July 2009 Blog Posts (179)

Crazy-writer Deadline Syndrome (CDS)

I recently sent a note of apology to someone who had requested information from me. I had been extremely remiss with this person--Continued

Added by Kathryn Lilley on July 29, 2009 at 12:00am — No Comments

The ex-husband’s trenchcoat and Zoe Ferraris’s Writing Life

Fiction—and lately in particular crime fiction—can take us deep into alien cultures, through the emotions of the characters who act as our guides, translators and social commentators. The more alien the culture, the bigger the challenge to a Western author. Zoe Ferraris took on Saudi Arabia, one of the most closed cultures… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on July 28, 2009 at 10:12pm — No Comments

Learning What You Don't Know

Writing, like other forms of self-employment, is tough because you can never say you're done. As a teacher I got a degree that said I was "ready" to teach, not that it was even close to the truth. In addition, I had a finite beginning and end to my work day and work year, not that the work really ended at 3:30 or June 1st. There was both a sense that I was on a schedule and a sense that I was qualified for the tasks involved.

Writing has neither clear qualifications nor a definite… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on July 28, 2009 at 9:56pm — 1 Comment

Another Great Site for Readers

In this section I like to point you to books I think will be good additions to your library, or to places to find them. Today I want to tell you about GenReview.

That name could be read as a combination of the words genre and review or as a genre-view. Either would be appropriate. They only review popular fiction, those stories written primarily for their entertainment value. They look at crime fiction, romance, speculative… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on July 28, 2009 at 9:26pm — No Comments

Celebration Time

Hayling Island Library was buzzing with activity yesterday (although it doesn't look like it from the above photo-but it was, honest!) Throngs of local people turned up to celebrate its re-opening after its major refit.

The library has been completely redecorated and a new community room added with its own separate access allowing the library to run more group activity. There are now toilet facilities (handy when you're in the library a… Continue

Added by Pauline Rowson on July 28, 2009 at 8:10pm — No Comments

CSI Myths: The Shaky Science Behind Forensics

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/4325774.html

Added by John Dishon on July 28, 2009 at 12:32pm — 1 Comment

Signing Update

I just have to mention the good time I had Saturday at the Borders in Largo, MD. It was a hot day outdoors but the Capital Centre is such a cool place that a few people stopped by anyway. I can’t say I saw a lot of book browsers, but I had an unusually high percentage of meetings to signed books so it worked out well.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on July 28, 2009 at 5:03am — No Comments

BLEEDER radio interview

I’ll be interviewed about BLEEDER on Thursday, July 30 at 8:35 am Pacific Time on KZSB AM 1290, by Baron Ron Herron. The program airs in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, Ventura, Thousand Oaks and Los Angeles County. The show is rebroadcast on KNRY AM 1240 in Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz and Pebble Beach; KNWZ-II AM 1270 in Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Indio and Rancho Mirage. So if you’re in those areas, please tune in.

The program is delayed broadcast in Australia on 99.7 FM in… Continue

Added by John Desjarlais on July 28, 2009 at 4:38am — No Comments

Latitude Festival Review - Monday 27th July

I went to the Latitude festival thinking that it might be my last, as the line up was a little light on guitar bands for me, but I had such a good time there it’s almost a certainty that I’ll be back again next year. The fact that the numbers are kept below 30,000 means it’s a cinch to get around, and there was so much space in the campsite I could have put up a 2-bed semi if I’d had the time, inclination, or building skills. There’s just enough good music on offer to keep me interested, and… Continue

Added by Steven Hague on July 28, 2009 at 3:02am — No Comments

A Week of Doing Limbo

No, not THE Limbo. My back would never tolerate that. I've been IN limbo. Due to circumstances I ended up in a house far away from my home, waiting for its new occupants to arrive and take over. It was supposed to be a brief stay, but mechanical difficulties, too much to do in too little time, and even a wayward cat delayed them, and we were stuck for a full week. To top it off, they had all the furnishings: we had no TV, no phone, no Internet, no stove, and one of those dorm fridges that hold… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on July 27, 2009 at 11:14pm — No Comments

Blood Law Gathers Momentum - Monday 27th July

Lots of stuff to report this week – so much that I’m going to split the blog into two in fact – the first part will cover Blood Law related news, while the second will be a review of the Latitude Festival (the festival review will be posted tomorrow).

Blood Law News

In support of the release of Blood Law, I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be doing a book signing at the Norwich branch of Waterstones (Castle Street) on Saturday 15th August at 12 noon. If you’re in the area,… Continue

Added by Steven Hague on July 27, 2009 at 6:00pm — No Comments

3 Tips to Plan and Write your Book

Hello Everyone,

I have published some tips on my website and the feedback I have had so far, indicates that the tips are helping many authors out there.

If you are wanting to make the process easier for yourself or if you are new to novel writing then please check out my website - it may save you some frustration. These are the tips I use while novel writing based on what I have learnt along my journey.

I hope you get something out of it!…

Continue

Added by Flic Manning on July 27, 2009 at 12:46pm — No Comments

HANDS UP, VARMINTS! Let’s talk “GUNS

One of the most interesting groups that I belong to is an on-line collection of Crime-Writers who gather on something called “CrimeSpace”. The group was developed by a man by the name of Daniel Hatadi, whom I consider to be nothing short of brilliant. Here, writers from all over the world get together virtually to discuss everything from ‘plotting’ to ‘character… Continue

Added by Donna Carrick on July 26, 2009 at 7:00am — 8 Comments

The Kult - Crack the code and win up to $100 in gift vouchers to your favourite store.

The Kult by Shaun Jeffrey

Leucrota Press

ISBN-10: 0980033985

ISBN-13: 978-0980033984

Release Date: May 2009

People are predictable. That's what makes them easy to kill.

Acting out of misguided loyalty to his friends, police officer Prosper Snow is goaded into helping them perform a copycat killing, but when the real killer comes after him, it’s not only his life on the line, but his family's too. Now if he… Continue

Added by Shaun Jeffrey on July 26, 2009 at 5:42am — No Comments

Introducing Lazarus Barnhill, author of THE MEDICINE PEOPLE and LACEY TOOK A HOLIDAY

Isn’t the Internet a wonderful thing! Something happens almost two years ago, and there it sits like a time capsule for all to see.

I met Lazarus Barnhill during a writing contest on Gather.com in October 2007. Entrants posted the first chapter of their work for people to comment on and vote for, and the fifteen top-ranked chapters, plus ten chosen by Gather management went on to post the second chapter. I read some chapters, including Laz’s The Medicine People, but I never… Continue

Added by Pat Bertram on July 26, 2009 at 3:48am — No Comments

“Kill someone soon!” Dan Fesperman’s advice on The Writing Life

Journalists often dream of turning the more dramatic events to which they’ve been witness into fiction. Relatively few do so successfully, and certainly not with the panache of Dan Fesperman. He has stood out from the crowd of journalist-turned-thrillerists since his fabulous debut “Lie in the Dark.” It was based on… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on July 26, 2009 at 12:26am — No Comments

Signing and a Great Site for Readers (and Writers)

Today my book signing is at Borders - 931A Capital Centre Boulevard, Largo MD - 4 pm to 8 pm.

On line, check out Local Talent Books & Music. The website is an online bookstore that specializes in books and music by Virginia authors and musicians. The Local Talent mission (other than selling lots of books) is to help increase exposure of regional authors. Local Talent offers the best selection of… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on July 25, 2009 at 10:16pm — No Comments

A reprint from the Premiere Issue of Crooked Magazine

From the Premiere Issue of Crooked Magazine, my story "Retribution."

Added by Cormac Brown on July 25, 2009 at 7:44pm — 2 Comments

Event madness

It’s event madness for me at the moment (plus editing of course).

Last Friday night I was in Foster for an author talk, and then headed back on Saturday to catch some other authors talking about their books and work at The Crime and Justice Festival. In the end, I only went to two sessions – one on the criminal mind (right up my alley) and one on being an undercover cop in the mafia. Really enjoyed both and was dying to see more on Sunday,…

Continue

Added by Phillipa Martin (PD Martin) on July 25, 2009 at 12:45pm — No Comments

Find me on your Kindle

Well after the recent discussion here on Kindle publishing, I decided to stick one of my novels up there, even though I don't own the device.

It's a thriller and it got me my first agent but never sold to a major house, though it came close in a couple places. I've made one sale in the first days it's been available, first time I've ever been paid for my work.

(Weird feeling!) Below is the pitch and the link ...

Argus Ward is a former U.S. Secret Service… Continue

Added by Eric Christopherson on July 25, 2009 at 7:30am — 4 Comments