Looking forward to 2016 reads

I often get so wrapped in the immediate list of things I have on my reading schedule that I don't look ahead more than that. I thought I'd stop looking at the ground for a little while and glance forward to see what I'm excited about on the reading horizon.

O.k. well, the first book isn't that much forward. It's actually tomorrow. Gregg Hurwitz's Orphan X is the first in a new series for him--and it's quite different, but I'll save that for the review. I've been feeling a little withdrawal since I didn't have any Hurwitz last year, but Orphan X is here, so I should get my fix and be fine again.

And next week is Alafair Burke's The Ex.  I haven't had an opportunity to read her books with Mary Higgins Clark, so I'm ready to tear into this one--another author I missed reading last year.

February is bringing The Opposite of Everyone by Joshilyn Jackson, Jo Nesbø's The Midnight Sun and a non-fiction title Incarceration Nations by a John Jay professor named Baz Dreisinger.

Also in February--it's a good month for books--is Daniel Black's Listen to the Lambs, Neal Griffin's A Voice from the Field,  and Johnny Shaw's Floodgate. Very different books, but all titles to look forward to.

One of the debut's I'm looking forward to comes out in February as well: Out of the Blues by Trudy Nan Boyce. 

March has Lyndsay Faye's Jane Steele, Lisa Lutz's The Passenger and a couple of historical fiction titles I'm excited about: Mrs. Houdini by Victoria Kelly and Hanging Mary by Susan Higginbotham.

And I have to admit I'm rather intrigued by Keri Smith's Wander Society.

Steve Hockensmith wants us to Give the Devil His Due in the next Tarot Card mystery, out in April along with Simon Van Booy's Father's Day.

We have to wait until September for the next Walt Longmire novel, but May will bring a new novella, The Highwayman.  I eagerly anticipate BOTH!

Also in May is another debut I'm excited about, Mission Hill by Pamela Wechsler. She's written for TV and now she's starting a legal thriller series. Another TV writer with a book out in May is Noah Hawley whose Before the Fall I'm looking forward to.

And...and...and...the next Fredrik Backman book comes out in May! Britt-Marie Was Here. I can hardly sit still when I type this. If you read My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, you'll know Britt-Marie was a character in that book. It sounds like the new one combines the best qualities of his first two books...but you know my feelings, everything about those two books were spectacular. I just can't wait for this one!  

Finally for May, John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard wrap up The Chronicles of the Invaders trilogy with Dominion. I've really enjoyed this YA series...and it's sci-fi. Who knew?

June brings back Shake Bouchon in Double Barrel Bluff (I just love his titles!). I can't wait for this book, partly because I want to read the Skype seen. Lou did research for that scene while we conducted an interview via Skype! But more than anything, I love Lou Berney's writing. It's such a treat whenever there's a new book from him.

Property of the State is out in June from Bill Cameron. This is a YA and I'm rather excited to see what Cameron is going to deliver in this younger age bracket.

Also breaking into the YA realm this year is Louis Bayard with Lucky Strikes. All one needs to say is that a new Bayard is coming, and I get goose bumps.

In August, Michael Koryta's second Mark Novak novel will come out. Which gives me time to read the first. It is one of the titles on my 2015 list I still hope to get to. And W. Bruce Cameron has another Repo Man book coming!

Sean Chercover will wrap up the Game Trilogy in September with a very fitting title, The Apocalypse Game. And Chris Holm releases Red Right Hand...another one I have to get to from my 2015 list is The Killing Kind. I have to do so before September!

Very quickly, a couple that have already released: Marcus Sakey's final book in the Brilliance trilogy: Written in Fire (does it seem like a lot of trilogies are wrapping up this year?!) and Reed Farrel Coleman's Where It Hurts. I reviewed Coleman's book for Shelf, but I have to get to Sakey's, I can't let that one go unread!

**Correction** Coleman's book comes out next week. It's only January and I'm already losing track of time. Good gracious!

Lots of goodness coming in 2016, right? I'm sure there's more I should have on my list, so let me know what you're looking forward to this year.

Happy Reading!

The End of 2015 - Part 2

If you missed it, yesterday I summed up my reading stats and shared my favorite audiobooks, debuts and non-fiction works. Today I'm going to reveal my favorite crime novels of 2015 and my favorite overall reads of 2015, so let's not waste any time. As with yesterday's lists, these are in no particular order.

My favorite 2015 crime novels:

Hush Hush by Laura Lippman - This return of Tess Monaghan was just spectacular. Laura Lippman knows how to spin a good yarn, pull you into and make the hours just disappear.

Dry Bones by Craig Johnson - "Save Jen!" Walt, Vic and a dinosaur, what's not to love? This series remains in my all time favorite list and Dry Bones epitomizes why. The dialogue is exceptional, the sense of place is rich, the characters are dynamic and the plot is fascinating. Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones is tops this year!

The Gates of Evangeline by Hester Young - If you missed yesterday's post then you won't know that I picked The Gates of Evangeline as one of my favorite debuts. And yes, I think it's good enough to make my overall favorites list as well. This was a book that kept me glued to the pages, and I look forward to what Hester Young does from here.

The Investigation by J.M. Lee - This translation from the original Korean is stunning. The story revolves around a central murder and then just builds in exquisite layer after layer from there. The Investigation is an appreciation of the arts in all forms. It's beautiful, inspirational, heart-wrenching and I very much hope that more of Lee's work makes it way to the U.S.

Woman With a Blue Pencil by Gordon McAlpine - It is quite rare for me to feel like I've happened on a truly unique story concept. And maybe this one has been done before, but I've not experienced it. The creative blending of plot lines made this one fascinating book. Its themes are especially poignant given our own political current events. This is a short one, but boy is it ever powerful.

House of the Rising Sun by James Lee Burke - Sadly it's been a little while since I've had a chance to pick up a James Lee Burke so my return with House of the Rising Sun was that much more delectable. I savored every beautiful word of this unparalleled tale of family, faith, betrayal and redemption.

The Promise by Robert Crais - Elvis Cole, Joe Pike, Maggie and Scott James. That's almost too much wonderfulness for one book. We waited awhile for this one and it was certainly worth it.

The Long and Faraway Gone by Lou Berney - Berney stepped away from his series character Shake Bouchon and took on a darker tone for this standalone proving he has a wide range of talent when it comes to storytelling. The psychological elements of this novel were intense and effective. Even if Berney's next work is paranormal romance, you can rest assured I'll read it.

The Devil's Game by Sean Chercover - While I mentioned this book several times as I was reading it, I'm ashamed to say I never got my review finished. So if you haven't picked this one up yet, I hope you'll give it a go. The follow-up to The Trinity Game kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. Daniel Byrne is a fascinating protagonist and I'm anxious to see where Chercover takes him next!

The Lake House by Kate Morton - In my interview with Kate Morton she told me that no one ever considers her a mystery writer. So here she is on my crime fiction list...officially a mystery writer. I guess I'm the late one to the Kate Morton party because this was my first experience reading her, and I was swept off my feet. She managed to surprise me (not easy) and envelope me in her grand fictional world...for almost 600 pages...and I never lost interest. Consider me now a Kate Morton evangelist!

So there you have my favorite crime novels and finally *drum roll* it's time for

My overall favorite reads of 2015:

Trigger Warnings by Neil Gaiman - This collection of short stories felt like the variety pack of chocolate candies. You know the commercial where the mom asks all the kids what they want and they all scream something different and she says, "I've got that!"? That's what Trigger Warnings is in literary form. Want poetry? He's got it. Want a crime story? He's got it. Want a love story? He's got that too. And of course the fantasy. Gaiman's talent is astounding and I'm embarrassed it took me as long as it did to discover it, but now that I have, there's no turning back!

Dry Bones by Craig Johnson - You can see above for my gushing, but I just can't resist repeating, "Save Jen!"

Woman With the Blue Pencil by Gordon McAlpine - Yep, another one you can reference from the first list.

House of the Rising Sun by James Lee Burke - I'm feeling like a broken record here.

The Investigation by J.M. Lee - Another one you can see above for my gushing...I'm a crime junkie through and through, even when I'm reading other stuff.

Mobile Library by David Whitehouse - Stop the presses, this one isn't repeated from the first list. This story was so delightful, packed with quirky and wonderful characters on a magical adventure. It still makes me smile even though I read it a year ago. If you missed it, find this one. So worth the read!

The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson - This is a repeated title from yesterday's lists where I lauded Wilson in both the non-fiction and audiobook lists. He's written a smart, funny and inspirational memoir that you don't have to be a fan of The Office to completely adore. If you ARE a fan, you'll adore it as well, I'm sure.

Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell - Another repeat from yesterday, this one as a favorite debut and favorite non-fiction. Michell has just won my heart with his tale of Juan Salvador the penguin.

Wanted by Chris Hoke - I think I hit that groove in the record where I'm repeating myself again. Chris Hoke's book was on my lists for favorite non-fiction and favorite debuts as well. Wanted is masterfully written and so incredibly powerful. It's a book that will resonant with me for a very long time.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman - If Backman needs disciples, I'd like to sign up. Last year I shouted from the rooftops about A Man Called Ove, this year I'm equally enamored by Grandmother. I described this book recently as fantasy wrapped in reality and while that sounds a bit ridiculous, I think it sums up the Escher-esque complexity of this wonderful book. It stole my heart and there was no doubt at all that it would be on this list.

So, there you have it! That sums up the great reads of my year. Of course there are a stack of books I really wanted to get to and haven't yet--I'm not giving up yet, but there are also fabulous books for 2016 starting to hit my pile as well. 2015 was great and I have high hopes for 2016 as well. Please, let me know what topped your reading lists this year. I'm excited to know.

Happy reading and happy end to 2015. May your 2016 be full of exceptional reading material.

The Long and Faraway Gone - Lou Berney

My review of Lou Berney's The Long and Faraway Gone first appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers. I am posting it here today with their permission. If you missed my interview with Lou, be sure to check it out here.

First line: "In summer, season of the Hollywood blockbuster, Bingham got to work at eight in the morning and didn't leave until long after midnight."

The Long and Faraway Gone is Lou Berney's third novel, a standalone that deviates dramatically in genre, tone and style from his first two caper novels featuring Shake Bouchon. By trading Shake's madcap humor and exotic locales for a dark, psychologically suspenseful crime story set in Oklahoma City, Berney proves his writing skills reach long and far.

Wyatt Rivers and Julianna Rosales both experienced traumas during the summer of 1986. Wyatt has spent his life running from that past, while Julianna desperately searches for answers, agitating sleeping dogs best left alone. When his job forces him to return to his hometown twenty-five years later, Wyatt's pulled back into the violent tragedy he tried so hard to escape. Meanwhile, Julianna learns recently released felon may be the key to all her questions. She'll go to any length to find out, even if it puts her life at risk.

The dark, ominous tone, coupled with convincingly creepy and immoral suspects makes The Long and Faraway Gone an intensely spine-chilling mystery. But more than that, it's an emotional dissection of crime and those impacted by violent losses. Berney's compassion for each character makes an entire cast of delectably authentic and dimensional people.

Some elements of Berney's style remain the same. Dialogue continues to flow naturally, reflecting character and setting. A strong sense of place triggers vivid imagery. And his subtle, well-placed humor cinches the novel's realism. Readers who haven't discovered Lou Berney yet should take this golden opportunity to get acquainted. Those who have will certainly relish this story-telling gem.

The Long and Faraway Gone is available in trade paperback (ISBN: 9780062292438) from William Morrow.

Book Swag

I'm in the midst of a "life project" I guess you could say. I'm working on de-cluttering my house. I've lived here for almost 14 years now and I've managed to accumulate too much stuff. So each weekend I've been putting in time working on sorting through my belongings and finding things that just don't need to be here anymore. I've made many donation bags, recycle bags and trash bags (less of the latter thankfully). Anyway, as I've been going through things a lot of promotional or incentive type items connected to books have been striking my notice. I think because it's harder for me to decide if I should keep them or not. They're nifty and some have sentimental meaning to me, so it's not as easy to part with as say an old t-shirt or a gazillion pens and pencils!

Anyway, you'll probably hear more about that project later because I've also been reading some books in connection with my efforts--this is serious stuff, y'all! But today I wanted to talk about the book swag because some of it is pretty creative. With the mountain of competition for people's reading time, some authors (or their publicists/marketing people/whoever) are coming up with innovative ways to draw attention to their books. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Lou Berney made playing cards for Gutshot Straight (a poker term). The pictures on the cards correlate to details in the book--if I had the whole set I'd invite you over to play Spades:

2. A cute little cinch sack has Rosemary Harris' Dirty Business Mystery, Dead Head, screened on it. I'm using it currently to hold my knitting project. Very handy!

3. Coffee and tea! I won the coffee at Ben Winters' Cleveland book event. It's Hank Palace Blend from White Mountain Gourmet Coffee. Cool that they supported Ben's books like that. And the tea is from a xuni client, Chrysler Szarlan. Tea Trekker created a special blend of tea to go along with her debut novel, The Hawley Book of the Dead.

4. Craig Johnson has a number of fun items in what he refers to as the "Walt Mart." The bumper sticker and license plate adorn the Longmire section of my personal library. And I haven't found the right place for the Boy Howdy sticker, yet, but Steamboat hangs from my car's rearview mirror.

5. Some folks go for music. Both Meg Gardiner and John Connolly have put together soundtracks to their books.

6. And of course, I can't not mention Robert Crais' Maggie tennis ball or Joe Pike temporary tattoos. I figure this next book has been delayed because they're trying to come up with a promo item to top those!

These are a few of my personal gems. How about you? Do you have book swag that you especially prize? What creative ways have you found authors promoting their books?

An Interview with Lou Berney

Lou Berney is a novelist, short story writer and screenwriter when he isn't teaching at Oklahoma City University. I've been a rabid great fan of his writing since I discovered his debut, Gutshot Straight, featuring ex-con Shake Bouchon.

Berney's third novel, a standalone called The Long and Faraway Gone, comes out Tuesday and I'm covering it for Shelf Awareness, so you'll hear about the book a little later. In the meantime, Lou and I connected via Skype to chat about all of his writing and provide a little first-hand research for his next Shake Bouchon caper.

Both Gutshot Straight and Whiplash River had nuggets of inspiration from somewhat unusual origins. But The Long and Faraway Gone is a story that hits a little closer to home for Berney.

There are two parallel plot lines in the novel. The first features Wyatt Rivers, a Las Vegas detective. His job takes him back to Oklahoma City, the hometown he left years ago trying to escape the trauma of his youth. The second is based around Julianna Rosales. She never left and is unable to move on after her ordeal from childhood. Julianna's unhealthy obsession is threatening her job and livelihood, but she's determined to find answers, regardless of the price.

Berney says both are "stories I always knew I was going to write." He's had their inspirations mulling around in his creative mind since his own childhood. "A murder happened in Oklahoma City when I was thirteen. The employees of a restaurant were walked into the freezer in the restaurant's kitchen and the armed men killed them. At the time I was working in a burger joint not far away. I would work late nights and we had a walk-in freezer as well. That event really created a tremendous sense of fear for me."

The other event that served as a seed for The Long and Faraway Gone happened when Berney was working in a movie theater. "Two girls went missing at a county fair. I worked with their mother and she still came to work after they disappeared. I wondered how she could work after everything that happened."

Even though both events happened in Berney's teenage years, it wasn't until recently that he decided they would work well together. And that was the beginning of The Long and Faraway Gone.

Throwing the various pieces into a blender and punching puree, Berney produced more fiction than fact for this story, but there's still much rooted in his personal experiences.

The murder takes place in a movie theater. Having worked in one myself as a teenager, I identified the details only a veteran employee would be able to illustrate so authentically. For Berney, he says, "It's the best job ever and the worst job ever. You could let your friends in and be very popular, have free popcorn and soda and watch movies. But the smell and the grease of having to clean out the popcorn machine each night. It was like a coffin and you practically had to get in it to clean it out." Readers may just end up with an unexplained craving for popcorn.

Those familiar with the Shake Bouchon novels know Berney loves to use exotic locales. He says, "it's a challenge to go to countries and then bring it all back to write the books, but it's also good to separate because what you do remember is what's vital." And Berney has a knack for this setting development. The world of Shake Bouchon always fills the story with color while still allowing the caper to be the main focus. He says this is absolutely on purpose, "Shake is experiencing a heightened life after being in prison, he's appreciating the freedom and all that's around him."

But Berney chose to keep his setting for The Long and Faraway Gone in his hometown and the location of the inspiring events, Oklahoma City. The reason for this? "Setting is vital to noir. I wanted something fresh, something not L.A., Chicago or New York. A lot is changing and has changed in the last decade in Oklahoma City. Last night I went to a reading where a couple of years ago you would have been afraid to park your car. Now it's fancy restaurants and boutique shops."

In his reference to noir, it's worth mentioning that The Long and Faraway Gone is a foreboding tale about people dealing with the most emotionally and psychologically challenging parts of their lives. Creating the book was a bleak part of the author's life as well, "I become very emotionally tied to the characters, so writing The Long and Faraway Gone was a darker period for me." That said, humor might not be the first thing people anticipate from this novel, but Berney deftly works it into the plot. And he explains its role, "Humor is real life. I never try to be funny. That would be death, but things happen in life that are funny and to deny that is being untrue."

One of the characters Berney employs to sneak in that humor is Candace, a former Vegas dancer who's inherited an Oklahoma City nightclub. She's having issues with a mystery person who doesn't seem to want her to own the nightclub, so Wyatt's on assignment to investigate the strange occurrences haunting Candace. Berney speaks fondly of his spirited character, "Candace wasn't inspired by anyone, but she took on a life of her own almost right away so I said I'd just stay out of her way and see what she does. Turns out she brings out Wyatt's true side."

A multi-layered plot cast with dynamic characters and garnished with Berney's signature humor sounds much like the Shake Bouchon novels, but certainly one doesn't write a dark mystery like a crime caper. "The real difference was in my approaches. With the Shake books I'm always writing for what's going to happen next. In The Long and Faraway Gone it's about what's in the past, and there are three mysteries to solve. That's a very different writing experience."

As is another element of Berney's writing life, screenwriting. When I inquired as to how it all shakes out in the wash, he said, "I think out a story idea thoroughly before starting. I don't want to get 40 pages in and decide it isn't a novel. But The Long and Faraway Gone could never have been a screenplay; there was just too much going on."

What did become a screenplay, however, is a movie Berney takes the writing credit for that I watched recently. Angel's Sing is the first of his screenplays to be made. This particular film is a book adaptation. Fitting, yes? I inquired about the differences in writing a screenplay from scratch as opposed to an adaptation. "It differs based on the producer, " he explained. "Some will come in and say, 'let's see what you can do with it.' Others may say, 'we want this, this and this to stay consistent with the book, you have free reign with the rest.'" Even though he regularly reminded me that approximately 90% of what he wrote was changed at some state, there are Berney thumbprints on this adaptation. "I encouraged the musical element since it was going to be set in Austin, and the tone was less serious than the book."

Lou Berney has a number of great quips about working for Hollywood, one of which references how a person can make a living without ever actually having their work made. So is having the movie filmed any different from turning in a script that never sees the screen? "Oh yeah, nothing compares to hearing your words--words that you wrote--from an actor on screen." Hearing Kris Kristofferson sing "Folsom Prison Blues" in an impromptu jam session on set isn't too shabby either.

The Long and Faraway Gone comes out Tuesday from William Morrow. Angel's Sing (Lion's Gate), as well as both Shake Bouchon novel--Gutshot Straight and Whiplash River--(also William Morrow) are all available now. You can connect with Lou on Facebook, Twitter or his book tour if he's in your area. And I'll be anticipating the Skype scene in the forthcoming third Shake Bouchon caper!

Left Coast Crime (A Little Tardy)

I sincerely apologize for my tardiness in getting this post written for you. Left Coast Crime was such a wonderful time this year (except for transportation back to the airport, but we'll not go there--I might cry). I think I said this last year, but in case you weren't around then or I am mistaken, this is such a great conference and if you enjoy mystery and crime fiction, you need to attend at least once. It's the perfect size, the programming is wonderful, you have great opportunities to interact with others. It is really a gem in the crime fiction world. I hear say that Hawaii is the destination in a few years. I might be starting to save up for that one! Anyway...let's talk about Monterey.

If you follow the Facebook page, you may have already seen the video of Toastmaster Brad Parks introducing Guest of Honor Sue Grafton for her interview. For those who did not see it, I give you, "Keep Away from Alphabet Sue":



Throughout the course of the interview Sue Grafton shared many fun stories. She was animated and engaged. She talked about her frustrations writing in Hollywood--and not selling the rights to Kinsey Milhone, the books that came before A is for Alibi, the trouble she's having with her present novel (X), and the great support she gets from her publisher. She spoke about "Shadow" and the "death cookie" and how she knows someone is the child of an alcoholic. Sue wowed the crowd and Brad did a stellar job giving her the platform to do so. An exceptional interview indeed!

Brad didn't get much of a break on that Thursday as he had to turn around and MC opening night. Here he put on his liturgical robes and led the convention in the crime fiction reader's prayer.  You can see the prayer in its entirety here and pray it yourself tonight.

As always, opening night was a nice chance to mingle and chat. A very special treat this year was getting to meet my online friend Sarah RH.  I've made some of the best friendships online but getting to meet the people in person is always the ultimate treat.

In an effort to keep from writing a mile long blog post, I won't detail all the panels I attended. It's kind of late for that and I'm sure you'd get bored anyway. So I'm going to give you a Top 10 list of things I took away from Left Coast Crime panels:

10.  There's now a frozen yogurt shop in Buffalo, Wyoming called THE COLD DISH. I want to visit it!

9. Tim Hallinan was motivated to be a writer after he wrote his teacher a love poem.

8. There is a humor ghetto in crime fiction. Did you know that? I love humor in my books...topic for another blog post later, so tune in again on that topic.

7.  Lou Berney used Trip Advisor as a weapon in his novel Whiplash River. A lot of readers like to use Goodreads or Amazon that way, don't they? Wielding the powerful review!

6. Tim Hallinan, David Morrell and Sophie Littlefield all agreed that bad sex writing is worse than any other bad writing. Amen to that!

5. Lisa Brackmann, in a discussion on gender in crime fiction, said PTSD is PTSD regardless of gender. The difference comes in the additional obstacles women have to overcome in the military.

4. In a screenwriting panel, I learned there's a saying in Hollywood: "It's the only place on Earth you can die of encouragement."

3. Kent Krueger said he never understood winter until he moved to Minnesota--through his books, he wanted to help anyone anywhere understand that winter. (I'm sure that's especially true after this winter, right?)

2. One of Marcia Clark's goals in writing the Rachel Knight series is to depict the reality of female relationships.

1. And the top item goes to Kent Krueger who gave kudos to mystery readers saying they love to do a lot of the work in the reading process. So the writers only have to provide them a snippet and they take it from there.

A special award must be noted for Johnny Shaw. He made Brad Parks swear in front of his mother during their panel.

As a teacher I assured my students there is no such thing as a stupid question. As a panel attendee, I've learned how very untrue that really is. *sigh*

The programming was truly outstanding at this convention and I enjoyed every panel I attended, as well as the panel I moderated. We had standing room only--wow! So thanks to everyone who attended and to the great panelists with me: Janet Rudolph, Maddee James, August McLaughlin and Chantelle Osman. We had a great time talking about social media, but we could have talked MUCH longer.

The panels are always fun and I always take away interesting tidbits from them, but the true gems of these conventions come in the most unexpected encounters. I loved talking with Johnny Shaw and Erica Ruth before the awards banquet. I had the opportunity to meet several spouses--and parents--at this conference. So nice to meet people I hear about but haven't ever seen. I got to talk about dogs--and Harry Connick, Jr.!--with Lou Berney. Having dinner with Sophie Littlefield, Juliet Blackwell, Gigi Pandian and Maddee James was another highlight. I didn't have near enough time with my dear friend Lesa Holstine, but even if I had spent every minute with her, it wouldn't have been enough time. :-)

So, when you make your plans for your next convention, attend the panels--they're definitely great fun. But make sure you snatch up your own little gems as well!

Happy Reading, my friends!

Bouchercon 2013!

I'm sure many of you know that the panel schedule for Bouchercon 2013 was posted yesterday, so now I can officially talk about the panels I'll be moderating this year (and beg you to come if you're attending).

I've had tremendous experiences moderating and interviewing at Bouchercons and Murder & Mayhems, and each experience has been special in its own way. What makes this year extra special is that I was very generously given a significant say in setting up my panels. So if they flop, it's all on me!

O.k. Forbus enough mumbo jumbo, get to the point, right? Here we go.

I have two panels. The first one will be Thursday at 1:20 and it's "You're Only Human: Secret powers & other little-known talents that would make us great Super Heroes...or Villains." My incredible line-up of authors for this panel includes Catriona McPherson, Daniel Palmer, Tom Schreck, Zoë Sharp, Michael Wiley  and the villain part of the panel...Brad Parks. :-) Capes and masks are optional. I have a strong suspicion that there will be much laughing going on in this panel. Plus I'm brainstorming a contest so there will likely be extra incentive to attend!

The second panel is Friday at 3:10. This one is "Stop in Nevada: If the IRS asks, it's research: places we've visited, people we've met and boneheaded things we've tried, all in the name of a story." My stellar authors for this panel include: Lou Berney, Alafair Burke, Dana Cameron, Sean Chercover, and Chris Holm. Holy freaking cow, right? I'm hoping to unearth some unusual, exciting and entertaining stories from these masters. I hope you'll join us. I'd like to do something creative with this panel, too, but an idea hasn't hit me as quickly as with my other panel. We'll see what I can conjure up.


If you're attending, I hope you'll put us on your schedule. I'm committed to providing everyone...panelists and audience alike...a fun time. If you've been sitting on the fence about whether to attend or not, take the plunge...come join in the fun. 

And in other regular Friday news, I'm still working on the new schedule for 5 on Fridays. I've sent out some new invites and am sending out more, so stay tuned on that front. We will be continuing!

Contests this week:

There's still time to enter to win the entire Agatha Raisin series at Criminal Element.  They also have a children's graphic novel up for grabs: Revenge of the Lizard Club.

Friday Reads has Charles Todd's A Question of Honor this week in their giveaway.

Grand Central Publishing is giving away three copies of Psych's Guide to Crime Fighting. I haven't watched TV in ages, but I loved that show when I did watch. As goofy as it was, it always made me laugh.

And William Morrow has a JA Jance sweepstakes going on their Facebook page.

And I have two other links I want to share with you before I turn you loose for your weekend. First is Pop Culture Nerd's Stalker Award Voting. Be sure to mosey over there before the 20th at 9PM Pacific and vote.

The other link is this one from BookRiot that absolutely cracked me up this week. If you didn't see my post of it on Facebook, it's a must read! Shit Book Snobs Say - A Translation

That's all for me this Friday. Have a super great weekend and happy reading, my friends!

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Isabelle

We had a few critters fall through this month, so you're now forced to meet one of MY critters. Isabelle was smitten with Lou Berney's book, Whiplash River, from the moment I received the ARC. She's a very skittish little girl, but she loves her exciting crime novels. She reads this one again and again.

Izzy tells me that she wishes Shake would come live with us because she's sure he would make her tasty fish to eat instead of the boring old kibble I serve up. And she thinks Lou Berney is a very funny writer. She keeps bugging me to ask for her to be in the next book with Shake. She thinks she would make a much better partner for Shake than Gina. ;-)

Since we have a cat today, I'll provide a cat-specific pet tip: Cats will make a plaything out of any item, so keep blind cords out of your cats reach to avoid strangulation; keep yarn and needles secured and out of reach to prevent them being swallowed; keep toxins out of their reach (maybe install baby locks on the doors?). In general, cat-proof your home!

If you missed Monday's critters with Craig Johnson, be sure to go back and check out the contest for his new Walt Longmire book!

My Favorite Reads of 2012!

Here it is, the last day of 2012 and I have for you my list of favorite reads for this year. This was an odd year for me reading-wise. I read some spectacular books, discovered some great new-to-me authors and on the flip side, I think I put down more books than in past years because I just didn't connect with them at all. And while this isn't unusual, I did have distinctly different reactions to a number of books that were quite popular with other readers. I can be weird like that!

To give you an idea of what I started with, out of my 90 reads this year, I first removed the books that are January 2013 publications (I had 6 -- I've never had that many read ahead before), and I then highlighted the books that I felt were contenders this year: 18 books, plus 3 debuts I'll mention at the end. From that I winnowed it down to the list you see below. It was hard as all 18 were fabulous reads, books I've recommended to others and more than worth the time and money invested in them. I'd say I was a pretty lucky reader this year! So I ended up cheating a tad bit. I removed 3 more titles...I'll mention at the end...that weren't classified crime fiction novels. And I combined two titles that were by the same author. Hopefully, you'll forgive me my little cheats. :-)

But enough blather, let's get to the fun part. And don't forget to leave your favorites in the comments.

10.  Astride a Pink Horse - This was the first time I had read Robert Greer, and Astride a Pink Horse is, hopefully, the start to a new series for him. The plot was complex, the characters were dimensional, the themes were strong and thought-provoking. If this is the start to a new series, it's one I'll want to follow.

9. Jack 1939 - Again, this was the first time I had read Francine Mathews, but reading Jack has made me want to pick up all of her back list. This book was so smart and fascinating; it was one of those historical fiction novels that had me running to Google regularly to see what was fact and what was fiction.

8. The Prophet - Michael Koryta returned to a straight crime novel this year and it was a beaut! The rich symbolism throughout the novel elevated it beyond a simple crime story. Throughout his writing career he's continued to improve his character development, which is astounding given that he was exceptional at character development since book one. The Prophet is full of contrasting characters, defying stereotypes and endearing readers.

7.  Gone Girl - This was one time I didn't differ with the masses of readers who loved this book. Gillian Flynn wrote an incredible novel. She defied the likable, empathetic character notion and kept her readers hanging on with a smart, unpredictable plot. Flynn's pushing the boundaries of crime fiction and coming up with an amazing result.

6. Taken - Robert Crais continues to keep the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series fresh with powerful themes and engrossing plots. And unlike a lot of series characters, we continue to learn about Cole and Pike with every book. Taken hits you deep down in the soul.

5. Whiplash River/Gutshot Straight -  Once again I'll apologize for my endless talk about Lou Berney's Shake Bouchon crime capers, but good golly am I glad I found them. They are just fun books. And while Shake is not your pristine hero-type character, you can't help but adore him. I love the constant action of these books; the settings are spectacular; and the dialogue is first class. In my humble opinion, if you want to know how to do a crime caper right, you study these books cover to cover!

4. The Trinity Game - Holy Cow. Sorry, no pun intended on this one. We waited patiently for the return of Sean Chercover and boy did he deliver. This is just a powerfully written, complex story with unique characters. It was also a pretty gutsy book to write. The themes are very touchy for many American readers, but I think Chercover handled it all with grace and elegance. I cannot wait for the next book!

3. The Cut - While I didn't end up reviewing this one, I listened to it back in January on audio (it was an August 2011 release); time factors prevented me from reviewing it at a time that would allow me to do the book justice. And it deserved justice. It is a flat out amazing start to a new series character for George Pelecanos. All the elements that make Pelecanos great are present: the gray characters, the dark atmosphere, the suspenseful pace, the beautiful prose. How the man juggles as much as he does--and still does it all at a level of superiority most of us can never begin to fathom--is beyond me. I'm constantly in awe of his work.

2.  Live by Night - Gosh I always look forward to Dennis Lehane's work. It's simply amazing. His writing is poetic, his characters are relateable and larger-than-life at the same time, the plots keep you glued to the book then devastated when you've turned the last page. The atmosphere of Live by Night was the strongest I think Lehane's created. Taking him out of Boston did nothing to shake this man's talent. This is definitely a book I see standing the test of time.

1. The Survivor - When a story haunts me as much as The Survivor did, I know it's an exceptional book. Some characters just seem to take up residence in my soul after I've finished reading. They hang around with me and we have discussions in my mind about the story. Please don't call in the psych doctors, I'd be devastated if anyone ever took this silent pleasure away. Most of us will never have to deal with psychotic bank robbers threatening our families, but symbolically, this is the story of life's true super heroes; it's the story of how people react and adapt to life's sick sense of humor. It made me laugh, it made me cry and it made me tell everyone they need to read it. How Gregg Hurwitz continues to top himself book after book is inspiring. He'll have a hard time topping two stellar books in a row, but I wouldn't put it past him.

So, there is my list that I hemmed an hawed over. But indeed I think it's the most accurate reflection of my favorite reads this year. That being said, I have to give recognition to three books that you won't find in the crime fiction aisle of the bookstore. These three are books that I removed because they were strong contenders with the ten above and I wasn't sure how to integrate them:

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend (Matthew Dicks)
The Round House (Louise Erdrich)
On the Outside Looking Indian (Rupinder Gill) - this one actually a non-fiction

The two fiction books revolve around a crime element, but the powers that be in marketing have labeled them as literary fiction or general fiction, I guess. And On the Outside Looking Indian is probably the most unique for me because it's a memoir. I'm not much of a memoir reader, so I think that says a lot about the book!

And then I wanted to give kudos to three debut novels I read this year that were just outstanding and I see these authors doing amazing things (one already is since I read her debut late):

Bloodman (Robert Pobi)
Playing Dead (Julia Heaberlin)
The Things That Keep Us Here (Carla Buckley)

If you did not read my review of Carla Buckley's sophomore novel, Invisible, in Shelf Awareness this month, you'll have a chance to do so this week on the blog. Her debut was a great indicator of amazing things to come!

So, that's it for me for 2012. Next month I'll celebrate five years blogging here at Jen's Book Thoughts. It doesn't seem possible, but it's been so much fun talking books with all of you over the years.  Thanks for joining in the fun. Here's hoping 2013 is full of more book wonderfulness for us all.

Happy Reading and Happy New Year, all!

2012 Favorite Audiobooks

Since the number of audiobooks I listened to this year was about half of what I listened to last year, I thought it appropriate that I choose my top five, otherwise my top 10 would be almost 50 percent of what I listened to. That's kind of silly. Staying to five is a challenge because I listened to some great audiobooks this year, but I'm up for it.

Here are the five audiobooks that I felt overall were the best listening experiences of my 2012 year (note that they were not necessarily produced this year; I listened to them this year):

5. Mr Timothy. Written by Louis Bayard and narrated by Mark Honan for AudioGo. This audio kept me company on my drive back from Washington D.C. the week before Christmas (how appropriate). The time period and atmosphere were communicated beautifully through Honan's narration. He brought out the age and maturity levels of the characters and nailed the spunk of the young Collin. Louis Bayard is a brilliant writer and none of his eloquence or art was lost in Honan's translation. Wonderfully done.

4. The Wind Through the Keyhole. Written and narrated by Stephen King for Simon and Schuster Audio. Believe it or not, this was my first foray into King's written work. I've seen several of the movie adaptations of his work, but this was the first time hearing his actual words. And while I'm not typically a fantasy reader, I loved the layers of meaning in this story. The biggest shocker, however, is that King is a fantastic narrator. I typically shy away from audios narrated by their authors because writing a book does not make a person a good narrator. As a matter of fact, very few authors have the performance talent necessary to narrate their own work. But this was stellar, so it was a treat to hear King's own interpretation of his work.

3. Invisible Murder. Written by Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis, narrated by Katherine Kellgren for AudioGo. Kellgren did such a spectacular job with the various dialects in this suspense thriller. The ease with which she handled all ages and genders made the audio flow so smoothly that the fact it WAS an audio simply faded into the background as the story took center stage.

2. Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend. Written by Matthew Dicks, narrated by Matthew Brown for Macmillan Audio. It's not technically a crime fiction audiobook, but there is a crime element. And regardless of genre, it's an amazing audiobook. The story is heartwarming but also extremely challenging. Brown had to bring out the additional dimension of imaginary friends, the dimension in which they reside and people are only tangentially connected. Brown nailed it; the recording is brilliant and unforgettable.

1. Gutshot Straight. Written by Lou Berney, narrated by Edoardo Ballerini for Audible, Inc. There are probably a lot of people tired of hearing me recommend Lou Berney this year. I had a copy of Gutshot Straight in print for quite awhile, but hadn't gotten around to reading it. So, I picked up the audio and kicked myself for not reading it sooner. However, had I read it sooner, I would not likely have picked up the audio and enjoyed the best listening experience of 2012. Ballerini did such a magnificent job narrating this all-around fun crime caper. He seemed to be on the same wave length with both Berney and Shake. I was entranced; I laughed; I exercised extra just so I could listen longer. Superb! My favorite audiobook of 2012.

There you have it! My favorite audios. Now let me know what you listened to this year that you really liked. Did anyone try audios for the first time? Anyone putting them on their list to try for 2013? The hardest list is next. Narrowing down my favorite reads of 2012. Check back on Monday. In the mean time, have a wonderful weekend and HAPPY READING!

Favorite First Lines & Covers

I was looking back over my reading spreadsheet for this year and I started to fall behind on keeping track of what I read this year. So, I'm not exactly sure of final totals, but it is somewhere in the vicinity of 95ish books total, a little low which I expected because of all the change this year. I am committing to keeping better track in 2013 and hopefully reading a bit more. But, from what I did accurately track I can tell you that I read at least 77 different authors; at least 54 of the authors were new to me; and at least 13 were debut novels. My audiobook total was the area that took the hardest hit. I listened to about 23 audiobooks. Past years it's been closer to 50 percent of my total. I'm also going to work on getting that back up in 2013 by dedicating at least an hour for walking each day, and I'll listen to audio then.

How about you all? Any areas of your reading that you'd like to work on in 2013? Anything from 2012 that you're especially proud of? A new author you tried? A different genre? Or even sub-genre of crime fiction? Did you discover you loved (or hated) something that surprised you? Share with us in the comments!

This is my week of favorites lists for this year. I'm going to include a new one today and that's my favorite covers and first lines. I have to admit that I am not a connoisseur of covers. I don't buy books because of the covers or reject books because of the covers (at least to date--if a cover really offended me I'd probably not buy it). So take my five choices with a grain of salt. Now on the other hand, first lines are something that I definitely pay attention to; that's why I include them on my reviews. And of course these choices are only from the books I read this year--it also doesn't include any 2013 publications I've read this month.

My Top Five Favorite Covers:

5. Boca Daze. I have often commented about walking down the mystery aisle in a bookstore or library. There's a sea of black, with red and white speckled in. The books that stand out to me are the ones that are NOT black. And the cover of Boca Daze just screams fun without looking preposterous. Since I had an early copy of this one, my cover was just boring black and white. The final cover is a masterpiece.

4. The Prophet. I really have to tip my hat to the Little, Brown folks because this was a bit of a gamble. I know there was some concern about people not wanting to buy the book with the dead bird on the cover. That didn't stop Koryta from hitting the NYT bestseller list with it, though. This is a cover that was tuned into the content of the book and was unique to the book. Nice call on this cover!

3. Whiplash River. I love the pure simplicity of this cover and how well it articulates the constant movement of the book. And again, I think the cover is in tune with the unique elements of the book.

2. Taken. The atmosphere of this cover is what first grabs my attention. I have a large version of this cover hanging on my library wall. It embraces the impending doom that boils in the novel while still showing a ray of hope. And the reflection is equally befitting the content of the novel. This one was well planned out.

1. The Survivor. At first glance this cover may not look like much, but the power behind the itty bitty man on his precipice is breathtaking. If you miss that little man (as I did at first because I was so excited to read a new Gregg Hurwitz book), it changes the cover completely. When I closed this book and really looked at the cover I was blown away. Again, the simplicity of the image was what did it. The enormity of the message in the simple graphic arrangement is stunning. I love this cover. Hands down, my favorite this year.

My Top Five Favorite First Lines:

5. Julia Heaberlin's  PLAYING DEAD:

"Despite its name, Ponder, Texas, pop. 1,101, isn't a very good place to think."

 This opening line is a good chuckle, but it all sets the scene and the atmosphere immediately. I was very excited to read this debut novel after that opening line.

4. Chris Grabenstein's FUN HOUSE:

"He wasn't happy about it, but last night my partner John Ceepak became a TV star."

Chris Grabenstein is a master of first lines. This first line may hold more attraction to readers of the series who already know John Ceepak, but even if you don't have that background, you know quite a tale is close on the heels of this opening sentence.

3. Ace Atkins's THE LOST ONES:

"A couple of roustabouts had been asking about guns at the Tibbehah County Fair, but by the time the word had gotten back to Donnie Varner, they'd long since packed up their Ferris wheel, corn dog stands and shit, and boogied on down the highway."
I love how Atkins's language brings out the setting of the novel. It also seems to add a scent to the air and a color to the page. Even though I know this is going to be a crime novel, I end up with a warm feeling from the way he puts his words together on the page.

2. Gar Anthony Haywood's ASSUME NOTHING:

"His last night in Florida, Joe Reddick remembered the blood in the goldfish bowl."

And the whole book follows suit with that. It's such a startling image to really grab the reader as soon as he/she opens the book!

1. Robert Pobi's BLOODMAN:

"Two hundred feet below the rolling metal surface of the Atlantic, a handful of ghosts skittered along the ocean floor in a jerky seesaw roll, furling and unfurling in a diluvial ballet."

The imagery of this statement is a mix of fun and fear. Bloodman was one of those rare books that taps the paranormal (just slightly) and I still love it and buy into it. It would have been hard to dislike the book after this opening sentence. This is another debut novel, by the way.

I went back and forth with about three other first lines that were great from my reading this year, but I wanted to keep each of these lists today to five, so I determined these five first lines to be my favorite.

Tomorrow I should have my favorite audios of 2012 and Monday will be my overall favorite reads of the year. I hope you'll check back and share your favorites as well! Happy Reading!

Crime Fiction's Sexiest Male Authors of 2012

Last year to much applause and a bit of todo, I posted Crime Fiction's Sexiest Male Authors and Sexiest Female Authors. Due to the great demand, I'm bringing you 2012's issue of Crime Fiction's Sexiest Authors. Today I'll share the men with you and Monday the ladies will take the spotlight. And I have to tell you, I'm thinkin' People Magazine should start taking a closer look at the authors in this genre!

If you missed last year's fun, you can see the gents here and the ladies here. And a reminder that this all started with the "You Know You're An English Major If..." post that included, "you consider authors to be sex symbols."

My first dilemma was the fact that last year's authors have not lost their sexy. I mean short of jumping on Oprah's sofa, you don't lose that in one year. So, I must take a moment to recognize them. That said, this genre is chock full of sexy writers, so this year we have some new folks who deserve to be recognized. Like last year, I requested permission to include everyone on the list. They may not know what they got themselves into, but here we go...

SEXIEST AUTHOR FROM ACROSS THE POND

Martyn is revealed as Tania Carver!

Martyn Waites hails from the UK, but we won't hold that against him. Just kidding! Martyn's talents include acting, voice work and writing. He spent time teaching drama to teenage ex-offenders. Now he opts for a slightly safer job, co-writing with his wife Linda as Tania Carver. And of course he also writes solo under his own name.

Martyn always has a smile and story; he's also a great listener and gives those around him his undivided attention. He's funny and generous and a great shopper! Martyn has my admiration as a writer and as a gentleman. He's more than earned a 2012 sexy crime writer award!

Martyn and his wife Linda write the Brennan/Esposito thrillers as Tania Carver. As Martyn Waites, his most recent series features information broker Joe Donovan. If you love a dark, exciting thriller, be sure to check out Martyn's work.

SEXIEST AUTHOR WHO HAS ALSO WRITTEN A SCREENPLAY

Another sexy qualification: Lou is open to new experiences!

Anyone who can make me laugh like Lou Berney almost gets an automatic sexiest award. Funny is most definitely sexy. What sets Lou apart from the rest, however, is his genuine kindness. He's thankful and thoughtful; recently when he shared stories with me about his wife's job, he sealed his place on this year's list. First his obvious admiration for the person he married was inspiring. The fact that he so appreciates the good she's doing was heart-warming.

Lou is also a very modest man. He will gladly tell you about his admiration for other writers, but he will not tell you that he is an incredible writer. His intelligent wit and creative mind turn out stories that are an extra-special treat to all a reader's senses. And it gives me great pleasure to tell you what he will not. Lou has written two wonderfully fun capers to date (and I'm anxiously awaiting the next): GUTSHOT STRAIGHT and WHIPLASH RIVER.

I am thrilled and excited to include Lou Berney as one of 2012's Sexiest Crime Fiction Authors.

Sometimes new experiences have unexpected results, though.

SEXIEST AUTHOR WHO ISN'T AFRAID TO GET HIS HANDS DIRTY

Maybe this is a little of my personal bias (o.k. this whole post is my personal bias), but I think a do-it-yourself kinda guy is certainly sexy. Craig Johnson has a complete "do-it-yourself" mentality. He built his home, cuts his firewood, and yes, he writes his own books! He writes an incredible series of books. The range of emotions one experiences reading a Walt Longmire tale sets the expectation bar high for others in this genre. They are intellectually stimulating, funny bone tickling, and time stealing gems.

Plus, there's something to be said for an author who includes on his event schedule "Closed Event - Playtime with the Granddaughter."

And of course, there's always the hat--who can resist the hat (the horses can't, either)?

 SEXIEST AUTHOR WHO WROTE UNDER A PEN NAME

Gar and his lovely Mrs. Gar

I started reading Gar Anthony Haywood's work fairly recently. After I finished the first book, I wanted to know why this genre was keeping the man such a secret! He blew my socks off. But many people knew what I was just discovering. Gar is an extremely talented and versatile writer. He can do dark, dark crime novels as brilliantly as he does comic crime novels.

Gar has an enormous personality and it's a joy to simply be in the same room with him. To hear him tell stories and make jokes...there's an obvious love and appreciation of life that emanates from Gar. It's contagious and that is certainly sexy. I look forward to every opportunity I have to see Gar.  And in the interims, I enjoy his books.

Gar's P.I. Aaron Gunner recently had a rebirth. All six of the books in the series were made available as ebooks through Mysterious Press. His most recent new book is called ASSUME NOTHING. And that's great advice starting that thriller!

SEXIEST AUTHOR WHOSE HEART BELONGS TO TWO COUNTRIES

He's just practicing in this photo!

We won't ask Sean which country he likes best. Sean Chercover is a dual citizen in the U.S. and Canada. Despite ugly rumors to the contrary, he is alive and doing well...with some bumps and bruises.

Anyone who has met Sean knows exactly why he belongs on this list. He's charming and witty, generous and kind, smart and creative. When you see him, you are overwhelmed with the feeling that he's been anxiously waiting just to see you.

Sean made a great splash into the crime fiction world with the publication of his first novel, BIG CITY BAD BLOOD, and he's only gotten better with each subsequent book. His most recent, THE TRINITY GAME is one that will leave you thinking for days and maybe weeks after you've finished. Now come on, you all know THAT is sexy!

And of course, Sean is married to Agent 99. Agent 99 wouldn't settle for less than sexy!

A face I always look forward to seeing!

And a drum roll, please, for this year's

SEXIEST MALE AUTHOR

A devout University of Kentucky basketball fan!

When I read DOMINANCE, I was so fascinated by the mind that could come up with such a story. It should not have surprised me that the man turning words into magic was a former poet, but Will Lavender is full of surprises, much like his stories.

Since reading DOMINANCE (which was one of my favorite reads of 2011), I've had the chance to meet Will at both the St. Louis and Cleveland Bouchercons. I've interacted with him sporadically online. And, he's generously agreed to participate in some of my hair-brained blog projects. He's always such a wonderful sport and his great sense of humor livens up whatever setting he's in.

Much like Gregg Hurwitz, who held this spot last year, Will's interaction with his family is what I found to be the sexy tipping point. He introduced me to his wife and children this year at Bouchercon and I think it was the highlight of my convention. When you witness the pride an individual has in his (or her) family, I think that tells you a lot about the person. My admiration for Will Lavender multiplied.

And of course, I have to mention the Southern drawl. I'm a sucker for a drawl! In the process of putting this together, I learned Will is an avid Frisbee golfer. I'm not exactly sure what this is, but it sounds rather challenging. I can't imaging having to fit a Frisbee in those small holes. :-)

To show you how great a sport Will is, I asked each of the authors to send a fun photo of themselves they wouldn't mind me including in the post. This one is small that Will sent, but the story is magnificent. He said, "I'm a recluse and I never have photos taken of me unless they're of my ass, which I wish I could say I'm proud of but I honestly eat a ton of sugar and exercise minimally." If that doesn't secure Will as this year's Sexiest Crime Fiction Author, then I don't know what will!

There you have it, my choices for 2012's Sexiest Crime Fiction (Male) Authors. Don't forget, the ladies get their turn on Monday, so check back. And feel free to share in the comments who YOUR choices would be!