So, I've gotten a few reviews for Dead Light District in the last couple of weeks, plus I've done two interviews. Rather than posting everyting, I've cobbled together some of the highlights and added them to my updated website and have excerpts below.
Two bloggers in particular have done interesting things with me and Dead Light District, and I thank them both for it. Rebecca Emrich, who runs the blog "Living a Life of Writing", covered Dead Light District over a series of three blog posts on writing and publishing. Bill Selnes, who runs the blog "Mysteries and More" posted reviews of both my books, plus a Q & A section and a follow up discussion.
I really got a kick out of doing the Q & A with Bill. He only asked five questions, but gave me as much room as I wanted with my asnwers. In one question, he asked about tough, edgy sleuths. That brought to mind the world of the hardboiled PI and what events or influences in my life inspired such a setting for the Sasha books. I think much of my writing is influenced by all the years I worked in bars while I was a student (I did more than eleven years of post-secondary schooling).
Once upon a time, a guy tipped me a condom covered cucumber. It was autographed. That was weird, of course, but over the years that I worked in bars, I met more than my share of freaks... the guy who ate fettucini alfredo with his hands, the crackheads who asked me for empty coke cans, the suave playah who liked to get it on with women in the washroom, the drunk manager who habitually fell into the ice machine, the weirdo who kept sending me flowers and teddy bears at work, the gambling addict who lost $2500 playing Trouble (remember that game: pop-a-matic pops the dice, pop a six and you move twice...) I don't think a writer can completely divorce himself from his experiences. The influences are always going to be there, and they shape the writing, even if only peripherally.
Finally, Professor Gloria Filax from Athabasca University interviewed me for the MAIS newsletter. I did my MA at Athabasca; my area of concentration was Cultural Studies, and I did several papers on women in mysteries during my MA. I loved every minute of working on my Master's and much of the work from my program found its way into my creative writing. It was great fun talking to Gloria about the academic side of crime fiction, and I look forward to seeing the interview when it's posted later this month.
Bye for now... Jill
Snippets from reviews for Dead Light District
"Dead Light District was sure worth the wait. Jill writes great mystery novels. The book flows... Dead Light District is well written and very interesting. Sasha is a good character, but the key to a good plot is a bit of surprise. Dead Light District is a light read... where I find the plot is good enough to sit and read it all the way through. I didn't suspect the ending... Jill has a surprising way to keep me reading" -Rebecca Emrich, Living a Life of Writing
"Sasha Jackson is back... searching for a missing prostitute in a milieu suited to her tough girl personality. Trashily dressed and heavily made up, the remarks of attempted clients on a hot summer night, confirm Sasha has successfully gone undercover as a call girl. With the book in first person narrative by Sasha I found the short first person comments of Mary Carmen made her character come alive. Mary Carmen’s painful past and ongoing desperate decisions are vividly expressed. [The] plotting is more assured. I liked Sasha better in this book. She was wittier and a little less sarcastic, while remaining as strong willed and stubborn. Sasha reminds me of Stephanie Plum in Janet Evanovich’s series. With the growth of Sasha’s character I am looking forward to the third in the series" -Bill Selnes, Mysteries and More
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Sasha's Taste in Music (...with a dash of stream of consciousness...)
My musical tastes are all over the map. The songs I was listening to when I was trying to solve the case of The Missing Hooker don’t really fit into any one category.
While I was looking for Mary Carmen, The Temptations came up on my iPod. The song was “Ball of Confusion” and that could well have been the theme song for that whole damn case. Of course, once I figured out where the Old Lady was, “I Can’t Get Next to You” was stuck in my head. Really, I didn’t want to be in the same room as the Old Lady... much less next to her.
The Dead Light District days really stressed me out, and at times the only way I could chill was to jam for a while. Usually one of my favourite bands to play along with is Sublime, but every time the song “Caress Me Down” came on, I started thinking about sex and a certain pair of hands caressing me up and down and everywhere in between, and... Well, I had to take a cold shower. Of course, I could say the same about Franz Ferdinand and “Lucid Dreams”. Very lucid. I had a craving for a cigarette when I woke up.
I still have mixed feelings about Mary Carmen. It’s not up to me to make judgements, at least early on it wasn’t. Until she tested my moral compass, I was on her side. I remember being in a Led Zeppelin mood, and playing “Living, Loving Maid (She’s Just a Woman)” and thinking that song title pretty much sums up Mary C. Plus, with her green eyes and body to die for, “Heartbreaker” is not an exaggeration.
As much as it might make me cringe, but because of Todd the Drag Queen, I’ll forever have a soft spot for Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe”. I had never really liked the song, and I’m even less keen about singing the male part, unless we’re talking the version Cher did in 1993 with Beavis and Butt Head... Somebody pass me a chain saw, please.
I think, for now, I’ll switch to classical; it usually mellows me out. Time to cue up Bach.
DEAD LIGHT DISTRICT is available on AMAZON
While I was looking for Mary Carmen, The Temptations came up on my iPod. The song was “Ball of Confusion” and that could well have been the theme song for that whole damn case. Of course, once I figured out where the Old Lady was, “I Can’t Get Next to You” was stuck in my head. Really, I didn’t want to be in the same room as the Old Lady... much less next to her.
The Dead Light District days really stressed me out, and at times the only way I could chill was to jam for a while. Usually one of my favourite bands to play along with is Sublime, but every time the song “Caress Me Down” came on, I started thinking about sex and a certain pair of hands caressing me up and down and everywhere in between, and... Well, I had to take a cold shower. Of course, I could say the same about Franz Ferdinand and “Lucid Dreams”. Very lucid. I had a craving for a cigarette when I woke up.
I still have mixed feelings about Mary Carmen. It’s not up to me to make judgements, at least early on it wasn’t. Until she tested my moral compass, I was on her side. I remember being in a Led Zeppelin mood, and playing “Living, Loving Maid (She’s Just a Woman)” and thinking that song title pretty much sums up Mary C. Plus, with her green eyes and body to die for, “Heartbreaker” is not an exaggeration.
As much as it might make me cringe, but because of Todd the Drag Queen, I’ll forever have a soft spot for Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe”. I had never really liked the song, and I’m even less keen about singing the male part, unless we’re talking the version Cher did in 1993 with Beavis and Butt Head... Somebody pass me a chain saw, please.
I think, for now, I’ll switch to classical; it usually mellows me out. Time to cue up Bach.
DEAD LIGHT DISTRICT is available on AMAZON
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Officer Mark Houghton: Why I cringe whenever I see Sasha's name on "Call Display"
Officer Mark Houghton, Toronto Cop, on Sasha Jackson:
I don't think Sasha has ever forgiven me for dumping her when she was still in high school. At times it seems like she's spending her whole career just trying to give me grey hair. She's cute, so I can let he get away with a lot, but it's so much easier to deal with her if she's fully clothed.
She tends to call me out of the blue, and she usually has random questions about designer drugs or switchblades or even handcuffs. In Sasha's world, handcuffs take on a whole new meaning.
I've moved up the ranks of the Toronto Police, and I have respect from my supervisors and my peers, but if they knew what I know about Sasha Jackson, I'd lose my badge. I've never actually seen her commit any crimes, but I do know she has a habit of entering places where she has no right to be... and without a key.
I don't know he details, and I don't want to. Just like I don't want to know about the computer records that end up in her purse, the copies of confidential files in her back pocket, or how she ended up doing surveillance in a car when she doesn't have a driver's licence.
She claims she doesn't remember that we slept together once, during that high school romance. I don't know if she's telling the truth or not, but all I can say about that night is that it was hard to explain all the scratches on my back, the hickey on my neck, and why I was walking home at 3:00 am with no shoes on... in November.
I don't think Sasha has ever forgiven me for dumping her when she was still in high school. At times it seems like she's spending her whole career just trying to give me grey hair. She's cute, so I can let he get away with a lot, but it's so much easier to deal with her if she's fully clothed.
She tends to call me out of the blue, and she usually has random questions about designer drugs or switchblades or even handcuffs. In Sasha's world, handcuffs take on a whole new meaning.
I've moved up the ranks of the Toronto Police, and I have respect from my supervisors and my peers, but if they knew what I know about Sasha Jackson, I'd lose my badge. I've never actually seen her commit any crimes, but I do know she has a habit of entering places where she has no right to be... and without a key.
I don't know he details, and I don't want to. Just like I don't want to know about the computer records that end up in her purse, the copies of confidential files in her back pocket, or how she ended up doing surveillance in a car when she doesn't have a driver's licence.
She claims she doesn't remember that we slept together once, during that high school romance. I don't know if she's telling the truth or not, but all I can say about that night is that it was hard to explain all the scratches on my back, the hickey on my neck, and why I was walking home at 3:00 am with no shoes on... in November.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
More on the launch party... Video Clips!
Here's a short video (53 seconds) from the Dead Light District Launch Party. All photos were taken by Iden Ford http://www.idenfordphotography.com/
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Guest Blogger: Lisa Daisy Hamid on Cats, Caffeine and Other Secrets of the Editor's World
Hey Folks,
I'm pleased to have one of the editors who worked on my new book contribute a guest blog post. Lisa Daisy Hamid knocked my socks off with her work on Dead Light District. She caught little snafus that I totally missed, plus she was fast and thorough and just an all-around cool chick. We spent an afternoon going over the manuscript and I must say she has a sharp eye and a great sense of humour... which you'll see in her post below.
Now here's Lisa...
Greetings, dear readers!
I'm Lisa, one of the editors of Jill Edmondson's new novel, Dead Light District. Jill asked if I'd like to spout off a few words about my experiences in this industry. Of course, I obliged. Working on her book was a great opportunity that I continue to be thankful for.
I'm a newbie to this business, and the two years I've spent in this industry have taught me some valuable lessons. I've been through a Publishing certificate from Ryerson University, a publicity/marketing internship at Tundra Books (McClelland & Stewart) and an editorial internship at Colborne Communications.
Here, I list my top ten lessons from the life of an intern.
1. Editors live long, long lives.
There is a running joke amongst publishing hopefuls about the super-vitality and seemingly never-ending existence of in-house editors. It's a joke because if publishing students didn't laugh about it, we'd sink into depression instead. Only the very lucky get to follow their grammatically-correct dreams of becoming an editor at Random House, HarperCollins, Penguin, and other bigwigs. Editorial positions usually only open up when long-standing editors vaporize, grudgingly retire, or die. Would-be editors keep an eye on potential editorial positions like gold-digging wives keep an expectant eye on their aging husbands' dwindling health and growing wealth.
2. Drinks all around.
The publishing industry includes lots of hard work and even more hard drinking. Many professors (who shall not be named) prefer to hold their classes or meetings at The Imperial. Some publishers engage in the ritual of Champagne Mondays. Most book launch parties are held at pubs or clubs. Frankfurt festival is debauchery at its finest. Of course, I'm not complaining; I'm just pleasantly surprised.
3. Writers can be glorious wing-nuts.
I've interacted with a variety of writers throughout my internships. Some of these interactions (save my collaboration with Jill, who is profoundly awesome) left me wholly terrified or completely amused. Thankfully, I was on the outskirts of most of these altercations.
There was the semi-famous tv personality who couldn't meet with us for months, only to show up unexpectedly and freak out about their book cover; the writer who kept submitting different parts of the same book every time they got rejected; the author who spammed a co-worker with daily "funny" pictures of her pets; the clients who submitted work to be evaluated and then disappeared - the list goes on. At the same time, I've been rendered star-struck many times and continue to be in awe of the quirkiness, generosity and ingenuity of the writers I've met.
4. Double spaces, em dashes and small caps. Glamorous.
Writers hold an identity in culture as starving artists - genius minds working through the night, smoking like a chimney and crying absinthe-flavoured tears onto a typewriter. They live off bread and possibly squirrels. The same goes for editors, except we're honestly just hobos. No romance here; no transient artistry - just low wages, a style guide and Cheetos. And yet, we love it.
I'm proud to say I edit things, but when it comes down to the nitty-gritty, it's all about those details that go unnoticed in a finished product. These editorial details are the things that really bring a product together. Editors are supposed to deal with things that no one else will pay attention to. It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.
5. Editors aren't perfect.
I kind of suspected this, but I've seen proof. Even the editor's name can get misspelled in a book's credits. How does this happen? The editor was probably too fixated on the consistency of serial comma use.
6. Reading will never be the same.
Publishing industry people and publishing students alike long for the days when they were simply a reader. Designers, typesetters, editors, sales people - all of them now experience books in a completely different way. This is wonderful and terrifying. It's completely impossible for me to read a novel now without inadvertently proofreading it instead.
7. Likewise, my sense of humour will never be the same.
Editing/publishing humour is on the same level of specificity and awkwardness as physics or engineering jokes. For example, editors fall into hysterics discussing the chiller font. It's a damn font.
I'd like to share reasoningwithvampires.tumblr.com. The blog breaks down the grammar of the Twilight series paragraph by paragraph. Sentence maps are never supposed to be funny and yet I definitely laughed at some of these.
We also find things like twitter.com/FakeAPStylebook totally hilarious.
8. Publishing is actually a cult.
This is a quick one because we disciples aren't really supposed to talk about it. I've had multiple industry people tell me to "get out while I still can". I've yet to find out what this means.
9. Editors worship cats and caffeine.
Editors are 50% caffeine and 50% cat lady. I haven't encountered an editor who doesn't need coffee and meows to properly function. If we could somehow combine the two into a coffee-making cat-shaped robot (with a roll up the rim), we would be complete.
10. When it's all said and done, Canada's publishing community is a beautiful thing.
All of the ranting and jokes aside, the publishing world is truly inspiring. Toronto is a hub for innovative, entertaining and unique voices in writing, design and book culture. There are book launches and poetry readings to be found almost weekly. There are book festivals to match every season. It's a veritable pow-wow of creativity and love of the written word.
Thanks for reading. Now, get a copy of Dead Light District into your hands!
-Lisa
You can follow me on twitter @lo_haze and on my blog hazelo-peach.blogspot.com
Note from Jill: Check out her blog; Lisa has a bit of everything on there and it's all pretty cool!
I'm pleased to have one of the editors who worked on my new book contribute a guest blog post. Lisa Daisy Hamid knocked my socks off with her work on Dead Light District. She caught little snafus that I totally missed, plus she was fast and thorough and just an all-around cool chick. We spent an afternoon going over the manuscript and I must say she has a sharp eye and a great sense of humour... which you'll see in her post below.
Now here's Lisa...
Greetings, dear readers!
I'm Lisa, one of the editors of Jill Edmondson's new novel, Dead Light District. Jill asked if I'd like to spout off a few words about my experiences in this industry. Of course, I obliged. Working on her book was a great opportunity that I continue to be thankful for.
I'm a newbie to this business, and the two years I've spent in this industry have taught me some valuable lessons. I've been through a Publishing certificate from Ryerson University, a publicity/marketing internship at Tundra Books (McClelland & Stewart) and an editorial internship at Colborne Communications.
Here, I list my top ten lessons from the life of an intern.
1. Editors live long, long lives.
There is a running joke amongst publishing hopefuls about the super-vitality and seemingly never-ending existence of in-house editors. It's a joke because if publishing students didn't laugh about it, we'd sink into depression instead. Only the very lucky get to follow their grammatically-correct dreams of becoming an editor at Random House, HarperCollins, Penguin, and other bigwigs. Editorial positions usually only open up when long-standing editors vaporize, grudgingly retire, or die. Would-be editors keep an eye on potential editorial positions like gold-digging wives keep an expectant eye on their aging husbands' dwindling health and growing wealth.
2. Drinks all around.
The publishing industry includes lots of hard work and even more hard drinking. Many professors (who shall not be named) prefer to hold their classes or meetings at The Imperial. Some publishers engage in the ritual of Champagne Mondays. Most book launch parties are held at pubs or clubs. Frankfurt festival is debauchery at its finest. Of course, I'm not complaining; I'm just pleasantly surprised.
3. Writers can be glorious wing-nuts.
I've interacted with a variety of writers throughout my internships. Some of these interactions (save my collaboration with Jill, who is profoundly awesome) left me wholly terrified or completely amused. Thankfully, I was on the outskirts of most of these altercations.
There was the semi-famous tv personality who couldn't meet with us for months, only to show up unexpectedly and freak out about their book cover; the writer who kept submitting different parts of the same book every time they got rejected; the author who spammed a co-worker with daily "funny" pictures of her pets; the clients who submitted work to be evaluated and then disappeared - the list goes on. At the same time, I've been rendered star-struck many times and continue to be in awe of the quirkiness, generosity and ingenuity of the writers I've met.
4. Double spaces, em dashes and small caps. Glamorous.
Writers hold an identity in culture as starving artists - genius minds working through the night, smoking like a chimney and crying absinthe-flavoured tears onto a typewriter. They live off bread and possibly squirrels. The same goes for editors, except we're honestly just hobos. No romance here; no transient artistry - just low wages, a style guide and Cheetos. And yet, we love it.
I'm proud to say I edit things, but when it comes down to the nitty-gritty, it's all about those details that go unnoticed in a finished product. These editorial details are the things that really bring a product together. Editors are supposed to deal with things that no one else will pay attention to. It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.
5. Editors aren't perfect.
I kind of suspected this, but I've seen proof. Even the editor's name can get misspelled in a book's credits. How does this happen? The editor was probably too fixated on the consistency of serial comma use.
6. Reading will never be the same.
Publishing industry people and publishing students alike long for the days when they were simply a reader. Designers, typesetters, editors, sales people - all of them now experience books in a completely different way. This is wonderful and terrifying. It's completely impossible for me to read a novel now without inadvertently proofreading it instead.
7. Likewise, my sense of humour will never be the same.
Editing/publishing humour is on the same level of specificity and awkwardness as physics or engineering jokes. For example, editors fall into hysterics discussing the chiller font. It's a damn font.
I'd like to share reasoningwithvampires.tumblr.com. The blog breaks down the grammar of the Twilight series paragraph by paragraph. Sentence maps are never supposed to be funny and yet I definitely laughed at some of these.
We also find things like twitter.com/FakeAPStylebook totally hilarious.
8. Publishing is actually a cult.
This is a quick one because we disciples aren't really supposed to talk about it. I've had multiple industry people tell me to "get out while I still can". I've yet to find out what this means.
9. Editors worship cats and caffeine.
Editors are 50% caffeine and 50% cat lady. I haven't encountered an editor who doesn't need coffee and meows to properly function. If we could somehow combine the two into a coffee-making cat-shaped robot (with a roll up the rim), we would be complete.
10. When it's all said and done, Canada's publishing community is a beautiful thing.
All of the ranting and jokes aside, the publishing world is truly inspiring. Toronto is a hub for innovative, entertaining and unique voices in writing, design and book culture. There are book launches and poetry readings to be found almost weekly. There are book festivals to match every season. It's a veritable pow-wow of creativity and love of the written word.
Thanks for reading. Now, get a copy of Dead Light District into your hands!
-Lisa
You can follow me on twitter @lo_haze and on my blog hazelo-peach.blogspot.com
Note from Jill: Check out her blog; Lisa has a bit of everything on there and it's all pretty cool!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Dating Deal Breakers: Sasha & Clare
Detectives and Dating Deal Breakers
Sasha Jackson and Clare Vengel, two sassy, sexy sleuths, discuss men and sex and dating. These two aren’t exactly experts... Romance advice from them is kind of like asking PETA for barbecue tips...
Sasha: I’ve sown enough wild oats. It’d be nice to meet someone more serious. I’m definitely not looking for a one night stand.
Clare: No? I like one-night-stands. I'm open to more – I'd love to fall in love one day – but until I do, I don't see the harm in having fun with the search.
Sasha: The search can be fun, up to a point, but there’s nothing worse than a disappointing one nighter. You know, the kind where you want to ask him “is it in yet?”
Clare: Ha ha. Trying to remember if I’ve ever been drunk enough to ask that out loud...
Sasha: Actually, I’ve only said that twice. In both cases, the guy was out the door within minutes. So, um, physical attributes aside, what are you looking for in a guy?
Clare: A body I want to wrap myself up in. I think I have fairly classic taste – tall, strong – I like dark hair, but blond is OK as long as he's manly enough to compensate. And he has to have a brain. Nothing turns me on like conversation.
Sasha: Ha! I expected you’d say that he should have a motorcycle and know how to fix cars. My ex-boyfriend Mick would be great for you.
Clare: Yeah, Mick’s hot. But musicians are so temperamental and angsty. It's like they're looking for a shrink and a mother, not just a girlfriend. Plus it would be awkward, dating your leftovers.
Sasha: I wouldn’t turn down a date with that professor guy you did, what was his name? What was his name... Matthew?
Clare: His name was Dirty Dog. A great lay, but he’s a dog. I should have made him wear three condoms. Anyhow, I thought we were supposed to be talking about dating and not just sex.
Sasha: Oh, yeah. Um, so our dating criteria so far is a brain, right?
Clare: Yes. A brain that can penetrate mine. I don't even mean that sexually. But I like a guy who challenges me – makes me think about things differently than I did before I met him. You know what I mean?
Sasha: Definitely! And a pulse would be good too.
Clare: They’re better in bed if they have a pulse.
Sasha: Ah, we’re back to sex again...
Clare: There's no avoiding sex. Chemistry tells you a lot about how you connect with a person.
Sasha: Does it ever! Anyhow, well, what about style? I’m not into a metrosexual who dresses better than I do, but it’s good if the guy doesn’t wear black shoes with a brown suit.
Clare: Suits are just bad all around – they tell me that he takes life, and himself, way too seriously. And I could not agree more about metrosexuals. I want a man to look like a man. My perfect guy dresses like the Marlboro Man. Maybe minus the cowboy boots.
Sasha: Agreed. What about hobbies or interests? I’d like a guy who’s in good shape, but not super-jock, and even worse, I can’t handle a couch potato sports junkie.
Clare: Yeah, muscle guys who put in too much gym time are a turn-off too. I'm cool with sports fans, as long as they're not into football. I like watching sports that have excitement – hockey, NASCAR, even soccer's okay. But football? I want to slit my wrists, that game is so pointless. But you hate all sports, don't you?
Sasha: Guys who scream at the TV and plan their week around the NFL, NHL, NBA. I like actually going to sports events, but I just don’t get them on television. I roll my eyes when I see guys start screaming at the TV.
Clare: Oh – I agree about the fanatics. Sports obsession is stupid. But so is obsession in general, don't you think?
Sasha: Don’t get me started on obsessive-compulsive types. Remember Victor?
Clare: Oh, yeah. The shooting. Forgot about that. Sorry. But at least you’re still alive.
Sasha: Hard to argue with that. Anyhow, back on track. Another deal breaker is if a guy’s a complete redneck.
Clare: That means you’ll never date any of my cousins.
Sasha: Well, if they’re anything like your cousin who can burp the whole alphabet, I’m okay with taking a pass. Being a little bit cultured is important.
Clare: Sure. As long as he doesn't want to drag me to the opera—
Sasha: —he should know that the “T” in merlot is silent! And he should know which fork to use.
Clare: I don't care about wine and forks. Give me a beer and a pub meal any day. But I care a lot about how he treats the staff. If he's rude, entitled, or condescending, he's so not getting into my bed.
Sasha: Being snotty to bartenders is a deal breaker. And cheap tippers suck.
Clare: They're the worst. I don't mind frugal guys – it's good to be smart about money. But cheapness says two things to me: (a) Selfishness. A cheap tipper isn't thinking about how good the service was, how good the meal was, or anything outside of himself. He's thinking, How can I keep the most money in my wallet? And (b) Limitation. Someone who's too reluctant to part with their money isn't experiencing all they could in life. I don't want someone who racks up huge debt because they want to drive a flashy sports car. But I do want someone who wants to try new things – like snorkelling or skydiving – and isn't overly concerned about hoarding those dollars instead.
Sasha: I’ve dated a few guys I’d like to push out of a plane or hold underwater. Okay, now, ’fess up. Do you do a background check on a guy before the first date?
Clare: I should! I've actually never thought of it before, but I do have access to information most civilians don't. Thanks for the idea. What about you?
Sasha: Uh, well, usually, yeah. Let’s just say I regret the times that I skipped the background check. Like, I wish I’d known in advance about the guy with pigeon fixation, and the guy with no gag reflex, and the guy who wears his dead mother’s housecoat every Saturday.
Clare: Wow. Well, if you ever need info only cops can get, you can always call me.
Sasha: What’s the worst break-up or date you’ve ever had?
Clare: Worst break-up: Lance. I caught him in bed with another woman – I'd say she was the town ho, but it turns out our town has a lot of hos. In the aftermath, my friends started telling me about things they'd seen, rumours they'd heard . . . other women they hadn't wanted to mention when Lance and I had actually been a couple. Some friends, right? Wait until it doesn't matter, then drive in the pain with a corkscrew. What about you?
Sasha: I was on vacation once, with a guy I’d been dating about 4 months. We were at an all-inclusive in the Caribbean, and he was acting like such a jerk. To him, all inclusive meant drinking his face off—
Clare: —like he had to get his money’s worth.
Sasha: Exactly.
Clare: Fucking cheapskate. Did I mention I hate that in a man?
Sasha: Me too. Anyhow, halfway through the trip, I took off. We were at the buffet restaurant at the resort, and I said I had to run back to the room for something. I’ve never packed so fast in my life. I bolted outta there, checked into my own room, and never spoke to him again. Didn’t even make eye contact with him on the flight home.
Clare: That's actually kind of funny. I've never had anything that dramatic, but some friends once tried to set me up with a guy a few towns over from mine. They told me his lawyer was working on getting his conviction overturned, like that was a selling point.
Sasha: Oh, my god!
Clare: And once when I was on a bus, I met a guy who leaned in real close and told me he was in the CIA. I must have looked interested, because he kept talking all the way from Toronto to Orillia about the people he'd “silenced.”
Sasha: Did you give him your number?
Clare: I gave him yours.
Sasha: Okay, so the checklist for dateable guys then is a pulse, decent manners, a bit of culture—
Clare: A sense of humour.
Sasha: A brain...
Clare: And – okay this one might sound weird – but you know how in some relationships, it's like your personality gets swallowed? I want a man who makes me feel more like myself – stronger, not weaker.
Sasha: He’s got to be confident and comfortable in his own skin. Anything else?
Clare: A nice cock.
Sasha: I just might start blushing...
Clare: I think that covers the must-haves.
Sasha: It’s a rather short list, when you think about it. We’re really not that hard to please. What about the deal breakers?
Clare: For me? Cheapness, criminal records – unless they've been overturned – and metrosexual angsty musician-types. For you?
Sasha: No more stalkers, and I’d better not recognize the guy’s voice from the 1-900 smut call centre!
For more on Sasha Jackson,
see www.jilledmondson.com
For more on Clare Vengel,
see www.robinspano.com
Sasha Jackson and Clare Vengel, two sassy, sexy sleuths, discuss men and sex and dating. These two aren’t exactly experts... Romance advice from them is kind of like asking PETA for barbecue tips...
Sasha: I’ve sown enough wild oats. It’d be nice to meet someone more serious. I’m definitely not looking for a one night stand.
Clare: No? I like one-night-stands. I'm open to more – I'd love to fall in love one day – but until I do, I don't see the harm in having fun with the search.
Sasha: The search can be fun, up to a point, but there’s nothing worse than a disappointing one nighter. You know, the kind where you want to ask him “is it in yet?”
Clare: Ha ha. Trying to remember if I’ve ever been drunk enough to ask that out loud...
Sasha: Actually, I’ve only said that twice. In both cases, the guy was out the door within minutes. So, um, physical attributes aside, what are you looking for in a guy?
Clare: A body I want to wrap myself up in. I think I have fairly classic taste – tall, strong – I like dark hair, but blond is OK as long as he's manly enough to compensate. And he has to have a brain. Nothing turns me on like conversation.
Sasha: Ha! I expected you’d say that he should have a motorcycle and know how to fix cars. My ex-boyfriend Mick would be great for you.
Clare: Yeah, Mick’s hot. But musicians are so temperamental and angsty. It's like they're looking for a shrink and a mother, not just a girlfriend. Plus it would be awkward, dating your leftovers.
Sasha: I wouldn’t turn down a date with that professor guy you did, what was his name? What was his name... Matthew?
Clare: His name was Dirty Dog. A great lay, but he’s a dog. I should have made him wear three condoms. Anyhow, I thought we were supposed to be talking about dating and not just sex.
Sasha: Oh, yeah. Um, so our dating criteria so far is a brain, right?
Clare: Yes. A brain that can penetrate mine. I don't even mean that sexually. But I like a guy who challenges me – makes me think about things differently than I did before I met him. You know what I mean?
Sasha: Definitely! And a pulse would be good too.
Clare: They’re better in bed if they have a pulse.
Sasha: Ah, we’re back to sex again...
Clare: There's no avoiding sex. Chemistry tells you a lot about how you connect with a person.
Sasha: Does it ever! Anyhow, well, what about style? I’m not into a metrosexual who dresses better than I do, but it’s good if the guy doesn’t wear black shoes with a brown suit.
Clare: Suits are just bad all around – they tell me that he takes life, and himself, way too seriously. And I could not agree more about metrosexuals. I want a man to look like a man. My perfect guy dresses like the Marlboro Man. Maybe minus the cowboy boots.
Sasha: Agreed. What about hobbies or interests? I’d like a guy who’s in good shape, but not super-jock, and even worse, I can’t handle a couch potato sports junkie.
Clare: Yeah, muscle guys who put in too much gym time are a turn-off too. I'm cool with sports fans, as long as they're not into football. I like watching sports that have excitement – hockey, NASCAR, even soccer's okay. But football? I want to slit my wrists, that game is so pointless. But you hate all sports, don't you?
Sasha: Guys who scream at the TV and plan their week around the NFL, NHL, NBA. I like actually going to sports events, but I just don’t get them on television. I roll my eyes when I see guys start screaming at the TV.
Clare: Oh – I agree about the fanatics. Sports obsession is stupid. But so is obsession in general, don't you think?
Sasha: Don’t get me started on obsessive-compulsive types. Remember Victor?
Clare: Oh, yeah. The shooting. Forgot about that. Sorry. But at least you’re still alive.
Sasha: Hard to argue with that. Anyhow, back on track. Another deal breaker is if a guy’s a complete redneck.
Clare: That means you’ll never date any of my cousins.
Sasha: Well, if they’re anything like your cousin who can burp the whole alphabet, I’m okay with taking a pass. Being a little bit cultured is important.
Clare: Sure. As long as he doesn't want to drag me to the opera—
Sasha: —he should know that the “T” in merlot is silent! And he should know which fork to use.
Clare: I don't care about wine and forks. Give me a beer and a pub meal any day. But I care a lot about how he treats the staff. If he's rude, entitled, or condescending, he's so not getting into my bed.
Sasha: Being snotty to bartenders is a deal breaker. And cheap tippers suck.
Clare: They're the worst. I don't mind frugal guys – it's good to be smart about money. But cheapness says two things to me: (a) Selfishness. A cheap tipper isn't thinking about how good the service was, how good the meal was, or anything outside of himself. He's thinking, How can I keep the most money in my wallet? And (b) Limitation. Someone who's too reluctant to part with their money isn't experiencing all they could in life. I don't want someone who racks up huge debt because they want to drive a flashy sports car. But I do want someone who wants to try new things – like snorkelling or skydiving – and isn't overly concerned about hoarding those dollars instead.
Sasha: I’ve dated a few guys I’d like to push out of a plane or hold underwater. Okay, now, ’fess up. Do you do a background check on a guy before the first date?
Clare: I should! I've actually never thought of it before, but I do have access to information most civilians don't. Thanks for the idea. What about you?
Sasha: Uh, well, usually, yeah. Let’s just say I regret the times that I skipped the background check. Like, I wish I’d known in advance about the guy with pigeon fixation, and the guy with no gag reflex, and the guy who wears his dead mother’s housecoat every Saturday.
Clare: Wow. Well, if you ever need info only cops can get, you can always call me.
Sasha: What’s the worst break-up or date you’ve ever had?
Clare: Worst break-up: Lance. I caught him in bed with another woman – I'd say she was the town ho, but it turns out our town has a lot of hos. In the aftermath, my friends started telling me about things they'd seen, rumours they'd heard . . . other women they hadn't wanted to mention when Lance and I had actually been a couple. Some friends, right? Wait until it doesn't matter, then drive in the pain with a corkscrew. What about you?
Sasha: I was on vacation once, with a guy I’d been dating about 4 months. We were at an all-inclusive in the Caribbean, and he was acting like such a jerk. To him, all inclusive meant drinking his face off—
Clare: —like he had to get his money’s worth.
Sasha: Exactly.
Clare: Fucking cheapskate. Did I mention I hate that in a man?
Sasha: Me too. Anyhow, halfway through the trip, I took off. We were at the buffet restaurant at the resort, and I said I had to run back to the room for something. I’ve never packed so fast in my life. I bolted outta there, checked into my own room, and never spoke to him again. Didn’t even make eye contact with him on the flight home.
Clare: That's actually kind of funny. I've never had anything that dramatic, but some friends once tried to set me up with a guy a few towns over from mine. They told me his lawyer was working on getting his conviction overturned, like that was a selling point.
Sasha: Oh, my god!
Clare: And once when I was on a bus, I met a guy who leaned in real close and told me he was in the CIA. I must have looked interested, because he kept talking all the way from Toronto to Orillia about the people he'd “silenced.”
Sasha: Did you give him your number?
Clare: I gave him yours.
Sasha: Okay, so the checklist for dateable guys then is a pulse, decent manners, a bit of culture—
Clare: A sense of humour.
Sasha: A brain...
Clare: And – okay this one might sound weird – but you know how in some relationships, it's like your personality gets swallowed? I want a man who makes me feel more like myself – stronger, not weaker.
Sasha: He’s got to be confident and comfortable in his own skin. Anything else?
Clare: A nice cock.
Sasha: I just might start blushing...
Clare: I think that covers the must-haves.
Sasha: It’s a rather short list, when you think about it. We’re really not that hard to please. What about the deal breakers?
Clare: For me? Cheapness, criminal records – unless they've been overturned – and metrosexual angsty musician-types. For you?
Sasha: No more stalkers, and I’d better not recognize the guy’s voice from the 1-900 smut call centre!
For more on Sasha Jackson,
see www.jilledmondson.com
For more on Clare Vengel,
see www.robinspano.com
Friday, February 25, 2011
Anthony Bidulka: On Cellphones, Will & Kate, Poplars,and Scrolls.
Carol Channing, I mean, sorry folks, today we're talking with mystery author Anthony Bidulka. I became hooked on his Russell Quant series a few years ago when I read Tapas on the Ramblas. Russell is a fun character and Bidulka's mysteries will keep you guessing.
Jill: What can you tell me about your current work in progress?
Anthony: I am currently working on the eighth instalment of the Russell Quant mystery series. As you may be aware, in each book, in addition to his home town of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan , Russell always spends some time in a foreign locale in pursuit of bad guys and good wine. I’m considering calling this one either “Dos Equis” or “Two X’s”. You figure out where he’s going this time.
Name one living and one dead writer whom you were influenced by/whom you emulate. Tell me why.
The incomparable Gail Bowen, author of the Joanne Kilbourn series, certainly made me aware that a mystery series based in Saskatchewan could be successful beyond provincial boundaries. She also taught me that a key to growing compelling and realistic series characters is to write about them as if they exist and have lives even between books.
Robert B. Parker showed me that a good writer can deliver meaning, humour, intent, menace, whatever, with very few words. It was as if he only had so many words to spend in his lifetime, and didn’t want to use them up all at once.
(Aside from Jill: Okay, who doesn't like Robert B. Parker & the Spenser books. But what about Susan Silverman? Is she annoying or what?)
Jill: What’s the most unusual place and time that a great writing idea came to you?
Anthony: I don’t think this is unusual, but my best ideas come to me while I am travelling and out of my usual element. There are certain moments during great trips where you can be sitting, let’s say, in a beautiful vineyard, sipping a fine wine, the air is warm, the smells not quite familiar, and your mind is suddenly free of day-to-day shackles, left to roam, to contemplate beauty, to believe in dreams and achieving the nearly impossible. For me, that is when greatness finds a fertile field to plant its seeds. However, although ideas often develop when I am away, they rarely come to fruition until I am back home, in my familiar, comfortable setting.
How close – give a fraction or a percentage if you want – is your sleuth to you?
33.33%
Name four LIVING famous people (with whom you have no relation or connection) that you’d enjoy having cocktails with. Tell me why or what you’d like to discuss with them.
Any living PAST President of the United States – To discuss what it felt like to be, for a time, the most powerful man on earth leading the most powerful nation. What were their greatest fears and joys during their time as president? How did it feel to step down from the role and become a civilian?
Oprah Winfrey – To discuss her views of the world, giving, spirituality, fame, religion, education, love, power, Nate Berkus.
Osama bin Laden – To discuss evil, the use of power, destruction, murder to achieve a goal, the single-minded pursuit of an ideal, to investigate a perspective for which I have little or no understanding of.
Carol Channing – for the sheer fun of it.
Worst memory of school (any grade/level).
Only the first twelve years of it.
What are your writing requirements (place, atmosphere, etc.) and your usual writing routine?
Quiet. My home office. I’ll start with creating an outline that details whodunit and the story arc for each major character, then off I go. When I am in full time writing mode (ie not promoting, doing book tours, researching, travelling, etc), I tend to write Monday to Friday, early morning to about mid afternoon. I’m also a draft writer. I don’t send in a manuscript to my editor until I’m quite sure it is as perfect as I can get it. The key is knowing when it’s time to let it go.
The one thing you wish you had known before getting your first book published...?That the publishing industry was about to be turned upside down and inside out. Then again, I don’t know if knowing it would have made any difference to me.
Who is (are) your favourite minor/supporting character(s), from your own work?
Although Sereena Orion Smith, Russell’s mysterious next door neighbour, and Kay Quant, Russell’s mother, quite regularly rank amongst reader’s favourite, the supporting character I enjoy writing the most is Errall Strane. I think it has something to do with the fact that amongst all the characters, Errall can be flawed, nasty to Russell, and thinks she is the star of the series. I think this makes the dynamic between the two characters crackle and unexpected, for me as well as the reader.
Name the last two NON-fiction books you read. Comment on them as desired.After a great deal of resistance, I read Eat Pray Love. Totally loved it. I enjoyed how Gilbert tells a story, and I appreciated how she investigated concepts and ideas which I was unfamiliar with and hence, learned a great deal about.
Inside the Magic Kingdom : The Seven Key’s to Disney’s Success. Simple basic rules for success, that needed repeating, told in a unique setting. Stuff like never be late, under-promise and over-deliver, say please and thank you.
Strangest thing a fan/reader has ever said or done to you (online, at a signing, whatever...)Arrived at a party I was hosting, sat alone on the pool’s diving board all night watching me like an owl, then was the last to leave (by invitation).
Somewhere... in a closet, in a desk drawer, under your bed... you have an early draft, an old manuscript, an outline for a book you never finished writing. It was probably one of your very first attempts at writing. What’s it about, and will you ever finish it?
It is a thriller called “On the Eighth Day”, sort of a futuristic, doomsday type of storyline, about what happens when the world suddenly stops working. The timing was bad for this manuscript. I completed it right around the time of the Y2K craziness about what would happen on New Year ’s Eve 1999. By time it was ready to go, the market was already flooded with this type of story. Perhaps some day….
What would you like to write outside of crime fiction?
I’d love to try fantasy, romance, children’s books. The problem is finding the time.
Who would Russell rather dine with: Berlusconi or Sarah Palin?Berlusconi. If nothing else, at least the wine and food would likely be fantastic.
Turn back the hands of time... reverse technology... pretend you’re in a world sans electronics, which means no e-books. You (and Russell) have a choice: would your stories be told on scrolls delivered by carrier pigeons, or chiselled into stone tablets? Why.
Totally the scrolls. Easier to work with. Easier to pass around and get into different markets across my kingdom. (I am king in this scenario, right?)
The famous stupid question by Barbara Walters: if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? What about Russell?
I would be a Poplar. Russell an Aspen.
Your pet peeve? Russell’s?
People who stand in the middle of doorways, grocery aisles, hallways, sidewalks as if the world belongs only to them. Noise polluters: Public whistlers. People who yell/talk loudly at the beach or other public places. People who use cell phones loudly in public. People who walk around with those little cellphone ear-and-mouth pieces in even when not talking to someone, because they think it looks cool.
Russell’s thoughts on the pending nuptials between Kate and Wills?
Is wondering whether Kate’s love for a good hat will transfer to hubby once the rest of his hair is gone. And, feeling triumphant because he was amongst the first to predict that after an initial awkward phase, it would be brother Harry who would be the hotter prince. Should Kate change her mind? Nah. She’s gonna be queen!
Russell’s stance on marijuana use?
Although personally an abstainer, and currently residing in a one-time Temperance colony, is thinking it’s about time to legalize the damn thing, and regulate its use and distribution, just like beer and Baby Duck. Let’s move on.
So there you have it folks... Inside the heart and mind of Anthony Bildulka (and Russell Quant). Pass me a glass of Baby Duck and bring on the carrier pigeons and the scrolls!
More on Anthony's latest release: Date with a Sheesha
And here we go...
Jill: What can you tell me about your current work in progress?
Anthony: I am currently working on the eighth instalment of the Russell Quant mystery series. As you may be aware, in each book, in addition to his home town of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan , Russell always spends some time in a foreign locale in pursuit of bad guys and good wine. I’m considering calling this one either “Dos Equis” or “Two X’s”. You figure out where he’s going this time.
Name one living and one dead writer whom you were influenced by/whom you emulate. Tell me why.
The incomparable Gail Bowen, author of the Joanne Kilbourn series, certainly made me aware that a mystery series based in Saskatchewan could be successful beyond provincial boundaries. She also taught me that a key to growing compelling and realistic series characters is to write about them as if they exist and have lives even between books.
Robert B. Parker showed me that a good writer can deliver meaning, humour, intent, menace, whatever, with very few words. It was as if he only had so many words to spend in his lifetime, and didn’t want to use them up all at once.
(Aside from Jill: Okay, who doesn't like Robert B. Parker & the Spenser books. But what about Susan Silverman? Is she annoying or what?)
Jill: What’s the most unusual place and time that a great writing idea came to you?
Anthony: I don’t think this is unusual, but my best ideas come to me while I am travelling and out of my usual element. There are certain moments during great trips where you can be sitting, let’s say, in a beautiful vineyard, sipping a fine wine, the air is warm, the smells not quite familiar, and your mind is suddenly free of day-to-day shackles, left to roam, to contemplate beauty, to believe in dreams and achieving the nearly impossible. For me, that is when greatness finds a fertile field to plant its seeds. However, although ideas often develop when I am away, they rarely come to fruition until I am back home, in my familiar, comfortable setting.
How close – give a fraction or a percentage if you want – is your sleuth to you?
33.33%
Name four LIVING famous people (with whom you have no relation or connection) that you’d enjoy having cocktails with. Tell me why or what you’d like to discuss with them.
Any living PAST President of the United States – To discuss what it felt like to be, for a time, the most powerful man on earth leading the most powerful nation. What were their greatest fears and joys during their time as president? How did it feel to step down from the role and become a civilian?
Oprah Winfrey – To discuss her views of the world, giving, spirituality, fame, religion, education, love, power, Nate Berkus.
Osama bin Laden – To discuss evil, the use of power, destruction, murder to achieve a goal, the single-minded pursuit of an ideal, to investigate a perspective for which I have little or no understanding of.
Carol Channing – for the sheer fun of it.
Worst memory of school (any grade/level).
Only the first twelve years of it.
What are your writing requirements (place, atmosphere, etc.) and your usual writing routine?
Quiet. My home office. I’ll start with creating an outline that details whodunit and the story arc for each major character, then off I go. When I am in full time writing mode (ie not promoting, doing book tours, researching, travelling, etc), I tend to write Monday to Friday, early morning to about mid afternoon. I’m also a draft writer. I don’t send in a manuscript to my editor until I’m quite sure it is as perfect as I can get it. The key is knowing when it’s time to let it go.
The one thing you wish you had known before getting your first book published...?That the publishing industry was about to be turned upside down and inside out. Then again, I don’t know if knowing it would have made any difference to me.
Who is (are) your favourite minor/supporting character(s), from your own work?
Although Sereena Orion Smith, Russell’s mysterious next door neighbour, and Kay Quant, Russell’s mother, quite regularly rank amongst reader’s favourite, the supporting character I enjoy writing the most is Errall Strane. I think it has something to do with the fact that amongst all the characters, Errall can be flawed, nasty to Russell, and thinks she is the star of the series. I think this makes the dynamic between the two characters crackle and unexpected, for me as well as the reader.
Name the last two NON-fiction books you read. Comment on them as desired.After a great deal of resistance, I read Eat Pray Love. Totally loved it. I enjoyed how Gilbert tells a story, and I appreciated how she investigated concepts and ideas which I was unfamiliar with and hence, learned a great deal about.
Inside the Magic Kingdom : The Seven Key’s to Disney’s Success. Simple basic rules for success, that needed repeating, told in a unique setting. Stuff like never be late, under-promise and over-deliver, say please and thank you.
Strangest thing a fan/reader has ever said or done to you (online, at a signing, whatever...)Arrived at a party I was hosting, sat alone on the pool’s diving board all night watching me like an owl, then was the last to leave (by invitation).
Somewhere... in a closet, in a desk drawer, under your bed... you have an early draft, an old manuscript, an outline for a book you never finished writing. It was probably one of your very first attempts at writing. What’s it about, and will you ever finish it?
It is a thriller called “On the Eighth Day”, sort of a futuristic, doomsday type of storyline, about what happens when the world suddenly stops working. The timing was bad for this manuscript. I completed it right around the time of the Y2K craziness about what would happen on New Year ’s Eve 1999. By time it was ready to go, the market was already flooded with this type of story. Perhaps some day….
What would you like to write outside of crime fiction?
I’d love to try fantasy, romance, children’s books. The problem is finding the time.
Who would Russell rather dine with: Berlusconi or Sarah Palin?Berlusconi. If nothing else, at least the wine and food would likely be fantastic.
Turn back the hands of time... reverse technology... pretend you’re in a world sans electronics, which means no e-books. You (and Russell) have a choice: would your stories be told on scrolls delivered by carrier pigeons, or chiselled into stone tablets? Why.
Totally the scrolls. Easier to work with. Easier to pass around and get into different markets across my kingdom. (I am king in this scenario, right?)
The famous stupid question by Barbara Walters: if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? What about Russell?
I would be a Poplar. Russell an Aspen.
Your pet peeve? Russell’s?
People who stand in the middle of doorways, grocery aisles, hallways, sidewalks as if the world belongs only to them. Noise polluters: Public whistlers. People who yell/talk loudly at the beach or other public places. People who use cell phones loudly in public. People who walk around with those little cellphone ear-and-mouth pieces in even when not talking to someone, because they think it looks cool.
Russell’s thoughts on the pending nuptials between Kate and Wills?
Is wondering whether Kate’s love for a good hat will transfer to hubby once the rest of his hair is gone. And, feeling triumphant because he was amongst the first to predict that after an initial awkward phase, it would be brother Harry who would be the hotter prince. Should Kate change her mind? Nah. She’s gonna be queen!
Russell’s stance on marijuana use?
Although personally an abstainer, and currently residing in a one-time Temperance colony, is thinking it’s about time to legalize the damn thing, and regulate its use and distribution, just like beer and Baby Duck. Let’s move on.
So there you have it folks... Inside the heart and mind of Anthony Bildulka (and Russell Quant). Pass me a glass of Baby Duck and bring on the carrier pigeons and the scrolls!
More on Anthony's latest release: Date with a Sheesha
Learn more about Anthony Bidulka and the Russell Quant series at: www.anthonybidulka.com
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Sasha's Dad: The Gambler and His Hair Colour
Here's a little more info on Sasha's dad Jack Jackson.
His real name is Jedediah Jackson, but everyone's been calling him Jack since he was a teenager (about 173 years ago).
Jack's a bit of a nerd. He's had a calculator attached to his wrist since he was in diapers. His love of statistics and probabilities led to a career as a math professor. Sounds dull, so far, right? Just wait...
What Jack really loves is gambling. He taught Sasha and her brother Shane how to handicap the ponies when they were still in grade school. "Family Time" at the Jackson house usually meant scanning through listings in the Daily Double and then screaming at the televised horse races. Sasha used to sneak out of the house to go and watch Sesame Street at the neighbour's place.
Since retiring from academe, Jack has been gambling full time, trying out his card counting strategies in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and other gambling milieux. Jack's game of choice is Blackjack and some of his card counting theories have been published in various gambling magazines.
Once when he was at a casino on the Las Vegas strip, Jack got nailed for being a professional card counter. The casino manager, who looked like a side of beef, told Jack he was permanently barred from said casino. Jack was then escorted out of the premises by four security guards... none of whom had necks.
Jack decided to outsmart the casinos, and began wearing a disguise. He let his short grey hair grow longer and dyed it dark brown; he started sporting facial hair. His goatee (also dyed brown) was bad enough, but he also grew a mustache. Not just a normal mustache, no no no. Jack grew a big long handlebar mustache (also coloured by Clairol's #623 'Chestnut Charm') and waxed the tips. To complete the ruse, Jack got some coloured contact lenses, thus chaging his eyes from blue to brown, and he accentuated these with a pair of oooversized horn-rimmed glasses.
Privately, the family accepts Jack as he is and they understand why he does what he does. But it's a little embarrassing trying to explain Jack to others. For instance, a couple of months before Sasha's college graduation, she had the following exchange with her father:
"What colour would you like my hair to be when we go to the convocation ceremony?" Jack said, stroking the tufts of his beard.
"Um, plaid?" Sasha replied as she reached for a bottle of vodka.
"There's going to be a photographer there, right?"
"Um, I was thinking, maybe, skipping the graduation ceremony..." Sasha said, knocking back a double shot of Smirnoff.
"What? Miss your own graduation? Over my dead body."
"That can be arranged," Sasha replied with a shit-eating grin.
"We're going to take lots of graduation photos. Would you rather have pictures of me with dark brown hair, or would you prefer pictures with my natural colour? I need time the let the dye grow out and the grey to grow back in."
"Are you sure I wasn't adopted?" Sasha asked, pouring yet another stiff shot of vodka. "Do we really share the same DNA?"
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Sasha's brother Shane: Why My Sister Drives Me Crazy
Hi folks, this is Sasha's big brother Shane. Let me say right off the bat that I love my sister, but she really tries my patience at times.
Imagine what it's like to comment on your sister's new hairstyle and to hear her say: "I had no choice. The fire burned most of it." Normal people don't have flames bursting out of their heads. I'm just saying...
I'll never forget the time I got the call from the hospital. It was late at night and someone from the Emergency called, and said to get down there right away. Sasha had been shot... in the boobs. There's no "Get Well" card for that.
I admire the fact that she has a lot of guts, but she doesn't seem to know her own limits. She equates the desire to do something with the ability to do something. Among her many talents are singing and being a rather adept burglar, but she can't drive worth a damn and her cooking, oh , God, her cooking...
She decided one summer Sunday that she'd make dinner for the family. I'll give her creidt for the steaks - she grilled them, and they were tender and tasty, and perfectly seasoned. But the side dish... ugh. She made veggies, green beans maybe, or broccoli? Whatever. It would have been okay if she had just left it alone, steamed them and served them. But no. Not Sasha.
She had a recipe for some kind of creamy sauce to put on the vegetables. The recipe called for half a cup of cream, 18% cream maybe? 35% maybe? Whatever. Liquid. Cream. She probably could have even used Half and Half. We were out of cream, and milk too for that matter. So Sasha used a half cup of Ready Whip, you know, the whip cream you spray out of a can? It was disgusting. Of course, she didn't tell me or Dad that until after we had eaten everything on our plates.
Imagine what it's like to comment on your sister's new hairstyle and to hear her say: "I had no choice. The fire burned most of it." Normal people don't have flames bursting out of their heads. I'm just saying...
I'll never forget the time I got the call from the hospital. It was late at night and someone from the Emergency called, and said to get down there right away. Sasha had been shot... in the boobs. There's no "Get Well" card for that.
I admire the fact that she has a lot of guts, but she doesn't seem to know her own limits. She equates the desire to do something with the ability to do something. Among her many talents are singing and being a rather adept burglar, but she can't drive worth a damn and her cooking, oh , God, her cooking...
She decided one summer Sunday that she'd make dinner for the family. I'll give her creidt for the steaks - she grilled them, and they were tender and tasty, and perfectly seasoned. But the side dish... ugh. She made veggies, green beans maybe, or broccoli? Whatever. It would have been okay if she had just left it alone, steamed them and served them. But no. Not Sasha.
She had a recipe for some kind of creamy sauce to put on the vegetables. The recipe called for half a cup of cream, 18% cream maybe? 35% maybe? Whatever. Liquid. Cream. She probably could have even used Half and Half. We were out of cream, and milk too for that matter. So Sasha used a half cup of Ready Whip, you know, the whip cream you spray out of a can? It was disgusting. Of course, she didn't tell me or Dad that until after we had eaten everything on our plates.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
How to Spell "Fellatio"
Hi folks. Sasha here. I've been hearing some stories around town, and I'd like to set the record straight. I admit it; I was a bit of a brat when I was young, but it was innocent, usually. I can't tell you how many times I've said "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
Like the incident with the CN Tower. I was only about 8 or 9, yet Dad brings up the story every so often, usually when he's trying to talk me out of something... or when the cops bring me home. He usually pops a couple of Rolaids right after telling the tale.
You see, I was just a kid, and Dad took me and Shane to see the Canada Day fireworks. I can't remember where we were exactly, but the CN Tower blocked part of my view of the fireworks and I was mad. The next day, I posted handmade signs - written in purple crayon - all around town offering to sell the CN Tower for $25 dollars. I guess to a kid $25 is a lot of money. The signs didn't work, so a week later I made new signs offering someone the right to blow up the CN Tower for $25 dollars. The Police and some angry city officials had a rather stern talk with my Dad. They suggested that I have more rigorous supervision.
Then there was the time in grade 5 or 6. I was in the semi-finals of the city-wide Spelling Bee.
I hijacked the word list before the spelling competition. When the judges called me to the microphone, they asked me to spell the word "fellatio". Most of the parents gasped, and a few of the kids snickered. As per the Spelling Bee rules, I asked the judge to use the word in a sentence. I wish I could remember what she said. I know she turned beet red. Whatever it was, there were several muffled guffaws from the parents in the audience. I bit my tongue to keep from laughing. Then I asked if the judge could mime out what the word meant, and my teacher, Mrs. Dumbrowski, immediately hauled me off stage. I still don't think it was fair to give me a month of detention.
Sasha Jackson's Hangover Cures
1. Stave off hangovers forever: Stay drunk.
2. Don’t get drunk in the first place.
3. Eat burnt toast. Toast must be blackened to the point of becoming a piece of charcoal. It will taste awful, but you’ll forget about the hangover. You may end up with the runs.
4. Voodoo cures are effective if you have been drinking wine. Stick a dozen straight pins in the cork from the offending wine bottle(s).
5. Kudzu extract, from the vine Pueraria lobata, available at health food shops, is a Chinese herbal remedy that claims to reduce the effects of heavy drinking. If you can pronounce "Pueraria lobata" you should probably go to the nearest Emergency Centre. If you cannot pronounce "Pueraria lobata" then you likely haven't sobered up yet.
6. Have a big bowl of New England Clam Chowder. If you aren’t a fan of gelatinous seafood soups, this may have not have a soothing effect and might actually make you blow chunks.
7. Melt it away. Get into a steamy hot sauna for 15 minutes and you’ll feel like new. You might not smell very good, though.
8. Blast the hangover out of your system. Have a shot of tequila (2 ounces) mixed with an equal amount of Tabasco sauce.
9. Ginseng. It seems to cure everything.
10. Vegemite (or Marmite) on soda crackers. The crackers soak up the liquid in your stomach and the leftover brewer’s yeast extract will duke it out with whatever chemicals are floating around in your innards.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Guest blogger Alex Carrick tells us about his writing journey...
Hey Folks! Let's give it up for Alex Carrick, the first of several guest bloggers to drop by over the next few weeks.
Alex Carrick is the author of two books of short stories, “Two Scoops” Is Just Right and “Three Scoops” Is A Blast! His piece, The Size of the Skip was an honorable mention among 1,700 international entries in the 2010 Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. He lives in Toronto with his wife Donna (also a writer), three children, a lazy dog and an oddball cat.
A Path More Easily Taken
For me, and I’m surprised to say this, the most important thing about writing is the fun. Coming up with an idea and building on it is a solitary pleasure like few others. Sharing the finished product is the icing on the cake. Even the editing has its rewards. I love tweaking the language, massaging the rough spots and making sure the plot progression is logical and consistent.
I don’t always feel this way. Sometimes I grapple with anxiety if a story doesn’t develop properly or I’m not expressing exactly what I want to say. I’ve also stumbled over a writer’s block or two like so many others. But when I sit down of a morning and the words form a story and the whole appears fresh on my computer screen like scripted marble, I feel pretty good.
I’ve been lucky in my writing in many ways. As a professional economist, my day job has required that I write consistently and voluminously. The practice has been invaluable. I’ve developed the discipline to concentrate and record something no matter what the circumstances. The strange thing I’ve discovered is there are a bazillion stories and they only need unwrapping.
My serious writing is now being accompanied by more casual pieces. This has happened for several reasons. My wife Donna is well recognized for composing mystery and adventure novels. Watching her commitment and dedication, I could not help but become caught up in the idea myself. Writing a book had always been at the back of my mind. A core truth of life is how quickly the time passes and it’s the things we regret not doing that come back to haunt us.
The technology is now available to make wishes reality. Self publishing and print on demand provide the means on the output side. Social media such as Facebook and Twitter help with the marketing and brand awareness. The final piece of the puzzle has been provided by e-books.
Anybody anywhere in the world with access to the Internet, can order one of my books and be reading it in two minutes. It’s a wonderful new world of opportunity for both readers and writers.
The actual spur to my short stories was initially provided by the blogosphere. My employer asked me to start writing an economics blog. Okay, that proved interesting, but a little dry. So I began writing entertaining and/or amusing short pieces to intersperse with my serious work to break up the flow, stir up the creative juices, keep me sane and provide more appeal to readers.
Quickly, the short pieces evolved along a separate path of activity. I began to post them on my personal blog site to distinguish them from my business side. Never mind that my employer was quite happy to see the disconnection. This has also given me more freedom of subject matter.
I should also mention that the emotional satisfaction from writing a good economics story is one thing. Hearing positive feedback from readers for my entertaining stories, based on created-from-scratch characters and story lines, is a whole other and higher level of satisfaction altogether.
My interest and focus so far has been on short stories. For whatever reason, perhaps rooted in my own attention-challenged personality, novel writing has held little appeal for me. I like to take a single idea and build it up, but not linger over it. I’ll start with a “hook.” It can be in the form of a great title or some quirk of psychology or even a joke as long as it’s original. And I always try to keep in mind one critical question: Is this something that will hold a reader’s interest?
Don’t get me wrong. In the course of my 63 years, I’ve read every genre of writing there is, beginning with the classics in my 20s and progressing in stages through science fiction, fantasy, detective novels and whatever bestsellers were hottest in my 30s through 50s. My reading interests now centre on history and learned tomes (best if they’re entertaining) on the fine arts.
I try to draw on all of these for subject matter. The thrill is in finding new juxtapositions of ideas to take plot lines in unexpected directions. And in putting words together in novel combinations that open up imagery in some poetic or lyrical manner that hopefully hasn’t been done before.
I’m finding the social media is a spur to creative thinking. Having to express oneself within a limited number of characters is a valuable exercise in precision. One must be concise but also informative or affecting. Social media also provides writers the chance to showcase their talents.
Some would decry the lack of descriptive powers in much modern writing. What can I say? We live in a video age. Based on all the movies and TV we’ve seen, we can all provide most of the background scenery that’s required in a story. That’s why I tend towards sketching in only what is most essential in terms of what a reader needs to know to understand what is going on.
One of the most significant benefits of my personal writing has been the feedback loop. The loosening up of my style on the creative side has spilled over onto my business side, making my economics stories more approachable. Whether writing for serious intent or to amuse, it is important to make the reader want to read the next passage. With my tongue tickling the inside of my cheek, if you’ve hung in with me to this point in this article, then I’ve done my “job”.
Finally, have I mentioned the “thick skin” side-effect? Not everyone is going to like one’s work. Maybe I should add that’s been my experience, at least. This is part of growing as a writer. I pay attention to criticism, mull it over and adapt if there is validity. But I’ve also learned critics reveal a great deal about themselves in what they say. That can be good or bad, depending on the context. If one believes in oneself, a thick skin will eventually become a welcome coat of armor.
Now enough with the self-absorption and lecturing, time for me to get back to having some fun!
Alex Carrick is the author of two books of short stories, “Two Scoops” Is Just Right and “Three Scoops” Is A Blast! His piece, The Size of the Skip was an honorable mention among 1,700 international entries in the 2010 Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. He lives in Toronto with his wife Donna (also a writer), three children, a lazy dog and an oddball cat.
A Path More Easily Taken
For me, and I’m surprised to say this, the most important thing about writing is the fun. Coming up with an idea and building on it is a solitary pleasure like few others. Sharing the finished product is the icing on the cake. Even the editing has its rewards. I love tweaking the language, massaging the rough spots and making sure the plot progression is logical and consistent.
I don’t always feel this way. Sometimes I grapple with anxiety if a story doesn’t develop properly or I’m not expressing exactly what I want to say. I’ve also stumbled over a writer’s block or two like so many others. But when I sit down of a morning and the words form a story and the whole appears fresh on my computer screen like scripted marble, I feel pretty good.
I’ve been lucky in my writing in many ways. As a professional economist, my day job has required that I write consistently and voluminously. The practice has been invaluable. I’ve developed the discipline to concentrate and record something no matter what the circumstances. The strange thing I’ve discovered is there are a bazillion stories and they only need unwrapping.
My serious writing is now being accompanied by more casual pieces. This has happened for several reasons. My wife Donna is well recognized for composing mystery and adventure novels. Watching her commitment and dedication, I could not help but become caught up in the idea myself. Writing a book had always been at the back of my mind. A core truth of life is how quickly the time passes and it’s the things we regret not doing that come back to haunt us.
The technology is now available to make wishes reality. Self publishing and print on demand provide the means on the output side. Social media such as Facebook and Twitter help with the marketing and brand awareness. The final piece of the puzzle has been provided by e-books.
Anybody anywhere in the world with access to the Internet, can order one of my books and be reading it in two minutes. It’s a wonderful new world of opportunity for both readers and writers.
The actual spur to my short stories was initially provided by the blogosphere. My employer asked me to start writing an economics blog. Okay, that proved interesting, but a little dry. So I began writing entertaining and/or amusing short pieces to intersperse with my serious work to break up the flow, stir up the creative juices, keep me sane and provide more appeal to readers.
Quickly, the short pieces evolved along a separate path of activity. I began to post them on my personal blog site to distinguish them from my business side. Never mind that my employer was quite happy to see the disconnection. This has also given me more freedom of subject matter.
I should also mention that the emotional satisfaction from writing a good economics story is one thing. Hearing positive feedback from readers for my entertaining stories, based on created-from-scratch characters and story lines, is a whole other and higher level of satisfaction altogether.
My interest and focus so far has been on short stories. For whatever reason, perhaps rooted in my own attention-challenged personality, novel writing has held little appeal for me. I like to take a single idea and build it up, but not linger over it. I’ll start with a “hook.” It can be in the form of a great title or some quirk of psychology or even a joke as long as it’s original. And I always try to keep in mind one critical question: Is this something that will hold a reader’s interest?
Don’t get me wrong. In the course of my 63 years, I’ve read every genre of writing there is, beginning with the classics in my 20s and progressing in stages through science fiction, fantasy, detective novels and whatever bestsellers were hottest in my 30s through 50s. My reading interests now centre on history and learned tomes (best if they’re entertaining) on the fine arts.
I try to draw on all of these for subject matter. The thrill is in finding new juxtapositions of ideas to take plot lines in unexpected directions. And in putting words together in novel combinations that open up imagery in some poetic or lyrical manner that hopefully hasn’t been done before.
I’m finding the social media is a spur to creative thinking. Having to express oneself within a limited number of characters is a valuable exercise in precision. One must be concise but also informative or affecting. Social media also provides writers the chance to showcase their talents.
Some would decry the lack of descriptive powers in much modern writing. What can I say? We live in a video age. Based on all the movies and TV we’ve seen, we can all provide most of the background scenery that’s required in a story. That’s why I tend towards sketching in only what is most essential in terms of what a reader needs to know to understand what is going on.
One of the most significant benefits of my personal writing has been the feedback loop. The loosening up of my style on the creative side has spilled over onto my business side, making my economics stories more approachable. Whether writing for serious intent or to amuse, it is important to make the reader want to read the next passage. With my tongue tickling the inside of my cheek, if you’ve hung in with me to this point in this article, then I’ve done my “job”.
Finally, have I mentioned the “thick skin” side-effect? Not everyone is going to like one’s work. Maybe I should add that’s been my experience, at least. This is part of growing as a writer. I pay attention to criticism, mull it over and adapt if there is validity. But I’ve also learned critics reveal a great deal about themselves in what they say. That can be good or bad, depending on the context. If one believes in oneself, a thick skin will eventually become a welcome coat of armor.
Now enough with the self-absorption and lecturing, time for me to get back to having some fun!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Guest Bloggers
Just a quick update...
I'm pleased to say that I have a few guest bloggers lined up for the next while:
Therese Greenwood (follow on Twitter @wolfeislander). Therese has edited two crime fiction anthologies, and has contributed to Ellery Queen.
Aex Carrick (follow on Twitter @alex_carrick). Alex is the author of Two Scoops Is Just Right and Three Scoops Is A Blast!
...and DJ McIntosh will be a guest blogger a little bit further down the road. DJ's first novel, The Witch of Babylon (part one of the trilogy), will be published by Penguin this June.
I look forward to sharing their posts with you!
I'm pleased to say that I have a few guest bloggers lined up for the next while:
Therese Greenwood (follow on Twitter @wolfeislander). Therese has edited two crime fiction anthologies, and has contributed to Ellery Queen.
Aex Carrick (follow on Twitter @alex_carrick). Alex is the author of Two Scoops Is Just Right and Three Scoops Is A Blast!
...and DJ McIntosh will be a guest blogger a little bit further down the road. DJ's first novel, The Witch of Babylon (part one of the trilogy), will be published by Penguin this June.
I look forward to sharing their posts with you!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
"A is for the Case of the Burglar Prey"... huh???
Today, I'm the guest blogger over at the Type M for Murder blog, which is hosted by some wonderful writers, including Rick Blechta, Vicki Delany, Donis Casey, John Corrigan, Barbara Fradkin, Hannah Dennison, Frankie Bailey, and occasional guests.
I chose to write about mystery series and titles. You can probably guess from the title of this post that I'm referring to Sue Grafton, Stanley Gardner, Block, et al.
Swing by the Type M for Murder blog and have a look.
Cheers, Jill
Follow up: I have had a few title suggestions posted in comments under the original blogpost @ Type M. One suggestion is "Lash and Burn" and another is "Spanks for the Memories". I like both of these! Thanks Mark!
I chose to write about mystery series and titles. You can probably guess from the title of this post that I'm referring to Sue Grafton, Stanley Gardner, Block, et al.
Swing by the Type M for Murder blog and have a look.
Cheers, Jill
Follow up: I have had a few title suggestions posted in comments under the original blogpost @ Type M. One suggestion is "Lash and Burn" and another is "Spanks for the Memories". I like both of these! Thanks Mark!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Walking away from traditional publishing...
This article was really interesting! It's about an established author's decision to go it alone, instead of staying with an established publishing house. Much food for thought...Alisa Valdes & The Dirty Girls Books & Self-Publishing
Given changes to the industry (i.e. Kindle et al), there may be some very solid arguments for switching gears.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Guest Blogger: The Ever-Awesome Mystery Author Vicki Delany! (And a woman with exceptional taste in hats!)
Molly Smith and the Evolution of a Character and a Setting.
As far as I know the protagonist in my Constable Molly Smith is unique in the world of crime fiction. She’s a cop, and the series in which she appears is a fairly traditional police-procedural novel, but Smith is not a detective. When the series begins in
In the Shadow of the Glacier, Molly’s just a probationary constable. By the third in the series, Winter of Secrets, she’s a constable third class. She’s twenty-six years old.
Molly Smith is more Sasha Jackson than DCI Banks.
I created her young, naïve, green and very eager, because I am hoping to get the chance to watch her grow and change and learn about becoming a woman as well as a police officer.
Of course probationary constables and constables third class do not assist with major crime investigations. Other than to stand outside and take notes of everyone who enters the crime scene. In any big city Molly would spend her time writing traffic tickets.
Veracity is important to me in my books, particularly when it comes to policing. It was therefore necessary to put her in a small town. The sort of small police force where everyone multi-tasks. Thus I created Trafalgar, British Columbia, a town nested in the mountains of the Southern Interior. Not at all loosely based on the real city of Nelson.
In order that it’s somewhat realistic for Smith to become involved in major crimes, I made her a local. Born and raised in Trafalgar, her parents own a store on the main street and are involved in everything that goes on (at least her mother, Lucky, is). The detective sergeant is John Winters, recently arrived from Vancouver. Because Winters is unfamiliar with the town and the residents, he knows (initially against his will) Smith can help him negotiate the waters.
In Valley of the Lost, Winters reluctantly realizes he needs Smith:
Smith should be out on the beat. Patrolling the streets of Trafalgar. She was a probationary constable, not a detective. But he was lost in this small town. Only ten thousand people, everyone of them connected to everyone else by a myriad of invisible threads.
Not that the small town setting is a disadvantage. Small communities are great places to set mystery novels.
“Do you know what Sherlock Holmes said about the countryside?”
“No.”
“’The lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside,’ The Adventure of the Copper Beeches.”
“The great detective never came to Trafalgar, sir. I think he’d find it peaceful here. Most of the time.”
“I’m not interested in what happens here most of the time.”
Sergeant Dick Madison and Constable Molly Smith, Negative Image.
Molly Smith does find being local somewhat of a disadvantage sometimes:
Smith’s mother, Lucy, whom everyone called Lucky, was no less idealistic now than she’d been back in the day. Which also didn’t make it easy to be an Officer of the Law in this opinionated, left-leaning, artistic, independently-inclined town nestled in the mountains and forests deep inside British Columbia.
In Negative Image, Smith has come to realize that if she wants to get ahead in her career she will need big-city, big-police force experience. She is highly reluctant, however, to leave the town she loves, her parents, her new boyfriend.
We will have to see, in later books, what her decision is.
Vicki Delany writes the Constable Molly Smith series of which the latest is Negative Image. The fifth book in the series, Among the Departed, will be released on May 3rd.
She is also the author of the Klondike Gold Rush series (Gold Digger, Gold Fever), and novels of psychological suspense.
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany,
on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vicki-Delany-Author-of-Novels-of-Mystery-and-Suspense/317861934906)
or twitter @vickidelany
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Book trailers for Dead Light District - VOTE!
Here you go... Two to choose from. Which do you prefer? Vote in the box on the right, above.
OR
Please let me know what you think - feedback helps! Thanks!
Friday, January 28, 2011
New cover for Dead Light District!
Wheee! I finally got the new cover today for Dead Light District! So excited to finally have it! Tell me what you think... My friend Jennifer Stellings came up with it. I gave her some key words re: the novel, a synopsis, plus a few tag lines. This is what she created and I love it! It matches what's between the covers which is most important! Love the style, the colours, etc. Bingo!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Almost ...
Well, Lisa Daisy Hamid and Greg Ioannou (of Colborne Communications) have done the last round of editing on Dead Light District.
Rick Blechta of Castlefield Media is currently doing the book layout and design.
Jennifer Stellings has created the illustration for the front cover.
Unless there is a major SNAFU in the next couple of days, Dead Light District will be going to the printers on February 1st.
I will be so damn glad to finally get this book out! The tidbit of trivia that people do not know about Dead Light District is that I actually finished writing the manuscript on May 2nd, 2009. Yes, 2009. So, you can imagine how happy I'll be when the real thing is in my hands. Countdown begins, and I'm happier than a kid on Christmas Eve.
Rick Blechta of Castlefield Media is currently doing the book layout and design.
Jennifer Stellings has created the illustration for the front cover.
Unless there is a major SNAFU in the next couple of days, Dead Light District will be going to the printers on February 1st.
I will be so damn glad to finally get this book out! The tidbit of trivia that people do not know about Dead Light District is that I actually finished writing the manuscript on May 2nd, 2009. Yes, 2009. So, you can imagine how happy I'll be when the real thing is in my hands. Countdown begins, and I'm happier than a kid on Christmas Eve.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Update Re: Dead Light District
I am anxiously awaiting the unveiling of a new cover for Dead Light District! I gave the designer lots of info and ideas about what I want and don't want. I've seen this guy's work, and I like what he's done for other books. Cover design is a tricky one... I am not an artist, so visualizing what the cover should be like is tough. I can come up with lots of key words and ideas and themes, but as to what exactly the image should be, I have NO idea. Anyhow, I can't wait to see it in about a week or so.
As for other details re: the release of Dead Light District... Well, it will be in about 6-8 weeks. I'll have details soon regarding the launch party! I'm looking forward to another blowout, just like I did with the release of Blood and Groom. You know the launch party will be at The Pilot Tavern (again, on the second floor, of course...)
As far as what is being released: Well, for now it's only the paperback version of the book. However, I am looking into e-books (Kindle or similar). Stay tuned!
As for other details re: the release of Dead Light District... Well, it will be in about 6-8 weeks. I'll have details soon regarding the launch party! I'm looking forward to another blowout, just like I did with the release of Blood and Groom. You know the launch party will be at The Pilot Tavern (again, on the second floor, of course...)
As far as what is being released: Well, for now it's only the paperback version of the book. However, I am looking into e-books (Kindle or similar). Stay tuned!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Sanitizing Literature
I just read a news story (in the National Post) about a publisher in Alabama (NewSouth Books) that plans to reissue Huckleberry Finn. They will publish a scrubbed and polished version from which offensive language (i.e. the "N" word and other racial epithets) has been removed.
I do not like that word (or certain other words) but I don't agree with changes made, especially so long after the fact, and especially without the author's approval (obviously impossible to get in this case).
A book (or poem or play or ...) captures certain realities and reflects moment(s) in time. Were "Huck Finn" written today, it would be a different book, with a different audience, and perhaps even a different message.
I'd love to know what others think about making posthumous edits to a classic.
Here's a link to the article: Huckleberry Finn News Story
I do not like that word (or certain other words) but I don't agree with changes made, especially so long after the fact, and especially without the author's approval (obviously impossible to get in this case).
A book (or poem or play or ...) captures certain realities and reflects moment(s) in time. Were "Huck Finn" written today, it would be a different book, with a different audience, and perhaps even a different message.
I'd love to know what others think about making posthumous edits to a classic.
Here's a link to the article: Huckleberry Finn News Story
Monday, January 3, 2011
Still getting reviews...
It's kind of neat to get a review so long after the publication date. Thanks to "Google Alerts", I just came across this one, which was posted a couple of days ago.
Read Review Here
Interesting that the reviewer commented (positively) on grammar/spelling/punctuation. More interesting is that - despite three rounds of proofreading/editing - not one but three typos slipped through the cracks. Two of the typos were caught and corrected in the second print run, and the third will be corrected when it goes to another printing.
For the record, the errors are:
Read Review Here
Interesting that the reviewer commented (positively) on grammar/spelling/punctuation. More interesting is that - despite three rounds of proofreading/editing - not one but three typos slipped through the cracks. Two of the typos were caught and corrected in the second print run, and the third will be corrected when it goes to another printing.
For the record, the errors are:
- one instance of FORM when it should be FROM
- one missing apostrophe (should say Mother's)
- one missing O from the word chocolate (it's the second O that was skipped)
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Mystery Influences
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.
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)