With the forthcoming release of my latest book, Alpha, I know one of the popular interview questions will be: “How did you ever come to write this story?” Another will be: “But wasn't your first book entitled Beta? Why the reverse titles?”

Allow me to answer the first part of the second question. No, my first book was entitled Night Shadows. However, in the Mallory Petersen series, Beta was released before Alpha and this is the story behind the story.

This…

Here's what Jack Mcguigan posted on the Amazon.com RUSSIAN ROULETTE page: "I have read 6 books by this author and have enjoyed them all. I read 3 of the Hannibal Jones books and the 3 in the O'Brien and Stark series. I found all to be very enjoyable."…

I'm often asked how I go about planning a novel.When starting a fresh crime novel (as I am now, having recently finished writing the ninth in the DI Andy Horton series) I have the basic idea in mind. I will start to flesh this out using spider grams and time lines to work up the basic plot lines and character outlines, working in pencil on recycled pieces of A4 paper.

Often I will create some characters who won’t appear in the novel at all because by the time I start to write the…

As we approach the end of the summer movie season, I’ve had some thoughts about what makes a classic on-screen villain.  I’ve often heard interviews with actors who say that the bad guy is the most fun to play, and I understand why.  They are fascinating!

There are the villains…

You caught me.  I admit it.  I’m a huge Die Hard movie fan (see photo above of Bruce Willis as John McClane from Die Hard).

I love to write action and fight scenes in my novels.  I’m not quite sure what that actually stems from, but I thrive on ways to figure out interesting and sometimes very physical ways to get my main character…

Today I talk about how we decided to feed attendees at our upcoming Creatures, Crimes & Creativity conference on my blog, Another Writer's Life. http://ascamacho.blogspot.com/

 Andrew Gross's latest book - 15 Seconds- is exactly the kind of story that draws me in from the first page. Everyday guy…

Another great book I finished far too quickly! Crow's Landing by Brad Smith is the second book featuring Virgil Cain. I read the first book (…

Today I talk about the mission of our new small press, Intrigue Publishing, on my blog, Another Writer's Life. http://ascamacho.blogspot.com/

The District of Wonders Network, home of four genre podcasts (StarShip Sofa, Tales to Terrify, Crime City Central and Protecting Project Pulp) wants to take things up a notch. The original episode of SSS still gets downloaded 200 times a week. Our four shows get 70,000 downloads a month. That's a lot of audio traffic.

We'll air your story for free. Would you like to advertise your publishing house or another new venture? Are you interested in sponsoring a show? We've come up with a…

My new publisher, Intrigue Publishing, has finally gotten the rights to my first published novel, Blood and Bone. To celebrate you can get get a copy for free this week! Just click here.…

On TV, it works in about three seconds and it's right every time. I want it. I know the face is familiar, but where have I seen it, what is my connection to it, and most importantly, what name is attached to it?

It happens often at book signings, but first, know this: I taught school for many years. Decades, even. Figure somewhere between a hundred fifty to two hundred students each year. Then add in all the people I worked with, especially those who moved on after only a year or two:…

The new issue of Kings River Life has a fun mystery short story by Kaye George http://kingsriverlife.com/08/04/you-can-do-the-math-mystery-short-story/

There's also a review of Lee Goldberg's latest Monk book, "Mr. Monk Is A Mess", a behind the book interview with Lee & you can enter for a chance to win a copy of the book…

12 million people take a cruise each year.

Most have fun.

Some die.

Henry Grave investigates.

Join Henry Grave aboard the cruise ship Indulgence.

Henry Grave is an investigator for the Association of Cruising Vessel Operators.  A World War II P.O.W., Henry is as cunning as he is charming, and…

I'm stepping away from my FBI related blogs just to chat for a moment about craft. I had a major epiphany this week that not only will help me in turning a so-so book to a must read story. But it will also ease the process of writing the future books in the series. I can almost feel the stories coming now.



I've been going through quite a bit of turmoil over this story--this J.J. McCall…

NoirCon 2012 Official Raffle

NoirCon 2012 Raffle Items - Buy Early, Buy Often!…

The best thrillers feature complex characters thrown into impossible situations that generate nerve-shattering suspense. By that definition, THE SURVIVOR by Gregg Hurwitz might be one of the best. Read my review in The Big Thrill, the newsletter of the International Thrillers Writers.
http://www.thebigthrill.org/2012/07/the-survivor-by-gregg-hurwitz/

The first Friday in August bodes another day of heat and no rain…just like the last, uh, I can’t remember how many. The weather girl on WHO Radio is bored out of her mind because the forecast never changes.

So, I’m off to pick up this week’s featured author and we transport to what she calls her wonderland. (Again, I don’t know the actual destination because…