope sent me an e-mail with a long, detailed critique of the book. She had some very nice things to say, but I can’t share all of her comments because it would give too much of the story away. I can say that I was very happy… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on September 8, 2009 at 9:37pm — No Comments

Reading Festival Review

This week’s blog is a special edition for two reasons; first, it’s all about the Reading Rock Festival, and second, it’s the last one I’m planning on writing for a while (but more on that later). So without further ado, here are my thoughts on this year’s Reading Fest.

Now if you’ve come here looking for an unbiased, objective account of the 2009 Reading Festival you’re shit out of luck, as I love this fest with every fibre of my being. As well as being the first one I ever attended… Continue

Added by Steven Hague on September 8, 2009 at 7:54pm — No Comments

V Festival Review - Monday 24th August

Regular readers of this blog (if indeed such creatures exist) may have noticed that when it comes to reviewing bands my comments tend to be fairly positive (I’ve always worked on the principle that if I haven’t got something nice to say, I won’t say anything at all). Well no more. For one week only, I’m going to tell it like it is. Ladies and gentleman, please be upstanding for my V Festival Review (people of a nervous disposition should look away now).

V Festival, Chelmsford, 2009 –… Continue

Added by Steven Hague on September 8, 2009 at 7:53pm — No Comments

How I spent my summer vacation (dodging bullets in Chicago)

Okay, I didn't literally dodge any bullets. But it felt like I did last week when I was in Chicago, getting my daughter settled into art school. Read rest of post.

Added by Kathryn Lilley on September 8, 2009 at 3:25pm — No Comments

Just some free writing

Just sitting here thinking about lots of things. The county I live it sucks...LOL, I don't trust cops, I don't like the judges, and that pretty much sums that up.

Figure I 'd sit here and type for a bit while doing laundry and watching/listening to NCIS. Still working on joining that contest that Dorchester is running and hoping to win something as long as I can get my story in order.

Well I was gonna sit and write for a bit,but seems I've been called out to do… Continue

Added by Dawn Marie Morgan-Mercier on September 8, 2009 at 9:35am — No Comments

Anyone In Authonomy?

I just joined Authonomy the Harper-Collins booksite, and posted a few sample chapters. I got a couple of really good reviews so far, which warmed my little flint heart.

Anyone else on this site?

Added by D.R. MacMaster on September 8, 2009 at 8:51am — 1 Comment