Mystery Weekend Roundup for May 4, 2014

Agatha Winners Announced At Malice Domestic

The Agatha Winners were announced at this year's Malice Domestic Conference. Best First Novel went to Leslie Budewitz for Death Ala Dente. Leslie's editor is Faith Black of Berkley Prime Crime. Congratulations to Leslie!


Best Contemporary Novel Went to Hank Phillippi Ryan for The Wrong Girl. Hank came to Kansas City last year and we got to hear her speak at the Kansas City Library about her career and her award winning thriller. You can listen to her presentation below. To hear her speaking about her thriller, The Wrong Girl, you can go to 21 minutes in the video.

The Edgar Winners!


The annual MWA Edgar Banquet was on Thursday, followed by the Edgar Award announcements. William Kent Kruger won Best Novel with Ordinary Grace. Best First Novel went to Jason Matthews for Red Sparrow. Congratulations to all the winners!


A hearty congratulations to Jenny Milchman, who won the Mary Higgins Clark Award for her debut novel, Cover of Snow, which I reviewed on this blog last year. You can see a complete list of the winners here.

And the Wall Street Journal talked with Daniel Stashower about his award for Best Fact Crime, for his book The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War.


New Release By 2011 Winner Of Malice Domestic Award

Linda Rodriguez made an impressive debut with her first novel, Every Last Secret, winning the Malice Domestic Award for First Traditional Mystery Novel. Now she has a new release in the series, Every Hidden Fear, which will be published on May 6th. To celebrate, Linda will be appearing at Mysteryscape bookstore in Overland Park, Kansas on May 10th at 11:00 AM. RSVP requested by calling (913) 649-0000 or by email at rsvp@mysteryscape.com. Don't miss this event if you're anywhere in the area (like, within the boundaries of the continental United States).


Is This The Face of Norman Bates?

Fear.net has a fascinating look at famous, or infamous, characters in crime and horror fiction in an article on their website this week. We get most of our impressions of crime characters from the movies, but how did their authors see them? Take a look at these police sketches done on some of our most fearful fiends. Anthony Perkins was a rather handsome, even shy, rendition of Norman Bates. But this police drawing is...a little creepy. And maybe that's exactly what Robert Bloch was trying to convey when he wrote "The eyes behind the fat man's glasses seemed vacant." For the entire article, clickety-click here.

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 November 30th, 2013

The Book Lists Are Here!

The end of the year Best Book Lists are pouring in left and right. J Kingston Pierce, editor of the award winning blog, The Rapsheet, just issued his list, as did Sandra Parshall and Publisher's Weekly.

If you have any Irish booklovers in the family (and who doesn't?) check out Declan Burke's post on his blog Crime Always Pays, to find out who won the Irish Crime Novel of the Year, and see the full list of nominees. There's more than one winner in this pile.

I'll keep you posted, as this is just the beginning.


Take Your Child To A Bookstore

Founded by suspense writer Jenny Milchman, this celebration of reading has returned. Take Your Child To A Bookstore is on December 7th. Started in 2010 with 80 bookstores, the event has grown rapidly, with over 600 participating this year. It's a great way to promote reading for children.

To find a location near you, click on the website link here.



The Perfect Christmas Gift

If you're a mystery fan looking for Christmas Cards to sent out, consider these cards featuring the face of Edgar Allen Poe. Available through the Barnes & Noble website, usually ships the same day. Spend 25 dollars and get free shipping (2 to 6 business days).


And if you'd like some expert help in picking a book, then visit your local independent bookstore today, November 30th, for assistance. Local writers will be on hand around the country at many independent bookstores to recommend just the right gift. At Mysteryscape in Kansas, authors Nancy Pickard, Linda Rodriguez, Sally Goldenbaum and Anola Pickett will be there to help.

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.

Guest Blog Appearance at Writers Who Kill

I'm guest blogging over at Writers Who Kill, a blog for crime fiction writers and fans with a great assembly of top notch writers. My subject is A Motive For Murder. Whether it's big, small, complex or simple, every crime has a motive. What's yours?

I also have a video featured on the national website for Sisters In Crime. It follows a discussion by Nancy Pickard and Jenny Milchman on the changes seen in the world of publishing over the past thirty years. Pop on over if you are debating the pros and cons of self-publishing vs traditional publishing. The guests had some wonderful insights.

Have a great weekend.

A Small Town's Secrets Simmer Beneath Jenny Milchman's Cover of Snow

Jenny Milchman's debut novel, Cover of Snow, gives you a reason to stay up late tonight.

When Nora's husband is found dead in their home after an apparent suicide, she struggles to find answers in the midst of overwhelming grief. They don't come easily. Brendan was a policeman, and his fellow officers brush her off when she asks them questions. Naturally she assumes that they are merely trying to protect her, albeit in a patronizing way that cops can sometimes adopt when dealing with wives.

The truth behind his death is much worse, but it takes her a long time to discover it.

Her mother-in-law, Eileen Hamilton, isn't any more useful in finding answers. She isn't trying to comfort Nora so much as to blame her. To say that Eileen is cold-hearted is an understatement. I'm convinced she mentored under the guiding hand of the wicked witch of the west. But Eileen had a deep seated anger towards Brendan, which goes back decades. Nora finds clues in Eileen's basement, but not enough to explain what happened when  Brendan's young brother perished beneath an ice covered pond. If Nora learns the answers, it wil shatter the entire town. So the police will do whatever they have to do to stop her.

The truth is so corrosive, it must stay buried, even if more innocent people have to die...and they do. Nora's only allies are a local reporter who is attracted to her, and a garage mechanic with limited social skills who speaks in ryhme. Both men will help her discover the truth, but not without paying a price.

This book has a great plot and setting details that put you deep into the story. When you step outside onto the icy streets, you feel the wind biting your bones and see the condensation of your breath as it hits the air. The weather isn't just a backdrop for the story. It's alive, a vital character that shapes the action, at times helping Nora in her search for answers, at other times a demon that blocks her at every turn.

The author can shape a sentence that makes a lasting impact. Her description of Nora's reaction to a sudden sound is both accurate and poetic, as she says, "I heard the dragon's breath of some distant furnace."

Who can read a sentence like that, and not be amazed?

The writing is so good, it's hard to believe this is Milchman's debut novel, but in some respects, she's a seasoned veteran. She wrote seven unpublished novels before getting this one into print, and even that was a hard road. The story was almost picked up three times before she signed a contract, and it took years to get published.

I have a feeling we'll get to see her next work a lot sooner than that. I'm already waiting for it.

It's hot this summer. Read this book. You'll be pulling a blanket over your shoulders to ward off the chill, even as the thermometer hit triple digits.

Mystery Weekend Roundup for July 12, 2013

Marcus Sakey Talks Mystery at The Loft Conference

I missed the Loft Conference in April, which is a shame, because they invited award winning novelist Marcus Sakey to talk about the mystery novel. Marcus is not just a great mystery writer but is very generous by sharing what he's learned with other mystery writers.

Thanks to this video, you can gain some great insight on what it takes to be a successful writer. I've already watched it. It's a little under an hour, and better than anything else that's on TV tonight, that's for sure.

 

 

 

Local Appearances

 

Paul Ferrante will discuss his mystery novel, Last Ghost At Gettysburg, at the Fairfield Library on July 23rd in Fairfield, Connecticut. Just in time for the 150th anniversary of the battle that saved the Union.

 

Jenny Milchman will be at Foodies in Omaha, Nebraska to discuss her suspense novel, Cover of Snow, on July 21st, then off to Steamboat Springs, Colorado (July 24th) and Boise, Idaho (July 27th). More details can be found on her tour guide.

 

Craig Johnson, author of A Serpents Tooth, maintains an equally busy schedule, putting in appearances in Washingston and Oregon this month, appearing at Seattle Mystery and Elliott Bay in Seattle on July 13th and The Book Bin on July 13th.

Rosemary Harris, author of several deadly fun horticultural mysteries, including Pushing Up Daises, will appear at the Kent Memorial Library in Suffield, Connecticut on July 17th at 7 PM. Bring a shovel. There may be bodies buried in the garden.

 



 

Upcoming Mystery Conferences

 

Some great conferences coming up in the next couple of months. In California, Book Passage has it's mystery conference starting July 25th. The faculty features a who's who of mystery, including Alex Kava, Cara Black and Susan C. Shea.

 

And in New Brunswick, New Jersey,  Deadly Ink starts August 2nd, with guest of honor Hank Phillippi Ryan and toastmaster Rosemary Harris. 

 

North of the border, mystery fans and writers are gathering on an isolated island which is the birthplace of Canada's first crime writer, Grant Allen. The one day conference, The Scene of the Crime, starts August 17th on Wolfe Island. Frankly, it's worth going there just to brag to your friends. And bring your dramamine. The ferry is the only way on or off the island, so be early. Life jackets provided. Just in case, you know.

 

And you thought your weekend would be boring?

 

Don't Throw Out Those Old Comics! You May Have a Budding Author on Your Hands

 

Proving what every male has known since childhood, comic books are a vital and important part of our American heritage, and may provide inspiration for the next great mystery writer. Just ask Walter Mosley, who confesses that comics had a profound influence on his story telling abilities. According to the interview at Comic Book Resources, "They taught me about writing dialect and how a monster can also be a hero." One of his favorite comic super heroes, Spiderman, was one of mine also. Nice to know we have at least that much in common.

 

Read more about Mosley's favorite reading material at this earlier interview via the New York Times

SISTERS IN CRIME JUNE MEETING INVITES JENNY MILCHMAN AND NANCY PICKARD

Sisters in Crime Kansas/Missouri chapter was proud to have Jenny Milchman, author of the terrific debut suspense novel, Cover of Snow, and best selling author Nancy Pickard at it's monthly meeting hosted by Mysteryscape bookstore on June 1st. The two writers lead a session on how publishing has changed in the past three decades. In this video highlight, Jenny and Nancy discuss the writing process, Jenny's 13 year journey to publication, and how books tours and self-publishing have changed the book industry. We had a lot of fun, and hope they come back soon!

Mystery Weekend Roundup May 31, 2013

DEADLINE ALERT!

The Tony Hillerman Prize is still accepting entries until tomorrow for the best first mystery novel set in a Southwest setting. All entries must be received or postmarked no later than June 1, so get that manuscript in the mail. The contest is sponsored by St. Martin's Press and awards the winner a book contract and $10,000. C'mon, make your mother proud! Send in that manuscript. Click the link in the first sentence for details, and download the form HERE.


Mystery and Writers Conferences

A couple of upcoming events of note: The California Crime Writers Conference runs June 22nd and 23rd. Guest Speakers Sue Grafton and Elizabeth George are featured. And the annual conference of the American Library Association starts June 27th until July 2nd in Chicago. For writers and readers alike, this is one of the best annual events in the book world.


 Local Appearances

In Massachusetts, up and coming writer Edith Maxwell is speaking at the Amesbury Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends. Edith is an organic farmer, has a PhD in linguistics and had a murder mystery published in May by Kensington, A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die. Visitors are welcome, but reservations are requested. Click here for more info.

Nancy Pickard and Jenny Milchman come to Kansas City! Nancy is a local, and a local favorite, but this may be Jenny's first visit to the Paris of the Plains. Both women will be at Mysteryscape Bookstore on June 1st to discuss Thirty Years in Publishing. Ms. Pickard is a best selling crime writer and the only one to win a Macavity (5), Anthony (4), Agatha and Shamus award. Jenny's debut novel, Cover of Snow has garnered a lot of attention, deservedly so, for its dark, suspenseful story and beautiful writing.

The discussion at Mysteryscape is free and open to the public, staring at 11:00 AM.




Obits


And, sadly, Jack Vance has passed away at the age of 96. A tireless science fiction and fantasy writer, he also wrote threee Ellery Queen novels, and won 3 Hugo awards, a Nebula and and Edgar. The LA Times has a nice tribute to him in their latest edition of Jacket Copy. He continued to write for the last thirty years of his life despite being legally blind.










And the Reverend Andrew Greeley passed away in Chicago following a long illness. He wrote over 100 books including 50 novels, many of them international best selling mysteries. He was an outspoken critic of the Catholic Church's handling of the child abuse scandals. Read more about this priest turned author, who wrote both about spiritual love and carnal desires, in this piece from the Vancouver Sun.