Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Yardley reviewed Michael Connelly's latest novel, The Lincoln Lawyer, in the Washington Post. Here is the last line of his critique:
"Michael Connelly [is] not a 'genre' novelist but the real thing, taking us into parts of the real America that most of our novelists never visit because they don't even know where, or what, they are."
Amen.
Three new stories just went up on the Overnight Success? website:
Chris Grabenstein, Sean Doolittle and Brian Freeman
The more of these stories I read, the more my belief is confirmed that there are no short cuts to becoming a published author. It's hard, it's frustrating and it usually takes a long time, but for those who finally make it, it's worth it.
You can't get around it just by writing a check.
Wallace Stroby, one of the coolest guys I've never read, has a great new website. Go check it out.
(Yeah, I know his books are supposed to be awesome... I'm busy, okay?)
The L.A. Times has a piece on Dennis Lynds today. It's a nice article, with good observations and some great quotes from critic Tom Nolan. (Thanks to Bob Levinson for alerting me.)
Earlier this year I got Dennis' Overnight Success? story, which is definitely worth reading. At that time, Dennis also wrote up for me a brief biography.
The memorial service to celebrate Dennis' life and work will be held this Saturday in Santa Barbara at the Unitarian Church. There will also be a celebration at Bouchercon on Thursday (9/2) from 9:00 to 10:30pm. (Gayle says she is still planning to attend the conference.)
Dennis' daughter Katie is still in the hospital in critical condition, so if you're of a mind to do so, I hope that you'll join me in praying for her speedy recovery.
I just received word that Dennis Lynds has passed away. Dennis was an extremely talented writer of both literary short fiction (under his own name) and ground-breaking detective fiction (under the name Michael Collins). His wife Gayle is one of the co-founders of the ITW and a gifted writer in her own right.
Dennis and Gayle were dear friends of my wife and mine, so this is a very sad day for me. He had been ill for a while now, but had hoped to make it to Bouchercon this year anyway. Dennis will be sorely missed.
Making a living as a writer is such a difficult proposition that J.A. Konrath, author of Whiskey Sour and Bloody Mary, has apparently had to take a day job working at a library.
At least, I thnk that's what's going on here...I can't really tell from his expression.
So everyone, please go out and buy a copy of Bloody Mary. You don't want the poor folks at that library to have to put up with Joe!
(Thanks to the Owen County Public Library for the pic.)
Tess Gerritsen touched off a mini-controversy recently by expressing on her blog her disappointment with how her most recent book is doing in paperback:
So what's the latest in the writing life? To start off, I'm sorry to report that I didn't [celebrate] on Wednesday night. Alas, the first partial week's paperback sales of Body Double only got it to #17 on the NYT list. Sigh.
Her remarks struck me as honest and perfectly reasonable. Everyone wants to do well, no matter how successful they are, and performing below your expectations is disappointing. Of course, for obvious reasons, I would urge writers not to make statements like this, because it has the tendency to prompt negative reactions.
To wit, Lee Goldberg, among others, took exception to her remarks:
Gee, life is tough. I guess when you reach a certain level of success, you lose all perspective. Having a book reach #17 on the NY Times bestseller list may put Tess in the doldrums...but for the vast majority of published authors, cracking the list at all would be cause for celebration. Surely, she knows that, right?
Tess then posted a response to the controversy:
It seems that writers who reach a certain level of success aren't allowed to have any insecurities, any doubts about our careers. We shouldn't be allowed to wonder if our sales are in a death spiral, whether we've lost "it". We should simply smile and wave and feel like, well, the untouchable queen of England.
To his credit, Lee later rethought his position and, proving that he's a stand-up guy, apologized:
Why didn't I see it that way from the get-go? Tess wasn't at fault, it was me. I was way out of line. Tess, I owe you a sincere apology.
Considering the state of publishing today, concerns like only making #17 on the bestseller charts are very real and justified.
I know of one author, a New York Times bestseller with what I can only assume is a huge following, who is currently without a publisher for his popular series and is meeting with a chorus of "ho hums" from New York. Why? Because his most recent publisher did a crappy job of promoting his last couple books and they only sold 100,000 copies instead of 200,000.
When you're a writer, the fear and the pressure never stop, no matter how big you get, no matter how much success you have. Everyone is only one contract away from being finished.
Over on the Overnight Success? website, I just posted two new author stories, from Margaret Coel and Clea Simon. I think you'll find both of them interesting.
Check 'em out!
With apologies to Cole Porter... If you're an author with a new book coming out sometime in the next few months, and will be hitting one of those 3 cities on tour, please let me know.
Thanks!
Robert B. Parker, creator of Spenser and one of the seminal figures in the history of the PI novel, has taken a lot of knocks over the past few years, including a few times from me. As the decades have gone by, and as Parker has become more prolific (he's now publishing at least 3 books a year), the quality of the novels has gone down. I don't think anyone would deny that.
And yet, there is definitely still something there. I finished the new Spenser novel last night (School Days, due out in late September) and it's actually very good. I doubt I'll review the book -- a review of Parker is a tough sale -- but I still wanted to talk about it.
School Days isn't vintage Spenser. I don't think Parker's work will ever reclaim the power it had back in the days of Looking for Rachel Wallace, Early Autumn or Mortal Stakes. But even if this one is "Spenser Lite" it's still quality stuff.
I wrote last week about a pair of "Wanted" posters that I received from Harper Collins advertising the availability of their authors at Bouchercon for interviews. Since then, I've been getting one a day, and they're apparently continuing for a while to come (according to the publisher).
So, in addition to the previously mentioned Dennis "The Mystic" Lehane and Laura "Closed Door" Lippman, I've also got ones for T. Jefferson "Break-out Artist" Parker, Susan "The Runaway" McBride, Robin "The Outlaw" Burcell and Jonathan "The Con Artist" Santlofer. I've gotta hand it to HC, this is a pretty cool idea.
I can see about taking a picture and posting it, if there's any interest.
I got another Wanted poster today (like the one I wrote about yesterday with Dennis Lehane). This time the subject is Laura Lippman. So I guess Dennis isn't the only one who's special.
I should definitely interview Laura, right? Of course, then I'd have to buy the drinks. Hmmm...
The UPS man just brought me a unique promotional item: a Wanted poster for Dennis Lehane, advertising his availability for interviews at Bouchercon. Most authors can't get their publishers to spend a dime on them, but Harper Collins printed up colorful posters and sent 'em out just to let people know Lehane would talk to them.
Clearly, Dennis has something on the folks at Morrow. I'd interview him, but I don't know what I'd ask... "So, you ever gonna finish that book about the Oklahoma race riots and the Boston police strike you've been talking about for the past 3 years?"
(See, this is why writers shouldn't talk about works in progress. It just leads smart ass critics to make snarky comments.)
The latest entry in our series of essays on writing is from bestselling author Kate White. The editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine, Kate also writes mysteries, the latest of which is Over Her Dead Body.
How to Write a Book When You Have a Job, Kids, or Your Life is Otherwise Crazed
by Kate White
Probably the question I get asked most frequently when I do book signings is "How do you manage to write fiction when you have a full-time job?" I've often thought the question should be "Why do you manage to write fiction when you have a full-time job?" Because there are moments when it seems insane to be writing a book a year while running Cosmopolitan magazine — and parenting two teenagers.
But if you're like me — and I suspect you are since you're reading this — you fantasized for years about writing books. From the time I was little I had a secret dream to publish a mystery series, and I just hated to think I was never going to get around to it. For financial reasons going on a sabbatical from my job as editor-in- chief of Cosmopolitan wasn't an option (and besides, who would want to give up writing cover lines like "Mattress Moves So Hot His Thighs Will Burst into Flames"?), so one day I decided to take the plunge regardless of the fact that my plate was heaped pretty high.
At first I was crazed, but over time I've learned a handful of tricks that have made writing my books easier. I've also relied on a few nifty time-management strategies that I came across while writing articles on the subject back in my twenties. If there's a book you're dying to write, but you're not sure how the heck you can pull it off, some of these tips may proof useful.
J.A. Konrath, author of the Jack Daniels series, is about to begin his first official book tour and he doesn't really know what to expect.
I'm no stranger to book signings -- I've visited over 200 stores in the past 13 months. But I'm a total virgin when it comes to going on tour. My publisher, Hyperion, has set it all up and is paying for everything. I'm scheduled to appear in nine cities from July 12-27. I have no idea what to expect...
I wonder if Hyperion is giving me a beer budget?
I suspect that the publisher won't be picking up his tab. (I've drank with Joe and I know that can be quite an expense, too.) If you have a chance to drop by one of his appearances, though, you can probably convince him to buy you a beer.
In the meantime, pick up a copy of Bloody Mary, Joe's latest book, which is another fun, funny and occasionally disturbing read.
My latest interview over on Mystery Ink is with Barry Eisler, author of the superb series of thrillers featuring assassin John Rain. Barry had some very interesting things to say (I previously excerpted his advice on writing) and I think you'll enjoy reading it.
Here's a sample:
DJM: You recently revealed that you worked for the CIA as a covert operative for 3 years back in the late-80s. Is there anything about that you'd like to tell us?
BE: I'll tell you a funny story about how legends get started. During the 20-week FTC (Field Trade Craft) spy school course, I was sparring with Carl, one of the paramilitary guys I knew from the SOTC (Special Operations Trade Craft) paramilitary course I had been through earlier. Carl was in many ways the inspiration for Dox: 5'10", 210 pounds of solid muscle, former Marine Recon, black belts in judo and hapkido... a tough and tough-looking dude but also funny as hell. Well, on this particular evening, Carl accidentally broke my nose with his elbow, moving my schnoz about halfway towards my right ear. He drove me to the emergency room in Williamsburg and insisted on joining me while the doctor was suturing me up. While the doctor was putting in the stitches, he asked us, "So what were you guys doing there?" (referring to nearby Camp Peary, "The Farm," which much CIA training is conducted). Carl responds, with his gravelly, Texan accent, "That's classified," even though the truth is that we were just screwing around on our own time. Then the doctor says to him, "Well, what are you doing here, anyway?" To which Carl gestures to me and responds:" If you anesthetize him and he starts spilling state secrets, I have to kill him."
Afterward, I realized the doctor probably went home and told his family and friends, "I don't know what they do up there at the Farm, but it's serious! Some guy came in tonight and his nose was pulverized. And there was a scary looking guy escorting him who said if the hurt guy talked he'd have to kill him!"
And thus are legends born...
Don't miss the rest of the interview.
I've added 2 new contributions to the Overnight Success? website (which compiles author's stories about the process of publishing their first book). The victims this time are Susan McBride (author of the Debutante Dropout Mysteries) and Karen E. Olson (winner of the Sara Anne Freed Memorial Award, her first book is due this fall).
Check 'em out!
Novelist and filmmaker Terrill Lee Lankford had some very interesting things to say about the publishing industry over on Ed Gorman's blog recently (thanks to Lee Goldberg for the tip).
Referring to the recent death of Ed McBain, Lankford writes:
It's unlikely that many up and coming writers - even if they had the skill and fortitude of Hunter/McBain - could enjoy a career like his. The current business model in the front offices of publishing would not allow for it. With the death of the "jobbers" a few years ago and the rise in control of the business by the chains and outlets like Walmart and Costco, a writer who does not catch on with a wide audience VERY quickly will soon die on the vine. And catching on quickly has much to do with what they used to call "payola" in the music business. (Wasn't that illegal? Why isn't it now?) Writers who aren't considered important enough by their publisher to warrant co-op money be paid to the chains aren't going to get the kind of placement in the stores that they need to generate the numbers required to keep their publisher interested in their careers. This - like most things in publishing - is a self fulfilling prophecy. No payola - no placement - no sales - no future. And when said book fails, guess who they're gonna blame? I'll give you a clue: It won't be anyone "In-House."
He also writes about why so many mid-list authors are now being forced to publish under assumed names. This should be required reading for anyone who's interested in being a writer.
(I should also note that Lankford's new book, Blonde Lightning, is poised to his bookstores and it's a terrific follow-up to last year's Earthquake Weather.)
Author M.J. Rose, the marketing guru of the mystery world, has launched a new campaign to promote the release of her latest book, The Halo Effect, in paperback.
Rose's publisher has teamed up with VidLit to produce a preview for the book (just like they have for movies) that you can watch on the web. (Here's the link.) I happen to love these things and think they're a very cool idea.
I don't know if they'll sell books, but I'm pleased to see that, at the very least, people are trying innovative new ideas. Marketing in the publishing industry is as stale as week-old bread, so it's good to see authors trying new things.
So go check out the trailer and see what you think. If it sounds good, buy the book. (I haven't read it, but it's supposed to be good.)
As part of the campaign to get the word out, Rose and her publisher will make a donation to Reading is Fundamental in exchange for this mention...although I would have mentioned it anyway, 'cause I think it's cool.
It's my turn to chime in over at the Lipstick Chronicles on the subject of crime fiction's Girl Ghetto. A few of my statements might be somewhat provocative, like this one:
In general, books that take on serious issues will be treated more seriously (by reviewers, fans, whoever). If a book is about a wacky wedding planner on the case of a runaway bride, or a psychic cat that solves crimes, you can’t expect it to be viewed the same way as the story of an abused woman stalking and killing the men who have wronged her.
We'll see what people think. My basic take on the whole thing is that it's overstated. I think the differences among individual writers are much more prominent and important than the differences between the genders.
Just got word that Evan Hunter (better known to the world as Ed McBain) has died after a long battle with cancer.
Ed was one of the greats of the mystery genre -- his 87th Precinct novels were the standard for police procedurals. I don't know how many books he wrote over his long career (100? more?) but he was one of the most important influences in crime fiction over the latter half of the 20th century.
He was still active in recent years as well. Last month I reviewed a wonderful novella collection that he put together.
Evan Hunter will definitely be missed.
Update 1: Additional remembrances from others, including Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind, Ken Bruen, Ed Gorman and Bill Crider.
Update 2: Here's the Reuters story on Ed McBain's death and here's the AP version. Marilyn Stasio wrote the obit for the New York Times.
I recently interviewed author Barry Eisler -- man, this blog is turning into Eisler Central! -- and he had some very insightful advice for aspiring writers. I thought I would include it here now, in advance of the rest of the interview.
Writing Advice from Barry Eisler, author of Killing Rain
1. Keep writing. Can't emphasize this one enough. Every day is ideal, but the goal is to just be as regular as you can. Same as learning a language, or a martial art, etc.
2. Reread passages from books you love and ask yourself, what is the author doing here that's working so well? And if you see something that you think is bad, ask yourself, why is this bad? What could the author have done differently to make it work?
3. Read books on writing. Stephen King's On Writing helped me a lot. David Morrell's Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing is also terrific. There are many others. But don't read the how-to books at the expense of your own writing. Whenever you have to choose, practice your writing instead.
4. If you've got time and you're serious, a writer's workshop can be a huge help with motivation, feedback, and discipline. Google "Writer's workshops" and the name of your city and you'll probably be able to find a bunch.
5. When you think your book is as good as you can possibly get it, it's time to try to find an agent. The way to do this is to go a library or bookstore and get a book like The Writer's Digest Guide to Literary Agents. Identify the ones that handle your kind of book and contact them in exactly the manner they request.
6. One of your best friends as a writer is what I think of as the "what if" question. "What if someone cloned dinosaurs and planned to open a dinosaur theme park on a remote island?" (Jurassic Park) "What if a semi-yuppie drug dealer were about to do a seven year prison stretch?" (The 25th Hour) Etc. If the what-if question interests you enough, it'll lead you to other questions, all of the who, what, where, when, why, how variety. Follow those questions and you'll start to find your story.
A lot of people think that, in the writing business, it's not what you know, but who. This has not been my experience. Who you know might get an agent to take a look at something you've written, but after that you will stand or fall entirely on the quality of your writing and other business calculations.
In other words, the best a mutual acquaintance can do is to possibly get your work moved closer to the top of the agent's pile. But this is a minimal benefit, because agents read everything that's submitted to them anyway. That's their business. It may take the agent a while, but eventually he or she will read what you've sent.
To learn more about Barry Eisler and the Gumshoe Award-winning John Rain series, visit his website.
My wife and I had the pleasure of attending Barry Eisler's signing last night at the Barnes & Noble in Bethesda. The turn-out was great, around 100 people I'd guess. A lot of them were buying books, too, including one guy I saw who had at least 4 copies.
Barry always does an excellent job of talking about his writing. He describes his books in such a way as to make them sound fascinating, even if the subject matter (he writes about an assassin) isn't something you'd ordinarily care for.
It's no secret that I'm a great admirer of Eisler's work and his latest, Killing Rain, is no different. The story features hit man John Rain wrestling with his toughest opponent yet: his conscience. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, I highly recommend it.
I also recommend you catch Barry Eisler on tour if you can. He's a lot of fun to listen to. (He's also very easy on the eyes, if you like that kind of thing.)
The 4 writers behind The Lipstick Chronicles blog have launched a weeklong discussion of the perennial debate in the mystery community about whether male authors get more attention and respect than female authors.
First up in the discussion is Laura Lippman and, as you'd expect, she has some very interesting things to say. Later this week, I'll be sharing my thoughts on the subject, as will Sarah Weinman and Harlan Coben.
Laura starts things off in fine fashion, discussing the different perceptions about men and women in the mystery genre:
Men's stories are seen as the universal template. Much of the crime genre centers on a man's need to define manhood, to find a code to live by, to decide how violence should figure into that code, if at all. Men and women have a stake in that outcome because women often are the first to suffer when masculinity is defined via violence. So that story is universal, absolutely. Yet when someone writes about a female PI—or cop, or, lord help us, an amateur sleuth—the story is seen as specific to that woman. Her struggle is a personal one, not a universal one.
Yet men have a stake in women's stories as surely as women have a stake in men's stories. (The hand that rocks the cradle…) And, anecdotally, I have found most male readers open to that idea. Put it this way—“The Lovely Bones" could not have been as huge as it was if men weren't buying it, too. Because while women are the primary fiction buyers, the big successes—from "Harry Potter" to Tom Clancy -- are made when male buyers join the pool.
Thought-provoking stuff. Don't expect me to be as articulate as Laura, but I think I had a couple interesting things to say.
Paul Guyot has an excellent post on his blog today about one of my favorite writers who's gone Missing in Action: Gay Anthony Haywood.
Gar is the Shamus Award-winning author of the excellent Aaron Gunner detective novels, along with a pair of lighter, Elmore Leonard-type comedic novels he wrote as Ray Shannon (the latest of which, Firecracker, got a rave from me in the Chicago Sun-Times).
Apparently, though, Gar has been dropped by Putnam and doesn't currently have a publisher. That is a damn shame. Presumably the books weren't selling, which is the only reason anyone's publisher drops them, but it's hard to understand why.
Gar is a true talent and there must be an audience for his kind of sharp, entertaining writing. I hope that there is a publisher out there who can appreciate the fine work Gar is capable of and will help bring his voice to readers.
p.s. In the course of writing this post, I came across a listing for a pair of writing courses that Gar is teaching: "Pulling Off the Perfect Crime Novel," one online and on in Hollywood. If anyone's interested in learning from a master of the mystery, that sounds like a great opportunity.
Paul Guyot has his latest Cinco de Author feature up on his blog. His latest victim is J.A. Konrath, the hardest working man in publishing. A typical exchange:
PG: Do you remember the moment or moments when you first came up with the character of Jack Daniels? How did it happen?
JK: I was wracking my brain for a character name and by luck there happened to be a bottle of booze on my desk. But the "Cuervo 1800 Series" didn't sell. Which hurt, because agave it my best shot.
(heh, heh... agave...)
Despite the cringe-worthy nature of that joke, Konrath is a gifted writer and his latest book, Bloody Mary, is even better than his first. Check it out -- it's the perfect summer read.
Joe Konrath has a post on his blog this morning about how an author's appearance can affect their success:
If you've ever watched someone browse the bookstore isles, they always glance at the author photo in the back. Always. And many bestsellers possess above-average looks. I don't think this is coincidental.
He goes on to share that his publisher actually required him to submit a picture of himself when they were considering whether or not to buy his book. (Granted, their standards must not be very high, considering that they made him a great offer.)
Joe also discusses his weight ("I like to joke that I lost ten pounds, but then found them again in my ass."), which he's written about previously.
As a fellow member of the FMWA (Fat Mystery Writers of America -- Our motto: "Critics are delicious"), I applaud Joe's decision to come forward and discuss such weighty issues in a serious and honest manner. We may be fat, damnit, but our talent is huge, too!
Keep fighting the good fight, Joe. Charlie Stella, Paul Guyot and I are with you!
Author Sarah Strohmeyer had a series of up-close-and-personal encounters with bestselling writer Janet Evanovich back when she was just getting started. Initially, it was a great experience. But as time went on...
Well, you've gotta read the whole story to see.
I read this a while back and wasn't sure I wanted to comment on it...but it's just too juicy not to share.
I enjoy Janet E.'s writing, but I don't think I'll be having her over for dinner anytime soon.
Sad news came over the weekend that Joseph Garber, author of such high-octane thrillers as Vertical Run and Whirlwind, has passed away at the age of 61.
According to the report, he died of a heart attack on May 27th at his home in the San Francisco Bay Area.
My condolences to his family. He was a fine writer.
From a notice on Ed Gorman's blog:
Mickey Spillane had an accident at his home last Friday. He's home now after spending the weekend and most of yesterday in the hospital, and according to wife Jane Spillane, Mickey tripped over a cat and fell down the steps at his home in Murrells Inlet, SC. Prognosis is good, but he will be laid up indefinitely.
Need I say more about the evil that is the feline?
Get well soon, Mick!
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