Winners and Other Saturday Odds and Ends

Happy Halloween everyone! Hope you had a great week. Last night when I came home from work it was 73 degrees, but the weather fronts decided to do a flipflop last night and it was 51 when I got up this morning. I thought maybe I might wake up in Oz after all the wind and craziness in the night. But, I'm still here, so I get to announce the winners of Hatchette's Spine-Chiller book drawing. Since I had more entries than any other contest to date, they said it would be alright to choose three winners instead of just two. So,

Renee from Washington
Brian from California
Jonnie from Alberta, Canada

are the lucky winners of Jen's Book Thoughts' drawing. They will each in turn be entered into the new drawing for one of the 20 copies of the Dekker ARC. So, good luck to them there. I've contacted each of the winners by email and passed their information along to Hatchette so they can receive their prizes.

I'm planning to hold a couple more contests before Christmas. I am contributing to the BUY BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS campaign, and I thought I'd have some drawings for books I would recommend this year for crime fiction fans. So try your luck and maybe you can win a Christmas gift and save yourself a few dollars this season!

Jen's Book Thoughts received a prize of sorts this week. Corey from The Drowning Machine emailed me to congratulate me on our mention in the new Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. Author Bill Crider was extremely generous to mention us in his Blog Bytes column. I have to get out and get my hands on a copy. Thanks to Corey for bringing it to my attention. Bill had mentioned it before Bouchercon, but in all the craziness, it completely slipped my mind! Sometimes I can be so clueless. Geez! And of course many thanks to Bill for making that happen.

Also, keep your eyes peeled for the next Crimespree Magazine. Of course I'll have more reviews but I believe I'll also have an additional special item in Crimespree this time around. And I'm absolutely tickled because I worked with someone I think the world of on this particular project. Yes! I'm being evasive on purpose. I don't want to spill the beans. I want you to check it out yourselves! When I have a better idea of when it'll be available, I'll give you a heads up, but remember, you can always get a subscription here.

I finally made some time to update the Crime Fiction Twitter Directory. Since it was last updated some authors have climbed on board. And I also received some names from others who knew of authors I was unaware of. So that's updated and I also put a link to it over in the sidebar under "Book Sites I Frequent." So if you want to check it out or have needed a little convincing as to whether or not to open a Twitter account, that's where you can easily find the directory.

News for anyone who is a fan of the PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES book. I believe there was a second one? SENSE AND SENSIBILITY AND SEA MONSTERS? Anyway, I have not read these books but know they have been extremely popular lately. Which is why I'm excited for Steve Hockensmith - who, if you'll remember, I met at Bouchercon. He has written book number 3...or maybe it isn't exactly 3 because it's a prequel to P&P&Z? Whatever, it's called DAWN OF THE DREADFULS, and it is based on Austen characters but has no Austen writing in it. So that comes out in March of next year and Entertainment Weekly has a story about it at their site.

I have registered to attend Murder and Mayhem in Muskego. I think I'm having Bouchercon withdrawal, so, you know it's absolutely necessary. Anyway, if you are in the area or can come as well, here's the site with more information. It's November 14th with a meet and greet reception the night before. And also, registration IS open for Bouchercon 2011 in St. Louis. I'm already registered. It's not likely I'll be able to afford San Francisco next year, but I'm all in for St. Louis. Hope you'll be there, too!

And as a parting thought if you're interested, Sean Chercover had a post this week at The Outfit about his new writing digs. It's very cute...or as I commented at the blog, it's very clas-sy!

Have a great weekend and HAPPY READING!

A Trio of Pennies...or rather Penny's

Since I've been slacking a bit on my reviews...o.k., I've been slacking a lot. I'm behind. So, I'm going to review three books together today. They all share a common theme - Armand Gamache. I listened to A FATAL GRACE, THE CRUELEST MONTH, and A RULE AGAINST MURDER on audiobook, all read by Ralph Cosham.


FIRST LINE (A FATAL GRACE): "Had CC de Poitiers known she was going to be murdered she might have bought her husband, Richard, a Christmas gift."

In A FATAL GRACE, the very snooty, very unpopular CC de Poitiers has moved into the old Hadley house of Three Pines with her husband and daughter, Crie. And when CC is electrocuted to death during a curling match, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his murder investigation team return to the small village at Christmastime to find a killer among a long list of suspects.


FIRST LINE (THE CRUELEST MONTH): "Kneeling in the fragrant moist grass of the village green Clara Morrow carefully hid the Easter egg and thought about raising the dead, which she planned to do right after supper."

THE CRUELEST MONTH shifts the season to Easter and to celebrate the holiday, a group of the Three Pines residents decide to hold a séance in...yep...the old Hadley house. But when the séance results in the death of Madeleine Favreau, the question becomes "did she die of natural causes or did someone murder her?" While Chief Inspector Armand Gamache investigates to discover the answer to this question, he must also face the past that haunts him and the present force that opposes him. It is Mother Nature who makes April the cruelest month for plants and animals, but human hands are entirely responsible for Gamache's cruelest month.


FIRST LINE (A RULE AGAINST MURDER): "In the height of summer then guests descended on the isolated lodge by the lake, summoned to the Manoir Bellechasse by identical vellum invitations, addressed in the familiar spider scrawl as though written in cobwebs."

And in the third of the trio, A RULE AGAINST MURDER, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache finds himself in a new setting investigating a murder. Gamache and his wife, Reine-Marie, are celebrating their wedding anniversary at the luxurious Manoir Bellechasse at precisely the same time that the Finney family comes for a family reunion. In the midst of a summer rain storm, Julia Finney-Martin is crushed to death by a massive statue that not only fell from its pedestal but left no marks in the fall. Gamache must interrupt his anniversary vacation to determine not only who killed Julia and why, but first he must determine how the murderer knocked the statue over without leaving any physical trace on the pedestal.

I will start off by saying that this series is among my favorites on audiobook. While I own each book in hardcover, I have also listened to each on audio. Ralph Cosham is astounding. His portrayal of Penny's colorful cast is rich and poignant. Penny's writing coupled with Cosham's voice creates a magical presentation of the Three Pines series. In my mind, I could not have imagined a more appropriate sound for Gamache. And Cosham interprets the novels in such a way that Penny's dry humor powerful emotion radiates and from the speakers. This is definitely an audio series worth listening to.

I previously reviewed Louise Penny's first novel STILL LIFE and her most recent novel THE BRUTAL TELLING. And what is most important to know about Louise Penny's series: she is consistently amazing. In every book the characters come to life. You can see them and hear them and smell them. And they "touch" the reader in ways that the characters of many great writers never achieve. For me the most astonishing part is the way Penny creates an atmosphere that allows me to cheer for my friends, to cry with them, mourn with them, celebrate with them, LAUGH with them...fear with them, because she's allowed me to be a part of that community.

Penny also has a special talent when it comes to suspense. Her plot development builds suspense through many twists and turns right up to the very last minute and this is an element that is further enhanced by the audiobook because you can't look a couple lines ahead to see the twist happen. In A RULE AGAINST MURDER, until Gamache actually SAID the name of the murderer, I was convinced it was someone else. He was standing looking at the murderer and talking to the murderer, and I completely thought it was someone else. It's better than being caught completely unaware at Christmas.

Often we'll talk about visiting other worlds through our books, but never has it felt more real for me as a reader than in Louise Penny's tales of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Opening the front cover is like opening the front door and stepping into the warm, inviting town. The greatest sadness comes at the end when I close the back cover and know I've stepped back out of this world. But the welcome mat is always out at Three Pines, so I'll go back to visit over and over again.

I've spoken about these three novels in very broad strokes, but as I mentioned at the beginning Louise Penny is consistently amazing; she fills each and every novel with brilliant characters, strong emotion, witty humor, puzzling plots. And every book is still distinct, exquisite, and magical. If you have not read this series, I cannot recommend strongly enough that you do so. Order a book, visit your library, but get your hands on a Louise Penny Three Pines novel!

All five books in the Three Pines Series are available from St. Martin's Minotaur. In additon, the audiobooks are produced by Blackstone Audiobooks.

You Have the Right to Six Words - Week 23

Here we go, pluggin' right along with another week of "You Have the Right to Six Words." We are up to Week 23 and I don't know about you all, but I'm still havin' a blast. I'm especially thrilled with this week's line-up. I have to tell you that when I started this project I initially got a plethora of responses from male authors. And don't get me wrong, I love the male writers in the crime fiction genre; I love them dearly, and many of them can be found on my list of favorites. But, I also know that there are a lot of great women out there writing in the genre, too, and I didn't want them to go unrepresented. You see, I'm an equal-opportunity crime fiction fan. I don't care what gender the writer as long as he/she is writing a great book!

Well this week, I have three amazing female crime fiction writers and I am beyond honored to have them represented here. And I think if we asked our lone male represented this week, he'd also be honored to be surrounded by these smart, talented, witty, beautiful women. So, let's find out who they are!

First up, we have a "do-over." When Robin Burcell first answered the six-word memoir question in her author interview, she was smack dab in the middle of promoting her first Syndey Fitzpatrick novel, FACE OF A KILLER, and her memoir was directed toward the book title. Well, when we re-ran the memoir in this series, it wasn't really fitting anymore. So, we had Robin go back to the drawing board, and today's she back with a real zinger. But let me remind you a little about Robin first.

Robin Burcell is the author of the award-winning Kate Gillespie series about the first female homicide detective in San Francisco. Last year she released her first book in the Sydney Fitzpatrick series, THE FACE OF A KILLER, which is about a forensic artist. Robin doesn't just write these characters, she's actually performed both of the roles throughout her extensive law enforcement career. In addition to working as a homicide detective and a forensic artist, Robin also has experience with hostage negotiations. Robin's next book in the Sydney Fitzpatrick series is titled THE BONE CHAMBER and will be released in hardcover this December. As a matter of fact, you can see her spiffy trailer for THE BONE CHAMBER right now at her website.

So, when Robin did some re-thinking and constructed her six-word memoir, what did she end up with?

Love seeing my kids reading books.

Oh, music to my ears. If only all parents were singing that same song!

Next up is the man who gets to be surrounded by these talented woman this week. And he's no slacker, either. Kwei Quartey visited Jen's Book Thoughts this summer as part of his blog tour for his first novel, WIFE OF THE GODS. A native of Ghana and the son of university lecturers, he was surrounded by books growing up. As a child, he traveled to the United States with his American mother every couple of years, but it wasn't until he was studying pre-med at the University that Kwei and his family moved to the United States for good. Finishing medical school, Kwei is a doctor by day and a writer in his *ahem* spare time? Kwei runs a wound care clinic and is also the lead physician at an urgent care center. In his early morning hours, Kwei writes. His first novel, WIFE OF THE GODS, came out this year and it looks at some of the cultural issues and changes facing people in Ghana today. His protagonist, CID Detective Darko Dawson, finds himself stuck between a culture that is advancing and one that is battling the advancement. Very much like the current climate Kwei observed when he returned to Ghana only a few years ago. Now Kwei is hard at work on the follow-up to WIFE OF THE GODS, as Darko is still speaking to Kwei. So, how would Kwei summarize the experiences to this point?

Some things I would do over.

I can relate to that!

J.T. Ellison not only calls Nashville, Tennessee home these days, she also sets her Taylor Jackson series there. The tough homicide detective came to life in J.T.'s first novel ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS in 2007 and in February she will release, THE COLD ROOM, book number four in this best-selling, critically acclaimed series. J.T. says she was in the midst of reading John Sandford's Prey series when she decided she wanted to give crime fiction a whirl, and she had definitely taken the thriller genre to a new level.

Before deciding to move into a career in crime fiction, J.T. was a presidential appointee and worked in The White House and the Department of Commerce. Then she moved on to the private sector working as a financial analyst and marketing director for several defense and aerospace contractors. But Nashville seemed to be the turning point. It was after moving to Nashville that she started researching forensics and crime then moved on to researching and working with several law enforcement agencies including the FBI and the Metro Nashville Police Department. And the rest, as they say, is history.

J.T. writes short stories, in addition to her novels. She is one of the Friday bloggers at Murderati and main blogger at her own Tao of JT. And she active in various writing organizations, including International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

With this complex, diverse background is it no wonder her books are constructed with intricate and complex plots? Nashville Scene's 2008 Best Mystery/Thriller Writer puts it altogether with:

Dreamed a plot, wrote it down.

And the crime fiction community is ever so glad that she did!

Our final memoirist today is one of two people I credit with pulling me into the crime fiction genre. Robert Crais and Linda Fairstein wrote books that grabbed me and wouldn't let me go. In my desire to find more, more, more and quench my thirst for this drug we call crime fiction, I delved deeper and found more and more authors. But it all started with these two. So I am beyond honored to have international best-selling author Linda Fairstein here today to share her memoir.

Linda writes the Alexandra Cooper series and this year released LETHAL LEGACY, book number eleven in that series. She always wanted to be a novel writer, but she took a bit of a detour in life. And that detour helped shape the books she would one day write. Linda graduated from law school, joined the Manhattan District Attorney's Office as an Assistant District Attorney and went to work in what was the very beginning of the sex crimes unit. Linda was instrumental in this ground-breaking department that would cause a major shift in how sex crimes were handled. She was one of the first to use DNA testing in a criminal case, and she was considered for the Attorney General's position in the Clinton administration. Linda's first publication was a non-fiction work, SEXUAL VIOLENCE: OUR WAR AGAINST RAPE, which won great acclaim and became a teaching tool in universities and law enforcement agencies. But a year after publication, she decided to turn to her original dream, writing novels. And she took her vast portfolio of experiences and turned them into the Alex Cooper series, starting with FINAL JEOPARDY.

Linda's protagonist Alexandra "Alex" Cooper bears a strong resemblance to her creator, as does Law & Order:SVU Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot. This, of course, is for good reason. Linda says, professionally Alex Cooper "expresses my passion for the work and what the rewards are and also what the frustrations are." Alex Cabot is of course a nod to Linda's Alex Cooper since the Special Victims Unit was based on Linda's Special Victims Unit. And Stephanie March, who played Alex Cabot, shadowed Linda when she was preparing for the role. I love Alex's character, but I just have to admit a crush on her favorite homicide detective, Mike Chapman.

Linda writes about plots she knows, has created characters she knows, and she also depicts a setting that she knows. Her depictions of New York City and Martha's Vineyard bring both locales to vividly to life. And I have to say that when I saw Linda's memoir, I felt it brought HER vividly to life as well. This IS Linda Fairstein:

Love. Loyalty. Integrity. Courage. Kindness. Laughter.

Thank you so much to all of our memoirists today: Robin, Kwei, J.T., and Linda. This is simply a wonderful group of crime fiction writers. I am so incredibly humbled. And everyone stopping by to read, thank you for letting me gush a tad bit more than usual today. Thank you for sticking with me through this series and enjoying it as much as I have. I still have more to come, and I look forward to next week.

Happy Reading everyone!

CJ Lyons - From MD to Author

Today I'm hanging out with another of the authors from the 7 Criminal Minds blog. CJ Lyons is a former Pediatric ER doctor who decided to follow her dream of writing. The dream led to her Angels of Mercy series, which is a medical thriller series set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Don't worry, CJ, as long as you don't mention the Steelers, we Cleveland folk won't hold it against you! ;)

LIFELINES and WARNING SIGNS, the first two novels in CJ's series have received acclaim from Publishers Weekly, The Baltimore Sun, Newsday, The Romantic Times Book Review Magazine and more. This week, the third book in that series finds it way to bookstores. This third Angels of Mercy installment is titled URGENT CARE.

CJ took some time out of her schedule to sit down and talk a little with me about herself and her writing. So, without further ado, CJ Lyons!

Q: Wow CJ, you have some very exciting life experiences on your resume. How did you end up on an archeological expedition in Australia? Can you tell us a bit about that experience?

CJ: Thanks, Jen! I've always suffered from a bit of wanderlust—constantly wondering what was on the other side of the mountain and how the people who live there live. Because of that, I joined Earthwatch so that when I go on vacation not only am I helping out with research expeditions but I'm also off the beaten tourist track and seeing the "real" country.

The trip to Australia was very cool—way "back of beyond" on aboriginal lands, documenting ancient sacred sites. We found cave art that later carbon-dated to 41,000 years ago!!!

Q: I’m also fascinated with the fact that you spent time on the Navajo reservation. Can you tell us a little about that experience? Do you think either the Australian expedition or the Navajo reservation may show up in future books? Were there elements of those experiences that you would like to bring to light for other people through your writing?

CJ: I worked on the Navajo reservation covering for a pediatrician who was out on maternity leave. Not only was it a great chance for a girl from rural Pennsylvania to see the west (something I've always dreamed of) but the people were fantastic. We worked hard to blend traditional beliefs with modern medicine. The experience really showed me how, no matter what culture they come from, people really are the same at heart.

I've been writing all my life and so have several finished but never-seen novels, lol! One of them, written almost ten years ago, uses my Australian experiences in a paranormal romantic thriller with a globe-trotting climate scientist having her beliefs challenged when an ancient Aboriginal myth comes to life and threatens to destroy the world. I was definitely way ahead of the curve—paranormal wasn't popular back then and there weren't many "kick ass" heroines. I've never tried to get that book published and it doesn't really fit my current readership, so maybe I'll publish it on Kindle or the like someday.

Q: You once said, “the main reason I write is that it’s my way of trying to change the world. To speak for the victims, to empower those that feel helpless, to let people know that heroes are indeed born everyday.” Have you had any encounters with readers since publishing your first two books that have made you feel like you’ve accomplished this – or are really on the right path to continuously accomplishing it, because really this is a goal that doesn’t necessary have to have a conclusion or ending point.

CJ: Actually, yes I have heard from several readers! After LIFELINES was published I had hundreds of fan letters (the best part of being published is hearing from readers!) and several of them were from people going through very, very bad times who said they'd been both inspired and empowered by my writing. And even more people have expressed the same sentiment to me in person after WARNING SIGNS came out.

The one who sticks with me the most was a lady who found me at the Virginia Festival of the Book and thanked me, saying that she'd had cancer and couldn't sleep because of the pain but that reading my books helped her to escape and make it through the long nights.

You're right, it's not a goal that has an end point—in fact, I hope it never ends!

Q: You decided on medicine fairly late in your college career. What drove you in that direction? And why pediatrics?

CJ: I originally began as a technical theatre major but after a biology class where the professor invited us to an autopsy on a homeless man, I became fascinated by medicine. I realized that I was tired of the melodrama that went on behind the scenes in the theatre and that helping people who were sick or injured would be much more rewarding.

As for pediatrics, a lot of doctors don't want to deal with kids because kids can't always tell you what's going on with them, so you need to be more intuitive. I like working with kids — to me, they're more understandable than many adults.

Q: You have since left medicine to pursue this life-long dream of writing. Any regrets? Any thoughts that you would maybe go back to medicine in one form or another someday?

CJ: I miss my patients, but given the current state of our health care system (which honestly, has been heading for disaster for two decades) I'm happy not to be caught in the middle. I have thought of volunteering but haven't found a position that accommodates my writing schedule and since writing is now paying the bills, I have to make it my priority.

Q: So what was the tipping point for you? Why decide to give up the relative security of a job in medicine for the publishing world?

CJ: I wasn't burnt out—yet. But my frustration with the business part of medicine was growing—I hated spending every lunch hour and any free time between patients arguing with insurance companies just to get the care my patients needed. I've always turned to writing as my comfort and after several published friends told me that my work was publishable I decided to try to create a second career. So far, it's been a definite dream come true—just like practicing medicine was!

Q: So your series is called the Angels of Mercy series. LIFELINES was your debut novel, followed by WARNING SIGNS. And then today the third book of the series URGENT CARE is being released. Tell us a little about the series overall. Obviously your experience in the medical field played a part in how this series came to be, but what else helped bring Angels of Mercy to fruition?

CJ: While my medical knowledge helped, I think the most important thing that brought the world of Angels of Mercy to life was focusing not on the medicine but on the people. One of the most important things I learned during my seventeen years practicing pediatrics was that it's not medicine that saves lives, it's people.

Q: You’ve had experiences in medical facilities outside of Pittsburgh – including several in Ohio – what made you choose Pittsburgh for your setting in the Angels of Mercy series?

CJ: I'm from central Pennsylvania and had relatives who lived in Pittsburgh, so we visited there a lot when I was growing up. And my first encounter with any major medical issue—in fact, the first time I ever went to a hospital—was when I was twelve and visited a friend who was critically ill in the ICU at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

I've lived and worked in Akron and Toledo as well and I'm sure they'll show up in books someday, but Pittsburgh is such a classic everyman, all-American city where anything can and does happen, that I'll probably continue to set stories there.

Q: Your first two books, LIFELINES and WARNING SIGNS, both dealt with doctors. URGENT CARE is going to focus on a nurse at Angels of Mercy ER. What kind of adjustments did you have to make to write from this new perspective?

CJ: The same four main characters have played roles in each of the books—they just take turns taking center stage. So, I already knew Nora and what her character was all about. It also helps that each character is part of me.

Q: You have called the Angels of Mercy series “thrillers with heart.” And by that you mean that the focus is less plot-driven, more character-driven, correct? Tell us a little about how each of your characters comes to life and what kinds of interactions you have as the writing process is going on.

CJ: I coined the term "thrillers with heart" in an attempt to describe my own writing—stories with thriller pacing and raising stakes but that were about the people more than the crimes that jumpstarted the plot. Then I realized that the term describes a lot of thrillers out there—books that center on the relationships, whether a romance or family or friends, rather than the "special effects."

For instance, DIE HARD is really about a guy trying to win back the love of his estranged wife—what makes it thrilling is that the only way he can do that is to defeat the terrorists holding his wife and her co-workers hostage. The same with PATRIOT GAMES—it's not about the IRA fanatics but really about one man protecting his family going up against one man avenging his family, placing family at the heart of PATRIOT GAMES.

Q: Your Angels of Mercy series is written in third person. Did you always see this series in third person? Is that where you’re most comfortable writing or were there benefits for this particular series that made you decide you’d write in third person?

CJ: I always saw this series in third person. For multiple points of view, it's easier to use third person. I prefer a very deep third person (which is extremely close to first person, as if the camera lives behind the eyes of the person whose head you're in at the time) as I think that allows readers to connect with the character more easily.

Q: Since you’ve been in the world of ER and medicine yourself and you know a lot of your content first hand, what kinds of research do you find yourself having to do for the Angels of Mercy series?

CJ: Actually, I still do a lot of research—I even have a nurse who is a Advanced Life Support instructor who advises me on the latest changes in EMS and ALS protocols. I try hard to get the facts right, but sometimes the facts have to give way to the needs of the story and I have to settle for keeping things plausible.

Q: If you were going to put together a music soundtrack for the Angels of Mercy series, give me three songs that would HAVE to be included.

CJ: When I'm writing Lydia, I tend to listen to my own music—head-banging hard rock, like Tool, Mettalica, Led Zeppelin, Drowning Pool, Disturb'd….so for her, I'd go with either "Godsmack's Touché" or "Running Blind." Amanda is more easy going, I tend to associate her with James Taylor's "Going to Carolina" and Joe Crocker's "Get by with a Little Help from my Friends." Nora's themes are more tragic, deeper layers, Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet" or Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade." And Gina, good old fashioned rock 'n roll, Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want."

Yeah, that's more than three—but I'm not real big on following rules! Guess that's why I'm writing books that are so cross-genre that they break all the rules, lol!

We definitely don't mind rule-breakers around here!

Q: So now that book 3 has safely made its way to the book shelves and online stores, where are you going from here? Will the series continue? Do you have ideas for anything outside the series?

CJ: I've given my editor the proposal for book 4 in the series, Gina's story, tentatively titled ISOLATION—it's up to her and Berkley to decide how many more in the series there will be, but as long as readers keep enjoying them, I'm very happy to keep writing them!

I'm also trying my hand at a non-medical thriller, although medicine still plays a large role in it. I don't always like coloring in the lines—it's fun to challenge myself, try new and different types of stories.

Q: We know you’re an avid traveler. What else do you like to do when you’re not writing?

CJ: Since I sold LIFELINES, there hasn't been very much time to do much else! But thankfully, the travel and teaching writing workshops (I love to teach—goes with being a pediatrician for all those years) give me a chance to get away from my computer for a while. I am also going to try my hand at painting—I can't draw a straight line to save my life, but I love playing with color and texture, so it should be fun!

Q: There is quite a bit of hoopla (for lack of a better term – that we can use on the blog, anyway) about the medical world and insurance and prescription and basically anything that has to do with medicine. If you could tell our legislators one thing in their efforts to make sense of all this, what is the most important thing you feel they need to consider?

CJ: That even though kids don't vote, they make up the largest growing segment of not just the uninsured but also the homeless and the underfed. Yes, right here in the greatest country on Earth, we let our kids go without food, shelter, and medical care—often despite their parents working very hard to try to give their children these essentials. How can you expect a child to grow up to lead or fight for their country if you can't insure that they have these basics?

Excellent point to end on. And I thank CJ for taking time to hang out and talk with us today. Don't forget CJ is the Monday blogger over at 7 Criminal Minds, so you can always pop over there to say "hey" to her on Mondays. You can also check her out on her website and stay up to date with her new release URGENT CARE and all of her writing projects.

CJ may stop back in here so if you have any questions you'd like to throw her way, feel free to drop them in the comments section. Thanks for stoppin' by and hanging out with CJ and me. Happy Reading!

Monday Mystery Backlist - JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE

O.k., I'm back on track with the Monday Mystery Backlist title now that Bouchercon is over. *sniff* And actually, Bouchercon is responsible for this weeks' title. Busted Flush Press, the publisher responsible for bringing the Moe Prager books back into print, has also brought A.E. Maxwell's Fiddler and Fiora series back into print. And book one, JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE, landed squarely in my hands at Bouchercon, thanks to David Thompson, Grand Poobah of Busted Flush Press.

First of all, A.E. Maxwell is the husband and wife writing team of Ann and Evan Maxwell. (Just in case you were like me and didn't know that.) I had this book tucked in my bag while I was waiting for something to start, so I pulled it out and made a huge mistake; I started reading it! I was laughing before I reached the end of page one. Of course, I didn't have time to finish it right then, and I'm trying very hard to stay on my meticulously planned reading schedule, but I'm not kidding, this book is taunting me every night. "Please read me! Please read me!" So, I'm quite sure it won't be long before you see the review for this book here on the blog. But enough about my mental disorders, let's find out a little about JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE.

JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE introduces P.I. Fiddler and his sexy ex-wife Fiora. Set in Southern California in the 80s, Fiora's twin brother, Danny, finds himself in hot water with the U.S. Customs Department concerning his Silicon Valley export business, which may be more than it seems on the outside. Fiddler and Fiora are called on to come to Danny's rescue.

Paul Levine says, "Fiddler is to California what Spenser is to Boston and Travis McGee is to Florida. Tough, smart guys who know that sometimes, what looks like paradise, is pure hell."

Do you see why this book is taunting me? It is available now in trade paper from Busted Flush Press (ISBN: 978-0-9792709-6-3). And because we're only a couple months away from Christmas, you're going to hear me say this a lot. This would make a great Christmas gift for the P.I. novel fan on your list. If they aren't familiar with this series, JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE is the first of the franchise; it's a great place to start.

THE BIBLIOPHILE'S DEVOTIONAL - Hallie Ephron

This isn't going to be a review in the sense that we've become accustomed to my reviews but that's because THE BIBLIOPHILE'S DEVOTIONAL isn't a typical book. This is a beautiful collection of all kinds of books; it is exactly what the title indicates, a devotional. So the book is broken down by each day of the year. And each day of the year contains a new title.

Hallie Ephron has compiled an amazing selection of fiction (THE MALTESE FALCON), non-fiction (ALL OVER BUT THE SHOUTIN'), books of essays (PILGRIM AT TINKER CREEK), poetry (A CONEY ISLAND OF MIND) and epic poems (THE ODYSSEY) . She ranges from classics (DON QUIXOTE) to modern titles (MYSTIC RIVER) that will likely become classics. Books we categorize as adult (LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE), as well as titles we've adored since childhood (A WRINKLE IN TIME). The titles come from all different cultures, genders, religions, genres and time periods. It is truly a diverse record of our world's literature.

O.k., I've given you a rundown of the types of titles, but what does she do with those titles? If you have more self control than me and can keep yourself to reading each day on its day, and not jumping ahead, each day you will find the new title with its first line or first two lines in a few cases. This is followed by a section that not only summarizes what the book is about but provides some background on the book. For example, AS I LAY DYING

"Published in 1930 when Faulkner was working nights at a power plant, he proclaimed it a 'tour de force.' He was right, though many contemporary critics were not convinced."

And after each summary section, Ephron has included a quote about the book.

In her introduction, Ephron calls THE BIBLIOPHILE'S DEVOTIONAL a "tasting menu." That is an excellent description. As I've made my way through this year of books, I find myself saying, "oh, I have to read that one" or "I just love that book; I really need to read it AGAIN" or "I definitely need to get to that one this year." And O.K., she didn't convince me that I might like ULYSSES if I gave it another chance, but I can be stubborn sometimes. Even though I've gone through the book already in preparation for this review, I'm storing it in my nightstand and come January 1st I plan to start the book all over and savor each book on each day again!

This stunning little book (at just more than 5"x7") would make a perfect stocking stuffer gift for any book lover and I think a number of folks will end up with a copy from me this year. The timing of this book is perfect for Christmas gifts, but more than anything the content is perfect for gifts. In a day and age where many of us (o.k., maybe not US but people we know) use a lack of time as a reason we don't read, I think this devotional can and will remind many people of how worth it is to MAKE time to read. Reading is a gift we should treasure and this devotional reminds us of that fact.

I highly recommend you check out Hallie Ephron's THE BIBLIOPHILE'S DEVOTIONAL: 365 Days of Literary Classics.

THE BIBILIOPHILE'S DEVOTIONAL (ISBN 978-1-60550-105-5) is published by Adams Media and if you cannot get it right now, it will be available in November.

Disappointment this Saturday

O.k., I was pretty bummed that the Virtual Mystery Conference didn't work out so well for me. I was destined not to be able to enjoy it, I guess. When I opened the Poisoned Pen site this morning it crashed my Windows three times. I wasn't having trouble with anything else, but for some reason, my computer just didn't like the site. I should have taken it as a sign. But, I called my folks and asked them to try opening it. It opened fine for them, so I begrudgingly got dressed and took Hershey with me over to my parents' house. I logged on, all is good. I watched an awesome presentation by Peter May, who incidentally has a fascinating book coming out in January called VIRTUALLY DEAD, it takes place in Second Life. So, "Yay!" I'm having success. I watched a pre-recorded video from Libby Fischer Hellmann on where she gets her ideas and a short video about Cape Town from Roger Smith, whose book MIXED BLOOD takes place there. Then I tried to listen to a live audio on Talk Radio and THAT crashed my parents' Windows, repeatedly. I'm not sure if other folks had trouble; I know many people were enjoying all the offerings, so it wasn't a technical glitch on Poisoned Penned's end, but I have no idea what was causing my problems. I waited until the live video panel from the Poisoned Pen store came on, and I enjoyed that. But, I really needed to come home. I tried logging onto the site once more but with no more luck than I had when I tried first thing in the morning. I may go back over to my parents' tomorrow and see if I can access some of the archived items, but all in all, it didn't work out as well as Bouchercon did!

So, instead, I'm posting my 500th POST! Can you believe that? 500 posts? I didn't know I had it in me.

I'm trying to catch up on some reviews because I'm extremely far behind. So, hopefully there will be plenty of those coming up this week, as well as a new Monday Mystery Backlist and another round of 6-word memoirs.

I also wanted to remind everyone about my Spine-Chilling Book Giveaway. You have through Friday to get your entries in for that. Again, thanks to Hatchette Books for generously offering this giveaway.

Happy Reading!

Bouchercon Diary - The Final Day & Scrapbook Pictures

Sunday, the final day of Indianapolis Bouchercon 2009. I signed up to volunteer for set-up of what they called the "book bizarre." As with anything else at Bouchercon, I had no idea what to expect. However, this was a brand new concept and no one else really had any idea what to expect either. I was supposed to be there around 8, but since I got up early to take care of packing my car and checking out, I actually showed up around 7:30 thinking I would have to sit and read awhile before anyone came. WRONG! They put me to work right away.

I helped haul out tons of boxes of books from a storage area. We had to take the boxes out of the storage area, then put them in the area that had been marked for the author. I should have taken some pictures of this so you could have seen, but we were so busy there just wasn't time. But the whole lobby area was filled with long tables; six rows of long tables, and each author was assigned to half of a long table.

Alright, once we got all the boxes out, then we unpacked the books. All of that is great, but here's where things got a little icky. We kind of had to stand guard, for lack of a better term, to keep people from coming in and taking the books or anything like that. The head volunteers had determined a place for people to start a line for the bizarre and only the volunteers and authors were allowed inside the bizarre area.

This is when you find all those fun people who think all the rules should apply to everyone but them. And I'm not a good enforcer. I don't like to be mean, and I especially don't like people who put me in a position where I have to be mean. I ran into a handful of those kinds of people and that was icky. But otherwise, it was fine, and I enjoyed helping. And the authors who were giving out their books filtered in to find their places.

The point of the bizarre was to give authors a chance to give away their books - provided the publishers donated them to do so. And I have to say the publishers were really quite generous in this bizarre. Michael Stanley was giving away hard covers of their A CARRION DEATH, Craig Johnson was giving hard covers of his THE DARK HORSE or trade papers of his ANOTHER MAN'S MOCCASINS. Sean Chercover had some hardcovers of his TRIGGER CITY. Tons of authors were present. Some weren't present but the publishers still sent books to give away.

When people had picked up their registration packets, they got five red tickets that they would use at this bizarre, trading a ticket for a book. Now, given all the loot that's hanging around this joint, you know people got a little crazy. The hope was that people would all move around the tables in the same direction - there wasn't a lot of room down the rows between tables. However, the "all moving in one direction" down the rows, didn't work very well. People just went where ever. They let the set-up volunteers go first, so I just kind of got my books and got out of the way. I wanted to wait around a grab pictures with a few authors before everything ended, but I stayed clear of the masses. So, I know you're wondering what I came home with. Uh huh! My prizes were awesome!! I picked up Tom Schreck's second Duffy Dombroski, TKO, Marcus Sakey's first novel, GOOD PEOPLE, Libby Fischer Hellmann's Ellie Foreman novel, A SHOT TO DIE FOR, Shane Gericke's CUT TO THE BONE, Andy Gross's THE DARK TIDE, Rebecca Cantrell's A TRACE OF SMOKE, two Sniplits CDs of audiobook short stories and two books that are completely new to me. (Sorry, don't have those titles because I already loaned them to my dad.) So, yeah, I cleaned up. There is one book I regret not picking up, but I don't need to be a book hog!

So, after collecting my loot and my bag runneth over. I collected a few more pictures. Here is my beloved friend, Kaye Barley:

And here's Sean Chercover and I. I had the pleasure of meeting Sean's wife and she was kind enough to take the picture for me. Both incredibly nice people. Such a pleasure to have had the chance to meet them.

And Rebecca Cantrell. Simply can't say enough about her either. Are you seeing a pattern here? This is why I'm not a writer. I can't come up with the words to articulate my joy. I'm not a person who can easily strike up a conversation, and I'm terrible with small talk. But when I me Rebecca, I didn't feel like I had any trouble having a conversation. It just came natural. That's how she makes you feel.
And I absolutely couldn't leave Bouchercon without having a picture with Marcus Sakey. If you encounter Marcus and have a chance to talk to him you will experience something few people are really and truly skilled at. When he talks to you, you feel as though you are the only person in the room. That is no exaggeration. You never doubt that he's paying attention to you and you feel as though he is genuinely invested in your conversation.

This weekend was truly a gift for me. I had the chance to meet so many people I admire and respect. Now I admire and respect them even more. As I've sat throughout this week, recapping my experiences, I've smiled all over again. These memories are precious and I thank each and ever person who helped me build them at the Indianapolis Bouchercon.

After my picture with Marcus, I found Kaye one last time and ended my trip the way I began it - with a hug and a smile from her.

Thank you, all, for giving me the chance to share this with you. I'll get to work now catching up on my reviews; lord, am I behind! But today, I'll leave you with some sample shots of the scrapbook pages I had signed at Bouchercon. Each page is 8" x 8". I plan to add pictures to this album as well. So, come visit me in person some time and I'll share the whole thing with you. Happy Reading!

Bouchercon Diary - Day Two

Alrighty, let's return to the Bouchercon recap! Friday, Day 1 (for me), was outstanding. How did Saturday have a chance? mmm....

I got up a little on the early side, took care of the bothersome necessities (shower, dressing, etc). Then I wandered out to find some tea and the first panel I was going to attend. I went to the Kindle presentation, more out of curiosity than anything else - I'm not actually interested in getting a Kindle. Kindle/Amazon won't attend our organization's conference so I was interested to see what they would have to say. It was evident pretty early on that the content was directed at authors and publishers, so I quietly bowed out before the session was over. This little disappearing act enabled me to get in line 1st for Lee Child signing table. I wanted to have him sign his memoir scrapbook page. Honestly, had I not been in a position to do this, I probably wouldn't have gotten it signed simply because his lines were always so long and that turns impersonal. To me that's not fun. It's just a matter of how fast can we move people through this line, kind of thing. But, I did get in line first, and I snapped this picture - not so great, but it was all I got.



Then I got back into line, this time to see David Morrell and have him sign HIS memoir page.


By the time I had gotten both of those taken care of, the next round of panels had already gotten under way, so I decided to forgo a panel and wander around. That's when I found this handsome fella hangin' out:


And then I sat for a bit and chatted with this other handsome guy, Duffy Dombrowski's alter ego:


I did by the way get my requisite hugs from both of these fine gentlemen! ;)

Finally, I hooked up with a third handsome guy for lunch! Michael Lister - who in all my giddiness I neglected to grab a picture with - met me for lunch and we enjoyed a very nice conversation. I had the chance to congratulate him on Michael Connelly giving him a shout out about his new book in Connelly's interview from the day before. Michael Connelly and I share an appreciation of Michael Lister's DOUBLE EXPOSURE. And let me tell you how flattered I was that he made time to get together with me when he was flying out that afternoon after his panel. Super, super nice guy. If you ever have the chance to meet him, by all means, snatch it up!

After lunch I sprinted back to my room and reorganized my books in my bag and headed off to what turned out to be the absolute BEST panel I attended at Bouchercon. This panel was titled "IMBA and the Dilys Winn Award." Between the facts that the panel was opposite a panel with Harlan Coben, in a large room and I arrived early, I got a front row seat for William Kent Krueger, Louise Penny and Sean Chercover, moderated by Robin Agnew (from Aunt Agatha's in Ann Arbor). The chemistry of the folks on this panel worked amazingly. All three authors were laid back, candid, funny. They talked about starting out in the publishing business and funding their own book tours. They talked about both good and bad experiences at independent book stores - or in Louise's case, at a library. If you can see in these pictures, at one point Louise was embarrassed by something she said so she swapped name tents with Sean. I heard a lot of people talking about the panel with Harlan Coben that the fact that it was a good one, but honestly, I wouldn't have traded being in this session for anything! Well, maybe that's exaggerating a little - maybe there are a FEW things, but I definitely wouldn't have swapped it for any other session!








Afterwards I toddled over to have Sean sign my books - I'd managed to corner Louise before lunch that day. So Sean signed my books (on one he wrote "P.S. - see ya online" too cool!! O.k., geeky fangirl moment, give me a break!) and then I still had some time; I looked around and found LIBBY FISCHER HELLMANN!! Yay! I was looking so forward to meeting her. I only had to wait for one other person to finish up and I walked up to her table and said, "Libby, I'm Jen, can I come around and hug you?" So, I got to share a big hug with Libby and a little bit of chit chat. I truly admire her and it was a wonderful experience to get to meet her. But again, no picture. I WILL get one soon, though. More on that later. The other person I got to meet at this time, who I was very much looking forward to was Rebecca Cantrell. She's another of the Criminal Minds bloggers. Oh! She is just amazingly wonderful. Just like with Sophie, I felt as though I had known her my whole entire life.


Then the big moment was upon me...my Hot Ticket session! With Michael Connelly! I truly admire him. He doesn't strike me as the kind of person for whom the spotlight comes easy, and that makes me admire him even more. Being in the spotlight constantly all weekend long has to be exhausting when it doesn't feel natural. But anyway, he was wonderful in our session, and answered everyone's questions. The MWA Midwest chapter that organized this did a very nice job and they made sure that everyone had a chance to ask questions and no one person dominated. This is where we found out the little tidbit about Robert Crais. Michael was explaining that both he and Crais had secretly stopped reading each other's work so that the same kinds of things didn't end up creeping into the other's books since they are both set in L.A. But, they concocted the idea to have each other's character cameo in the opposite's book. Each author would send the paragraph that the other's character was in to the other author for final approval. RC had Harry Bosch out behind the police station smoking...four books after Harry QUIT smoking! Michael sent Robert an email that said "BUSTED!" I just love that story. He talked about his feelings toward BLOODWORK, the movie, and the fact that he wouldn't be able to pick a Hollywood name to play Bosch because there isn't an actor that fits his image of Bosch that he's created in his mind throughout the years. I then asked him about audiobooks and if he's unable to hear them because they don't sound like what he believes Bosch should sound like. He said yes, that was exactly the case, but that he did listen to an abridged version of one of his books that Burt Reynolds did because someone told him to do that if he wanted a laugh. He said he didn't find what Burt Reynolds did at all funny!



What endeared me the most to Michael Connelly in this session, was when he said, "I know this is going to sound like I have an ego, and I do have an ego. I know I'm a good writer; I know I'm a talented writer. But there are a lot of good writers, talented writers in this business. I also had a lot of luck, more than any one person should probably be allowed to have." What he viewed as being entirely arrogant, I saw as incredible modesty. This man has made an amazing impact on the crime fiction genre; he has given back so much to the mystery community; and I was extremely humbled to be able to attend this session. It was wonderful. He still intimidates the hell out of me, though!

Afterwards Michael graciously signed our books (and my memoir page), I was able to chat a few minutes with Shannon Byrne, Michael's publicists and a great friend to Jen's Book Thoughts, and then I darted over to the book room to have Reed Farrel Coleman sign my books. He had a panel while I was in with Michael Connelly, so I wanted to make sure I grabbed him. On one book, Reed signed "To sixy Jen." Hehehe! He's so creative!


Alright! Now it was time for the Anthony Awards. I found Jon and Ruth Jordan and David Thompson and asked to follow along because once again, I didn't know where I was going. And we headed on over to the Hilbert Circle Theater. Very beautiful theater but none of my pictures came out thanks to the lighting. I'm sure that you heard about the Anthony Award winners already, so I'll just say that it was special for me to be able to congratulate Sean Chercover, Jon & Ruth Jordan and Chris Grabenstein in person. I was extremely happy for them all. I was also especially happy for Rosemary Harris who was nominated in the category of Best First Novel. S.J. Rozan was a magnificent toast master. What a witty character she is. And Michael Connelly was all class when he awarded S. J. Rozan her award for toast master. She was technically supposed to award it to herself, but he took it upon himself to bestow the award appropriately. Good guy!

After the awards there was a bit of a reception in the lobby. I finally caught up with Robin Burcell. I was so thrilled to have a chance to see her and talk with her and grab this picture:


I also snagged Hank Philippi Ryan so she could sign her scrapbook page. She cried. I didn't want her to cry, but I was also flattered that my project created that much emotion for her. What a lovely, lovely person she is. S.J. Rozan signed her memoir, as did Marcus Sakey and Jason Pinter. I met Megan Abbott in person.

Finally as I wrapped up my time at the theater, I met up with Robin Agnew and my friend Patti O'Brien and we went to dinner at a very nice brewery. Great dinner, great conversation. And the night still wasn't over!

After heading back to the hotel, I made my way to the Artsgarden for the charity auction. The auctioneers were Donna Andrews and Chris Grabenstein - thus, why I said Chris could make his living this way if he ever left writing. The items in this auction were way beyond my means, but it was fun to watch. A character name in an upcoming Sue Grafton went for a couple thousand dollars. Yikes! But, it was all for charity and that is wonderful.




I headed back to the Hyatt hotel bar after that, where I met up with Sophie Littlefield again. She and some others were headed over to Lee Child's Reacher Creature party and they invited me to tag along. So, off I went!

It was rather insane at the Slippery Noodle. The place was wall-to-wall people, so between the live music and all the people, you couldn't hear a thing unless you were right up against the person talking, and preferably with them talking directly into your ear! Plus, if you wanted to move anywhere, you pretty much had to shove your way through. I did get to see Reed Farrel Coleman dancing:


And snapped this picture of Brett Battles and Sophie:


But, I told Sophie I thought I would go; that wasn't really my speed. But, she and Brett left with me and we went to a gen-u-ine Hoosier bar, as Sophie called it! We had a great time there. Fun conversation, cool bartender, people watching. Juliet Blackwell joined us after awhile. Sophie really liked the deer heads mounted on the wall, and we all especially liked the poinsettia decorations which we decided had probably been up since LAST Christmas. But that's o.k., it was still great!

And finally, about 11, we headed back to the Hyatt bar where we met up with Rebecca Cantrell, Kelli Stanley, and I also got to snag Jason Pinter for a picture. I have to watch the scrapbook around him, though! ;) Jason's fun. I enjoy talking to him.


And that's where I called it a night, but lord, what a night it all turned out to be! Another awesome day at Bouchercon! Tomorrow I'll wrap up with the last day of Bouchercon and the scrapbook pictures. I hope you'll check back. Until then, happy reading!

You Have the Right to Six Words - Week 22

We interrupt the Bouchercon posts because it's that time again! To share some more fun memoirs from Crime Fiction's greatest. We have a superb line-up this week, but before we cut to the chase, it has come to my attention that an impression exists out there that six-word memoirs is somehow my brain child. Sorry folks. I'm not that creative. If I've personally given someone that impression by something I said, I apologize, it is not so. As I would mention when I asked the question in interviews and as I pointed out at the beginning of this series project, this idea is not original. I picked up on it from reading the book NOT QUITE WHAT I WAS PLANNING: SIX-WORD MEMOIRS OF WRITERS FAMOUS AND OBSCURE. Since the publication of this book, three others were published and the creators have this website. So if you want to credit someone, credit the folks at SMITH Magazine. I've just borrowed the idea in an effort to highlight crime fiction writers. Please let me know if you have any questions.

And now for this week's authors:

Leading off this week is national bestselling author Shane Gericke (pronounced YER-key). I'm so thrilled to have him join us because I'm one of his devout followers over at the 7 Criminal Minds blog. Shane got his start in the writing biz while still in high school. He worked as a sports writer for the Frankfort Herald. Despite only making $30 a month in this position, he loved the job. It led to 25 years as a journalist, including a run as Senior Financial Editor at the Chicago Sun-Times. But these days, Shane is writing thriller novels featuring his police detectives Emily Thompson and Martin Benedetti. His first in the series, BLOWN AWAY, was named Debut Mystery of the Year by RT Book Reviews. Book number three in the series, TORN APART, will be published in July of 2010. Shane is a member of Mystery Writers of America and the Society of Midland Authors. In addition, he is a founding member of International Thriller Writers and is presently chairman of ThrillerFest. But would you expect anything less from a crime fiction writer living in Naperville, Illinois? The home of Dick Tracy!

As I mentioned at the beginning of Shane's bio, he's one of the 7 Criminal Minds bloggers. If you follow his blogging on Fridays you'll know he's smart, funny and genuine. It is truly my honor to have him represented here today. I'm supposed to pass along to you also that Shane invites you to visit him at http://www.shanegericke.com/. He'd love to buy you coffee while there, but it's digital, and the powdered creamer wouldn't dissolve. He is descended from the seven Gericke brothers who immigrated to Milwaukee in the early 1800s. Six of them died of natural causes. One was kicked to death by a mule. Shane figures that explains everything.

O.k., so how does Shane sum up his life experiences with six words? With

Pedal to metal; blew through reds.

And I'm just full of Criminal Minds today. The Sunday blogger for 7 Criminal Minds is Gabriella "Gabi" Herkert, the author of the Animal Instincts Series. Yep, you know that one got my attention right away. Gabi claims that she is an "evil corporate lawyer" by day and that her behavior doesn't improve while she's writing her books by the light of the moon. Her friends are just like her (she's obviously out breaking knees with Sophie) and so is her dog, a Lab mix who bears a striking resemblance to the dog on the cover of her novel DOGGONE, the second book in the Animal Instincts Series. HORSEWHIPPED is the upcoming third novel in the series. Evil or not, Gabi's

Charging life's tricycle toward the
horizon.

I just love that image, don't you?

Hallie Ephron has touched on almost every aspect of crime writing that you can. She's a reviewer, she's a writer, she's a teacher! Maybe it's in the genes. Hallie's parents were the screenwriters Henry and Phoebe Ephron, and her sisters Nora, Delia, and Amy are also writers. So maybe it was natural that Hallie should be an award-winning book reviewer for the Boston Globe or an award-nominated non-fiction writer with Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel: How to Knock 'Em Dead with Style, or a writing workshop instructor. Who knows. But she is also a successful crime fiction writer. She published five series novels as half of the writing team, G.H. Ephron and she's also published solo with her psychological suspense thriller NEVER TELL A LIE. Her newest book, out this month, isn't a crime fiction book, but it is one you will hear about soon here at Jen's Book Thoughts, a beautiful little book called THE BIBLIOPHILE'S DEVOTIONAL. When not hard at work on her next psychological suspense novel, Hallie can be found blogging with the ladies over at Jungle Red Writers. For Hallie, it all comes down to:

Twisting the truth to creep them out.

And rounding out our bunch today we have an author you may not have heard of, but I think his work just might catch on. Yes, I was being facetious. John Hart is a New York Times bestselling author, and international bestselling author, and he's an Edgar Award-winning author. He has published three thrillers: THE KING OF LIES, DOWN RIVER, and most recently THE LAST CHILD. His books have been translated into at least 26 different languages and published in over 30 countries. John was born and raised in North Carolina, where he also attended college at Davidson College, just north of Charlotte. Here he earned an undergraduate degree in French literature and graduate degrees in accounting and law. Not only has he worked as a banker, stock broker and attorney, but he's also put in time sanding teak, working on helicopters and BAR TENDING! Well, do they call it that in London where you work in a pub, not a bar?

John found that he couldn't write in the off hours while working a regular day job, so he took a gamble, gave up the day job and devoted himself entirely to writing. The gamble paid off in spades. These days his family and writing demands occupy most all of his time, but he still tries to assist in protecting North Carolina's open spaces.

So how does John choose to immortalize this life full of accomplishment?

Raise hell. Settle. Write books. Cocktails.

Once again, an awesome line-up of fabulous authors sharing their 6-word memoirs. My thanks to Shane, Gabi, Hallie, and John for making time to play with us today. It is my distinct honor to have you all on Jen's Book Thoughts today. Thank you.

And to everyone who keeps coming back, thank YOU. Hopefully, I'll see you here next week, same time, same place for our Halloween week edition of "You Have the Right to Six Words!" And I'll be even happier if I see you back here tomorrow as we return to our regularly scheduled Bouchercon recaps!