Crime Fiction Dossier (Old)

The Blog is Dead...

...Long Live the Blog!

This past iteration of the Crime Fiction Dossier is no more.

However, like the proverbial Phoenix, it has risen from the ashes in a newer and better form.

Please visit the Crime Fiction Dossier to see what I'm doing.

Connelly gets his due

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.

A few updates...

My review of Duane Swierczynski's excellent The Wheelman ran earlier this week in the Philadelphia Inquirer. I've talked about the book before, but this is my formal take on it. Obviously, I liked it a lot.

There are a slew of new reviews over on Mystery Ink, including several UK books critiqued by Fiona Walker, plus a review of Randall Hicks' The Baby Game by Yvette Banek.

On the novel (and Bet) front, I have modest progress to report. I'm up to 50,000 words, so it's a little more than half done. I think Guyot's written "Once upon a time..." but that's about it.

In other writing news, the short story anthology that Guyot and I are putting together now officially has an agent representing it. Considering that Ken Bruen has already written his story (and yes, it's excellent), I hope we're able to place the book somewhere.

I started reading debut thrillers for the ITW Awards. (I'm one of the judges for Best First Novel.) I've plowed through about 8 so far. I'm probably not supposed to comment on them publicly, so I won't say much. It hasn't been the strongest year for debuts, though, I'm sorry to say.

That's it for now. Let me know if there are any books I need to read or authors I need to write about. I'm always looking for good ideas to steal.

Thoughts on blogging

I haven't written much the past couple of weeks. (Obviously.) My nemesis and I have been discussing lately whether blogging has played itself out for us. I sometimes feel like I'm getting close to that point. It's a lot of effort and I often don't have anything that I think is worth writing about. (And I'm supposed to be working on this damn novel.)

At the same time, several of you have expressed your appreciation for the blog, and I do enjoy having the chance to share my thoughts with you. In my small way, I try to disseminate useful information about book reviewing and different aspects of the book world, in addition to talking about specific authors and books that are of interest to me.

So I'm going to try to keep doing that. But I might not be writing as often. We'll see how the rest of my duties go and how much time I've got left for this. No matter what happens, though, I deeply appreciate the time that you folks take to read my ramblings. I hope that I can continue to be worthy of your attention.

Latest Overnight Success? stories

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.

Thomas Perry returns

For those of you who, like me, are fans of Thomas Perry, I have a piece of good news. The galley of his new book, Nightlife, arrived today!

Okay, I know what you're thinking. "The book isn't being released until next March -- how does this do me any good now?" Fine, it doesn't. But it's still very cool news.

Thomas Perry is one of the very best contemporary writers of crime fiction and just knowing that a new book of his exists is something to be excited about.

In the meantime, if you haven't read The Butcher's Boy or Vanishing Act or Pursuit (the first winner of the Gumshoe Award), then you have no excuse. Go buy a copy or pick one up at the library today. Thomas Perry rocks!

Cinco de Author with Duane Swierczynski

I still don't have anything to say, but I'm happy to link to someone else who does...

Paul Guyot's Cinco de Author interview series has finally returned. This time his hapless victim is Duane Swierczynski. In addition to the usual drivel about watches, Guyot actually asked him a couple of serious questions, too. Here's one of 'em:

PG: Discuss the differences in writing the novel versus the short story - do you have a different mindset approach to each, and which form do you prefer?

DS: Lately, all of my ideas have seemed to come in one size: novel. Earlier this year, I sat down to write a short story for an anthology (DUBLIN NOIR), just to see if I could still do it. And I could. But of course, that story ("Lonely and Gone") sparked an idea for a novel; that's the one I'm writing now.

Which do I prefer? I like the freedom of a novel, but I've been itching to get back in the short story game. Or write a comic mini-series, just to flex some different muscles. But when I do, I'll probably have to fool myself into thinking, "This could be a novel," because that mindset opens up the floodgates of the imagination. I don't ever want to sit down to write a short story thinking, "Well, it's only a short story."

It's a cool interview and worth reading. Guyot usually doesn't know what he's talking about, but on this occasion he's 100% right: Duane Swierczynski really is a talent to watch.

His first book, Secret Dead Men, was good in a quirky, twisted sort of way. I got a kick out of it, but in many ways it was the work of a young writer. His latest, The Wheelman, though, definitely shows him as a more mature and talented writer. If you haven't read him yet, you should.

Nothing to say

It finally happened! I've run out of things to say.

Check back in a few days.

Latest Overnight Success? stories

I recently added two new Overnight Success? stories to the website: Sean Rowe and Naomi Hirahara. Check 'em out!

ThrillerFest panels, pt. 2

Following up on yesterday's post about ThrillerFest, where I will be programming the panels, I have an exciting piece of news. We are considering inviting some fans to participate on a few of the panels, along with the authors and other professionals.

I'm sure other conferences have done this before, but this is the first time I've seen this step taken and I think it's a great idea.

So if you're a knowledgeable fan who'd like to join in, and are planning to attend ThrillerFest, make sure to let me know. This is going to be a lot of fun.

Note for authors and fans alike: you've got to register first before you can be on a panel. So make sure to send your form in.

Another note: you don't have to be a member of ITW to attend. Everyone is welcome!

Edited to add (9/22): It appears that all panelists are required to be ITW members. However anyone can attend...and hopefully will.