April 2008 Blog Posts (187)

Revenge of The Killer Duck

Well, there I was having an early morning walk around my local park, which, on a wet Saturday morning in Glasgow is relatively empty (apart from the odd dogwalker and the even odder jogger (I'm not in any hurry - a walk will do me thank you)).

I was striding briskly around the edge of the pond with The Ramones on my ipod (I walk faster to The Ramones and The Fratellis than to anything else - I have to exclude Tom Waits and Dean Martin from my playlist or it would take me all day) and… Continue

Added by Donna Moore on April 26, 2008 at 7:59pm — No Comments

Paul Cleave...again

Have just finished New Zealand author, Paul Cleaves new book, Cemetery Lake. Once again I am blown away by this guys talent. His characters are brilliant, the plots flawless, his writing style spot-on. I am making it my top priority to increase his sales in his own country, instead of leaving it to Germany to make him a best seller. He ranks up there with all the top crime writers and I cannot wait to see what else he has to offer.

Added by Linda Lee on April 26, 2008 at 7:00pm — No Comments

Author Q&A

Author Q&A for BLOOD OIL (Hachette, August 2008).

When did you realise you wanted to be a writer?

As a teenager (around 15) when I read my first few current adventures and thrillers. I played around with some ideas through high school, but it was not until 2001 that I decided to dedicate the time and effort to see if I could do it. Prior to this I had started two novels which were at various stages.

What were those books that inspired you?

I can’t… Continue

Added by James Phelan on April 26, 2008 at 4:00pm — No Comments

LA Times Festival of Books

I plan on reporting on the festival on my blog "Getting Medieval" if I'm not too worn out. I'll be going both days but it is a two hour drive there and another two hour drive back (strangely enough). Lots of driving and these are long days in the sun. But it's always an enjoyable time. No signings for me this year. Next year! Finally! I will be helping out at the Mystery Writers of America booth on Saturday from 10-11 am. Stop by and get a free bookmark. See you Angelinos there!

Added by Jeri Westerson on April 26, 2008 at 10:30am — No Comments

A Study in Red Now at W H Smith

UK Readers may be interested to know that 'A Study in Red' has at last been added to the catalogue of W H Smith. It can be ordered for home delivery or I understand that it is also able to be ordered for collection at your local W H Smith store. The book can be found at http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/ProductDetails-A+Study+in+Red+-9781554045273.html&tab=1…

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Added by Brian L Porter on April 26, 2008 at 4:30am — No Comments

Night and the Noir City Film Festival

I attended the last night of Noir City at the Egyptian to catch one of my all time favorites NIGHT AND THE CITY on the big screen, along with a rare Ida Lupino melodrama called WOMAN IN HIDING. What was particularly interesting about the screening of NIGHT was that it was a British print. I have the Criterion DVD, which I watch compulsively, and right away I noticed substantial differences. Familiar scenes were gone and new scenes were added. Nothing major, just little things here and there.… Continue

Added by Christa Faust on April 26, 2008 at 3:46am — 1 Comment

The books we love

Did you ever read a book that completely grabbed you in every way then haunted you for days afterwards? Of course you have because we all have. After reading a book like this you want to talk about it with someone, then, much to your dismay, no one has read it or, in some cases, has even heard of it.

This is just shocking really.

How could they not have heard of the best book ever written?

A few days ago Patti floated an idea out there. Seeing that some books… Continue

Added by BrianLindenmuth on April 26, 2008 at 1:35am — 1 Comment

The Grammar Nazis

There's been some discussion of late on a certain chat group about grammar/writing rules. I don't argue on chat groups because someone always takes up the argument at much greater length than I would think is necessary or even desireable. Still, it made me think of speaking (or in this case writing) my piece on grammar and writing "rules."

In defense of Grammar Nazis: it's difficult to make rules for English, which is a mongrel language in the first place, for which we can blame the… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on April 25, 2008 at 9:42pm — No Comments

New Book in June

My second Bangkok thriller, THE FOURTH WATCHER, will be released on June 24 by William Morrow, with a terrific company and an aggressive support campaign. I'm currently in Southeast Asia, writing the third in the series, tentatively titled MISDIRECTION, so I'm out of the loop for some of the pre-bub activity, but there's still plenty to do.

It's interesting to watch all the activity from this distance -- almost as though it all concerns someone else's book. But, of course, as soon as… Continue

Added by Timothy Hallinan on April 25, 2008 at 3:29pm — 1 Comment

The Friday House New Cover Art

With the release of the trade paperback and hardcover versions of The Friday House, a new cover has been designed that I believe displays the true essence of the story.

The Friday House will be available in May 2008

Added by D K Gaston on April 25, 2008 at 4:06am — No Comments

Contest for Baby Shark's High Plains Redemption

It's win it before you can buy it this week on my book blog, where I have a special contest. Robert Fate's latest Baby Shark novel, High Plains Redemption, is due out in May. He's offering five autographed copies of the book, to be sent directly from the author. However, you have to enter the contest on this site in order to win. Don't wait until Baby Shark is made into a blockbuster movie to discover this series. Now's your opportunity to read the… Continue

Added by Lesa Holstine on April 25, 2008 at 1:05am — No Comments

Off to Malice

See you there, traditional mystery lovers! Hugs on request to any CrimeSpacer who attends my Saturday 10:30 am workshop or the signing right after it. :)

Added by Elizabeth Zelvin on April 24, 2008 at 11:29pm — No Comments

Malice: A Forethought

I’ll spend this weekend in the company of a lot of dangerous ladies. Friday through Sunday we’ll gather in Arlington, VA for the Malice Domestic Mystery Convention. Since 1989, Malice Domestic has been an annual mystery fan’s convention focused on the traditional mystery--think in terms of books best typified by the works of Agatha Christie. However they are a warm and welcoming group and even those of us who write private eye stories are made… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on April 24, 2008 at 10:40pm — No Comments

Time Management

I'm scheduled to be The Author at a high school career day. They sent along a list of possible questions, and one caught my interest: What is an average day in your job like?

Let's see. I get up, eat breakfast and read for a while. (You have to know what the competition is producing.) Then I read email and blog. After that, if things go well, I write for a few hours. That is, of course, in addition to doing housework, answering phone calls, and maintaining the people and animals in… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on April 24, 2008 at 10:29pm — No Comments

Yep, once again: time warp

Well, between home construction (done now, thankfully) and travel, almost another month has passed. Not that anyone is hanging on my deathless prose here, but I do feel an obligation to keep my blog current. So here's my attempt.

In the past month I've: moved into my new home office, signed one or two new contracts (don't mean to be blase, but I don't remember), edited three books for submission, turned in final edits on two more books, finished my WIP, started research on another… Continue

Added by J L Wilson on April 24, 2008 at 9:48pm — No Comments

What Makes You Care?

I'm reading WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, and I love it.

Why? I don't know. I have no interest in the circus. When I heard about the book I thought, "Not for me." But I picked it up in a bookstore and read the first two pages. Then I bought it, and now I don't want to put it down.

It's that combination thing: good characters, people I can cheer for and identify with. It's description that makes everything crystal clear, sometimes evoking things I've experienced, other times… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on April 24, 2008 at 12:09am — No Comments

Latest Morgue Mama Mystery - The Unraveling of Violeta Bell

I'm a librarian from Ohio. It would be hard to not like C.R. Corwin's Morgue Mama Mysteries, featuring a newspaper librarian in Ohio. Here's the review from my blog.

The third Morgue Mama Mystery, The Unraveling of Violeta Bell by C.R. Corwin, provides a little more proof that a crusty librarian may have a heart of gold, and a mind for crime.

Maddy Sprowls is the Head Librarian for The Hannawa Herald-Union, an Ohio newspaper. Behind her back, she's known as Morgue Mama to… Continue

Added by Lesa Holstine on April 23, 2008 at 11:17pm — No Comments

Citizens' Police Academy: Something Old/Something New

(Cross Posted on Working Stiffs)

This week’s Citizens’ Police Academy was a two-fer. A little bit of something new and a little bit of something old was presented during our field trip to the training center.

Relatively new to Pittsburgh is the Crisis Intervention Team. Unlike SWAT, this is not a “response” team. Rather it’s a “collaborative” team in which the Pittsburgh… Continue

Added by Annette Dashofy on April 23, 2008 at 10:28pm — No Comments

My current writing and photography projects

This about covers things, except for publication of a few photos at an online mapping company and at a real estate agent's website for islands in Maine. Writing seems to be better than sleeping, most of the time..

Nearly nothing but novels: fiction and crime fiction book reviews

Chemistry for a sustainable world…

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Added by James K. Bashkin on April 23, 2008 at 4:32pm — No Comments

More Public Flogging

I really need to just hole up and write, but first a few more signings. I’ll be at the L.A. Times Festival of Books this coming Saturday the 26th. I’m signing at the Mystery Bookstore booth (#411) from noon to 1 pm and then at the Sister in Crime booth (#355) from 4-6pm.

After that, I’m not leaving the house until the new book is done, or… Continue

Added by Christa Faust on April 23, 2008 at 1:13pm — No Comments