In For Questioning

Sean Chercover Interview

2008-10-14T00:55:00.001-07:00

Suspect: Sean Chercover
Known Aliases: Shifty Canuck, Secret New Yorker...
Occupation: Writer, Troublemaker
Last Known Location: Chicago, IL & Toronto, Canada

Listen in as Sean talks about tackling "The Outfit" (no, not the blog) in his 2008 Shamus award winning debut, Big City, Bad Blood, his hot-off-the-presses follow-up, Trigger City, and the strange (and alcohol induced) genesis of P.I. Ray Dudgeon's name. Sean also reveals his dirty little culinary secret...the traitor!

To listen to the interview, click on the player above, subscribe via RSS reader (button in the side bar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up Next: Declan Burke

Victor Gischler Interview

2008-08-12T22:00:00.000-07:00

Suspect: Victor Gischler
Known Aliases: Mr. Apocalypso (yes, I made that up)
Occupation: Writer, College professor
Last Known Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Listen in as Victor talks about his latest novel, Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse, his "Gun Quartet" crime novels, the Punisher comic extravaganza and his founding involvement (or lack thereof) with Plots with Guns. Victor also reveals his picks to star in the movie version of Go-Go Girls and the five, er...six essential items for the Post-Apocalyptic Survival Kit. And, an IFQ first! Gischler fails to produce 3 titles on his TBR pile and is forced to answer a dreaded penalty question.

To listen to the interview, click on the player above, subscribe via RSS reader (button in the side bar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up Next: Sean Chercover

J. D. Rhoades Interview

2008-08-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

Suspect: J. D. Rhoades
Known Aliases: Dusty Rhoades (he wouldn't cop to any others)
Occupation: Lawyer, Columnist and Writer
Last Known Location: Carthage, N.C.

Listen in as J.D. talks about his latest standalone thriller, Breaking Cover, what's in the works with his Jack Keller series, and his growing interest in writing for comics. He also reveals the location of the best barbecue in North Carolina and which fictional character he'd least like to meet in a dark alley.

To hear J.D. read the first chapter of Breaking Cover, click here.

To listen to the interview, click on the player above, subscribe via RSS reader (button in the side bar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up Next: Victor Gischler

Anthony Neil Smith Interview

2008-07-24T22:11:00.001-07:00

Suspect: Anthony Neil Smith
Known Aliases: The Enforcer, Dubh, Opinionated Jackass
Occupation: Writer, Assistant Professor of English and Director of Creative Writing at Southwest Minnesota University (whew!)
Last Known Location: The Great White North...er, southern Minnesota

Listen in as Neil talks about his latest book, Yellow Medicine and the revival of the infamous e-zine, Plots with Guns. He also reveals who he'd tap to write the score for The Drummer: The Musical, admits to having seen a few musicals himself, and discloses his dangerous lack of familiarity of mukluks.

To listen, click on the player above, subscribe via RSS reader (button in the side bar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up Next: J.D. Rhoades

Ian Rankin Interview

2008-07-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

The Bloody Scots - Part 5

Suspect: Ian Rankin
Known Aliases: King of Tartan Noir, God
Occupation: Writer
Last Known Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

Listen in as Ian talks about his Inspector Rebus series, the recent explosion in the Scottish arts scene, and how his years in London and France influenced his use of Edinburgh in his books. He also reveals what fictional characters he'd pay good money to see in a cage fight and the weirdest question he's ever been asked in an interview (and no, it wasn't one of mine).

To listen, click on the player above, subscribe via RSS reader (button in the side bar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up Next: Anthony Neil Smith

Stand-by

2008-07-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

Just an FYI...

My external hard drive crashed - the one with all my music & my editing program on it! So...Ian Rankin's interview won't be available until late this week. Gotta wait for the new hard drive to arrive, then try to rescue all the stuff off the crashed drive. Blah, blah, techie badness, blah. Fingers crossed the transfer from dying drive to brand-spanking new drive goes off without a hitch-a-rootie.

Ray Banks Interview

2008-06-22T19:13:00.000-07:00

The Bloody Scots - Part 4

Name: Ray Banks
Known Aliases: Knucklebuster, DangerBalls
Occupation: Writer, Day Job Drone
Last Known Location: Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England (but he was born in Scotland...swear!)

Listen in as Ray talks about his Cal Innes P.I. series (Saturday's Child, Donkey Punch, No More Heroes, etc.), what kinds of characters he likes and the challenges of writing a P.I. novel set in the U.K. He also reveals his leading picks for "Saturday's Child: On Ice," the P.I. cliche that needs to be retired, and explains how he'd manage the caber toss with his giant coconuts.

*Lovely (and evidently rare) photo of smiley Ray by Mary Regan.

To listen, click on the player above, subscribe via RSS reader (button in the side bar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up Next: Ian Rankin

Stuart MacBride Interview

2008-06-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

THE BLOODY SCOTS: PART 3

Suspect: Stuart MacBride
Known Aliases: Bearded Wonderboy, Stuart MacBeard, Crime Write-ist
Occupation: Write-ist, General Naughtiness
Last Known Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

Listen in as Stuart talks about his Logan McRae books, his new novella Sawbones, and his latest idea for Skeleton Bob. He also spills about what two writerly folk he'd pay to see thumb wrestle and, and answers the essential sporran question - furry, or smooth?

*Warning, those seeking an in-depth exploration of the finer points of Stuart's work will likely be appalled by the pervasive naughtiness and lack of seriousity in this interview. If the terms 'cock weasel' and 'nipples' offend you...well, you have been warned & should act accordingly.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up Next: The Saturday Boy, Mr. Ray Banks.

Donna Moore Interview

2008-06-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

THE BLOODY SCOTS, PART 2

Suspect: Donna Moore
Known Aliases: Kafka, Queen of Shoes!
Occupation: Writer, Reader, Some Scary Day Job Involving Financial Stuff
Last Known Location: Glasgow, Scotland

Join us this week as Donna talks about her Lefty Award winning P.I. spoof, Go to Helena Handbasket, her love of reading, and her Alaskan school adventures. She also reveals the real purpose of Scotland's super sweet soda (Irn Bru), her thoughts on the Loch Ness Monster, and why Johnny Depp could play all the male characters in the movie version of Go to Helena Handbasket.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up next: Scottish write-ist and Bearded Wonderboy, Stuart MacBride.

Russel D. McLean Interview

2008-05-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

THE BLOODY SCOTS: PART ONE

Suspect: Russel D. McLean
Known Aliases: Badgerboy, Russ-poo, Crimey Crimerson
Occupation(s): Writer, bookseller, reviewer, columnist
Last Known Location: Dundee, Scotland

Listen in as Russel spills about Crime Scene Scotland (the original and Crime Scene Scotland Review), his love of hand-selling books and his upcoming debut novel, THE GOOD SON (coming this Fall from Five Leaves). He also gives practical sporran advice for the novice kilt-wearer, shares the best book-as-weapon story I've ever heard, and explores the perils of gastronomical upset at a mystery convention.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up Next: Scottish author and avid reader, Donna Moore.

Steven Torres Interview

2008-05-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

Suspect:Steven Torres
Occupation: Writer, English professor
Known Aliases: None
Last Known Location: Ellington, CT

Listen in as Steven talks about his Precinct Puerto Rico series (see, Steven...I got it right!) and his latest effort, The Concrete Maze. He shares some personal experiences that inform his writing, discusses why war is a recurring theme in his work and gives a very practical reason for wanting to spend a day with Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up Next: Scottish author (and all 'round crime fic dude) Russel McLean

Steve Mosby Interview

2008-05-07T09:08:00.001-07:00

Suspect: Steve Mosby
Known Aliases: The Notorious B.O.M. (Boring Old Me)
Occupation: Author
Last known location: Somewhere in Leeds (that's in the U.K. for you non-Brits)

Listen in as Steve talks about his take on serial killers in The 50/50 Killer, the influence of science fiction on his writing, and his thoughts about research. Steve also reveals what's on his desk, what he was like in high school & what fictional character he'd like to hang out with for a day.

Steve's latest book, Cry for Help, is available for pre-order (release date is May 29, 2008).

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Up next: author Steven Torres.

David Morrell Interview

2008-05-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

Suspect: David Morrell
Known Aliases: Rambo's Daddy
Occupation: Writer
Last Known Location: Santa Fe, NM

Listen in as David talks about his most famous creation, John Rambo, the secrets of his career longevity, and his role in the International Thriller Writers (ITW) organization. He also reveals what writer he'd most like to spend an afternoon with, what crime fiction cliche needs to be retired and talks a bit about his first holiday book, The Spy Who Came for Christmas.

Up Next: British crime writer Steve Mosby.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Forgotten Books Friday

2008-05-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

When Patti Abbott asked me to participate in her Forgotten Books Friday, I jumped on it. The general idea is to talk about a book that's a 'near classic' that may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Pretty cool, huh? I think so, too. So...here goes!

Ever heard of Sally's in the Alley by Norbert Davis? Unless you're a massive fan of deep pulp/hard-boiled crime fiction, probably not. And that's too bad, 'cause ol' Norbert is one of the few writers who managed to pull off humor and hard-boiled. When I say humor, I'm not talking black humor (which I also dig). Nope, I'm talking breezy, laugh-out-loud, almost screwball humor.

The story centers around Doan, a P.I. ne'er-do-well, and Carstairs, a Great Dane the size of a Shetland pony. Carstairs is both the brains and the brawn of the duo. I suspect that Doan exists mainly to keep our canine hero in steaks and tea biscuits. Set in WWII, the adventure starts off in Hollywood and follows the detecting duo as they travel to the tiny town of Heliotrope in the Mojave Desert. Why, you ask? (Okay, you didn't, but pretend you did anyway). Because the gov'ment wants Doan to pretend to be a Japanese spy in search of a mineral mine. Huh? Yep, that's right. See, there's a guy who knows where the mine is, but he flippin' hates the government & so fake spyness ensues. The plot gets more twisty and complicated from there, & the bodies pile up at an alarming rate, but it is absolutely always fun. So, y'know, check it out! The fab folks over at Rue Morgue Press were awesome enough to reissue the book a few years back, so the current paperback version is both available and affordable.

To keep the Forgotten Books Friday ball rollin', I'm officially tagging Daniel Hatadi for next week's continuing adventures. And don't let him pull his 'I'm a rebel, I ain't gonna tag nobody' routine. This book thang is too good to let die!

Charles Ardai Interview

2008-04-28T21:08:00.000-07:00

Suspect: Charles Ardai

Known aliases: Richard Aleas, Charles Gordon Lemuel Cork, and a bunch of other ones I don't know about...watch him - he's shifty!

Occupation: Author, Editor for Hard Case Crime

Last known location: New York City, NY

In this week's show, Charles talks about his two novels (Little Girl Lost and Songs of Innocence, why Las Vegas can be a cool place to write, and why "Schizophrenia Can Be Fun" may be the title of his autobiography. He also shares his pick(s) for who he'd like to write the score for Little Girl Lost - The Musical, and why he doesn't get sick of reading 'n writing.

Up next: Big Daddy of the modern Action novel, David Morrell.

Christa Faust Interview

2008-02-04T20:37:00.001-08:00

Suspect: Christa Faust
Known aliases: Faust Fatale
Occupation: Author
Last known location: Los Angeles, CA

In this week's show, Christa Faust talks about her latest book, Money Shot, her thoughts on why both men and women will dig the novel, and the ultimate silliness of the cozy vs. hard-boiled/noir divide. She also explains why writing tie-in novelizations (Snakes on a Plane) is like working in a cheese doodle factory, talks about why she's a "now girl" and what is likely to appear as the epitaph on her tombstone.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Brett Battles Interview

2008-01-22T19:02:00.001-08:00

Suspect: Brett Battles
Known aliases: The Brett-in-ator (okay, I made that up)
Occupation: Thriller writer, entertainment industry computer graphics something-or-other
Last known location: Los Angeles, CA

Listen in as Brett talks about the crazy ride to publishing his first novel, The Cleaner and his latest projects - the Killer Year anthology and the forthcoming second book in the Jonathan Quinn series, The Deceived. A self-avowed seat-of-the-pantser, Brett explains his writing process and reveals the one item no self-respecting international spy will leave home without.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Zoë Sharp Interview

2008-01-21T13:51:00.000-08:00

Suspect: Zoë Sharp
Known Aliases: Ummm...can't think of any
Occupation: Thriller writer, Freelance photographer, world traveler, motorcycle maven
Last Known Location: Lake District, England

Listen in as Zoë talks about her Charlie Fox series, her foray into noir with her short story in the anthologyA Hell of a Woman. She also spills about where the best place to go for a motocycle ride in England is and explains why she has spent shells dug out of a piece of body armor on her desk.

If you want to hear more from Zoë, check out her bi-monthly blog posts over at Murderati.

To listen, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Ken Bruen Interview

2008-01-07T17:35:00.001-08:00

Suspect: Ken Bruen
Known Aliases: Benign Thug, the Pope of Galway
Occupation: Reigning King of Irish noir/hard-boiled crime fiction (that's a writer to you...)
Last Known Location: Galway, Ireland

Listen in as Ken talks about his Jack Taylor series (and how Inspector Brant is threatening to take over), the swans in Galway, and some of his more, uh, colorful book events. He also reveals (and answers) the one question he hasn't been asked that he really wants to answer - namely, what he really thinks of the Irish police.

*Original photo by Mary Regan of NYC Photo (I confess that I cropped it...sorry, Mary and Lawrence Block!)

Next week's suspect: British author, Zoë Sharp.

To hear Ken's interview, click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Kris Neri Interview

2008-01-02T12:01:00.001-08:00

Suspect: Kris Neri
Known Aliases: Hmm, can't think of a single one!
Occupation: Author, Writing Instructor, Independent Bookstore Owner
Last Known Location: Sedona, Arizona

Listen in as Kris talks about the juggling act of writing, teaching and running The Well Red Coyote. She also talks about some of her fave reads of the year, the mysteries of where to shelve books, and what fictional character she'd like to take on a hike in the red rocks of Sedona.

Click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Ruth & Jon Jordan Interview

2007-12-17T15:59:00.001-08:00

Suspect(s): Ruth and Jon Jordan
Known Aliases: #1 Crime Fic Fans, Mr. & Mrs. "Killer" Crimespree (okay, I totally made those up...get over it)
Occupation: Bouchercon Fanatics, Crimespree Magazine owners, Massive Readers
Last known location: Milwaukee, WI

In this week's show, Ruth and Jon spill about their love affair with B'Con (including next year's con in Baltimore), Crimespree Magazine, and their fave reads of 2007. Listen in as they tell all about what will make them abandon a book, what makes Milwaukee a nifty town to live in and their weapons of choice for editing.

Click on the player in the side bar, subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Maddy Van Hertbruggen Interview

2007-12-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

Suspect: Maddy Van Hertbruggen
Known Aliases: Her Royal Maddness, The Maddinator
Occupation: Mystery addict - avid reader, owner/co-founder of 4MA list serve, book reviewer (plus one of those day job things to feed the addiction)
Location: Somewhere Deep in the Heart of Texas

This week we talk with hard-core mystery addict, Maddy Van Hertbruggen. Listen in as we chat about the readers list serve (4MA or For Mystery Addicts) that she started, some of her fave reads of the year, and her thoughts on how to deal with those pesky Texas Jackalopes.

You can also check out some of her book reviews over at the fab Reviewing the Evidence.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Seth Harwood Interview

2007-11-26T19:01:00.000-08:00

Suspect: Seth Harwood
Age: Yeah, okay, I dunno
Occupation: Writer, Podcaster, Creative Writing college prof.
Last known location: Bezerkley, er, Berkley, CA

In this week's episode, Seth talks about how his Jack Palms series, how he got into podcasting his novels and his upcoming print release of Jack Wakes Up. We find out what's on Seth's TBR list, who he'd like to see star in a Jack Palms movie, and what he would do if he could spend a day with his protagonist.

Visit his website to find out more about how to make every Sunday a Jack Palms Sunday. You can also check out the start of his second book in the newest issue of Thrilling Detective.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Mark Billingham Interview

2007-11-18T07:51:00.000-08:00

Suspect: Mark Billingham
Age: Hmm?
Occupation: Author, stand-up comic, all 'round troublemaker
Last known location: Lurking in London

In this episode, Mark talks about his Tom Thorne police procedurals, his upcoming stand-alone novel, IN THE DARK, and the foreword he wrote for the fab anthology, Expletive Deleted. He also joins in the debate about genre vs. literary novels and how much sex/violence/cussin' is too much. Find out what's on Mark's iPod, the perks of mentioning favorite restaurants in your novels and what celebrities are reading his books.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Megan Abbott Interview

2007-11-12T13:35:00.001-08:00

Suspect: Megan Abbott
Age: Haven't a clue, didn't ask
Occupation: Author, editor, college prof.
Last known location: New York City

Listen in this week as Megan talks about the slippery definition of noir, the women of noir (both those who write/wrote it and the characters in it), and the new anthology A Hell of a Woman: An Anthology of Female Noir. We also discuss Queenpin's Broadway musical potential and the best way to get those pesky bloodstains out of your favorite cocktail dress.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Duane Swierczynski Interview

2007-11-04T16:02:00.000-08:00

Suspect: Duane Swierczynski
Age: Young 'un
Occupation: Writer, Editor-in-Chief of Philadelphia City Paper
Last know location: The mean streets of Philadelphia, PA

In this week's episode, we talk with Duane about Blondes, redheads, comics, historical mysteries, and journalism. Listen in as we explore Duane's shocking revelations about his flute playing nerd years and his recent first-hand (er, nose) experience with feminine hygiene products.

*Warning: you're gonna need running shoes for your ears! This dude talks at warp speed.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

Anne Frasier Interview

2007-10-28T17:38:00.001-07:00

Suspect: Anne Frasier
Age: I should really just skip this one, shouldn't I?
Occupation: Author
Last known location: Minneapolis, MN

In this week's episode, we talk with Anne about PALE IMMORTAL and the further Tuonela, WI adventures in her upcoming book, GARDEN OF DARKNESS. Listen in to find out what she would do if faced with a (possible) real-life vampire, what her fav. classic horror movie is, and what decidedly unscary things are found on her desk.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription).

James Oswald Interview

2007-10-21T17:39:00.001-07:00

Suspect: James Oswald
Age: Doesn't really matter, does it?
Occupation: Writer, animal poopologist
Last known location: Somewhere unpronounceable in Wales...

This week we talk with author James Oswald, who lives in Wales, but is a Scotsman and don't even think about calling him Welsh or he'll get a wee bit upset with you. Listen in as James talks about his supernatural/police procedural Debut Dagger nominated novel, NATURAL CAUSES, his tragic lack of Halloween experience, and the potential pitfalls of mixing a shepherdess costume with a beard.

Subscribe via RSS reader (button in sidebar), or subscribe through iTunes here (it will prompt you to open iTunes, then take you to the podcast subscription). For those of you who had subscribed via the old feed...well, you're gonna have to subscribe again to this feed instead. Happy listening!

Kat Richardson Interview

2007-10-15T17:58:00.000-07:00

Suspect: Kat Richardson
Age: Dammit, that's personal!
Occupation: Author of GREYWALKER series
Last known location: Seattle, WA

In this week's episode, Kat talks about her gritty paranormal P.I. books, who she'd pick to play the lead in GREYWALKER: THE MUSICAL, and what sends her Creep-O-Meter into the red zone.

For more info on Kat and her books, visit her website at www.katrichardson.com

IfQ's New Hosting Home

2007-10-13T00:05:00.000-07:00

I've had it and have kicked Podomatic to the curb. So...I've switched to a new hosting service. Just hope I can get the embedded player to do its thing without a huge hassle. Until I get that figured out, though, those of you who haven't heard Charlie Huston's interview yet can go here to listen to/download the show.

The new Libsyn page is lookin' a little ugly now, but at least the show is, y'know, available to be heard! I'll work on making it pretty after I get next week's show edited and posted this weekend. Dammit, dammit, dammit!

Podomatic Ate My Shows...

2007-10-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

and I'm not quite sure what to do. They had 2 hard drives crash and are working to retrieve the data, but it's not a fer sure deal that they'll be able to do it. On the plus side, I've got my shows backed up. So my plan is to upload Charlie's show again (when Podomatic will let me...bastards) and keep my fingers crossed that the other shows will be retrieved. My biggest worry is annoying iTunes subscribers who have already downloaded the shows and will now get an extra.

Dammit. Wish I was a super techie chickie and could do this shindig sans external help. But I'm not, so I'll just try to find another way to deal.

FYI

2007-10-10T07:31:00.000-07:00

Podomatic continues to suffer from technological gremlins. I'd have a huge fit if I thought it would help. Since it won't do a damn thing, all I can say is that they're working on their server issues and will hopefully have the problem resolved soon. *sigh*

Charlie Huston Interview

2007-10-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

Suspect: Charlie Huston
Age: Dunno
Occupation: Writerly dude
Last known location: Another lost soul in La-La Land, CA

In this week's episode, I talk with Charlie about his Joe Pitt books, the benefits of having an undead protagonist, and his status on the Most Wanted lists of PETA and Cozy Mystery Fans.

For more about Charlie and his work, visit his website

Check out his Moon Knight work here

Oh, and it WAS Kabuki. Here's the linky to the writer's website.

Stephen Blackmoore Interview

2007-09-30T16:49:00.000-07:00

Suspect: Stephen Blackmoore
Age: Unknown - hey, not all the undead remember their death-days!
Occupation: Avid reader, writer, and some weird computer-related thing called "a day job."
Last known location: Lost somewhere in La-La Land, CA

In this week's episode, I grill Stephen about the perils of mixing horror and crime, the general squickiness of undead sex, and the tastiness (or lack thereof) of candy corn and wax lips.

Visit Stephen's R-rated blog (it's got fab linkage to his short stories, too) here

New Podcast - Allan Guthrie!

2007-09-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

Suspect: Allan Guthrie
Age: Um...what was the question?
Occupation: Writer, editor, lit. agent extraordinaire
Last known location: The corner of Trouble and Pearce, Edinburgh, Scotland
*photo by Mary Reagan, NY Photo

In this week's episode, we pitch hard questions at HARD MAN author, Allan Guthrie. We cover the whole shebang, from the fab Two-Way Split, to his Edgar nominated Kiss Her Goodbye, and on to Hard Man. Listen in to find out his thoughts on men in kilts, his baseball bat of choice, and more than you ever wanted to know about meat carrots and vegetarian haggis.

Oh, and if you live in the U.S. Oh, and would like a copy of Guthrie's latest, KILL CLOCK, a novella for adult emergent readers, check out The Book Depository
These fab peeps will ship your fav U.K. books to the States...fer free!

Cornelia Read Interview

2007-09-17T13:55:00.000-07:00

The In for Questioning podcast is off to a great start. Cornelia Read is in the hot seat for this week's show. Check it out to hear all the gory details...

Suspect: Cornelia Read
Age: Where are your manners?!
Occupation: Author, raconteur
Last know location: San Francisco Bay area

In this week's episode, we drag Edgar-nominated author Cornelia Read in for questioning. We discuss Cornelia's books, A FIELD OF DARKNESS (nominated for an Edgar for Best First Novel by an American Author), and her up-coming book, THE CRAZY SCHOOL. You won't want to miss Cornelia describing how to turn an innocent laundry basket into a murder weapon, her version of a ferret Rapture, or her verdict on the sexiness of patchouli.

Join us next week when we haul Scottish author, editor and literary agent, Allan Guthrie, in for questioning...

In For Questioning - The Podcast!

2007-09-09T15:50:00.000-07:00

Today marks the official launch of "In for Questioning," a weekly podcast geared toward Crime Fiction - writers, readers, and various other criminally-minded types. I drag 'em in, ask the (sorta) tough questions and toss 'em back out again. So check out this week's show and see whatcha think! Questions or comments? Well, that's what the comments section is for, right? Or drop me an email at inforquestioning@gmail.com.

Our first victim:

Suspect: Daniel Hatadi
Age: Old enough to know better
Occupation: Crime fiction writer, reader, founder of Crimespace, erstwhile musician and all 'round trouble-maker
Last known location: Sydney, Australia

In this week's episode, we haul Daniel Hatadi in for questioning. Listen in as I ask him about Crimespace, his "left under the bed" first novel, and his unnatural attraction to a dead rubber chicken. We also find out how Daniel would bump off Prof. Plum, and what goes next to the shrimp on his barbie.

Join us next week when we haul Edgar-nominated author, Cornelia Read, in for questioning...

Spinetingler Awards

2007-08-30T15:08:00.000-07:00

After much debate, we've decided to implement an annual award through Spinetingler Magazine. Two things were paramount in my mind when considering this:

1. I didn't want us to just duplicate what others were doing.
2. I wanted the awards to invite the participation of readers and authors.

As a result, October 1, 2007 we'll open up the nominating process. I will have information about this on our site and post more (assuming that's okay with the moderators) when the time comes.

Our categories have been selected to try to make sure newer talent isn't overshadowed by the greats. In order to be nominated, the author must have had a new title out between Oct. 1, 2006 and Sept. 30, 2007, available in Canada. (Don't you worry about that - we'll worry about it. If we can't get the book here, we may not be able to consider it - depends on how long it takes us to get it in.)

The categories:

Legend
- Best book of the year by an author with 9+ titles published OR an author who has secured a six-figure advance. (Readers don't need to worry about figuring this out - we will.)

Rising Star
- Best book of the year by an author with 4-8 books published

New Voice
- Best book of the year by an author with 1-3 books published

Best Cover Art
- Lots of whining about repetitive cover art lately. We're not going to whine. We're going to applaud the good stuff there is.

Best Publisher
- If you're a reader who just loves a certain publisher, or an author who's had great experiences or a bookseller who believes there's one publisher out there that's outshining the rest, tell us who and why.

Best Editor
- Pretty much the same as the above. Even if you don't know who edited a book you can nominate it with the title, author's name and publisher's name. Plenty of people have commented on poor editing. When you see a book you think is rock solid, really impressive, we want to know. It's about time someone told editors they were doing a great job.

Best Short Story on the Web

There has been a lot to complain about in the publishing world, and much of it is valid. But we've decided to spend our time and energy focusing on celebrating the positive. We'll open nominating and see what readers tell us is worth looking at. Then we'll narrow down a shortlist of nominees in each category, and announce the winners in our January 2008 issue. (I’m hoping we’ll have a shortlist available early December.)

And the reason for three categories up top and not just two (debut vs best) is because we want to encourage publishers to grow their authors. We're moving authors with big deals into the toughest category to level out the playing field for good authors without as much publisher support, who would otherwise be overshadowed because of the amount of publicity the authors with major deals get.

I hope some of you will start thinking about it. Every person will be able to nominate up to five selections in each category. Every little bit of PR helps, right? And we could tell you our opinion... But I kind of figure we do that in our reviews already. There are a lot of people who can't attend conventions and vote for the other fan choice awards. You can nominate for this one for free, from the comfort of your own home, and have your say. We're still working out some logistics, but we'll be ready to roll October 1.

2007 Dagger Award Winners

2007-07-05T15:12:00.001-07:00

The list is in, naming the winners of the Dagger Awards, handed out by the Crime Writers Association.

Duncan Lawrie Dagger Peter Temple - The Broken Shore (Quercus)

Duncan Lawrie International Dagger Fred Vargas - Wash this Blood Clean from my Hand (Harvill Secker), translated by Siân Reynolds

The CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Gillian Flynn - Sharp Objects (Orion)

The CWA New Blood Dagger Gillian Flynn - Sharp Objects (Orion)

The CWA Dagger in the Library

Stuart MacBride
“His books tell of life in all its grim reality, but this only adds to the appeal of this truly impressive new author...the grimmest of subjects, but leavened (thankfully) with dashes of humour. He’s bad news for the Aberdeen tourist industry, but great news for crime readers.”

C.J. Sansom was very highly commended in this category.

The Debut Dagger

Alan Bradley – from British Columbia in Canada – is this year's winner with The Sweetness At the Bottom of the Pie.

David Jackson, from the Wirral on Merseyside was Highly Commended with Pariah.

Summer 2007 Spinetingler

2007-07-05T09:05:00.001-07:00

The Summer 2007 Spinetingler went up earlier this week. It’s got a fair bit of stuff in it.

Short stories:
A Tragic Affair - George M. Burden,
Veronica’s Sweetest Gift - Steven G. Childress,
Laura and the Cowboy - Nikki Dolson
Ragamuffin Girl - Grant McKenzie
The Living Dead - Amra Pajalic
Rattenkreig - Stephen D. Rogers
The Inheritance - Pam Skochinski
The Rocks - Robert Wangard
Profiled - James R. Winter

This is a great batch of stories. I don’t want to get into dissecting them, because I could be here for ages. Check them out for yourself!

We also have an excerpt of Jack Wakes Up by Seth Harwood. For those who missed it the other day, Seth does weekly podcasts of his novel, and you can listen online for free. I did the intro of the ‘story so far’ last week, something that came about because my husband did a podcasting feature on Seth and Shannon Clute in this issue, and Shannon Clute also wrote a profile on Out of the Past and Behind The Black Mask.

There are interviews. A teaser of the forthcoming interview with Rick Mofina, which will run in the fall issue. Others interviewed include:

Steve Mosby
Sheila Quigley
Julia Buckely
Jon Papernick
Toni McGee Causey

And Marshall Karp is interviewed by Cornelia Read.

Two other ezines – Heliotrope and Pulp Pusher – are profiled. And there are plenty of reviews, including:

Broken Skin by Stuart MacBride (this is actually an opinion piece covering all three of his books that I wrote up)

The 50/50 Killer by Steve Mosby
A Perfect Grave by Rick Mofina
A Thousand Bones by PJ Parrish
Songs of Innocence by Richard Aleas
The Big Blind by Ray Banks
Baby Shark’s Beaumont Blues by Robert Fate
Street Raised by Pearce Hansen
The Concrete Maze by Steven Torres
Cruel Poetry by Vicki Hendricks
Lottery by Patricia Wood
Sinners and Saints by Eileen Dreyer
French Creek by Peter Rennebohm
The Sleeping Doll by Jeffrey Deaver
Scavenger by David Morrell
Double Delight by Rosamond Smith

I’m fully capable of saying we’re already getting a deluge of new submissions, and I hadn’t quite finished clearing my backlog. Sigh. I’m afraid that with the new job, and with a few of our readers unavailable, I may have to turn around and close again right away. I’m currently slotting stories for the Winter Issue scheduled for January…

You can also subscribe to get an email notice when there’s a new Spinetingler. Just email subscriptions@spinetinglermag.com with the word ‘subscribe’ in the subject line. Email addresses will be kept confidential.

And, join with me in wishing James Oswald all the best tonight. His story, Natural Causes, ran in the fall 2006 issue of Spinetingler. He wrote a full-length manuscript based on the story and it shortlisted for the Debut Dagger prize. He’s off to London tonight for the awards. No matter what happens, he’s a fantastic writer, and I hope this helps him land a publishing deal.

Publishing Moving in New Directions

2007-06-25T08:52:00.001-07:00

From time to time author forums feature grumbling about the industry and what should change to make it better. However, the complaints often run in tandem with criticisms when publishers do try something new, or when a new player steps on the scene, especially if they do things differently.

An example was recent discussion about SLIP AND FALL, a book by Nick Santora published by and available exclusively at Borders. I’m personally not surprised by moves such as this, and today comes word that the book made the Wall Street Journal’s bestseller list in its first week out.

I did find it interesting that the choice by Borders to publish a book and sell it exclusively raised questions for people. You won’t find me saying anything here I didn’t say on the thread already – you’ll find me saying less. But the idea that booksellers have ever been neutral, or impartial, is wrong. Especially in the US the books that end up prominently displayed have been pushed by publishers who’ve paid for them to be there. What difference does it really make if a publisher is also a bookseller and they push their own book? Poisoned Pen Press does it.

Now, in the case of Poisoned Pen Press, their books are also available at other bookstores. Borders could do that as well. They have (obviously) decided that it would be best to handle sales exclusively. And it appears that this may have been a good decision. I suppose we’ll have to wait and see if they decide to do this again before we’ll really know.

This news comes at the same time as news about a bookseller with a mission. He intends to sell 1001 copies of a book before it’s released through hand sales and word of mouth in the hopes that it will generate interest from a US publisher.

The article is fascinating, and one any author, bookseller, publisher, booklover should consider reading. The author, Papernick, a 36-year-old Toronto native, said that after his book of short stories was published and then favorably reviewed in The New York Times, he thought success would take care of itself. It didn't. Now he's convinced that today's authors have to be more proactive in promoting their work, finding imaginative ways to rise above the crowd.
"Being a writer is only partially about being an artist. It's also about being a salesman, if you want people to read it," Papernick said.

Welcome to the new world order of selling books and getting published.

And what’s really interesting to me is a comment from someone recently about a publisher assessing an author’s marketing strategy and considering publishing them based solely on that. I’ve seen this with a few publishers I’ve looked at – a requirement to submit a marketing plan along with your manuscript.

I have to say that I find that part of it sad. A lot of authors are focused more on selling than writing, more on profile than prose. And I still look to my list of greats – Bruen, Lippman, McDermid, Pelecanos, Rankin – who honed their craft and focused on the quality of the books… which explains to me why they’ve achieved the success they have. The work speaks for itself.

I do think that if someone proves they can sell then certainly a publisher should pick them up. There’s clearly a market for their work. (I also think that aspiring authors should be careful when assessing their options, because some equate the success of one author with the publisher instead of the author. Particularly with very small, new publishers, the success of an author depends on their own marketing strategy. A lot of us are on our own.)

Honestly, I applaud the efforts of the bookstore and the author to raise his profile. I’ll be watching to see what happens.

The thing I note about these two stories is that both of them involve more hands-on involvement from booksellers. For those who dismiss the significance of booksellers and the importance of having people who move books by recommendations this is proof that skilled sales people who actually read books and interact with their clientele can make a significant impact on the success of a book.

Now, the reality is, there’s nothing that a small publisher can do to compete with the clout a large publisher has in the business. But publishers such as Poisoned Pen Press have taken a proactive approach to putting good books into the market and have gained a lot of respect within the industry. Proof that (some) booksellers not only know how to sell books, they know how to produce books that sell. And perhaps the evidence needed to remind those in the business that the way forward is to keep your finger on the pulse of readers and understand their interests, and publish accordingly.

And perhaps all of this is proof that – like it or not – new authors should take marketing courses. However, what this author, Papernick, is doing is actually teaming up with someone who knows how to sell.

Perhaps proof that closer partnerships between authors and publishers and booksellers are the most effective way to sell books.

I honestly don’t know. The real proof will be if Papernick gets picked up by a US publisher. Meanwhile, the armchair critics can sit back, watch it unfold and commentate.

Summer Reading

2007-06-24T09:40:00.000-07:00

The Toronto Star has a genius piece on the joys of summer reading. Summer reading ... is that trashy page-turner you plan to devour while reclining on a deck chair with a vodka martini in one hand... is a guiltless pleasure, no matter how trashy the page-turner or how large the martini… ... is like winter getaway reading on a Caribbean island, but lasts longer and – when enjoyed on your back patio – costs a whole lot less and comes with a greatly reduced likelihood of contracting hepatitis. It’s a good list, although I have to say I was in the bookstore yesterday, stocking up on my supply of books, and staff person extraordinaire 'J' warned me off the new Ondaatje.

What did I buy? The collectors edition of Knots and Crosses, because it’s reassuring to see that everyone has to correct typos.

The Darkness Inside by John Rickards. Because, although I’ve already read it, I believe in supporting my favourite authors.
Forty Words for Sorrow by Giles Blunt. Because I haven’t read him yet and really, really should.

And two more Hard Case Crime books to help complete Kevin’s collection. Now that he’s subscribed they’ll arrive by mail every month.

I did not, however, buy Hung Out to Die by Brett Battles. But I did smile when I saw it still listed on the chain store computer here.

For the record, they also have the book with proper title (and publisher) The Cleaner. On sale June 26, btw…

The Toronto Star has also compiled a list of some summer beach reads. I decided that I should do a little list of some of my recommended summer reading. What do I suggest? (In alphabetical order, so no squabbling.)

Ammunition by Ken Bruen. Well, anything by Ken Bruen. But there’s something about Brant that suits the summer, when you want to have an action-packed read that has you flipping pages late into the night.

Broken Skin by Stuart MacBride.

Yes, MacBride is back, and this time he’s got John ‘Spanky’ Rickards to torment on the pages. He also includes a hilarious nod to Rankin, although Rankin fans lacking a sense of humour will likely send hatemail and firebombs. Stuart may have to dress up as a woman more often to avoid detection.

Wonder what the hell I’m talking about? Read his blog if you want to know more, but whatever else you do, read his book.

Beneath the Bleeding by Val McDermid.

I’m absolutely choked that it looks like this book won’t hit Canada until next year. It’s been too long already. I may have to order from the UK.

The 50/50 Killer by Steve Mosby

This is an absolutely spellbinding thriller. Part of you doesn’t want to turn the page to face the truth, but you have to know how it will unfold. Mosby expertly weaves the threads of the story to build the tension and just when you think you know how it will unfold he pulls the rug out from under your feet. It may seem early in the year to make predictions, but I doubt a more original work will cross my desk this year. A tour de force, Mosby is my pick as breakout author of 2007 and is now on my list of my annual ‘must-reads’.

A Thousand Bones by PJ Parrish.

A riveting page-turner, I was kept up half the night reading because I just had to know what happened next. Of course, the worst thing about finishing a wonderful book is that you know you have to wait a year for the follow-up, but if A Thousand Bones is any indication of what PJ Parrish can do with this character it will be well worth the wait.

What else do I have on my tbr pile, waiting?

Strangers by Carla Banks
Cut to the Bone by Shane Gericke
Big Numbers by Jack Getze
The Rabbit Factory and Bloodthirsty by Marshal Karp
In this Rain by SJ Rozan
What The Dead Know by Laura Lippman

And still some unread Bruen…

What am I currently reading?

A Perfect Grave by Rick Mofina.

No doubt there will be other books I’ve neglected to mention here that I might make a point of highlighting over the summer, but this is a good start. Feel free to add recommendations of your own below, because you can never have too many books!

When Is Your Delusion Reality?

2007-06-23T15:14:00.000-07:00

In the wake of a ruling against author Laura Albert, who created a fictional persona (JT LeRoy) and wrote an autobiographical novel based on JT’s life as a male prostitute, I find myself wondering how this will impact the writing community… and sadly, I don’t think it will have much impact at all.

To writer Laura Albert, her alter ego was a psychological necessity, but to jurors, the fictitious male prostitute JT LeRoy was a fraud. A Manhattan jury decided Friday that Albert had defrauded a production company that bought the movie rights to an autobiographical novel marketed as being based on LeRoy's life.
The federal jury, after a short deliberation, awarded $116,500 to Antidote International Films Inc…

In bizarre testimony punctuated by tears and laughter, Albert told jurors during the trial that she had been assuming male identities for decades as a coping mechanism for psychological problems brought on by her sexual abuse as a child.
To her, she said, LeRoy was real.
But Curtner (Antidote’s lawyer) said Albert stepped over a line by signing contracts and obtaining copyrights under the phony name…

The article also mentions how Albert had friends dress up in disguise and pose as JT LeRoy at signings, and how she staged calls to a psychiatrist.

I’ve been aware of the case for a while. The information I do have prompts me to agree with the judge in this case. I’m stepping into my reader/consumer shoes when I saw that.

In every transaction that occurs, there’s a certain level of trust involved between buyer and seller. I trust that the grocer has not peed on the vegetables before he puts them out in the produce section and sells them. I trust the cook at the restaurant isn’t spitting in the soup. When those trusts are violated it’s pretty clear that the consumer has a right to take offense. However, when authors or artists lie in order to promote work, it isn’t as black and white. I went to amazon, and the cover blurb for one book - ’long may he have the courage to remember’ - underscores how this book has been marketed: As reality.

The “reality” of JT in Ms. Albert’s mind does not make him actually real. Return to amazon and scroll down to see the tags people associate with the book - faker, dishonest, media scam all on the list.

I think people do have a right to feel betrayed, and one of the things I particularly don’t like about it is that it calls into question the integrity of every other author. When authors such as James Frey and Ms. Albert are revealed as frauds the response from readers can include feelings of betrayal and outrage that people will blatantly lie for commercial gain.

Sadly, it would seem Ms. Albert has a knack for fiction, and it’s a shame she didn’t market her work as such. However, it also makes sense. Nonfiction writers are often better paid than novelists, and I doubt there would have been interest in a movie if the words “based on a true story” couldn’t be slapped down on the front.

Why? Truth has a power that fiction rarely matches. When we read fiction we can retreat to a spot in our minds where we can separate it out, and reassure ourselves with the knowledge that this never really happened. The most inspiring thing I ever write is unlikely to match the truth of the courage of a person such as Terry Fox, and the most devastating thing I write can’t match the depths of pain and rage I feel reading a story like this, where a father rapes his two-year-old daughter. I could kill the bastard myself.

No, no matter what, no matter how skilled we are as authors, the knowledge that a story is true makes it impact us differently. These authors who defraud the public understand that, and then abuse that knowledge through intentional deceit.

One thing from the article that gets me - "They made my life public domain. It's about commerce," she said. "They're going to try to hijack my copyrights, which is like stealing my child."
What I want to know is how that’s any different than what she did, not just to the production company, but to her publisher and the reading public?

The Question of Ethics Shouldn't Be Dismissed

2007-06-12T10:24:00.001-07:00

The New York Sun has a piece titled The Scorn of the Literary Blogger that is itself, short-sighted at best in its analysis of the strengths of newspaper reviews compared to the shortcomings of “blog” reviews.

The reason I say shortsighted is that the author has declared, “People who write about books on the Internet, and they are surprisingly numerous, do not call themselves reviewers, but bloggers.” Well, I don’t. Not when I review in Spinetingler. And when Reviewing The Evidence was named a top blog the staff openly declared on DorothyL that they are not a blog, though they’d take the publicity. Considering the reviewing team over there includes an experienced journalist (which Spinetingler does as well) I can imagine some annoyance at the gross generalization that just because a review appears online it is not insightful and cannot be professional.

However, there is something else about the article that I do find interesting, and that is the assertion that it is only the “bloggers” who see conspiracy theories in the business, and Mr. Kirsch’s assessment of what the purpose of a review is.

The National Book Critics Circle did an extensive survey, which forms the background here.

“Yet in the face of the constant shrinkage of newspaper book coverage — as inexorable, it seems, as the melting of the glaciers — the literary world still makes time to fight over some very minor "ethical" questions. "Should a book review editor assign a book on subject A to a reviewer who has also written a book on subject A?" the NBCC survey asked. "Should authors who publish with a particular house be permitted to review other books published by that house?" I can't think of a working editor or journalist who would say no to either question. What's more, such questions demonstrate a basically flawed understanding of what book reviews are for….

“Questions like those raised by the NBCC survey envision the book review as a transaction between author and reviewer, rather than between reviewer and reader. To be obsessed with potential bias or conflict of interest on the book reviewer's part is to imagine the reviewer as a judge, who is obligated to provide every author with his or her day in court. But that judicial standard is impossible, because there is no such thing as an objective judgment of a work of literature; aesthetic judgment is by definition personal and opinionated. Nor would a perfectly objective book review even be desirable. The whole point of a review is to set one mind against another, and see what sparks fly. If the reviewer lacks an individual point of view, or struggles to repress it, there can be no intellectual friction, and therefore no interest or drama.”

The inference I take from this is that reviews should be an opinionated assessment of the work based on taste, and not an objective analysis. I disagree, at least in part.

Let’s go to the one statement I do agree with, that a review is a transaction between reviewer and reader. It is the job of the reviewer to give the reader enough information to decide if they want to read the book. That has nothing to do with the reviewer’s opinion and everything to do with the merits of the book itself.

For example, hand me a cozy, amateur sleuth book and you are not likely to get a passionate endorsement, the way I would laud an excellent police procedural, for example. Why? Because I am more passionate about one subgenre than the other. But what does that have to do with the person reading my reviews? Quite possibly, nothing. To trash a book because it fails to be what appeals to me does not mean it won’t appeal to someone else. A fair assessment evaluates the strength of the writing, the execution of the plot, the development of the characters and tries to assess the overall work against its own genre. It would be ludicrous to try to compare Faulkner to Evanovich.

I actually make a point of trying to get books that fit the interests of the reviewers into their hands. The reason is that I feel they understand the subgenre, have done a wider range of reading within it and can better assess the book for the potential readership of the title. Me? Give me a cat mystery and I’m likely to trounce it for being wholly unbelievable. Of course, believability isn’t the point of a cat mystery, so what good is the review to people who have interest in those books? It’s of no use to anyone at all, least of all me, who had to spend personal time reading a book that I have no interest in.

There is something else in the article that bugged me. The specific question: "Should authors who publish with a particular house be permitted to review other books published by that house?"

Just because reviews are meant for readers, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t ethical questions to consider. I, for one, do not believe that any reviewer should belong to an authors’ organization on the basis of reviewing. Now, opinions will differ on this, and I respect the rights of others to see it differently. However, this is how I see it: I see it as a serious question of ethics.

The truth is, it can be very difficult to assess your peers. Anyone who tells you otherwise has a heart of stone or is lying. This is something you must learn to deal with, and not every reviewer gets to the point where they can do an honest and fair assessment, without considering the repercussions.

A recent example turned up in a discussion I had with a reviewer who decided not to review a book they didn’t enjoy. It was beyond not enjoying. They didn’t feel the book was well written, didn’t like the story at all. However, the praise has been pretty much universal for the book, but they had the liberty of not reviewing it and decided they wouldn’t. One thing that came up in the discussion was the lavish praise through blurbs and reviews. I looked through the names. About 90% of them I could connect to the author in some capacity – they share an agent, an editor, a publisher in one country or another...

I would have to be an idiot for it not to cross my mind that some of the people may have given the book an endorsement because they were asked to as a favour for an editor, agent, etc. I mean, we have some authors openly declaring that they’ll blurb anyone, even if they haven’t read the book, and others saying they’ll always find something positive to say. Of course it calls into question the credibility of the blurbs. Don’t believe me? Read Barry Eisler’s candid take on it, and JA Konrath’s views for yourself.

This connects right over to reviewing, because we do have peer reviews, for one thing. And for another, there are a lot of reviewers who are aspiring authors. Ask yourself honestly, considering what two well-known authors have said about blurbing, is an author reviewing another author from the same publisher going to have the same credibility as a reviewer who isn’t an author?

We live in the age of skepticism, and that has nothing to do with blogs. That has everything to do with the disillusionment society, in general, has gone through. It used to be that you believed in the church and the government and didn’t question them. Times have changed, a lot. Now, we no longer hand respect over to governments. Watergate, anyone? We no longer hand respect over to anyone easily. If we are suspicious of the political leaders we elect, it stands to reason people will be more suspicious of everything. I know journalists, which is why I don’t blindly trust everything I read. If I’m skeptical of those spinning the hard news, of course I’ll be skeptical about those writing opinion pieces. One of the big problems in this country is that the newspapers have known political associations. So much for journalistic integrity. I watch the spin. One of the best shows we ever had in this country was Sunday Edition, hosted by Mike Duffy, an hour of political discourse that included pulling in political pundits from all leanings… even a Quebec separatist. The show had punch because it had every perspective, and representatives from all over the country chiming in. No localized interest special lobby groups with the sole voice. And through hearing the differing opinions you were able to walk away with a more balanced, informed opinion than you could get from any news program or newspaper. Don’t forget, people get misquoted in print all the time. Stuart MacBride recently talked about this. It stands to reason people who are intelligent and aware will give the benefit of the doubt instead of blindly believing everything they see in newsprint.

In fact, it’s in thinking about that that I’ve wondered about another blanket statement that the author of this article didn’t qualify: “Despite what the bloggers themselves believe, the future of literary culture does not lie with blogs — or at least, it shouldn't.”

The question unanswered is where the future of literary culture does lie. Clearly, not in newspapers, not at this rate. In Canada we have Book Television, a full-time channel like HBO. There are programs where the point is to host panels and discuss issues of relevance. In fact, a recent one I watched was on the current trend in “trash” or “slam” reviewing. It was interesting to sit there listening to “respected” reviewers talk about how it’s a good thing for reviewers to just rip a book to shreds.

Of course, I don’t recall anyone qualifying that with “when it’s justified.” Just a hearty endorsement for ripping books apart in reviews. Then, of course, there was the kindler, gentler side represented. I was waiting for the happy medium: Shouldn’t a book get the kind of review it warrants? They were reading from a review of a Martin Amis book that was a personal attack on the author, because the reviewer felt betrayed by him. It was called a review but it was an editorial on Amis as a writer, not a critical assessment of the book (Yellow Dog), which apparently was so offensive. You know what? Even if the next Rankin book was a complete letdown for me, I wouldn’t go and write a “review” and talk about how he’d failed me as a reader. It would be one thing to argue that the current book did not measure up to his established track record, based on an evaluation of the books. It would be quite another to mourn someone as a fallen author who’s just churning out senseless pulp for the masses to make a buck. It’s trends like that that undermine the credibility of reviewing itself. I mean, as a reader and as a reviewer myself, I get the feeling some people are trying to sensationalize reviews with scandalous opinions in order to make them more interesting. And that is not the point of a review either. Frankly, some like prime rib, others like chicken cordon bleu. A lot of people like coffee, but I can’t stand the stuff. It doesn’t make anyone right or wrong, it just means we have different tastes. The reviewer is supposed to be letting people know if the book will suite their taste buds and if it’s a worthy read. The review they talked about on that program was an example of someone who had a pretty high opinion of themselves and who’d stepped way beyond the bounds of what reviewing is supposed to be about – it clearly was about the reviewer and the author, and had nothing to do with being an exchange between the reviewer and readers. (Justifying my skepticism that, no matter what reviews are supposed to be, not all reviewers for newspapers clearly understand that. And if they don’t understand that, it opens the door to asking all those ethical questions I believe the NBCC was justified in asking.)

I don’t have the answers, but at least I’m open enough to admit it. This article doesn’t have the answers either, and doesn’t even assess all aspects of internet review that currently exist. I don’t completely disagree with concerns about general blogging reviews. However, the quality and value of those reviews will vary, site to site, blogger to blogger. There are some excellent bloggers and online reviewers - Lesa Holstine, a librarian with a lot of experience in the book business, Brian Lindenmuth (the link is to his recent review of Hard Man) at Fantasy Book Spot, who does more in depth reviews than most newspaper reviewers do, Russel D. McLean, who does exceptional reviews for Crime Scene Scotland.

One thing is certain: Solving the problem of dwindling review space won’t happen by making sweeping generalizations. You can’t defend reviewing as an institution with blanket statements either. It’s like saying all priests lead godly lives, or all politicians are honourable. There are going to be reviewers who are unethical, because there are unethical people in every business, in every industry, in every walk of life. It’s a fact. Saying otherwise is naïve.

For the record, if I feel there is some relationship basis that makes it impossible for me to defend my credibility on a review, I don’t review the book. Some organizations I’ve left have authors I will never review. It’s more for my own peace of mind than anything. While I can trust myself to be objective and judge work on its own merits, others can look at the situation and speculate that criticisms may have been leveled for personal reasons. I just don’t need the headache. Having left two organizations I did belong to, with hard feelings between myself and some members unresolved, I have no intention of joining other organizations and putting myself in that position again. I recently discussed the spouse of an author who rebutted a review publicly. What nobody has publicly considered is that the spouse has ensured that reviewer can never review works by that author again. If they do and are completely positive, people will say the reviewer backed down to pressure and didn’t want any more hassles. If the review is negative, people will say they’re getting even for the rebuttal. The very act of reviewing another book by the author exposes this reviewer to questions about their integrity, but not because of anything they have done. Believe me, if it was me, I would ban that author from being reviewed in Spinetingler. The potential repercussions simply are not worth the headaches. At the end of the day, we reviewers have to trust our own integrity. Just because I know I endeavor to be fair and honest doesn’t mean others will automatically believe I am. That is another fact of life. I just sign my name to reviews I know I can live with, and don’t worry about the rest. There will always be critics. As far as I’m concerned, the only time I’m at risk of compromising integrity is when I stop asking myself those ethical questions.

In my opinion, it’s a shame more reviewers don’t see that.

Book Burning

2007-05-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

A Kansas City man is burning books, because he couldn't even give his collection away to libraries or thrift shops.

"This is the funeral pyre for thought in America today," Wayne told spectators outside his bookstore as he lit the first batch of books.

The fire blazed for about 50 minutes before the Kansas City Fire Department put it out because Wayne didn't have a permit to burn them.

Wayne said next time he will get a permit. He said he envisions monthly bonfires until his supply -- estimated at 20,000 books -- is exhausted.

On the one hand, the media coverage is obviously generating awareness, but I wonder about the message being sent here. Does this come over as a great tragedy and strike those who aren't avid readers as a sad thing, or does it suggest even passionate readers and collectors are losing faith in the power of the written word?

Media Predict: Thoughts

2007-05-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

Regarding Media Predict, I think every single person has a responsibility to do their homework when it comes to an agent, publisher, contest. Many are quick to rush to judgments without all the facts. The initial criticisms I read were based more on speculation about the process, rather than anything substantive (and no, I haven't read all the criticisms). Even after my quickie interview earlier this week there were still a lot of unanswered questions, as the comment trail on my own blog, and Crimespace, proved.

My thanks to Brian for emailing me and mentioning the terms of use on Media Predict's site. After taking some time to look at them I have to say I have no desire to participate in this. The 'perpetual' right to sell your work will be a deterrent for agents and the ownership issues are of some concern. I'm no expert with contracts but I strongly recommend that anyone considering participation do their homework and consult a lawyer. I will be watching to see how this unfolds, but at this point in time I have to say that my long-term speculation is that it won't produce anything of note to the publishing world.

In short, experienced editors who have been working in the business for years cannot always predict what will catch on and what won't. The reality is anything posted to this site will be likely a minimum of 18 months from publication. By that point, any 'hype' from the process will have eroded. It will make no difference to bookstore staff and readers, who ultimately decide what succeeds and fails in this industry.

I applaud the idea of listening to readers to some degree, but that remains my single biggest issue about this: There is no guarantee that readers will participate. In fact, the proof is that the main crime fiction 'industry' blogs haven't even discussed this, but my interview was picked up by Midas Oracle, a site that focuses on market predictions.

It is my feeling that this approach will attract game players and not readers, or book-buyers. And one thing that anyone in this industry should know is that a lot of us readers don't like being told what books to buy by people who don't know anything about our genre or our industry.

No snap judgments. Two days of thinking about it. And I stand to be proven wrong, but that's my present personal position on the whole thing. Never take anything you read here as an automatic endorsement and act on it alone. Always - always always always - do your homework before signing any contract or entering a legal agreement.

Betting on a Bestseller: Media Predict responds to questions about the stock market approach to publishing

2007-05-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we learned Simon & Schuster was (again) setting the publishing world abuzz with a strategy to involve the public in the publishing process. Brent Stinski, from Media Predict – the company overseeing the stock market game for S&S and the person who came up with the concept – takes some time to answer a few questions and explain how this process works.

Thank you for agreeing to answer a few questions about this new project with Simon & Schuster. First, can you explain a little about how it works? Can any writer (unpublished or published, agented or unagented) participate? What about those involved in the stock side of the equation? Can anyone participate or are there guidelines?

Hi Sandra. Thanks for writing. Let me start out with a few big picture comments – and then we’ll get into details.

Media Predict will help media companies do what they’ve never done very well: make good forecasts. Traditionally in media, around 10 percent of the product line generates about 90 percent of revenue. So – whatever method they’re using – media companies most often aren’t honing in on what people want. It’s a very inefficient process, and we’ve all come to accept it because, I think, we assume there’s no better way.

Media Predict uses prediction markets to address this problem. Prediction markets have built an astonishing record in forecasting election results, box office revenue, sporting events, and more. And this is true even when it’s a prediction market game like Media Predict.

So in a nutshell Media Predict uses markets to make sure good stuff gets through the system. That’s the goal.

Now to answer your question: yes, any writer can submit to the site, agented or otherwise. And anyone over 18 can register on the site and trade. We need avid readers (like Spinetingler readers) to look over the book proposals and trade shares of the book proposals according to their careful deliberation.

What would you say is the primary purpose behind this plan?

The primary purpose behind Project Publish is to ensure writers and users that at least someone will get published off of Media Predict. If you’re a trader, your predictions will have a huge impact. And if you’re an unknown writer then you can come to our site have a chance at getting published. All you have to do is impress the traders who evaluate your work at Media Predict.

How did this originate?

The idea started about two years go. I was in Iowa City (my hometown) and I had a cup of coffee with one of the people at the Iowa Electronic Markets at the University of Iowa. He encouraged us to forge on, and we did.

Is there any guarantee that a participating writer will get a publishing deal? Or is it possible several will, or nobody will?

I assume you’re referring to the setup of the contest. Some attention has been paid to this, but I think it’s a storm in a teacup. Basically Simon & Schuster wanted the right to opt out if we simply couldn’t provide them with any good, publishable books. Looking at what we launched with, we’ve already surpassed that goal. There’s some great stuff on the site. So yeah: there will be a winner.

Now, remember that anything that appears on Media Predict is eligible for publication at any time. Simon & Schuster will choose from the top-50 scoring works at a future date. But if a publisher wants to buy a book tomorrow, then they can. Given the quality of material we have, I expect that to start happening soon.

Author Barbara Fister has commented on this plan, saying, “On the other hand, I'd much rather be asked which book I'd like to read, not which book is likely to sell the most copies. This approach just seems to keep pushing away the question of what readers - real readers - actually like and gets the public involved in the same guesswork now done by publishers.”

I can sympathize with this view. The thing to bear in mind is that – one way or another – we’re all dependent on the internal mechanics of publishing houses to deliver our books to us. If we improve that, we all win.

I think the key is confidence. It’s hard to have a lot of confidence when less than 10 percent of books are supporting the production costs of almost 90 percent of what publishers put out. As it is there’s an overwhelming temptation for publishing houses to go for blockbusters, or cookie-cutter stuff that they think people will like.

But what if media companies had more confidence? At the moment, they often see unusual or innovative material as too much of a risk, but they’ll put out these kinds of works if they had good predictions to back them up.

So this author may chafe at having to make predictions about books he or she might never read. Then again, there are lots of different kinds of books on the site, and there’s no requirement to trade in them all. In the end, the method does its work – and the more it’s applied, the more we’ll raise the level of content that publishers put out for everyone.

Two questions came to mind when I read Barbara's comment. One was, what’s to stop the people from putting stocks on the books they do want to read, rather than what sells? Is there some incentive to “win” the game with the stocks by “investing” in a way that means you become the virtual Donald Trump of the game? If not, how do you gauge the intent behind any of the participation?

You become the virtual Donald Trump merely by predicting well what will happen. Will a book get a deal? Will a band get a deal? Will a television pilot win its timeslot? These are the questions.

What’s nice about markets is that I don’t have to know the individual psychology or motivation behind someone’s predictions. As long as they’re right, they’ll prosper. So one person might just bet on what they like as an individual consumer. Another person might make complex calculations in making a prediction. It doesn’t matter – in the end the market brings together everyone’s best ideas. And the end prediction is usually very, very strong.

And part of the article in the NY Times referred to this being used as a variation on a focus group. The commenter above clearly distinguishes between the question of what a person is interested in reading and what a person thinks will sell. For example, I read a variety of lesser-known authors – Steve Mosby, Carol Anne Davis, Allan Guthrie, John McFetridge – that I will happily buy future books by, but I know that an autobiography of Bill Clinton is going to sell more copies than any of their works. What would you say to those who wonder if this plan only gives ammunition to support projects that would be an easy sell anyway?

Going back to my comments above, the goal is to improve confidence. A guy like Steve Mosby (we can ask him) probably had a tough time getting people to pay attention to him at one point. But he’s good. He fought through, he got into print, and now he has his audience.

With greater confidence everything about media improves. Niche-specializing publishers put out and profit from niche books. Mainstream publishers put out and profit from high-volume books. The real problem is the risk and uncertainty – that’s what makes record companies crank out synthetic bands and movie studios put out something like Big Momma’s House 3. This kind of decision-making is based on a rational desire to recoup investment, since to executives these things seem like safe bets. Ironically in the end they’re not – since all kinds of derivative stuff fails too. But that’s the vicious cycle we’re in.

We say: if you have an audience, you have a deal. That’s the way it should be. Or at least that’s a future we’d like to see. And that goes for niche products as well as mainstream ones.

I recently discussed focus groups and having more reader feedback in the publishing process, which is something I believe in to a point. With this approach, what ensures that actual avid readers will participate, as opposed to those who enjoy playing with stocks?

We have no assurance. Media Predict makes some people very excited. Others don’t have the same reaction. So we’ll just work with the users who believe in us.

What’s nice about prediction markets is that you can generate very accurate predictions with only a few people – with only a few dozen, some researchers say. We may need higher numbers in the case of Media Predict. But we’re confident there are enough avid readers out there who will get hooked on this. (The site is supposed to be fun, you know.) We invite avid readers to join in and trade at Media Predict. It is their participation that will propel good stuff through the system. Their participation will be enough for us to generate good results.

Will there be status reports or updates through this process to try to drum up interest?

I’m not sure – we have a blog, and I’ll post there when I have time. As with any internet company, we’ll have to see how things go.

Now, how can writers participate? And how can readers get involved in playing the stocks?

Anyone can submit to Media Predict without any commitment whatsoever. Our current books were referred to us by agents, but we’ll include user submissions as well. Unfortunately we’re limited in the amount of material we can put up, but we’ll include as many books as we can on the site. After that, it’s up to the users to call the shots.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Not really . . . I guess we realize it’s a lot to take in, and that all of this can be confusing. I think some of the press coverage in the publishing community reflects that confusion. But we’re not trying to please everyone, and this isn’t for everyone. We’re really looking for the people out there who believe in this method – they’re more than enough to help us achieve our goals.

So if anyone out there has read this far, I’d encourage them to get involved. It’s your site. You can make it work.

Thanks for your interest Sandra. And thanks to your readers.

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions Brent. This is one of the more original things I’ve seen lately, along with the author bus tours in Scotland. Very creative, and more than anything, it will be interesting to assess the entire process and see what happens.

Well, we never said we could compete with the bus tours in Scotland . . .

There has already been discussion about this on Crimespace, and undoubtedly as the industry takes note there will be more discussion. I guess you could say the jury is out – on the authors under submission and the process. The one thing I feel confident about is that a lot of people will be watching.

Debut Novelist Gets $1.25 million

2007-05-21T14:21:00.001-07:00

Ed Gorman has already said it best. This is an absolute must-read, especially his commentary at the bottom.

Stocks on Stories

2007-05-21T08:03:00.000-07:00

Simon & Schuster is in the news again, this time for a plan involving fantasty stocks based on manuscript proposals. Media Predict is soliciting book proposals from agents and the public, and posting pages of them on the site. Traders, who are given $5,000 in fantasy cash, can buy shares based on their guess about whether a particular book proposal is likely to get a deal, or whether Touchstone Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, will select it as a finalist in a contest called Project Publish. If either happens within a four-month period, the value of the shares go to $100 apiece; if not, the share price falls to zero.

The site also allows traders to bet on the chances that unsigned musicians who currently top the rankings on MySpace.com, the social networking site, will get a record deal.

Media Predict is modeled after other so-called prediction markets like the Hollywood Stock Exchange, which allows traders to bet on the four-week North American box office receipts of movies, or the Iowa Electronic Markets, which allow people to bet on election results.

“Being able to predict the performance of something is key,” said Brent Stinski, founder of Media Predict. A prediction market, he said, “is a very powerful tool.”

For Simon & Schuster, the partnership is yet another attempt to gauge popular tastes. Earlier this year, the publisher teamed up with Gather.com, a social networking site, to run an “American Idol”-style contest in which voters pick a manuscript for Simon & Schuster to publish.

In the case of Media Predict, traders are not voting on the book they like best, but rather are placing bets on which they think will do well. According to Mark Gompertz, publisher of Touchstone Books, Media Predict could do for book publishing what focus groups do for soap and soda and what screening audiences do for movies.

One thing is certain: It will be very interesting to see how this project unfolds.

Aspiring Author on Tour

2007-05-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

ASPIRING Scottish authors are being encouraged to apply for a unique writer in residency - on a bus.

Last summer Aberdeen City Council's pioneering "Reading Bus" took to the road for the first time in an innovative drive to encourage youngsters to read and to promote family learning in a non-school environment.

The converted single-decker targets children and parents in the city's St Machar area, which has a secondary school, ten primaries and three nurseries.

It was revealed yesterday that, thanks to funding from oil giant Shell UK and Lottery Awards for All, the Reading Bus initiative is to appoint its own writer in residence - a published author prepared to work on the bus for a year.

Click on the link for the full article. This is one of the more interesting ideas I've seen of late. Think of our discussions about author tours here: Why is it this can get corporate sponsorship? Could the same concept be applied in North American?

I suspect I'll be mulling over this for a few days, and perhaps back with more thoughts on it later. It isn't the same as my rock 'n' roll authors suggestion, but there are similarities that, if expanded upon, could be used as the platform for a very interesting author tour.

POD Technology

2007-05-17T16:47:00.000-07:00

In a recent discussion on one of the lists I read, there was debate about what qualifies a publisher to be recognized as 'legitimate' by some organizations. Every organization seems to have criteria that must be met.

One of the things that has kept some publisher from being recognized is the use of POD technology. In fact, most review sites will not consider reviewing POD titles. Others assert that stores don't carry POD titles because most aren't returnable.

It's blanket discrimination like this that makes it hard for technological advancement. I'm familiar with POD and some of the shortfalls. I'm also aware that places that use printers such as Lightning Source allow for returns and distribute through Ingram. I could go in a whole different direction with a rant here, but won't.

The main focus of my thoughts is a report on Galleycat, about changes to contracts with Simon & Schuster. Here's an excerpt:

S&S spokesman Adam Rothberg was surprised at the "overreaction" by the Authors Guild. "We believe that our contract appropriately addresses the improved technology, increased availability, and higher quality of print on demand books, and reflects the fact that print on demand titles may now be readily purchased by consumers at both online and brick and mortar stores. We are embracing print on demand technology as an unprecedented opportunity for authors and publishers to keep their books alive and available and selling in the marketplace in a way that may not have been previously possible for many authors, and are confident in the long term it that will be a benefit for all concerned." S&S further wanted the author and agent community "to know that, when necessary, we have always had good faith negotiations on the subject of reversions, and will continue to on a book-by-book basis."

Here's my first question: Will the newspapers that have policies against reviewing POD titles be subjective with future reviews of Simon & Schuster titles?

Here's my next question: Will we see more mainstream acceptance for POD?

I'm personally amused by the timing of this, because of some of the recent discussions. If you read the Galleycat article (and you really should) you'll know that this contract issue is a serious one. The rules concerning POD titles and reclaiming title need to be addressed before POD becomes even more common than it already is.

Theakstons Old Peculier Longlist Announced

2007-05-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

The long list for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, given out at Harrogate Crime Festival in July, has been announced. You can vote online. The shortlist of six is then selected and there's a second round of voting.

The nominees:

Dead Place by Stephen Booth
All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an Eye by Christopher Brookmyre
Death of a Chancellor by David Dickinson
Never Go Back by Robert Goddard
Two Way Split by Allan Guthrie
Little Face by Sophie Hannah
Ash & Bone by John Harvey
The Stranger House by Reginald Hill
The Pure in Heart by Susan Hill
Blood and Honey by Graham Hurley
The Lighthouse by PD James
The Death Ship of Dartmouth by Michael Jecks
Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride
The Train Excursion by Edward Marston
Ratcatcher by James McGee
After the Armistice Ball by Catriona McPherson
Dance with Death by Barbara Nadel
Jacquot and the Angel by Martin O'Brien
End in Tears by Ruth Rendell
Mr. Clarinet by Nick Stone

Vote here

My congrats to all.

Focus Groups, The Americanizing of British Novels & How Publishers Can Join The 21st Century

2007-05-16T05:15:00.000-07:00

This is the inevitable follow-up to the last post. I've had a few days to think over the article. Cross-posted from my personal blog. (Evil Kev is my husband.)

”I am thinking it would be fun to do an arc in a f2f group. Discuss a book in detail BEFORE it is published and then give the author the feedback - or at least the feedback that might be useful.”

When I read that my automatic response was It’s never going to happen. Yes, call me a pessimist, call me a cynic. Lynne’s idea (posted on my Crimespace chat wall) has merit but adds a layer of work to the already lengthy publishing process.

Only a few days later an article in the NY Times said: The hunt for the key has been much more extensive in other industries, which have made a point of using new technology to gain a better understanding of their customers. Television stations have created online forums for viewers and may use the information there to make programming decisions. Game developers solicit input from users through virtual communities over the Internet. Airlines and hotels have developed increasingly sophisticated databases of customers. 

Publishers, by contrast, put up Web sites where, in some cases, readers can sign up for announcements of new titles. But information rarely flows the other way — from readers back to the editors.  

“We need much more of a direct relationship with our readers,” said Susan Rabiner, an agent and a former editorial director. Bloggers have a much more interactive relationship with their readers than publishers do, she said. “Before Amazon, we didn’t even know what people thought of the books,” she said.  

Most in the industry seem to see consumer taste as a mystery that is inevitable and even appealing, akin to the uncontrollable highs and lows of falling in love or gambling. Publishing employees tend to be liberal arts graduates who enter the field with a starting salary around $30,000. Compensation is not tied to sales performance. “The people who go into it don’t do it for the money, which might explain why it’s such a bad business,” Mr. Strachan said.

I agree that reader feedback is important and that publishers should be seeking it. However, I don’t think that Amazon is the best way to get the kind of feedback publishers need. More on this shortly.

Evil Kev and I have been talking about this a lot lately, for a variety of reasons. Part of what spurred it was the fact that Lynne has read my new manuscript. Lynne read SC for me when it was in ARC form. A 4MA-er, she knows her in-depth book club discussions. She made a list of discussion questions for me that I could provide to book clubs.

Since she was interested in reading What Burns Within I thought that was more than fair, since she’d helped me out with SC, despite the fact it’s manuscript stage. I was a bit unfair to her, because I didn’t even give her a teaser to ground her with the story. Just handed her the manuscript. Duh. When people read books they have the back cover description to tell them who the main characters are.

Lynne’s response to WBW (“I stayed up till three thirty this morning reading it. WHY did that publisher turn it down? Nice or not whoever it was has made a mistake - this is really good. I am totally enjoying it, I like the characters and the story has me totally sucked in.”) was what ultimately led to our discussion about readers giving feedback at the ARC stage.

As Evil Kev pointed out to me, movies have been doing this for ages, with focus groups. Writers often participate in critique groups, but that’s not the same thing. Those are selected groups of writers who see your work again and again, and who pass their work back to you. I’m not discounting the value, but this is about giving readers some say. I don’t want to touch on the issue of sensitive writers but believe me, if someone offers me an ARC or manuscript to read to blurb and doesn’t ask for feedback, I don’t give it. I know better than to mess with an author’s ego about their work and I actually do value my life.

End of day, it is the readers we write for. Without an audience no books will see print. And sometimes publishers underestimate their readers.

What justifies that assertion? Well, here’s just one example. Several months ago I was working on a profile for a new publisher that had a focus on imported British fiction. The profile fell apart, but the groundwork was there, in reader surveys I did.

“I frequently order from the UK or Canada,” DorothyL reader Sarah B told me. “Why? Because either the book is not available in the USA and I've had it recommended to me, or it's not available YET and I can't wait. Recent examples are Anthony Bidulka from Canada, and Jo Bannister and Val McDermid in the UK.”

Sarah isn’t alone, either. “When the US release is a year or more later than the UK release, I find a way to purchase the UK version,” Kim in Minnesota told me. “I'm impatient. I can generally wait a month or two but not a whole year.”

Deb in South Carolina voiced stronger opinions. “The main reason that I order books from the UK is that I don't want my UK mysteries or fantasies 'Americanized'. I find the 'Americanization' changes to be demeaning to me as a reader -- and an insult to the author. The author intended the book to have a certain impact on the reader and I have to believe that that impact can change with the 'Americanization' - changing terms, spelling, etc. If I don't understand a term, I look it up on the Internet or in one of the marvelous books such as BOB'S YOUR UNCLE or FANNY PACKS AND BUMBAGS. Most of the orders took a week or more -- depending on what I wanted to pay -- or could afford to pay -- for postage.”

Within thirty minutes of posing the question on DorothyL on a Saturday morning I had half a dozen responses in my inbox. What that tells me is that there are a high number of American readers who feel strongly about this issue.

American publishers are automatically losing domestic sales to the international market because of “Americanizing” the novels or bringing the books out months behind their original release. I understand sometimes this is necessary to accommodate author tour schedules and for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with ‘Americanizing’ the books, but a good example would be the most recent Rebus book. There was no new US Rankin title in 2006. The Naming of the Dead could have been moved up to coincide with UK/Canada release. Don’t give me the song and dance about touring. Allan Guthrie was in NYC recently doing promotion and Hard Man doesn’t come out in the US until June. In Ian’s case, this would have allowed US fans to get the last Rebus book alongside everyone else. I mean, imagine asking the US to wait six months for Harry Potter. Right.

Instead, what happens is that reviewers in the US acquire copies early and say, “Don’t wait for the US release, get it now.” And people do, and down go the US sales figures.

This could be the same with American books being released in the UK – I honestly don’t know, so please don’t take it as US bashing. (If you want to hear someone bash just get me started on generalizations about Canada’s love of bloodless murders and stupid cops.) This is just one example of something I’ve seen readers discuss, that I know some feel strongly about.

I would like to see publishers utilize the internet to maximize their effectiveness. Having a website isn’t enough – it needs to be a professional website that suits needs. Friend of mine in the business told me about one night that $10,000 of sales were put through (educational publisher). She was finally able to persuade her boss that having a functional website that allowed direct purchasing was a sound investment. Go back to that last paragraphs in the NY Times article. Most in the industry seem to see consumer taste as a mystery that is inevitable and even appealing, akin to the uncontrollable highs and lows of falling in love or gambling. Publishing employees tend to be liberal arts graduates who enter the field with a starting salary around $30,000. Compensation is not tied to sales performance. “The people who go into it don’t do it for the money, which might explain why it’s such a bad business,” Mr. Strachan said.

We may love writing and books, but this is a business. Presently, the method for determining popularity seems to be based on sales. However, that becomes cyclical at some point. Someone has a great book out. It gets lots of attention. The publisher puts money behind pushing the paperback release. It’s stocked in Wal-Mart and Costco and all the right places to fly off the shelves. Bestseller. Comparable success follows for the next book. The author becomes a bit of a brand name and so then every single title they produce is automatically stocked in those outlets. Of course the books will do significantly better than the one by the new author who got a $5000 advance and no promotional budget. Sales only show us part of the picture. This does not necessarily mean that there is more of an appetite for Mr. Bestseller’s book than for Mr. Unknown’s. It just means Mr. Bestseller’s book is more readily accessible and heavily promoted so more people are likely to see it and buy it.

A lot of authors seem to be invested in finding the way to get on that promotional cycle so they can get exposure. What I think could be great for everyone is if publishers would shift it in a different direction.

Here’s a thought. Okay, not all logistics considered. But what if publishers started forums attached to their websites. They pick focus books each month and the author comes on to do an online discussion of the book, interacting with readers. This would be an attraction feature. By that, I mean that if word got around that JK Rowling was going to be on one website interacting with readers and answering questions and reading their comments I bet the traffic for the site would go through the roof. HBO did this a few years ago, for THE WIRE, with David Simon. I hide behind the luxury that we aren’t on Orion’s radar and they’ll never offer me an ARC of a Rankin title. I’ve never had to make a choice about reviewing a Rebus book. I do still review books I buy but I use it as my ‘out’ with those titles so that I can just sit back and enjoy them instead of doing a more critical assessment when reading. But if there was an in-depth discussion Ian participated in on an Orion forum I doubt I’d be able to resist.

So, you have your attraction that draws an audience. In addition to selected monthly discussion titles you also have general discussion sections for news about upcoming releases and customer comments on books. Why? I have mixed feelings about Amazon, because of how the system works. Since Evil Kev orders the books when we do use Amazon I can’t post reviews because I’m not considered a customer. And since we share the same credit cards (you know, being married and all) well, I can’t participate. Then we see the power of anonymity at work and we know how some people use it to bash people they don’t like.

The forum could conduct polls, provide authors and editors with feedback on new titles, provide feedback on things such as covers, and properly designed be an effective promotional venue to spread the word about new titles from that publisher.

By comparison to some things publishers invest major promotional money on, this could actually be done cost-effectively.

Now, I’m going to leave you with more thoughts from Lynne. She gave me permission to use them. They are her opinion, but I think they highlight things I’ve heard other readers say on lists, in one cohesive email, and these are things worth thinking about. Please overlook the fact she’s talking about my manuscript (I mean, bless fans like Lynne, this is who I want to please with my work and I’d keep writing if for no other reason than that she’d come kick my ass if I didn’t, but she was reacting to the reasons I’d been given for a rejection) and see beyond to what she’s saying about styles of writing and what does and doesn’t have a place in a story, as well as older books that are still popular that don’t fit the modern conventions.

Your book is good. Yes you have a lot of characters. Yes you have to read into in a bit to sort them out --- what are we? Stupider than a hundred years ago?

H Rider Haggard, Erle Stanley Gardner, George MacDonald, SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE -- not one of them would get picked up today because you have to read three chapters to get a start on the story and even then it is slow and takes time to learn who is who and what is going on. People today want instant gratification - open the book and the first person you meet is the only name you need to remember, and the action is right there. That is fine now and again but it is not the only way to write and certainly it is not the only thing to read!

Edgar Rice Burroughs - like how famous is Tarzan? - and his first book of the series is almost entirely a buildup for the rest of the series! One of the best stories I ever read was People of the Mist by H Rider Haggard and really getting into it was work. Getting into Lord of the Rings is work. Why do people still read it? Because we know it is worth it. Without already knowing that would they still keep going through chapter after chapter of scene building? Can you tell this is a rant?

The bottom line is that your book is worth getting through the beginning with. Has Bob Fate read it? In some ways it is not so far off from his style. Baby Shark took a bit of reading to get going in too. Yes there is, in both cases, action at the start, but there is also character building and set up, explanation of future events, background - all good stuff. It can and is over done at times but not by you. There was one author who went into detail on the wife of a retired cop who was not in the story and the wife was certainly not in the story as she had been dead ten years yet he gave detail on her social life and colour preferences and stuff - now THAT was unnecessary and really ticked me off (in fact that whole book ticked me off and the author was and is widely published but I never tried another of his).

Okay, rant over. I am not saying your story is perfect - I am not qualified to judge really but I do know that I enjoyed it and expect a number of other people will too given the chance. It is better than what I am reading now.

Of course, maybe this is the reason publishers don’t have forums. Maybe they’re afraid…

(Quick news insert: Scotch on the Rocks over at Pulp Pusher, which you should bookmark because they’ve just accepted a story from yours truly for the July issue.)

An Absolute Must-Read

2007-05-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

This article speculates on what makes some books succeed while others don't. I suspect I could launch into a rant of my own based on my initial read of this.

Here's an excerpt:

The hunt for the key has been much more extensive in other industries, which have made a point of using new technology to gain a better understanding of their customers. Television stations have created online forums for viewers and may use the information there to make programming decisions. Game developers solicit input from users through virtual communities over the Internet. Airlines and hotels have developed increasingly sophisticated databases of customers.

Publishers, by contrast, put up Web sites where, in some cases, readers can sign up for announcements of new titles. But information rarely flows the other way — from readers back to the editors.

“We need much more of a direct relationship with our readers,” said Susan Rabiner, an agent and a former editorial director. Bloggers have a much more interactive relationship with their readers than publishers do, she said. “Before Amazon, we didn’t even know what people thought of the books,” she said.

Most in the industry seem to see consumer taste as a mystery that is inevitable and even appealing, akin to the uncontrollable highs and lows of falling in love or gambling. Publishing employees tend to be liberal arts graduates who enter the field with a starting salary around $30,000. Compensation is not tied to sales performance. “The people who go into it don’t do it for the money, which might explain why it’s such a bad business,” Mr. Strachan said.

I'm going to take a few days to digest this, but I felt it was definitely worth relaying. In part, it's funny, because I just started a thread on Crimespace asking if we can manufacture success.

I'm interested in seeing thoughts on the topic. Already there have been some interesting stories told. Thoughts welcome here as well.

Scam Publishers

2007-05-06T09:50:00.001-07:00

Every month I receive a newsletter from Anvil Publishers, Inc. Specifically, what I receive is called Southern Review of Books.

Last month, I read the story of aspiring author Linda Wattley. Linda has told her story several places, about how she was victimized by a publisher. Here’s an excerpt from her story:

When I joined her, I was eager to get a message out about healing the damages of sexual abuse. She told me she could make it happen if I could front the funds. I paid for a trilogy and received one book with errors.
Prior to realizing she had published my book without a galley, she introduced me to Belinda Williams of Literary Lifestyle, LLC. Together on a three way call they convinced me together we could make great things happen. Ms. Williams informed me as my publicist it would take an entire year to do justice for my career and her fee was $10,000.00 plus a $500.00 retainer fee. Immediately I told her I it was far out my budget. She took a $1,000.00 off making my payments $700.00 a month. Reluctantly, I stepped out on faith.

The first rule about being published is that you should never pay your publisher to be published. You don’t have a publisher – you have a printer. (I am splitting hairs here. If you choose to be self-published there are viable options to consider – Lulu, for example – where you will not pay $10,000 to get your book out. However, if you’re seeking a publisher, that’s entirely different from pursuing self-publishing. If you’re looking for someone to publish your book they should never charge a fee.)

There is no doubt in my mind that the so-called publishers Ms. Wattley dealt with are scams. However, the one thing I did wonder about was how it is that there are still so many people who become entangled in these scams. Obviously, scam publishers stay in the game because they are able to make money.

Which means somehow, we haven’t spread the word enough about how to determine if a publisher is legitimate or not.

You can find exhaustive lists of key warning signs to look for at on Preditors and Editors, Writer Beware and Associated Content. The latter, from Associated Content, is perhaps the most balanced. I will be touching on the advice from Preditors & Editors specifically, as some of it is extreme. For example, one no-no they cite is that the publisher has a focus on new authors. Some publishers do begin with an open submission call. For example - Crème de la Crime is one example of a publisher that launched with a competition. Not only have Crème de la Crime been operating over three years now, garnering reviews, producing well-received books, being invited to participate in events like Harrogate Crime Festival, they have also expanded distribution into the US. This is an example of where I’ll jump on another soap box: Some sites that are designed to provide warnings can overstep and overstate. The advice for writers is always do your homework.

I am not bringing much new to the table here, but I would also like to direct your attention to the May 2007 issue of Southern Book Review. Item #2 tackles a publishing scam that touched on a book produced by Lightning Source, which is owned by Ingram. Item #3 goes on to outline another publishing scam.

Reading about these scams, month after month, I realize that our present method for distributing useful information to those at risk is flawed. Part of the reason is the reliance on forums. While helpful to some, they are often populated by anonymous and regular users. In some cases it’s possible that the users find a certain perverse pleasure in trashing new publishing venues without doing their homework. Look at some of the advice given for spotting a scam publisher:

“Acceptances usually take place in less than a month. Even less than a week is not unusual.”

In order to know this, someone actually has to submit to them. It may be possible to spot a scam quickly, particularly if they list fees on their site, but it may also be necessary to actually initiate a process with them in order to reveal the truth. I went through this myself, with researching publishers, and in some cases everything checked out until contract offers were made, stating the fees I was required to pay. In order to get the information it took time, and in some cases far more than a month.

Here is another example of dubious advice. Online forum criticism is frequently immediately responded to by a defender of that publisher. This is a circular argument, at best. It puts more doubt on the publisher if anyone has anything positive to say about them.

As I was looking over these articles and thinking about how we identify scam publishers, I was reminded of a conversation I had with another author, who was one of the first to be published by a new publisher that’s been doing quite well. Several of their authors have been nominated for awards, and some have even won them.

I asked the author about making the decision to go with this publisher, who didn’t have a track record, and they admitted that you can do all the required homework and still, in the end, without a publishing history behind them it’s a gamble. You don’t know how well the publisher will do at distributing your book. You don’t know if the editing will be solid or if the artwork will be professional.

Sometimes, things work out, sometimes they don’t.

Here are a few things I definitely think you should consider:

If at all possible, contact an author they publish and ask for feedback. If you can’t find a website or method to contact the author listed online, send them mail through the publisher. This is a standard practice. Put your letter in a sealed envelope, and put that inside another envelope, with a note to the publisher asking them to forward the mail to their author.

I would be very suspicious of any publisher that has no authors willing to engage readers. Most authors have websites or blogs.

The publisher should operate like a professional publisher. Publishers should work to release dates, do advance promotion of books, and their books should be reviewed by legitimate reviewing sources.

Any legitimate publisher should have their books carried by bookstores. If you’re considering a publisher you should check out local booksellers – both chain and independent – to see if their books are carried there. This may not apply if you live in a different country from the publisher (you will have to check their distribution) but even with legitimate publishers this is something for authors to consider. If a publisher does not have the ability to distribute and have books carried by stores then you are limited to online sales, which are estimated at only a fraction of total book sales.

You may still choose to go with a smaller publisher in order to break in and get an agent/larger publisher, but you should definitely do your homework.

Never commit yourself to a contract for more than one or two books if the publisher does not have a proven track record. If Random House offers you a four book deal, congratulations. However, most legitimate publishers are now offering new authors one or two book deals. A new author is a considerable financial investment, and if the first book bombs the publisher doesn’t want to be stuck with them through three more titles.

Always make sure there’s an ‘out’ clause in the contract, and, as I already said, if at all possible talk to someone with the publisher.

This is really skimming the surface. However, I would ask everyone to consider linking to an issue of Southern Review of Books, and reminding people that there are still a lot of writers who are falling for scams. The very best thing you can tell aspiring authors? Take your time, ask lots of questions and get to know legitimate people in this business. If you understand the way the business works you’ll be able to see through not only the scams, but the not-scam-but-not-professional publishers quickly.

I use that wording deliberately. It’s easy to identify scams. It can be harder for newcomers to recognize the difference between inexperienced and unprofessional.

Which is a whole other issue, and in some respects just as serious. At the end of the day, you want your publishing experience to be a positive one, not a journey to financial ruin filled with regret.

Author Tours

2007-05-03T05:55:00.001-07:00

Rock ‘n’ Roll Authors

I don’t want to be a rock star but I think authors could learn something from them. Wouldn’t it be cool if there were more joint author tours? I’m not talking about a couple friends pairing up for a few dates in the usual haunts: I’m talking about taking authors with books out toward the end of one month and just at the beginning of the next month and putting them on the road together – a couple ‘bigger names’ and a couple ‘rising stars’ doing the twenty city gig.

Before any reading authors groan and contemplate if there might be some way to virtually smack me, let’s just think about this.

I was talking to friend and author Toni McGee Causey (whose debut book, Bobbie Faye’s Very (very, very, very) Bad Day has just hit store shelves this week and is funny as hell). Toni and I both live in places authors don’t often visit when doing book tours.

I said I wished authors toured together more. Three years ago, I went to my first concert at the Saddledome. Sting and Annie Lennox. Why that concert?

When do you think I’ll get another chance to see Sting and Annie Lennox in concert together? Never. Evil Kev and I like Sting’s music. And we like Annie Lennox and Eurythmics. We were teenagers in the 80s – The Police and Eurythmics are the stuff we came of age on. Sting coming to town? Interesting. Sting and Annie Lennox coming to town? Must see.

Musicians understand this. Two-for-one sounds like a deal. It’s an opportunity you don’t want to miss out on. You might never get another chance to have that experience again. And for all those ‘middle-of-the-road’ fans, who might be interested in going to see X but it isn’t top of their priority list, finding out that if they go see X they’ll also see Y can make the difference in boosting it to a highly anticipated event on the calendar.

I was telling Toni about the fact that it’s so hard to find out when author events are. We have one main festival, and they don’t seem to feel it’s important to let us know who’s attending until September. The festival is in October, just after Thanksgiving weekend. Is September not one of the busiest times of the year? Add in Thanksgiving, and the fact that there are only so many nice weekends left, and it’s a wonder the festival doesn’t fold. In fact, of the two years I’ve gone to events, in both cases I found out who was attending before the festival released in the information and in at least one of those cases I wouldn’t have known if the author hadn’t told me they’d be in town themselves.

Locally, there’s one main independent that hosts events. When I say locally, I mean it’s an hour’s drive away. Each way. They don’t send out email bulletins about events. If you want to know if someone’s coming you have to read through their events calendar online - I have to make a point of checking their website regularly. And I have to admit that, even as an author and a booklover, I just don’t have that much incentive. I lose track of time. I forget.

So… if I want to go see an author I know I have two hours of driving involved. For the average 10-15 minute reading and then standing in line to get a book signed? And it’s up to me to find out when the author is coming. Do you want to guess how many author events I’ve actually been to here? I hate driving downtown Calgary, for starters. Parking’s a bitch. Then there’s the walking for blocks alone at night in some areas… Not a big fan of that. And the cost.

But as I was saying to Toni, if there was more than one author, if they didn’t come as often but when they did come it was a noteworthy event, I’d go.

Like rock concerts, she said.

Exactly.

Here are a few of the advantages I see:

1. It’s cost-effective. Look, it takes time to plan a big tour. A publicist usually does that. But it doesn’t take much more time to plan a tour for three or four authors than it does to plan a tour for one. You’re just booking more tickets and hotel rooms. As I suggested, take a couple authors who have books out at the end of one month, and a couple with books out right at the beginning of the next month. Put them on the road together. Focused organizational time, and focused promotional dollars.

2. It’s easier to get people talking about it. Like I said, for one author it may not be critical to attend an event. But for three or four? Groundswell. Everyone has their fan base. A group of authors on the road together? More likely to generate buzz on the listservs, the blogs, forums, etc.

3. Media coverage. Not just another ho-hum-yawn booksigning. An event.

4. Speaking of blogs… Three or four authors on the road together can take turns blogging. Put up a post every couple of days. (More and more want to smack me now.) Seriously, have a blog for the tour. Share the load. With four authors and a post every other day, on average, that’s only once a week for a few hundred words. People love to hear stories. A few weeks ago, Al Guthrie was in the US. Not even Canada. But I know he hung out in Philadelphia, and I know he hung out in NYC and I know he did an event with Swierczywonderboy and Denise Mina and Ian Rankin. And, thanks to Duane’s blog, I am left to wonder why Ian Rankin felt it was necessary to provide anything more than a one-word answer to the question, Would you snort a dead relative? I guess I’ll always be left to wonder what he actually said. You know what I notice from being on the blogs? They have a domino effect. Duane hosted Al Guthrie week on his blog. I linked to it at the start here. I saw other people link to it. The blog became part of the event. For all those far from NYC we felt tied in, connected. And I find from reading the blogs that bloggers like to support other bloggers and feel more motivated to go and meet people at events if they know them from the blog.

A word from my experience

The first time I bought tickets to attend an author event, it was to hear Ian Rankin, and Val McDermid. In town, the same weekend. Our wedding anniversary. Crazy-busy time for us. That time of year always is. On the Sunday Val McDermid had an event, in Banff, with Laura Lippman.

At that point I (ahem) had not read any Laura Lippman. She’d just come on to my radar. The festival event write-up was impressive. We were actually tempted to drive the 2+hours each way to go and see Val and Laura together. I regret that we didn’t, because I know now it’s unlikely there will be another chance to see them here together. I didn’t go but bought my first Lippman, Every Secret Thing, and became a fan of her work.

Last fall, I went to see Mark Billingham when he was here. I estimated I spent about $250 going to see Mark. Okay, I went to see him three days in a row, and once was for lunch (and I didn’t pay) but by the time you factor in gas, parking, event tickets and meals around the two events because the time of day required eating out, it adds up. Even if Evil Kev and I had only gone to the one event we would have spent about $100 for the evening. (Since Kevin had met me from work we had two vehicles to park.)

I wouldn’t shell out that kind of money for just anyone. I can buy a lot of books for that much money.

And the best thing was…
My experience of seeing Ian Rankin locally was the most impersonal of all my author experiences. It’s not his fault. It’s the reality of how popular he is. Hundreds of people were there, and before they let us in people were being turned way from the box office because the event was sold out. I had no expectations for the event going in.

A few weeks later I got a postcard from Ian Rankin. I have to say that, from the very beginning, I was impressed by Val and Ian, the best in this business. The personal touch goes a long way. So, don’t shoot me when I suggest a group tour and a group tour blog. Believe me, sending the same group of authors out on the road together for a few weeks could build a huge amount of hype around it. You think I was a Rankin fan before getting a postcard from him? Things like that take someone from the place of the author of books I love to a really nice guy who writes books I love. And I like to see nice people do well. If we have a personal experience, even on that level, with someone we admire we tend to feel a bit more devoted to them.

In this day and age…

Face it. We have a lot of competition for finding an audience. Drives me mad that Word on the Street here is in September and Wordfest in October. There are only so many nice fall weekends, add in Thanksgiving and the fact that a lot of people like us, have a wedding anniversary in September or October and it’s insane. That used to be the time of year I was going back to work. The last few weekends of camping in Kananaskis and snow-free hiking in the mountains are those weekends.

The festivals compete against the busyness of our schedules, against the weather, and against all the other things going on, like concerts. And they compete for whatever limited amount of ‘fun money’ the average person has to indulge in special events.

Look at how much money I spent seeing Mark when he was here. Now, I went to Boucheron. Spent a bit less on the cost of that event. Used airmiles, so that was free. Shared a hotel room, and other related costs. So, for not significantly more money I saw dozens of authors at a convention only a few weeks earlier, and now I can write a con off on my taxes because of the promotional aspect.

Even as a fan of books it’s going to take something special to get me to the city to see an author over the next six months. I have Murder in the Grove and Boucheron. Things are really busy and there are just two of us to consider, not even a family schedule.

I don’t believe it’s of much use to authors to spend time on the road for ineffective tours. By this, I don’t mean all tours are presently pointless, and I don’t mean authors should use it as an excuse not to tour. I do think it’s draining, time consuming, and ultimately discouraging to invest that much energy, be away from family and home for weeks on end, and not get a sense the tour was a success.

One other thing I learned about from the music business was market saturation. When Deric was here a few years ago, I was talking to him after his show. I asked if he’d be coming back for Stampede. He said no, because of market saturation… If an artist makes regular appearances in the same place it isn’t important to make the effort to see them. The mentality is, we can see them any old time, there will always be another opportunity.

The thinking is that if you stagger your visits, and tour with different people, fans are more motivated to make an effort to get out to see you because they don’t want to miss the chance. They never know when they’ll get another one.

Here’s another reality. We live in a celebrity-driven culture. I’m not terribly happy about it sometimes, but I understand that from my youth people have always asked who your favourites are – your favourite rock stars, your favourite actors. We’re cultured and conditioned to think about it, and to some degree, idolize them. There’s only one reason Britney’s in the news as much as she is and the press come up with silly names like TomKat and Brangelina – because people pay attention.

In no way would I advocate authors start fights, have high-profile affairs, divorces and such to generate media coverage. Like I said, I don’t want to be a rock star.

But it seems every time I turn around lately there’s talk about losing review space, talk about bookstores going out of business, talk about libraries closing…

Talk about the death of the author tour.

We aren’t just working for our own sales. We authors and fans of books are in it together. When Mark was here he hadn’t realized where I lived. We were going for lunch and he said I should pick, it was my town. I pointed and told him how far it was to drive to where I live. Miles beyond the reach of public transit. He thanked me for coming all that way, and I said it’s worth it to make the effort sometimes. If we don’t support the events, they’ll stop having them.

I know a lot of authors say they wouldn’t mind not touring, but I think that’s shortsighted. It’s important we support booksellers. As review space declines, who’s talking about books? What good is it to have some magazines (wonderful as they are) focused on the genre? People who subscribe to those magazines are already pretty serious about crime fiction. We need external coverage.

It’s about perception. Declining book coverage suggests declining relevance. Libraries close because it’s possible to sell people on the idea they aren’t important to taxpayers.

After all, if nobody’s talking about books, doesn’t that suggest nobody’s interested? Who’s reminding people out there that books are important?

I know a lot of authors don’t like the public aspect that goes with being published. I am not saying I blame them… But let me point something out, maybe something that those who haven’t punched a clock in years have forgotten. Almost every job out there requires people to do things they aren’t as keen about. When I worked in education I was required to do a certain amount of upgrade training per year. You get your first aid certificate and it’s only good for two or three years, then you have to take it again. Sometimes I’ve had to go to after-hours staff meetings. That happens to Kevin. They aren’t our favourite things in the world, but they are a part of having those jobs.

This is about more than just selling our own books to readers. This is about showing readers we know they’re important and worthy of our time and attention… and about showing society there’s still power in the written word.

(Crossposted from my blog)

Quick Links

2007-04-30T20:59:00.000-07:00

A Canadian author will debut in eight countries soon with his debut novel, The End of the Alphabet. Interesting article in The Toronto Star about the author's journey to publication.

Michael Connelly speaks out on declining review space in newspapers.

An endangered species? TimesOnline asserts international crime fiction is more popular than ever.

Spinetingler Magazine Closing to Submissions

2007-04-30T08:02:00.001-07:00

Spinetingler Magazine is closing to submissions as of tonight for two months*.

The reason we're doing this is that we have a high submission volume and this has created a backlog. We want to take our time properly reviewing the stories that come in, instead of rushing through the material and making snap decisions.

Anyone interested in submitting work to Spinetingler should read all of the submission guidelines. Here are a few critical points:

~ any story that does not have a release form included will be automatically rejectedThere is no argument on this point. I don't care if Ghandi penned the work himself and emailed it from the afterlife. No release=not considered for publication.

~ stories that aren't correctly formatted might be considered, but in a tough decision between two comparable decisions a story that's formatted correctly will have an advantage

Why? I have spent hours on issues where I've had to take hard returns out line after line after line, as well as make other formatting changes. The simple reality is the higher the submission volume, the more time processing stories and then editing stories, means less time for formatting. Even competitions where your work will be read, not published have submission guidelines and will disqualify paying entrants who don't follow them. The ability to follow guidelines can sometimes be an indication of how you'll work with an editor, or not work, as the case may be, so my advice for any publication is that if they have submission guidelines you follow them to the very best of your ability. And if they don't, then they can't complain.

Just a few points for those thinking of submitting, or perhaps wondering why a submission may have been rejected. Any submissions received after tonight will not be read.

* The closure may be extended to the end of July, depending on assessment of current material.

New Novella Market

2007-04-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

From the website:

Each issue of HN will have three novellas by three authors. Our ambition is for at least one of the three to be penned by a previously unpublished fiction writer.
We will be publishing one issue this year, using print-on-demand technology. Print-on-demand is typically used for self-publishing. We don’t think self-publishing deserves the negative press it receives – nobody bashes indie bands that release their own CDs – but that’s irrelevant here: Hayseed Novellas is not self-publishing, and it’s not vanity publishing. The publisher’s fiction will not be appearing in HN, nor are family, friends, or acquaintances of the publisher eligible to submit. Every one of our writers will be discovered in the slush pile.

It will be interesting to see how this develops. Novellas are, in fact, an untapped potential market, but this isn't without risk. In the UK they did the Quick Reads. I am unaware of whether the venture was considered successful, but those were published single title, not with three stories in one volume.

Something worth keeping an eye on, though.

Elmore Leonard's Rules For Writing

2007-04-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my agent forwarded me a rejection letter for WHAT BURNS WITHIN. It was actually an amazing letter. It referenced my work as “fast-paced and well written” with a “compelling story” and my favourite line: “I can see why Ms. Ruttan has garnered such wonderful praise; she writes with incredible vividness and great attention to detail.” The editor even called me talented.

This is much better than form letter rejections or, worse, a “please fuck off and take your hack elsewhere.” I haven’t experienced that yet, but there’s always next week.

Now, the only reason I mention this is that it prompted a discussion between Evil Kev and I this morning, about writing. I was saying one of the risks with WHAT BURNS WITHIN, is that it starts with a lot of action. Evil Kev maintains that a year ago, I told him to never start a book with action.

I have concluded that any such statement on my part was limited to considerations for entering the Debut Dagger competition. I haven’t been eligible to enter for a few rounds now, but in assessing the previous winners and discussing them with those thinking about entering, I concluded the Dagger judges wanted introspection more than action. Something I would stand by now. There was a very specific style that seemed to win. Anything heavy on dialogue and pacey wasn’t likely to make the cut, based on what I saw.

However, writing for the Daggers and writing for publishers are different things. My friend Marsha spent years working in television and film before moving on to publishing. (Be well Marsha. Sending positive energy your way.) Marsha gave me some great writing advice:

Hit them on the nose.

She said in film you want to have the impact of walking up to the audience and smacking them on the nose. You want to get their attention. Hence my assertion to Evil Kev that stories should start with something happening. Not some long, lollygagging bit about tree bark. Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t start a book with thought. Or dialogue. What it means is, you need to make sure that whatever’s being addressed, it gets people’s attention.

As we were discussing this we started talking about memorable opening lines. I said the other day I’d pulled down LET IT BLEED, because I always remembered the opening line:

“A winter night, screaming out of Edinburgh.”

Kevin said Ian Rankin broke Elmore Leonard’s first rule of writing:

1. Never open with the weather.

Elmore says that weather is only to create atmosphere and readers will skip ahead looking for people if it goes on too long. Well, look at the Rankin line. For me, I’m right there. I read this back when I lived in BC. We had an apartment on the roof of a building, with a view to the Fraser River. There were only two apartments on the roof of the building – ours and my best friend’s. We only had one wall bordering them. The rest of our place had no buffer. And when the winter wind howled we damn well knew it.

Now, let’s look at the first two paragraphs from LET IT BLEED:

A winter night, screaming out of Edinburgh.

The front car was being chased by three others. In the chasing cars were police officers. Sleet was falling through the darkness, blowing horizontally. In the second of the police cars, Inspector John Rebus had his teeth bared. He gripped the doorhandle with one hand, and the front edge of his passenger seat with the other. In the driver’s seat, Chief Inspector Frank Lauderdale seemed to have shed about thirty years. He was a youth again, enjoying the feeling of power which came from driving fast, driving a wee bit crazy. He sat well forward, peering through the windscreen.

‘We’ll get them!’ he yelled for the umpteenth time. ‘We’ll get the bastards!’

See, I’m right there. Weather, people and action. The perfect balance of setting the scene. I mean, do you think the weather might impact the car chase? Could it cause an accident? I think this is brilliantly setting the stage.

My first paragraph from Suspicious Circumstances:

“Pulsing light shimmered on the rock face. Thunder rumbled, lightning flashed and, for a moment, the image of the woman was clear. She scrambled along the ledge, glanced back over her shoulder and pulled herself on to the crest of the hill. Her loose, white shirt and dark hair were buoyed by the wind. Then the light faded and the black of the moonless night engulfed her.”

Damn. Weather. (But there’s still a person and movement.)

WHAT BURNS WITHIN does not begin with weather.

Okay, rule #2. Avoid prologues.

Well, SC doesn’t have one. WBW doesn’t currently have one, but I can see a strong argument for moving a section and making it a prologue. It isn’t backstory in this case, and not all prologues are. So I’m launching an official protest of the assertion prologues are backstory and putting rule #2 in dispute. I actually hate it when people take what should be a prologue and rename it chapter 1 and it’s just a page long.

Rule #3. Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue.

Bill shouted, “Shut the fuck up.”

I have absolutely no problem with that. In my opinion it’s preferable to:

Bill said with anger, “Shut the fuck up.”

And Rankin used ‘yelled’. Hmmm. Listen to Elmore, listen to God*, Elmore, God*…

Rule #4. Never use an adverb to modify the said…

Okay, see, that goes to my point above. In this case I tend to agree, but most authors do this, and sometimes effectively. Sometimes it’s appropriate.

Rule #5. Keep your exclamation points under control.

Elmore and I are of one mind on this one. Is there hope for us yet?

Rule #6. Never use the words ‘suddenly’ or ‘all hell broke loose.’

Suddenly, all hell broke loose and I’m so busy laughing at his explanation under that rule that I can’t comment!!!!!

Rule #7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.

Oh, bless your socks Elmore. Thank you thank you thank you! See, there are the masters – such as Ken Bruen, and Ian Rankin - who know how to do this perfectly. And then there are those, who shall remain nameless, who think it goes to setting and such but baffle the reader and pull you out of the story.

Rule #8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.

You know, I’m with Elmore here too. I was always getting slammed on not doing enough description to give a full visual, but I didn’t really want to.

Rule #9. Don’t go into great detail describing places and things.

This is definitely a Goldilocks and The Three Bears topic. There is an amount that’s ‘just right’. And it may not always be the same for everything. I mean, damn, if you spend a page describing a woman’s legs it better be erotica or her legs better be the murder weapon. Otherwise you should probably indulge your inner dog moment somewhere else.

Rule #10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.

Okay, so I let Elmore down about the weather. And I have some niggling issues with dialogue tags, because I do prefer people be more precise over using adverbs, in general.

But I also think that Rankin proves the point that you can break a rule and do it effectively.

I also think the word to the wise is that breaking the rules effectively comes with experience. If you’re able to craft a story to the point where people completely lose themselves in it they won’t even notice the nitpicky points because you have done your job – sold them on your world and kept them there. It’s fair to say editors read a bit differently – the more submissions we get for Spinetingler the fussier I get – so when you get feedback from them you know it’s an astute assessment.

That said, remember editors rejected Harry Potter too. As Elmore Leonard’s rules prove, to at least me, there are some things that come down to taste and it’s possible to do almost anything and get away with it. The minute you make a long list of rules you will find someone coming up with a long list of exceptions to them.

If I were to have one rule, it’s this:
Tell a captivating story so smoothly the reader never notices the details. If you do that, nobody will notice adverbs, exclamation marks or weather. Ultimately, I believe that’s what Elmore’s getting at when he says, Being a good author is a disappearing act.

This is cross-posted from my personal blog. I think Elmore's rules for writing are interesting ones to look at, but I'm afraid time doesn't permit me to write a second version.

I will have a post up this week about scam publishers, however.

* See, I never learn.

Edgar Award-Winners

2007-04-26T19:30:00.001-07:00

Best Novel:

The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin (Sarah Crichton Books/FSG)

Best First Novel By An American Author:

The Faithful Spy by Alex Berenson (Random House)

Best Paperback Original:

Snakeskin Shamisen by Naomi Hirahara (Bantam Dell Publishing - Delta Books)

Best Critical/Biographical:

The Science of Sherlock Holmes: From Baskerville Hall to the Valley of Fear by E.J. Wagner (John Wiley & Sons)

Best Fact Crime:

Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson (HarperCollins - William Morrow)

Best Short Story:

"The Home Front" - Death Do Us Part by Charles Ardai (Hachette Book Group - Little, Brown and Company)

Best Young Adult:

Buried by Robin Merrow MacCready (Penguin YR - Dutton Children's Books)

Best Juvenile:

Room One: A Mystery or Two by Andrew Clements (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)

Best Play:

Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure by Steven Dietz (Arizona Theatre Company)

Best Television Episode:

Life on Mars - Episode 1, Teleplay by Matthew Graham (BBC America)

Best TV Feature/Mini-Series:

The Wire, Season 4, Teleplays by Ed Burns, Kia Corthron, Dennis Lehane, David Mills, Eric Overmyer, George Pelecanos, Richard Price, David Simon & William F. Zorzi (Home Box Office)

Best Motion Picture Screenplay:

The Departed, Screenplay by William Monahan (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Robert L. Fish Memorial Award

William Dylan Powell "Evening Gold" - EQMM November 2006 (Dell Magazines)

The Simon & Schuster -
Mary Higgins Clark Award

Bloodline by Fiona Mountain (St. Martin's Minotaur)

As posted on the Edgar website.

Restoring the Past and a Boost To Independents

2007-04-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

Modern technology is being used to preserve classic books and make them available to a whole new audience via the internet. This is an article well worth checking out, particularly if you've had any interest in reading an old, rare book. You may be able to find it, for free, online.

Courtesy of Robert Fate, author of Baby Shark and Baby Shark's Beaumont Blues comes word of this article in Library Journal that probes the contributions independent presses are bringing to the crime fiction community. Not only is Fate mentioned, but authors Troy Cook, Julia Buckley, and Tim Maleeny receive worthy mentions.

There is also a list of notable Crime Fiction blogs, but I strongly disagree with some of the named blogs. Notably absent from the list are:
~ The Rap Sheet, which is an exceptional crime fiction industry blog and required reading in my book

~ Nathan Cain's worthy Independent Crime, which features some of these new publishers the article was referring to

~ Mike Stotter's new Shots blog, (Mike may be new to blogging, but Shots is the best crime fiction ezine on the web)

~ The Outfit, which has newcomers Marcus Sakey and Sean Chercover blogging alongside revered authors such as Sara Paretsky.

New Crime Fiction Ezine

2007-04-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of the always charming Ray Banks word comes that there's a new ezine out there... and it's British. Pulp Pusher makes its debut with interviews with Ken Bruen, Allan Guthrie and fiction by Ray Banks, Cathi Unsworth, Tony Black, JD Smith and Paul McGoran.

Not sure who The Pusher is, but he seems to have a lot of tarts working in the office...

Out of the Gutter Two

2007-04-08T15:21:00.000-07:00

The first issue of Out of the Gutter was launched in February, 2007. A collection of 'pulp fiction and degenerate literature', OOTG received strong reviews from enthusiastic readers.

The list of contributors for Issue #2 has been announced:

Short Fiction Contributors

Steve Alten
William Boyle
Michael Bracken
William Carlson
Clair Dickson
Rey A. Gonzales
Grant McKenzie
M.C. O’Connor
John Rickards
J.D. Smith
Duane Swierczynski
Paul A. Toth

Flash Contributors

Christa Fuast
Kieth Gilman
Jacon Kohl
John McFetridge
r2
Stephen Rodgers
Albert Tucher
Matt Wallace

Nonfiction Contributors

Dale Bridges
Edwin Decker
Seth Ferranti
Matthew Louis

I am personally delighted that John Rickards' Hardboiled Jesus will see print, and look forward to Issue #2 of OOTG.

Derringer Nominees

2007-04-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

The Short Mystery Fiction Society has announced the nominations for the 2007 Derringer Awards, winners to be announced May 15.

Flash Fiction (up to 500 words):
- “Matched Set,” by Jan Christensen (Long Story Short, Winter 2006)
- “Vigilante,” by Barry Ergang (Mysterical-E, Summer 2006)
- “Snowflake Therapy,” by Michelle Mach (Thereby Hangs a Tale, June 2006)
- “Flight School,” by Jill Maser (Flashshot, August 28, 2006)
- “Home Entertainment,” by Sandra Seamans (A Cruel World, July/August 2006)

Short-Short Stories (501 - 2,000 words):
- “Even Steven,” by Gail Farrelly (Mouth Full of Bullets, Winter 2006)
- “Four for Dinner,” by John M. Floyd (Seven by Seven)
- “Interview,” by Justin Gustainis (Cape Fear Crime Festival, October, 2006)
- “Elena Speaks of the City, Under Siege,” by Steven Torres (CrimeSpree Magazine, September/October 2006)
- “The Worst Door,” by Frank Zafiro (Dispatch, January 2006)

Mid-Length Stories (2,001 - 6,000 words):
- “Eden’s Bodyguard,” by David Bareford (ThugLit, September 2006)
- “Shadow People,” by Rex Burns (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine [AHMM], June 2006)
- “Cranked,” by Bill Crider (from Damn Near Dead, edited by Duane Swierczynski; Busted Flush Press)
- “Uncle Blinky’s Corner of the World,” by Robert S. Levinson (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine [EQMM], March/April 2006)
- “Shanks on the Prowl,” by Robert Lopresti (AHMM, May 2006)

Longer Stories (6,001 - 15,000 words):
- “Signature in Blood,” by Annette Dashofy (Mysterical-E, Winter 2006)
- “Strictly Business,” by Julie Hyzy (from These Guns for Hire, edited by J.A. Konrath; Bleak House Books)
- “Daphne MacAndrews and the Smack-Head Junkies,” by Stuart MacBride (from Damn Near Dead)
- “See Also Murder,” by Larry Sweazy (Amazon Shorts, December 11, 2006)
- “The Valley of Angustias,” by Steven Torres (AHMM, October 2006)

Congratulations to all the nominees.

Beyond The Writing

2007-04-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

Beyond The Writing

I always maintain that it’s about the writing, not the personal. And it would be nice if that were completely true…

It isn’t. Not in every situation, anyway, and it can be helpful to know when external rules apply.

For example…

1. Person buys book and reads it. Probably safe to say appreciation will be based solely on the quality of the writing, unless it’s a damn good author photo.
2. Person who is not your mother, spouse, sibling, former English teacher or otherwise connected with you is sent book and reads it. This person will likely base their opinion of the work on the writing.

On the other side…

1. Person submits story to magazine. In past they have submitted there and been accepted, refused to make necessary corrections to the story and argued over various things. Whether or not the magazine considers publishing them again will probably not just be about the writing.
2. Someone wants to sell an anthology. It won’t just be about the writing – they will have to consider having some known names contributing in order for the package to be marketable.

When I attended Harrogate 2005 there was a panel on getting published, and one of the things that Johnny Geller said was that he’d sometimes read the work and not be completely sold, but then meet the author and get a sense of the person and decide he could work with the person. At the time I remember thinking that was a bit unfair. Shouldn’t it just be about the writing? However, I can appreciate the reasoning that goes into things now.

It isn’t just the quality of the writing. It’s also whether or not the work is marketable. But there’s even more for agents and publishers to consider, and one of those things is productivity.

Workers are assessed on their level of productivity in a variety of ways, and the writing world is no different. If someone is invited to contribute to five anthologies, agrees to all of them, and only delivers to one it doesn’t look professional. Unless there are reasons (such as illness, family tragedy) that factor in, the editors the author failed to deliver for will be less likely to work with them again. This works in reverse as well.

I was reading Miss Snark the other day, and she said something that really got me thinking. I value clients who understand this is a business (for the most part) not operating at breakneck speed but also not at a standstill either. When I ask for something, I expect to hear back in a day or two at the most. If it's a task, it might not get done in a day or two but I'd like to hear you got the email and you're working on it.

The people I prefer to work with do that.
I've learned to be pretty clear about that preference before moving to "wanna sign up at Snark Central" but we never get to that point if you lollygag about. If lollygag is your default mode, that bodes ill for whether I think we're a good match… Agents vary, but I bet if you asked 100 of them, all 100 prefer someone who's prompt rather than not. This isn't some sort of rule. It's just a word to the wise. Have your stuff ready: bio, synopsis, people who might write blurbs if you have them, those kinds of things.

That shouldn’t seem like rocket science. It shouldn’t seem that complicated…

Yet clearly, Miss Snark felt it necessary to say it and, in my own limited experience on the receiving end of submissions from writers, I can appreciate it.

I’ve screwed up when I’ve submitted to the odd place. Okay, early days, we all make mistakes. But I learned from it. I didn’t walk around blaming the publication – I blamed me for failing to include everything they asked for.

We have submission guidelines and I’m continuously amazed at how many people don’t follow them. And if someone sends us a query, someone submits a story without the release form… Sayonara Sunshine.

And, if someone submits a story and then withdraws it and we see it’s because they did simultaneous submissions we remember that.

When we started out I tried hard to set things up in such a way that we could be fair to writers. The result was that some people tried to take advantage. Inevitably, you get to the point where your submission volume is such that scratching a few names off the list isn’t going to hurt your feelings at all.

The reason I say this is not to pick on writers. It’s because I’ve started to understand, in some limited way, what agents and editors think.

There are a lot of things to consider when you’re trying to market your work… And I’ve been wrong. It isn’t just about the writing. It’s about a lot of other things. If you have a reputation that you consistently can’t finish projects or deliver on deadlines it’s going to be a mark against you. If you have a reputation for trashing people online it might not be seen as helpful. It will certainly impede your ability to get blurbs, do joint signing events, etc.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. I didn’t start this blog to sell books. However, everything on this blog reflects on me. Getting an agent and getting a book deal can be affected by my behaviour. Now, I have an agent… Yet I’ve found myself thinking a fair bit recently about whether or not the tone of my blog should change.

On the one hand I don’t like that idea. However, I do understand it. Free speech is a wonderful thing, but it can cause problems. Evilkev discovered a co-worker’s blog once, where she railed at length about her dislike for him. Not everyone has a sense of humour or can shrug that off as easily as he did.

My 2 cents for the day is, if you think you’re ready to start querying for an agent/publisher, make sure you’re ready. And make sure you can deliver. I think having a book out already helps in one respect: I’ve already proven I can bring a book to completion. Shopping another project demonstrates I can finish more than one manuscript. This is also good. It means that I have a track record.

Someone once said that you shouldn’t be in a hurry to get your first book published because you only got one chance to make a first impression. I beg to differ. The minute you start getting short stories published, the minute you start blogging, you’ve made your first impression. All of it can factor in to a decision about whether or not someone wants to work with you.

And that’s not something to dismiss if you want to have a career. It’s one thing if you already have an agent and a big publisher and books on the shelves – you can afford to do what you want more than others.

Those of us who are working toward that goal have to consider our behaviour more carefully. It’s hard to get published, and publishers aren’t prepared to throw money at proven risks. Bear in mind what your blog communicates about you and whether or not it might be hurting you more than it’s helping.

After all, having a hundred hits on your blog every day sounds like a good thing… But not if the majority of those people are dropping by for their daily laugh at your expense.

(This is cross-posted from my personal blog.)

Harrogate Update

2007-04-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

Natasha Cooper sent me word this morning that Peter Temple will not be able to attend Harrogate this July, as planned. We'll be updating that in the online Harrogate article on Spinetingler.

New Spinetingler

2007-03-30T17:37:00.000-07:00

British Book Award Winners

2007-03-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

The British Book Award Winners were announced yesterday and the winners are as follows:

Reader's Digest author of the year: Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion

Biography of the year: Peter Kay, The Sound of Laughter

Children's book of the year: Ricky Gervais, Flanimals of the Deep

Book of the year: Conn & Hal Iggulden, The Dangerous Book for Boys

Crime thriller of the year: Ian Rankin, The Naming of the Dead

Sports book of the year: Steven Gerrard, Gerrard: My Autobiography

Newcomer of the year: Victoria Hislop, The Island

Popular fiction award: Marian Keyes, Anybody Out There

Decibel writer of the year: Jackie Kay, Wish I Was Here

The Richard & Judy best read of the year: Jed Benfeld, The Interpretation of Murder

Television and film book of the year: Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada

Lifetime achievement award: John Grisham

This article in the Independent has a complete list of the nominees.

POD and What It Needs

2007-03-23T04:49:00.000-07:00

Like it or not, POD is here to stay.

For those who don’t know about this phenomenon, POD stands for Print On Demand. It’s a method of producing books as they are ordered, one at a time, instead of using the print runs most commercial and small press publishers rely on for book sales. Print runs cost thousands of dollars up front, but with POD technology, a publisher can save on production cost by paying for each book with the money from the sale. The trade-off is the per unit cost, which makes POD cover prices higher than the average trade paperback.

Many people still use the term “POD publisher” to describe a self-publisher or vanity press that uses the technology. In reality, POD refers only to the technology, and a number of small, legitimate presses that employ a selective submissions process and don’t charge authors for publication use this method to produce books. This can be a good thing, since publishing isn’t exactly a million-dollar industry for small presses. The technology allows them to cut costs on storage, production, and returns.

Unfortunately, the proportion of good versus bad publishers that employ POD technology to produce books is far worse than the same in commercial publishers -- there are more bad than good. I believe publishers using POD and selling books primarily online can be successful, thanks in large part to the popularity of Amazon and BN.com. However, there has to be a shift in the way many of these publishers work.

It seems I'm not the only one who believes this. The POD Critic is hard at work to raise awareness of publishers like this. The blog is run by a lead editor at a small commercial publishing house in New York, and features (very honest) reviews of POD titles along with industry news and insights.

The POD Critic's aim is to help both authors and publishers. S/he (who is anonymous, of course) writes detailed and critical reviews for books submitted to the blog by the authors. Of the four titles thus far reviewed, only one has received a relatively high rating... it almost makes the grade of A Worthy Read. See? Honesty! The best thing about the reviews is the detail. S/he actually makes excellent suggestions for improvement -- getting a bad review from the POD Critic is like getting a detailed rejection from an agent or editor instead of a form letter. Any writer interested in improving their work would do well to listen to the advice.

For publishers, The POD Critic offers suggestions that will help make the POD publishing model viable and successful. One of the posts talks about the importance of an in-house editing style. Though small publishers using POD may not have the channels and the clout of larger publishers, if they put out professional quality titles, they can develop a loyal reader base and increase sales.

The most recent post on The POD Critic mentions that word is spreading, and other industry blogs, authors, and publishers are sitting up and taking notice. Here's hoping more POD publishers take the advice to heart, and start working harder on the quality of their titles. We'll all benefit from an industry-wide raising of the bar.

New Site on the Web

2007-03-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

One of the things I hoped we'd be able to do on In For Questioning was regular updates about ezines. I have found that my time for tracking releases down has been limited the last few months, and I could bore you with excuses (my debut book was published, I had some promotional travel, I got strep throat, I signed with an agent, finished a new manuscript) but ultimately, the point is that it's been hard to stay on top of things.

This is an invitation to ezine publishers.

In conjunction with Crimespace, a new blog has been launched: Crime Zine. This is intended to be a group blog where publishers of ezines that contain crime fiction content can post about new issues, contests and news. An RSS feed will be linking Crimespace and Crime Zine so that crime fiction readers and authors will see updates there as well. It's intended as a way to get the news out.

Where does that leave other ezines that don't include crime fiction? Here, for now anyway. In For Questioning was always intended to be a collaborative effort. Unfortunately, the transition from blogger 1 to blogger 2 caused some problems. I specifically stated that there would be no rigid expectations for weekly publishing, because we're all very busy and sometimes touring and unable to handle blogs.

If there are ezine editors out there who would like to join IFQ, please email me. If there are small press publishers or ebook publishers who'd like to get involved the door is open. This is meant to be a news conduit.

If you know of review sites or ezines I should be keeping an eye on, I'd love to hear from you as well.

All suggestions welcome, and there will be more from us next week.

RWA recognizes Epublisher

2007-03-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

Samhain Publishing has achieved the recognition that very few ebook publishers receive: they have achieved RWA status.

Thanks to Samhain author Sela Carsen for sharing the good news, and congratulations Samhain.

Awards

2007-03-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

The clock is ticking: Editors have until midnight March 16 to nominate stories for the SMFS Derringer Awards which recognize excellence in crime fiction.

And the storySouth 2007 Awards are now open for nominations.

Please spread the word about these awards to those eligible so that they can nominate themselves or others.

Deadly Pleasures, Bruen, and Free Books

2007-03-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

The Deadly Pleasures website has been revamped, and this issue is free for pdf download for those interested in checking out the magazine.

Meanwhile, you can listen to Ken Bruen read his short story, PUNK which is part of a collection titled THESE GUNS FOR HIRE, from Bleak House Books.

Lesa Holstine is giving away free books. Be sure to check out the post and enter to win a copy of Died In the Wool by Rett MacPherson. or Lights Out by Jason Starr.

Crimespace and the Ezine Update

2007-03-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

by Daniel Hatadi

You've all heard of Myspace, seeing as you're all probably already on it. You may not have heard of Ning, though. Ning is like the new daddy, the mothership of Myspace. It allows you to create 'mini-spaces' within it, much like whole Myspaces themselves, with whatever theme or group of people you can think of. Obviously I'm interested in crime fiction, as are all of you, so I've gone ahead and created 'crimespace'.

Crimespace. It has a certain ring to it.

Since the Mystery Circus closed down (some of you will remember it fondly), the internet hasn't had any sort of central hub for readers and writers of crime fiction. Yes, there are various forums and places like Crimespot, but there's nowhere that can be a substitute for the bar at Bouchercon or Harrogate or Thrillerfest.

I'm hoping Crimespace can be that bar.

"Crimespace: A place for crime fiction writers, readers and lovers to schmooze, booze and draw up plans for the heist to end all heists. Find new authors to delve into, make friends and plan that heist, discuss the latest in crime fiction and make the place your home. Join up and enter the forums, add photos, videos and make some friends. Pull up a chair at the bar and share your poison."

http://crimespace.ning.com/

***
Ezine Report by Sandra Ruttan

I've been remiss in posting here for a while, and there are several lame excuses I can offer. I had a book come out. I was traveling out of province and out of the country. I got strep throat. Then I had a deadline.

And in the midst of all that, blogger made me upgrade and I'm still sorting out my support team of bloggers for this project.

So, I have been remiss in mentioning the new issue of Demolition, with fiction by the likes of Anthony Rainone, James McGowan, Ed Lynksey and John Stickney.

And the new issue of ThugLit, with contributions by Anthony Neil Smith, Daniel Hatadi, and others.

And the new issue of Hardluck Stories is also up, with stories by Patricia Abbott, Stephen D. Rogers and more.

Really, there's no shortage of great stuff to read online right now, but there's more. Yes, more.

Mouth Full of Bullets has published Play To Win by Kevin R. Einarson, What Every Guy Wants by me, and a feature interview with me.

Plus, they have interviews with other authors and short fiction by a number of other writers... and book reviews.

Thwarted By Blogger

2007-01-28T04:04:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, this blog launched just before the release of the new blogger.

One thing that I didn't realize was that those on the new blogger wouldn't be able to post here. In juggling various group blog responsibilities I had to sort out whether to convert to the new blogger.

Blogger has now given me no choice.

What this means is that some of the team planning to contribute here couldn't. And now that I've been forced to switch over, I'm not certain if that means some participants have been left behind.

Hopefully by the end of February we'll have it all sorted out and the regular team in place. If I'd realized what a headache this would be I would have waited for this launch - unfortunately, I didn't.

Anyone interested in participating is welcome to email us and let us know. I hope to build a list of semi-regular contributors who jump in when they have something relevant to contribute.

Let's just hope that this month, they don't launch the third version of blogger...

Votes Wanted

2007-01-12T08:48:00.000-08:00

Scroll down to January 5 to find the details about Crimespree's nominations for best crime fiction of 2006. This is your chance to have your say.

You can vote for best ezine editor here.

And don't forget: if you see anything interesting on the blogs about the publishing world, send us a note. We're still looking for a few more contributors to talk over publishing issues here. If you have something you want to say, let us know.

Winners, Competitions and New Fiction on the Web

2007-01-08T04:40:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the winners of the winners of the 21st Annual City Paper Writing Competition run by the Philadelphia City Paper.

Winner: April Dobbins, Greetings from Lesotho
Runner-Up: M. G. Tarquini, Hindsight
Runner-Up: Chad Willenborg, Suit of Lights

Exceprts of their entries can be read online, following the link above.

The Silent Grey short fiction contest closes Wednesday January 10. Be sure to check it out and get your entry in. This is the first contest Jason Evans has run since he teamed up with Anne Frasier in the summer.

Ezine fans can enjoy a new issue of Thuglit as well as the new Thrilling Detective (which is going up in stages, but should be up any day now). This Thrilling Detective features work by Stephen D. Rogers, Jack Bludis, Duane Swierczynski, Karl Koweski.

Crimespree Magazine seeking Best of 2006 Nominations

Lovers of crime fiction should prepare their shortlists and send them off to Crimespree Magazine. Categories this year include favourite book, best in a continuing series, and favourite Ken Bruen book of 2006.

The Allbook Awards have been announced. Winners are:

Editor’s Choice

Business: The Art of Original Thinking by Jan Philips
Childrens: Do You Know Where Sea Turtles Go? By Paul Lowery
Inspirational: Dancing in the Eye of Transformation by S. Brallier
Non-fiction: Exposed by D. Dimokopoulos
Fiction: Dancing in the Void by R.E. Levin
Mystery: Of Blood and Blackwater by T Heffernan
Sci Fi/Fantasy: Cappawhite by G. Tate
Historical: The I Tetralogy by Mathia B. Freese
Poetry: Unscrambled Eggs by N. Brown

Reviewer’s Choice

Children: John Audubon, Young Naturalist by Mirian E. Mason
Inspirational: Your Daily Walk With The Great Minds of the Past and Present by Richard A Singer Jr.
Fiction: The Butterflys Dance by Christyna Hunter
Non-Fiction: America’s Controversies: The Death Penalty, Clinton’s Presidency & Export of Democracy To Nicaragua by Ksenija Arsic
Mystery: 47 Rules of Highly Effective Bank Robbers by Troy Cool
Sci Fi/Fantasy: The Return of Innocence by D. Simolke

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners.

The IPPY Awards

2006-12-30T08:49:00.000-08:00

Independent Publisher Magazine is the voice of the independent publisher. Since 1996, the publication has sponsored the IPPY Awards -- which for some reason stands for “Independent Publisher Book Awards.” Possibly because IPPY rolls off the tongue more smoothly than IPBA, which sounds like a Latin undergrad about to sneeze.

It isn’t difficult to figure out what the IPPYs are: awards for the best independent books published each year. There are 90 winners in 60 regional and national categories ranging from genre fiction to titles any author would be proud to announce, like “Storyteller of the Year” and “Most Likely to Save the Planet.” What may not be apparent is the incredible effect winning an IPPY has on a book’s sales.

Sure, you get money if you win. You also gain recognition. For example, one of 1997’s winning IPPY titles, The Millionaire Next Door, went on to sell 2.5 million copies. The Sleeping Father by Matthew Sharpe, a 2004 IPPY winner, was chosen as a TODAY Show Book Club selection. Jack Fritscher’s debut novel What They Did to the Kid: Confessions of an Altar Boy sold out in hardcover after winning the IPPY, and the proceeds of the award funded a substantial paperback print run.

Both independent and self-published titles are eligible for the IPPY awards, and authors can enter their titles themselves. You’ll find rules, regulations, and an online application here. Entries for the 2007 IPPY Awards, for which all books published or reissued in 2006 are eligible, will be accepted through April 1, 2007, and the entry fee is $75 per title. Happy contesting!

The Long Tail of POD

2006-12-27T07:10:00.000-08:00

By Stephen Blackmoore

First, my credentials. I am nothing more than an asshat with opinions and a bullhorn. So take all this with a block of salt.

Last week, Sandra post about the Espresso, a print on demand kiosk that belts out a complete bound copy of a book in 7 minutes. It's an intriguing idea, and one that's been in the works for years. I'm sure it needs improvement, and there will be bugs. But whether it works or not, it's the future. It's the Long Tail.

The Long Tail is a business model where the cumulative volume of individual small sellers can overrun the cumulative volume of high sellers. In short, John Grisham and Clive Cussler do great, the thousands of other book titles taken collectively do even better. The name comes from the way the distribution graph is laid out, a small area of high volume and a long tail of low volume that stretches much further away. The catch is that they're all online.

From Wikipedia (what does it say about our current electronic society that I can even cite Wikipedia in the first place?): "Anderson argued that products that are in low demand or have low sales volume can collectively make up a market share that rivals or exceeds the relatively few current bestsellers and blockbusters, if the store or distribution channel is large enough. Examples of such mega-stores include the online retailer Amazon.com and the online video rental service Netflix. The Long Tail is a potential market and, as the examples illustrate, the distribution and sales channel opportunities created by the Internet often enable businesses to tap into that market successfully."

The Espresso, and POD technology in general, plays into this business model, as do those ebook sites selling online, such as Liquid Silver, Samhain Books, etc..

This kind of model really only works so long as low volume product can still be allowed to move, which is why it works so well with digital distribution. Digital files are easy to store and cost very little, relatively speaking, to maintain. Throw in something like the Espresso, a more on demand print on demand machine than previous entries, and it opens the doors even wider.

The effect for a Long Tail distribution/publishing model is that more product can be kept "on the shelves" as it were for next to no cost, allowing those titles to still sell, even though their individual demand may be low. More possible revenue makers. And if demand suddenly appears for a title after a long fallow period (take the spurious success of "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" after the DaVinci Code came out) it's no big deal.

The positive effect for an individual creator is that their books, music, art, what have you, can potentially always be available, and they can potentially continue to make money off them. Hooked on an obscure Appalachian bluegrass artist? You can find her on Amazon. A 1942 third edition detective novel from an obscure pulp writer? EBay. That documentary about lichens in the Antarctic? Netflix.

There are also some publishers who are designed from inception to handle the long tail. I'm a fan of Liquid Silver, Samhain Publishing and Ellora's Cave. Oh, don't look at me that way. Porn's a 4 BILLION industry and no one's buying it? Please.

I'm actually a fan of their business model. Some of the writing is hit or miss and the cover art? It's gotten infinitely better, but there's only so much rictus faced Poser models a reader can handle.

Anyway, they're all digital distributors. They are publisher as bookseller. They cut out the middle man and depend on a volume of diverse titles (I use the word "diverse" loosely") and an internet connection. These are not blockbusters by any stretch of the imagination. I haven't seen their numbers, but I would be surprised if they're not doing fairly well. They have relatively low overhead with no need for physical storage space beyond a server farm at their hosting company. They don't pay advances, instead paying their authors a percentage of each sale.

From the few I've talked to, the authors seem pretty happy with the arrangement, though I'd be willing to bet none of them would have a problem with getting an advance. I suspect we'll see more small presses heading in that direction.

So what are the downsides to the long tail?

Well, most existing business models don't work with it.

Booksellers

Friend of mine made a point a while back about independent bookstores. Loves them. Thinks they're great. But when B&N carries his books and they don't, the luster kind of peels off. They just aren't able to carry the load and so, as an author, he feels that he can't support them.

Most, if not all, independent booksellers don't have the ability to maintain the volume that is needed to operate in a long tail environment. Overhead is too high with rent, shelf space, etc. They depend on those titles that they can move a lot of.

Niche booksellers, like sci/fi and mystery, probably have it the hardest, because their pool of regulars is much smaller than a general bookseller. At the same time, since they cater to that smaller niche, they're more likely to have a regular clientele. But with rising costs and more competition, that pool is rapidly dwindling.

We all hear about indies going under because they can't compete. Some indie bookstores' bread and butter ends up being the collectors, those who want vintage mysteries, or first run hardcovers. In some cases, that's the only thing that keeps them in business.

In order to function in a long tail environment, they either need a large volume available to them and the ability to get it to the customer in a hurry. They can't beat the large chains on either of those fronts.

Some booksellers have reshaped / invented themselves to work this way with various degrees of success. Look at the number of low volume booksellers riding off Amazon's coattails in the new/used categories. Mom and pop shops that handle a few books at a time, or work with low cost remainders. They don't have to have volume because they only move a handful of things to begin with and they're fine with that. Plus they run off of Amazon's long tail infrastructure, which keeps their costs even lower. The low cost justifies the low volume.

And then you have the publisher as seller, which I mentioned above, though right now that appears to only be in digital formats, like .PDF files. As that segment grows and the technology improves that's going to cut into the bookseller's cashflow, too. Especially when a technology like the Espresso takes off.

In the long run, the indie as it exists today is going to disappear. It's no longer a sustainable model.

Publishers

For the most part, they're not equipped to handle it, either. Forget the editors and typesetters, they have an enormous infrastructure devoted to nothing but manufacturing and distribution. All very tightly joined together. They have created worldwide supply chains and deals within deals that move books like arteries move blood.

POD technology like the Espresso undercuts most of that business model. I suspect that a large portion of people in the distribution industry have been soiling their collective britches over this. You don't need a truck or a warehouse to move and store books when a T1 line will do the work for you.

So far the retailers have taken the hit, figuring out the details. No incentive for the publishers to, yet. Why change your model when someone else can do all the heavy lifting for you? As the saying goes, settlers get the land, pioneers get the indians.

At some point, though, the publishers are going to look at the numbers, and I'm sure they already have up, down and sideways, and see that it just costs too goddamn much money to print and ship these things. Then, when Wal-Mart and B&N look at it and see that they can move more product and reduce shelf space for underperforming titles, both in their stores and in their warehouse and distribution centers for online sales, they're going to push it, too.

Five years and I see whole sections of Borders taken up by a bank of kiosks that will belt out your favorite thriller in 2 minutes flat. Maybe.

When Apple created iTunes, it succeeded because it created partnerships with several music labels. A technology like the Espresso is going to have to do the same thing in order to survive. If it doesn't get some high profile titles in its catalog it's going to die on the vine and be resurrected in 5 years as something faster and better. Or slower and cheaper but with better deals with the publishing houses. Regardless, it's going to happen.

Authors

As of the last time I looked, which admittedly was a few years ago, many contracts stipulated that the rights to the book reverted back to the author after the book had been out of print for X period of time.

What happens to those rights when X is potentially forever? On the one hand this can be good. It never goes away. But what if, for some reason, and there are a lot of them, the author wants his or her book back? Is this still being written into contracts as part of a boilerplate? You tell me. I've got no data on that. I suspect it's beginning to change as authors realize more how this is going to work.

I mentioned advances back... uh, way back, actually. I sure can run on, can't I? Anyway, on the one hand, they're good, because the author gets some money to actually spend the time to write the books. Beats having to juggle a day job, a home life AND two to four novels a year. Many authors depend on this in order to live. It takes time to write a book and during that time they need cash. Beats blowing sailors for candy bars and small change. Unless you're into that sort of thing.

From the publisher's point of view, though, an advance is akin to betting on black. They've got nothing saying that the book will be successful. A smarter model is to pay for what's being sold, rather than take a gamble. I'm amazed they make any money. The authors sure as hell don't.

I think we're going to be saying good-bye to the advance. I can see a model where either the author is going to get a flat fee for their work or they're going to get royalties. And how is that going to affect agents?

When you don't have to produce a thousand books to sell 300 and the money flows in faster because your time to market is shorter, the incentive to pay that much up front fades. At that point it's just another line item for cost control.

I don't want to sound bleak, and for some I'm sure I do. But that's not what I'm trying to get at.

Yes, there are a lot of downsides, but they're only downsides because we look at them through the filter of the way it works today. It's not bad, just different.

This is a change that everyone's going to have to adapt to. Maybe not now. Maybe the tech and the public aren't ready for it. But in time it will be. There are just too many savings to be had for the money people.

I think this is potentially a good thing for small presses that can take advantage of it and authors who can shift to accommodate. Not all can. Not all will want to. But give it five years, ten, and things will be different.

The Future of Book Production and Selling

2006-12-21T19:21:00.000-08:00

There has been much talk on listservs, blogs and forums about the announcement of the closure of Mystery Ink in NYC and Aliens and Alibis. I am sad to hear about these stores shutting down, but find myself wondering if we’re not on the threshold of the demise of the bookstore, but potentially beginning the journey to rebirth.

Enter a development Stephen Blackmoore alerted me to: “An ATM For Books” - Buying a book could become as easy as buying a pack of gum. After several years in development, the Espresso - a $50,000 vending machine with a conceivably infinite library - is nearly consumer-ready and will debut in ten to 25 libraries and bookstores in 2007. The New York Public Library is scheduled to receive its machine in February…. The machine can print, align, mill, glue and bind two books simultaneously in less than seven minutes, including full-color laminated covers. It prints in any language and will even accommodate right-to-left texts by putting the spine on the right. The upper page limit is 550 pages…

Now, at this moment admittedly we don’t know enough about the quality of the technology and how it will be received, but I’m going to indulge in a bit of wishful thinking. It is my feeling that part of the reason some (certainly not all) independents aren’t surviving has less to do with fewer sales of books and more to do with convenience. We live in an on-demand society, where people want dinner in under five minutes, drive-thru banking and one-stop-shopping. As a result we have seen the rise of online companies allowing us to shop from the convenience of our own homes.

Right now, my book is winding its way through the final stages of production. It will soon (if it isn’t already) be listed with Ingram. Listings on amazon will follow. Theoretically, in a matter of weeks any person will be able to go to any store in North American and order the book in if it isn’t on the shelves.

Gee, what a pain. Order it in? Have to wait? But I want it, and I want it now.

That’s what we tend to think. Despite the distance and inconvenience I’ll drive to three bookstores (and sometimes more) looking for a book I want. If I’ve set my mind on getting something it feels like defeat to go home without it, even if I’ve ordered it in.

There are good reasons to order books into the bookstores. It brings the title to the attention of the staff and shows that there is demand for that book. I went through this months ago, trying to track down one of Steve Mosby’s titles. I finally ordered it in, through a bookstore. It was an enormous headache and ended up costing me more money than if I had just ordered it through amazon.

However, within weeks as I went store to store in the city, I discovered the local chain stores had started carrying his books. For me, the frustration had the payoff of seeing work by a friend make it to the local shelves. I hope when Steve’s new book comes out this spring I don’t have to order it in, but can walk into any store in the city and find it on display.

As an author I can appreciate the merit of ordering through the bookstore. Even if it costs me more money it helps a fellow author.

But as an author I don’t find it so easy to ask readers to do this for me. I feel incredibly conflicted. I want to ask everyone to order the book through their local independent, selfishly, but it doesn’t feel right to ask them to do this when I know that it might cost them more money than ordering through amazon.

Although I live 77 kilometres away from the nearest independent (that would be one way) and it takes an hour to drive there because it’s downtown Calgary, and I don’t shop downtown or do any business downtown at all so I rarely have reason to go there, I do try to make a point of taking business to McNally Robinson whenever I can. The reason is simple: This bookstore does a lot to support author events locally, which is something the chain bookstores don’t do.

Now, let’s think back to this new piece of technology, the Espresso.

I suspect a big part of the reason that independents struggle is that they don’t have the infrastructure and capital to keep as much stock on hand as the chain bookstores. An invention like the Espresso could level the playing field, as far as books are concerned. Imagine eliminating shipping costs, not to mention delays. You go to your local bookstore and they don’t have the book you’re after on hand already. Not to worry: with the press of a few buttons and seven minutes of browsing you can pick up the exact book you’re after and leave the store satisfied.

This means titles never have to go out of print. It means stores never have to lose sales because customers can’t get what they want.

But it also doesn’t mean the end of hand selling.

In my idealistic vision, I imagine going to a store where the staff actually know the books. A certain amount of stock would be printed and kept on hand to entice readers with. Any title could be made on the spot. Perhaps what we’d see is more sample books on shelves for customers to browse through, with less bulk stock devoted to a few titles. A staff person could come in early every day and assess previous sales and know how many of the latest Rankin, Connelly, Billingham titles should be printed. If it doesn’t eliminate the need for store rooms it reduces that need.

All businesses have gone through changes over time. We’ve seen the decline of the general store, which has returned in a fashion as supermarkets that sell clothes, food, shoes, prescription drugs and automotive supplies. It used to be that all restaurants actually cooked their own food from scratch. Now they order in things pre-made. When I worked as a bakery assistant I used to produce the muffins for all the Second Cup stores in the city, but I didn’t work for Second Cup. It’s the beauty of contracting out the jobs.

I think there are several factors which are contributing to concerns with book sales. Consider this, readers. Every time you buy a book you are not simply paying for the production of that book. You are paying for the production of ARCs and postage and marketing packets sent out to promote that book and others. You are paying for shipping.

You’re also paying a certain amount of buffer against the cost of the book being returned/destroyed. Paperbacks, as I understand it, aren’t even sent back. The covers are ripped off and sent back for refund, because it’s cheaper to pay to reprint the book than to have it mailed back for a refund from a store that can’t sell it.

Imagine if we could see a reduction in the cost of books because we’ve eliminated some of the expenses.

Espresso machines could be the catalyst to change. I’m not saying it will be this way overnight. I’m not even saying it will be this way in a year or two. And it’s possible that the Espresso will give way to other machines, better machines, that can better meet demand.

But I think the Espresso is a sign of change on the horizon in the book industry. While many people are nervous about this, I think there’s reason to be optimistic that there are positive things that can come out of new technology.

At the same time, I’m aware that there are many things to consider in the publishing business, things I might be overlooking. I'm interested to hear your thoughts. What are the potential drawbacks to this development in publishing?

No change comes easy. Sometimes, what saves us a few dollars today costs someone else their job. The way I see it, we’re going through some growing pains right now. We can stand still and mourn the loss of independents – and I do... it could spell the end of author events if we lose all independents – but I think we also need to start thinking about the future and what needs to happen in order to revitalize the bookselling industry. I suspect many will regard Espresso with skepticism and fear. But I hope that people will keep an open mind to the possibilities because I suspect that, like all things, it will be the retailers and publishers innovative enough to embrace positive change and take risks who will lead the way into the next phase of book production and selling.

Starting Points and Awards

2006-12-19T18:34:00.000-08:00

Sarah Weinman provided insight into the question of whether writers should consider starting their careers with small publishers. Check out her post, Where to Begin for a very interesting, insightful perspective on the issue.

Contest News

Canadian writers are encouraged to submit work for the Arthur Ellis Awards. The Arthur Ellis Awards honour excellence in crime fiction - mysteries, thrillers... From Crime Writers of Canada:

Announcing the new Arthur Ellis Award for Best Unpublished First Crime Novel

Is the Great Canadian Crime Novel tucked carefully away in a drawer or even languishing under your bed?

Well, pull it out and enter it in the newly created Arthur Ellis Award category – the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Unpublished First Crime Novel.

This new annual award from Crime Writers of Canada is sponsored by Canadian publisher McArthur & Company and has been created to recognize and promote the careers of promising new Canadian crime novelists. The winner receives a special Arthur Award from the CWC plus a cash prize from McArthur, which has first refusal rights on publishing the novel.

The competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, who lives in Canada or is a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, and who has never had a novel of any kind published commercially.

Contestants should have a completed manuscript and submit the opening chapter(s) – 8000 to 10,000 words – plus a 500-word synopsis of their crime novel manuscript. "Crime novel" is defined as crime, detective, espionage, mystery, suspense, or thriller, and can be set in any time period and crime-related sub-genre.

All entries must be accompanied by $30 per submission plus an entry form that can be downloaded from the CWC Website.

Initial submissions will be judged by a panel of publishing professionals who will come up with a shortlist. Shortlisted authors will be asked to submit their completed manuscripts for the second round of judging.

The shortlist will be announced at the end of April along with the shortlists from the other Arthur Ellis categories. The winner will be announced at the Arthur Ellis Awards dinner in Toronto in June.

The deadline for submitting the 8000- to 10,000-word sample and 500-word synopsis is January 31, 2007.

For the specific submission rules and the entry form, go to www.crimewriterscanada.com and click on the Arthur Ellis Awards button.

The 2007 Arthur Ellis Awards

Do you have a book – fiction or nonfiction – or short story that was published in 2006? If you do, it may be eligible for entry in the 2007 Arthur Ellis Awards. There are six categories of awards for published material:
Best crime novel
Best first crime novel (by a writer who has never had a novel of any kind published before)
Best crime nonfiction
Best crime short story
Best juvenile crime book
Best crime book in French

Either you or your publisher may submit the work. The deadline for submissions is January 12, 2007.

For specific eligibility and submission rules, email the CWC at info@crimewriterscanada.com or go to www.crimewriterscanada.com and click on the Arthur Ellis Awards button.

Updates

2006-12-05T08:22:00.000-08:00

Drop by Mai Wen's Asian Fun and Then Some for her Third Day Book Club review of Daniel Woodrell's Winter's Bone. The Third Day Book Club is the brainchild of Patry Francis who explains about the selections for next month here. This is a fantastic idea that brings bloggers together to discuss books - a quick technorati search will lead to a long list of other bloggers who've posted reviews as well.

Over at A Chair, A Fireplace and A Tea Cozy there is a review of Corbenic by Catherine Fisher that is also worth checking out.

And the new issue of Mouth Full of Bullets, with poetry, short stories, interviews and reviews, should be up today.

On The Net

2006-12-04T04:40:00.000-08:00

Arthur Ellis Awards

The rules for submitting work for the 2007 Arthur Ellis Awards are now posted on the Crime Writers of Canada website, including information about the new award, for best unpublished first novel.

Net News

Shots has some new material up, including an interview with Anna Blundy, features by Karl Vincent, James Twining writes about writing The Black Sun and David Harrison talks about his novel, Sins of the Father. There is also a new monthly column by Mike Carlson, called Carlson's American Eye.

Mysterical E has gone live with their new Winter Issue, featuring short stories, columns and reviews.

Allbooks Review Award Nominations

2006-11-30T09:35:00.000-08:00

Nominations for the Allbooks Review Editor's Choice and Reviewer's Choice Awards have been announced. They are as follows:

Business
Behind the Union Curtain by R. Sall
The Art of Original Thinking by Jan Phillips

Childrens
Do you Know where Sea Turtles Go? by Paul Lowery
Reggie and Ryssa and the Summer Camp of Faery by B. Savino

Inspirational
Dancing in the Eye of Transformation by S. Brallier
The World's Best Kept Secret for Success and Happiness by V.F. Rayser
Non fiction-Exposed by D. Dimokopoulos
31 Months in Japan by L &L Collins

Fiction
Dreaming of You by Francis Ray
Payson Heights by J. A. Wellman
Dancing in the Void by R. E. Levin

Mystery
Baby Shark by R. Fate
Of Blood and Blackwater by T. Heffernan

Sci Fi/Fantasy
Cappawhite by G. Tate,
Angelos by R. Williams

Historical Fiction
The i Tetralogy by Mathias B. Freese
Danny and Life On Bluff Point 'The Man on the Train' by Mary Ellen Lee

Poetry
Unscrambled Eggs by N. Brown
Old School by Robin Cook

2007 Allbooks Reviewer's Choice Award nominees

Children
Danny and Life on Bluff Point-My Horse Sally by Mary Ellen Lee
John Audubon, Young Naturalist by Miriam E. Mason

Inspirational
Intelligent Design in Science, Religion and You by Nickolas Bay
Your Daily Walk with the Great Minds of the Past and Present by Richard A. Singer Jr.
Spiritual Practice, Occultism and Extraterrestrial Intelligence: A Travel Guide for Beyond the Rainbow by Judy Kennedy

Fiction
Eddie and Me on the Scrap Heap by M. Littman
The Butterfly Dance by Christyna Hunter
The Devil's Halo by Chris Fox
The Spriting by S. Grimes

Non fiction
Nana: My grandmother, Anne Gillis by Robert Gillis
America’s Controversies: The Death Penalty, Clinton’s Presidency & Export of Democracy to Nicaragua by Ksenija Arsic

Mystery
47 Rules of Highly Effective Bank Robbers by Troy Cook

Sci Fi/Fantasy
Sandryn's Glow by D. Collins
The Return of Innocence by D. Simolke
Quest for the Source of Darkness by P. Perry

Special congratulations to Capital Crime Press on the nominations of both Robert Fate's Baby Shark and Troy Cook's 47 Rules For Highly Effective Bank Robbers.

Winners will be announced January 7, 2007.

Bad Sex Award

2006-11-29T19:03:00.000-08:00

Debut author Iain Hollingshead has received the Bad Sex Award for his debut novel, Twentysomething.

According to the article, "Because Hollingshead is a first-time writer, we wished to discourage him from further attempts,'' the judges -- editors of Literary Review magazine -- said in a statement. "Heavyweights like Thomas Pynchon and Will Self are beyond help at this point.''

Hollingshead, 25, who received his award from rocker Courtney Love at a London ceremony, said he was delighted to become the prize's youngest winner.

In For Questioning

2006-11-27T17:36:00.000-08:00

Since the launch of Spinetingler Magazine I’ve gradually received more and more spam.

I must state, for the record, that I hate spam. I don’t know how I end up on some of these mailing lists but I do. I don’t know why, but there’s little use obsessing over that either.

Last month I’d received yet another piece of spam email. Yes, it was about a book. Yes, it was related to crime fiction, which is my personal passion.

But I sat there, looking at this unsolicited advert in my inbox wondering, What exactly do they think I’m going to do with this?

It was at that point that my mind started generating possibilities. In part, the thought process was prompted by other observations I’d made.

Over the past year in the crime fiction realm some of the authors I’ve heard the most talk about have been authors like Robert Fate and Troy Cook. JT Ellison said Robert Fate’s debut, Baby Shark may be one of the best books she’s ever read – you can read that on the front page of his website. Troy Cook’s book, 47 Rules For Highly Effective Bank Robbers has had an enormous amount of internet/listserve buzz about it.

I was starting to realize that the authors I was hearing about, more and more, were from independent presses or small publishers. There weren’t announcements about big advances or lucrative contracts and international sales – not that there’s anything wrong with that – but there was talk about how great their books are.

And a lot of that talk was coming from readers.

I started to wonder how readers were discovering these newcomers, despite the lack of conventional press.

I started to wonder how many other newcomers were still out there, waiting to be discovered.

Meanwhile, I was looking at a bit of spam that I couldn’t use for Spinetingler, wondering about all of this.

That’s when I realized that if there was a gap in the news, it was relating to small presses and international authors. Their news isn’t being reported to the same degree, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be reported.

Allan Guthrie started small press. Duane Swierczynski started with a small press as well. What made the difference for them was that someone discovered their talent.

What this tells me is that there’s a lot of good material out there, just waiting to be discovered. And I want to help people get the word out.

That’s why I invited a few friends to join me here. I have my writing. I have Spinetingler. I have my own blog, and my responsibilities over at Killer Year as well. I can’t do another blog on my own. SW Vaughn is an author with Wild Child Publishing. John McFetridge’s debut novel, Dirty Sweet was published this year by ECW, a Canadian publisher. I’ve invited a few others to contribute here as well, so you may see some more names in the days to come.

We actually want you to email us with information about book deals, releases, new issues of e-zines, credible contests…

This doesn’t mean we’re going to post your advertisements. We will post newsworthy information.

It also doesn’t mean that we won’t talk about big publishers or internationally known authors. It just means that isn’t our primary focus. Whether your name is Cook or Cornwell, Fate or Fairstein, McFetridge or McDermid, we’re interested.

The only question we’ll ask is, Is this newsworthy? And likewise, when we post here, we expect readers to do the same. That’s why this is In For Questioning. It’s like bringing a suspect in – you get to decide if it’s information you can use.

To officially start things off, John sent me a link about the surge in Canadian crime fiction. A reader gives a thoughtful assessment of Ken Bruen’s The Magdalen Martyrs and Crimespree 15 is making its way around the world, with a lovely photo of Russel in the Bouchercon scrapbook.

Sticking With Independents

2006-11-22T11:41:00.000-08:00

In their November catalogue, Soft Skull Press is pleased to dispel the myth that authors who publish successfully through independent presses automatically shop their next project to the big guns in publishing.

A prime example of this is Matthew Sharpe. His novel The Sleeping Father, published through Soft Skull, was chosen as a Today Show Book Club selection, and thereafter became tremendously successful. However, rather than bringing his success to the table and seeking a deal with HarperCollins or Penguin Putnam, as he could have, Sharpe returned to Soft Skull for his latest novel, Jamestown.

Other successful authors have stuck with this excellent small press as well. Among them are Wayne Koestenbaum, David Ohle, Daphne Gottlieb, and Lydia Millet, all award-winning writers who have found joy in independent publishing.

Why choose a small press? Further, why stay independent when you could gain “commercial” success? Many authors cite the personal attention as a primary reason for staying “small.” Where a large publisher will undoubtedly release your novel along with 40 or 50 other titles as part of a spring or fall catalogue, a selective independent publisher may have a dozen or less, and each of these titles is hand-fed through the process of reviews, bookstore placements, and more.

Another advantage is “shelf life.” Large publishers routinely pull titles from their active list after three months or so, unless the books are runaway bestsellers. Most independent presses keep their titles in print for a year or more, allowing unknown authors time to build an audience.

Any other independent publisher advantages you can think of?

An Assortment of News

2006-11-21T14:23:00.000-08:00

British author Steve Mosby has had the rights to his third and fourth books purchased by Droemer Knaur in Germany. Fantastic news – congratulations Steve! This follows the news that the rights were sold in Italy as well. Can world domination be far behind? A talented author who has two books to his credit already. If you haven't checked his work out yet, be sure to add him to your must-read list for 2007.

An issue of Psycho Noir is up at Hardluck Stories. You'll see some familiar names in this issue, so be sure to check it out.

Sela Carson shares news about an upcoming anthology to support a very good cause.

And Canadian author Steve Clackson displays some priceless book covers that you won’t see in stores near you any time soon.

A Call to NaNoWriMo-ers and Aspiring Authors

2006-11-21T09:32:00.000-08:00

Visit Duane Swierczynski's blog for more details about a novel writing contest.

New Demolition

2006-11-14T17:08:00.000-08:00

The latest issue of Demolition is now available online. This issue includes work by Dave White, Jordan Harper, a rising star in the catchy first lines club I might add, Tom Wohlforth, Patricia Abbott, David Terrenoire, who proves he knows just the right things to say to a woman to set the mood, Chris Everheart, John Weagly, Colin C. Conway and Russel D. McLean. Who knew Russel's name would prove to be such a bitch to spell? Couldn't he make life easy and change his name to something straightforward, like Quertermous or Terrenoire?

Anyway, all name jokes aside, brilliant collection of writers here and well worth the time checking out.

When Hell Freezes Over

2006-11-12T11:17:00.000-08:00

Canadian crime writer (and president of the CWC) Rick Blechta, is running a contest for his new novel, When Hell Freezes Over on his website.

Also, check out the cool e-card for When Hell Freezes Over.

Out of the Gutter Debut List Announced

2006-11-11T12:40:00.000-08:00

An anthology of well-written, fucked-up stories, Out of the Gutter is the epitome of an underground project worthy of attention. The anthology, which the founder hopes will be the first of many, will launch with contributions from:

D.Z. Allen
Dale Bridges
Billy Elizondo
Seth "Soul Man" Ferranti
Victor Gischler
Paul Grimsley
J.A. Konrath
Hana K. Lee
Joe McKinney
Todd Robinson
Sandra Ruttan
Harry Shannon
Charlie Stella
Duane Swierczynski
and MLB (OOTG founder)

An Out of the Gutter website will be launched soon that will have more information. The first anthology will go to print in early 2007.

Genre Novel Takes Literary Prize

2006-11-10T09:19:00.000-08:00

Val McDermid's latest work, The Grave Tattoo has been awarded the Portico Prize for Fiction, which considers all works of fiction. The Portico Library in Manchester awards the prize to a book about the North West of England or set primarily in that region and is split into fiction and non-fiction categories. Congratulations Val!

Starting Points

2006-11-09T11:56:00.000-08:00

Court TV launches their search for the next great crime writer starting November 13.

Canadian writers should keep their eye on the Crime Writers of Canada site for more details about a new competition for unpublished authors. This is the official announcement sent out Saturday November 4 to CWC members.

The unhanged Arthur
Mothership is thrilled to announce that we will be adding a new category to the Arthur Ellis Awards – the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Unpublished Mystery Novel. The award is modeled on the CWA’s Debut Dagger. We are just finalizing the details, but essentially, you submit the first 10,000 words of your unpublished mystery manuscript (rounded up or down to the nearest chapter) along with a synopsis of the book. If you are one of the 10 people to make the first-stage cut, you will be asked to submit your completed manuscript. This long-list will be pared down to a 5-person short-list; the winner will be announced at the Arthur Ellis Awards dinner.

Major thanks to LOUISE PENNY (Dead Cold, McArthur & Company), MICHAEL WHITEHEAD, and MARIAN MISTERS (SLEUTH OF BAKER STREET) who researched and developed the proposal for this new category. Louise has also brought Kim McArthur, publisher of McArthur & Company, to the table – McArthur & Company will be donating a cash prize to the winner. Even more exciting, though, is that Kim will look at the winning manuscript with an eye to possibly publishing it.