Smatterings

First, though I only spent a day at NoirCon, I had a blast – thanks to all who attended my somewhat spastic talk on Dorothy B. Hughes (yes, do read IN A LONELY PLACE and then track the rest of her backlist down in due course) and I shan’t ever forget the disco-dancing waiters at Johnny Rockets or the Friendly Lounge. For other NoirCon reports, check out Detectives Beyond Borders, Aaron Finestone, Mike White, and the official podcast.

Jordan Foster at PW chats with Thomas H. Cook about his lengthy and prolific crime writing career.

Patrick Anderson is a big fan of Colin Harrison’s new thriller THE FINDER.

Also in WaPo, Bob Thompson catches up with a family of Kings.

The Kellerman family get a similar writeup in the San Diego Union Tribune.

In the Chicago Sun-Times, David Montgomery reviewed new crime novels by Laura Lippman, Jesse Kellerman, Libby Fischer Hellmann, and Richard Stark as well as the anthology BLUE RELIGION.

The paper’s book editor, Teresa Budasi, chats with Julie Hyzy about her Presidential chef mystery series.

Ruth Jordan has some excellent thoughts about the glass ceiling plaguing crime fiction.

Lily Allen shirks her Orange Prize-judging duties. (via)

I could have sworn I read this article when OAKDALE CONFIDENTIAL was published, but I guess the NYT decided to write it again.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn is not only still alive, he’s trying to complete another major work at the age of 90.

Ant & Dec are getting almost 3 million pounds for their memoirs. North American rights prospects appear to be slim to nil.

Wiedenfeld & Nicholson cut their list and sell their souls for celebrity dough.

Jen Miller is similarly obsessed with the world of Sweet Valley.

And finally, Ali Karim previews his chess match with Charles Cumming, while Dave White liveblogs the DVD of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN because….oh, just because, I guess.