Readers often ask me who my favourite mystery authors and/or influences are. It's actually a pretty short list.
Generally, when it comes to crime fiction, I like North American writers. British detective novels, with a few exceptions, just aren't my cup of tea.
I love the Spenser novels by Robert B. Parker. I wasn't much of a fan of his others series (Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall).
I am also a big fan of Lawrence Block, both the Scudder novels and "The Burglar Who..." series.
My overall favourite writer, though, is Janet Evanovich and the "Stephanie Plum" series. I laugh my head off when I read them, and find them impossible to put down!
Another favourite woman in crime fiction is Sue Grafton. I've read up to the letter R, I think.
And that's about it. Those four are favourites; they grab me with their characters and their plots. Books by these authors are ones that I keep on my shelf and re-read from time to time.
This doesn't mean I don't read other authors, nor does it mean that I lovelovelove every single thing about every single book by these four. But, in the end, thses are the writers I'd like to emulate, and these are the books I go back to time and again.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Deadly Letters Guest Blogger
Robin Spano is the guest blogger today over at Deadly Letters.
We all know that money talks, but does it read as well?
See what Robin has to say about eBooks and pricing.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Guest Blogger: Robin Spano on Motives
I am pleased to have Robin Spano as a guest blogger today! Robin is a cool chick, a good friend, and the proud author of the Clare Vengel mysteries. The first book in the series, Dead Politician Society, was published in September by ECW; book two will be out in 2011. Here's Robin...
It drives behind the scenes – a writer has to know it and a reader has to feel it as it pulls the plot along. But it has to be unspoken until the end. Because of this, the moment when the motive is revealed needs to have impact – it's what the reader has been waiting for the whole book. It has to be intense, dramatic, and just right.
Writing fast, fun fiction, the last thing I want to do is weigh the plot down with heavy discussions that stop the action. But I know this as a reader: When the final reveal includes a motive whose theme has been explored, the read feels more complete. I close the book feeling satisfied.
Writing Dead Politician Society, my goal was to write a book that I would want to read. I tried to give each suspect's motive ample air time. For every prime suspect – from the bitchy editor of the Star to the womanizing U of T professor – I considered the thoughts that might have passed through their heads if they were the killer. Not just so the reader might suspect them – although of course that was also the goal – but so the reader would understand why they might kill.
The real killer, naturally, has to have the biggest motive. At the revelatory moment, the reader should say Of course!, not No, I really think this other person's motive was way stronger.
I also think it's important for a reader to sympathize with the murderer's motive – even if they are a cold-blooded psycho. That's not to say we don't want them locked up and off the streets in most cases. But we have to see the world, however briefly, from behind the killer's eyes. Their motive needs to make sense to us – and we have to believe that, were circumstances different – maybe if we'd been born into the killer's situation – we, too, might contemplate murder.
My original plan for Dead Politician Society was to have the killer pick off politicians I hated – starting with the mayor of Toronto. But as I wrote, I got more into the characters and having fun with them, and the book became pure fiction – which is probably much better for its entertainment value. Still, if you're into Canadian politics and look closely at the victims, you might see some other people you recognize . . . though of course if I was pressed, I'd say any resemblance was coincidental.
Motive – it drives every mystery.
Motive – it drives every mystery...
It drives behind the scenes – a writer has to know it and a reader has to feel it as it pulls the plot along. But it has to be unspoken until the end. Because of this, the moment when the motive is revealed needs to have impact – it's what the reader has been waiting for the whole book. It has to be intense, dramatic, and just right.
So how does a writer create that impact?
I think it's all in the theme.
If a murderer is killing for money, the reveal will feel far more “right” if materialism, greed, or financial security have been explored in the book. If the motive is revenge, there could be discussion among the characters about loving someone so much you'd kill to avenge their death, or being so insanely angry that you wait for your moment to retaliate. If the killer is a cold-blooded psycho, the book could explore mental illness – at least in passing. And if they're killing for politics, you need some political debate.
Writing fast, fun fiction, the last thing I want to do is weigh the plot down with heavy discussions that stop the action. But I know this as a reader: When the final reveal includes a motive whose theme has been explored, the read feels more complete. I close the book feeling satisfied.
Writing Dead Politician Society, my goal was to write a book that I would want to read. I tried to give each suspect's motive ample air time. For every prime suspect – from the bitchy editor of the Star to the womanizing U of T professor – I considered the thoughts that might have passed through their heads if they were the killer. Not just so the reader might suspect them – although of course that was also the goal – but so the reader would understand why they might kill.
The real killer, naturally, has to have the biggest motive. At the revelatory moment, the reader should say Of course!, not No, I really think this other person's motive was way stronger.
I also think it's important for a reader to sympathize with the murderer's motive – even if they are a cold-blooded psycho. That's not to say we don't want them locked up and off the streets in most cases. But we have to see the world, however briefly, from behind the killer's eyes. Their motive needs to make sense to us – and we have to believe that, were circumstances different – maybe if we'd been born into the killer's situation – we, too, might contemplate murder.
My original plan for Dead Politician Society was to have the killer pick off politicians I hated – starting with the mayor of Toronto. But as I wrote, I got more into the characters and having fun with them, and the book became pure fiction – which is probably much better for its entertainment value. Still, if you're into Canadian politics and look closely at the victims, you might see some other people you recognize . . . though of course if I was pressed, I'd say any resemblance was coincidental.
Motive – it drives every mystery.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Book Awards and Jurors/Judges
There has been a big kerfuffle in the last few weeks over the winner for the Giller prize. The Giller is one of Canada's biggies in the book world... the winner gets $50,000!
This year's winner is Johanna Skibsrud for her book The Sentamentalists. More on the kerfuffle in a moment, but some background is necessary first...
There are many different book awards out there, for literature in general (Man Booker, Trillium, Governor General's, etc.) and several for specific genres (like the Nebula award for Sci-Fi, or the Edgar, the Dagger, or the Arthur Ellis for crime fiction). In 2006 (or was it 2005?), I was a judge for the "Best Novel" category for the Arthur Ellis awards.
The instructions to the three judges (for some reason they (we) were actually called jurors, not judges, whatever...) were pretty simple and straightforward. For our category, we were to choose the best book overall (from the ~50 books entered that year). Criteria for best book included quality of writing, plot, dialogue, etc. Everything to do with judging was related to the book itself, to what was between the pages. We were not told to consider any external factors in choosing the shortlist (of five books) or in balancing nominees between male and female, or by region (east coast/west coast) or anything like this.
Johanna Skibsrud's publisher is a small Canadian publisher called Gaspereau Press. They produce the books the old fashioned way, using a hand press or something, and apparently the books are beautifully bound hardcovers. Quality takes time, and Gaspereau can only crank out a few hundred a week or so.
Well, naturally, when Skibsrud won the Giller prize, demand for the book shot through the roof! Everone wanted it, but no one could get it. All sorts of comments and articles were written up in newspapers and other media about this unknown small publisher and this great new book that no one could read anytime soon.
I saw a few articles that claimed it was irresponsible of the judges to choose a book that was so limited in demand. This is the real point of my post. Although I understand the frustration of a hot new book getting this prestigious award and all the attendant publicity... and then not being able to go out and buy it, but still, it seemed ludicrous to me that judges should take heat for choosing a book from a small, independent publisher, and I certainly wouldn't have considered it irresponsible. As well, I don't think judges should have to do research on who the publishers are of the books that have been entered in the Giller or other awards. When I was judging the Arthus Ellis awards, I can't recall checking up on any of the publishers, even those publishers with whom I was not familiar. That wasn't the point in choosing the best book.
By the way, Gaspereau has since signed an agreement with a larger publisher to produce paperback copies of The Sentimentalists, and it's now readily available in stores.
This year's winner is Johanna Skibsrud for her book The Sentamentalists. More on the kerfuffle in a moment, but some background is necessary first...
There are many different book awards out there, for literature in general (Man Booker, Trillium, Governor General's, etc.) and several for specific genres (like the Nebula award for Sci-Fi, or the Edgar, the Dagger, or the Arthur Ellis for crime fiction). In 2006 (or was it 2005?), I was a judge for the "Best Novel" category for the Arthur Ellis awards.
The instructions to the three judges (for some reason they (we) were actually called jurors, not judges, whatever...) were pretty simple and straightforward. For our category, we were to choose the best book overall (from the ~50 books entered that year). Criteria for best book included quality of writing, plot, dialogue, etc. Everything to do with judging was related to the book itself, to what was between the pages. We were not told to consider any external factors in choosing the shortlist (of five books) or in balancing nominees between male and female, or by region (east coast/west coast) or anything like this.
Johanna Skibsrud's publisher is a small Canadian publisher called Gaspereau Press. They produce the books the old fashioned way, using a hand press or something, and apparently the books are beautifully bound hardcovers. Quality takes time, and Gaspereau can only crank out a few hundred a week or so.
Well, naturally, when Skibsrud won the Giller prize, demand for the book shot through the roof! Everone wanted it, but no one could get it. All sorts of comments and articles were written up in newspapers and other media about this unknown small publisher and this great new book that no one could read anytime soon.
I saw a few articles that claimed it was irresponsible of the judges to choose a book that was so limited in demand. This is the real point of my post. Although I understand the frustration of a hot new book getting this prestigious award and all the attendant publicity... and then not being able to go out and buy it, but still, it seemed ludicrous to me that judges should take heat for choosing a book from a small, independent publisher, and I certainly wouldn't have considered it irresponsible. As well, I don't think judges should have to do research on who the publishers are of the books that have been entered in the Giller or other awards. When I was judging the Arthus Ellis awards, I can't recall checking up on any of the publishers, even those publishers with whom I was not familiar. That wasn't the point in choosing the best book.
By the way, Gaspereau has since signed an agreement with a larger publisher to produce paperback copies of The Sentimentalists, and it's now readily available in stores.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
PWELGAS and 7 Deadly Motives
All right, so you know from my last post that PWELGAS is an acronym for the Seven Deadly Sins (or Cardinal Sins).
When it comes to writing mysteries, there are only so many motives... there has to be a good reason for the victim to be killed, or readers will put the book down and not pick it up again.
Reasons for murder in mystery fiction can fall to some of the following:
-serial killer - psychological
-blackmail or some form of self-preservation or to prevent a secret from getting out
-revenge
-heat of the moment - crime of passion
It strikes me that most of the above - plus the other motives for murder that I have not mentioned here - fall under the Seven Deadly Sins list, or PWELGAS if you will. Just a reminder, the Seven Deadly Sins are:
Pride
Wrath
Envy
Lust
Gluttony
Avarice
Sloth
I cannot imagine sloth being a motive for murder (but who knows?); however, the remaining six sins all strike me as good motives in one way or another.
My question to you is: do you have a favourite murder motive in crime fiction? Does murder for one reason over another elicit sympathy for the villain, turn you off, is one motive harder to believe than others?
Let me know your thoughts on motives and the Seven Deadly Sins.
When it comes to writing mysteries, there are only so many motives... there has to be a good reason for the victim to be killed, or readers will put the book down and not pick it up again.
Reasons for murder in mystery fiction can fall to some of the following:
-serial killer - psychological
-blackmail or some form of self-preservation or to prevent a secret from getting out
-revenge
-heat of the moment - crime of passion
It strikes me that most of the above - plus the other motives for murder that I have not mentioned here - fall under the Seven Deadly Sins list, or PWELGAS if you will. Just a reminder, the Seven Deadly Sins are:
Pride
Wrath
Envy
Lust
Gluttony
Avarice
Sloth
I cannot imagine sloth being a motive for murder (but who knows?); however, the remaining six sins all strike me as good motives in one way or another.
My question to you is: do you have a favourite murder motive in crime fiction? Does murder for one reason over another elicit sympathy for the villain, turn you off, is one motive harder to believe than others?
Let me know your thoughts on motives and the Seven Deadly Sins.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Riggerfrutch and Pwelgas
Years and years ago, I read a neat book called the Canadian Book of Lists. They've printed several editions over the years, and I cannot recall which year had the entry I'm about to refer to.
The Book of Lists had all kinds of Canadian trivia and top ten this and that. One that stuck with me was a list called "Ten Uniquely Canadian Words". One of the words was "riggerfrutch" which - according to the list - was a Canadian swear word, derived from God knows where. It doesn't seem to have caught on, damn it.
Another word on that list was "pwelgas," and this word is the real topic of this post. According to the book, PWELGAS is an acronym that has become a word itself (much like "scuba" and "laser" are common words now, but originally came on the scene as acronyms).
PWELGAS is the acronym for the seven deadly sins:
Pride
Wrath
Envy
Lust
Gluttony
Avarice
Sloth
I have never heard of anyone using the word PWELGAS but it strikes me as a handy word for mystery writers.
More on PWELGAS in my next post...
The Book of Lists had all kinds of Canadian trivia and top ten this and that. One that stuck with me was a list called "Ten Uniquely Canadian Words". One of the words was "riggerfrutch" which - according to the list - was a Canadian swear word, derived from God knows where. It doesn't seem to have caught on, damn it.
Another word on that list was "pwelgas," and this word is the real topic of this post. According to the book, PWELGAS is an acronym that has become a word itself (much like "scuba" and "laser" are common words now, but originally came on the scene as acronyms).
PWELGAS is the acronym for the seven deadly sins:
Pride
Wrath
Envy
Lust
Gluttony
Avarice
Sloth
I have never heard of anyone using the word PWELGAS but it strikes me as a handy word for mystery writers.
More on PWELGAS in my next post...
Saturday, October 23, 2010
True Crime
Hey all you crime writers out there!
Do you ever get inspired by real life? Has a true crime story ever served as a background to one of your mysteries? I ask this because of a recent story in the local press. Canadian papers and news programs have had a lot of coverage lately of the Colonel Russell Williams story. He has confessed to two murders, plus a number of other crimes, including several break-ins.
The story is tuly horrible and some of the newspaper articles this week made my stomach lurch.
I don't think I could ever make up something as vile as this case. It would be disturbing to write about such heinous crimes.
On the other hand, I have read at least three mysteries in the last while that are clearly based (however loosely) on real stories in the local news. In one case, the story was great and felt original. The connection to the real story was loose, and overall it worked.
In another case, though, the real story was horrible, and was so thinly disguised in this novel, that I had a hard time finishing the book.
What about you? How do you feel when art imitates life?
Do you ever get inspired by real life? Has a true crime story ever served as a background to one of your mysteries? I ask this because of a recent story in the local press. Canadian papers and news programs have had a lot of coverage lately of the Colonel Russell Williams story. He has confessed to two murders, plus a number of other crimes, including several break-ins.
The story is tuly horrible and some of the newspaper articles this week made my stomach lurch.
I don't think I could ever make up something as vile as this case. It would be disturbing to write about such heinous crimes.
On the other hand, I have read at least three mysteries in the last while that are clearly based (however loosely) on real stories in the local news. In one case, the story was great and felt original. The connection to the real story was loose, and overall it worked.
In another case, though, the real story was horrible, and was so thinly disguised in this novel, that I had a hard time finishing the book.
What about you? How do you feel when art imitates life?
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Wondering about Weapons
When it comes to writing mysteries, do you have a preferred murder weapon? Do you think readers are turned off by some weapons? Certainly, some weapons require more research (guns & ballistics for instance), might this dissuade you or will you roll up your sleeves and start researching how to use this weapon convincingly in your book. Certain weapons yield a bloodier or more gory scene of the crime, such as a stabbing - would that make the writing more difficult to you? Do you think some methods are more "female" than "male"?
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Bouchercon
I'd love to hear from people who attended Bouchercon 2010. I've never been, but hope to go next year (or the year after or ...)
I don't have much experience with Mystery Conventions, but from what I hear, Bouchercon is the best of the best.
If you've been as either an author or a fan, tell me what it was like, what you learned, who you met and what you enjoyed.
I don't have much experience with Mystery Conventions, but from what I hear, Bouchercon is the best of the best.
If you've been as either an author or a fan, tell me what it was like, what you learned, who you met and what you enjoyed.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Editing
Here's another hypothetical question for writers: How much leeway does your editor have with your book? Does s/he discuss all changes with you? Do you give your editor carte blanche? I assume the process can be slightly different from one publishing house to another, but there are also norms and standards within the industry.
I know that proofreading is a separate thing - catching typos and inserting missing punctuation is a separate thing, a separate skill set, so I'm not wondering about that side of things.
But when it comes to character development, setting, dialogue and so forth, what sorts of changes would you want to have a say in, versus what sorts of changes would you let slide? Or, would you just let them do what they want and assume that "Father knows best"?
Finally, how would you feel if - suppose - the editor made changes but didn't tell you or show you what they were (for example, you did not get a blacklined version or a "tracked changes" version)? Imagine getting the manuscript back and finding out the word count was significantly different but you didn't know what those added or deleted words were.
In your experiences, what is usual and what is unusual?
I'd love to learn what your experiences have been like.
I know that proofreading is a separate thing - catching typos and inserting missing punctuation is a separate thing, a separate skill set, so I'm not wondering about that side of things.
But when it comes to character development, setting, dialogue and so forth, what sorts of changes would you want to have a say in, versus what sorts of changes would you let slide? Or, would you just let them do what they want and assume that "Father knows best"?
Finally, how would you feel if - suppose - the editor made changes but didn't tell you or show you what they were (for example, you did not get a blacklined version or a "tracked changes" version)? Imagine getting the manuscript back and finding out the word count was significantly different but you didn't know what those added or deleted words were.
In your experiences, what is usual and what is unusual?
I'd love to learn what your experiences have been like.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Misleading Book Covers
Here's another hypothetical topic for discussion:
Suppose your publisher chose a book cover that was incorrect or didn't match the contents of the book. Let's say, for example, the cover of a mystery novels depicts a bottle of poison (you know, with the skull and crossbones on the label), but the story does not include the use of poison, nor does it hint at poison, nor is poison included in the plot as a "red herring".
As factually unsuitable as this hypothetical cover may be, the publisher wants to use it (maybe the marketing department said it was a good choice...?).
Should the author be allowed to veto the choice of the book cover or not?
Looking forward to your replies... Jill
Suppose your publisher chose a book cover that was incorrect or didn't match the contents of the book. Let's say, for example, the cover of a mystery novels depicts a bottle of poison (you know, with the skull and crossbones on the label), but the story does not include the use of poison, nor does it hint at poison, nor is poison included in the plot as a "red herring".
As factually unsuitable as this hypothetical cover may be, the publisher wants to use it (maybe the marketing department said it was a good choice...?).
Should the author be allowed to veto the choice of the book cover or not?
Looking forward to your replies... Jill
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Question for (aspiring) authors
What would you do or what would you think if your publisher consistently spelled your name incorrectly? Let's assume it is spelled correctly on the book cover, but it is wrong in other places, for example on publicity materials.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this...
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this...
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Update
Hey Folks,
I've been away from the blogosphere for a while now. Self-imposed exile :-)
I will soon get back to posting on a regular basis.
Cheers, Jill
I've been away from the blogosphere for a while now. Self-imposed exile :-)
I will soon get back to posting on a regular basis.
Cheers, Jill
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Reviews and Spoilers...
As a first time author, I am thrilled to get reviewed at all (hey! they noticed me!), and I'm even more thrilled about the fact that the reviews have been good!!! Blood and Groom has been reviewed ten times (that I know of) by various print media (including the Globe & Mail, Quill & Quire, London Free Press, Hamilton Spectator, etc.), and by various online magazines and blogs (Reviewing the Evidence, Bookgasm, etc.)
So what do I have to complain about? Well...
One or two of the reviews (not on sources listed above) have kind of given away significant clues or spoilers. Even though the reviews in these instances have been positive, I wonder if a potential reader may be turned off because they've learned too much about whodunit and won't have the sense of suspense one longs for in a mystery.
I have never written a review of a mystery novel. As I think about it, yes, I imagine that it would be a challenge to write an informative review without giving away key plot points.
For those of you who have written mystery reviews, how do you balance writing an objective and interesting critique without saying too much?
For those of you who read book reviews, has a review ever turned you off by saying too much?
So what do I have to complain about? Well...
One or two of the reviews (not on sources listed above) have kind of given away significant clues or spoilers. Even though the reviews in these instances have been positive, I wonder if a potential reader may be turned off because they've learned too much about whodunit and won't have the sense of suspense one longs for in a mystery.
I have never written a review of a mystery novel. As I think about it, yes, I imagine that it would be a challenge to write an informative review without giving away key plot points.
For those of you who have written mystery reviews, how do you balance writing an objective and interesting critique without saying too much?
For those of you who read book reviews, has a review ever turned you off by saying too much?
Monday, June 7, 2010
Recent Reads: Ladies Under Choke Rye
Ladies And Gentlemen The Bible! - by Jonathan Goldstein My take on it: Hilarious, though a tad tedious towards the end.
Under The Volcano: A Novel - by Malcolm Lowry My take on it: Hard work and heavy duty, but brilliantly written and evocative.
Choke - by Chuck Palahniuk
My take on it: OMG - I loved it! Fast & funny; I wolfed it down!
Rabbit at Rest - by John Updike
My take on it: I love Harry Angstrom. I've read the whole Rabbit series. Loved all of them, old friends, neighbours, family. I know these people.
This is a fantastic book and I really enjoyed re-reading it. Worth another look if you only read it in high school.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Wirting and Confidents and Grammer
I may come off as slightly cranky with this post, but I must comment on something I have seen a lot of lately, especially in Cyber Land.
Poor grammar and spelling.
Spelling poorly (at least in the writings I've noticed recently) is usually the result of lazily depending on spellcheck. Spellcheck corrects the wrong word for you, so words like inconvenience become incontinence! Other frequent occurences include confusion between:
The crimes against grammar usually include:
When I first started creative writing, I had been teaching grammar and composition for so long, I felt confident in my ability to at least write clearly and correctly. In some ways, that was half the battle right there.
I realize that online communications are often informal, and are often done on the fly. Plus, I must confess I've had my share of typos and grammar goofs, but things are rarely perfect.
However, if you want to get published, and maybe someday quit your day job to be a full time writer, it's a good idea to develop good habits and use them 99% of the time.
I think the point is that you must know what the rules are before you decide when and where to break them.
Poor grammar and spelling.
Spelling poorly (at least in the writings I've noticed recently) is usually the result of lazily depending on spellcheck. Spellcheck corrects the wrong word for you, so words like inconvenience become incontinence! Other frequent occurences include confusion between:
- accept/except
- advise/advice
- effect/affect
- your/you're
- there/their/they're
- ... and so on...
The crimes against grammar usually include:
- run on sentences
- apostrophe plurals (argghhhh!!!)
- vague pronoun references
- misplaced modifiers
- verb conjugations (especially irregular past participals and perfect tenses)
- semi-colons and colons used incorrectly (argghhhh!!!)
When I first started creative writing, I had been teaching grammar and composition for so long, I felt confident in my ability to at least write clearly and correctly. In some ways, that was half the battle right there.
I realize that online communications are often informal, and are often done on the fly. Plus, I must confess I've had my share of typos and grammar goofs, but things are rarely perfect.
However, if you want to get published, and maybe someday quit your day job to be a full time writer, it's a good idea to develop good habits and use them 99% of the time.
I think the point is that you must know what the rules are before you decide when and where to break them.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Be Your Own Best Customer!
I actually felt like kind of a dork for this... even though it's basically good...
The last week and a half has been exceptionally busy, with life, work and book events. Three of the book events I had on the coming schedule (for Monday, Wednesday & Thursday nights), were non-retail venues, i.e. not at bookstores. On Friday and Saturday before this, I was at the Bloody Words Convention, and on Sunday I did a signing at a Chapters store.
On Saturday the book vendor at Bloody Words sold out of my book Blood and Groom. I had a few copies at home, so I rushed back to get them, and Don Longmuir sold all my extra copies as well.
The book sold out - good right?!? Yes indeed. Except...
I can order my own book from the publisher and get a discount, but it takes a few says to get them (even though the distributor's warehouse is here in Toronto, it's wayyyyy the hell on the outskirts of the city). And just as a rule, I always like to have a few copies of my book on hand.
I realized on Sunday morning that - Oh Crap! - even if I ordered books first thing Monday morning, I wouldn't actually receive them in time for my events on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings.
So, on Sunday, while I was doing the bookstore signing, I bought a bunch of copies of my own book!!! I wonder what the bookstore staff thought of this ("Hey, she's buying her own book just to boost sales... what a loser!")
The last week and a half has been exceptionally busy, with life, work and book events. Three of the book events I had on the coming schedule (for Monday, Wednesday & Thursday nights), were non-retail venues, i.e. not at bookstores. On Friday and Saturday before this, I was at the Bloody Words Convention, and on Sunday I did a signing at a Chapters store.
On Saturday the book vendor at Bloody Words sold out of my book Blood and Groom. I had a few copies at home, so I rushed back to get them, and Don Longmuir sold all my extra copies as well.
The book sold out - good right?!? Yes indeed. Except...
I can order my own book from the publisher and get a discount, but it takes a few says to get them (even though the distributor's warehouse is here in Toronto, it's wayyyyy the hell on the outskirts of the city). And just as a rule, I always like to have a few copies of my book on hand.
I realized on Sunday morning that - Oh Crap! - even if I ordered books first thing Monday morning, I wouldn't actually receive them in time for my events on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings.
So, on Sunday, while I was doing the bookstore signing, I bought a bunch of copies of my own book!!! I wonder what the bookstore staff thought of this ("Hey, she's buying her own book just to boost sales... what a loser!")
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Books and Food and Clubs and Wine!
Last night I did a book 'gig' that was quite a bit different from the bookstores and libraries I've been doing over the last while.
I met Margaret - an avid bookworm - when I was doing a store event several weeks ago. She told me she's part of a book club, and asked if I'd be interested in being a guest some time. Of course I said yes, and the 'some time' was last night.
What a fun evening, and I'm so lucky to have been invited!
The soiree was potluck dinner at Margaret's home. The girls each brought a yummy a dish to share, plus there was plenty of vino... All the right ingredients for a great evening!
So, while sipping a glass of bold red wine, and eating enough delicious food to feed an army (homemade mac n' cheese, grilled asparagus, spinach and brie salad, mango crepes, etc.) , we had a great talk about Blood and Groom, and about writing and publishing in general.
It felt so good to interact with people like this - so different from the brief encounters at retail outlets, or from the more formal and one-directional library gigs. These women were wonderful! They had all read the book, and had specific questions about it (which means they actually really did read it, and I certainly learned from them (male/female?!)).
It's also cool that this book club is in Toronto, which is where Blood and Groom is set. So, I gave the girls the background gossip on the real places mentioned in the book (and on real places that I've thinly disguised). Sasha's office really was my office long ago, and I know they all recognized the real "Chadwick's" and the real "Crystal Cove Spa"!
We also had a great talk on how I named and developed characters (hee hee hee, especially villains), how I started - and finished - writing the novel, and what the whole first time novelist experience has been like.
It was a fantastic evening, filled with great food, interesting and intelligent people, and I am so glad they invited me to join them!
Thanks Margaret!
I met Margaret - an avid bookworm - when I was doing a store event several weeks ago. She told me she's part of a book club, and asked if I'd be interested in being a guest some time. Of course I said yes, and the 'some time' was last night.
What a fun evening, and I'm so lucky to have been invited!
The soiree was potluck dinner at Margaret's home. The girls each brought a yummy a dish to share, plus there was plenty of vino... All the right ingredients for a great evening!
So, while sipping a glass of bold red wine, and eating enough delicious food to feed an army (homemade mac n' cheese, grilled asparagus, spinach and brie salad, mango crepes, etc.) , we had a great talk about Blood and Groom, and about writing and publishing in general.
It felt so good to interact with people like this - so different from the brief encounters at retail outlets, or from the more formal and one-directional library gigs. These women were wonderful! They had all read the book, and had specific questions about it (which means they actually really did read it, and I certainly learned from them (male/female?!)).
It's also cool that this book club is in Toronto, which is where Blood and Groom is set. So, I gave the girls the background gossip on the real places mentioned in the book (and on real places that I've thinly disguised). Sasha's office really was my office long ago, and I know they all recognized the real "Chadwick's" and the real "Crystal Cove Spa"!
We also had a great talk on how I named and developed characters (hee hee hee, especially villains), how I started - and finished - writing the novel, and what the whole first time novelist experience has been like.
It was a fantastic evening, filled with great food, interesting and intelligent people, and I am so glad they invited me to join them!
Thanks Margaret!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Bloody Words Convention
So, this weekend I'm off to the tenth annual BLOODY WORDS convention. This will be my first ever book-writing-mystery-literary convention of any sort. It happens to be held in Toronto, my city, which is why I'm going.
I am really looking forward to it! It will be great to mingle with other writers and fans and folks from the publishing world.
Also, I'm on a panel discussion Friday evening" "Bad Girls" in crime fiction (hmmmm... wonder why they picked me???)
Then on Saturday, I'm doing "Book Speed Dating" which sounds like a great promo opportunity. After that, I'll be at the SIsters in Crime signing table.
So, I am excited about the coming weekend and I'm sure I'll have lots to report afterwards.
I am really looking forward to it! It will be great to mingle with other writers and fans and folks from the publishing world.
Also, I'm on a panel discussion Friday evening" "Bad Girls" in crime fiction (hmmmm... wonder why they picked me???)
Then on Saturday, I'm doing "Book Speed Dating" which sounds like a great promo opportunity. After that, I'll be at the SIsters in Crime signing table.
So, I am excited about the coming weekend and I'm sure I'll have lots to report afterwards.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
23 Ski-Doo, Groovy and Hip!
Is there an 'E' in groovy?
The fact I have to ask that indicates just how UN-groovy I am!!!
I'm sure you all know about Urban Dictionary and other online sources for scoping out current slang and idioms. Also, Urban Dictionary (IMO) is only helpful to check a word you already know, and won't spill out a bunch of suggestions if you're looking for that je ne sais quoi turn of phrase. So, I've recently tried something different as a way to get tuned into the latest street talk.
Long ago, I created a Facebook fan page for my Sasha Jackson Mysteries. I have over 1000 fans, and I can get demographic info about them (though no individual info). Most of my fans (48%) are between 15 and 25 years old, so cooler and hipper (more hip?) than I am by far.
I recently posted a query on the Sasha fan page wall about contemporay slang. The results were very helpful! It turns out the word I had planned on using was wrong for the context I had in mind. But the fans gave me some good suggestions for other common terms to use instead.
Funny to think of using Facebook as a tool to help you in the writing of a novel.
The fact I have to ask that indicates just how UN-groovy I am!!!
I'm sure you all know about Urban Dictionary and other online sources for scoping out current slang and idioms. Also, Urban Dictionary (IMO) is only helpful to check a word you already know, and won't spill out a bunch of suggestions if you're looking for that je ne sais quoi turn of phrase. So, I've recently tried something different as a way to get tuned into the latest street talk.
Long ago, I created a Facebook fan page for my Sasha Jackson Mysteries. I have over 1000 fans, and I can get demographic info about them (though no individual info). Most of my fans (48%) are between 15 and 25 years old, so cooler and hipper (more hip?) than I am by far.
I recently posted a query on the Sasha fan page wall about contemporay slang. The results were very helpful! It turns out the word I had planned on using was wrong for the context I had in mind. But the fans gave me some good suggestions for other common terms to use instead.
Funny to think of using Facebook as a tool to help you in the writing of a novel.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Oui, oui, wheeeee!
I went to Montreal, P.Q. this past weekend...
The trip to Montreal was half business, half pleasure. I met up with a few friends, but the catalyst for the trip was to do some book store signings in a city (any city!) outside of Toronto (most of my book promo events thus far have been in the Toronto area).
Montreal is a good sized city (one of the three biggest cities in Canada) and it seemed like a good idea to try to build some word of mouth in another urban centre.
BUT... Montreal, or at least the province of Quebec, is French speaking (officially). Montreal, however, does have a large English and/or bilingual population, so I figured it would probably be okay to try a signing there...
WOW! It went even better than I had expected, and - ironically- it was even better than some of my Toronto events!
I signed on Saturday afternoon at Chapters Pointe Claire and on Sunday afternoon at Chapters on Rue Ste. Catherine; I sold 20 and 24 copies of Blood and Groom respectively.
What blew me away, though, was how incredibly supportive and encouraging the staff at each store were! The Ste. Catherine staff - in particular Sam, Mathieu, and Ian - were awesome!!!! They steered people my way, they made sure all the staff on duty were aware of the event and knew about the book. It was a great feeling, a really positive environment, and I look forward to signing there again someday. I also have to give a shout out to Craig and the staff at Pointe Claire, they were fantastic as well.
As for the language issue, well, it wasn't an issue at all, really. A few customers were French speakers (or readers) only, but many people were interested in talking with me about the book and no one gave me grief for chatting them up in English.
So all in all, it was a great weekend. A big, hearty THANK YOU to Chapters Quebec!
The trip to Montreal was half business, half pleasure. I met up with a few friends, but the catalyst for the trip was to do some book store signings in a city (any city!) outside of Toronto (most of my book promo events thus far have been in the Toronto area).
Montreal is a good sized city (one of the three biggest cities in Canada) and it seemed like a good idea to try to build some word of mouth in another urban centre.
BUT... Montreal, or at least the province of Quebec, is French speaking (officially). Montreal, however, does have a large English and/or bilingual population, so I figured it would probably be okay to try a signing there...
WOW! It went even better than I had expected, and - ironically- it was even better than some of my Toronto events!
I signed on Saturday afternoon at Chapters Pointe Claire and on Sunday afternoon at Chapters on Rue Ste. Catherine; I sold 20 and 24 copies of Blood and Groom respectively.
What blew me away, though, was how incredibly supportive and encouraging the staff at each store were! The Ste. Catherine staff - in particular Sam, Mathieu, and Ian - were awesome!!!! They steered people my way, they made sure all the staff on duty were aware of the event and knew about the book. It was a great feeling, a really positive environment, and I look forward to signing there again someday. I also have to give a shout out to Craig and the staff at Pointe Claire, they were fantastic as well.
As for the language issue, well, it wasn't an issue at all, really. A few customers were French speakers (or readers) only, but many people were interested in talking with me about the book and no one gave me grief for chatting them up in English.
So all in all, it was a great weekend. A big, hearty THANK YOU to Chapters Quebec!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Obsolete Furniture... and Books
I remember years ago, every furniture store had a selection of microwave oven stands to choose from. Homes back then did not have a shelf space built into the kitchen to accommodate a microwave oven. I also remember buying TV stands and stereo stands. Now TVs are wall mounted, and you no longer need a stand that has a shelf to hold the VCR and space beneath it to store your VHS videos. Think back too about buying a slim line stand or rack to hold all your CDs once you got rid of all your vinyl (or stuck it up in the attic).
I would hate to see the day when book shelves become obsolete as we give way to electronic books. I love proudly displaying all my books on a shelf and I love adding to it and crowding the shelf with more and more hardcovers and paperbacks of recent bestsellers and myriad nonfiction works. I love browsing the bookshelves when I visit someone's home. I firmly believe a great way to get to know someone is to see what books they have in their collection.
Granted, the e-book revlolution is here and there's no turning back, but I doubt the digitalization of books will ever permeate our society to the same extent that it has in the worlds of music and video. At least I hope not. I would hate to see bookshelves become obsolete.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Whodunit on Stage?
G'day!
I've been away from blogging for a little while; in part that was because I took a fantastic little trip to New York City. It was fantastic (but then, what's not to love about Manhattan?) The purpose of my trip was to see some Broadway shows. I saw "Rock of Ages" which was excellent, and I saw "Memphis" (not bad...) and "American Idiot" (very disappointing).
I kept walking past signs and ads for "ENRON" - yes, a musical about Enron... I wish I had cgone to see it - the reviews have been great. It sounds loopy enough (and original) that it just may be a great stage performance. "Addams Family" is being universally panned.
So - now for the point of this blog posting: is there any whodunit that you could visualize on stage (as a musical)? I know The Mousetrap was on Broadway forever, but it was not a musical (although there may have been versions...)
The only thing that leaps to mind is Poe - I could see his works being put to music and staged.
Any other ideas?
I've been away from blogging for a little while; in part that was because I took a fantastic little trip to New York City. It was fantastic (but then, what's not to love about Manhattan?) The purpose of my trip was to see some Broadway shows. I saw "Rock of Ages" which was excellent, and I saw "Memphis" (not bad...) and "American Idiot" (very disappointing).
I kept walking past signs and ads for "ENRON" - yes, a musical about Enron... I wish I had cgone to see it - the reviews have been great. It sounds loopy enough (and original) that it just may be a great stage performance. "Addams Family" is being universally panned.
So - now for the point of this blog posting: is there any whodunit that you could visualize on stage (as a musical)? I know The Mousetrap was on Broadway forever, but it was not a musical (although there may have been versions...)
The only thing that leaps to mind is Poe - I could see his works being put to music and staged.
Any other ideas?
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Guest Blogger: Cathy Astolfo on "Letter Lunacy"
Hi Folks,
Today I am very pleased to have Catherine (aw, c'mon, we're all friends here, so let's call her Cathy!) Astolfo as my guest blogger. Cathy's post captures what I'm sure many (every?) writer feels about the act of writing... the good side of it, and why we do it. Sure it can drive us crazy, and we have all stumbled over plot development and battled with writers' block, but we still sit down at the computers and write... Here's Cathy's take on why we do it:
********
I have an obsession. Okay, maybe more than one, but certainly my prime fixation is with letters and forming words.
Ever since I can remember, words have spilled out of me. In Grade Three, I used to write fairy tales for my classmates. The kind of story that, these days, would have caused a social worker to visit my mother. Blood thirsty and violent, just like all the other fairy tales I’d heard, with evil stepmothers and nasty beasts lurking to swallow up naughty children. In Grade Seven, my teacher actually threatened to give me the strap if I didn’t stop “wasting my time writing”. Even though I had my other work all completed (somewhat obsessively).
In secondary school and on to university, the letter lunacy stood me in good stead: I was always overflowing with things to say, especially in writing. Essays and arguments and dissertations all came naturally when I was allowed to paint them on paper. I truly loved getting an essay question on a test. Besides writing in school, and later on in my career, I write every day in my head. While I am driving, walking, exercising, or reading another book, I am contriving situations, describing scenery, or having a conversation with one of my characters. I cook my novels for months ahead of time.
My obsession is secretly all about one thing: the writing, followed by having people read it. I do have to write, just as I have to eat (and drink red wine). I would write whether or not anyone ever saw my collection of letters. But oh, the thrill of hearing someone say “I loved your book”, or “I laughed and I cried…” or “When’s the next book coming out?” cannot be adequately described. Your obsession suddenly becomes legitimate. You are not a lunatic after all.
Mark Twain said, “This (writing) is the love of your life. It's what I want to do when I wake up. Nothing feels so absorbing, so fulfilling.” Now imagine the love of your life getting recognition and appreciation from others. The proverbial icing on the cake, for sure. Running alongside my passion for words, the way my two cats race each other up and down the living-room, is the obsession with getting my books into print. Followed by marketing, publicity, posters, appearances…one addiction just piles on top of the next.
Evelyn Waugh said, “The art of writing, like the art of love, runs all the way from a kind of routine hard to distinguish from piling bricks to a kind of frenzy closely related to delirium tremens.” She is too right! Off I go – sticking to the routine so I can whirl around in a fit of passion.
Catherine (Cathy) Astolfo
The Emily Taylor Mysteries
http://catherine.astolfo.googlepages.com
Email Cathy at: nvp@crimewriterscanada.com
Today I am very pleased to have Catherine (aw, c'mon, we're all friends here, so let's call her Cathy!) Astolfo as my guest blogger. Cathy's post captures what I'm sure many (every?) writer feels about the act of writing... the good side of it, and why we do it. Sure it can drive us crazy, and we have all stumbled over plot development and battled with writers' block, but we still sit down at the computers and write... Here's Cathy's take on why we do it:
********
I have an obsession. Okay, maybe more than one, but certainly my prime fixation is with letters and forming words.
Ever since I can remember, words have spilled out of me. In Grade Three, I used to write fairy tales for my classmates. The kind of story that, these days, would have caused a social worker to visit my mother. Blood thirsty and violent, just like all the other fairy tales I’d heard, with evil stepmothers and nasty beasts lurking to swallow up naughty children. In Grade Seven, my teacher actually threatened to give me the strap if I didn’t stop “wasting my time writing”. Even though I had my other work all completed (somewhat obsessively).
In secondary school and on to university, the letter lunacy stood me in good stead: I was always overflowing with things to say, especially in writing. Essays and arguments and dissertations all came naturally when I was allowed to paint them on paper. I truly loved getting an essay question on a test. Besides writing in school, and later on in my career, I write every day in my head. While I am driving, walking, exercising, or reading another book, I am contriving situations, describing scenery, or having a conversation with one of my characters. I cook my novels for months ahead of time.
My obsession is secretly all about one thing: the writing, followed by having people read it. I do have to write, just as I have to eat (and drink red wine). I would write whether or not anyone ever saw my collection of letters. But oh, the thrill of hearing someone say “I loved your book”, or “I laughed and I cried…” or “When’s the next book coming out?” cannot be adequately described. Your obsession suddenly becomes legitimate. You are not a lunatic after all.
Mark Twain said, “This (writing) is the love of your life. It's what I want to do when I wake up. Nothing feels so absorbing, so fulfilling.” Now imagine the love of your life getting recognition and appreciation from others. The proverbial icing on the cake, for sure. Running alongside my passion for words, the way my two cats race each other up and down the living-room, is the obsession with getting my books into print. Followed by marketing, publicity, posters, appearances…one addiction just piles on top of the next.
Evelyn Waugh said, “The art of writing, like the art of love, runs all the way from a kind of routine hard to distinguish from piling bricks to a kind of frenzy closely related to delirium tremens.” She is too right! Off I go – sticking to the routine so I can whirl around in a fit of passion.
Catherine (Cathy) Astolfo
The Emily Taylor Mysteries
http://catherine.astolfo.googlepages.com
Email Cathy at: nvp@crimewriterscanada.com
Sunday, April 25, 2010
I “hired” 43 marketing experts!
As many of you know, I am a professor at George Brown College. I teach communications in the Faculty of Hospitality & Tourism. Another building on the same campus is home to the Faculty of Business. I popped by there several weeks ago and had a great chat with Tom Arhontoudis. Tom is the Coordinator for the Marketing Diploma Program. We talked at length about publishing and marketing in general and about Blood and Groom in particular. It was decided that creating marketing plans for Blood and Groom would be the final project for his Marketing students this semester.
I visited the class twice to give background and product info. The students asked a lot of very good questions. They wanted info on what I had done and what I planned to do. They asked particulars about the book and my target audience. Their assignment was two-fold: one, a written report (marketing plan) and two, a presentation.
On Wednesday April 21st, I saw all the presentations (I think there were twelve). WOW! Some of the stuff these guys came up with blew me away! Naturally, some ideas were better than others, a few ideas were good but don’t suit my purposes for the time being (maybe later...), some ideas were too expensive but may be doable down the road.
Keep in mind who these students are: They are all in the fourth semester of a three year Marketing program. I’d say most of the students are between 19 and 25 years of age. They are all pretty tech savvy; they’re up to date on various social media; in many ways, they themselves are my target market; and at a minimum, they represented a lot of word-of-mouth potential.
Some of the ideas were similar to things I’ve already done, although perhaps they offered a twist on it. They had suggestions for blogs that have thousands of daily hits from people in my target market demographic. They suggested creating an app for iPhone. They gave me many great suggestions for web redesign. Plus there were ideas for contests and cross-marekting and events. And - not surprisingly - they offered several suggestions for Twitter and Facebook, etc.
Some of the coolest ideas were the ones that may seem a little bit out there... but what the hell, anything’s worth a try! Here are some of the highlights from the presentations:
There is a sidewalk artist, Dave Johnston, who does huge sidewalk ‘murals’ outside the Eaton Centre (mall). It might be worthwhile to talk to him about drawing the Blood and Groom cover. It could sure create a buzz.
Dave Johnston
They gave me ideas about “flash mobs”. A “flash mob” (or crowd) is hard to describe if you don’t know what it is. Wikipedia gives a good explanation here: Flash Mob
I had never heard before of Hippopost, but they do direct mailing and it’s free! They snail mail postcards for you – no cost – but the back of each postcard contains an advertisement. Hippo Post
Many of the students suggested doing some surveys to collect more solid info about who my Facebook fans/readers/buyers are. Many of the presentations suggested using Survey Monkey to create a questionnaire. This service is also free. Free Survey
Finally, Tamal, a student with a creative streak, made a new book trailer. I think it’s pretty cool. Have a look here: Very cool book trailer for Blood and Groom CHECK IT OUT!!!
I am glad I spoke to Tom about getting his Marketing students to work on Blood and Groom as their final project. Now that I’m finished teaching for a while, I will have time to start implementing some of these fantastic ideas.
Thanks to Tom A and the Wednesday afternoon Marketing group. You ROCK!
I visited the class twice to give background and product info. The students asked a lot of very good questions. They wanted info on what I had done and what I planned to do. They asked particulars about the book and my target audience. Their assignment was two-fold: one, a written report (marketing plan) and two, a presentation.
On Wednesday April 21st, I saw all the presentations (I think there were twelve). WOW! Some of the stuff these guys came up with blew me away! Naturally, some ideas were better than others, a few ideas were good but don’t suit my purposes for the time being (maybe later...), some ideas were too expensive but may be doable down the road.
Keep in mind who these students are: They are all in the fourth semester of a three year Marketing program. I’d say most of the students are between 19 and 25 years of age. They are all pretty tech savvy; they’re up to date on various social media; in many ways, they themselves are my target market; and at a minimum, they represented a lot of word-of-mouth potential.
Some of the ideas were similar to things I’ve already done, although perhaps they offered a twist on it. They had suggestions for blogs that have thousands of daily hits from people in my target market demographic. They suggested creating an app for iPhone. They gave me many great suggestions for web redesign. Plus there were ideas for contests and cross-marekting and events. And - not surprisingly - they offered several suggestions for Twitter and Facebook, etc.
Some of the coolest ideas were the ones that may seem a little bit out there... but what the hell, anything’s worth a try! Here are some of the highlights from the presentations:
There is a sidewalk artist, Dave Johnston, who does huge sidewalk ‘murals’ outside the Eaton Centre (mall). It might be worthwhile to talk to him about drawing the Blood and Groom cover. It could sure create a buzz.
Dave Johnston
They gave me ideas about “flash mobs”. A “flash mob” (or crowd) is hard to describe if you don’t know what it is. Wikipedia gives a good explanation here: Flash Mob
I had never heard before of Hippopost, but they do direct mailing and it’s free! They snail mail postcards for you – no cost – but the back of each postcard contains an advertisement. Hippo Post
Many of the students suggested doing some surveys to collect more solid info about who my Facebook fans/readers/buyers are. Many of the presentations suggested using Survey Monkey to create a questionnaire. This service is also free. Free Survey
Finally, Tamal, a student with a creative streak, made a new book trailer. I think it’s pretty cool. Have a look here: Very cool book trailer for Blood and Groom CHECK IT OUT!!!
I am glad I spoke to Tom about getting his Marketing students to work on Blood and Groom as their final project. Now that I’m finished teaching for a while, I will have time to start implementing some of these fantastic ideas.
Thanks to Tom A and the Wednesday afternoon Marketing group. You ROCK!
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