You've the Right to Six Words: The Grand Finale!

*Sniff* Here we are once again at the final post of the six-word memoirs. It's sad to see the fun come to a close again, but I've just been so honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to share all these great memoir statements with you guys. I hope you've enjoyed meeting some new authors, hearing from favorites, and just generally getting a little glimpse inside the minds of some extremely talented folks. But before we wrap up completely I have three amazing folks to end this project right. Three people who have made incredible contributions to the crime fiction genre and fiction as a whole. Ladies and gentlemen, let the fireworks begin!

In our final week of memoirs we lead off with a woman who has impacted not only the crime fiction genre, but society as well. Kansas native and New York Times bestseller Sara Paretsky worked as a community organizer in Chicago during the 1966 race riots; she served on the board of Thresholds, serving Chicago’s mentally ill homeless population; and she’s mentored teens from some of the most troubled schools in Chicago. Sara continues to work closely with literacy and reproductive rights groups.

The social issues that Sara passionately embraces find their ways into her crime novels, which have also paved the way for change. Her V.I. Warshawski series introduced a smart, tough female P.I. into a genre that had traditionally been male-dominated. V.I. Warshawski doesn’t play the role of victim; instead she waltzed into the role of hero when Sara published 1982’s INDEMNITY ONLY.

After opening doors for her fictional protagonist, Sara moved on to opening doors for real women with the creation of Sisters in Crime in 1986. She’s earned a Ph.D. in history and been awarded honorary Doctorate of Letters degrees from several universities. The British Crime Writers have bestowed both the Gold Dagger for best novel and the Cartier Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement on the crime-writing maven.

In addition to her V.I. Warshawski series, Sara has published two stand alone novels, short stories and a memoir. This week she releases the 14th V.I. Warshawski novel, BODY WORK. While Sara says she’s

Caught in the Web of Words

I can’t help but wonder if she’s actually the one weaving that web. It’s an honor to have Sara join us today.

Next up is another author helping to define the crime fiction genre of the 21st century, Gar Anthony Haywood. Since I'm sometimes a little slow arriving at the party, I only discovered this great talent this year. However, I consider it one of, if not THE, highpoint of my reading for 2010. Gar is a two-time Shamus winner and an Anthony Award winner. He's graced the Los Angeles Times bestseller list and been praised from coast to coast for his writing, both as Gar Anthony Haywood and as his alter-ego, Ray Shannon.

Gar broke into crime fiction with his private investigator Aaron Gunner in FEAR OF THE DARK. And what a way to break onto the scene. FEAR OF THE DARK was the second ever winner of the St. Martin's Press/PWA Best First Private Eye Novel Contest and it took home the Shamus award for Best First P.I. Novel in 1989. Gar followed up FEAR OF THE DARK with five additional Aaron Gunner novels and two humorous crime novels featuring Dottie and Joe Loudermilk, retiree crime solvers. As Ray Shannon, Gar published two standalone thrillers, MAN EATER and FIRECRACKER. Most recently, he's returned to publishing under his own name with another amazing standalone, CEMETERY ROAD.

Gar's accomplishments are not limited to his novels, however. He's also an award-winning short story writer, has written for both the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times, AND finds his name in the credits of such television dramas as NEW YORK UNDERCOVER and THE DISTRICT.

When he's not leaving his genius in written form, he's expressing it through graphic arts. Apparently Gar comes by his art talent through genetics; his father was an architect. But Gar credits Dad with more than just his affinity for art:

Dad's paperbacks
best writing school ever.

Sometimes six words can sure say a lot! Gar, it is such a pleasure! Thank you for that little window into a great man.

And to wrap up our grand finale, it gives me great pleasure to introduce Val McDermid. As a child in Scotland, Val knew she wanted to be a writer. She wanted to be one of the people who made the books that filled the library shelves. But, like many other writers, she was told she wouldn't be able to make a living and she needed a "real" job. So when the first student from a state school in Scotland was accepted and graduated from St. Hilda's College, Oxford, she became a journalist. And she was still determined to write a book.

Her first attempt at a book turned out to be a better play than novel. She had a short run as a dramatist before she decided to try her hand at a crime novel. The result of that effort turned into REPORT FOR MURDER, which was published in 1987. A mere four years later Val was doing what everyone told her she couldn't do, she was making her living as a writer. And she continues to do that to this day. Val also reviews for various national newspapers, writes the occasional journalistic piece and broadcasts on the radio.

Her writing credits now include three series: the Lindsey Gordon series, which included her debut REPORT FOR MURDER, the Kate Brannigan series, and the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series, which is the basis for the WIRE IN THE BLOOD television series. FEVER OF THE BONE was the sixth book in the Hill/Jordan series, released last year. In addition to her three series, Val has two short story collections, a non-fiction work and five additional stand alone novels, with the sixth to be published later this week in the UK as TRICK OF THE DARK.

There aren't too many awards Val hasn't at least been short listed for. Her works have earned her multiple Barry Awards, an Anthony, a Macavity, a Dilys, a Los Angeles Book Prize, numerous Edgar nominations, the CWA Gold Dagger and the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger among others. So to the agent who fired her, the doubting Thomases who told her she had to get a "real" job, and the others with so little faith, Val McDermid

Did everything they said I couldn't.

Hallelujah! That is one of the reasons she'll be honored as a guest of honor at the 2011 Bouchercon in St. Louis, as will Sara Paretsky. And if you'll pardon me a little PSA before we wrap this up today, I'll let you in on a secret - well, o.k., it isn't really a secret, but it's good info. If you register for Bouchercon 2011 before November 1st, you can save yourself a little money. Registration is $150 until November 1st. Then it goes up to $175. You've all heard me rave about this convention, and I'd love the chance to meet you in St. Louis! If nothing else, put this on your radar. It really is a must for any crime fiction fan. O.k., PSA over.

So many, many thanks to Sara, Gar and Val. And all the authors who participated in "You've the Right to Six Words" this year. I am humbled that you made time to play along with us. I'm humbled that folks come by each week to read and have fun with us. I have so enjoyed the whole experience. I hope you all have as well. And I hope you've found a few new authors and books to keep you busy.

Happy Reading everyone!

**FUN UPDATE!! The generous folks at Putnam have offered to give one commenter a copy of Sara Paretsky's new V.I. Warshawski novel, BODY WORK. So in your comment, make sure you leave an e-mail where we can contact you in case you're the lucky random commenter chosen. As long as you have a U.S. mailing address, you're eligible!! Thanks to Putnam and good luck to everyone!

Technorati Tags: You've the Right to Six Words, Val McDermid, Gar Anthony Haywood, Sara Paretsky

You've the Right to Six Words - the Penultimate Week

Sorry for my short hiatus. Trying to get back on track here and get caught up with some reviews and research and other fun stuff. Bouchercon is right around the corner and then Muskego, so there is much to do, much to do. Let's start with the next to the last week of our six-word memoirs.

Our first author this week has a rather unique background. Graham Brown earned his degree in Aeronautical Science then he attended law school. He's been a pilot, a lawyer and part of a start up health care firm. And when he grew up, he became a writer! Graham has spent time all over the country. As a child, he moved around with his family, living in Illinois, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. He attended college in Arizona, spent some time in California and these days calls Arizona home once again.

Last year marked Graham's debut release with BLACK RAIN and the sequel BLACK SUN will be out on Tuesday. You can also find Graham blogging at the 7 Criminal Minds blog every other Wednesday. How did Graham boil down this eclectic resume?

Living a delusion, do not wake.

I think it may be a little more than a delusion, but however he's accomplishing his success, it's not broken, so no fixing necessary.

Next up is an author who has published novels, poetry and short stories; won the Bram Stoker and International Thriller Writers Awards; and has been nominated for the Edgar, World Fantasy Award and Le Grand Prix de L'Imaginaire. Tom Piccirilli has written both in the horror genre and the crime genre. Tom says his greatest pleasure in writing is "the satisfaction of having created something that is wholly my own and yet somehow manages to be a part of the overwhelming grandness of literature."

This past December, Tom released his most recent crime novel SHADOW SEASON about an ex-cop turned teacher at a girls' school. Due out next year is THE LAST KIND WORDS. You can also find Tom blogging regularly at The Cold Spot. Tom's hard at work in Colorado but took some time out to craft his memoir:

My noir heart beats in darkness.

Wow! Pretty powerful memoir.

Next we have a 2010 debut author who is making quite a stir with her New York Times bestselling novel, STILL MISSING about an abducted woman trying to piece her life back together. STILL MISSING was highlighted this past summer in both PEOPLE Magazine and Oprah's O Magazine. A native of Vancouver Island, Chevy Stevens spent most of her adult life working in sales. As a Realtor, Chevy would have down time between viewers at open houses and she would imagine terrifying scenarios of what could happen while she was there alone in the homes. One of these scenarios became the basis for STILL MISSING. Chevy has since left the reality business and is working on her second novel, NEVER KNOWING. When she isn't occupied with that daunting task (imagine following up such a success), she enjoys hiking with her husband and her dog. I have no doubt that a long career awaits Chevy, but at this point she's summing up life with:

They never could keep me quiet.

Chevy, make all the noise you want. Your fans are waiting and listening!

And anchoring this week's post is another woman who's graced the New York Times Bestseller List. Lisa Gardner is the author of 25 novels. Being an avid reader her entire life, she began her writing career in college when her first novel, a romance she worked on for three years, was published under the pen name Alicia Scott. Following publication, Lisa continued writing but also worked as a management consultant. Her disdain for her her consultant's job motivated her to continue writing, and she published a total of thirteen romance novels. It was after the thirteenth novel that Lisa felt a change was in order, so she tried her hand at suspense. The end result was THE PERFECT HUSBAND. THE PERFECT HUSBAND not only gave her the chance to kill off characters bearing the names of her slave-driving bosses, but it enabled her to give up the consultant's job and write full time. This summer Lisa published her twenty-fifth novel, LIVE TO TELL, the fourth book in her Detective D.D. Warren series.

These days Lisa can be found working in her New Hampshire loft office with a cat warming her lap and shelties protecting her feet. Her novels are often inspired by true crime, including school shootings in the U.S. and Ted Bundy. She researches her novels through interviews with professionals in law enforcement and regularly receives "assistance" from her daughter, Grace.

And to think, this career all started while Lisa was a waitress setting her hair on fair with a flaming appetizer. Hoping to save her hair she:

Read, Wrote. Murder and mayhem ensued.

We're all thankful that Lisa still has her hair and that murder and mayhem ensued. We have all benefited. My sincerest thanks to all of our memoirists this week. Four fantastic memoirs from four outstanding crime fiction writers. We'll have to work very hard next week to make a spectacle after this week's amazing contributions. Let's see what we can do. See you back here next week for the final installment of You've the Right to Six Words!

Happy Reading!


Technorati Tags: You've the Right to Six Words, Graham Brown, Tom Piccirilli, Chevy Stevens, Lisa Gardner

You've the Right to Six Words - Week 14

After this week, we'll have two more weeks of memoirs for this season. Since this will probably be the end, at least for awhile, I thought we should blow it out in style. Sound good? I hope so because I've stacked the next three weeks with fabulous crime fiction writers.

Debut author, Carla Buckley was born in Washington DC but her childhood was spent in Nigeria and Thailand. She and her family returned to DC when she was 10 and for college, Carla made her way up to my neck of the woods; she attended Oberlin College, where incidentally, her daughter will be starting school very shortly.  Since Carla and her family are more in the central part of Ohio these days, it may make micro-managing her daughter's life a tad bit difficult.

Carla finished college and tried her hand at graphic arts, technical writing and marketing before staying home to raise her family, and start her writing career. In February of this year, Carla saw the fruits of all her labors in writers' groups and conferences and long hours of practice pay off. THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE was published by Delacorte Press. THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE had some roots in her family's decision to pick up and move to Columbus, Ohio, leaving friends, family and everything familiar behind. Carla's follow-up to THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE is due out in 2011 and is tentatively titled INVISIBLE. I'm fascinated by the fact that Carla tried writing many different kinds of books for years and when a dream - or rather a nightmare - about a pandemic left her shaken, she knew she wanted to write THAT book, it was something she truly felt passionate about. She

Kept trying keys until one fit.

And we can all be thankful for her determination to keep trying.

Kevin Guilfoile has spent time all over the Northeast corner of the U.S. He was born in New Jersey, raised in New York, attended college in Indiana, and worked for the Houston Astros all before helping to create the Coudal Partners design firm in Chicago. These days, however, Kevin is making his name as a writer. He's contributed to The Morning News, McSweeney's Quarterly Concer, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, The New York Times Magazine, The New Republic and Salon.com. He's also a contributing blogger at The Outfit. In 2005 Kevin published his first novel, CAST OF SHADOWS, and he is preparing to release his sophomore novel, which Stephen White calls "part thought-provoking mystery, part flat-out thriller." Guilfoile fans have waited and on Tuesday, Kevin delivers THE THOUSAND. I also happen to know that Kevin is very serious about the pens he uses to sign his books. So if you meet Kevin at a signing, be sure to compliment him on his pen, which continues to write because

Every story has beginning, middle
and

:-)

Our next memoirist has no regrets. Together he and his wife raised four children; he enjoys playing tennis and wishes he was musical. When Peter Abrahams decided he would write a book about a detective and his dog, he knew the book would be in first person as told by the dog. But the dog couldn't be talking. He believes "anything that thinks and has memory must have a narrative going on inside." Thus DOG ON IT and the pen name Spencer Quinn were born. As Peter Abrahams, he published eighteen novels, earning a Best Novel Edgar nomination for his novel LIGHTS OUT, wrote the Echo Falls Mysteries series for young readers, and was referred to as "my favorite American suspense novelist" by Stephen King. Now as Spencer Quinn, living in Cape Cod with his family (which includes his dog Audrey), he's preparing to release the third Chet and Bernie novel, TO FETCH A THIEF. Working in his office located over the garage, Spencer brings to life the wonderful tales of Chet and his human partner Bernie. And as he heads off to his fifteen feet commute he says,

Into the dark with no regrets.

And rounding out this incredible week we have a woman who also won accolades from Stephen King who said, "her five novels are, simply put, the finest crime-suspense series I've come across in the last twenty years."

Meg Gardiner was born and raised in the United States. While in high school in California she was a mime, and while studying law at Stanford she competed in cross-country and track. Having grown up the daughter of an English professor, books and writing were a major part of Meg's life; she always wanted to write a novel, but she found her way there via law school, a legal career and a stint teaching law writing at the University of California. When she decided she didn't want to "argue for a living," she traded her arguing for lying. Meg writes a blog titled, "Lying for a Living."

Meg moved to the UK with her husband and children in the early 1990s and this was when she began writing. CHINA LAKE was her first published novel, finding bookstores in the UK in 2002. When it made its way to the US in 2008, Meg was rewarded with the 2009 Best Paperback Original Edgar win. Meg continued with Evan Delaney, her CHINA LAKE protagonist for another four books and in 2008 she published her first novel featuring forensic psychiatrist Jo Beckett,  THE DIRTY SECRETS CLUB. This summer the third book in the Jo Beckett series, THE LIAR'S LULLABY was published.

So what does the three-time Jeopardy champ, escaped attorney, mother and author have to say about this array of accomplishments?

Love, kids, writing:
went for it.

And we are the great benefactors of her leap of faith. Many, many thanks once again to our wonderful authors for their time and enthusiasm. What absolute fun! I hope you all enjoyed this week's roundup. Man, is there ever a slew of great book titles in this post. Let us know which you've enjoyed or which you're going to check out now. And we'll see you back here next week for our penultimate week of memoirs.

Happy Reading!

Technorati Tags: You've the Right to Six Words, Carla Buckley, Kevin Guilfoile, Spencer Quinn, Meg Gardiner

You've the Right to Six Words - Lucky Number 13

A little off our regular schedule but still a fun group of authors to share with you this week. Since it's Week 13 and there are superstitions associated with 13, I couldn't help but notice commonalities that seem to run among our crime writers.

Take for instance our first memoirist this week. Vicki Delany is from Canada but she spent eleven years in South Africa. She was able to retire early from her job as a systems analyst and these days she writes whenever she wants to. I envy the fact that she doesn't need to wear a watch. But before she retired, she was raising three children while working full-time, so her writing was restricted primarily to Sunday afternoons. Bruce Springsteen kept her company as she wrote.

Whether writing on Sunday afternoons or whenever she so chooses, Vicki claims a police procedural series, the Smith & Winters series, as well as the Klondike series which takes place in the Yukon during the Gold Rush of 1898. In November of 2009 the third book in the Smith & Winters series, WINTER OF SECRETS, made its way to bookstores, and in March of this year, the second book from the Klondike series, GOLD FEVER, saw print. As if those aren't enough to keep her busy, Vicki also has three stand alone novels, the first of which, WHITEOUT, earned her an Eppie Award.

Despite a lot of hard work and determination that definitely went into Vicki's accomplishments, she says,

I know how lucky I am.

And we know how lucky we all are who also get to reap the rewards or her labors.

Next up is an author who was born in California but spent most of his youth growing up in Hawaii. Robert Gregory Browne has been a musician, a screenwriter and a novelist, as well as a janitor, a flower delivery boy, a Hollywood messenger, hotel room maid, criminal intake processor, legal secretary, magazine columnist, AND a video editor. I'd say he has a wealth of experiences to draw from in his writing!

Rob ultimately made his way back to California with his wife, whom he met in high school. Working his way into his screenwriting gig, Rob developed screenplays for Showtime, Viacom and Marvel, among others. He even racked up an AMPAS Nicholl Award. But all of that didn't keep him from jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire of novel writing.

Rob's first novel KISS HER GOODBYE is in production as a pilot for CBS Television. Fitting since Rob first envisioned the concept as a screenplay. The pilot is called ATF and will star Dylan Walsh, Michael Rapaport, Terry Kinney and Sandrine Holt. Rob's most recent release was DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN which came out this past May. He's now hard at work on a supernatural thriller, PARADISE CITY. When he isn't busy with all of his novel writing or his wife, two grown children, two cats and two dogs, you can find him blogging at Murderati or his own writer's advice blog Casting the Bones.

With all of this action to juggle, it's a no wonder that Rob tells me he's chronically sleep-deprived, which in turn explains his memoir:

I'd rather be home sleeping.

And wrapping up our memoirists this week we have a woman who works full time as a paralegal in Los Angeles. When Sue Ann Jaffarian comes home from the day job she goes back to work, this time writing. She has five books in her Odelia Grey mystery series about a paralegal - hey! The most recent book in the Odelia Grey series came out in February and it's titled CORPSE ON THE COB. The first book in the series, TOO BIG TO MISS, has been optioned for film. She also has GHOST A LA MODE which is the beginning of her Ghost of Granny Apples mystery series, and next month she's going to unveil MURDER IN VEIN, the first book of her Fang-In-Cheek mystery series.

Don't think these are Sue Ann's only accomplishments. Oh no! My hat goes off to this woman who last summer completed...not just participated but completed the Camp Pendleton Mud Run. Those are some serious runners out there folks and she completed the event. Not bad for a woman working full time as a paralegal! Somehow, though, she still finds time to blog at Babble 'N Blog, present as a motivational speaker, socialize on Twitter and Facebook, and fight the good fight against all that cat hair. I don't know about you all, but I'm pretty darned impressed. What does Sue Ann think about it all?

The fat little engine who did.

She sure did! And I love it.

So many thanks to all of our authors contributing today. If you haven't experienced any of these authors, I encourage you to check them out. Visit your library or you can use the links I've supplied to find their books at super wonderful indie mystery bookstores. I just love these little glances into the lives of the creative, talented folks who entertain us with their gifts. I appreciate their time and I appreciate all of you stopping by to share the fun with me.

Next week we'll be back to our regular post on Wednesday as the countdown to the end of Season 2 continues. Happy Reading!

Technorati Tags: Sue Ann Jaffarian, Robert Gregory Browne, Vicki Delany, You've the Right to Six Words

You've the Right to Six Words: A Dozen

This is Week 12 of Season 2 in You've the Right to Six Words. We'll be starting to wind down now with about four weeks remaining in this season. But in those four weeks we have some great memoirs to share, so I hope you'll be by to visit and check them all out.

This week we're starting with one half of the writing team known as P.J. Parrish. Kristy Montee's writing career started at 13 with a work titled, THE CAT WHO UNDERSTOOD. She worked at the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale as an editor and dance critic before turning to her life of crime...fiction. These days she's writing in tandem with her sister, Kelly Nichols, and together the P.J. Parrish team has written ten Louis Kincaid and Joe Frye thrillers in addition to various short stories published in anthologies from the Mystery Writers of America, Akashic Books and most recently the works of Edgar Allen Poe, edited by Michael Connelly. Despite the fact that Kristy lives in Fort Lauderdale and Kelly lives in Houghton Lake, Michigan, they make the partnership work. It works to the tune of two Shamus awards, an Anthony and an Edgar nomination, in addition to making the New York Times and the USA Today Best Seller lists. Their most recent installment in the Kincaid/Frye series was released this past February: THE LITTLE DEATH. And now the sister duo is working on their first stand alone thriller. For her memoir, Kristy took a cue from Fitzgerald:

Takes a lifetime to grow young.

And in the center slot this week we have a crime writer who moonlights as a middle school teacher. Wait! Maybe Dave White should be writing horror! Just kidding. A native of New Jersey, Dave attended Rutgers University and received his Master of Arts in Teaching from Montclair State University. In 2002 Dave wrote a short story entitled "Closure" for Thrilling Detective that earned him the Derringer Award for Best Short Mystery Story. From that short story, former New Jersey police detective turned private investigator Jackson Donne emerged. Dave went on to write two novels featuring his detective: WHEN ONE MAN DIES in 2007 that earned Dave a Shamus nomination for best first novel and THE EVIL THAT MEN DO in 2008. Dave is now hard at work on his third novel that will be his first departure from Jackson Donne. When he isn't teaching or working on his third novel, Dave can be found blogging at Dave White's Writing Block or at Do Some Damage on Thursdays. This week Dave has an extra special reason to celebrate, so let's all wish him well on his nuptials! Dave White is getting married. When you feel the earth moving, you'll know Dave White is in the area because

Teacher and writer rocks the house.

And our anchor for this week's fabulous memoirists is thriller writer Gayle Lynds. This amazing writer has given the men a run for their money in the spy thrillers realm of crime fiction. Gayle earned a degree in journalism from the University of Iowa, where she had the chance to meet and talk to Kurt Vonnegut; after college Gayle began writing for the Arizona Republic. Later she moved on to a work as an editor at a government think tank. When she began writing fiction, Gayle started out with short stories. She dabbled in some pulp and published under pseudonyms. She published a trio of YA mystery novels and in 1996 she published her first thriller, MASQUERADE. Beginning in 2000 with THE HADES FACTOR Gayle created and wrote three Covert-One novels with Robert Ludlum. Throughout her career she's earned awards and recognitions, including having Publishers Weekly name MASQUERADE one of the top ten spy novels of all times. Given that distinction, I suppose it is fitting that she co-founded International Thriller Writers, Inc., with David Morrell. This year Gayle introduced new characters with her first installment of what will be her first spy series, THE BOOK OF SPIES.

Gayle says she believes the first thriller ever was BEOWULF but it was THE DAY OF THE JACKAL by Frederick Forsyth that convinced her she wanted to make a life writing thrillers. These days her four children are grown and on their own while she works tirelessly writing her novels in a small house overlooking the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by all the beauty of nature.

I love when authors share with me how they came up with their memoirs. Normally, I just keep the little tidbits to myself, but this time, I want to share Gayle's story with you because I think it reflects who she is, probably more than the measley bio I just wrote. And I don't think she'll mind if I share it. She started off thinking,

"Writing is life; life is art."

But she said her life is incredibly full and at times she's felt as though it's a novel in and of itself, so she wanted to reverse herself:

"Art is life; life is writing."

But that wasn't just right either, and after more thought, she decided on:

My life is a novel. Thanks.

And how perfect is that? I think it's a pretty exceptional way to round out Week 12 of "You've the Right to Six Words." Many thanks to all of our contributing authors this week. What fun to catch just a glimpse in the windows of their lives. Thank you for sharing those glimpses with us.

Just a quick note that next week, I'll be participating in a book tour on Wednesday, so the memoirs will post on Tuesday. I hope you stop by to visit for both. Happy Reading!

Technorati Tags: You've the Right to Six Words, Kristy Montee, Dave White, Gayle Lynds

You've the Right to Six Words - Week 11

Oh, I'm giddy about this week. Did I say that last week? Can you believe how many authors there are to be excited about hearing from? Well this week's got it all: a man who made an incredible debut and is ready to turn his sophomore effort loose on the world. A woman who has helped define the genre as it is today and a man who is making waves with his thrillers across continents. Can you believe they were all willing to talk to me about six-word memoirs? I am not worthy, but I'm more than willing to share, so let's see who we've rounded up today:

Charles Cumming graduated with honors in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh before he was approached for recruitment by the Secret Intelligence Service, a.k.a. MI6. His experiences with the MI6 would then become the basis for his first novel, A SPY BY NATURE. As he moved around: Montreal, Madrid, ultimately back to the U.K., he continued writing. In March of 2008 he published the interactive online story THE 21 STEPS as part of Penguin's We Tell Stories project. Now, with four published works, he's working on his next book due to be published in 2011, THE TRINITY SIX. In addition, he's an Assistant Editor of The Week and writes book reviews for The Mail on Sunday.

Charles is the founder and President of the Jose Raul Capablanca Memorial Chess Society. He lives in London with his wife and two children where philosophically he ponders:

Possibly none of it meant anything.

Next up is a man who recently rocked my reading experience with his debut novel STARVATION LAKE. Bryan Gruley decided he wasn't going to enter the crime fiction world quietly, oh no! He was going to do it with hockey sticks smashing, with panache and damn it, awards! This hockey-playing journalist graduated from Notre Dame and worked for various Michigan newspapers before snagging a position at the Wall Street Journal Washington Bureau. There he wrote a front-page story that earned the Pulitzer for Breaking News and another story that was an alternate finalist for the feature writing Pulitzer.

These days in addition to publishing a debut novel that earned an Edgar nomination, an Anthony nomination and a Strand Award for best first novel as well as an Anthony nomination for Best Paperback Original, Bryan is the Chicago Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal and he's an amateur musician. He fits hockey and blogging at The Outfit in there somewhere and oh yeah, next week he's releasing THE HANGING TREE, his follow-up to STARVATION LAKE. I know you're use to my personal commentary in these little bios, so I'm sure you won't mind me saying that I CAN. NOT. WAIT. to meet Bryan in person this October. How does Bryan sum up all that leaves me in such awe?

From fact to fiction to truth.

Our final memoirist today is a woman who has left her Anna Pigeon on the Mystery World. Nevada Barr will release the 16th book in her best-selling, award-winning Anna Pigeon Mystery Series next week. Nevada was born in Yerington, Nevada, but grew up in California. Her parents were both pilots and mechanics. While her sister followed in their footsteps, Nevada took the logical alternative: the dramatic arts. After earning her graduate degree in Acting, she headed east where she would work on stage, commercials, films and radio for almost two decades. Meanwhile Nevada and her husband developed interests in the environmental movement and she started working seasonal jobs in the National Parks. Her first position was boat patrol on Isle Royale National Park. Eventually she would take a permanent Park Ranger job on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi.

At most of the stages of her various careers, Nevada incorporated writing in what she was doing: teaching storytelling, writing travel publications even working as a restaurant critic. Then in 1983 she added novelist to her resume when BITTERSWEET was published. The Anna Pigeon series would come to life for the first time in 1993 with the publication of TRACK OF THE CAT, which also earned her both an Anthony and an Agatha Award for Best First Mystery. Of course, Anna Pigeon is a park ranger and her character was originally based on Nevada and Nevada's experiences with the National Parks. However, Nevada says that she and Anna evolved in different ways. Regardless, Anna did evolve and now, again almost two decades later, Nevada is publishing BURN, the 16th Anna Pigeon mystery.

Nevada Barr has the arts in her DNA. In addition to her acting and writing, she paints. For the past fifteen years she has put brush to canvas under the name Paxton.

I'd love to sit down and chat with Nevada Barr because she lives with her husband, "four magical cats and two adorable dogs." Hmmm, subtract the husband and the adjectives and that sounds like a familiar living arrangement. But this is not about me. For Nevada, she

Loved books. Loved cats. Got lucky.

Yeah, there was some talent mixed in there, too, but we're sure glad luck was on her side! Luck is also on our side considering these three people write crime fiction for us to enjoy.

Please help me in thanking all three wonderful authors for their contributions this week. I had a blast getting to know each one a little better and I hope you did, too. Best of luck to Bryan and Nevada on their releases next week. And to all of you...Happy Reading!





Technorati Tags: Charles Cumming, Bryan Gruley, Nevada Barr, You've the Right to Six Words

You've the Right to Six Words - Week 10!

I'm very excited about the group of authors we have this week. I know. I always say that, but I really am excited. It always makes me smile to see the diversity each week brings. I think that says a lot about the genre. But these folks all share a link through their worldly travels. I'm always fascinated to learn more about these authors. I hope you are, too.

Our first author sharing a memoir today started out his working life as an electronic engineer. Alan Bradley worked for radio and television stations, then ultimately at the University of Saskatchewan as the Director of Television Engineering. He retired early in 1994 so that he could focus on his writing career. Alan helped found the Saskatchewan Writers Guild, published children's stories and taught Script Writing and Television Production classes. In addition to being a founding member of the Saskatchewan Writers Guild, Alan was also a founding member of The Casebook of Saskatoon, a society devoted to the study of Sherlock Holmes and Sherlockian writings. His involvement in The Casebook of Saskatoon brought him together with Dr. William A.S. Sarjeant and together the two men wrote MS HOLMES OF BAKER STREET. Have you heard of this? They theorized that Holmes was actually a woman.

In 2006, Alan published his memoir THE SHOEBOX BIBLE and 2009 brought his award-winning debut novel, THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE, which introduced the world to eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce. Alan said Flavia walked into a novel he was working on "hijacked the book." He never completed that novel, but Flavia stuck with him and in 2006 he began her story. Good thing! SWEETNESS earned Alan the Debut Dagger, the Agatha, the Arthur Ellis, the Dilys and the Spotted Owl Awards. It also collected nominations for the Anthony and the Macavity Awards. This past March brought the next book in Flavia's series: THE WEED THAT STRINGS THE HANGMAN'S BAG. These days, Alan Bradley, his wife Shirley and their two cats are calling Malta home. Even though Alan published a full-length memoir, he boiled his experiences down to

I always wanted to write mysteries.

My next author came to my attention during the Detectives Around the World theme week. Pop Culture Nerd reviewed Anne Zouroudi's THE MESSENGER OF ATHENS as part of the celebration. And I was immediately intrigued because this book, part of Anne's series "The Mysteries of the Greek Detective," is set in Greece. Folks in the U.K. are already familiar with this series as several of the books have been released there. This week Anne's Greek detective makes his debut in U.S. bookstores.

Anne's early career in the IT industry took her from England to New York to Denver. While she was in the United States she bought a type writer and began looking at her writing ambitions a little more seriously. Ingredient number one. She returned to the U.K. and decided to take holiday in Greece with her sister. With fondness she recalls her feelings at seeing Greece her first morning there as "a love affair which has lasted twenty years." Anne lived in Greece for a number of years, married a Greek and had her son in Greece. But ultimately she returned to the U.K. and continued writing. After a few unsuccessful efforts at publishing novels, she began a book set in her beloved Greece, and the magic that grabbed her on her initial holiday, grabbed her manuscript. Thus, the Greek Detective was born.

I'm absolutely fascinated by the fact that Anne writes her first drafts with a fountain pen, and she chooses the color of the ink to suit her mood. She says her ideas come most often from silence - or while peeling potatoes. Anne volunteers for Victim's Support in her Criminal Justice System and holds a seat on her Parish Council, which she describes as "like a Vicar of Dibley, only more absurd."

Anne illustrates the sweetness of life in her memoir:

Great adventures bring the sweetest homecomings.

Perfect! Let me introduce our final memoirist so I can go off and figure out what MY great adventure shall be.

Rounding out our memoirists this week is the man Clive Cussler calls "the master of the espionage thriller for the 21st century." Christopher Reich was born in Tokyo, Japan to a Swiss travel agent. He was still a wee little one when his family returned to the United States. In high school he ventured off again for a summer on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro for Outward Bound East Africa.

Chris earned his undergrad degree from Georgetown and found a job as a stockbroker. Not quite having the knack for the stocks and bonds, he opted to work on his business sense in graduate school at the University of Texas - are you keeping track of everywhere he's been? After graduating and being turned down by Wall Street, Chris opted for a job with the Union Bank of Switzerland in Geneva. Turns out he made the right move. In a meeting on his second day at work he found the inspiration for what would become his first novel, NUMBERED ACCOUNT.

Chris didn't begin writing immediately. Instead he went on to start his own business and get married. While earning six figures as the CEO of Giorgio Beverly Hills Timepieces, he decided he wasn't happy and he wanted to pursue writing. Yep, just like that. And his wife put her seal of approval on the idea and they moved back to Austin, Texas. Having saved enough to pursue his writing for two years, Chris set to work and the fates decided that they agreed with him - he should be a writer. In his first go round at this book-writing ordeal, his manuscript made its way to James Patterson who promptly dropped it into the hands of his agent who ultimately dropped it onto the New York Times Best Seller List.

Last week Chris released book number eight - third in his Jonathan and Emma Ransom series, RULES OF BETRAYAL. Not too shabby for a guy who set out to write a novel with no prior writing experience to speak of. Christopher Reich doesn't show any signs of slowing down, but he's already been

Round the world in 49 years.

I know I say this often when this series is going on, but I am so thankful to the authors who are participating. Alan, Anne, Chris your time and efforts and kindness are so greatly appreciated. These folks take time out of their schedules to just have fun with us. They could come up with a million excuses not to play in our sandbox, but they don't. They roll up their pant legs and jump right in. That says a lot to me. I hope to you as well. And I hope you enjoyed these memoirs this week as much as I did.

Happy Reading!

You've the Right to Six Words: Week 9

So here we are for Week 9 and a new batch of most wanted crime writers. I really didn't fathom making it to Week 9 last year, let alone again this year. But here we are. And let me get right to it.

We're starting off this week with a writer who put his love of Hemingway to work for him. Michael Atkinson is the author of HEMINGWAY DEADLIGHTS, his debut novel, and the upcoming HEMINGWAY CUTTHROAT. These books are part of his series that he claims has "negligible respect for history but a veins-in-the-teeth yen for truth, irony, cocktails and the good graces of a well-turned sentence. Novel-writing is not his first foray into the writing world, however. Michael writes film criticism and book reviews for various publications; he's written non-fiction works, unproduced TV and poetry. Among Michael's other interests: very good beer, shellfish, and Italian opera in the summertime. So with all these interests and writing experiences, Michael says

I've only begun to babble.

Babble on, Mike!

Our next memoirist this week is still celebrating her debut. Attica Locke's BLACK WATER RISING was nominated for an Edgar Award, an NAACP Image Award, an L.A. Times Book Award and a Strand Magazine Critics Award. In addition, it was short-listed for the Orange Prize. Not too shabby for one's first novel. Attica comes to the crime fiction world via screenwriting, having written movie and television scripts for a plethora of production companies. She was a fellow at the Sundance Institute's Feature Filmmakers Lab and a graduate of Northwestern University. This amazing young woman's been all over. She's a native of Houston, Texas but now calls Los Angeles home. Whew. Attica's parents were activists in the Civil Rights movement, naming Attica for the Attica Prison uprising in New York in 1971. She explains that origin and leads up to the origin of BLACK WATER RISING in a haunting personal note on her website. I encourage you to check it out. In the meantime, Attica puts her experiences to these six words:

Could never hold a real job.

And in the anchor position this week we have a fire-fighting crime fiction writer. By day, Earl Emerson is a lieutenant with the Seattle Fire Department - despite an effort to retire a year and a half ago, and by any other time he's an award-winning crime fiction writer. He has two series, Thomas Black and Mac Fontana, in addition to six stand-alone thrillers. His Thomas Black novel, POVERTY BAY earned him a Shamus Award for Best Private Eye novel and an Edgar nomination for Best Paperback Original in 1985. Last year, Earl returned to his Thomas Black series after a short hiatus with CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT. He reports that he has a futuristic novel in the works now. Born and raised in Washington State, Earl and his wife still call it home. So what does he call his memoir?

Like a cat: work, play, nap.

Well, I'm not sure how one has much time for the playing and napping part in between writing and firefighting, but I'll take his word for it! So happy he made time to participate in the project, though. Many, many thanks to these wonderful writers for their contributions to the genre and to "You've the Right to Six Words." See ya next week!

Happy Reading!


Technorati Tags: You've the Right to Six Words, Michael Atkinson, Attica Locke, Earl Emerson

You've The Right to Six Words - Week 8

Whew! It's heating up around Northeast Ohio. We've had some pretty toasty temperatures. Actually the temperatures are in the low 90s, but the humidity is a killer. It's these days that I'm reminding myself of the snow and how much I hate it. Then, the heat doesn't seem quite so bad. I'm thinking that there's got to be somewhere that is more moderate on a regular basis, though. Any of you come from a climate like that?

Anyway, this isn't a weather blog, is it? Did you check out the guest review Monday from my friend Jack? Isn't he something? I'm hoping he comes back again this summer. We have another great guest reviewer on Friday, so I hope you'll come to check out her review as well. How about Gregg Hurwitz? Did you check out his "disguised" interview yesterday? I'm learning my video recording lessons, slowly but surely! I just couldn't toss it, though, not with all that great content from Gregg. Tomorrow is his launch party in Brentwood, California. My friend Michael is attending and promises to take some pictures to share with us. Many thanks to Michael! He's wonderful! Oh, and don't forget to enter for your chance to win one of two "Love & Whispers" CDs from John Connolly, the soundtrack music to his books THE LOVERS and THE WHISPERERS.

Let's get on with the show, shall we? You came to see memoirs today, and we definitely have them!

First up is a debut author, sort of. Lou Berney has a good deal of writing experience, but his first novel, GUNSHOT STRAIGHT, was published at the beginning of this year to lots of acclaim and fanfair, including being picked by John Searles on NBC's THE TODAY SHOW as one of the "best winter reads." That of course does NOT mean you can't read it now in the dead of summer! Prior to his publication of GUNSHOT STRAIGHT, Lou published short fiction, wrote feature screenplays and created TV pilots. Since that managed to keep him plenty busy, he eked out some time during the 2007-2008 film and TV Writers Guild strike to write GUNSHOT STRAIGHT. At present, Lou reports that he is working on the screenplay for GUNSHOT STRAIGHT and a second novel. In addition to "writer" on his resume, he can also claim the role of teacher, having taught at the University of Oklahoma, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and in the MFA program at Saint Mary's College in California. Lou has pretty much lived in places coast to coast, but these days he and his wife are calling Oklahoma home again. Just perusing through Lou's website, you can sense a positive, fun outlook on life. But if that doesn't convince you, how about a memoir of:

Lived it like he stole it.

Is there any other way? Looking forward to book number two, Lou. Thanks!

Next up we have a writer who grew up entertaining in different formats. Alexandra Sokoloff acted, sang, danced and played classical piano in the early tween years then took up directing plays at the age of sixteen. This early training prepared her to go off to the University of California at Berkeley to major in theater and minor in "everything that Berkeley has a reputation for." Sounds like she kept busy right? Well she still found time to write, direct, and act in slew of productions. She trained in modern dance. She directed and choreographed musicals. She even did some backup singing at a bar in Glacier National Park. Whew! The icing on that cake? How about graduating Phi Beta Kappa?

Like Lou Berney, Alexandra has ties to Hollywood. She has made her living writing novel adaptations as well as original suspense and horror scripts. THE HARROWING marked her entry into the supernatural and earned her both a Bram Stoker nomination and an Anthony nomination for Best First Novel. This year brought her fourth supernatural thriller to bookstores. Last month, BOOK OF SHADOWS was published. Somehow she also finds time to blog over with the gang at Murderati!

It's quite a feat to wrap this up into six words, but Alexandra does it with

Knew there was something besides sex.

Well, yeah, I guess she found a lot of somethings!

And anchoring our memoir post today is Paul Levine, a man who has truly impacted the crime fiction genre in all its facets. The witty author of several legal thriller series is a journalism graduate of Penn State and a Law School graduate of the University of Miami. Paul made use of that journalism degree for awhile before entering law school while he was a reporter for the Miami Herald. Following his success on the Florida Bar exam, Paul went to work for an international law firm, specializing in "complex litigation." He tried cases, handled appeals (even in front of the Supreme Court), served as a legal commentator for television networks in Miami, he even wrote and appeared on You & the Law. And oh yeah, he taught a little on the side as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Miami School of Law.

You'd think after all that craziness he'd be ready to slow down, but no, this man was just getting started! In 1990 Paul published his first novel, TO SPEAK FOR THE DEAD. This is the 20th Anniversary of his first novel and it's just been released as an e-book. To commemorate this landmark achievement, Paul is donating all the proceeds from the e-book sales - 100% - to the Four Diamonds Fund that supports Cancer treatment for children at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital.

In 1998 Paul wrote 9 SCORPIONS which led to his co-creation of FIRST MONDAY for CBS. While FIRST MONDAY last for only one season, Paul did not. He went on to write 20 episodes of one of my favorite legal dramas, JAG.

While we love Paul on the television networks, we're thrilled to have him back at work on his various legal book series. Last year he added a new character to the mix when he introduced L.A. lawyer, Jimmy (Royal) Payne, in ILLEGAL. Jimmy Payne joins Paul's Jake Lassiter and Solomon and Lord. Paul says,

Small town. Big town. Played around.

I say, thank goodness he did! There would be a huge void otherwise. Many, many thanks Paul!

One of the things that I truly love about this project is that each week I sit back and look at the memoirs and think, "Wow! Can you believe all the talent in this community?" I'm constantly reminded of it each week. And then I think, with all the generosity these people have for each other, for their fans, it's talent very well spent. I'm humbled yet again to have these folks willing to take time and share with us. Thank you so, so much for giving. And all the readers, thank YOU for coming back each week, for trying out new authors, and just for having fun in this crime fiction sandbox with me. What a tremendous gift!

Happy Reading everyone!






Technorati Tags: You've the Right to Six Words, Lou Berney, Alexandra Sokoloff, Paul Levine

You've the Right to Six Words: Week 7

Welcome back to the six-word memoirs from crime fiction's greats! We have another impressive group of writers sharing their six-word summations with us today. For those who might be stumbling across this series for the first time today, this was a project that kind of emerged from SMITH's Not Quite What I Expecting: Six-Word Memoirs of Writers Famous and Obscure. I read their book and found it quite amusing but the writers in it weren't really the folks I was interested in hearing from. So, I started asking the authors I interviewed here on the blog. And when readers enjoyed that question in all the interviews, I decided to ask more authors and make a series of just six-word memoirs. It took off and now I'm just trying to hang on.

Leading off for us today is another winner of the St. Martin's Press/PWA Best First Private Eye Novel contest. (For the record, we've now had memoirs from five of those winners - and who knows, maybe there will be more.) Michael Wiley's novel THE LAST STRIPTEASE won him that Best First Private Eye Novel award as well as a 2008 Shamus nomination. Earlier this year he released his second novel featuring Chicago Detective Joe Kozmarski, THE BAD KITTY LOUNGE. And he's working on a third. Even though Michael grew up in Chicago and his series is set in Chicago, he calls Florida home these days, where he teaches literature at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. When he's not teaching or writing, you can catch him at the 7 Criminal Minds blog. I also hear tell he's pretty handy at building things. Well, he did a good job of building his memoir (with a little help from his wife):

Four eyes. Three kids. Two jobs.

One memoir! I also have to mention that I had the pleasure of meeting Michael in Chicago at Printers Row. Looking forward to seeing him again in San Francisco!

Next up for Week 7 is an award-winning woman of mystery. Carolyn Hart has to have a very long mantel or a large display case for all her awards. She started her writing career on her grade school newspaper. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma, she worked as a journalist for The Oklahoma Daily and The Norman Transcript. In 1964 she began writing young adult mysteries. It wasn't until 1987 that she began writing her first adult mystery series, Death on Demand. April brought the 20th novel in this series, LAUGHED 'TIL HE DIED. Carolyn also publishes the Henrie O series and the Bailey Ruth Raeburn series. And if all that wasn't enough, she has 20 publications that don't fit into any of those series. That's a heck of a lot of writin'! One of those stand alone novels, LETTER FROM HOME, earned Carolyn a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction nomination, coming from the Oklahoma Center for Poets and Writers at Oklahoma State University - Tulsa. So how does this prolific woman wheedle it down to six words?

I came, I saw, I wrote.

She sure did! Many thanks, Carolyn!

And finally we have Tim Maleeny joining us today. Tim came to writing in a little more of a round-about way than our other two memoirists. He graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Computer Science and then went to Columbia Business School. This combination somehow added up to a career in advertising. When the confines of the business office started stifling Tim, he began to entertain daydreams of murder and mayhem. (I think I can understand that, Tim!) Instead of turning those daydreams into actions, Tim turned them into critically acclaimed books. Tim pens the Cape Weathers Investigations series, but his most recent novel is a standalone entitled JUMP. Tim called San Francisco home for many years but has recently made his way back to the East Coast and is calling New York home these days. Whether he's using them in advertising or in murder, Tim is

Never at a loss for words.

Many thanks to all of our authors this week for their creative worth smithing. It's always such a joy to share these fun slices of creativity with you all. And this is going to wrap up June for us. Someone slow down the summer. I had to wait too long for it!

Happy Reading!

Technorati Tags: You've the Right to Six Words, Tim Maleeny, Michael Wiley, Carolyn Hart

You've the Right to Six Words - Week 6

It's that time of the week, and we have another fun line-up of memoirs to share. But I had to go back and count. Six? Really? We've had six weeks already? Seems like we just started this back up again. Holy Moly. I typically try to include a newer member of the crime fiction community each week, but this week we have three old pros at this writing game.

I'm really not sure how our first memoirist found time in his life to write, but I'm sure glad he did. ROBERT FATE, born Robert Fate Bealmear, is a Marine Corps veteran who studied at the Sorbonne in France, rough necked in the oilfields of Oklahoma, fashion modeled in NYC, sold show scenery in Las Vegas, and cheffed (I know, I know it isn't a word, but work with me here) in Los Angeles. As a Hollywood F/X technician, he earned a coveted Academy Award for Technical Achievement. Yes, that's right, Oscar lives in Bob's home. Oscar and Bob both live in Los Angeles with Bob's wife, a ceramic artist, and his daughter, a senior at USC. He is the author of the highly acclaimed Baby Shark series: crime adventure in 1950’s Texas with a young, female protagonist. Last fall brought the fourth book in the Baby Shark series: BABY SHARK'S JUGGLERS AT THE BORDER. But Bob is veering a bit from his norm with the next book; he's working on a standalone with a male protagonist. He has a dog, two cats, and a turtle named Pharrell. There are folks who consider the Baby Shark series to be hard boiled crime fiction. But Bob says he writes

Cozies with a few brutal murders.

Whatever classification you tuck them inside, they're wonderful and enrich the whole genre.

Our next memoirist has an equally impressive resume. While I'm not sure what Duane Swierczynski's cookin' up in his kitchen, in the world of writing he's cookin' up just about everything. He's published fiction, non-fiction, AND comics. He's worked in the magazine world, the newspaper world, and the book world. Been in the editor's seat and the author's seat. His most recent professional announcement is his upcoming trilogy to be published by the newly announced Mulholland Books, Little, Brown's mystery/suspense imprint. In addition, Duane will be the new Black Widow writer beginning with issue #6 in September. So this is all the near future news on Duane, what the heck's going on in his present? Well that would be his stunning release, EXPIRATION DATE, from St. Martin's Minotaur. This Philadelphia dad knows who he is and what it takes to be a successful writer, no matter the format, but for everyone else he says,

My last name confused them all.

The name might confuse folks, but the work amazes them. Just give Duane a little bigger book so all the letters fit boldly on the cover!

Finally, wrapping up this week's memoirs is a man who's worked as a lawyer, a spy and an executive. Barry Eisler spent three years with the CIA before moving on to the role of technology lawyer and start-up executive in Silicon Valley and Japan. In 2002 he freed himself from the corporate binds and began writing full time. Best known for his John Rain series, Barry gave life to a new protagonist, Ben Treven, last year with FAULT LINE. Next week, the sequel, INSIDE OUT, will hit the bookstores. Appropriately, Barry has won the "Barry" Award as well as the Gumshoe Award for Best Thriller. His books have been translated into almost 20 languages and Sony Pictures Japan released a film version of his debut novel, RAIN FALL. Barry holds a black belt in Judo and lives in California. Obviously he has no regrets about his choices in life as the six words he's chosen as his memoir are:

Organizations, bullshit; rather work for myself.

Since he landed at number 18 on the New York Times Bestseller List with FAULT LINE last year, I think I can safely say that a lot of readers out there are glad he'd rather work for himself!

Once again, my heart felt thanks go out to our memoirists this week. None of these authors knew me from Adam...Eve?...whatever...but they enthusiastically jumped right in and agreed to participate. And they sure know how to make a gal feel appreciated. Thank you gentlemen! I know I do not speak only for myself when I say we so greatly appreciate your contributions to crime fiction. Write On!

And thanks to all the readers for stopping by. This would be no fun at all without you! Thanks for sharing it with me. Same time next week?

Happy Reading!




Technorati Tags: Duane Swierczynski, Robert Fate, Barry Eisler, You've the Right to Six Words

You've The Right to Six Words

Welcome back for the fifth week of Season 2 in "You've the Right to Six Words: Six-Word Memoirs From Crime Fiction's Greatest Writers." This season is turning out to be a lot of fun for me because I'm meeting a lot of new writers. I met a lot in Season 1, but moreso this time around; many more are new to ME. And my TBR pile just keeps growing. Yesterday there was a discussion going on Twitter; Ron Hogan was taking questions dealing with authors being involved and connecting with their audiences, engaging their readers. The thread was fascinating and you can pull it up by doing a search for #pubQT on Twitter if you'd like to check it out. One especially poignant statement Ron made was "Publishers and authors should both stop acting like 'engaging readers' is a CHORE." Well, just take a look back and you will find a large slew of authors who reached out through their memoirs to engage their readers - YOU! They gave a little glimpse of themselves through this project. As one author I was recently speaking with said, "six is harder than sixty....hey wait!" :-) This isn't an easy task and you can see the time and thought that has gone into all of these. It's an honor to collect them up so that they can be shared with everyone. And I'm so thrilled that you all have enjoyed it as well.

Now let me quit babbling, because you know if I had to say anything in six words, we'd be in a lot of trouble. Here we go with an author I read for the first time this year:

Steve Hamilton submitted his first story to Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine when he was twelve years old. Now he is the author of the Alex McKnight series of PI novels. The first, A COLD DAY IN PARADISE, won that awesome PWA/St. Martin's Best First Private Eye Novel (we've seen memoirs from quite a few other winners of that same award). The contest was actually what prompted Steve to start the Alex McKnight series. Of course that was just the beginning. Steve also won the Edgar and Shamus for Best First Novel and had nominations for the Anthony and Barry as well. After seven Alex McKnight books, Steve tried his hand at a stand alone with NIGHT WORK and that was followed up early this year by another brilliant stand alone, THE LOCK ARTIST. Steve hails from Michigan but these days calls New York home. When asked if he could have his choice between hitting the winning home run for the Tigers in the final World Series game or hitting the New York Times bestseller list, he responded with, "That's easy. World Series home run for the Tigers. You can be a worthless hack and make it on the bestseller list. You win the World Series and people name their kids after you." Steve also has the great distinction of hosting the first date of Jon and Ruth Jordan - they attended one of his book signings. While his books may not end happily ever after, Jon and Ruth sure did. He has a magic touch. Steve's tendency to work on his writing in the wee hours of the night helps explain:

Turned empty nights into bedtime stories.

That memoir just makes me smile. I love it. When Steve won the Best First Novel Edgar he greeted the audience with , "Who are you people, and what are you doing in my dream?" We are all glad Steve allows us into his dreams!

Next up is a new friend of mine - I told you I was meeting new authors. Stephen Jay Schwartz made quite a huge splash into the crime fiction world last September with his debut novel, BOULEVARD featuring sex addict, police detective Hayden Glass. Stephen will be continuing Glass's story in BEAT due out this September. Before joining the ranks of L.A. Times Bestselling authors, he was the Director of Development for film director Wolfgang Petersen. That's just a small piece of his movie world talent! He's had his film work exhibited at film festivals, the Met in New York City, and even Walt Disney Studies in California. He's been both the screenwriter and the "script doctor." These days he has his own production company and calls Southern California home. The Schwartz household includes a labridoodle and a rat. And another stunning memoir:

In fiction observe report in truth.

Isn't it amazing how these authors in six words create distinct tone and atmosphere? I love it!

And wrapping up today's post is an author for whom counting is nothing new. As a matter of fact, these days Janet Evanovich is counting somewhere up around, oh say sixteen? SIZZLING SIXTEEN is her newest Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter, mystery due out on Tuesday. Janet started her writing career with romance novels; she then shifted to the mystery genre and breathed life into Stephanie Plum. Another mystery series penned by Janet is the Alex Barnaby series. TROUBLEMAKER, the third book in this series, is going to be a graphic novel, mother collaborating with daughter, Alex, this time around. Their foray into graphic novels is due out next month. But the mother-daughter adventure isn't the only family affair. Far from it. The whole family works to make Evanovich, Inc. run smoothly. Janet does the writing, Peter takes care of the financial aspects, Alex handles everything website-related, and Pete (Janet's husband) manages the business aspects of Evanovich, Inc. One big happy family/business.

Janet says her favorite exercise is shopping and her drug of choice is Cheeze Doodles. She enjoys reading comic books, watching happy movies and spending her money before she makes it. Janet is absolutely confident that

Life is more fun with birthday cake.

And here's to many more birthday cakes for all of our contributing authors. My most heart-felt thanks to all three memoirists for their beautiful contributions to the series. I'm honored and thrilled to have you visit. Thank you for taking the time to engage with us, your fans!

And thanks to everyone stopping by to read today. I hope this week's installment was as much fun for you as it was for me. Happy Reading!

Technorati Tags: You've the Right to Six Words, Steve Hamilton, Stephen Jay Schwartz, Janet Evanovich