April 2008 Blog Posts (187)

Dr. Katherine Ramsland: You're not Losing Your Voice, You're Gaining Another's

Please join us on The Graveyard Shift today for a visit with Dr. Katherine Ramsland. Dr. Ramsland is the author of over thirty books about forensic science, the CSI effect, serial killers, predators, vampires, and mass murderers, to name a few. She also wrote the biographies of Dean Koontz and Ann Rice. Dr. Ramsland will be available to answer your questions throughout the day.

The Graveyard Shift, a guide to all things cops and robbers

- a blog for… Continue

Added by Lee Lofland on April 16, 2008 at 11:46pm — No Comments

Editing, As in Slicing?

I think the natural tendency of most writers is to write too much the first time through. This conclusion comes from thirty years of reading student essays and crossing out countless parenthetical expressions, prepositional phrases, and wordy descriptions. Somebody has to make your project say what it has to say and no more, and that somebody should be you.

Sometimes it's whole passages. A friend who edits for me is good at locating sections that don't need to be there. "Why do we… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on April 16, 2008 at 10:30pm — No Comments

And now in Sweden

I posted more stuff on Nordic private eyes, this time with the help of Anders Engwall, who's the premiere hardboiled aficionado in Sweden. Here's his lengthy comment:

http://pulpetti.blogspot.com/2008/04/swedens-private-eye-novels.html

Added by Juri Nummelin on April 16, 2008 at 9:36pm — No Comments

Willamette Writers

My writing teacher mentioned the Willamette Writers group. Looks like a pretty large organization. I wonder if any past or present members would care to comment about the group and its benefit to aspiring crime fiction writers.

Added by Richard Krauss on April 16, 2008 at 1:42pm — No Comments

Where Do You Get Your Ideas?

I think it's a law. People at parties ask doctors and attorneys for free advice, standup comics to be funny and authors where we get our ideas.

In fact, it's the question asked at booksignings, during interviews, on blogs and websites, on dates (or even before them, "You can't take out my daughter until you tell me! Where do you get your ideas?") probably around the table at family reunions and, for all I know, on authors' death beds ("Gramma Agatha, before you go, just one last… Continue

Added by Doug M. Cummings on April 16, 2008 at 12:46pm — 2 Comments

Slightly overstuffed, but fun.

"A Carrion Death," Michael Stanley's debut, resembles its protagonist, Detective Kubu. Sensory overload, but in a good way.

Speaking of... I just had one of those marvelous moments that you writers will recognize. Partly, it's that I was coming back from the gym and the blood was flowing. Partly it's the combination of listening to vintage disco/'80s rock/New Orleans funk on my… Continue

Added by Clea Simon on April 16, 2008 at 3:08am — No Comments

Citizens' Police Academy: SWAT!

Cross posted to Working Stiffs

The guys from Pittsburgh’s SWAT team tried to convince us that their job isn’t glamorous, but let me tell you, they do get to play with some really cool stuff. Their presentation was so fascinating that while I started out scribbling notes like crazy, pretty soon I got so wrapped up in listening and watching the videos that I forgot to take notes! This is why I… Continue

Added by Annette Dashofy on April 16, 2008 at 1:30am — No Comments

Talking Dialogue

Editing, your favorite thing, right? Actually, I don't mind it, but as I wrote yesterday, I like to do only one thing at a time when I edit. It takes a lot of trips through, but that's good in terms of making the work better.

Readers expect a lot of talking between characters, but that conversation has to do several jobs. For one thing, dialogue reveals character, both the character of the person discussed and the character of the speaker. If Jeannette says, "Robert has always been a… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on April 15, 2008 at 11:45pm — No Comments

Joyce Tremel on The Graveyard Shift - Civilians working in a Sea of Blue‏

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind that bulletproof glass in a police department? Today, on The Graveyard Shift, Shaler Township, Pennsylvania's very own martial artist/police secretary, Joyce Tremel, gives us the scoop on what it's like working as a civilian in the very private world of the men and women in blue.

The Graveyard Shift, a guide to all things cops and robbers
- a blog for writers
http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/

Added by Lee Lofland on April 15, 2008 at 10:47pm — No Comments

Last call for my launch and birthday party

If you're in New York City on April 15, come join me at the Mysterious Bookshop, 58 Warren Street, at 7 pm for what I hope will be a veritable lovefest as I celebrate the launch of DEATH WILL GET YOU SOBER and my 64th birthday. Yep, I'm telling the world my age--going for shock value and the possibility of inspiring others whose road to the first published novel may seem interminable. It's my night to howl, and I'd be happy to have you all come and party with me.

Added by Elizabeth Zelvin on April 15, 2008 at 12:00pm — No Comments

TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS AND LISTEN TO LAST WEEKS "TRUE CRIME AND..." SHOW!

Yes that's HITCHIN' A RIDE! Remember that one? No well, that's okay. Hang on a minute and you'll get another mind boggling hour with Burl Barer, Don Woldman and Judi Faye (plus Matt Alan) with our guest Dawn Mellen of After the Finish Line .

COMING UP THIS SATURDAY IS COREY MITCHELL, AUTHOR OF PURE MURDER, AND DAVE KUZMINSKI OF EDITORS AND PREDITORS. or is that PREDATORS, or is that Prededitors? Whichever, he will explain how writers get RIPPED OFF by scam artists!

LISTEN… Continue

Added by Burl Barer on April 15, 2008 at 12:00pm — No Comments

A new chapter

Well, I've been a member of Crimespace for, oh, about 12 hours and silly as this sounds I am very excited to have the chance to get to know other writers and find inspiration for the things I want to write. As I peruse the lists of books all the members here have written, my reading list is growing and I'm more excited about writing fiction than I have been in a very long time.

So please say hello when you get the chance, help me keep the bubble of inspiration from popping!

Added by Janet Ortegon on April 15, 2008 at 1:08am — No Comments

Finnish private eye novel at its best

Check out my long blog post at Pulpetti:

http://pulpetti.blogspot.com/2008/04/jorma-napolas-one-off-private-eye-novel_13.html

Added by Juri Nummelin on April 14, 2008 at 11:35pm — 1 Comment

In Praise of Editors

by Nancy Martin

My latest book (Murder Melts in Your Mouth, the 7th Blackbird Sisters Mystery) was released a month ago, and we’ve been enjoying good sales. I say “we” intentionally, because no successful book could possibly be the work of one person. In my case, there’s my critique partner, my blog sisters, my readers, my family, my agent and her various colleagues, my publisher and the house staff, and last but certainly not the least--my editor.

In my twenty-eight-year… Continue

Added by Sisters In Crime on April 14, 2008 at 11:30pm — No Comments

It's Finished, but Can It Be Better?

I thought this week I'd offer some editing encouragement. As an English teacher, I found that most students had trouble with editing, first because they didn't want to and second because they couldn't see how to make their work better. Writers older than sixteen often have the same problems. Editing isn't easy, and sitting there staring at the words on paper or screen doesn't help. We need concrete goals to shoot for, so that "making it better" is the effect, not the starting point. A good… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on April 14, 2008 at 11:26pm — No Comments

Publisher Benjamin LeRoy on The Graveyard Shift

Today's guest blogger on The Graveyard Shift is publisher Benjamin LeRoy of Bleak House Books. Benjamin's topic is The Importance Of Introductions. Stop by and see why this publishing professional thinks the first paragraph can make or break your novel. He should know what works. He published fifteen titles last year, and out of the fifteen, three are 2008 Edgar nominees.

Benjamin will be around all day to answer your questions, so please stop by.

The Graveyard… Continue

Added by Lee Lofland on April 14, 2008 at 11:17pm — No Comments

Film Noir Festival: Peter Lorre

In spite of my promise to cut out the distractions and get back to work, I still managed to fuck off to the movies last night. I had a fantastic time last year doing the entire Film Noir Festival, but sadly, this year I just can’t spare the hours away from my desk. So I’m picking and choosing. One of my picks from this year’s crop was last nights rare proto-noir double bill of STRANGER ON THE THIRD FLOOR and THE FACE BEHIND THE MASK.

STRANGER has Lorre slinking around in the shadows… Continue

Added by Christa Faust on April 14, 2008 at 6:31am — 1 Comment

The Truth Hurts

Got wind that over at Goodreads, they have my novels listed. Regarding the first novel I put out on my small press, Ian Hahn: The Olfactory Empath, somebody wrote that it was poorly written. I got to remembering how I did a lot of rewriting for that novel. The original draft was very cliched, with a Tony Soprano-like character featured prominently and the bad guy being the guy who hires P.I. Ian Hahn in the first chapter. Wow, if… Continue

Added by Johnny Ostentatious on April 13, 2008 at 10:56pm — 1 Comment

A Visit with Jenny (JR) Turner by Margot Justes

Jenny Turner is a very talented Echelon author, not only is she talented, she is gracious as well. Please take a few seconds more and watch her book trailers…they are riveting and thrilling. So here without further introduction is the award winning author - Jenny Turner.

Thanks so much for having me here, Margot!

I think the one thing most non-writers or aspiring authors don’t realize is that writing is actually a very small (though highly enjoyable) part of a writing… Continue

Added by Margot Justes on April 13, 2008 at 11:41am — No Comments

Favourite Aust/NZ Books - Non-Scientific Poll

Just for a bit of fun (and to avoid doing what I should have been doing yesterday), we've set up a little poll on AustCrime that lets you tick the local Australian and New Zealand books that you've enjoyed reading recently. If you haven't read any of them - use it as a suggestion list instead :)

You can also add your own choices if there's been a favourite book you liked that we didn't include:…

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Added by Karen from AustCrime on April 13, 2008 at 11:17am — 1 Comment