Just a quick note to say that I'm Back! We kinda got nailed by Irene here early Sunday morning. Not much in the way of flooding in our neck of the woods but she took out enough trees to heat a small city for the winter. And with the trees coming down, so did the power lines. After four days without electric we're finally back and I'm hoping to get caught up in the next day or two. Hope everyone stayed safe and dry!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Another Anthology Review
"Speedloader" is reviewed over at the Guilty Conscience blog. You can check it out here http://guiltyconscienceblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/speedloader-anthology.html
Snubnose Press
Brian Lindenmuth is the guest today at Criminal-e where he talks about Snubnose Press. http://criminal-e.blogspot.com/2011/08/brian-lindenmuth-interview-snubnose.html
On the Crime Anthology/Collection Front
There's a new print anthology out called "D*cked" with a collection of short stories with a most unusual theme - dark fiction inspired by Dick Cheney. The lineup a who's who listing of noir writers from Ken Bruen to Patti Abbott. You can find a list of the authors and a peek into the book here http://bloodyknucklescallusedfingertips.blogspot.com/2011/08/pimpin-guantanamo-style.html "D*icked" is edited by Greg Bardsely, Kieran Shea, and Jedidiah Ayres. You can read Kieran's thoughts about this collection of stories here http://kieranjamesshea.blogspot.com/2011/08/mr-grinch-goes-gonzo.html
Nigel Bird is one of the editors of "Pulp Ink" but he also has a second collection of his own short stories out called "Beat on the Brat". There's a great interview with Nigel here http://blog.iainrowan.com/2011/08/writers-talk-about-writing-nigel-bird.html There's also another review of "Pulp Ink" here http://www.crimefictionlover.com/2011/08/pulp-ink
Paul Brazill has a collection out called "Brit Grit" which has been reviewed by Chris Rhatigan here http://death-by-killing.blogspot.com/2011/08/brit-grit-by-paul-d-brazill.html
There's an interview over at Criminal-e with Kieth Rawson about his recently released collection, "The Chaos We Know". http://criminal-e.blogspot.com/2011/08/keith-rawson-interview-chaos-we-know.html
And there's a very nice review of "The Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles" over at Sabrina Ogden's blog. http://myfriendscallmekate.blogspot.com/2011/08/adventures-of-cash-laramie-and-gideon.html
Nigel Bird is one of the editors of "Pulp Ink" but he also has a second collection of his own short stories out called "Beat on the Brat". There's a great interview with Nigel here http://blog.iainrowan.com/2011/08/writers-talk-about-writing-nigel-bird.html There's also another review of "Pulp Ink" here http://www.crimefictionlover.com/2011/08/pulp-ink
Paul Brazill has a collection out called "Brit Grit" which has been reviewed by Chris Rhatigan here http://death-by-killing.blogspot.com/2011/08/brit-grit-by-paul-d-brazill.html
There's an interview over at Criminal-e with Kieth Rawson about his recently released collection, "The Chaos We Know". http://criminal-e.blogspot.com/2011/08/keith-rawson-interview-chaos-we-know.html
And there's a very nice review of "The Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles" over at Sabrina Ogden's blog. http://myfriendscallmekate.blogspot.com/2011/08/adventures-of-cash-laramie-and-gideon.html
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The Setting Story Cupboard
Looking through my posts for August, I realized I hadn't done a story cupboard post yet this month. For some reason these posts seem to get the most hits according to my stats, so they must be of some help to you writers out there. And there's an added bonus, I love writing them!
Our county fair is this week, which got me thinking about setting. For me, the fair is a great story starter. You've got all kinds of wonderful characters, from carnies to clowns, that can stroll through your story.
Oh, and great places to commit crimes. You could hang a body from the Ferris wheel and watch it go round and round. Have someone stomped to death in the animal barns, or smothered with one of the needlework exhibits. And that's just a bit of murder. You've got pickpockets who could pick the wrong pocket, thieves, kidnappers, or rival exhibitors who try to sabotage each other.
Bodies of water are great places to set stories, just ask Mark Twain. You've got oceans, rivers, ponds, creeks, swamps. All of these are great places to hide bodies, kill someone, find buried treasure or just steal from one of the cottages. Back years ago, they used to strip the copper water pipes out of cottages to sell for scrap - still doing it these days as a matter of fact.
And of course you've got grocery stores, parking garages, malls, warehouses, the list of settings goes on and on. You just have to pick a spot and imagine what kind of crime could be committed there and how.
Oh, and if you're writing sci-fi, how cool would an intergalactic carnival be?
Our county fair is this week, which got me thinking about setting. For me, the fair is a great story starter. You've got all kinds of wonderful characters, from carnies to clowns, that can stroll through your story.
Oh, and great places to commit crimes. You could hang a body from the Ferris wheel and watch it go round and round. Have someone stomped to death in the animal barns, or smothered with one of the needlework exhibits. And that's just a bit of murder. You've got pickpockets who could pick the wrong pocket, thieves, kidnappers, or rival exhibitors who try to sabotage each other.
Bodies of water are great places to set stories, just ask Mark Twain. You've got oceans, rivers, ponds, creeks, swamps. All of these are great places to hide bodies, kill someone, find buried treasure or just steal from one of the cottages. Back years ago, they used to strip the copper water pipes out of cottages to sell for scrap - still doing it these days as a matter of fact.
And of course you've got grocery stores, parking garages, malls, warehouses, the list of settings goes on and on. You just have to pick a spot and imagine what kind of crime could be committed there and how.
Oh, and if you're writing sci-fi, how cool would an intergalactic carnival be?
Monday, August 22, 2011
Noir Nation
I've been hearing a bit a rumbling around the 'net about this new market, but they didn't have much up in the way of a website. Stopping by today I've found that they've put up the table of contents for their first issue which will launch on September 1.
"Noir Nation: International Crime Fiction", is an eprint market. Each issue will be made available for your readers with teasers on their site. If you write noir, get your pencils sharpened because they will be opening to subs from all around the world for their second issue on October 1. Pay is $100 for short fiction. You can check them out here http://noirnation.com/
hat tip to Paul Brazill
"Noir Nation: International Crime Fiction", is an eprint market. Each issue will be made available for your readers with teasers on their site. If you write noir, get your pencils sharpened because they will be opening to subs from all around the world for their second issue on October 1. Pay is $100 for short fiction. You can check them out here http://noirnation.com/
hat tip to Paul Brazill
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Tor.com
I'm a bit late on this one, but Tor.com has just finished up what they're calling "Noir Week", where they've looked at both crime noir and sci-fi noir. Here's the link for all the articles http://www.tor.com/tags/noir
And I know we have some Robert E. Howard fans that stop by and Tor also has a slew of posts about Howard and Conan. http://www.tor.com/tags/robert%20e.%20howard
And I know we have some Robert E. Howard fans that stop by and Tor also has a slew of posts about Howard and Conan. http://www.tor.com/tags/robert%20e.%20howard
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