WRITERS BORN TODAY - IAN FLEMING

    It's the birthday of Ian Fleming, born May 28, 1908. His younger days saw him flourish in journalism and then in naval intelligence during World War II, where he worked on schemes to mislead the Nazis. By 1952, he was semi-retired and bored. Living by the ocean in Jamaica, he decided to write a novel. He based his story on some of the spies and rogues he had met during his wartime activities, and created one of the most famous spies in literary history...James Bond. He would go on to sell over 100 million Bond books.

    His first novel, Casino Royale, gave little hint at the tremendous success that awaited him. After two months at his typewriter, he had a finished draft. But when he re-read it, he thought it was a ghastly effort filled with clichés and could only have been penned by an adolescent mind. He eventually found a publisher despite its flaws. Sales, however, were mediocre. In the United States it sold only 4,000 copies. Nevertheless he kept writing, and by 1961 had published six more Bond novels and a collection of short stories. Sales were good, but not great.

    All that changed in 1961, when LIFE magazine published an article about the new American President, John F. Kennedy. In the article, Kennedy mentioned that one of his favorite books was Fleming's fifth novel, From Russia, With Love. After that sales rocketed. All of his previous works, some of which had gone out of print, were re-issued. The first Bond movie was released in 1962. Dr. No starred Sean Connery as James Bond.

    Fleming continued to write and publish one Bond novel a year until his death in 1964. He was only 56 years old, but years of heavy drinking and a four pack a day cigarette habit resulted in a fatal heart attack, 

    Two more Bond novels were published posthumously, and since Fleming's death, his estate has authorized additional Bond novels, fourteen written by John Gardner and six by Raymond Benson. Others have been penned by Kingsley Amis, Anthony Horowitz and Jeffery Deaver. There have also been 27 Bond films released with the latest, No Time To Die, coming in 2021.

Mystery Weekend Roundup for April 27, 2014

Got Writer's Block? I've Got Three Words For You

Take A Hike!

That's right. Get up off your chair and talk a little stroll. It's the perfect way to get those creative juices flowing again, according to an article in the LA Times by Deborah Netburn (who presumably was able to overcome her own to give us this great news story).

Psychologists who tested volunteers found that their creative output surged by 81 %  when walking. So if you're stuck in a rut, get out there and leave some rubber on the trail. For more on this news scoop, clickety-click here.


Upcoming Events

MWA Anthology Launch Party

The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City is hosting a party on Tuesday April 29th to celebrate the launch of MWA's newest anthology: Ice Cold - Tales of Intrigue From the Cold War. Hosts are Jeffery Deaver and Raymond Benson. All the finest writers and spies are attending. Be there, or risk being left out in the cold. For the details, click here...then destroy the evidence.



International Spy Museum

The party continues on May 3rd in Washington, D.C. where Raymond and Jeffery will talk about the anthology and sign books. The secret code is here. Be sure the spread the news around. The NSA already has. Starts at 1 PM EST (Evil Spy Time).


The Edgar Awards Presentation

The mystery event of the year, presentation of the Edgars by the Mystery Writers of America, will take place on May 1st at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. Here's a list of the nominees. There will be a banquet starting at 7:30 PM followed by the award ceremony. It looks to be a great evening with great writers. But that's not all.

On April 30th, Oline Cogdill, 2013 recipient of the Raven Award, will interview the Grand Masters, Robert Crais and Carolyn Hart, at the hotel in the Broadway Room at 5 PM. Click here for details.

Reservations required for both events.

By the way. the Raven Award is given for outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing. And here's the 2013 Raven Award Presentation made to one of the most respected mystery critics in the business.



  In The World of Thrillers, The Sleeping Dragon Has Awakened

Nearly one in six persons on planet Earth is Chinese. Yet very few mysteries or thrillers from that nation have found their way to the West. Communism was partly to blame. Crime fiction was banned until 1979. That's beginning to change. Mystery fiction has exploded in the past few years. And some of it is being translated to English. Some if it is very good.

Say hello to Mai Jia, best-selling author of seven spy novels, with five million copies in print. One of his novels, Decoded, has been translated into English and has won high praise (The New York Times Book Review has called it "a page turner" and the Independent declared it "A mixture of Kafka and Agatha Christie . . . An utterly fascinating read").


Just as fascinating is the author himself. He spent 17 years in the People's Liberation Army, some of it with an intelligence unit. Besides dealing with the usual writer's problems of getting published, his family suffered during the Cultural Revolution and his father was condemned as a criminal. His novel was rejected 17 times, and even after publication was banned for a time. But he persevered. Now he writes full time and cannot imagine any other life.

"I am addicted to the occupation just like drug addicts are addicted to drugs", he says. To read more about Mai Jia, check out the Wall Street Journal's blog Asia Scene.

Mystery Weekend Roundup for April 20, 2014

Mystery Writers on the Airwaves

Jenny Milchman, author of the acclaimed suspense novel Cover of Snow, made an appearance recently on the radio program Authors on the Air to discuss her new novel, Ruin Falls. She talked with host Pam Stack and you can listen on the web or download the podcast at the link above, or by clicking here. Jenny is a fabulous writer and this show is both entertaining and a great introduction to an up and coming suspense author.

If you haven't read the novels of Raymond Benson, then you don't know James...James Bond, that is. Meet the man who has written six Bond novels and hear how he goes about creating his thrillers on James Bond Radio.  Whether you're a writer or a reader, don't miss this podcast. Benson is a top authority on Bond, and one helluva writer. Not only that, he's a composer and plays piano. I don't think he's a secret agent, but if he were, would he tell me? Probably not. Because then he'd have to kill me.


Young Adult Mystery Publisher Seeks Submissions

YA mystery writers, take note! Poisoned Press has a new imprint looking for your
manuscript. Welcome to The Poisoned Pencil. If you haven't heard of them before, you'll want to check them out. They publish high quality mysteries for young adults, including Death Spiral (book #1 of the Faith Flores Science Mysteries), by Janie Chodosh, which has garnered great reviews. The publisher is looking for "complex stories with edgy plots that feature protagonists between the ages of 13 and 18". For more about this impressive imprint, click here, or go to the website link listed above. Submission guidelines are here.


Farewell To The PSYCH Detective Agency

Oline Cogdill has a great farewell tribute to one of my favorite mystery shows, Psych, at Mystery Scene Magazine. Yes, Psych has ended after 8 wonderfully funny seasons, but Shawn and Gus will live on...in reruns and DVDs, which are definitely on my Christmas wish list. Now I just need to find a replacement. Do you think there's any chance they'll bring back Monk?


New Collection of Shirley Jackson To Be Released

Shirley Jackson, author of The Haunting of Hill House, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, and The Lottery, has a new collection coming out entitled Garlic In Fiction. Edited by two of her children, it includes not only fiction but lectures and non-fiction works, many of which first appeared in the 1940s and 50s.


Contest Deadline For The Claymore Award Fast Approaching

Do you have an unpublished mystery/thriller manuscript in your desk? It's not too late to submit it for The Claymore Award. The deadline in April 30th. Winners will be announced during the award ceremony at Killer Nashville on Saturday, August 23, 2014. Click here for the contest rules.


Why Do We Tell Stories?

And why do we listen to them? Since the first caveman returned home to gab about the mammoth that got away (and almost impaled him), we've been telling and listening to tales.

But why? Is it just entertainment, or something more? A desire to create something greater than ourselves, or merely a tool to pass the time? Or an excuse for coming home empty-handed?

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal (Scientists Study Why Stories Exist) researchers have begun to examine this topic in detail, using...well, using science. And also brain scans, to see what happens when we tell or listen to stories.

I'm skeptical that story-telling can be defined and classified by science, but it's an interesting article, and probably long overdue.

Mystery Weekend Roundup for April 6, 2014

What's In A Title? Ask Vicki Delany

Choosing a title for your novel is one of the most exciting tasks you'll face as a writer...and one of the most difficult. The right title can catch readers' attention and be a boost to sales. And the wrong title? Well, how many books would Fitzgerald have sold if he had chosen The High-Bouncing Lover as a title instead of his final choice, The Great Gatsby? John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men was originally called Something That Happened. With that title, I don't think much would have happened.

If this doesn't convince you (and even if it does), check out the great blog post by Vicki Delany on Type M For Murder, where she discusses the importance of a good title. She must be doing something right with her choices. She's just published the 7th book in her Molly Smith series, Under Cold Stone. Great title! Of course, it probably helps that she's a damn fine writer.

For more classic titles that might have been called something else, clickety-click here.



Don't Talk About Your Characters. They Might Get Angry

Alice Mattison posted an article on the New York Times blog, Opinionator, in which she talks about writing her first novel. One of the things she discovered, which all writers I think eventually discover, is that her characters aren't just words on paper. As she puts it, "If I talk about the book, I believe — I cannot help believing — my characters will be angry, and will no longer confide in me about their embarrassing, troubled lives."

If you're thinking that maybe Ms. Mattison is typing with less than a full keyboard and that this is a little creepy, well, you may not be a writer. But read the article. She really understands the process. I know. One of my own characters told me so.


Famous Authors Who Were Rejected

Do you still think only newbies (and you) are still collecting rejection slips? Far from it. All writers, including the great ones, got their share. Take a gander at some of these priceless mistakes made by various editors.

"There certainly isn't enough genuine talent for us to take notice."  - On Sylvia Plath.

"We are not interested in science fiction which deals with negative utopias. They do not sell."  - Given to Stephen King for his first novel, Carrie.

"The girl doesn't, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the 'curiosity' level." - For The Diary of Ann Frank.

See the whole list on this page. And keep writing.

By the way, thanks to Chad Hanson for creating this great list!


James Bond Auction Update

A couple of weeks ago, I alerted readers that a rare first edition of Casino Royale, the first Bond novel, was being auctioned. At the time, the bidding was up to $10,000 dollars. Raymond Benson, who wrote six novels in the Bond series, and who penned the Edgar nominated definitive guide to the famous spy, The James Bond Bedside Companion, said he thought that was a bargain.

Turns out he was right. The bidding has ended and the final bid was a cool $32,500 dollars!

Mystery Weekend Roundup for March 30, 2014

Hank Phillippi Ryan Interviews Rosemary Harris

New England Sisters in Crime has a great interview of Rosemary Harris on their website as part of their Writers At Work series. Rosemary Harris is the author of five novels, including Pushing Up Daises, which was nominated for the Agatha and Anthony awards. Hank Phillippi Ryan is an investigative reporter and award winning writer of several thrillers, including The Wrong Girl.

Rosemary shares with us some great writing techniques that help her put words on paper. 


Spring Is Here! Bring On The Books

The Rap Sheet put up a schedule of new crime novels being released over the next two months, including works by Hilary Davidson and Benjamin Black. You can see the list here, and read what J. Kingston Pierce has to say about some of his favorites at his Kirkus column, Spring Breakouts. 


Come in From The Cold...Ice Cold, That Is

The Mystery Writers of America has a launch party for their new short story anthology, Ice Cold coming out in April. The event is hosted by The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City on April 29th. Celebrate with tales of mystery and intrigue from the Cold War. Get more info at the facebook event page here. The collection is edited by best selling authors Jeffrey Deaver and Raymond Benson. Further updates will be released on a "need to know" basis. And that's all the information you need to know.


How One Determined Man Made A Difference (Or Shall We Say, A Definition)

Steve Parks proved that one man can make a difference when his lobbying efforts paid off after more than 10 years. He convinced Merriam-Webster to add the term "Yooper" to its dictionary. Yooper, as anyone should know, is a term used to describe a resident of the upper peninsula of Michigan, a population known for "being resilient, looking out for your neighbors, and working hard." Read more about this victory for readers everywhere at the Wall Street Journal.

MYSTERY WEEKEND ROUNDUP for November 9, 2013

Author Appearances

Raymond Benson is at the Beth Am Book Fair today until 3 PM in Lincolnshire, Illinois.

On Wednesday, November 13, Jenny Milchman appears at the New York Public Library with P.M. Carlson, Dirk Robertson and Wendi Corsi Staub. They'll be discussing with Jillian Abbott the topic, "How Did You Become A Mystery Writer?" The program is at the mid-Manhattan library and starts at 6:30 PM.



Crime Fiction Talk on Radio

Looking for an idea for your next murder mystery? Why not try a little poison? To learn more about exotic ways to kill that character, check out this audio broadcast on Suspense Radio with Deborah Blum, author of the Poisoner's handbook. She'll be discussing The Infancy of Toxicology.

Check Out Books Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Suspense Radio on BlogTalkRadio

And Sarah Weinman sat down with Ian Williams of Catskill Review of Books to talk about the critically acclaimed anthology, Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives.  Sarah edited the collection and chose some excellent stories from female writers we should all get to know. Spend some time at home with these masters of Domestic Suspense.




Thriller Fiction Gets Some Respect

Still derided as pulp or lowbrow literature by some, the thriller novel is getting a boost from an unlikely source. Robert Stone, whose previous work has made him a recognized master of the literary novel, has just released his first thriller, Death of the Black-Haired Girl. His usual work involves exotic locations with complex story lines. Previously, he produced seven novels in 47 years.

Stone is hardly the first literary giant to take on genre fiction. Other pillars have taken a stab at it, including Thomas Pynchon and Joyce Carol Oates.