I like Christmas because

reindeer fly, monsters become good guys, and the ugliest Christmas tree is O.K.

poor and rich, wise and ignorant, powerful and powerless, all stop and consider their purpose

you get to see people at their best

I hate Christmas because

you see people at their worst: greedy, ornery, and intoxicated: how did Christ's birthday become a reason to get drunk?

after all the preparation and anticipation, it's over in a few…

It's time to share what I hate about Christmas, and I make no excuses for it.

I hate decorating. In late fall my friends and acquaintances start talking about "doing" the house, some with anticipation, some with resignation. I refuse. I don't like the clutter, I don't enjoy the disruption, and I see no reason to turn my house into a wannabee Wal-Mart.

I realize this might put me in the grinch category, but otherwise I do okay. I arrange and conduct a huge Christmas concert for…

Bookgasm recently had nothing but good thoughts about Bad Thoughts and Dark Party Review (a very cool site) asks me five questions about writing.

Hey Crimespace-keteeers,

Some of y’alls might know me from my website THUGLIT. Some of you might know me personally. Some of you don’t know me from the proverbial hole in the wall. Either way, if you got five minutes, I need a solid.…

I know it isn't actually quite the day yet -- though 'tis the season -- but I wanted to sneak in and wish everyone a wonderful holiday, before things get crazy and everyone is too busy eating and ripping open presents to admire these two characters.

posted by Doranna

Any author will tell you...when it comes to book production, there are so many ways to get it wrong. Even in the midst of a striking cover, of layers of copyediting and oversight, of proofing and editorial discussion...

Oh, yeah, the packaging details come out wrong.

Sometimes it's a subtle thing...something only…

Readers tell what they dislike about Christmas:

Deciding who you're supposed to buy for. You always miss someone!…

This is my equivalent of looking for those girls in the Jungian basement — a trip into the dark snowy woods. I was thinking I should have brought my headlamp, I could barely see beyond my ski tips. But out from the darkness, a giant owl swooped at me, bringing a primal flutter of fear with the soft beat of its wings. It stilled my…

posted by Lorraine (L.L.) Bartlett

Movin' On was the name of a TV show (1974-1976) about a couple of long-distance truckers (Will Chandler & Sonny Pruitt, played by Frank Converse and Claude Akins). I loved it. At one time, my ambition was to BE a long-distance trucker. (I was very young.) I used to love to drive, and the idea of driving a…

I love Christmas because:

the family gets together

people actually think about what someone else wants

everything gets decorated, even the fenceposts (by Mother Nature)

kids seem younger than their years, and so do a lot of adults

I hate Christmas because:

you have to try to "gift" equally so no one feels slighted. It's…

The location of the annual New Year’s Eve Party had been in an established rotation for more years than they could count. A neighborhood tradition, eight families, each one taking their turn as hosts. Once every eight years it was Jimmy and Ellen Thomson’s turn. Always they followed John and Susan Berryman and preceded Marty and Ronnie Stansfield. The tradition, which began before any of them had children, had…

If anyone is in the New York area...

Join me for the celebration of LONDON FROG's release at:

PARTNERS & CRIME Bookshop

44 Greenwich Avenue, New York NY 10011

Monday, January 7th, 2008

7 pm.

I "stole" this post from Tim Hallinan's blog, The Blog Cabin. Tim's the guy in charge :-) If you'd like to participate in this challenge or if you'd like to get some more information first, please visit his blog:…

1.



Mason Ward’s cell phone buzzed to life on the built-in shelf next to his bed. Instantly awake, Mason grabbed it before it could wake the young man sleeping next to him. “Ward,” he grumbled. He didn’t have to be polite; according to his phone’s display it was 4:30 in the morning.



Silence greeted him.



Mason disconnected and dropped back…