Author Archives: Murderati

Confessions of a Comic Book Nerd

Hello, my name is Mike and I’m a comic book nerd.

I’ve read comics since I was a kid. Going to high school in the late eighties, it was something one hid, like a scarlet letter "C" blazoned across your chest. (Which is ironic since comics were then more popular than ever before). You spoke about comics in hushed voices in the darkest corners of campus. You confided only to your closest friends about them, a trusted few who shared the same secret shame. And you never, NEVER, mentioned them to girls.

Times have changed.

Comics are no longer confined to magazine racks and dingy little comic shops. They now sit on the shelves of most major book stores in the form of graphic novels and trade paperback reprints. And, while the majority of readers have been adults for some time, the medium is reaching a broader range of readers everyday.

Still, I feel many adults resist comics. So, in an effort to expose the Murderati readers out there to a different kind of storytelling, I give you my picks of some of the best comics out there. Give them a try and you just might discover the secret nerd within.

CRIME AND GRIME

Sin City: The Hard Goodbye

The first and best of Frank Miller’s Sin City yarns. Dark and violent with images cut from blocks of pure shadow, the graphic novel is even better than the film. Miller IS the best in the business.

100 Bullets: First Shot, Last Call

Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso mix two parts hard-boiled crime with a healthy dose of espionage to create one very addictive story. Buyer beware, this one is an ongoing series.

The Preacher: Gone to Texas

My all time favorite series, written by Garth Ennis with art by Steve Dillon. The storyline follows ex-preacher Jesse Custer, his gunslinging girlfriend, and their Irish vampire sidekick on a quest to find God and give the man upstairs a good ole fashion ass whuppin’. Funny, outrageous, violent, and thought provoking.

Transmetropolitan: Back on the Street

Take Hunter S. Thompson and drop him in the dark future of Blade Runner. ‘Nuff said. Written by Warren Ellis with art by Darrick Robertson.

MEN IN TIGHTS

Batman the Dark Knight Returns

Thanks to a campy TV show and a slew of horrible cartoons, Batman had become one of the most laughable comic book heroes in history. Then came Frank Miller’s masterpiece. In one stroke, Miller returned Batman to his darker origins and proved once and for all that comics (even superhero comics) weren’t just for kids. (I told you he’s the best.)

Kingdom Come

A great story by Mark Waid with beautiful painted cells by Alex Ross. I hate Superman, but I loved this book. A must have in any collection.

Wolverine

Okay, I might have included this one for nostagila stake. Everybody’s favorite mutant claws his way through an army of ninjas. Loads of fun for the young of heart. Story by Chris Claremont with artwork by Frank Miller (yes, Frank made the list one last time).

Those in the know might notice my list is heavy on the D.C. side. As a teenager, I always found myself in the Marvel camp (X-Men, The Punisher, Daredevil). But these days it seems DC and the Independents are telling more sophisticated stories. Anyone out there have any Marvel picks that should go on my list?

And…

This is a little off subject, but ITW is having a cool promotion. Click here for a chance to win 150 thrillers.

Free movies… and CAPOTE

Yes, boys and girls, it’s awards season in Hollywood. For screenwriters, this means one thing above all:

!!!!! – FREE MOVIES – !!!!

At theaters all over LA and NY, and a few selected in San Francisco and a couple other lucky cities, you present your WGA (Writers Guild of America) card for just about any showing and get in free.

Now, this is a joy. Because not only do you get in, but if you’re going in with another WGA member, you can get a whole two other people in free. You can feel like Santa, or God, simply by turning to the most lovely (In spirit, of course) moviegoers behind you in the cinema line and asking, oh so casually – “Are you going to BABEL? Do you want to get in free?” And watch the faces light up like Christmas….

Even better, we screenwriters get DVDs of the Oscar hopefuls IN THE MAIL. Now, that’s the kind of thing that makes you feel like a professional. Free stuff.

There are some really great films up for Oscars and various awards this year. And I’m thrilled that as a WGA member I’m getting so many more awards screeners this year than last. Last year, in a fit of piracy paranoia, the studios sent a bare minimum of free DVD screeners out to writers. CRASH was one of the only free screeners sent out to voting writers last year. CRASH won every major award for Best Screenplay. Coincidence? Oh, I think not.

Studios are arguably moronic, but they’re not stupid.

Suffice it to say the studios realized that after the CRASH sweep, they’d better start sending the freebies out if they wanted the writing awards this year. Result? More DVDs in the mail than I’ve had time to watch.

And I’m sure I’ll get around to talking about all of this year’s fine screeners – I mean films – because there are some really good ones out there. But not this week.

Because I finally saw CAPOTE this week (I know, I know. A year late. It’s ridiculous. I was BUSY last year, okay???)

CAPOTE

A Dan Futterman screenplay based on the book by Gerald Clarke, directed by Bennett Miller, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as Capote

This film is a must-see for writers. Stunning – from the first second: the opening image, the cinematography, the pace, the writing…

All of which get dwarfed by that incredible character and performance.

You watch Hoffman/Capote breathlessly as he seduces what he wants out of Perry Smith, lying left and right…

And you’re thinking – “That is one ice-cold bastard…”

And in pretty much the same thought I was also thinking –

“God, I am JUST like that.”

Now, people who know me would disagree. Most of them would, anyway. A few who REALLY know me, like my brother and sister, would say – “Well, not exactly like that, but I know what you mean.”

For all our sensitivity and empathy and wit and charm, which we also do have in spades… there is a ruthlessness about professional writers, combined with the thickest skins you’re ever going to find – that makes us, well, let’s just say – different.

That’s not all there is to me, of course. I love puppies and kittens and I do ridiculous amounts of volunteer work for worthy causes and I stand up to bullies and bigots and you would definitely want me around if your small child needed saving from drowning or a burning building.

But when it comes to my writing? Just back the fuck off.

When Capote says, “I’m here working. That’s all this is. I have work to do.”

That is so me it’s scary.

I really do find myself doing appalling things when I’m working, and justifying it all to myself because, after all, if it’s going to get me that scene or lock in that character, then how can I not? And I don’t just mean that you better not even think of trying to talk to me when I’m writing.

If there’s some part of you that I want for a character? Watch out.

Do not leave your diary unlocked around me. I’m not saying I’d for sure read it, but I’m not saying I wouldn’t, either. Letters? E mails? Lingerie drawer? Depends on what I need. I’ve slept with all kinds of people I shouldn’t have because it’s about the fastest way to get to the heart of someone. Really, I have no shame. Complete and total vampire.

But what I thought was especially stunning about the writing and the characterization is that at the same time that Capote was milking Perry Smith for every bit of humanity he could squeeze out of him – he was also completely and totally and honestly falling in love with the man – not as a mere sexual object, but falling in love with his soul – wanting to know him in a way very few of us are ever known by anyone. How thrilling. How vampiric. How very much like a writer. What we want is to know you. Is that so wrong?

So, fess up now, writers. Did you recognize yourself in Capote? A little bit of the vampire going on? Or am I the only sociopath here?

Scissors Shears

JT Ellison

The DorothyL listserve had a discussion last week about hospitals. Can characters walk in and out of sections of a hospital without being stopped, can a patient slip out of ICU unnoticed, all that good creepy kind of thought process. Since I never feel really good about hospitals, the conversation fascinated me.

Unfortunately, I’ve had some experience here. And as fate would have it, during the online conversation, my mum took ill and we needed to put her in the hospital here in Nashville. She’s fine now (Hi, Mom!) and back home in Florida. But the five days she spent in St. Thomas really had me freaked out.

I’ll tell you one thing that’s an absolute – if you want to wander into a hospital room, no one is going to stop you.

If you look like you know what you’re doing, you could go into a room, kill a patient, and walk away with no one the wiser. For five days, I walked in and out and not a single person asked who I was, who I belonged to, who I was visiting, nothing. It was horrifying, really. I’m shocked there isn’t a higher number of hospital fatalities and murders. We won’t even go into the lack of attention paid to the patients.

I’ve never been comfortable in the hospital. The surgery side is fine, emergency is sort of fun in a gruesome ‘things are horrible but they will get better’ kind of way. It’s the ‘spend the night’ areas that I don’t like. I’m not sure where my intrinsic fear of this comes from, having been in hospitals all my life. Maybe it’s the constant barrage of daytime soaps that I watched growing up — DAYS OF OUR LIVES must have set every third scene in University Hospital. Maybe the barrage of people who died, came back from the dead, lingered in comas, had affairs, tainted my worldview.

But I do know one event in particular that really blew it for me. Seeing the Exorcist III in the theater.

I lived in Washington, D.C. at the time, and spent an ungodly amount of time carousing in Georgetown. I didn’t really want to see the movie, but a boyfriend insisted (he wasn’t a boyfriend after that night, I assure you). What a mistake that was. I’ll never forget how scared I was, seeing the halls of Georgetown University Hospital, knowing the streets, the signs, the shops intimately and imagining that the Gemini Killer was real – hell, I couldn’t go to Georgetown unaccompanied for months.

Think I feel things a bit too keenly? That’s why I don’t watch horror movies.

There’s one scene in particular in the movie that still haunts me, where the Gemini Killer comes flying out of a room with the shears to cut off the nurses head – yeah. It was too much for me, I still get chills thinking about it.

Now I find that the movie is based on the book, LEGION, by William Peter Blatty, (yes, quit rolling your eyes, I didn’t know that the original EXORCIST was a book first, I’m sorry) and I find myself wondering if I should get it and read it. Knowing my track record with these kinds of things, I’m thinking no. I just spook too easy.

I watched half of CONSTANTINE (wasn’t scared in the least, just got tired and needed to go to bed) and ended up having one of the most horrific nightmares I’ve ever experienced. Read Peter Straub’s GHOST STORY and couldn’t walk down the hallway to my room by myself for a year. What’s so sad is I read GHOST STORY when I was eight, and saw CONSTANTINE when I was thirty-six, and had the same damn reaction. I just can’t handle the scary stuff.

Yet I can research and write books about serial killers, write short stories about stalkers and demons who terrorize innocents. Any psychologists want to explain that one to me?

Wine of the Week – Maybe this will cheer me up – Molly Dooker Shiraz

I Resolve To Procrastinate More…

JT Ellison

A quick note of BSP — the kind gentleman from Texas has interviewed me on Murder and Mystery Books 101. Stop by and learn all kinds of blackmailable information.

Now, about that whole procrastination thing…

You may think I’m kidding. I know I should be writing a
nice, happy list of New Year’s resolutions. I should be reflecting on the
craziness that was 2006, and laying out my goals and plans for 2007.

But the past week has been, to sum it up in one word, weird.
We lost James Brown and Gerald Ford. Poor Betty Ford suffered through days and
days of public mourning – he was our President, but he was her husband, and she
has to grieve openly, which really tears me up. Add to that Taps, missing man
flyovers, twenty-one cannon salutes, (I can’t count how many times I’ve mouthed
along to the Lord’s Prayer) and I’m an emotional wreck. Of course, I get teary
at the National Anthem, so you can imagine what the pomp and circumstance
patriotism does to me.

Balance the solemnity of the week with the absurd — Pat
Robertson has declared an imminent calamity will claims thousands of lives in
September, because God told him so. Saddam had his neck stretched on You Tube
and the cell phone videographer/perpetrator was arrested, who knows what will
happen to him? Yes, I’m guilty of watching. A couple of times, actually. Let’s
just leave it at that.

Then there was the jumper. He deserves his own blog entry, so suffice it to say he’s currently alive and residing in a psychiatric hospital in a coastal Florida town, and we’ll talk about that another time.

On a much happier note, Christmas was lovely. Two presents
especially – my very own engraved iPod Nano to replace my dinky Shuffle, and a
china box in the Limoges fashion my mum gave me that said “Behind Every Good
Woman… Is Herself.” That struck home in many ways. I guess if I have to
reflect, 2006 was the year that I proved myself – to myself.

I had my little freak out on New Year’s Day. Not to be
clichéd, but the train left the station at midnight, and I forgot to get off.
But that’s cool. Being an author is what I’ve planned for, what I’ve worked
for, what I’ve dreamed about. Right?

Top all of this nonsense off with a wicked cold, one of
those where your brain turns to absolute mush. That’s been the weirdness of the
past seven days.

Okay, you’ve caught me. There’s a reason for this…
ambivalence. It’s time to erase my white board and begin writing the next book.

Making the transition between books is always hard for me.
And it seems like I just did that (I guess I did, it was July. Time does fly,
doesn’t it?) I’ve been casting about for a couple of weeks, searching for
something to get me refocused. There’s no more cushion, no taking a month off
to find myself. The bullet must be bitten immediately. I’m actually starting on
the third book before the second is completely finished. As my darling critique
partner JB Thompson will tell you, thinking about multiple projects isn’t
something I’ve mastered.

But I hit upon something yesterday, drew up a list of names,
wrote an elevator pitch, and realized there is light at the end of my weeklong
tunnel. Halleluiah. The procrastination portion of our programming may be at an end.

How about you? Do you have trouble transitioning between
books, or stories? Can you work on multiple projects, or are you like me, more adept at focusing on one thing at a time?

Wine of the Week — A repeat from the past, but we had it for New Year’s Eve’s dinner, Tenute
Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino

Honestly one of the best wines in the world. I plan to stop by the vineyard in April, replenish the stores.

AND…

Major congrats to Killer Year member Marcus Sakey, who has pulled off a nice little coup — getting a controversial review from the New York Times — outside the crime fiction section. Marcus is rewriting all the rules for debut authordom. He needs to be watched. I’ll reference Mr. Guyot’s eloquent post from Tuesday — combo platter indeed.

AND…

ITW is having a cool new promotion.

Playboy April 1997

Well, yes – it’s true. Raymond WAS James Bond for nine books. I mean, you can’t get any closer than than, can you? Just take a gander at Raymond here – talk about imersing yourself in your work! But he does look great, doncha think? I have to give him a lot of credit though – imagine wearing a tux all the way through ZERO MINUS TEN (1997), THE FACTS OF DEATH (1998), HIGH TIME TO KILL (1999), DOUBLESHOT (2000), NEVER DREAM OF DYING (2001) and his finale – THE MAN WITH THE RED TATTOO (2002). That’s quite an impressive set of credits. And even more fascinating (besides being Bond for so many years)-The Japanese Bond fans aka the Kagawa Prefectural government-this year opened a permanent ‘007 MAN WITH THE RED TATTOO MUSEUM on the island-and have honored Raymond with the title of Ambassador! Now, those are fans!! Add to all this – he’s done the film novelizations for TOMORROW NEVER DIES, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH and DIE ANOTHER DAY. And did I mention his non-fiction – THE JAMES BOND BEDSIDE COMPANION? Yep, that’s his as well. And then there are the computer games, the stage plays he’s written and directed, and uh, let’s see – oh, hell – go to his website: http://www.raymondbenson.com

But there is much more to Raymond’s writing career besides Bond – so much more – it would take an hour just to type his credits. You can read all about that on his website – and please do – Raymond is truly a renaissance man! Last year he spent nearly three weeks in Italy promoting the re-issue of ZERO MINUS TEN, a week as a judge of the Courmayeur Noir Festival along with Val Kilmer and Jeffery Deaver. Currently, his work can be found in the anthology -THESE GUNS FOR HIRE, and earlier this year – he interviewed Hugh Hefner for CINEMA RETRO, and there’s more – EVIL HOURS will be re-published in Italy! Raymond’s newest – SWEETIE’S DIAMONDS is out and is one heck of a terrific read – so start there and then you’ll see what a truly talented guy this is.

Now that you’ve learned a bit about this amazing guy, come see what he’s got to say –

EE: So, Raymond – I imagine having to don a tux while writing those Bond books became annoying after a time. I’ll bet your neighbors did a double-take when you took out the garbage.

RB: Ha! Most of the time I write wearing only underwear or (gasp) less. That’s the luxury of working out of one’s home. My commute from the bedroom is ten feet. I must admit, though, that when I do interviews like this, I dress a bit more formally. I have a white shirt on, but no pants. (and it was nine books – six originals and three movie novelizations!)

Ahem – I do hope the shirt is buttoned at least.

EE: Uh, I don’t think I’m going to ask you what your Walter Mitty dream is – I mean, you lived it through NINE books, but well – is it possible you still have one you’d like to tell us about?

RB: I suppose I may have ‘lived it’ while writing the Bonds…but I certainly wouldn’t want to be Bond. I don’t have that kind of tolerance to torture and pain. I really dislike the kind of martini he drinks, and even some of the meals Bond eats turn me off. I’m a coward when it comes to gambling at a casino, and I’m even more of a wimp with the physical stuff like jumping out of airplanes without a parachute, fighting someone on top of a moving train, driving like a maniac in heavy traffic while bullets are flying all around, or having less than a minute to disarm an atomic bomb. (Hmm…the ladies…now tht might be a different matter…) But I suppose my Walter Mitty dream right now is simply to make a success of my recent non-Bond novels and the stuff I have yet to write!

Oh, darling…that’s no Walter Mitty dream! After what you and Bond have been through – that’s a cakewalk.

EE: I’m told you and your pal, Hugh Hefner had quite a difficult time staying on track during that day at the Mansion when you two were reminiscing about your your six appearances in Playboy – the excerpts from the novels and the two Bond short stories Hef published in Playboy – just what caused all the interruptions?

RB: Hef is not only a kind and generous person, he’s also an animal lover. On the grounds of the Playboy Mansion are kinds of exotic animals. In fact, I believe he’s the only private citizen in L.A. with a zoo license. There are flamingos and dozens of other species of strange birds, monkeys, Japanese koi, dogs and more dogs, it’s amazing… oh, did I mention the bunnies?

Bunnies? Ohh, how sweet! I just love rabbits. So cute, so cuddly…so… Wait. We’re are talking about rabbits, aren’t we?

EE: Rumors are you’ve had to hire two bodyguards or your November 25th book signing at Murder by the Book in Houston due to the unprecedented number of female fans expected. Can it be true those women don’t realize you’re NOT Bond?

RB: Don’t ask, don’t tell!

Oh, like that, huh? Hells bells – my lips are sealed.

EE: One of my most trusted spies has informed me that you are persona non gratis in Hong Kong. Is it true several of the main Triads have a price on your head because your description of their ceremonies in ZERO MINUS TEN were so on the money – the cops can’t guarantee your safety?

RB: You know, I really thought I would be come the Salmon Rushdie of the Bond novelists. It’s true that I described in detail the sacret initiation ceremony that Triads used in that book. But the Royal Hong Kong Police gave me a transcript of it! (This was back in 1996 before the handover). I asked them if I could get into any trouble if I used it…and the two inspectors who specialized in Triads just looked at each other and grinned.

Aieee!! Well, you could always call on Jackie Chan if you get in a pinch.

EE: While we all know Sean Connery is your favorite Bond, and you even thought Timothy Dalton did a great job – the buzz around Thrillerville is that when you gave the producers of the new Bond flick – Casino Royale – a thumb’s up on Daniel Craig as the new Bond – Craig was so grateful – he’s been sending you flowers. Flowers? Is this a new guy thing?

RB: No, no, it wasn’t flowers. It was socks. He’d heard about the usual outfit I wear when I work at my computer. He thought I could use some.

Oh. Socks. Okay. I feel better now.

EE: But back to your other life – Is it really true you were bored to teares while doing research for your latest – SWEETIE’S DIAMONDS? Gosh, I’d think checking out the adult porn industry would have been rather exciting, er, illuminating.

RB: Research? Who needed research? Ahem. Seriously, folks, I do take pride in the amount of research I do for all my books. For Bond, I had to get the weaponry and technical and British-ness right. For TOM CLANCY’S SPLINTER CELL, I had to get the military jargon right. For SWEETIE’S DIAMONDS I had to…you know.

Yes, well – we’ll just have to use our imagination I suppose.

EE: And what about those computer games you’ve so successfully created? Was this hiatus from writing block-busters prompted by your inner child crying out?

RB: Actually, the computer game portion of my side-winding career was an unexpected left-turn that happened to come around at the right time and in the right place. I was always a game-player and by the 1980’s I had become enamored of role-playing games like ‘Dungeons & Dragons’. When home PCs started becomming big in the mid-80’s, this style of interactive story-telling game was a natural port over to the computer. I got in on the ground floor an dedid it for about ten years. I left the industry behind, though, when I started writing novels full time. A funny thing about that ‘inner child’ stuff…I was usually one of the oldest people working at the various game companies that employed me!

Well, we’re just glad you got Dungeons & Dragons out of your system and turned to writing!

EE: You won’t need your tux for this, but we’d all like to know which writer would you love to have all to yourself in a cozy corner of the bar at next year’s ThrillerFest.

RB: You, Elaine.

And now that I’ve buttered you up, let’s see if I can think of some runners-up. So many of my favorite writers are already friends of mine, so dragging them to a corner wouldn’t be that difficult. Actually, some of them I really wouldn’t want all to myself in a cozy corner. Eww. I suppose I’ll just let that question slide and see if anyone seeks me out for a cozy corner.

Well, now that you buttered me up – I’ll do the same – you won’t have a problem, okay? You’ll probably need those body guards again. When the gals out there see you in your tux, you’ll be swamped!

EE: So, is it true that since you are officially an Ambassador to Kagawa Prefecture in Japan, you insist your students at William Rainey Harper College address you as ‘Sensei’ in your classrooms?

RB: No, but I do insist that they bow every time they enter and leave the classroom.

I’ll try to remember that next time we meet. But, my memory does depart me on occasion. 🙂

EE: Who would be your ideal SWEETIE’S DIAMONDS book tour mate? Be careful here, your wife may be reading this.

RB: Well, if my wife is unable to make it, then I’d want the actress playing the lead character in the movie that should be made based upon the book. It’d make a terrific vehicle for a talented and attractive leading lady in her 40’s. (Are you listening Hollywood?)

Drat. That leaves me out. I just turned…well, nevermind.

EE: You’re having six guests for dinner, other than Miss Moneypenny, who would you invite, and what would you serve?

RB: I assume I can name dead people as well as living. Whenever I’m asked a question like this, I always name my heroes – Ian Fleming, Stanley Kubrick, John Lennon, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx (sorry Zeppo, no room!), and Marilyn Monroe for some glamour. Gosh, they’re all dead. What does that say about me? And what bizarre conversations would incur! It would be such a lively even that we’d all forget to eat, so who cares what I’m serving…

You forgot one guest – I think you’d need a medium too.

Many thanks to Raymond Benson for playing ON THE BUBBLE with us today. Might I add that the real Raymond – is just as charming as any of the Bond men – and I look forward to seeing him again next year at ThrillerFest. It’s been great fun to chat with this incredibly multi-talented guy, and a thrill (no pun intended) to read his extraordinary escapades with 007! But wait until you read SWEETIE’S DIAMONDS! WHEW!

See you next week, when my guest will be…well, you’ll have to check back to find out. I mean, this is a ‘mystery’ blog, right?

Resolutionary!

I’m quite lazy at heart. I’m driven, but I need a chauffeur. Since I need to set myself goals to ensure I finish things, I always make New Year’s resolutions. So here are my 2007 New Year’s resolutions.

Reso #1
I’m not to work so damn hard. Last year, I worked like a demon. I wrote everyday and usually didn’t stop writing until midnight. That’s not acceptable in 2007. I need time away from the keyboard. I want to play with my dog and I’d like to see my wife when she’s not asleep. It only recently occurred to me that I don’t have any outside interests. They were put on the back burner in 2006. That really sucks. I want some playtime. That said, I have a pretty busy schedule ahead. I have two novels out in 2007 that will need promoting. I became the president of the NorCal chapter of Sisters in Crime. I have Murderati and my newsletter to feed, not to mention a new novel to write. That’s more than enough to worry about, I think.

On the downside, I’ll being saying “no” a lot more often than usual. I hate disappointing people—it’s a horrible English affliction—but it has to be done. I’m looking forward to finishing up the current novel over the next couple of months and then taking a break for a month while I have some fun. My motto for 2007 is work, rest and play.

Reso #2
Now that I’ve got my foot in the door of New York publishing, I plan on cementing my presence there. I’ll be bringing my own concrete. I’m not sure how I’m going to achieve that but I think by writing the best damn books I can is a start, don’t you think?

Reso #3
I need to find an agent. I say this every year and fail in the task, but one of these years I’ll do it. Finding an agent represents one of my rolling goals that never seems to pan out. Sooner or later I have to roll a double six, haven’t I?

Finding an agent falls into my bucket of improbable but possible wants. Other things that rattle around in that bucket include getting published in Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, Cemetery Dance and The Writer. Landing a hardback book deal is another as is seeing one of my books come out in audio format. A hardback book is the pinnacle showcase of a writer’s work. Having an audio version come out will make my mum happy. Like she always says, “I’m getting old and wills can be changed. So get cracking, boy.” I love you too, mum.

Reso #4
I want to do something new. I’ve always had a hankering to fence. No, not stolen goods, silly. There’s good money to be made, but the market is saturated with vendors at the moment. No, I mean fencing as in sword fighting. Since I can’t play soccer anymore, I need a new sport. I think it’s time to upgrade. When I was little I would fix a strainer to my head with rubber bands and duel my sister with broomsticks. Putting a weapon in my hand worries Julie. She doesn’t think I should be allowed anything sharper than a spork. You accidentally stab someone (twice) at a BBQ and suddenly everyone thinks you’re a danger to the human race.

Also I’d like to learn Spanish. I love visiting Central and South America and I’ve picked up a little Spanish along the way but I really should learn the lingo. So an evening off from writing could be spent learning Español.

Reso #5
I want to hang out with my little Julie. As I go into my 9th year of writing, my door has been closed off in the evenings and she doesn’t get to see me unless I’m sticking a manuscript in her hand. I’m planning on not working on weekends so that we can actually say hello and she can take the name badge off her chest.

2007 is going to be about a lot of hard work, but it’s also about getting my priorities right.

Happy New Year,
Simon Wood

ON THE BUBBLE – PERSONS OF INTEREST

I spent the holiday season pondering this case. After consuming two fruitcakes, more eggnog than usual, and a partridge in a pear tree – I threw my suspect 5×8 cards up in the air and decided the first three that landed right side up would lead me to my perps. How foolish one can be when one is in a sugar down slide. Alas and alack – there were too many variables. Too many nut-case civilians trying to play sleuth back at me. I was faced with answers that had no relevance to my questions, bore no semblance of sanity – facts were skirted – allegations scorned – my superior methods of interrogation were ignored – all in all – it was a total cock up.

And these last five interviews? Ha. An ex-cop looking for some old grubby statue of a falcon, a guy who get’s off on amusement parks and has a signing dog, a wee lass who’s hung up on shoes, a dignified looking gent who’s really a pool shark and a blonde who looks like an angel and writes stuff about the devil. I mean, are these people for real? I dread writing up my report. My Chief is gonna think I’ve lost it. Maybe I have. Maybe I should just hand in my keyboard and sail off in the sunset. No. That won’t work. I get seasick. The mountains, maybe? No. I have allergies. The desert. Yeah, that’s …no. I hate brown on brown. I’m a color person. Honolulu? Yes! The Moana in Waikiki. The verandah and pu-pu’s…and Chi-Chi’s…lot’s of Chi-Chi’s…and…

BUT FIRST:

SCENE OF THE CRIME: ON THE BUBBLE – DAY FIVE – 2007

THE CRIMES: Writing some of the best damn fiction out there.

THE SUSPECTS:

ROBIN BURCELL http://www.robinburcell.com

The good news is that Robin will have a new book out this year – THE FACE OF A KILLER. The only bad news is that she’s kept her readers waiting far too long. The other news is check out this photo – and then remember that even though she’s no longer a cop – she still knows how to use that thing – so don’t mess with her, okay?

EE: So, Robin – my San Fran spy tells me you were seen hovering over lattes at Starbucks on Union Street with a certain famous romance writer who lives close by. Is it true (Oh, please God!) she’s run out of plots and called you for help?

RB: Well, that’s what I told the paparazzi that were snapping photos of the event, but the truth was that I happened to walk in at the same time as her, and she asked me to pass the sugar. I said, ‘raw or regular?’ And she said, ‘Which is best?’ So you can see how that was misinterpreted. I’ll take my photo ops any way I can get ’em.

Okay, we’ll buy that for now.

EE: And what about that rumor that you’re a high-ranking member of James Lincoln Warren’s (aka JLW) PHART’S, but you’re afraid if it gets out you’ll have to go into a witness protection program?

RB: Highly over-rated rumor. Not true in the least. Besides, even if the truth did leak out, the organization is so highly secretive, it makes the secret society of Freemasons look like the public information office.

Damn, but she’s a hard nut to crack.

EE: Word on the street (I love cop shop talk) is that your former role as Prez of NorCal MWA was really a cover up for a special ops job you’re doing for the Maltese Society to find that damn falcon.

RB: Well, that was before I realized the dang falcon was right there where we meet each month in the display case at Historic John’s Grill in San Fran all along. Of course, I’m a trained investigator. Not everyone can lay claim to such refined skills.

Huh? I went to several of those meetings. It was there? All that time? Doesn’t say much for any of us so-called sleuths, does it!

CHRIS GRABENSTEIN http://www.chrisgrabenstein.com

Even though Chris is guilty of writing TV commercials – we can ignore that part of his shady past. After all – anyone who can rescue a wonderful guy like Fred (the one without the shades) – he can’t be all bad. Fred, by the way, was a star on Broadway appearing in ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ – and is helping Chris weather the pressures of stardom after winning the Best First Novel Anthony for TILT A WHIRL.

EE: Rumors are rampant that Bruce Willis – your former comedy troupe member – is hankering to become a mystery writer, but you’re not returning his calls. What’s up with that?

CG: Yes, he’s ready to moonlight again. But every time he calls, it sounds like he’s trapped in a building without any shoes hiding from German terrorists with semi-automatic weapons. I remember when Bruce did his first movie, back when we were still doing improv comedy for ten dollars a show down in the east village in a basement theater just off the Bowery and he had to shave his head (something he seems to do on a regular basis these days) to play a bald guy riding the Roosevelt Island tram.

Gosh, I like the way you skirted that question. But hey, who needs another mystery writer, huh? I mean, we can live without Bruce in the bookstores.

EE: Okay, time for your Walter Mitty Dream Sequence. Whatcha got for us?

CG: I’m on stage. People are blowing into sticks of candy like flutes. I hear the strands of ‘Toot Sweet’. I jump on the bad guy. Okay, it’s Fred’s dream…but I want to have stage credit’s as good as our dog’s!

Hold that thought – I’ve got Carol Shorenstein Hays on the other line – we’re working something up. Just make sure I have two front row center’s on opening night, okay?

EEO: Which sex symbol do you think you most resemble?

CG: Fred Flint stone. Maybe Barney Rubble. Oh, you should have seen me eighty pounds ago…which is how much weight I lost three years ago. Weight Watchers On Line and Book Writing. Perfect together.

You LOST weight writing? Yo.

DONNA MOORE http://www.free space.virgin.net/Donna.Moore

I don’t know who the hell Donna Moore’s muse is – but I want her! Ken Brien has called her the Dorothy Parker of Scotland. Charlie Stella said – it’s like having Grouch Marx feeding you one-liners over your shoulder the entire trip.’ Is it any wonder Donna’s hilarious debut book – GO TO HELENA HAND BASKET has been nominated for a Lefty next month at Left Coast Crime?

EEO: Isn’t it true, Donna – that you’re madly in love with Bob Haskins, and patterned Robin Banks after him? Well, okay – so you made him a bit taller, but still?

DEM: Isn’t EVERYONE taller than Bob Haskins? We have the same test for telling a good book me and Bob. Apparently when he gets a new script he takes it to the lo and if he’s sitting there and his bum goes cold and numb – then he knows the script is a good one and he accepts the role. I’m the same. The number of times I’ve fallen off the loo reading a Ken Bruen…

Charming. Thank you for sharing that with us. I’m sure Ken Bruen is delighted to know he is found in all the better places.

EE: Rumors abound that now that Helen Mirren has let Jane Tennison retire, she’s interested in playing Helena – but you’re trying to convince her to play Heidi instead. So, what’s the scoop on that? Think Helen can handle it?

DM: Well, having seen the last episode of Prime Suspect, I’m beginning to think it was the cocktails that were the attraction, rather than the role of Helena. And let’s face it, Elaine, ANYONE can handle the role of Helena. She’s so dim. For some reason my family think she is based on me. I have no idea why.

Surely you jest! You’re not at all like Helena. Well, maybe a little bit…now that I think about it…there is a similarity. Not physically, of course. I’m sure it’s your great sense of adventure. Oh, wait! I know! It’s the shoes. That’s it. The shoes.

EE: And speaking of shoes (?) – I understand Imelda Marcos is angling for a spot in the Guinness Book of Records for having the most shoes – and she’s challenged you to surpass her. Is it true you’ve enlisted David Corbett to go undercover and get Imelda’s shoe count before you embark on your shopping spree?

DM: When they raided her wardrobes they also found some bulletproof bras. I asked David to sneak out a couple of those for me. You can never have too much bulletproof lingerie can you? Apparently she was most annoyed when it was reported that she had over 3,000 pairs of shoes and was reported to have said, "I did not have three thousand pairs of shoes, I had one thousand and sixty." Yeah, like that makes a difference Imelda. For the record, I only have 100 or so pairs (do you like the ‘or so’, by the way?)

Like it? I love it. Never, ever, cop to the number of ANYTHING you have. Keep ’em guessing, chickie. That’s my motto.

ROBERT FATE http://www.robertfate.com

Philosopher? Riverboat Gambler? Rare Book Dealer? Nope. How’s about Oscar winner (special effects for DUNE) and the debut author of BABY SHARK – one of 2006’s most talked about books?

EE: So, Bob – going along with ‘write what you know’ – care to tell us how many roadside pool halls you frequented in order to soak up atmosphere for BABY SHARK?

RF: Like I can remember? My buddy, Snake, and I used to slip out the window during Ms. Herbert’s class and go to Chili Jake’s to shoot nine ball. That’s all I recall, and that’s all you get.

Oh, sure. Memory loss. Happens all the time. But okay, we’ll buy it for now.

EE: We will assume the rumors of the mini-rumble you supposedly were involved in at Ruby’s Red Dragon Bar in Waco wasn’t your fault, right? You were just kinda setting things up for those knock-out scenes in BABY SHARK to get some flavor, right? I mean, we all know it wasn’t really your fault the place went berserk.

RF: You’re never gonna let me live that down. Have I got this right? The blonde in the purple corset said she’d be right back and I was just waiting around. It was all a mistake from beginning to end. Well, that brass knuckles business was a little bit my fault.

Well, I wasn’t going to mention the blonde in the purple corset, but since you did…

EE: But the real buzz around ThrillerVille is that Efren Reyes – the top men’s money maker in the game – hoped to convince you to model your protag after him instead of a woman. Is it true you had to let him beat you at pool to soothe his ego for being rejected?

RF: I’m thinking you know an awful lot about snooker and such, Ms. Flinn. But re: Mr. Reyes – not on his best day can he take me at the table – and you can tell him I said so.

Darling, I know a lot about a lot of things – but there just isn’t space here. I’ll pass your message on to Efren when I see him later. We’re having…er…coffee at his place.

ALEXANDRA SOKOLOFF http://www.alexandrasokoloff.com

Who’d a thunk this gorgeous blonde – posing so angelical – seeming so lost in thought – perhaps about a favorite Debussy strain – could write such scary monster scenes? I had to leave the light on for weeks after reading THE HARROWING. I’m sure as hell glad Alex has joined us here at Murderati. I mean, I think it’s always prudent to be good friends with horror writers. One never knows when one might find themselves in their books. And not as one of the good roles either.

EE: So, Alex – that year in Istanbul? You wanna tell us about that when you were sixteen? Or, do you want to save that for another time? 🙂

AS: Seriously, it was very hard. I was blonder than I am now and so, so obviously American. I was harassed everywhere I went – abduction attempts – not fun. But that’s the year that I threw every practical plan out the window and decided to go into theater, because life is too precious not to do what you love. And Istanbul itself is a phenomenal city – it was life-changing.

Life changing? How about life CHALLENGING? Abduction attempts? Aieee! But wait – there could be a story here. I can see it now – Jude Law is at an outdoor cafe at the Grand Bazaar – the one commissioned by Suleyman…sipping thick Turkish coffee, pondering his life when he witnesses an attempt to kidnap a young girl. He springs to action… I mean, think about it, okay?

EE: Rumor has it that John Travolta is begging you to teach him ballet for his next film – but you turned him down. Was it because you just couldn’t envision him in tights, or what?

AS: I don’t have the slightest difficulty in imagining ANY man in tights – I have this Elizabethan fetish. I wouldn’t presume to teach JT anything about dancing – but I’d dance with him any time, any place, anywhere. Can you set that up?

Can I set it up? Darling, you’re talking to moi. Consider it done. John and I go back, you know?

EE: My favorite little spy tells me that you’re working on new lyrics for a duet with Paul Guyot for next year’s gala at ThrillerFest, but Guyot wants to make it a three-some and have Tony Bennett do back up.

AK: I have no doubt Guyot would be up for a three-some thing, but Tony Bennett wouldn’t have been my first guess for a third. Works for me.

You sure about Bennett? I mean – I can talk to Guyot. Between us – we could pull a few strings and get someone else. I hear Wayne Newton is writing a thriller and could use the exposure.

**********************************************************************************************************************

OKAY – THE REPORT IS COMPLETE. THINK THEY CAN FOOL ME, HUH? I’VE GOT THEM RED-HANDED. GUILTY AS CHARGED. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. I HOPE THEY GET WHAT THEY DESERVE. LIKE THEY SAY – IF YOU CAN’T DO THE TIME – DON’T DO THE CRIME. YOU BE THE JUDGE.

My very sincere thanks to all the terrific writers who had the courage and great sense of humor to play with me here – at ON THE BUBBLE. So – to end the year, let me once again offer my thanks- in order of appearance- to: Denise Hamilton, Stephen Booth, Paul Guyot, Robin Burcell, James Lincoln Warren, David Montgomery, Gayle Lynds, Gregg Hurwitz, Louise Ure, Jim Rollins, Laura Lippman, Ian Rankin, Alex Kava, Chassie West, Tess Gerritsen, Sarah Weinman, Julia Spencer-Fleming, Dylan Schaffer, Linda Richards, John Hart, M.J. Rose, Alexandra Sokoloff, P.J. Parrish, Chris Grabenstein, Raymond Benson, Robert Fate and Donna Moore.

MY LINE UP FOR 2007 IS ALREADY BURSTING – SO STAY TUNED!

Marcus Sakey and the Combo Platter

Most of you reading this know him, or know of him.

Marcus Sakey

One of the myriad of Killer Year authors, which I guess needs to be known as "Killer Year 2007" because apparently, it’s a franchise now and there’s going to be a Killer Year gaggle every year.

Anyway, I’m not here to talk about that. I want to talk about Marcus Sakey. And I really hope this gets read by people who don’t know about him. If you’re already aware of Sakey, please forward this permalink to someone who doesn’t know about him.

So… Marcus Sakey. You’re probably thinking he’s my buddy, right? Because the only thing more common in the mystery community than a book with a dead body is pimping one’s friends.

But guess what? I’ve never met Marcus Sakey.

And I doubt he has any idea who I am, nor does he care. The first time I ever heard of him was at Thriller Fest last July. He was part of a panel that I was taking in. I’ve never even read his book THE BLADE ITSELF. Well, all of it, anyway. Let me explain.

I saw Sakey on this panel and I knew that he was a good writer. Very, very good. Just by listening to him. By hearing the way he talked about writing. See, the people who get it – who truly get writing, they talk about it differently than the rest of us, who are simply trying to convince people we know what we’re doing.

Afterward, I was mentioning my impression of Sakay to someone and one-thing-led-to-another and suddenly I had an ARC of THE BLADE ITSELF in my hand. At least I think it was an ARC. It was loaned to me. "Here, read it and give it back," the person told me.

I went to the Biltmore lobby and started reading. At page forty-seven, the person walked up and said, "I need that back. I’m not supposed to show it to anyone." So I never finished. Never even got to page forty-eight. And those that have been lucky enough to read the book, you know that page forty-seven is NOT where you want to stop reading!

After that, I checked out Sakey’s web site, read some Q&A’s with him, read his thoughts on writing, read a couple of excerpts from the book. And after all that and those forty-seven freaking pages, I knew that Sakey wasn’t just a great writer…

He has the combo platter.

See, there are great writers. And there are great storytellers. And every once in a very rare while, God looks down and hands the combo platter to someone. A great writer AND a great storyteller. You may think there’s a lot of them out there, but guess what – you’re wrong. And I know a few of you believe great storytelling is great writing and vice-versa… I used to think that, until I read each without the other.

Now, I love a good story. If it’s written well, or even just decently, I’ll go with it. But I also love reading great writers. Even if the story sucks, I admire the greats and their way with the language, the imagery, setting. The NYTBSL is packed full of great storytellers. And every so often a great writer manages to make the list as well.

But damn, when you come across someone with the combo platter, it is as good as it gets. And to find a new writer with the CP, well, I am just really, really excited.

Some of you might think I’m overstating, but… you’re wrong. You can cruise writer web sites and see how few great writers are out there, even fewer with the combo platter. Actually, most greats have little or no web site content. The writers with pages and pages of fancy 411 on themselves are usually not that great. They’re compensating. Just look at their "advice for aspiring writers" sections. It’s all rehashed bullshit, the same blatherings just reworded. Not that they’re not great people, now, but we’re talking craft. Art, even.

Oh, by the way, I’m including myself in all this. I am not a great writer. I think I’m a pretty decent storyteller, but I have a long way to go to be a great writer. And my stuff for aspiring writers – other than the Hollywood business part of it – is all rehashed bullshit. Hell, it’s pretty much all bullshit.

Anyway, look at some random writer’s advice pages. Then look at Sakey’s. Read some random to-be-published writer’s excerpt of his or her opus, then read Sakey’s. Look at his writing and storytelling – his use of the language, his dialogue, his ability to give vital character and/or story information without one extra word. Notice how visceral his telling of the story is. How he is able to keep his imagery so strong without ever being overpowering or overwrought.

And if you want a nice reality check, do what I did: after all that, look at your own stuff. Chances are huge that you’ll be like me, and realize you’ve got a lot of work to do. Unless you’re some full-of-yourself asshat. Then life is great all the time. Good on ya.

Do I sound a little angry in this post? I don’t mean to be. But maybe I am. I guess I’m a little jealous of Sakey’s talent… but actually, I’m not. I’m excited by it. I’m turned on by it. I’m inspired by it.

What it is, is I’m pissed off at myself. I know a large number of you don’t give a shit about great writing so long as the story works. And a lot of you can’t stand reading amazing prose if there’s no story to grab you. As stated, I can enjoy both. I guess it’s because the combo platter is so rare, that I’m used to settling as a reader. Taking what’s out there. So then, when I do find it – especially in someone without a dozen books under their belt – it makes me look in the mirror and think: perhaps if I had understood earlier, or worked harder, studied more, pushed myself more… maybe I could’ve had the combo platter.

But I doubt it. I think it’s even more rare for it to be learned, as opposed to a God-given gift.

Okay, let’s end this rant. Marcus Sakey. He’s not just another debut author, he’s something special, folks. If you don’t agree, guess what – you’re wrong. He’s got the combo platter, and in the coming years everyone’s going to realize it. I can’t wait for Left Coast Crime so I can buy the book and finish THE BLADE ITSELF. Yes, I know I can order it from Amazon, but I’m really trying to get off my Internet-induced-fat-ass and buy more from independents. Whether you buy from Ammy or an indy, buy THE BLADE ITSELF, and learn while you’re entertained.

Feel free to comment all you want about how great Marcus Sakey is, or what an asshat I am, or anything else specific to this post. But I’m asking you, no, I’m telling you, don’t start listing all the other authors you think have the combo platter. Save that for another post, or another blog. It would be disrespectful to Sakey and this post, and this blog. And I’m pissed off enough that I’ll probably just go in and delete them.

Guyot

As always, Floyd Landis is innocent. If anyone knows an investigative journalist, please send them here.

Snow and Kahlua

by Pari Noskin Taichert

For the past few days, my world has been blanketed in white. Burdened tree branches bend to the carpeted ground and we pray our skylights won’t cave in. Traffic is iffy at best, stalled at worst.

The weathermen thought this history-making storm might drop an inch or two in Albuquerque. Instead, it has deposited more than a foot in my neighborhood. Our friends, who live a few miles closer to the mountains, report 21 inches.

As a convenient metaphor for 2006, the unprecendented weather might work. Or, not.

What is true is that much of last year went in different directions than anticipated.

For example, I planned to write two novels.

And, I did.

The only problem was that I had to write one novel twice.

2006 was like that: loads of activity and not much to show for it. I’d push hard toward a goal and end up somewhere else.

It felt as if Sisyphus and I had traded places. So many ambitions unattained. I didn’t write the first manuscript in my new series. I didn’t finish the short stories. I didn’t attract the attention of a major publisher. I didn’t get a mondo advance for my new book. So many hours "wasted." Wah.

I could fuss just like the people here in Albuquerque who are angered by the stopping power of snow.

But why do that?

Overall, the column of 2006 accomplishments balances the missed opportunities and inefficiencies. I DID finish and sell a manuscript. I DID start a relevant monthly column for Mystery Writers of America’s newsletter. I DID get Murderati up and running with some of the best writers around. I DID commit to the new series and have developed enough of Iris Martin’s backstory to begin composing her life through novels.

Sure, I’m not a national name — with my name, that’ll be a challenge anyway — but, I continue to build audience and readership. Both of my current books are still, happily, in print and making money.

Right now, I’m sitting at my desk. The wall behind my computer is cluttered with inspiring quotations:

"Don’t get it right . . . Get it written!" James Thurber
"You try and you try and you fail, and then you go deeper." Shunryu Suzuki

It also bears two blue practice targets with bullet holes not quite in the center, but close. Tony Hillerman’s blurb for my new book is affixed there, as are both of the Agatha Award nomination letters. One phosphorescent pink Post It stares back at me, its middle cut out in a nice one-inch square (this is a nod to Annie Lamott’s advice to write at least that much a day).

Today, most of these will come down.

You see, I’m one of those goofballs who actually make New Year’s resolutions. In the past, I’ve kept them pocketed away in my computer. Not this year. I want them where I can see them every day.

Sure, they look much like last year’s goals. Again, I’ll push hard and won’t know what directions all that energy will turn and flow . . .

Outside my window, the snow continues to frustrate many people in my town. Me? I built snowmen with my kids.

I packed a wad of the cleanest white and stuffed it hard into an earthen mug. With brio, I doused the ice with Kahlua and milk.

Yeah, I think 2007 is going to be a good year.

Happy New Year to you all.

Rockin’ New Years Q & A with Duane Swierczynski

What better way to ring in 2007 than by talking with "hard-boiled punk rock" author Duane Swi…Swier…Swierczynski?

Okay, so I can’t pronounce his name. Just make sure you remember it, because if you miss Duane’s The Blonde, you’ll be missing out on one of the most original, adrenaline-fueled thrillers in years.

Duane was kind enough to chat about his newest novel, the writing process and the thrill of being an author.

MM: I remember reading "Lonely and Gone" in the Dublin Noir anthology, and thinking it had the making of a novel. Did you know the story would turn into a full-fledged book?

DS: I had no friggin’ idea. I thought the story would be it, but the plot device kept nagging at me. Lately, I’ve found it increasingly difficult to just write a short story. Every story idea demands to be the wife, not just a piece on the side. (I may regret that comparison later, when my wife reads this.)

MM: Both The Blonde and The Wheelman were totally unpredictable. I never knew what was lurking on the next page. How do you accomplish this?

DS: With THE WHEELMAN, it was easy: I was made it up as I went along. In fact, whenever I started to consciously plot, the characters shut down on me.

THE BLONDE, however, was outlined in full, down to the last minute. So I’m glad to hear you say it was unpredictable. Part of that comes from good advice I received from an editor friend years ago, which was: "Keep the surprises coming, and never let the reader get too comfortable. Keep ’em off kilter whenever possible." (I actually have this advice printed out and taped to a wooden rule I keep in my desk.)

If I have a process, it seems to be this: Jump right into the pool and knock out anywhere from 3 to 7,000 words to see if an idea will fly. If it does, great. If not, I move on. If I’m stuck, but really can’t get the story out of my head, I’ll write a bunch of notes or brief outline. To me, that first burst of 3 to 7,000 words is important; it tells me if the voice will work or not. Every book has its own way of telling itself.

Which is another way of saying it’s all about the voices in my head.

MM: In a world of bloated books you give us a thriller clocking in at a lean 226 pages (The Wheelman was almost exactly the same length). Did you make a conscious decision to write a shorter novel?

DS: I absolutely love short novels. Ken Bruen was the one who taught me that length really doesn’t matter; the novels in his brilliant WHITE TRILOGY are damn thin, but you really don’t notice. Maybe it’s the journalist in me. Ink is a precious commodity; it kills me to waste any. Even electronic ink.

Plus, I’m deathly afraid of boring the reader. To me, that’s the ultimate failure. I’ve put down many more 500-page novels than I have 200-page novels.

MM: Was there ever any pressure (say from your publisher) to write a longer book?

DS: I thought there would be. Being an eager-to-please sap, I was fully prepared to add 40,000 words upon demand. Thank God it never came to that, or THE WHEELMAN would have a lot more scenes with clouds in them.

MM: If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times-the modern thriller needs more clouds.
I enjoyed how you strung some of the characters from The Wheelman into The Blonde.

DS: Like Kevin Smith’s View Askewniverse, I liked the idea that my books make up a loose "Swierczy-verse." (Try saying that three times fast.) The fun for me is to make really strange connections between the books. My next one, SEVERANCE PACKAGE, features one character from THE BLONDE, and can be seen… if you squint real hard… as a kind of a follow-up, but the two books couldn’t be more different.

MM: My secret insider sources (your book jacket) tell me that The Wheelman has been optioned for a film. Who would be your dream cast? How about your dream director? Guy Ritchie would be my pick. I just loved his work on Swept Away.

DS: Paul Giamatti… IS… Lennon. As for my dream director, I already have him: Simon Hynd, the Scottish director whose debut will be an adaptation of Stona Finch’s SENSELESS, is a ridiculously talented guy. I can’t wait to see what he does with the story.

And I’m not just saying that because he forked over the option dough. If someone where to execute Simon, I wouldn’t be happy until they cloned him and/or reanimated his corpse so he could get back to work on THE WHEELMAN.

MM: Name one author we aren’t reading yet should be.

DS: Aside from Mike MacLean?

Okay, I’m going to presume everybody is already reading Sara Gran, Allan Guthrie, Megan Abbott, J.D. Rhoades, Theresa Schwegel, Sean Doolittle, Ray Banks, Victor Gischler, Charlie Huston, Jim Born and Simon Kernick, just a few of the new-ish authors who have made a big name for themselves in the past few years.

So that said…

One writer who’s really hauled ass out of the gate is Canadian writer John McFetridge, whose DIRTY SWEET is supremely fast-moving, kinky and violent. I just received a copy of his latest, EVERBODY KNOWS THIS IS NOWHERE, and I can’t wait to get crackin’ on it. I think you’re going to be seeing his name a lot in the coming year.

And seriously, folks: Mike MacLean.

MM: That just earned you twelve dollars American my friend.

If you could jab a hypodermic full of killer nanobots into one person’s neck, who would it be? (This question makes a lot more sense if you’ve read the novel.)

DS: Sheesh, Mike. I’m no killer.

(But I’d probably keep the hypodermic handy, just in case.)

MM: So far, what’s been the greatest thrill in your writing career?

DS: This is the toughest question of the lot. Because really, it’s all a big fucking thrill. Writing the book. Seeing it in print. Hearing from readers. I can’t pick one moment, because I’ve been blessed with hundreds of them in the past two years.

My thanks to Duane for fielding a few questions. I also thank all the Murderati readers out there for stopping by. Now go hoist a pint (or five) and have a happy New Year.

Mike