Posts

Emily here, writing from Sydney, Australia. First I want to say thanks very much, Donna, for being so bloody charming and funny. How am I supposed to follow that? If you’d thought about me at …

Well, this is my last post. It’s now time to pack my little suitcase, tidy up and try and leave the place in some semblance of order for Emily. Emily, I’m terribly sorry about the mess, …

I thought I’d finish up (almost – just one more post to go before you get to wave off projectile-vomiting Aunt Gertie) with some forthcoming, not quite published yet, books I’m looking …

Since I know you’ll be missing Sarah’s wonderful link round-ups, here’s a rather pathetic version of my own. A grab-bag of miscellaneous stuff that I happened to come across over the …

Please keep the comments coming on the ‘local’ crime fiction subject. I just thought I’d post this before I head off to bed. It comes under the ‘irrelevant personal …

So, having dealt with the facts (or my version of them at least) what of Scottish crime fiction? Scotland is a place with a gothic sensibility and a dark sense of humour, and both those aspects show …

From today’s Times, a story about the dumbing down of English exams.

This year’s national curriculum Shakespeare paper, which was supposed to be related to Macbeth, instead asked teenagers to …

Since I live in Scotland, I thought I’d start off by talking a bit about Scottish crime fiction. As well as the king of Tartan Noir himself, Ian Rankin, quite a wide variety of crime fiction writers …

Hello, Donna here. Well, it’s Monday in Scotland, so I thought I might just jump straight in. If I manage to do this right without mangling links etc it will be a bloody miracle. Anyway, here …

The past week or so has been spent in a rather repetitive state–tape boxes, fill them with books, close them. Do the same with CDs and some clothes. Rinse, and repeat. The days preceding Labor …

First of all, a big hearty thanks to Mr. Starr for keeping the joint jumping this week. It was so much fun to be hanging out in the backblogs.

As for me, I’ll dip my toe a little bit in the …

Well, Sarah’s cutting me off today–apparently I’ve had too many (although, I’m fine, Sarah, I can keep blogging–I swear I can. Just one more, blog, please–one more …

I’ve created and maintained my own website for years (although my wife created the latest design). I had someone else do it for a while, and while I loved what that person did, I started doing …

I thought I’d rant a little bit about Amazon.com. I don’t know why I’m picking on Amazon, because I have the same problem with BN.com, but Amazon in my mind is the main villain, …

As Sarah mentioned earlier, my latest novel, Twisted City, was recently published. As is usually the case, while I’m out, publicizing my current book, I’m very much absorbed in the next …

Hey, thanks for all the responses…My own response to this was getting so long that I decided to make it into another post!….Basically, I think Kevin, Charlie, and Olen have excellent …

The issue came up the other day on this blog about publicists, and writers who hire their own publicists versus those who rely solely on in-house publicity. I’ve never hired my own publicist and …

The Black Orchid bookstore had a party celebrating their 10th year in business last week. I’ve been going to the BO for years and it’s undoubtedly one of the best mystery bookstores …

….I was in France in June for the Roman Noir Festival. It’s a great event in Frontignan near Sete in the South of France. Because I was going to be relatively close to Switzerland, I …

Hey, Jason Starr here, Bodysnatching Sarah for few days. I discovered this blog last year, through a link from the fine Mystery Ink site, and have been hooked ever since. Sarah’s is one of the …

For the rest of the working week, the blog will be in the capable hands of Jason Starr. If you like the noir side of crime fiction, then chances are very good that you know his books and dig them. If, …

In yesterday’s post about the Melbourne Writer’s Festival, the topic naturally turned to the age old question of whether the PI genre is dead and what’s allegedly replacing it. …

The Glasgow Daily Record (that bastion of proper journalistic integrity) reports on a recent survey conducted which concludes that girls judge a man’s desirability by his reading habits: …

Although I don’t know much in the way of details, Mo Hayder’s agency, Gregory & Company, reports on their website that they have sold the US rights to TOKYO to Grove/Atlantic. I must …

Aldo Calcagno is finally back in form and posting reports from all sorts of signings he attended recently, including that of Lee Goldberg’s for his newest Diagnosis Murder novel. But who stole …

And we start with the disappearance of Italian terrorist-turned-thriller writer (now that’s what I call cred) Cesare Bassati, who was supposed to check in once a week with French cops but …

The Age’s literary editor, Jason Steger, reports on the goings-on at the Melbourne Writer’s festival, where many authors, including crime types like Harlan Coben, Michael Connelly, Mark …

Or at least the oddest one, but the glory of Hollywood is in how people can say all sorts of stupid stuff with a straight face. Anyway, the rapper L’il Kim had been rumored to be considering …

Ron Bernas of the Freep wishes Frank Devlin (really Tim Farringon, literary fic writer) would stop making character digressions and get on with the plot with his new book LOVE IN THE WRONG PLACES. I …

Louis de Bernieres was having a great time at the Edinburgh Festival. He was even getting some writing done as well–that is, till thieves stole his laptop from his home–containing the only …

Laura Lippman gets the New York Times treatment in the Saturday edition, talking to Mel Gussow about the new Tess Monaghan novel, the real-life basis for the Snoop Sisters, and of course, Baltimore: …

Although the reason for this news will be divulged at a slightly later date. But have no fear, there’s lots to chew on this weekend:

NYT: Even though Sam doesn’t get his brownie point …

This is exactly the kind of thing we were hoping for when “The Disappeared” was launched. Alison Gordon was alerted to my post about her by a reader and posted in the comments section, …

Normally, we try to keep the public service announcements at a minimum but this one absolutely merits our attention and then some: Keith Snyder, whose many talents include the fact that he’s a …

Well, it’s finally happened. Yours truly will be moderating a panel at Bouchercon called “New Wave Murder” on Thursday, October 7 from 4:00-5:00 PM. It seems to be a classic example …

Before I get to a bunch of links that have piled up over the week, I’d like to thank Alina for really stirring things up and getting people talking–especially in the Thread That …

My guest-blogging time is up, and I want to say a HUGE thanks to Sarah for letting me do this. I had a great time.

Thank you, also, to everyone who participated in the discussion topics I posted, …

Earlier, I promised a post about “Murder for Charity” as a promotional tool. I have attempted to make a link. To see if it works, please click …

In 2002, Allison Pearson wrote a book entitled “I Don’t Know How She Does It: The Life of Kate Reddy, Working Mother.” In it, the hedge-fund managing heroine struggles mightily to …

Taking off from Sarah’s joke about the upcoming Philip Roth book, “I Hate Claire,” let’s talk about libel.

My mysteries, “Murder on Ice” and “On Thin …

Chris Rock used to have a section of his standup act about Black Men marrying white women that basically ended with: “Brother gets hit by a truck? Folks say: Wouldn’t have happened if …

Technically, I am on vacation right now. Practically, what that means is I am on vacation from my day job (I produce two, official, soap opera websites) only. Aside from the kids (note to the …

First, a word about publicity people. Despite the bad rap they seem to get in most major media, in my experience (I’ve worked in television for about ten years now), most public relations …

Thank you, Sarah, for that introduction. I am hoping the technical difficulties have been worked out, and this missive I am currently typing will actually make it onto the World Wide Web and not …

Although some technical difficulties still have to be ironed out (dratted Typepad), it’s expected that sometime tomorrow, Alina Adams will take over the joint for the rest of the week, freeing …

Now that the Olympics are underway, if you’re inclined to look for some crime fiction set in Ancient or Contemporary Greece, I’ve pulled together a list of notable books and authors in …

The big feature over at the Boston Globe this past weekend was on the state of crime fiction as directly applied to Boston. So, some of the usual suspects–Dennis Lehane, Robert B. …

We have to admit that we’re nursing a bit of a crush on John Rickards, the Brit-based author of WINTER’S END and THE TOUCH OF GHOSTS, that started a few days ago after stumbling across his …

So Edinburgh, which is hosting the annual Book Festival this week and next, wants very much to be declared a World City of Literature. Is that claim justified? Alan Taylor, writing for the Sunday …

As I said in the weekend update post, I’m actually out of town all day, which I’ll get into in a little bit. First, I want to talk a little bit about S.J. Rozan’s ABSENT FRIENDS, her long-awaited …

This weekend’s update may not be quite as comprehensive as usual because I’m out of town all day, which will be explained a little later this morning. But before we get into the usual link …

Well, that’s it from Charlie Williams. Blogging here has been an education. I feel like I’ve been in therapy for three days. Ta very much to everyone who said stuff, and everyone who just …

Publishing News reports on a self-published author who is going to launch his book on the London Underground shortly. Dunno, by Peter Inson is the story of a disaffected teenager who finds a new …

Did I say “fund my enormous appetite for cocaine” there? Ah, it’s that old devil called self-sabotage again. What I meant, of course, was “look after my family”.

Since …

Hello again. Charlie Williams again here, your friendly neighbourhood guest blogger.

As advertised previously, I was going to talk about writing and the day job – pros and cons. But I’m …

OK, not bleeding. Sweating perhaps. Sweating definitely. But it’s a good title eh?

I’ve done two public reading events so far. Like anyone else, I was wary of the whole thing beforehand. …

The BBC report that a new literary award worth £60,000 is to be launched in Swansea (Wales) this autumn. That is a serious amount of folding. The award is to be known as the “Swansea Dylan …

Good morning one and all. This is Charlie Williams, your guest blogger. To those wondering where blogmeister Sarah is – DON’T PANIC. She’s safe and well, locked up in the cellar of …

Tomorrow I intend to blog about public speaking. There was some chat on that subject here a while back, but since then I’ve done two events (and have three more planned) and I want to dredge the …

Bit of a crap heading there. But I don’t really think blogmeister Sarah invited me here because I’ve got a great haircut. It’s because I’ve recently had my first book come out. …

To get me into the spirit of things, a bit of light linkage…

On BBC Radio 4’s Front Row program last night was a little piece about Lebowski Fest 2004, which is in New York this year. …

Charlie Williams here, trying his hand at this blogging malarkey. Cheers to blogmeister Sarah for handing over the keys to her baby. I’ll try not to prang it but hey, you never know. …

That’s it for me this week, as I’m making way for the next stuntblogger. From tomorrow till Friday, the blog will be in the capable hands of Charlie Williams, whose debut crime novel …

While we’re on the subject of CHECKPOINT, the book–or more specifically, Leon Wieseltier’s rant that led off the New York Times Book Review last weekend–led Terry Teachout to …

I had some time to kill yesterday afternoon and found myself at Chapters browsing books. Lo and behold, sitting in the “New Books” stack what is no doubt the most talked-about novel right now: …

When British High Commissioner Edward Clay launched a tirade against corruption in Kenya, he used a curious metaphor involving fruits and nuts. The BBC got the bright idea to fashion a mystery novel …

We’re kind of in a strange mood today, which will be evident in content that appears later on, after which we cut out early for a “non-interview.” The brain is fully engaged and …

A few months ago, I spent a couple hours too many perusing the MWA’s database of former Edgar winners and nominees, and spent even more hours compiling a list of those authors I’d never heard of. …

Mark Timlin, writing for the Independent on Sunday (no link yet, alas) goes on a major offensive attacking those writers who think that switching gears from literary fiction to mystery will win them …

While the news itself–that Choire Sicha is stepping down as editor of Gawker.com to get “kicked upstairs” and get more freelance gigs–doesn’t surprise us at all …

So you all thought that Willy Wonka chap was fictional, right? So did Roald Dahl–until postal worker Will Wonka sent him a letter explaining otherwise, launching a long and surprising …

Colleen Lindsay, the publicity director for Del Rey, reveals some of the dos and don’ts about author publicity over at the Mupsimus, which covers the science fiction in a similar way to what I …

Ron Mwangaguhunga (of Corsair fame) wonders who the “Queen of the Blogosphere” is after seeing a ridiculously lengthy article in the Independent late last month about Manhattan-based …

First, I’d like to thank Robert for blogging from the road and getting people talking, especially about characters and how they get integrated in their fiction. Lots of food for thought can be …

i’m bloging from a pal’s house in laguna beach, but i wanted to throw open for coment the whole idea of how writers come up with charcters. this came home to me after my reading thursday …

another unspoken joy of the author biz is the author photo. when i signed with pantheon four books and six years ago, i gave them a photo that was four years old, but a photo i liked. now its ten …

this is a restatement of a post i made five minutes ago and think i erased, so if i didn’t, i apologize for the redundancy.

anyway… it’s wednesday and i’m on the first leg of …

So as we’ve said before, we’re going to be here and there, intermittently posting over the next month, as various changes of the personal and professional variety take hold. To get things …

There are lots of good reasons to read Olen Steinhauer’s second edition of the Monocle, his occasional newsletter: his thoughts on Ken Bruen and Kevin Wignall, news of his latest projects, and a …

Aileen Jacobson of Newsday writes a rather lengthy feature on how contemporary crime fiction is far more focused upon incorporating social issues within the contents of a given novel and as such, has …

And we’ll start with the plight of Jane Hardy, a freelance writer with several steady gigs–until an illness felled her. She explains to the Observer how being ill totally changed her life, …

Demonstrating further evidence of the quickie nature of the true crime industry, this news just came over the transom:

Steven Long’s untitled true crime account of Lori Hacking’s murder, …

This is, of course, all Dave White’s fault. I’m sure certain others would agree with me:

1. What are you listening to right now: nothing except the sound of the fan

2. What are the last 2 …

As mentioned before, Booksquare spent last weekend at the Romance Writers of America convention in Dallas. (For another wrapup, including some dishery on why exactly James Patterson was in attendance, …

My tennis fandom days are likely behind me (it just hasn’t been the same since Pete Sampras hung it up) but like clockwork, I tune in every Monday evening to SI senior writer Jon …

Remember a few months back when it seemed like every paper under the sun profiled or interviewed Mark Haddon? Well guess what, there’s room for one more, as the New York Times, yet again, does …

Sally Owen, the former manager of the Mysterious Bookshop who now operates her own bookselling business, releases a monthly newsletter rounding up the major crime fiction releases of a given period. …

I like hearing when writers are rewarded for their efforts, especially when it’s been a long time coming. In one of the blog’s earliest posts, I pretty much waxed rhapsodic about Sean …

It all started when Jim Winter posted a screed a few days back about what restrictions he’d put upon those enterprising folks who might want to adapt his Nick Kepler novels for the screen: …

So….first day of unemployment. Well, not exactly, because here it is some kind of bank holiday that no one really knows why it exists, except for the real reason, of course–an obligatory …

As the drama unfolds further surrounding Norma Khouri’s fabrication of her life in order to create the bestseller FORBIDDEN LOVE, Neil Levy, writing for The Age, reflects on the history of …

Marietta Dunn, writing for the Philadelphia Inquirer, looks at the Feminist Press’s new line of female pulp fiction writers, specifically the two books by Dorothy B. Hughes

:The Feminist Press …

So for whatever reason, there are lots of goodies at the Paper of Record this weekend, starting with a lengthy overview of a new biography of Broadway and ballet choreographer extraordinaire Jerome …

Some of you checking back will find that Robert Ferrigno’s post no longer appears here. Not to worry–it will return as scheduled next week, when he’s the first contestant in the …

Tomorrow is the last day of my temp job, but I pretty much finished up all the loose ends this morning. Never mind that my soon-to-be-ex-boss has been on vacation for a week, and his boss has been out …

Last month, Jim Huang–publisher, editor, writer, bookseller, and more importantly, reader—gave the keynote address to the Midwest Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America about the …

You know, I realize that there are all sorts of people, and all sorts of ways to get published. But this, frankly, seems a bit much:

Think you could write a book about your lousy love life?

Suzanne …

One of the current bestsellers in France is a book on how to do the least amount of work while still staying productive. Bonjour Paresse (Hello, Laziness) is a hit–except for the author, whose …

If you look over at the right hand side, the most recent Picks of the Week include Jonathan Lethem’s MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN and Penn Jillette’sSOCK. Both books made a significant …

I have no idea if the “phenomenon” that is Kim Mitchell ever filtered down in the old US of A, but no matter–the aging Canadian rocker is switching gears for his next move–as …

When I first heard about the news a couple of weeks ago, I asked my friends over at the Literary Saloon to keep an eye out on the story, and finally, some mention of it appears in the Telegraph …

It seems the just-completed Harrogate Crime Festival wasn’t just an unqualified success; it also was the impetus for the creation of a new award for the Best Crime Fiction book of the year: …

If you want to meet someone who’s gone through the ringer over the last decade or so, then Joe McGinniss is your man. But the true-crime guru is back….with a book about horse racing? Yes, …

Few authors burst upon the crime fiction scene with the level of fanfare and acclaim that was accorded Boston Teran five short years ago, when his debut novel GOD IS A BULLET hit stores everywhere. …

We’re still waiting for more detailed reports, but Ayo Onatade, who will be reporting for both SHOTS and Mystery Women, has posted a brief precis in the comments section of last week’s …

More catch-up: the July edition of January Magazine‘s Rap Sheet is now available for perusal. Choice offerings include Kevin Burton Smith’s rather curious reaction to BY A SPIDER’S …

First, a big round of applause to M.J. Rose–it’s not often that someone can be seen in several places at once, but she managed it expertly thanks to the efforts of the Virtual Book Tour. …

Since The Halo Effect is the first book in my first eries, I’m curious to ask you all some questions.

The real struggle I’m facing is how to keep each book vital on its own and yet …

Here’s an interesting article that touches on some of what the industry is facing and why a lot of writers including me are nervous:The End of Books

Since I’m one of the dedicated readers of this blog, it’s really a pleasure to be here as stop one of my Virtual Book Tour for my new novel, THE HALO EFFECT which is the first in a …

As mentioned previously, M.J. Rose, whose new novel THE HALO EFFECT is in stores now, will be helming the blog tomorrow as part of her Virtual Book Tour, where she’ll hit seven sites in one day. …

Well, folks, the not-so-secret project is finally live. There’s still a few kinks to iron out, which will be taken care of in the next day or two, but the piping hot content is all there to …

Although it’s a tad surprising they hadn’t gotten around to doing something like this before, Scotland on Sunday profiles award-winning Glaswegian writer Louise Welsh, and somehow manages …

I concur with Ms. Shaken and Stirred that the Sydney Morning Herald’s piece on writerly couples and the difficulties of such unions is one of the best pieces on such a subject. They speak to …

Now, I don’t know about you all, but I really like the Tanenhaus edition of Marilyn Stasio’s column. Less coy, less vague, more likely to give a good–or bad–opinion as it ought …

No, I don’t normally post on Saturdays, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t put up the newly-announced list of the 2004 Anthony Awards. The winners will be announced in an evening banquet …

Gosh, today proved to be a hypergraphic’s delight. But before I sign off, a gentle reminder:

On Monday, July 26th, M.J. Rose will be participating in a Virtual Book Tour for her new novel THE …

Lots of good folk have been talking about publishing-related issues of late. Originally, I was going to make one long post, but it got too unwieldy so I’m splitting it into 3 parts:

First, …

Meanwhile, the always-erudite Booksquare educates on the matter of rights reversion, jumping off from a recent PW article (subscription only, natch) about Silhouette’s decision to flood the …

Staying in the dark can have dire consequences at the agent level as well. Lee Goldberg linked to another PW article about what happens when agents demand “interminable” rights for a book, …

After last year’s smashing success, followed by a bit of uncertainty thanks to funding issues, the 2nd Harrogate Crime Writing Festival gets underway later today. I am trying very hard to …

Fiona, one of the Crime Fiction Dossier’s co-bloggers, has returned from her vacation in Greece*, and although she got quite a lot of reading done (14 books) one of them decidedly did not …

As David Thayer, one of Collected Miscellany’s adjunct bloggers, interviews Kevin about the new book, his attitude towards blogs (“the most exciting media development in years”), and …

And we begin with a li’l bit of piracy, Chinese-style. Those rogues have taken Bill Clinton’s MY LIFE and completely rewritten it. Gee, I never knew Bill espoused Mao’s beliefs and …

Faye and Jonathan Kellerman are both incredibly successful thriller writers who happen to be married to each other. But that isn’t enough for the family, because now their eldest son is getting …

Well, not really, but he does cop to some things that wouldn’t normally come up in one of those boilerplate interviews you’re used to seeing, answering questions about whether he sings in …

Although to be honest, there aren’t a whole lot of them this morning. Just recaps of literary brouhahas and ‘sphere dust-ups that have proven to be mighty interesting thus far.

Russian …

Truly, they do:

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) — Pop star Michael Jackson, facing a trial on child molestation charges, is about to become a father to four more children — quadruplets …

Some interesting responses are rolling in about both Laura Miller’s NYT essay and my own take on the whole matter. First, Bookdwarf chimes in from a bookseller’s point of view:

Working …

For those people wondering what Dennis Lehane is up to–and believe me, there are a great many–it might be of interest to note where he was, though not where he is at the moment. For the …

With a decidedly different take than last week’s review in the Washington Post, David Thayer critiques Kevin Wignall’s FOR THE DOGS at Collected Miscellany:

Kevin Wignall doesn’t …

I suspect this will be the Meme link of the week, so allow me to indulge. Just be careful: although they technically aren’t NSFW, they are, if you know what I mean. (link from New Yorkish.)

All right, we know Hemingway loved to brawl during his life, but did the same sensibility have to carry over to a couple of bars vying for the right to claim that it was where the late author bought …

It’s not that difficult to extract a juicy nugget and spin it into a story. But sometimes, it sure as hell seems that way. Case in point: we know, just know that a full-length story exists about …

The news broke first on the 4 Mystery Addicts mailing list yesterday, though I’ve known what was in the works for a little while. Joining the ranks of soon-to-be-published is Glaswegian Wonder …

Azir Nafisi’s READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN has been a huge hit in North America and Britain. Unfortunately, the book hasn’t been translated into Persian, so hardly any Iranians have read the …

Laura Miller’s essay in this week’s NYTBR, already linked here, has provoked considerable commentary in some message boards I frequent (and will, I bet, be a fairly hot topic tomorrow …

And not just delayed, but rather abbreviated, because, well, we’re just busy here, what with the brother unit home for the weekend, the tail end of a major festival, and other assorted social …

A couple of interesting interviews appeared over the weekend in the Daily Yomiuri Times. The first is with Edgar nominee Natsuo Kirino, who was happy to be nominated for OUT (which she actually …

Figured this was in the offering, even if I hadn’t had any prior knowledge:

Former NYC chief medical examiner Michael Baden and criminal defense attorney Linda Kenney’s REMAINS SILENT, a …

Jeff Abbott, a regular reader and an acclaimed crime writer in his own right, has started a new series of author interviews that focus on the process and craft of writing. The first two installments …

I think this is the first, and likely last, time I’ll ever post a want ad on the blog, but Otto Penzler, owner of the Mysterious Bookshop who does a great many other tasks in the mystery world, …

My latest review, of Adam Braver’s new novel DIVINE SARAH, is now available at Popmatters. Normally, I’m not one for books about real-life figures, but I thought Braver did a remarkable …

So I read Janet Maslin’s review of newbie author Jeff Lindsay’s DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER and you know, I’m still not exactly certain if she liked the book or not. I’m leaning …

While most of us were content to sit back and throw peanuts into the proverbial gallery, Ed chose a different tack–he went fishing, and got corroboration in the form of Peck’s lunch …

George Easter, editor of Deadly Pleasures Magazine, has announced the nominees for the annual Barry Awards, which will be held on the first night of Bouchercon:

BEST MYSTERY NOVEL

THE GUARDS by Ken …

Actually, the minute he made mention last weekend of a “special surprise” due today, a little voice in my head piped up “I know, I know!” For About Last Night, Terry Teachout …

Crime fiction editor J. Kingston Pierce recently conducted a lengthy interview with veteran writer Loren Estleman, author of the Amos Walker PI series and really, one of the hardest-working, most …

Now I feel that summer is here. The evenings are gorgeous, the rain held off last night so I could hear the bluesy rock guitar strains of Colin James and the giddy fervor that Wyclef invoked in a …

LIT WARS: WHEN CRITICS ATTACK

In the left corner: Dale Peck, Hatchet man and guerilla book critic;

In the right corner: Stanley Crouch, cranky jazz critic who doesn’t take harsh words very …

Interviewer par excellence Robert Birnbaum takes on James Wood, the noted critic whose new book of essays, THE IRRESPONSIBLE SELF, has been widely chattered about around the ‘sphere. They …

Apologies for the lack of updates this morning. However, some serious business had to be addressed this morning, with success: yes folks, after months, nay, years of frustration, I am a fully licensed …

The saga continues, as dethroned Brooklyn prosecutor turned acclaimed crime writer Rob Reuland faces off against his former boss, Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes, in court. (For the background, read this …

Earlier this month I linked to an interview that PWG co-editor Trevor Maviano gave to Sex and Guts Magazine. Thought-provoking as the interview was, it turns out, according to Maviano, that it …

In a perfect world, this blog would be 100% objective about reviews because in the end, it’s just one person’s opinion about another person’s book. But sometimes I’ll run …

Normally, writers give a blurb for books they like from time to time. But Ken Bruen is not a normal author, and when he likes someone, he really likes them. So it goes for the new writers of …

It’s kind of a slow day, and my brain’s equally sluggish this morning (that’s what happens when you spend too much weekend time in front of the television.) But anyway:

So the …

My email server is down, and I have no idea when it will come back up. Something about the server being moved from one location to another, according to the lovely tech support types. So for the …

Like many others, I couldn’t be happier about Terry Teachout’s just-announced nomination to serve on the National Council of the Arts, but am just a little bit envious as well–oh, …

Crime writer G.M. Ford–“Jerry” to most people who know him–is one of the more colorful characters in the business. Even though he hasn’t written a “funny” …

And you know, I kinda like the way I organized last week’s pre-posted update, so I think I’ll do it again:

NYTBR: First of all, I think Marilyn Stasio has to stop using the word …

The new issue of Thrilling Detective Magazine is up and something that has been in the works for a while has finally come to fruition: Ray Banks, David White, and Jim Winter all together, sharing the …

It’s become quite the adage that, when deciding upon a book to read or a manuscript to buy, if the first line doesn’t grab you, out it goes. David Knopf, writing for the Kansas Dispatch …

Starting tomorrow, the National Film Theatre will host the fourth annual Crime Scene festival devoted to film and literature related to the mystery field. I had the opportunity to go last year, as I …

My tendency to scrutinize author interviews has, naturally, gone into hyperdrive since I started interviewing them myself. So my inclination, upon reading William Leith’s interview of Lawrence …

No doubt the entire ‘sphere will be talking about this survey today, but the National Endowment of the Arts’ findings about literacy in the United States are certainly interesting, …

The Meme of the Week, and something I’ve been participating off-blog, so to speak, is the Teachout Cultural Concurrence Index. Me, I scored 58%, although the first time I did the test, I …

Darley Anderson is one of the top UK-based literary agents, best known for his roster of crime and thriller writers including Lee Child, John Connolly, and Martina Cole. Kate Miciak is the VP of …

My latest full-length review was actually posted yesterday at January Magazine, but it escaped my notice till today. I was introduced to Dan Fesperman’s work in a big way last year and the love …

Yesterday, Publisher’s Lunch linked to a piece in the Wall Street Journal (full text after the jump, thanks to the donation of a kind blog reader) written by noted crime writer Jim Fusilli about …

Nicholas Clee, the Editor of The Bookseller (who also contributes a weekly column to the Guardian Review) will be stepping down from his position this fall:

Nicholas Clee, Editor of The Bookseller, …

Normally, I don’t do full-fledged book reviews on the blog–if I like a book, I mention it in passing or I give it a quasi-blurb as one of the right-hand “Picks of the Week.” …

I do hope that eventually, Simon Kernick will get the same kind of attention in the US that he does in his native England, but in the meantime, his profile will likely increase even more over there …

Because it’s going to be a bloodbath at the New York Post after this boo-boo.

And we start with the Independent where Philip Hensher presents a rapturous ode to indexes. What happens if you read a biography and your name is mentioned, only to flip to the back of the book and oh …

Book tours and signings are a stressful ordeal in general. But then, sometimes they go just a little past the beyond:

HIROSHIMA — A man who assaulted the head of a bookstore after becoming …

A couple of leading lights in the mystery community have passed away recently, and I’d like to devote a little bit of space to each of them now.

Jon Teta, one of the original owners of my …

Allan Guthrie, the man who wears so many hats I don’t even know if he can keep them all straight (author, editor, you name it) puts on his webzine hat just in time for the new issue of Noir …

And before I get to it, I should say that there’s very little that beats sitting in a trendy restaurant with your friends in the heart of downtown Montreal watching revellers honk their horns, …

It was with some trepidation, tempered with a bit of excitement, that I approached my subject, mostly because I’d never conducted a person to person Q&A before. But I like a challenge, and …

Of all the many, many tributes that have come over the pike about the late actor, perhaps this weekend’s essay in the Glasgow Herald by Budd Schulberg, the famed author of one of the best and …

Not going to do the usual long-winded massive roundup of the Weekend that Still Is. Instead, some random link smatterings:

First, the Old Grey Lady: Gary Shteyngart takes an amusing look at a new …

As my weekend plans involve a slight amount of travel, the Massive Weekend Update will either be severely curttailed or not appear at all. I am, however, hoping to have something ready for Sunday, to …

Gene Gregorits, the man behind the anarchic journal SEX AND GUTS, engages Plots With Guns co-editor Trev Maviano in a conversation that takes “freewheeling” to new heights, as they rap …

As reported today at Wonkette, and also by Publisher’s Marketplace:

The former Senate aide, who serviced inside-the-Beltway players and blogged about it Jessica Cutler’s THE …

Happy holiday to all, especially the zillions of people who aren’t celebrating it by virtue of, well, not living in Canada. But I get the day off and weather permitting, will head down to …

Earlier today I had a post that detailed a proposed deal that would have had Ray Banks and Ken Bruen collaborating on a project. Unfortunately, due to contractual issues, the project will not go ahead …

So according to a study in Scotland, ²⁄₃ of the countryfolk are more likely to pick up a book to read than they were 25 years ago. Thank Harry Potter and television. But what the study …

Oh my goodness, when the Telegraph decides to jump on a bandwagon, they do it with substantial force. To wit:

–Two contrasting reviews by Jessica Mann and Sam Leith of Dame Stella …

As promised, the first installment of what may prove to be an occasional series highlighting authors who have, for whatever reasons, not been heard from in several years. Meet Alison Gordon and her …

And its….[drum roll]….HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE? Ehhh….I dunno about that one, JKR. Then again, who am I kidding, I’m going to nitpick any sort of news I hear …

For a while, it looked like Don Winslow was going to be a good candidate for being a Disappeared Author. After writing five acclaimed PI novels starring former pickpocket Neal Carey, he wrote THE LIFE …

Again, a light day of posting is anticipated, although the first installment of “The Disappeared” will appear later on for your reading pleasure. In the meantime, feel free to stop off at …

Although I have a sneaking suspicion this may sell very well:

Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld’s romantic comedy MR. VIBRATOR, whose young, single heroine invents a (quite complimentary) …

As chick lit writer Claudia Pattison offers some, er, choice advice for would-be writers:

Author Claudia Pattison, author of Wow! and Fame Game, believes we all have potential. And she should know. …

Among the many, many comedy records that were a childhood staple was a greatest hits compilation by Peter Sellers. I’ve blogged about some of my favorite tracks before, and lamented that I …

Too much to do today so posting will be on the light side.

Whoa, did Patrick Anderson just call Rob Reuland’s SEMIAUTOMATIC “the best legal thriller [he’s] ever read?” …

I was just a teensy weensy bit surprised that McNamee’s THE ULTRAS didn’t get the review coverage that other, less worthy books, did–but no matter, since the lads at Bookmunch …

It always happens this way. Last week, hardly anything from the crime fiction world. This time? It’s bloody everywhere. So, onward:

The more I read the newly revamped Times Book …

The weekend is almost upon me (thank god) but before taking Friday off, some more choice goodies to tide you all over:

Alexander McCall Smith is now officially suffering from hypergraphia. How else …

Now that his new novel, the Wodehouse-inspired WAKE UP, SIR! will be in stores imminently, it’s hard to find a place that isn’t featuring an interview with the Jonathan Ames. But Sarah …

But instead of stewing over it I’ll just point all of you fine folk to Maud Newton’s brand-new story at the online edition of Swink Magazine.

Ahh, the Rap Sheet, I did miss it so. For good reason, as J. Kingston Pierce spent the better part of April and May on vacation in Europe, and so, a double issue. All the usual suspects (Kevin Burton …

And honestly and truly, I was going to go cold turkey on this Clinton business (best summed up by Booksquare: “Bill Clinton wrote a book, and it’s selling. A lot.”) but Larry …

Ian Rankin was recently in South Africa to promote his Rebus novels, and he tells the South African Sunday Times about some of the more bizarre experiences he had during the trip:

Rankin related, …

I’m trying really hard to avoid the Clinton Orgy of Coverage because, well, it’s kind of boring. So instead I offer the following:

Ray Conlogue seems to be the Globe & Mail’s …

So remember back when Peter Finlay (aka Mr Pierre) won the Booker Prize last year for VERNON GOD LITTLE? Yes it seems like a million years ago to you as well, but anyway, it turned out he had a rather …

Over the last little while I’ve been not-so-surreptiously planting the idea of attending the annual mystery convention (held this year in Toronto) in the minds of certain folks. Although I gave …

Unless we are totally mistaken (and that’s certainly within the realm of possibility) today marks the final Washington Post book review by deputy editor Chris Lehmann, who’s moving on to …

Mystery Readers International announces the Nominees for the 2003 Macavity Awards:

BEST MYSTERY NOVEL

The Delicate Storm by Giles Blunt (Putnam)

For the Love of Mike by Rhys Bowen (St. …

It’s acting up again. As I hash it out with tech support (though I doubt the conversation will end up like this) please send all comments, requests, and free book offers to sarahmweinman AT …

It seems almost too timely to talk about the ability to speak publicly as a means of promoting one’s book in light of all the publishing doom-and-gloom that’s taken over the site of late. …

I saw the new movie The Terminal over the weekend. I liked parts of it, but most of it annoyed me: the Spielbergian cuteness, Tom Hanks’ indecipherable accent, the presence of Catherine …

And hell, I just hope this week is better than last week…but I suspect it likely will.

Anyway, Bill Clinton gets a hearty smackdown from Michiko. “Hopelessly dull”? Hey, I just want …

Literary agent Simon Trewin, in the Independent on Sunday, offers a well-needed reality check for writers who think that simply being published means they’ve hit the jackpot:

We are in a …

And it seems like the crime fiction crowd took the weekend off, or I’m just not finding them as easily as I usually do. No matter, there’s still tons of good stuff to sift through on this …

I’ve been waiting on this all day, and finally, the annual awards given by the Private Eye Writers of America have been announced:

BEST NOVEL

Scavenger Hunt by Robert Ferrigno (Pantheon)

The …

Lord knows I spend enough time on this blog talking about what many other literary blogs, websites, and books also discuss ad nauseum–the path to publication. I also talk a lot about writers who …

To CAAF , who has finally joined the ‘sphere. Maud’s occasional guest blogger has been threatening to start up shop for a while, and boy are we glad she did.

Yes! Yes! It’s the latest installment in what is fast proving to be my new favorite contact sport: the gloriously nasty infighting amongst Yiddish intelligentsia. Because lord knows they do it …

Not a lot of news this morning, although we’re waiting on the official announcement of the Shamus Awards by the PWA–the authors have been notified and individual nominations are trickling …

Ron Rosenbaum’s rather breathless essay about reading Philip Roth’s upcoming novel, THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA, in this week’s New York Observer interests me on several levels. The …

My comrade-in-arms, Ali Karim, wasn’t satisifed with interviewing the entire crime fiction world for the latest edition of SHOTS. His newest mammoth interview for January Magazine is up, and he …

The Scotsman asked a whole host of authors what their ideal milieu was for creating words on a page and for the “right way to write a novel” Among those interviewed were Alexander McCall …

So as people gear up to party like it’s 1904, I figure I’d focus on the book news that has nothing to do whatsoever with James Joyce, Dublin, or Ulysses. Lord knows that’ll be …

…that when man plans, god laughs. It sounds better in Yiddish, but the sentiment’s the same.

Suffice it to say that your humble correspondent will be spending the next little while …

It seems all too timely to link to these two interviews just as I’m about to dash off to conduct one of my own (more information on that at some time in the not-too-distant future), which …

Even as many folks are still recovering from their post-BEA hangover, it behooves me to mention the little sister convention which took place last weekend–Book Expo Canada. The Toronto Star was …

And we start with confusion, because I swear to god, Mel Gussow’s “gee whiz, look how many people are novelizing Henry James!” piece seems suspiciously similar to earlier ones in the …

As reported today by Publisher’s Lunch, Susanne Kirk, vice president and executive editor of Scribner, will retire at the end of June and relocate permanently to Mississippi, where she had been …

A few years ago, Rob Reuland was a hotshot assistant DA in the King’s County office (better known to most people as Brooklyn) where he prosecuted a variety of cases such as the Prospect Park …

I am pleased to announce that the latest issue of SHOTS Magazine is now live. Mike Stotter promised it would be a mammoth issue, and boy, is it ever. In keeping with the theme of bigger and better, I …

And oh, let’s start with the Grey Lady, because we can. Karen Joy Fowler’s THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB is a huge (and surprise) success this summer, and Dinitia Smith catches up with the …

Last week, I came home from work and found a very offending article on the family room couch. My mother sat next to it.

“What is this?” I asked, although I knew full well what it was. I …

Reading Robert McCrum’s latest column left me in a curious state of bewilderment. He segues from the Orange Prize win to scratching his head about the now-utterly-infamous New Yorker article …

Good god, did every major paper decide to devote their energies to crime fiction this week? It sure seems that way–not that you’ll get any complaints from me. All your favorite links and …

Where has the time gone? It seems that it was just a second ago that Alexander McCall Smith launched his daily serial novel, 44 SCOTLAND STREET. But on June 25th, the last installment will be …

One of the mystery mailing lists that I’m subscribed to runs three discussions a month on crime fiction releases, and the answers submitted by list subscribers often yield a lot of food for thought. …

Just over the transom:

Two new books in Ken Bruen’s Edgar-nominated crime series set in Ireland featuring hard-boiled, a darkly comic p.i. Jack Taylor, along with two new books in …

The Crime Writers of Canada have announced the winners of the Arthur Ellis Awards, given to the best in Canadian crime fiction for 2003:

BEST NOVEL:

Giles Blunt, The Delicate Storm (Random House …

Stella Rimington is best known as the former boss of the MI5 (or, for those in the UK who like to watch tv, “Spooks.”) Now that she’s retired, she’s gone and written a novel, …

(NB: yes, my subject headers are bordering on the ridiculously simplistic. But they get the point across, no?)

Remember Sarah Crichton? Once rumored to be in the running for the New York Times Book …

Jeez, every which way you go, there’s another profile of Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason, the two guys who have co-written what looks to be the biggest success this summer. This time, the Globe …

And we start off with a rather bizarre profile of Walter Mosley in the Telegraph, which spends an inordinate amount of time on the fact that he writes his books in the nude, even going so far as to …

Andrea Levy was awarded the 2004 Orange Prize in a ceremony held earlier tonight for her novel SMALL ISLAND. Congratulations to her as well as to all those on the shortlist.

I think it’s been reported in other places but whatever the case, magician, actor and all-around smartass Penn Jillette (whom most folks know as the tall & talkative half of Penn and Teller) …

LONDON — A thief took more than $180,000 from an automatic teller machine — then apparently returned most of the cash a week later.

Police said Tuesday that the money was taken from the …

And lamenting, just a little bit, that the Flames couldn’t deliver in the end. Tampa Bay played amazingly well and are deserving of the Cup–but who in their right minds, 5 years or so ago, …

So it seems my screed about comparing getting a book deal to the job hunt has led to some interesting counter-arguments over at Dan Green’s The Reading Experience and The Literary Saloon, which …

Not surprisingly, the UK bestseller list smackdown that appeared in yesterday’s Sunday (Glasgow) Herald was greeted with something less than kindness in the crime fiction community. As I pointed …

I just received a missive from Anthony Neil Smith (aka one of the fine editors of PLOTS WITH GUNS) that he and his friend and fellow crime writer Victor Gischler will be reading from their work …

And there are fresh Picks and links aplenty….

First, to Patrick Anderson, who presents a double dose of thriller in his weekly column for the WaPo. He gives a thumbs-up to Norman Green’s …

The lovely Fiona has alerted me to an alarming new development, which I’ll just blurt out right now:

James Patterson has a blog.

Ostensibly it’s set up to promote his newest slushfest, …

So, how’s your weekend? Mine’s been spent in front of the television, rooting madly for my now-beloved Calgary Flames, only to see them lose in Double OT. It was a great game, so hard to …

Since I won’t be posting anything tomorrow (seriously! I mean it) I’m providing some mystery-only fare to tide you over till the Big Sunday Wrap-up:

Roger L. Simon, who is about the only …

Because as promised, Mark delivers with a doozy of a report on the Book Babes’ panel this morning. Ron, too, was stirring the pot, and all shall be captured on BookTV’s broadcast at 4:30 …

Commenting on the details of the deal just brokered by Kate Lee, Kevin Wignall makes a very interesting point:

”…stories like this must be very disheartening for would-be published authors who feel …

For those who, like I did, spent too many hours watching FAMILY TIES and wondering where the devil spawn-child mysteriously appeared from, this news may or may not interest you:

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) …

Such is the title of Sara Nelson’s new column in the New York Post–I, foolishly, hadn’t realized she’d even left the New York Observer, but am happy to see she’s covering …

And it’s all BEA, all the time–I’m hoping that at some point, my designated spies will check in and feed me information that might be of use (or gossip that might not be of use but …

but this time, not from Marketplace, because one has to spread the wealth a little bit. So instead I turn to my other main source of dish, Booktrade.info:

Kate Elton, Publishing Director of Arrow, …

Barely a week after the now-infamous “Talk of the Town” piece in last week’s New Yorker, Kate Lee has, apparently, made her first fiction sale, according to Publisher’s …

Ooh, this moveable type stuff is rather fun–so nice and clean, certainly. To wit:

There’s this Hay-on-Wye festival happening. It’s really big over in Britain, especially since they …

Proving the rumors true, the Booker Prize committee has established a new prize that will–gasp!–be open to Americans:

The debate over the future of the Booker was opened in spring 2002 …

So as you can see, things have changed just a little bit in my corner of the ‘sphere. And now that I’ve set up shop with a domain name and new look in tow, I thought I’d make some …

OK, maybe that’s not true, but considering what the latest installment in the Washingtonienne Follies is about, it could easily, all too easily, be possible:

I always wanted to write a novel, …

With Book Expo America looming (more on that later, probably tomorrow) my geek self kicked in and I went to the website and started scrolling through all the authors who are scheduled to sign …

It is, I think, a little bit surreal to get namechecked in the India Business-Standard. But there I am, along with some of my fellow usual suspects, in a rather quirky article by Nilanjana S. Roy on …

And what else to lead off with but Book Expo, since it will dominate the book landscape for the rest of the week? Of course, giving the keynote address (in true hit-and-run style as he’s flying …

Write a retrospective on Ross Thomas, as Richard Giller did yesterday for the Boston Globe. Instead of listening to me wax rhapsodic, let Giller explain what made Thomas’s novels so wonderful: …

A 15-YEAR-old schoolboy has become the first person in Britain to be convicted of inciting somebody to murder him.

The boy, who may only be identified by the pseudonym John, invented a cast of …

And god, where does the time go? It’s practically summer, and some part of me thinks it’s still, I dunno, February or something. I don’t get it. Anyway:

Oh my gawd, Patrick Anderson …

Joe Bloggs, the outpost for the UK-based 3AM Magazine, has been conducting a spate of interviews with some of the leading lights of the litblogging community. Now, here’s mine.

First up: a shiny new issue of Plots With Guns, with the usual mix of great stories, insane interviews, and other things that make it such a special magazine. Like Trev Maviano’s conversation …

And first, for those who wrote in after Friday’s kvetch-inflected post, thank you. It finally hit me what the problem is–I’m not very good at reacting to cars that honk at me or are …

I’ve loved Jonathan Yardley’s reviews for quite some time, but his latest offers up a whole host of cheap shots, er, biting gems. Taking on Rachel Pastan’s THIS SIDE OF MARRIED, …

Oh, those Minots (as in MINE-it, not the French pronunciation.) So many siblings, so many writers all trying to tell the same tortured family history in a different way. Not surprisingly, they fight a …

Thankfully, the missing novelist has turned up in Niagara Falls, where she’s been known to haunt previously:

Missing novelist Helen DeWitt turned up Wednesday in Niagara Falls, N.Y., after …

This is the story of Ernest Di Falco, who just wanted to rob a bank but managed to get every detail wrong:

Di Falco, who is unemployed, entered the bank, approached a teller and displayed the phony …

This is probably getting boring, but anyway, my latest review. I was very impressed and promptly bought up Norman Green’s backlist. Considering who I read and what I read, I’m just as …

Yankee Pot Roast, who manage to up the humor quotient on a regular basis, continue their “Interviews with Interviewers” series with blog favorite Robert Birnbaum, whose style I someday …

I’m surprised the Washington Post took so long to review THE NARROWS, but maybe it took that much time to line up the reviewer in question, I don’t know. Anyway, John Katzenbach (who has a …

And I must, absolutely must start off with the stabbing death of literary agent Rod Hall, who represented a whole host of people via his eponymous agency. The police have no leads as of yet.

And yet …

If what Gawker says is true, then Chris Lehmann, deputy editor of Book World, will jump ship to become a features editor at New York Magazine. No word on when this job change would happen, though …

Hardluck Stories has updated with its spring edition, guest edited by Charlie Stella. It’s a killer issue, and I’d say this even if I weren’t in it. I’ll let Charlie introduce …

It’s no surprise whatsoever that yesterday’s “Talk of the Town” article on ICM agent Kate Lee has produced an inevitable backlash, seen most visibly here and here. The gist of …

Deadly Pleasures reports that finally, amazingly, Rennie Airth’s THE BLOOD-DIMMED TIDE will actually be published–and this year, at that. As reported by Ralph Spurrier, the owner of the …

No doubt some folks will pounce eagerly upon this news and expound at length, but I’m just going to report that Gregory Rabassa, who’s translated a whole host of literary giants, is now …

Aldo reports on a most interesting development with regards to the Black Dahlia, whose real name was, of course, Ms. Short. She’s fascinated a whole host of people, but the most famous devotees …

The New Yorker (!!!!) profiles Kate Lee, a twentysomething agent with ICM who has developed quite the niche market: bloggers with book deals:

Two years from now—give or take—Elizabeth Spiers, the …

So it seems that La Rowling trolls chat rooms. Who’d have thunk it?

JK ROWLING is so secretive about the plots to the Harry Potter books that she keeps notes in a shoebox in bank vault.

But …

Yes folks, today’s a holiday that’s unique to my fair country, but because I’m a) a dork b) taking off way too much time lately or c) a lazy girl who’s taken off much time …

I’m officially convinced: bloggers are taking over the book reviews. For, you see, Lizzie’s not the only one whose byline appears in a newspaper this week. It’s a bit of a change of …