Winter New Releases
 A Cadger's Curse Diane Gilbert Madsen |
 Death at the Alma Mater G.M. Malliet |
 Corpse on the Cob Sue Ann Jaffarian |
 Phi Beta Murder C.S. Challinor |
Publisher
Featured publications
From deep in the heart of his eighteenth century English manor, millionaire Sir Adrian Beauclerk-Fisk writes mystery novels and torments his four spoiled children with threats of disinheritance. Tiring of this device, the portly patriarch decides to weave a malicious twist into his well-worn plot. Gathering them all together for a family dinner, he announces his latest blow – a secret elopement with the beautiful Violet... who was once suspected of murdering her husband.Within hours, eldest son and appointed heir Ruthven is found cleaved to death by a medieval mace. And soon Sir Adrian himself is found slumped over his writing desk – an ornate knife thrust into his heart. Trapped amid leering gargoyles and stone walls, every member of the family is a likely suspect. Using a little Cornish brusqueness and brawn, can St. Just find the killer before the next-in-line to the family fortune ends up dead?
Winter New Releases
A Cadger's Curse Diane Gilbert Madsen |
Death at the Alma Mater G.M. Malliet |
Corpse on the Cob Sue Ann Jaffarian |
Phi Beta Murder C.S. Challinor |
Forthcoming Titles
 A House to Die For Vicki Doudera |
 Diamonds for the Dead Alan Orloff |
Simply RSS
Inkspot
Many Midnight Ink authors will be appearing at the Bouchercon mystery conference this coming week in Indianapolis, IN. If you see us there, please say hello. Also, we will be appearing on various panels and at other events as follows (MI authors indicated in boldface type):Thursday, 9-9:55am
KILLER HOBBIES
Five crafty authors discuss the hobbies that drove them to murder.
Joanna Campbell Slan (moderator), Sally Goldenbaum, Margaret Grace, Beth Groundwater and Betty Hechtman.
Thursday, 1:30-2:25
SOUTHERN VOICES
What’s special about Southern mysteries.
Cathy Pickens (Moderator), Vicki Lane, T. Lynn Ocean, A. Scott Pearson, Deborah Sharp
Friday, 9:45 am - 11:15 am
2009 FIRST NOVELISTS
A speed-dating event with 24 of the 2009 first novelists who are attending Bouchercon 2009, sponsored by Mystery Scene. Annamaria Alfieri, Allan Ansorge, Judith Borger, Lisa Bork, Rachel Brady, Rebecca Cantrell, Gayle Carline, Kate Carlisle, Connie Dial, Margaret Fenton, John Ford, Jamie Freveletti, Bryan Gilmer, Seth Harwood, Lawrence Kaplan, Tracy Kiely, Vincent McCaffrey, Stuart Neville, Diana Orgain, Stefanie Pintoff, Sharon Potts, Stephen Schwartz and Dennis Tafoya
Friday, 10:30 - 11:25
WHY CHARACTER IS DESTINY
Why plotting from character makes fiction more plausible and compelling.
Kit Ehrman (M), R.J. Ellory, Jess Lourey, Marcus Sakey, Larry D. Sweazy
Friday, 10:30
CAROLYN HART HOT TICKET EVENT
Carolyn Hart (Hot Ticket Author), Julie Hyzy (Board Member Host), Joanna Campbell Slan and Beverle Graves Myers (Featured Authors)
Friday, 3:00 – 3:55 pm
THE NEVERENDING PUZZLE
The traditional cozy mystery: its place, its rules, its future.
Carolyn Hart (M), Parnell Hall, Ellen Hart, G.M. Malliet, Katherine Hall Page
Saturday, 10:30 am – 11:25 am
CRAFT ROOM
Beth Groundwater
Making a killer mystery gift basket.
Saturday, 1:00 - 2:00
SUE GRAFTON HOT TICKET EVENT
Sue Grafton, Beverle Myers, Julie Hyzy, Jess Lourey
Saturday, 1-1:55pm
CRAFT ROOM
Joanna Campbell Slan
Make and take a scrapbook page designed especially for Bouchercon!
See it here: http://joannaslan.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html#4779708734549245704
Saturday, 2:30 - 3:25 am
CRAFT ROOM
Cricket McRae
Making fizzing bath salts
Sunday, 9:00 to 11:00 am
THE BAZAAR
An opportunity to meet over 70 mystery writers, including Midnight Ink authors, and get signed books, hosted by J.A. Konrath
Who needs the New York Times? Publishers Weekly can go pound sand. And Oprah? Who'd want to sit on that stinkin' couch of yours anyway?
I have something even better than anointment from that Holy Trinity of book arbiters: A Happy Folder.
Recently, I had one of those days when I couldn't write a thing that didn't suck. When I pouted that PW hasn't reviewed my books, even though they've sprinkled their stars upon fellow Inkspot authors. When I pondered hanging up fiction and returning to journalism.
Then I remembered that newspapers are sounding a death rattle, that nobody's hiring, and that friends and former colleagues in the media are losing jobs right and left.
In other words, not a happy day.
Until I got an email from a reader, telling me she loved my book. I thought back to why I left the news biz. I wanted to make people laugh, to bring some levity to a post-9/11 world that felt sad and deadly serious. And here was somebody writing to tell me I'd managed to do just that.
That's when I got the idea of sifting through my emails to create a feel-good folder. I'd fill it only with nice notes from readers. Here's one, from a woman in Birmingham, Ala:
My doctor had been concerned about my rising blood pressure, from stress of constant terrible news on TV. Your book was the perfect antidote: I laughed, felt like I actually knew your very real characters, and was so thoroughly relaxed that my blood pressure went down!
Here's another, from a reader who discovered the Large Print editions of my Mace Bauer Mystery series:
I get migraines from eye strain. It has been a long time since reading was fun for me until your books.
And another one, from a woman who said she's eagerly awaiting Book 3:
I couldn't wait to write and tell you how much I loved your book... funny, clever, LOL, great read ...
After paging through my Happy Folder, the day didn't seem so depressing after all.
PS to Oprah, if you're reading this. I didn't mean it about your couch.
How 'bout you, fellow authors? Do you have a favorite reader e-mail? Readers, have you ever heard from an author that a note from you made his or her day?
Not too long ago I was asked in an interview: “What drove you to pick up that pen for the first time?”The question struck me odd. Not in its content, but in my reaction to it. You see, I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I can’t remember when I didn’t. And over the years, I’ve picked up the pen many times. And I’ve put it down many times. Up and down. Up and down. The seesaw of desire vs. commitment.
The real question is: "What drove me to pick up the pen for the last time and never put it down?"
Because isn’t that what being a writer is all about? Picking up the pen and never putting it down again. You can’t bring the dream of becoming a writer to fruition unless you keep the pen in your hand. Or fingers on the keyboard. Keeping your butt in the chair is tougher than it sounds, but the only way to succeed. And there is a direct correlation to the butt in the chair and the pen in the hand.
Another question I was asked recently during a library event was: “When did the passion to write strike you?”
While these two questions seem a lot alike, they are very different. One is about motivation to take action. The other about the drive to continue.
The passion to write burns in my belly like a greasy, yet yummy, bacon cheeseburger. It drives me to continue, book after book. It convinces me to juggle a day job and other responsibilities, to carve out time, often far into the night, many times before the sun is up, to produce each new novel. And with each book, my passion for writing grows, not diminishes. And the continuing glow of passion births bright and burning new ideas.
The more I write, the more I want to write. The more I want to write, the more ideas I have for new books. It is an addictive love affair that I could never bear to end.
The last time I took up the pen, I mated for life.
There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. -- Ernest Hemingway
Here are some of my favorite tips culled from 20+ years on the platform:
1.) Make that glass of water warm. Cold water stresses the vocal chords. This will cause a woman’s voice to sound more strident. So, request lukewarm or warm water. Non-carbonated, please!
2.) When you show up early, take the time to greet people. I usually move through the crowd, shake hands, and say, “Hi, I’m Joanna and I’m your speaker today. Thanks for having me.” You’ll be amazed at the response! It’s hard to do, but once you try this, you’ll realize that you are among friends. Plus, take what you learn and use it from the platform. (See #3.)
3.) Compliment your audience. The best way is by doing your homework as Sue Ann suggested in the Comments yesterday. Know who they are and why they invited you. That said, you also compliment the audience by referencing what you learned about them. So, for example, I might say, “Elizabeth told me earlier that she’s excited about her new book. We’re all happy to have her join our ranks.” By mentioning an audience member I just met, I emotionally “step down” from the platform and join my audience. The technical term is “jumping the footlights.” All great performers do it.
4.) Take charge of your introduction. Don’t leave it to chance. Ask that someone introduce you, and then, offer to write your own intro. I print this up in 16-point type on colored paper and bring it with me in case my introducer needs another copy. In the intro, emphasize your connection with the audience. In August, I spoke to a Business and Professional Women group. I told them how 20+ years ago, I was one of their young careerists. By emphasizing your connection—whether it be your background or whatever—you are predisposing them to like you. After all, you have something in common!
5.) Defer to them. If you know someone in the audience, mention his/her name. Simply say, “I see my friend Alan Orloff out there. Glad you came, Alan.” It sounds infinitely corny, but it’s a surefire way to connect…and that’s the name of the game, connecting. (And your friend will appreciate the nod from the platform. Trust me—you’ll both look good.)
6.) Don’t read from your work verbatim. I learned this watching the great and generous John Lutz, author of Single White Female. Add “he said” and “she said” where appropriate so your piece makes sense to the audience. There’s a world of difference between reading to yourself and reading out loud. They won’t care if you “fudge” a bit by adding place-minders. In fact, they’ll appreciate it because they can relax as they listen.
7.) Remember why you are there. You are there to make friends. Yes, selling books is great. Yes, you are the speaker and their guest. But if something goes wrong, be gracious. If your time gets cut short, be brief-er. Don’t insist on your full allotment of time. If the introducer botches your name or the name of your book, just repeat the correct name and move on. If at the end of the day, people don’t walk away thinking you are a delightful, charming person, you’ve made a mistake by appearing. See, not everyone in the audience will want to buy your book. Not everyone will want to read your work. But if they like you as a person—FIRST—they’ll speak well of you. And that’s more important than anything else that could happen when you get the chance to speak.
8.) And yeah, always, always bring a handout. I like using paper with a full-color border. (Sometimes called “imprintables.”) You can buy it at the Dollar Store or any office supply store. It’s a perfect way to help the audience remember your name and visit your website. Shoot, I have enough trouble remembering my own name. How can I expect them to remember it, too? Instead, I print up something of value to leave behind—key points, funny sayings, whatever. Terry was right about this. (Read the “Comment” section from yesterday.) Here’s a real plus: You can write your notes on the handout, and the audience will think you are speaking verbatim. (Don’t tell on me!)
What more ideas? Visit my website: http://joannaslan.com/resources.php
And what works for you from the platform?
Joanna Campbell Slan
Photo, Snap, Shot—May 2010
www.joannaslan.com
Five years ago, public speaking was a dreaded, but necessary, horror for me. You’d have had to shoot me with a tranquilizer dart and prop me up at the lectern to prevent me from looking like I was about to pop out of my skin. If you’d looked up the phrase ‘nervous wreck,’ it would’ve pictured me for illustration.
Nowadays I’m speaking in public so often that the biggest danger is that I look bored. Frequently, I am bored! If you’ve been listening to someone repeatedly give the same spiel, as I’ve listened to myself, then boredom does set in.
This past summer, Helen Ginger did a great series on public speaking at the Blood Red Pencil blog with a lot of wonderful tips.
I have a few tips of my own, learned the hard way.
Bring water. Sometimes the venue organizer will provide it, but more often they’re so busy that they don’t think about it. I’ve had coughing fits before and just had to get up and leave. (I’m sure SWINE FLU!) was going through everyone’s mind.
Bring money. If you’re speaking in a library or to an organization (and are selling books), bring lots of ones and fives. I’ve forgotten to bring money to several of mine and when the people asked if I had change, I said, “No. But what do you have?” Bartering at its finest.
Arrive early. I don’t like surprises and events are very different from each other: with microphones, without mikes, standing, sitting, sharing your time with other writers…it’s just good to know what’s expected of you before your talk starts.
Arriving early also puts me more at ease. If I meet people as they arrive to listen to me, I feel a lot more comfortable talking to them later.
Watch eyes and faces. They’ll let you know if you’re getting too boring. If I signs of sleepiness, I’ll change my talk’s course.
Too short is better than too long. Notice when you’re starting to ramble. This can be a symptom of being too comfortable with public speaking, but there’s also a nervous rambling that happens with newbie public speakers…I did it whenever I lost my train of thought or forgot what the original question was. Now I just wrap up my segment quickly when I feel blah blah blahs coming on.
Have fun. Be funny. Those in attendance are so appreciative if we don’t take ourselves too seriously.
How about everyone else? Any good tips to share?
Elizabeth Spann Craig
Pretty is as Pretty Dies—Aug. 2009
http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com
At The Rap Sheet, Keith Raffel tells "the story behind the story" of his just-released novel, Smasher.*****
G.M. Malliet is a guest blogger at Murder by 4.
I never took a creative writing class in high school. In fact, I didn't care much for English class, always opting to do some kind of alternative communication project when available (think videotaped speech, pantomime, or interpretive dance), rather than write a paper. Maybe if they'd called it Language Arts, like they do now, I'd have been more interested.
In college, the only English class I took was a required technical writing course. Why did engineers need to learn how to write anyway?
In graduate business school, we had plenty of writing to do, but it
wasn't very creative, unless you thought playing buzzword bingo counted ("searching for synergistic solutions and proactively pursuing paradigms is all well and good, but moving forward at the end of the day..."). Creativity was mostly limited to accounting. (CEO to CFO: "Do you know how much 2 plus 2 is?" CFO: "Sure. Whatever you want it to be, boss.")
It wasn't until many years later that I decided to write fiction. I'd always been a voracious reader, so how hard could writing be?
My first efforts weren't pretty.
But I took a few writing workshops, got into some good critique groups, and, um, read a lot of books about writing.
A few favorites:
On Writing by Stephen King
Write the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
How to Write A Damn Good Mystery by James N. Frey (not that James Frey!)
Don't Murder Your Mystery by Chris Roerden
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
There are tons of other books on the "How To Write" shelves. Some offer step-by-step plans, some put you through "boot camps," and some promise to help you churn out a book in a month or six weeks or ninety days. Whatever works for you.
Me? I usually feel like I'm just winging it.
What's helped you with your writing? Any special books? MFAs? Writer retreats? A six-pack on the back porch every night?
Alan
today it has. It's D-Day! October 1 is the official publication date of Smasher. (Let’s ignore the fact that Amazon.com has been merrily selling it for the past fortnight.) Let’s hit the beach (or maybe ramble a bit).I received Mystery Scene Magazine yesterday. Idly leafing through it, I came across a review of Smasher. I hadn’t expected it till the next issue. Anyway, it says, “Raffel is writing from the heart.” I think that’s good, especially coming from reviewer extraordinaire Oline Cogdill.
Today The Big Thrill wrote, “Keith Raffel's new thriller, Smasher, has the feel of an Alfred Hitchcock movie--a normal guy beset by mysterious conspiracies.” (Read the whole article here.) There's nobody I'd rather be compared to than to Hitchcock. (Thanks to the article's author, Mark Terry, who wrote the Derek Stillwater series.)
I leave in 12 days for Columbus, Ohio for two events and then I’m busing to the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention in Indianapolis where I have two more. On October 20 we kick things off in a big way at my hometown bookstore, Kepler’s. Two weeks later I’m partnering up with Chicago mystery maven Libby Fischer Hellmann for nine appearances both in SoCal and the Bay Area. (Complete schedule here.)Today, too, is significant because I will be sending my agent the final manuscript of my next opus in a few hours. And in a couple of months, the road show for Smasher will be over, who knows what will have happened to that opus, and I'll be starting another one. As Joni Mitchell wrote and Judy Collins sang, “And the seasons they go round and round, and the painted ponies go up and down. We're captive on a carousel of time.”
Donald Westlake writes the Foreword to this fun volume of Thurber's crime-related humor, and he is obviously a Thurber fan. Only Thurber fans really "get" the idea that the little bland man with a shy manner and a deeply repressed desire for revenge can be amusing. Thurber is, of course, the author of such famous stories as "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (once made into a movie with Danny Kaye that was nothing like the original and became something Thurber himself would have quietly parodied) and "The Night the Bed Fell," which are not mysteries at all. But in this book, Thurber's daughter Rosemary provides stories that can be linked by Thurber's bent toward the sly, the mysterious, even the subtly macabre. Westlake writes, "Gentle comedy is the hardest to make work." This a good assessment of Thurber, whose jokes are not always obvious, but become funnier the more one thinks about them, the more his dialogues roll around in the back of one's mind. "Mr. Preble Gets Rid of His Wife," seems to be much more an indictment of marriage than of murder, and "The Catbird Seat" continues the theme of the henpecked man, although both men get their revenge in the end, despite their mild-mannered reputations. In "The Macbeth Murder Mystery" a misguided woman decides that the solution to Macbeth was all wrong, that Macbeth didn't do it, and that she, a rather dubious sleuth, has it all figured out.
Added to the wonderful stories are Thurber's famous cartoons. Westlake writes, in the foreword, that a critic once called Thurber, whose cartoons famously appeared in The New Yorker, a "Fifth Rate Artist." Harold Ross defended him, saying "You're wrong. Thurber is a third-rate artist." Thurber's art, though, has an undeniable charm, and is even more impressive when one considers that toward the end of his life Thurber was almost totally blind, and had to create his cartoons on huge sheets of paper that were later photographed and shrunk down to size. Thurber once joked about this, saying he intended to title his autobiography Long Time, No See.
The cartoons, the vignettes and the stories all capture Thurber's sense of irony (and his capable use of parody) as well as his appreciation of crime fiction. Donald Westlake summed it up the best: "Thurber on Crime. There's nothing in the world quite like it."
by Felicia Donovan
I was born in the Fall, thus I claim it to be "my season." This colorful rite of passage embodies everything beautiful about New England. It is a gift wrapped in orange, red and gold to be slowly unwrapped each day.
For many of us blessed to spend our Falls in New England, the season often kicks off with a bumpy ride on a teetering golf cart deep into the apple orchards. We are given careful instructions by our driver on the proper way to pick apples. "Twist the stem, never pull it. Place it gently into the bag to prevent bruising." As soon as the driver leaves, we eagerly twist off a few samples to make sure they are plenty ripe. Sometime later, laden with heavy bags and sticky hands, another cart returns us to the farm stand where we eagerly devour hot apple donuts made right before our eyes. Our appetites satisfied, we stroll into the blueberry fields where my young friends and I let our imaginations run wild. We are in the middle of a fairy forest with hidden doors and wild creatures.
The next weekend finds us at a Pumpkin Festival along an estuarine center. I watch scarecrows being built and go on a scavenger hunt. A bearded man carves a giant pumpkin into a gargoyle. His t-shirt reads "Real pumpkin carvers have guts." I stuff myself with pumpkin muffins.
The leaves have already begun to burst into color though we know we are nowhere near "peak" yet. "Reaching peak" is a concept as nebulous as trying to predict the winning lottery ticket. Meteorologists pore over weather patterns and temperature trends, but Mother Nature makes her own schedule. One good rain storm can wipe "peak" out nearly overnight, as can abrupt temperature swings. New Englanders don't worry about such things. We know peak by the waves of color on the landscape. We know peak by the bright red maple leaf floating down the river. We know peak by the moments that take our breath away.
