As you may remember, my plan was to get back to blogging once a
week. However, as you now know, I failed again last week. But it
wasn't my fault. It was my publisher's.
The publisher of DEAD IN THE WATER, my cozy, humorous mystery,
which came out last October, wanted to release the second book in the
series, titled DEAD MEN'S TALES, on March 21st, but they never gave it
to me to proofread. Since DEAD IN THE WATER had been so easy to
proofread, they apparently assumed DEAD MEN'S TALES would be too.
Had they allowed me to proofread it, I could have fixed the
problems they found much easier than waiting until only two days
before launch to ask me to fix them. So, in spite of having to attend
the three day Arts & Crafts Show held twice a year here, I had a mere
day and a half to do it. I've ordered an E-version of the book, but
haven't read it yet, so I don't even know if my changes helped or not.
You see I knew - which the publisher didn't know - that the books
are set in different places. DEAD IN THE WATER is set mostly in
England, where my heroine solves the murder of a distant relative.
DEAD MEN'S TALES is set in San Francisco, after Olivia goes back
home to continue working in the P.I. office of her brother. And the
plot of the second book involves which of the possible suspects goes
into the room where the victim had gone to read his speech before
giving it.
It also involves searching for an old VHS tape which has valuable
information on it. Making the reader aware of that VHS tape's use was
my most important change, and I made it, and I hope readers will
follow the trail.
So, DEAD MEN'S TALES was released yesterday by Smashwords and -
for a short time - is selling for $.99 as an E-book. All I know right
now is that - within the first two days, Monday and Tuesday - it
received 25 five-star reviews. For which I am most grateful. ______________________________________________________
Friday, March 25, 2016
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
READING WHILE WRITING?
I’m still recovering from the strokes I had in January, although, frankly, I feel quite normal and do everything I did before. However, I’m waiting to find out when and where I go for a few Physical Therapy sessions which they promised me.
Oh well, here’s my Blog post for this week. I’ll try to do one every week, as I did before. And this is one I’ve been asked about often, namely, “Should a writer read while she’s writing a book?”
Many beginning writers ask if it’s okay to read while writing, or will you, unknowingly, transfer some of what you’ve read into your own book. Most writers manage to keep those separate, but, if it’s a problem for you, make a plan for how to keep them that from happening.
First of all, don’t read a book, or anything, which is too similar to what you’re currently writing. For example, don’t read a romance novel, if you’re writing one. Or a mystery, or a science fiction book, if that’s what you’re working on.
Mystery writers are especially worried about putting some other author’s solution into their book. If you made a synopsis of your book, or even an outline, before you started, you should already know how you expect to end it, so you won’t be tempted to borrow another author’s ending.
I don’t read any fiction when I’m writing my own fiction. Years ago, I wrote two books at the same time, but one was non-fiction, and that worked out fine. In fact, I tend not be reading any other author’s work while I’m writing my own. When I’m concentrating on my own story, I think of it first thing in the morning, and basically all day. Maybe I’m the strange one here, because I just have no desire to read anything but what I’m doing.
However, if you’re in the middle of reading a book when you decide to start writing one of your own, my suggestion would be to stop reading and put that book away until you can do nothing but concentrate on it. Or else, finish reading that book until your mind is completely occupied with your own book. That should be all that fills your thoughts. In fact, you might get ideas for how to handle difficult scenes, without actually copying the method you’ve just read. In other words, if you can get some worthwhile ideas from your reading, it can be useful. However, my advice is to stick with your own work until it’s finished. I’m pretty sure you didn’t want to hear that, so I’m sorry, but I’m a one-book at a time person.
Oh well, here’s my Blog post for this week. I’ll try to do one every week, as I did before. And this is one I’ve been asked about often, namely, “Should a writer read while she’s writing a book?”
Many beginning writers ask if it’s okay to read while writing, or will you, unknowingly, transfer some of what you’ve read into your own book. Most writers manage to keep those separate, but, if it’s a problem for you, make a plan for how to keep them that from happening.
First of all, don’t read a book, or anything, which is too similar to what you’re currently writing. For example, don’t read a romance novel, if you’re writing one. Or a mystery, or a science fiction book, if that’s what you’re working on.
Mystery writers are especially worried about putting some other author’s solution into their book. If you made a synopsis of your book, or even an outline, before you started, you should already know how you expect to end it, so you won’t be tempted to borrow another author’s ending.
I don’t read any fiction when I’m writing my own fiction. Years ago, I wrote two books at the same time, but one was non-fiction, and that worked out fine. In fact, I tend not be reading any other author’s work while I’m writing my own. When I’m concentrating on my own story, I think of it first thing in the morning, and basically all day. Maybe I’m the strange one here, because I just have no desire to read anything but what I’m doing.
However, if you’re in the middle of reading a book when you decide to start writing one of your own, my suggestion would be to stop reading and put that book away until you can do nothing but concentrate on it. Or else, finish reading that book until your mind is completely occupied with your own book. That should be all that fills your thoughts. In fact, you might get ideas for how to handle difficult scenes, without actually copying the method you’ve just read. In other words, if you can get some worthwhile ideas from your reading, it can be useful. However, my advice is to stick with your own work until it’s finished. I’m pretty sure you didn’t want to hear that, so I’m sorry, but I’m a one-book at a time person.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
WRITING IS HARD WORK
People who are not writers (the kind who get paid for what they write), think writing is easy. After all, we all learned to write in grade school if not before, and, even if we never wrote a novel, we’ve written lots of other things. Letters to friends and relatives, and countless stories, or essays, for school projects.
But “real” writing is hard. Take a novel, for instance. First, you have to know what it will be about, such as the great white whale in MOBY DICK. Then you must put characters in it, and you must know those characters, and what they think about the subject of your novel. They must also know the other characters in the novel, and, preferably, have a different opinion than that of the others.
Your novel must be set somewhere, and you’ll have to describe it, so that your reader has a mental picture of the place, such as the Southern town in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Plus, if a character goes somewhere, you’ll have to describe the “somewhere” she goes, and, perhaps, how she gets there, such as Atlanta, and, perhaps a train.
Which brings us to time-setting. Is your book set in today’s world, the 21st century, or the past, or the future? Books, as you know can be “contemporary,” like GONE GIRL, or “historical,” like GONE WITH THE WIND, or set it some future time, as most science fiction novels are. And, as the author of this book, it’s your job to decide the answer to all those questions.
That’s just the beginning. In order to have a reader read your book, you have to provide a plot for your story. If you want a reader to finish reading your book, and say, “That was a fantastic story. I couldn’t stop reading.” you’ll have to write it in such a way that that’s what your typical reader will say.
In addition, you need to write characters who take part in your plot, and some of them might not agree with your main character about the plot’s worthiness. In fact, the most important thing you have to write is how and why your characters disagree. It’s called “conflict,” and every book worth reading has conflict in it. Even a romance novel, where the characters fall in love and end up together, must have a time in which the reader doubts that will ever happen.
“Okay,” you say, “I won’t write a romance novel. I’ll write a mystery where a sleuth will figure out who the guilty person is and bring him to justice.” Remember “conflict”? The stronger the conflict in your mystery, the more exciting your book will be. Can you write a book like that? Try writing out a plot where your sleuth stumbles upon a dead person and must figure out who killed him, and why. It’s hard.
But don’t let me stop you from trying. All of us writers were faced with those problems, and we managed to answer those questions so well that our books were published and we earned money as well as congratulations from friends and relatives. I’ve written, and had published, nineteen romance novels and now four mysteries. My greatest thrill is reading an Amazon review where the author says, “What a great story.” I hope you have moments like that, too. Just remember, it’s hard to do but you’ll be rewarded when you accomplish i
But “real” writing is hard. Take a novel, for instance. First, you have to know what it will be about, such as the great white whale in MOBY DICK. Then you must put characters in it, and you must know those characters, and what they think about the subject of your novel. They must also know the other characters in the novel, and, preferably, have a different opinion than that of the others.
Your novel must be set somewhere, and you’ll have to describe it, so that your reader has a mental picture of the place, such as the Southern town in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Plus, if a character goes somewhere, you’ll have to describe the “somewhere” she goes, and, perhaps, how she gets there, such as Atlanta, and, perhaps a train.
Which brings us to time-setting. Is your book set in today’s world, the 21st century, or the past, or the future? Books, as you know can be “contemporary,” like GONE GIRL, or “historical,” like GONE WITH THE WIND, or set it some future time, as most science fiction novels are. And, as the author of this book, it’s your job to decide the answer to all those questions.
That’s just the beginning. In order to have a reader read your book, you have to provide a plot for your story. If you want a reader to finish reading your book, and say, “That was a fantastic story. I couldn’t stop reading.” you’ll have to write it in such a way that that’s what your typical reader will say.
In addition, you need to write characters who take part in your plot, and some of them might not agree with your main character about the plot’s worthiness. In fact, the most important thing you have to write is how and why your characters disagree. It’s called “conflict,” and every book worth reading has conflict in it. Even a romance novel, where the characters fall in love and end up together, must have a time in which the reader doubts that will ever happen.
“Okay,” you say, “I won’t write a romance novel. I’ll write a mystery where a sleuth will figure out who the guilty person is and bring him to justice.” Remember “conflict”? The stronger the conflict in your mystery, the more exciting your book will be. Can you write a book like that? Try writing out a plot where your sleuth stumbles upon a dead person and must figure out who killed him, and why. It’s hard.
But don’t let me stop you from trying. All of us writers were faced with those problems, and we managed to answer those questions so well that our books were published and we earned money as well as congratulations from friends and relatives. I’ve written, and had published, nineteen romance novels and now four mysteries. My greatest thrill is reading an Amazon review where the author says, “What a great story.” I hope you have moments like that, too. Just remember, it’s hard to do but you’ll be rewarded when you accomplish i
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
CO-AUTHORING A BOOK
Okay, you’re right. It’s been two weeks since I put up a post on my blog. But I’m still recovering from the stroke I had in January. And where are the physical therapy sessions they promised me? Huh?
But this week my favorite blogger, Anne R. Allen, has posted an article about-authoring books by Melodie Campbell, and, since I wrote one like that myself not so long ago, I’m inspired to respond to it.
The first bit of advice Melodie gives is to find someone whose style is simiar to yours. Right? No, wrong.
I met my co-author in a writing class and quickly realized we had different writing styles. I write fast–I called it “down and dirty”–and Carole writes slowly, using lots of adjectives, similes and metaphors. It occurred to me we should combine our styles, and when I telephoned Carole, it turned out she felt the same way about me.
So, since we lived in the same town, we got together and brain-stormed our first book. That gave us an outline for a romance novel, and we were off. Since our styles were so different, we took advantage of that. I wrote the first chapter, “down and dirty,” and gave it to Carole. She added all those great words, plus similes and metaphors, all the stuff I coudn’t do. We not only finished that book, we wrote two more together, one a straight mystery and the other a romantic-suspense.
Then tragedy came calling. Carole bought a new computer (different from mine) and my husband retired, so we moved 500 miles away. We decided that, since Carole still worked and I didn’t, that I would send our books to agents and editors, and Carole would send me postage-money from time to time. And I sold our first book, SOUTHERN STAR, to Avalon Books, a well-known romance publisher. That came nineteen years after we first wrote it. Lesson: never give up.
But the publisher, who had already paid us a nice advance, went out of business, and guess who bought them? Amazon! So, SOUTHERN STAR is now a Montlake Romance and they sell copies for us reglarly.
Carole and I kept in touch, slightly, but eventually, we found ourselves able to write together again, so we did. We polished our remaining books and sold another one, the straight mystery, EYEWITNESS, which came out this past October from Coffeetown Press. Our third one is keeping some editor’s desk warm right now, but they can’t win. They’re destined to buy it (says I).
So, even with two completely different styles, we forged a writing bond. We haven’t written any more books together, but Carole left her job and writes books, both romance and romantic-suspense, and I’ve learned to use words, even similes and metaphors, much better. Carole has sold three more of her books, and I’ve sold fourteen of mine.
But, one thing Melodie said in her article is definitely true. Trust between partners is very important, and Carole and I definitely have that down pat. When we do get together, even our husbands get along.
But this week my favorite blogger, Anne R. Allen, has posted an article about-authoring books by Melodie Campbell, and, since I wrote one like that myself not so long ago, I’m inspired to respond to it.
The first bit of advice Melodie gives is to find someone whose style is simiar to yours. Right? No, wrong.
I met my co-author in a writing class and quickly realized we had different writing styles. I write fast–I called it “down and dirty”–and Carole writes slowly, using lots of adjectives, similes and metaphors. It occurred to me we should combine our styles, and when I telephoned Carole, it turned out she felt the same way about me.
So, since we lived in the same town, we got together and brain-stormed our first book. That gave us an outline for a romance novel, and we were off. Since our styles were so different, we took advantage of that. I wrote the first chapter, “down and dirty,” and gave it to Carole. She added all those great words, plus similes and metaphors, all the stuff I coudn’t do. We not only finished that book, we wrote two more together, one a straight mystery and the other a romantic-suspense.
Then tragedy came calling. Carole bought a new computer (different from mine) and my husband retired, so we moved 500 miles away. We decided that, since Carole still worked and I didn’t, that I would send our books to agents and editors, and Carole would send me postage-money from time to time. And I sold our first book, SOUTHERN STAR, to Avalon Books, a well-known romance publisher. That came nineteen years after we first wrote it. Lesson: never give up.
But the publisher, who had already paid us a nice advance, went out of business, and guess who bought them? Amazon! So, SOUTHERN STAR is now a Montlake Romance and they sell copies for us reglarly.
Carole and I kept in touch, slightly, but eventually, we found ourselves able to write together again, so we did. We polished our remaining books and sold another one, the straight mystery, EYEWITNESS, which came out this past October from Coffeetown Press. Our third one is keeping some editor’s desk warm right now, but they can’t win. They’re destined to buy it (says I).
So, even with two completely different styles, we forged a writing bond. We haven’t written any more books together, but Carole left her job and writes books, both romance and romantic-suspense, and I’ve learned to use words, even similes and metaphors, much better. Carole has sold three more of her books, and I’ve sold fourteen of mine.
But, one thing Melodie said in her article is definitely true. Trust between partners is very important, and Carole and I definitely have that down pat. When we do get together, even our husbands get along.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
LEARNING TO WRITE
Recently, I’ve read a few articles about how to write a wonderful first sentence for a novel. My choice, which is from my favorite book, REBECCA, by Daphne du Maurier, is, “Last night I dreamed I went to Manderly again.”
None of my opening sentences are like that, but here are some:
COLD APRIL, a romance novel set on board the Titanic. “Throngs of people crowded the docks at Southampton. Passengers just disembarking from the ship, and visitors who came to welcome them, shared the space with automobiles and even a few horse-drawn vehicles. Elizabeth Shallcross hurried through the crush.”
BEATING THE ODDS, A romance about a horse that wins the Kentucky Derby. “The hairs along the back of her neck rose; a cold wave swept up her skin. Someone was watching her. Kerry Frayne told herself there was nothing to be afraid of, but the feeling returned, stronger than before.”
DANGEROUS CHOICES, a mainstream novel about painters flying to an art show in Honolulu. “Exactly an hour and fifteen minutes after taking off from Los Angeles International Airport, First Officer Reg Humboldt felt the strange vibration. For a split second, a tremor of fear clutched at him, tightened his gut. The DC-6 was heading to Honolulu at 22,000 feet, and the last thing he wanted to think about was trouble.”
DEAD IN THE WATER, A mystery with humor, set in the U.K. “No one murdered Edward Mason. At least I didn’t think so. Since he was eighty-two years old, he apparently died of the usual ‘natural causes.’ However, the case of his forty-years-younger wife, Noreen, was a different matter.”
EYEWITNESS, a romantic-suspense novel, which takes place in Kentucky. ”He was going to have her killed, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.
‘Come on, Babe, smile. This isn’t a funeral.’”
FINDING AMY, a romantic suspense novel which takes place in London and Paris. “As if it weren’t depressing enough that Sabrina sat alone in her Chicago condo on a Saturday night, her father telephoned with bad news. ‘Your British grandfather has died.‘”
That’s only six, and I’ve had nineteen books published, so I’ll do this again soon. By the way, all the books I listed above were published, so the first lines I used didn’t hurt, and maybe helped.
______________________________________________________________________
None of my opening sentences are like that, but here are some:
COLD APRIL, a romance novel set on board the Titanic. “Throngs of people crowded the docks at Southampton. Passengers just disembarking from the ship, and visitors who came to welcome them, shared the space with automobiles and even a few horse-drawn vehicles. Elizabeth Shallcross hurried through the crush.”
BEATING THE ODDS, A romance about a horse that wins the Kentucky Derby. “The hairs along the back of her neck rose; a cold wave swept up her skin. Someone was watching her. Kerry Frayne told herself there was nothing to be afraid of, but the feeling returned, stronger than before.”
DANGEROUS CHOICES, a mainstream novel about painters flying to an art show in Honolulu. “Exactly an hour and fifteen minutes after taking off from Los Angeles International Airport, First Officer Reg Humboldt felt the strange vibration. For a split second, a tremor of fear clutched at him, tightened his gut. The DC-6 was heading to Honolulu at 22,000 feet, and the last thing he wanted to think about was trouble.”
DEAD IN THE WATER, A mystery with humor, set in the U.K. “No one murdered Edward Mason. At least I didn’t think so. Since he was eighty-two years old, he apparently died of the usual ‘natural causes.’ However, the case of his forty-years-younger wife, Noreen, was a different matter.”
EYEWITNESS, a romantic-suspense novel, which takes place in Kentucky. ”He was going to have her killed, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.
‘Come on, Babe, smile. This isn’t a funeral.’”
FINDING AMY, a romantic suspense novel which takes place in London and Paris. “As if it weren’t depressing enough that Sabrina sat alone in her Chicago condo on a Saturday night, her father telephoned with bad news. ‘Your British grandfather has died.‘”
That’s only six, and I’ve had nineteen books published, so I’ll do this again soon. By the way, all the books I listed above were published, so the first lines I used didn’t hurt, and maybe helped.
______________________________________________________________________
Saturday, January 23, 2016
THE 2016 EDGAR ALLEN POE AWARDS
My G.P. says I am recovering well from the stroke I had earlier this month, so I’m back at work again, and posting my Blog. This year, the Nominations of the Mystery Writers of America are:
Mystery Writers of America is proud to announce, as we celebrate the 207th anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allen Poe, the 2016 nominees for the Edgar Allen Poe Awards in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2015. The Edgar Awards will be presented to the winners at our Banquet on April 28, 2016, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, NYC.
BEST NOVEL
THE STRANGLER VINE, M. J. Carter. Penguin Random House
THE LADY FROM ZAGREB, Philip Kerr. Penguin Random House
LIFE OR DEATH, Michael Robotham, Hachette Book Group
LET ME DIE IN HIS FOOTSTEPS, Lori Roy. Penguin Random House
CANARY, Duane Swierczyski. Hachette Book Group
NIGHT LIFE, David C. Taylor. Forge Books
BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
PAST CRIMES, Glen Erik Hamilton. Harper Collins Publishers
WHERE ALL LIGHT TENDS TO GO, David Joy. Pengin Random House
LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE, Jessica Knoll. Simon & Schuster
THE SYMPATHIZER, Viet Thanh Nguyen. Grove Atlantic
UNBECOMING, Rebecca Scherm. Penguin Random House.
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
THE LONG AND FARAWAY GONE, Lou Berney. Harper Collins
THE NECESSARY DEATH OF LEWIS WINTER, Malcom Mackay. Hachette
WHAT SHE KNEW, Gilly MacMillan. Harper Collins.
WOMAN WITH A BLUE PENCIL, Gordon McAlpine. Prometheus Books
GUN STREET GIRL, Adrian McKinty. Prometheus Books
THE DAUGHTER, Jane Shemilt. Harper Collins
BEST FACT CRIME
OPERATION NEMESIS: The Assassination Plot that Avenged the
American Genocide. Eric Bogosian. Hachette Book Group
WHERE THE BODIES WERE BURIED. Whitey Bulger and the World that Made Him. T. J. English. Harper-Collins.
WHIPPING BOY. The Forty-Year Search for My Twelve-Year-Old Bully.
Allen Kurzwell. Harper-Collins.
FORENSICS. What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA, and More Tell us About Crime.
Val McDermid. Grove Atlantic.
AMERICAN PAIN. How a Young Felon and His Ring of Doctors Unleashed America’s Deadliest Drug Epidermic. John Temple. Bowman & Littlefield. (Lyons Press)
BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL
THE GOLDEN AGE OF MURDER. Martin Edwards. Harper-Collins.
THE OUTSIDER: My Life in Intrigue. Frederick Forsyth. Penguin Random House.
MEANWHILE THERE ARE LETTERS. The Correspondence of Eudora Welty and Ross MacDonald. Susanne Marrs & Tom Nolan. Arcade Publishing.
GOLDENEYE, WHERE BOND WAS BORN. Ian Fleming’s Jamaica. Matthew Parker.
Pegasus Books.
THE LOST DETECTIVE. Becoming Dashiell Hammett. Nathan Ward. Bloomsbury.
BEST SHORT STORY
THE LITTLE MEN. Martin Edwards. Mysterious Bookshop.
ON BORROWED TIME. Mat Coward. Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.
THE SATURDAY NIGHT BEFORE EASTER SUNDAY. Peter Farrelly. Providence Noir.
FAMILY TREASURES. Shirley Jackson. Random House.
OBITS. Stephen King. Bazaar of Bad Dreams.
EVERY SEVEN YEARS. Dennis Mina. Mysterious Bookshop.
BEST JUVENILE
CATCH YOU LATER. Avi. Algonquin Young Readers
IF YOU FIND THIS. Matthew Baker. Hachette Book Group
CURIOSITY HOUSE. Lauren Oliver & H.C. Chester. Harper Collins.
BLACKTHORN KEY. Kevin Sands. Simon & Schuster
FOOTER DAVIS PROBABLY IS CRAZY. Susan Vaught. Simon & Schuster.
BEST YOUNG ADULT
ENDANGERED. Lamar Giles. Harper Collins
A MADNESS SO DISCREET. Mindy McGinnis. Harper Collins.
THE SIN EATER’S DAUGHTER. Melinda Salsbury. Scholastic
THE WALLS AROUND US. Nova Ren Suma. Algonquin Young Readers
ASK THE DARK. Henry Turner. Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt
BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY
EPISODE 7. BROADCHURCH. Chris Chibnall. BBC America.
GENTLY WITH THE WOMEN. GEORGE GENTLY. Peter Flannery. Acorn TV
ELISE - THE FINAL MYSTERY. FOYLE’S WAR. Anthony Horowitz. Acorn TV
TERRA INCOGNITA. Erik Mountain & Melissa Scrivner. Love, CBS.
THE BEATING OF HER WINGS. RIPPER STREET. Richard Warlow. BBC America
THE SIMON & SCHUSTER - MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
A WOMAN UNKNOWN. Frances Brody. Minotaur Books
THE MASQUE OF A MURDERER. Suanne Calkins. Minotaur Books
NIGHT NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT. Hallie Ephron. Harper Collins
THE CHILD GARDEN. Catriona McPherson. Midnight Ink.
LITTLE PRETTY THINGS. Lori Rader-Day. Prometheus Books
As you, my readers, can plainly see, almost all the publishers of these books are large (Big 5) publishers. Not an Indie book in the bunch. Or even Coffeetown Press who published EYEWITNESS, the mystery Carole and I wrote and entered. That might be because of the rules by the host company. Oh well, maybe next year. Meanwhile, for those who care, the most books were Harper-Collins (11 books) Next were published by Penguin Random House, who had seven books. Next was Hachette with 4, then Simon & Schuster and Prometheus, with 3, Grove Atlantic (and others) with 2.
Finding women authors was easier. There were 21 out of the total of 53 authors, but that’s still only 40%. I’d have preferred to see 50%. Again, maybe next year. I can dream, can’t I?
Mystery Writers of America is proud to announce, as we celebrate the 207th anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allen Poe, the 2016 nominees for the Edgar Allen Poe Awards in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2015. The Edgar Awards will be presented to the winners at our Banquet on April 28, 2016, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, NYC.
BEST NOVEL
THE STRANGLER VINE, M. J. Carter. Penguin Random House
THE LADY FROM ZAGREB, Philip Kerr. Penguin Random House
LIFE OR DEATH, Michael Robotham, Hachette Book Group
LET ME DIE IN HIS FOOTSTEPS, Lori Roy. Penguin Random House
CANARY, Duane Swierczyski. Hachette Book Group
NIGHT LIFE, David C. Taylor. Forge Books
BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
PAST CRIMES, Glen Erik Hamilton. Harper Collins Publishers
WHERE ALL LIGHT TENDS TO GO, David Joy. Pengin Random House
LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE, Jessica Knoll. Simon & Schuster
THE SYMPATHIZER, Viet Thanh Nguyen. Grove Atlantic
UNBECOMING, Rebecca Scherm. Penguin Random House.
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
THE LONG AND FARAWAY GONE, Lou Berney. Harper Collins
THE NECESSARY DEATH OF LEWIS WINTER, Malcom Mackay. Hachette
WHAT SHE KNEW, Gilly MacMillan. Harper Collins.
WOMAN WITH A BLUE PENCIL, Gordon McAlpine. Prometheus Books
GUN STREET GIRL, Adrian McKinty. Prometheus Books
THE DAUGHTER, Jane Shemilt. Harper Collins
BEST FACT CRIME
OPERATION NEMESIS: The Assassination Plot that Avenged the
American Genocide. Eric Bogosian. Hachette Book Group
WHERE THE BODIES WERE BURIED. Whitey Bulger and the World that Made Him. T. J. English. Harper-Collins.
WHIPPING BOY. The Forty-Year Search for My Twelve-Year-Old Bully.
Allen Kurzwell. Harper-Collins.
FORENSICS. What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA, and More Tell us About Crime.
Val McDermid. Grove Atlantic.
AMERICAN PAIN. How a Young Felon and His Ring of Doctors Unleashed America’s Deadliest Drug Epidermic. John Temple. Bowman & Littlefield. (Lyons Press)
BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL
THE GOLDEN AGE OF MURDER. Martin Edwards. Harper-Collins.
THE OUTSIDER: My Life in Intrigue. Frederick Forsyth. Penguin Random House.
MEANWHILE THERE ARE LETTERS. The Correspondence of Eudora Welty and Ross MacDonald. Susanne Marrs & Tom Nolan. Arcade Publishing.
GOLDENEYE, WHERE BOND WAS BORN. Ian Fleming’s Jamaica. Matthew Parker.
Pegasus Books.
THE LOST DETECTIVE. Becoming Dashiell Hammett. Nathan Ward. Bloomsbury.
BEST SHORT STORY
THE LITTLE MEN. Martin Edwards. Mysterious Bookshop.
ON BORROWED TIME. Mat Coward. Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.
THE SATURDAY NIGHT BEFORE EASTER SUNDAY. Peter Farrelly. Providence Noir.
FAMILY TREASURES. Shirley Jackson. Random House.
OBITS. Stephen King. Bazaar of Bad Dreams.
EVERY SEVEN YEARS. Dennis Mina. Mysterious Bookshop.
BEST JUVENILE
CATCH YOU LATER. Avi. Algonquin Young Readers
IF YOU FIND THIS. Matthew Baker. Hachette Book Group
CURIOSITY HOUSE. Lauren Oliver & H.C. Chester. Harper Collins.
BLACKTHORN KEY. Kevin Sands. Simon & Schuster
FOOTER DAVIS PROBABLY IS CRAZY. Susan Vaught. Simon & Schuster.
BEST YOUNG ADULT
ENDANGERED. Lamar Giles. Harper Collins
A MADNESS SO DISCREET. Mindy McGinnis. Harper Collins.
THE SIN EATER’S DAUGHTER. Melinda Salsbury. Scholastic
THE WALLS AROUND US. Nova Ren Suma. Algonquin Young Readers
ASK THE DARK. Henry Turner. Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt
BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY
EPISODE 7. BROADCHURCH. Chris Chibnall. BBC America.
GENTLY WITH THE WOMEN. GEORGE GENTLY. Peter Flannery. Acorn TV
ELISE - THE FINAL MYSTERY. FOYLE’S WAR. Anthony Horowitz. Acorn TV
TERRA INCOGNITA. Erik Mountain & Melissa Scrivner. Love, CBS.
THE BEATING OF HER WINGS. RIPPER STREET. Richard Warlow. BBC America
THE SIMON & SCHUSTER - MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
A WOMAN UNKNOWN. Frances Brody. Minotaur Books
THE MASQUE OF A MURDERER. Suanne Calkins. Minotaur Books
NIGHT NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT. Hallie Ephron. Harper Collins
THE CHILD GARDEN. Catriona McPherson. Midnight Ink.
LITTLE PRETTY THINGS. Lori Rader-Day. Prometheus Books
As you, my readers, can plainly see, almost all the publishers of these books are large (Big 5) publishers. Not an Indie book in the bunch. Or even Coffeetown Press who published EYEWITNESS, the mystery Carole and I wrote and entered. That might be because of the rules by the host company. Oh well, maybe next year. Meanwhile, for those who care, the most books were Harper-Collins (11 books) Next were published by Penguin Random House, who had seven books. Next was Hachette with 4, then Simon & Schuster and Prometheus, with 3, Grove Atlantic (and others) with 2.
Finding women authors was easier. There were 21 out of the total of 53 authors, but that’s still only 40%. I’d have preferred to see 50%. Again, maybe next year. I can dream, can’t I?
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
Every year between 2006 and 2015, J. A. Konrath has written a blog listing his New Year’s Resolutions. He tried to teach his readers to become good writers. In 2006 there was no Amazon, no Kindles, no easy self-publishing.
Here’s Joe’s list of Resolutions for 2006:
I will start and finish my book.
I will always have three stories submitted and be working on a fourth.
I will attend at least one writer’s conference and introduce myself to agents, editors and writers.
I will join a critique group or start one.
I will listen to criticism.
I will create and update my website.
I will master the Query process and search for an agent.
I will keep up my Blog and social connections.
I will schedule bookstore signings and greet customers while there.
I will contact local libraries and offer to do book signings.
I will make selling my books my responsibility, not my publisher’s.
I will spend a large part of my advance on self-promotion.
I will help out other writers.
I will not get jealous or envious.
I will be amiable, accessible and enthusiastic.
Do we all know Joe Konrath used those sentences to become a best-selling author? We should because he did.
However, times changed, and Jeff Bezos developed Amazon. He invented the Kindle and turned every newbie writer into a self-published one. By 2010, Joe Konrath no longer needed an agent, or even a publisher. He was making his living as a writer. His list of resolutions was:
I will self-publish. Last year I earned $1650 in December. This year it’ll be $22,000.
This majority is on Kindle, but I’m also doing print with CreateSpace.
The Gatekeepers - agents who submit books - are no longer necessary.
I’m not saying to give up traditional publishing, but there’s no down-side to self-publishing. At the worst, you’ll make a few bucks. At the best, you’ll make a fortune with agents and editors fighting over you.
Do not take any deal that’s less than you’d make in 6 years. If you sell 1000 books per month, then $144,000 is the advance you need.
I have seven novels, each earning $24K per year. In 6 years I’ll have made a million dollars on them.
I don’t expect them to remain the same. They’ll go up.
In 2016, Konrath’s list of Resolutions is one line:
This year, I’m boiling them down to one word: WRITE!
It’s easy to get caught up in different aspects of a writing career. I’ve helped other writers; I started my own company. I evangelized, blogged, collaborated, experimented, promoted. However, first and foremost, I’m a writer. And writers write! I’ve spent a lot of time on my career, and backstory needs that. But now it’s time for me to plant more seeds.
2016 is going to be my most productive year ever. Come and join me.
Here’s Joe’s list of Resolutions for 2006:
I will start and finish my book.
I will always have three stories submitted and be working on a fourth.
I will attend at least one writer’s conference and introduce myself to agents, editors and writers.
I will join a critique group or start one.
I will listen to criticism.
I will create and update my website.
I will master the Query process and search for an agent.
I will keep up my Blog and social connections.
I will schedule bookstore signings and greet customers while there.
I will contact local libraries and offer to do book signings.
I will make selling my books my responsibility, not my publisher’s.
I will spend a large part of my advance on self-promotion.
I will help out other writers.
I will not get jealous or envious.
I will be amiable, accessible and enthusiastic.
Do we all know Joe Konrath used those sentences to become a best-selling author? We should because he did.
However, times changed, and Jeff Bezos developed Amazon. He invented the Kindle and turned every newbie writer into a self-published one. By 2010, Joe Konrath no longer needed an agent, or even a publisher. He was making his living as a writer. His list of resolutions was:
I will self-publish. Last year I earned $1650 in December. This year it’ll be $22,000.
This majority is on Kindle, but I’m also doing print with CreateSpace.
The Gatekeepers - agents who submit books - are no longer necessary.
I’m not saying to give up traditional publishing, but there’s no down-side to self-publishing. At the worst, you’ll make a few bucks. At the best, you’ll make a fortune with agents and editors fighting over you.
Do not take any deal that’s less than you’d make in 6 years. If you sell 1000 books per month, then $144,000 is the advance you need.
I have seven novels, each earning $24K per year. In 6 years I’ll have made a million dollars on them.
I don’t expect them to remain the same. They’ll go up.
In 2016, Konrath’s list of Resolutions is one line:
This year, I’m boiling them down to one word: WRITE!
It’s easy to get caught up in different aspects of a writing career. I’ve helped other writers; I started my own company. I evangelized, blogged, collaborated, experimented, promoted. However, first and foremost, I’m a writer. And writers write! I’ve spent a lot of time on my career, and backstory needs that. But now it’s time for me to plant more seeds.
2016 is going to be my most productive year ever. Come and join me.
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