MYSTERY WEEKEND ROUNDUP for November 16, 2013

Sisters In Crime Borders Chapter Celebrates Five Year Anniversary with Hank Phillippi Ryan


Our local chapter will be celebrating it's 5th Anniversary this coming Thursday, and award winning author Hank Phillippi Ryan will be there to discuss her latest novel, The Wrong Girl. This promises to be an exciting and entertaining event that you won't want to miss.

Join us at the Kansas City Central Library on November 21st at 6:00 PM. The program starts at 6:30 following a reception. Admission is free. Free parking is available on Baltimore Avenue in the Library District parking garage. RSVP at Kansas City Library or call 816-701-3407.


NBC Plans Another 'Murder, She Wrote' Series

NBC has plans to revive a beloved mystery series.  Murder, She Wrote will be filmed with a new star, Oscar winner Octavia Spencer.  The original series, which starred Angela Lansbury in the lead role of J.B. Fletcher, mystery writer, ran for 12 seasons and was a favorite among TV viewers. It was one of the first TV series that gave the main role to an actress over the age of 50.

The new series will star Octavia Spencer, as a hospital administrator and amateur sleuth who self-publishes her mystery novel.

Angela Lansbury has stated that she is opposed to the revival of the series with the original name, although she was approached and offered a role in the new show. According to her, the series "will always be about a Cabot Cove and this wonderful little group of people who told those lovely stories and enjoyed a piece of that place, and also enjoyed Jessica Fletcher, who is a rare and very individual kind of person."

Now comes word that the new series may not even be called Murder, She Wrote. In addition, Deadline reports that the character will not be named Jessica Fletcher. It's enough to send a detective back to his or her  notes to re-interview the witnesses and suspects.  We'll keep you posted.


Writing Awards and Contests

The Claymore Award is accepting entries for 2014. Submissions must be received by April 30, 2014. Any unpublished crime novel is eligible. The winner will be announced on August 23rd at Killer Nashville.

If you've already published a crime novel this year, consider submitting it for the Silver Falchion Award. Previously only open to attendees of Killer Nashville, the award is now open to non-attendees. The award is presented to the author of the best book published during the year.

Submissions for the Edgar, mystery fiction's most prestigious award, are open until November 30th. Check with your publisher if you think you may have a work to submit. The awards will be announced at the annual MWA banquet on May 1, 2014.

Unpublished novelists still have time to enter the St. Martin's Minotaur/MWA First Crime Novel Competition. Your entry must not have been published or under contract with a publisher. deadline is one minute before midnight on December 16, 2013.

Time to sharpen those writing skills with another contest, compliments of literary agent and query shark Janet Reid. The competition is open now until Sunday at 7 AM EST. Entries must be 100 words or less and include the following words.

straw
butterfly
wing
sage
peach
 
Check the link for complete rules, or risk becoming shark bait!


Councilman Wants to Cut Library Budget, Calls Patrons 'hippies and junkies'

Lafourche Parish in Louisiana needs a new jail. And Lindel Toups has just the answer for how to fund it. Cut the local library budget.

After all, they don't need the money. The patrons are, in his words, "junkies and hippies" who only use the library to "look at drugs and food stamps on the internet." But that's not the biggest problem he sees with the library. Their greatest offense is that one of the branches has a program to help Spanish speakers learn our language.

That's a problem? Most people want newcomers to learn English, but Mr. Toups has a...shall we say...a simpler solution.

"Let that son of a bitch go back to Mexico."

To be fair, Councilman Toups is just trying to use the taxpayer's money efficiently. According to him, "We’re giving the public the chance to raise the jail money without raising taxes. Any blind man can see that.”

Of course, even a blind man knows that spending money on education, including libraries, reduces the need to build jails in the first place. But Mr. Toups may have a more personal reason for spending money on a new jail. The old one is in fact overcrowded, and he won't want his son and grandson to have to live in poor conditions.

Seems the councilman's family members were arrest in 2009 for drug possession, so they may get a chance to see the new jail firsthand. Something to look forward to, perhaps. Who says there isn't a silver lining behind every dark cloud?

Writers Born Today - Vera Caspary

It's the birthday of writer Vera Caspary, born November 13, 1899.  From 1927 until her death, she supported herself and her mother entirely from her pen. She published over a dozen novels and numerous short stories, and worked as a highly sought after screenwriter for Hollywood. Universal bought one of her screenplays for 150,000 dollars, with Marilyn Monroe in mind for the lead.

Her reputation was made with the publication of the novel, Laura. It was hailed as the first psycho thriller. Told from multiple points of view, the novel gives the reader a complex portrayal of a successful business woman and her competitive suitors. The combustible mix leads to murder. It was made into a popular movie that has achieved classic status, although it earned Vera very little money.


Described as one of the original "Gone Girls" who influenced female mystery writers of the 80s and 90s, her work is receiving fresh attention. Sarah Weinman included a Caspary short story, Sugar and Spice, in her critically acclaimed anthology Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives. Her most influential novel, Laura, was featured in the groundbreaking Library of America collection, Women Crime Writers: Eight Suspense Novels of the 1940s & 50s.


Caspary's fiction portrayed strong, independent women at a time when most wives and girlfriends were expected to support their men and cater to their needs. In her autobiography, Vera expressed delight at having lived during the turbulent changes of the 20th century, when roles for women dramatically expanded due to the Great Depression and World War Two.



TRUE CRIME TUESDAY for November 12, 2013

“I came from a real tough neighborhood. Once a guy pulled a knife on me. I knew he wasn't a professional, the knife had butter on it.”
                                                                                                        ― Rodney Dangerfield


Burglar Breaks into the Wrong Home. Is That an Ax?

A man who broke into a woman's home to rob her got the shock of his life when she grabbed an ax and chased him from her property. He was arrested by police, but he should count his blessings. The victim was an ax throwing champ, who could have easily turned the burglar into swiss cheese had she wanted. "I could have thrown it", Robin Irvine stated.

And I bet she wouldn't have missed.


Pittsburgh Mayor Elect Bill Peduto Fights Crime...at his Victory Celebration

Newly elected mayor Bill Peduto held a victory party at the Greater Pittsburgh Coliseum a few days ago and has already made a dent in crime when a fugitive in attendance was arrested. Ernie Daniels, who jumped bail several months earlier on an assault charge, was arrested after he showed up, no doubt attracted because of his keen interest in the political process.

Or maybe it was the free food and beer.

In any event, the new mayor is already taking a bite out of crime. Hopefully, this bodes well for the city of Pittsburgh. At least it will make a great campaign button for his next election race.


Be On The Lookout For These Baaaaad Boys

Police reported that 160 sheep have been stolen in a small town called Wool.  They assume the criminals will try to sell their ill gotten goods on the cheap, so if a man in a dark alley tries to sell you a side of mutton at a big discount, call the cops. But don't approach them. They may be armed with a pair of shears.


Man Arrested For DUI...On A Horse

A man who wanted to attend his brother's wedding in Utah decided to get there on horseback, which would have been OK if he hadn't been drinking. Witnesses saw the man strike his horse and force pedestrians from the sidewalk as he rode along, all the while carrying a dog in one arm. Police arrested the man and charged with him cruelty to animals and DUI, among other charges. The beer cans were in his saddle bag (of course, where else would you keep them?)

And the reason he was on horseback instead of in a car? He lost his driver's license. Why doesn't that surprise me?

On Veteran's Day Help A Warrior Tell His Story

He was still a teen when he enlisted the army. By the time the war ended two years later, he'd seen brutal combat in the Battle of the Bulge, won three medals and been badly wounded. He saw fellow soldiers treat Native American warriors with contempt, and it made a lasting impression on him when he returned home.

He got employment as a journalist and professor. In his spare time he began writing fiction. Deeply influenced by the Indian culture of the Southwest, he wrote his first novel about a Navajo tribal policeman. Although his first agent urged him to dump the "indian stuff", he persevered, and won an Edgar Award for Best novel with his third one, Dance Hall of the Dead. He went on to write 18 mystery novels, many of them best sellers.

His name was Tony Hillerman. And he was a veteran.

As the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq wind down, hundreds of thousands of veterans have returned home. Many of them have seen horrific combat and witnessed the death of close friends. Although their physical wounds will disappear in time, the emotional scars often remain. For many of these vets, writing down their experiences may be the best way to heal and move forward with their lives.

The Veteran's Writing Project is helping vets tell their stories, so that they can re-integrate with society and their families and neighbors. Donations to their organization are tax deductible.

Perhaps the next Tony Hillerman will emerge from their workshops. You can read more about them in this New York Times article, Warrior Voices.  Are you a teacher? You can also read about how to conduct a successful writing workshop for veterans.

Either way, your support can make a difference for our veterans. They deserve it.

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.

Writers Born Today - Bram Stoker

Today is the birthday of Irish writer Bram Stoker, born in Dublin on November 8, 1847. As a sickly child, he spent most of his time in bed, listening to stories told by his mother. He wrote 18 books, and published his first horror story, The Primrose Path, in 1875.

His most famous novel is Dracula, published in 1897. It was not the first piece of fiction to feature vampires, but became the standard by which all subsequent vampire stories are measured, and is considered a masterpiece of the genre. Stoker's main character was originally named Count Wampyr. But he changed it to Dracula after reading that the Romanian translation of Dracula meant "Devil". The story is set in Transylvania and he did research for the geography at the British Museum.

Despite being well received by critics, the novel made little money for Stoker, and he died in poverty. His widow was forced to sell his notes and outline for the novel at auction for just a few dollars.

Stoker wrote the first adaptation of the story for the theater, and Dracula made his first appearance in film in 1922 with Nosferatu.

Over 200 Dracula films have been made, including the 1931 release Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi. It was the first full length supernatural horror film by a Hollywood studio, and newspapers reported that some members of the audience fainted at the horrific scenes. Despite the reports, or perhaps because of them, the movie was a huge success.

Bela Lugosi was not the first choice for the starring role, but eventually was cast after he agreed to a reduced salary. He received only $3,500 for his work.

After the censorship code went into effect in Hollywood, some of the scenes were cut from the movie because they were either considered too intense or due to fears that religious groups would object. As recently as 1994, the novel was removed from a required reading list for senior students at a high school in Lewisville, Texas because of "sexual references".

Bram Stoker continued to write horror and science fiction until his death in 1912. Other works of note include The Lair of the White Worm and The Jewel of Seven Stars. The Horror Writers Association has a coveted award named after him, the Bram Stoker Award. Some of the most famous winners of the award include Thomas Harris, Peter Straub and Stephen King.

TRUE CRIME TUESDAY For November 5. 2013

Man Refuses To Stop at McDonald's, Girlfriend Has Big Mac Attack!

The next time your significant other asks you to stop for fast food, think it over before you say no. One man did and his girlfriend ran him over with his own truck. The Hamburglar has nothing on this felonious female. According to the story in the Daily Mail, Crystal Brooks hit the gas after moving into the driver's seat and while her boyfriend was still standing in front of the truck. She struck him two more times, just for good measure.

Naturally, she told the police it was an accident. They weren't buying it, and she is now in county lockup on a $15,000 bond.


Intelligence Chairman Claims No Privacy Violations by NSA - You Didn't Know Anything!

According to Representative Mike Rogers, Chairman of the Congressional House Intelligence Committee, the NSA did NOT, in fact violate the privacy of millions of law abiding Americans,
simply because those citizens were unaware that their privacy was being violated!

This ranks up there with other famous contradictory statements by government officials, such as "We had to destroy the village in order to save it."  and ‎"We are going to have peace even if we have to fight for it."

At the end of the video clip, Rogers suggests they discuss the idea further over a bottle of wine. Judging from the logic of his statement, I think it's quite possible he's already had one too many.


Man Arrested For Overdue Library Book

If you've ever returned a book late to your local library, better beware. Our lending institutions are cracking down on you scofflaws, as one unfortunate man discovered.  Jory Enck of Texas was arrested for failing to return a book he checked out three years ago.

I better check my nightstand. I think I may have a couple of overdue books. Is that a police car in my driveway?




Author Appearances

If you're in Panama City today, stop by the The Purple Grape on Beck Avenue. Michael Lister is having a book signing for his new thriller, Separation Anxiety.  

And Beth Groundwater is releasing a new mystery in her Claire Hanover series on November 8th, A Basket of Trouble. 

If you haven't read their work, check out these events and pick up their books. It would be a crime if you didn't.