A Spur Award - Yes, It Is So!

I have to start out today's post with a huge congratulations to Craig Johnson who has won the Western Writers of America's Spur Award for Another Man's Moccasins! I'm excited because I will be able to see Craig on a panel at the L.A. Times Festival of Books AND I'm going to this event to see him in June! Yes! It is so! I will finally get to meet the man himself!

Also discovered today that Gregg Hurwitz will be releasing his new book in June. It is called Trust No One. If it is half as good as The Crime Writer, I'll be in heaven! You can see details at his website here. He is also going to be at the L.A. Times FOB, so maybe I can see him as well. It would be GREAT!

Yesterday was the anniversary of Raymond Chandler's death 50 years ago. In honor, Dave Rosenthal over at the Read Street blog has a little Chandler trivia game. You can try your hand for a chance at some free mysteries.

So that's all for other sites. Now I'm going to announce that the fun is just gettin' started around here folks. I have great stuff lined up for April, but we'll get an early start with a guest blogger tomorrow. In April I have a handful of interviews lined up, and I'm very excited about them. I also have at least one more guest blogger in April. Then of course will be the Festival of Books so I'll have LOTS of fun to share about that!

But, for tonight, I'm off to continue EASY INNOCENCE that I started today during my lunch break and then became thoroughly irritated when I had to stop! It hooked me on page 1; I'm looking forward to this book! Make sure you check out Naomi's award-nominated short story, and Happy Reading!!

Must Read Novels

O.k., so I always read these lists, but I never really like them...those "books everyone must read before they die" lists. One of the main reasons I don't ever like these lists is because for some Godforsaken reason Ulysses ALWAYS ends up on the list. If I were making a list of books I think people should stay far, far away from, Ulysses would be at the top of the list followed immediately by Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man. Now granted, I had to read it for a class in college and the professor was so incredibly horrible that I dreaded going to class - only lit class I ever dreaded. But even if I hadn't had that bad experience I still would not have liked the book - I think Joyce is cut out more for the "ole boys network." The point of all this rambling is that reading is a personal experience. And what I should read before I die isn't necessarily the same thing that EVERY person should read before they die. I think the idea is ludicrous. However, I still end up reading the lists. Here is one from The Guardian. I looked at the section that highlighted Crime Fiction - there's three parts to it. It's actually kind of interesting to look at; they try to span all sub-genres of crime fiction. There are a handful on the list I've read, but far more that I haven't. Some, I have no interest in ever reading (Stephen King), some I've had on my TBR list now for awhile (Raymond Chandler). I was kind of surprised not to see any Ross Macdonald...maybe I overlooked him. I also didn't notice any Conan Doyle; kind of strange. Mark Twain and William Faulker appear but Edgar Allen Poe does not. Again, a little odd. Of course I have a personal bias for Robert Crais and believe L.A. Requiem should be on any list of crime fiction, but that's my "personal experience." I was, however, a little shocked not to see Robert Parker on the list. And again, my personal experience coming in to play here, I think James Lee Burke is one of the greatest living American writers, period, so I would definitely have him on my list of recommended crime fiction reading.

But again, I don't think any one list suits every person. So, I thought maybe you all could help me to build MY list. You've been reading my reviews, and getting an idea of what I appreciate and what I'm not so thrilled with. What would YOU recommend I put on my list and why do you think I'd find it worthwhile to read before I die? I'll try to put together a list of 100 that I need to read before I die.

Alright, you're turn...tell me what you think!