My 30 Best Crime Fiction People to Follow on Twitter
It's been awhile since I posted anything about Twitter, and about a month ago the Huffington Post did an article on the "50 Best Book People to Follow on Twitter." Their post was fine and I follow a number of the people on their list (Jason Pinter, Harlan Coben, Bethanne Patrick, among others), but there are a lot of people I don't follow or have unfollowed for various reasons. And while I follow Harlan Coben and enjoy his tweets, he doesn't tweet that often - at least as far as my time on Twitter reveals to me. And also, the people on this list, for the most part, don't tweet about the crime fiction community or at best very little.
So, I thought I would put together for you my 30 favorite people from the crime fiction community to follow on Twitter. I'm keeping my list to 30 so I can actually finish this post. It might take me a couple months to highlight 50 people at the rate I work. If you're not on Twitter yet and have been considering joining in, these might be folks you can start out with. If you are on Twitter and don't follow any of them, I would recommend you give them a shot at least.
My criteria for the list is going to be people who 1.) aren't tweeting just for self-promotion. There's nothing that irritates me more than someone who is on Twitter ONLY when they have a new book out and all they tweet is reviews of the book or where to buy it. Twitter is a social network, so socialize. I want to know about their book releases, but I also want to know about the people they are as well. If you're not interested in sharing that, Twitter isn't the forum for you. 2.) regularly tweet. There are a lot of people who have Twitter accounts but haven't tweeted since last May - or their last book release. 3.) add something to my experience on Twitter. 4.) and as far as I know, no one else is tweeting on their behalf. I'm here to be friends with the actual people, not their assistants, PR agents, etc.
O.k., so here goes. This list is in no particular order - it isn't ranked. I think all 30 of these folks are well worth following if you enjoy the crime fiction community.
Jason Pinter - I'm in complete agreement with the Huffington Post on Jason. He's fun and informative. Regularly on Twitter. He gets what the social network is all about.
Brett Battles - has joined the Twitter world recently and is an active socializer, talking about books and movies and current events.
Steve Weddle - has his finger on the pulse of crime fiction. He's also funny and loves to share photos of his adorable dog, Gumbo.
Sophie Littlefield - puts spunk into Twitter. Her energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Like her debut novel, Sophie is fun.
Gregg Hurwitz - loves to share his "headlines of the day," which are always hilarious. He shares info on books he's reading, projects he's working on, movies he's seen. You won't necessarily see Gregg every day but he's consistent and his tweets are worthwhile. And he responds as well. Twitter is never a one-way street with Gregg.
Declan Burke - like Gregg, Declan isn't one you'll necessarily see every day. But when he tweets he shares informative news, funny quips, and other enjoyable tidbits.
Hilary Davidson - Hilary is another person with a finger on the pulse of crime fiction, as well as the gluten-free world. She's also very social on Twitter. Another member of this community who understands what "social" networking means.
Busted Flush Press (David Thompson) - tweets for his Busted Flush Press as well as Murder by the Book (@murderbooks). He knows what's going on in the crime fiction world, he keeps folks up to date on what BFP is printing as well as other publishers. Let's the Twitterverse know about specials at the bookstore, events, and even other venues in his Houston area.
Steve Mosby - I honestly forget how it was I started out following Steve Mosby. It may have been via Jon Jordan, but I look forward to Steve's regular quips on Twitter. He never fails to make me laugh. Talking about his writing, his new job as a Dad, current events, most anything. I love his sarcastic sense of humor and look forward to seeing him on Twitter.
Ali Karim - is Ali! It's hard to summarize in a sentence all he brings to the community and he shares that on Twitter.
Alafair Burke - is another writer who truly gets social networking. She tweets about everything from books to celebrities to teaching law classes. She's held contests to win her books; she's solicited feedback; she's shared photos. Alafair definitely connects with the world through Twitter.
Jeremy Lynch - has info on crime fiction in addition to movies and television.
Jon Jordan - always has news, fun and MUSIC! You WILL laugh.
Janet Rudolph - tweets about crime fiction news as well as chocolate.
BV Lawson - has an inside track on all the crime fiction news and events. A definite must for any crime fiction fan on Twitter.
The Mystery Bookstore (Linda Brown) - is updating folks about bookstore events and happenings when she isn't socializing.
Sara Weinman - has up to date info on the publishing industry as a whole but often information specific to the crime fiction community.
Lesa Holstine - keeps us informed on what she's blogging about, events happening in the crime fiction world, and often just life in general.
Tyrus Books (Alison Janssen) - is another great one for a blend of general crime fiction community info, Tyrus Books info, and everyday social tweets.
Spinetingler Magazine - lots of regular info for the crime fiction community in addition to what's going on at the Spinetingler zine.
Tasha Alexander - is simply fun. She tweets about her travels and food and everyday "stuff." She's social and genuine.
Dave White - is another member of the crime fiction community who makes me laugh. He can be serious when there's a topic of special importance to him, such as the recent issues with education in New Jersey.
Keith Rawson - has regular news and interviews, he's a go-to guy on noir and events in the Phoenix area. Keith also knows what social media means. He interacts with followers and shares everyday tidbits as well.
Brad Meltzer - is a regular twitterer who really enjoys interacting with others on Twitter. He's funny and diverse. He's made use of Twitter to hold polls and q&a sessions.
Bill Crider - is a wealth of knowledge in the crime fiction community. If you're interested in this genre and you're on Twitter, you should be following Bill for daily updates.
Andrew Gross - has his finger on the pulse of current events as well as the crime fiction community. He'll share snippets about his family, his daily work, his travels. Just in general he's a social guy.
Kelli Stanley - is as bubbly on Twitter as she is in person. She likes to celebrate everyone, including herself. She'll let you know what's going on with her books, but that's only a small snippet of what you'll see in her tweets. Overall, you'll just get to know a great author.
Lee Goldberg - if something funny is happening in Southern California, it seems like Lee will find it - or make it.
Bill Cameron - will make you laugh. You can count on him for a daily dose of laughter medicine. Bill's a regular twitterer and he'll let you know what's going on with his books and writing but not beat you over the head with it.
Brian Lindenmuth - interacts possibly more than he initiates tweets. But when he does initiate a tweet it's either fun or informative. He also forwards valuable tweets. He knows what this Twitter community is all about.
O.k., so those are my top 30. And that's not to say that there aren't other great folks out there tweeting in the crime fiction community. I follow over 500 people, so obviously I find value in what they are putting out. And there are a lot of folks I've just started following. These are the 30 that stand out the most to me, though. They are a big part of the reason I remain on Twitter and find value in it. If you're not sure what to do with Twitter, watch what they do. If you are just starting out and don't know who to follow, follow these folks.
Now it's your turn. If you were making this list, who would be on YOUR list? Share with us in the comments!
Technorati Tags: Twitter
So, I thought I would put together for you my 30 favorite people from the crime fiction community to follow on Twitter. I'm keeping my list to 30 so I can actually finish this post. It might take me a couple months to highlight 50 people at the rate I work. If you're not on Twitter yet and have been considering joining in, these might be folks you can start out with. If you are on Twitter and don't follow any of them, I would recommend you give them a shot at least.
My criteria for the list is going to be people who 1.) aren't tweeting just for self-promotion. There's nothing that irritates me more than someone who is on Twitter ONLY when they have a new book out and all they tweet is reviews of the book or where to buy it. Twitter is a social network, so socialize. I want to know about their book releases, but I also want to know about the people they are as well. If you're not interested in sharing that, Twitter isn't the forum for you. 2.) regularly tweet. There are a lot of people who have Twitter accounts but haven't tweeted since last May - or their last book release. 3.) add something to my experience on Twitter. 4.) and as far as I know, no one else is tweeting on their behalf. I'm here to be friends with the actual people, not their assistants, PR agents, etc.
O.k., so here goes. This list is in no particular order - it isn't ranked. I think all 30 of these folks are well worth following if you enjoy the crime fiction community.
Jason Pinter - I'm in complete agreement with the Huffington Post on Jason. He's fun and informative. Regularly on Twitter. He gets what the social network is all about.
Brett Battles - has joined the Twitter world recently and is an active socializer, talking about books and movies and current events.
Steve Weddle - has his finger on the pulse of crime fiction. He's also funny and loves to share photos of his adorable dog, Gumbo.
Sophie Littlefield - puts spunk into Twitter. Her energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Like her debut novel, Sophie is fun.
Gregg Hurwitz - loves to share his "headlines of the day," which are always hilarious. He shares info on books he's reading, projects he's working on, movies he's seen. You won't necessarily see Gregg every day but he's consistent and his tweets are worthwhile. And he responds as well. Twitter is never a one-way street with Gregg.
Declan Burke - like Gregg, Declan isn't one you'll necessarily see every day. But when he tweets he shares informative news, funny quips, and other enjoyable tidbits.
Hilary Davidson - Hilary is another person with a finger on the pulse of crime fiction, as well as the gluten-free world. She's also very social on Twitter. Another member of this community who understands what "social" networking means.
Busted Flush Press (David Thompson) - tweets for his Busted Flush Press as well as Murder by the Book (@murderbooks). He knows what's going on in the crime fiction world, he keeps folks up to date on what BFP is printing as well as other publishers. Let's the Twitterverse know about specials at the bookstore, events, and even other venues in his Houston area.
Steve Mosby - I honestly forget how it was I started out following Steve Mosby. It may have been via Jon Jordan, but I look forward to Steve's regular quips on Twitter. He never fails to make me laugh. Talking about his writing, his new job as a Dad, current events, most anything. I love his sarcastic sense of humor and look forward to seeing him on Twitter.
Ali Karim - is Ali! It's hard to summarize in a sentence all he brings to the community and he shares that on Twitter.
Alafair Burke - is another writer who truly gets social networking. She tweets about everything from books to celebrities to teaching law classes. She's held contests to win her books; she's solicited feedback; she's shared photos. Alafair definitely connects with the world through Twitter.
Jeremy Lynch - has info on crime fiction in addition to movies and television.
Jon Jordan - always has news, fun and MUSIC! You WILL laugh.
Janet Rudolph - tweets about crime fiction news as well as chocolate.
BV Lawson - has an inside track on all the crime fiction news and events. A definite must for any crime fiction fan on Twitter.
The Mystery Bookstore (Linda Brown) - is updating folks about bookstore events and happenings when she isn't socializing.
Sara Weinman - has up to date info on the publishing industry as a whole but often information specific to the crime fiction community.
Lesa Holstine - keeps us informed on what she's blogging about, events happening in the crime fiction world, and often just life in general.
Tyrus Books (Alison Janssen) - is another great one for a blend of general crime fiction community info, Tyrus Books info, and everyday social tweets.
Spinetingler Magazine - lots of regular info for the crime fiction community in addition to what's going on at the Spinetingler zine.
Tasha Alexander - is simply fun. She tweets about her travels and food and everyday "stuff." She's social and genuine.
Dave White - is another member of the crime fiction community who makes me laugh. He can be serious when there's a topic of special importance to him, such as the recent issues with education in New Jersey.
Keith Rawson - has regular news and interviews, he's a go-to guy on noir and events in the Phoenix area. Keith also knows what social media means. He interacts with followers and shares everyday tidbits as well.
Brad Meltzer - is a regular twitterer who really enjoys interacting with others on Twitter. He's funny and diverse. He's made use of Twitter to hold polls and q&a sessions.
Bill Crider - is a wealth of knowledge in the crime fiction community. If you're interested in this genre and you're on Twitter, you should be following Bill for daily updates.
Andrew Gross - has his finger on the pulse of current events as well as the crime fiction community. He'll share snippets about his family, his daily work, his travels. Just in general he's a social guy.
Kelli Stanley - is as bubbly on Twitter as she is in person. She likes to celebrate everyone, including herself. She'll let you know what's going on with her books, but that's only a small snippet of what you'll see in her tweets. Overall, you'll just get to know a great author.
Lee Goldberg - if something funny is happening in Southern California, it seems like Lee will find it - or make it.
Bill Cameron - will make you laugh. You can count on him for a daily dose of laughter medicine. Bill's a regular twitterer and he'll let you know what's going on with his books and writing but not beat you over the head with it.
Brian Lindenmuth - interacts possibly more than he initiates tweets. But when he does initiate a tweet it's either fun or informative. He also forwards valuable tweets. He knows what this Twitter community is all about.
O.k., so those are my top 30. And that's not to say that there aren't other great folks out there tweeting in the crime fiction community. I follow over 500 people, so obviously I find value in what they are putting out. And there are a lot of folks I've just started following. These are the 30 that stand out the most to me, though. They are a big part of the reason I remain on Twitter and find value in it. If you're not sure what to do with Twitter, watch what they do. If you are just starting out and don't know who to follow, follow these folks.
Now it's your turn. If you were making this list, who would be on YOUR list? Share with us in the comments!
Technorati Tags: Twitter
6 comments:
Fine list, Jen. I've added those I was missing. Thanks for the follow recommendations.
Jen, this is such a great list (and I'm not just saying that because I'm on it!). I was already following most of these people, but will add the rest to my roster. I think you can learn a lot about people by how they use Twitter -- both in what they post and in how they interact with others.
Much better list than the Huffington Post one, Jen, particularly for those of us who love crime fiction. I already followed almost everyone on your list, but added a couple more. Terrific list! Thank you. (And, I'm always proud to be on one of your lists!)
Thanks for the mention and for the list of all these cool folks.
ooooh, so excited to be on the list with all those amazing folks! And brett too!
Sophie,
I can't believe I am on the same list with you, either. Doesn't the restraining order apply to blogs as well?
Lee
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