July 2009 Blog Posts (185)

The Mystery Scene Blog

Pssst! Get the inside scoop at the Mystery Scene Blog & Website!

www.mysteryscenemag.com

Added by Mystery Scene Magazine on July 7, 2009 at 12:56am — 2 Comments

Thrice Screwed (AKA The joys of moving)

I am recovering from moving to a new house, and I hate moving. I doubt many people actually enjoy it, but I've done enough moving in the past 18 months to make me truly loathe the process. I like knowing where my things are, being able to find them when I'm looking for them, feeling a sense of comfort where I'm working and not having a long list of things to do that extends beyond the normal things I already have to do. And then there are the other things about moving - the expenses, the… Continue

Added by Sandra Ruttan on July 7, 2009 at 12:06am — 7 Comments

On Interviews

I've received notification that I'm the interview subject on Novel Journey tomorrow, July 7th. It's a cool site, so I'm excited to be there, and you can see what I said at www.noveljourney.blogspot.com.

I've done radio, Internet, video, and print interviews and have been lucky so far to have professional hosts who lead me along and don't throw in anything nasty. Still, book/author interviews are a bit static, and there are so many out there that I wonder if anyone really reads any of… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on July 6, 2009 at 10:53pm — 3 Comments

Author Activity Update

Baltimore Washington International Airport was packed on the day before Independence Day, and that helped me sign a better than average number of books. Besides, manager Dave keeps me supplied with coffee and pound cake.

Westfield Mall was a good deal less busy on Saturday. Still I had a good time and signed more than enough books to make it worth the drive. Sadly the Starbucks there is actually outside the Mall, but we make do.

Also this week,… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on July 6, 2009 at 8:57pm — No Comments

Semana Negra de Gijon

As every year, I'll be in Gijon (Asturias, Spain) for la Semana Negra, the huge festival organized by the Boss, Paco Ignacio Taibo II. I'll be staying the whole week (10-19 july), looking for authors.
Anyone coming this year?

Added by Judith Vernant on July 6, 2009 at 9:40am — 2 Comments

I'm minding my own business when. . . .

I'm minding my own business, working on a couple of novels, when from out of nowhere this brand new character comes into my head. And he's insistent. He's packing a couple of stories with him and demands that I write them as fast as possible.

The thing is. . . the guy is sort'uv interesting. He's a cross between a Jason Bourne and Rex Stout's Archie Goodwin.

I can't say no to the guy. Yet I don't have the time, really, to write. So what do I do? I write the… Continue

Added by B.R.Stateham on July 6, 2009 at 6:23am — 8 Comments

Monthly Book giveaway

Any authors interested in offering a book for a giveaway contest? Send e-mail to allbooksmktg@aol.com Attn: Bob. Thank You!

Added by RJ Medak on July 6, 2009 at 5:48am — No Comments

Patience Is A Virtue - Monday 6th July

As the eagle-eyed amongst you will have no doubt realised, the blog has been on hiatus for a couple of weeks as Chris (my uber-talented web designer) and myself have been working on a number of site updates (at www.stevenhague.com) ahead of the launch of my second novel, Blood Law. Without wishing to give too much away ahead of the grand unveiling, the look of the site will be updated to tie in more closely with Blood Law’s excellent cover, while the content will be expanded to showcase the… Continue

Added by Steven Hague on July 6, 2009 at 5:08am — No Comments

A Will to Love is on Midwest Book Review

Today I woke up to the news that my latest release, A Will to Love, has made it onto the Reviewer’s Bookwatch list as a Reviewer’s Choice entry for July 2009 at Midwest Book Reviews. It will stay there, of course, for the next twelve months. I am so excited you guys!

I invite you to go out and see the list at http://www.midwestbookreview.com and click on the Reviewer’s Bookwatch link, then on the July 2009 link. A Will to Love is at the… Continue

Added by Kim Smith on July 6, 2009 at 3:39am — No Comments

Naming A Character from a Tombstone

I was wondering how you come up with names of your characters? The most unusual way I come up with names is to walk cemeteries with paper and pen. Somehow, I feel I'm keeping the spirit of the person alive. Especially when I see an unattended gravesite. Perhaps this person has no more relatives or is forgotten by their ancestors. Is this stupid of me? Is it disrespectful? Anyhow, I'm sure others have unique ways of naming their characters. I'd be really interested to know.

Added by Dennis Webster on July 6, 2009 at 2:46am — 4 Comments

Thoughts After the 4th

The 4th of July is a traditional family gathering time. Whenever families gather inevitably the horror stories come out, and it evolves into a competition as to whose life is most challenging. After listening for years to how hard it is to be a teenager, to start life after college, to raise kids and to age gracefully –depending on who has the floor – I’ve come to a discomforting realization.

The hardest years in life are those between 10 and 70.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on July 5, 2009 at 11:29pm — No Comments

The Things I Miss About America

New blog post at:

http://mitziszereto.com/blog

Added by Mitzi Szereto on July 5, 2009 at 9:52pm — No Comments

Paperback of Legacy of the Ripper can now be ordered - Whooppee!!

I'm so pleased that Amazon have now made 'Legacy of the Ripper' the sequel to 'A Study in Red' available to order in paperback. The book's page at Amazon is at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1554046904 and I can't wait to hold my own copy in my hands, which should be very soon. I hope that those who enjoyed 'A Study in Red' will find 'Legacy of the Ripper' equally enthralling and entertaining, (My wife… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on July 5, 2009 at 7:30pm — No Comments

Review: The blood and ghosts of Belfast

The Twelve by Stuart Neville

Harvill Secker (July 2, 2009 isbn: 1846552796)

(to be published in US in October as “The Ghosts of Belfast”, Soho Crime isbn: 1569476004)

Things that seemed clear enough to kill for during a conflict become impossible to look at once the murdering is at an end. Anyone who’s lived through a war or a time of terrorism could… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on July 5, 2009 at 6:10pm — No Comments

A short story for a hot summer day

A BRUSH WITH DEATH

(An Annie Mae Book Detective Mystery)

By

J. A. Jensen

*7159 words*

As Annie stepped out of the artificially alpine air of her car, her glasses immediately fogged the world into primary colored blurs. She was enveloped by the wet wool blanket humidity of Brewton, Alabama in July. As she carefully shuffled forth she remembered the white blur coming up on her left was the police car that she saw when she arrived. Annie had… Continue

Added by James Jensen on July 5, 2009 at 3:01pm — No Comments

Deadly Appraisal by Jane K. Cleland

Deadly Appraisal (2007 by Jane K. Cleland), the 2nd in the series, finds Josie Prescott, an antiques dealer in a small town in coastal New Hampshire, feeling good about the growth of her new business. Then a woman is poisoned at the gala Prescott Antiques is sponsoring to raise money for the local Women’s Guild. Everyone who had access to the poisoned wine is under suspicion, but the police suspect that… Continue

Added by Lucinda Surber on July 5, 2009 at 8:06am — No Comments

Give it Away now?

Should writers give their work away on their web sites? My answer is on my blog ““Another Writer’s Life” today.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on July 5, 2009 at 7:37am — No Comments

Hot Off the Press!

It's a hot summer weekend in July (well, at least it is here in old Blighty!). So take a break and check out my recent interview with Murray Newlands, where I rant and rave ... well, only a little bit!

http://mitziszereto.com/blog

And while you're at it, enter to win a signed copy of "Getting Even: Revenge Stories". Details on my "Errant Ramblings" blog!

Added by Mitzi Szereto on July 4, 2009 at 10:44pm — No Comments

Happy 4th of July

Today's holiday reminds us all of patriotism and the birth of our nation, but my favorite quote about the holiday may well be these words from Erma Bombeck:

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness."

So when the day is… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on July 4, 2009 at 8:40pm — No Comments

Donate my books to Gaza

The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs is organizing donations of books to libraries and schools in the Gaza Strip. I'm delighted to learn that my Palestinian crime novels are included on the list, which I should add includes works by many of my favorite Arab and Muslim writers (I'm a big fan of Tariq Ali's series of novels about Muslim history, in… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on July 4, 2009 at 8:09pm — 2 Comments