November 2009 Blog Posts (145)

Meet Me in MD Tomorrow

Saturday I'm stretching a bit out of my usual area to visit the Waldenbooks in Cumberland MD. It's far enough north and west that fans in PA and WV might consider stopping in. I'll sign books there, at at 1262 Vocke Rd, Cumberland, MD, from 1 pm to 5 pm.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on November 13, 2009 at 9:41pm — No Comments

Characters Who Haunt Us

(Cross-posted from Poe's Deadly Daughters)

I can’t get the girl out of my mind. I worry about her. I want to know what happened to her after the book ended.

Throughout most of Elizabeth George’s Missing Joseph, I found the 13-year-old character Maggie Spence exasperating in the way a lot of teens are. Lying to her mother, sneaking out to rendezvous with a boy she was forbidden to see, engaging in sex long before she was capable of dealing with it emotionally. I… Continue

Added by Sandra Parshall on November 13, 2009 at 7:55am — No Comments

"A Freak'en Mess,' is on my blog

Go to my blog and read a Turner Hahn/Frank Morales short story entitled 'A Freak'en Mess.' It's another one of my noir-police-procedural stories.

I'm thinking about collecting all these damn things and going straight to Kindle as a book of short stories (or have I said this, already? Ha! Senility!)

Oh. . . and why not join up as a member? You see, you can throw darts at my stories and we'll all feel better.

Find it at:…

Continue

Added by B.R.Stateham on November 13, 2009 at 2:59am — No Comments

Jerusalem's a zoo

When foreign correspondents come to Jerusalem they often ask me for advice on stories and places from which to witness the various conflicts that play out in this city. Next time, I’m going to buy them a ticket to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo.

I go there every Saturday afternoon with my two-year-old son. But perhaps because our favorite animals (the cute little prairie dogs) have hibernated, I noticed that the zoo is a microcosm of all the things I covered here in a decade and a half… Continue

Added by Matt Rees on November 12, 2009 at 11:51pm — No Comments

Tis the Season...to Not (R)

It's time to share what I hate about the Christmas season, and I make no excuses for it.

I hate decorating. In late fall my friends and acquaintances start talking about "doing" the house, some with anticipation, some with resignation. I refuse. I don't like the clutter, I don't enjoy the disruption, and I see no reason to turn my house into a wannabe Wal-Mart.

I realize this might put me in the grinch category, but otherwise I do okay. I arrange and conduct a huge… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on November 12, 2009 at 9:56pm — No Comments

Tis the Season...to Not (R)

Added by Peg Herring on November 12, 2009 at 9:56pm — 1 Comment

Another Cool Review

I like to share feedback I get on my novels. Today I want to introduce you to Grace Ramsey.

I never got to meet Grace, but her daughters found me at a book signing and bought her one of my novels as a birthday present. As it turns out, Grace has turned into a fan of my work.

Since she was kind enough to send an e-mail complimenting my books I've used her comments as this week's featured review on my web site - http://www.ascamacho.com… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on November 12, 2009 at 9:36pm — No Comments

Another Cool Review

Added by Austin S. Camacho on November 12, 2009 at 9:36pm — No Comments

Take the poll: What made you buy your last book, and where did you buy it?

What makes you decide on a particular book to purchase? A review? Word of mouth? A blog post? And where did you buy your last book?

Visit the polls over at Book Buzz and cast your vote!…

Continue

Added by Kathryn Lilley on November 12, 2009 at 9:40am — 3 Comments

Why I Don't Watch TV Cop Shows

(Also posted at One Bite at a Time.)

I haven’t watched a TV cop show since The Wire went off the air, except for a random viewing of Numb3rs when The Sole Heir is visiting. This excerpt from James Lee Burke’s In the Moon of Red Ponies explains why better than I could.

Most television cop shows make use of the following story line: A likeable individual is raped or assaulted, or a hardworking… Continue

Added by Dana King on November 12, 2009 at 2:44am — 3 Comments

Happy Veterans Day

I’m sure you’ll read a lot this month from people expressing what they’re thankful for. Today I want to express my gratitude for those men and women who have guaranteed my right to write whatever I want. Free speech and a free press may be concepts in the Constitution, but they are only rights because they are preserved by our service members. As we all know, freedom is never free.

Veterans Day was declared a national holiday to help us remember those warriors. We often focus on… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on November 11, 2009 at 11:03pm — No Comments

Happy Veterans Day

Added by Austin S. Camacho on November 11, 2009 at 11:03pm — No Comments

Author Update

The highlight of my writer’s weekend was Saturday’s lunch at the Virginia Writers Club annual meeting. I was flattered and honored to receive a superior achievement award for my work establishing the Northern Virginia chapter. It was a labor of love, but it IS nice to have my work recognized by my peers.

The other high point was my book signing at the Borders Express in White Marsh Mall later that day. The store had great customers and a great manager, and I’ll get back there for… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on November 10, 2009 at 9:36pm — No Comments

Writer's Glut, The Opposite of Writer's Block

There isn't enough time in the day. You all know I'm hard at work on the sequel to HER HIGHNESS, which is moving at a snail's pace for some reason. But then I get into my old computer files for some reason and stumble onto other projects, some barely started, some almost done.

Gee, that was a good idea. Why didn't I finish it? Oh, right. I was stuck on motive. Oh, and that one's nice, too. I was going to work on the characters, get them some depth. Oh, that clever idea for a plot… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on November 10, 2009 at 9:27pm — 1 Comment

Pariah reviewed by Maureen Corrigan in the Washington Post

"I didn't think a suspense story could get any more dark and twisted than Zeltserman's pulp masterpiece of last year, "Small Crimes." In that nasty little immorality tale, a crooked ex-cop bent on redemption gets released from prison and finds out that nobody -- not his ex-wife, not his young daughters, not even his elderly parents -- wants him back. The kicker is that they're right. By the end of "Small Crimes," I was wrung out thanks to the… Continue

Added by Dave Zeltserman on November 10, 2009 at 4:19am — 3 Comments

A stupid question: is it possible . . . .

Hardback novels going at between $25 and $35 per. Expensive, to say the least. So here's the stupid question; is it possible to craft a hardback book for less than $20--and make a profit?

If 'No' what makes'em so expensive? If 'Yes' then why in hell aren't publishers cranking'em out? Surely they see the potential of selling more books if they were cheaper?

Is it really true that outrageous up-front money to major authors contribute to outrageous book prices? Or is it more… Continue

Added by B.R.Stateham on November 10, 2009 at 1:00am — 12 Comments

Hidden Gems in International Markets

I'm attending the annual autumn seminar organised by the Independent Publishers Guild of Great Britian in London this week, and this year its topic is 'International Trade- The Hidden Gems.'

The Seminar will help independent publishers to make the most of their overseas business, identifying some territories they might not have considered in addition to providing up to date information on established export markets including North America, Australia and Ireland. It will provide some… Continue

Added by Pauline Rowson on November 9, 2009 at 11:14pm — No Comments

Feet on the Ground, Ms. Author!

I found somewhere a list of things one shouldn't say to a mystery author, and I got a charge out of it, because I've heard just about all of them: "I don't read fiction" (with nose lifted); "I buy my books at garage sales, but I'll look for yours"; and the most frequent, "Oh. My (son, daughter, granddaughter, neighbor, washing machine repairman, etc.) wrote a book, too." (That one is often followed by, "Would you like to read it?" or "Could you send it to your agent?")

I've added… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on November 9, 2009 at 10:45pm — 3 Comments

What's it like to Finally Get Published?

Catch the impressions of a newly published steampunk author – Nick Valentino – on my main blog - http://ascamacho.blogspot.com/

Added by Austin S. Camacho on November 9, 2009 at 9:43pm — No Comments

ACTS OF DESTRUCTION - my new crime novel

'Acts of Destruction' is now available in paperback, and as an e-book. For details, please see www.matcoward.com

Here are the reviews so far ...

“funny, dark and charming” - Morning Star.

“splendid ... a fine story ...should be on everyone's summer reading list. Wicked sense of humour and tale that barrels along. We thoroughly enjoyed it.” - Eco-Logic Books

"Nothing I’ve read in ages has made me think more than… Continue

Added by Mat Coward on November 9, 2009 at 8:46pm — 2 Comments