midweek smatterings

Christopher Moore, who’s about to embark on a 30-city tour for his newest novel A DIRTY JOB, talks to the SF Chronicle about his books, why he’s into fantastically-tinged stories, and his impending move back to San Francisco.

Colleen McCullough is best known for the massively successful THE THORN BIRDS, but as she tells the California Literary Review, her newest work is a crime novel — and she explains the reasons for this new direction.

The Christian Science Monitor explores a new book that explains the science of Sherlock Holmes — and whether it holds up to real scrutiny.

Michael Collins took part in the North Pole Marathon last weekend — and as it happens, he ended up winning the whole event, a half-hour ahead of the second-place finisher.

Maxine Clarke debuts as a book reviewer in the Philadelphia Inquirer today, giving her reasons for why Martyn Waites’ THE MERCY SEAT is an excellent, excellent thriller.

Mary Higgins Clark talks to the Detroit News about the upcoming Metro Book & Author lunch, her newest books and her newest venture — co-owner of the New Jersey Nets.

Whither the sex column? Now that Amy Sohn’s dropped out to focus on motherhood, the Observer Sheelah Kolhatkar goes around asking and finds the new trend is…“mommy/baby porn.”

Germano Facetti, who died last weekend at the age of 77, was instrumental in creating those iconic covers for Penguin’s classics. The Guardian pays tribute to him.

George MacDonald Fraser, the creator of Flashman, talks to the Telegraph of why he’s ashamed about the Iraq war and what’s next for his iconic raffish hero. Also in the same paper is Susanna Yager’s newest crime column, looking at the latest by Donna Leon, Jason Starr, Joanna Hines and Leonardo Padura Fuentes.

And finally, Payola Six fascinates me to no end, mostly because the two principles — Jared Paul Stern and Ron Burkle — both seem to be somewhat insane folk.