Everything You Want to Know About Library of Congress Numbers, ISBNs and More

NAOMI HIRAHARA

Ever since I’ve struck out on my own in 1997, I’ve worked consistently on some element of book publishing–writer, editor, publicist, and yes, publisher. In addition to writing fiction and doing some public relations on the side, I have a small, tiny press–Midori Books (not to be confused with the S&M bondage outfit). I call it a legacy press; it’s not vanity in that we don’t publish anyone’s work indiscriminately.

Instead of depending on the consumer market, I’m paid by organizations, families, and individuals to either write and/or produce history publications or memoirs. I use freelance artists, copyeditors, and sometimes production managers. Not all of the books are sold over Amazon or retail stores; instead they may be distributed by corporations/nonprofit organizations to employees, members, and stockholders or families to friends, relatives, and colleagues.

Since I worked as a newspaper editor for almost ten years, the transition from creating newspapers to producing books was not that big of a leap. But there are some differences. The two most distinct differences are related to numbers: 1) Library of Congress catalog number and 2) ISBN.

Let me first explain these numbers to you:

1) Library of Congress CIP vs. PCN

Every bibliophile has heard of the Library of Congress. I’ve never had the opportunity to visit, but picture it as this vast, hyperorganized tomb of books, pristine marble floors and columns, and row after row of book shelves. I’m not sure if the reality is as idealized as my image, but after perusing its web site, I’ve concluded it comes pretty darn close.

Anyway, there are two numbers available to publishers:

Cataloguing in Publication (CIP)
Preassigned Control Number (PCN) (How’s that for sexy?)

The CIP is the luxury model of the Library of Congress number. The publisher sends an electronic file of the manuscript weeks before the book is due to be published to the Library of Congress and the staff creates bibliographic information based on the contents. Sometimes the bibliographic information is sparse, consisting of only the title and the author’s name. This information, which is often printed on the copyright page of a book (usually opposite the title page), is available to library and book vendor databases throughout the nation.

For instance, my first mystery, SUMMER OF THE BIG BACHI, published by Bantam Dell, has the following subject headings:

1. Japanese Americans–Fiction

2. Los Angeles (Calif.)–Fiction

3. Gardeners–Fiction

4. Aged men–Fiction

5. Revenge–Fiction

I especially like the last subject heading. So I suppose if some student is doing a research paper on revenge for an English class, he or she can look up Revenge-Fiction and come up with SUMMER OF THE BIG BACHI. It’s too bad that Hiroshima or the atomic bomb wasn’t mentioned. Oh well.

My bibliographic information also includes a number, the title, my name, and heaven forbid, my birth year. I understand that the birth year is important to distinguish one Grace Lee from another Grace Lee or perhaps a Jeff Cohen from another Jeff Cohen, but a Naomi Hirahara? How many Naomi Hiraharas are out there? Age is not that big a deal for me, but I’ve noticed that many authors don’t necessarily have their birth year published on their copyright page. Well, enough said about that.

As a tiny, tiny press, Midori Books is only eligible for a Preassigned Control Number (PCN), not a CIP. The books that I publish unfortunately do not get a bibliographic record. As a result, I don’t have to e-mail the manuscript to the Library of Congress. I merely provide them with the exact title, publication date, ISBN, etc. In usually less than a week, a nice woman (or at least a computer program with the nice name of a woman) sends me a number that I’m supposed to place on the copyright page. This number provides libraries with a unique identification number that is used for cataloguing purposes. It’s up to the publisher to then send the printed product to the Library of Congress, which then decides whether the book is worthy for the tomb.

2) ISBN

Everyone knows what ISBN stands for, right? Okay, I see some of you scratching your heads. ISBN is the International Standard Book Number. Oh, so what the heck does that mean? It’s basically the fingerprint of your precious book–the "unique identifier" assigned to each book format (hardcover and paperback versions of the same book get different ISBNs) for booksellers throughout the world. Or at least Amazon, which requires it and a corresponding bar code, as well as a whole lot of retailers. It usually consists of 10 numbers, or digits, that is until January 1, 2007. That’s kind of the Y2K time for ISBN numbers. Because officially those numbers need to be 13 digits by the beginning of next year.

Why? Well, just like overflowing land fills, there’s too much junk–excuse me, books. Or not enough space. So yes, what I’m saying is that we have an ISBN shortage. And apparently 13-digit number would conform more readily to the international standard.

So how does a small publisher get an ISBN? Let me tell you–it’s become increasingly difficult, at least from my limited experience. I suspect that the popularity of self-publishing and POD print services, which have contributed to the 195,000 books published in 2004, have caused a numerical logjam. The keys to these numbers in the U.S. are owned by an agency called R.R. Bowker in New Jersey. In 2000, when I applied for a set of ISBNs for one of my clients, there was no problem. We filled out the application and paid our 200-plus dollars and wha-la, in a month’s time, we received a set of ten spanking new numbers.

But after I created Midori Books and applied for my own numbers in 2003, I hit a major roadblock. Month after month passed and no numbers. Our book was at the printer in Vermont and no number. I sent e-mail after e-mail and even called this mysterious place called Bowker multiple times, and finally, after much cajoling, my numbers arrived in an e-mail. Now I could proceed–I then ordered and received a bar code over the Internet almost instantaneously.

The ISBN is a mighty number, and I discovered this week that libraries depend on the ISBN more than the number issued by the Library of Congress. "[The ISBN] is always available by the time a book is bought for the library. It is the most frequently used point of identification for a book. Public libraries rarely use the Library of Congress number, preferring the ISBN," explained Viccy Kemp, a technical services manager of a library in Texas who also worked as a bookseller for 10 years. This doesn’t mean, however, that the publisher should forsake filing for a Library of Congress number as the ISBN will get recorded into the library system during the application process.

With the implementation of ISBN-13, those publishers with 10-digit numbers like me will have to obtain new numbers with the prefix of 978. But it’s not like an additional area code; I can’t just tack 978 onto my existing numbers. That would be too easy. Instead, I’ll have to go to the ISBN converter to punch in our old numbers to get some new replacement ones.

Large publishers and bar code service bureaus have already prepared for ISBN-13. If you look at the bar code on the back of most any book, the new ISBN-13 number should be underneath the stripes (it’ll have the 978 prefix). In fact, my latest book published this year, SNAKESKIN SHAMISEN, has both the ISBN-10 and ISBN-13 numbers on the copyright page.

What does this all mean for authors? Not a whole heck of a lot. Only that you may have to update your promotional material in 2007, because ISBN-13 will soon be here. And for you neurotic ones, you will have three more numbers to press on your phone when you check your Ingram numbers in 2007. Happy Early New Year!

SISTERS IN HOLLYWOOD: It looks as though the SinC Goes to the Movies: Selling Your Book to Hollywood conference is close to being filled. But there might be some slots still left. (The event is only open to 100 participants.)

The beauty of the Nov. 3-5 conference is that the Author’s Coalition will be reimbursing all participating Sisters in Crime members–who must be published by a traditional publisher–the $100 conference fee. The event seems extremely well organized, complete with group signings at area bookstores on Saturday, Nov. 4. What a great idea! (Unfortunately, the deadline to put your name in for the signings was this past Monday.)

I don’t harbor any illusions that a Mas Arai feature film would ever be made. Hey, there’s not a Jack Reacher film yet, so you know that the deck of cards is stacked against you. For 14 years, Robert Redford had to scratch and claw his way into making Tony Hillerman’s novels into PBS movies. Robert Redford, with all his connections!

But I’m going there to learn–maybe a film student someday might want to try his or her hand in turning Mas into celluloid for a short film/school project–and besides, the event is in my backyard. Best of all, out-of-state friends will be in L.A., and I’m just thrilled that Sujata Massey will be coming out west (I think her L.A. fans will be, too). Sujata and I will be teaming up to do a program together at Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena on Thursday, November 2. I’ll keep you posted with details as we get closer to the date.

And I just learned this week that Murderati’s Pari Noskin Taichert will be making the trip from Albuquerque as well! Double-trouble, I’m telling you.

WEDNESDAY’S WORD: inu (SUMMER OF THE BIG BACHI, page 108)

Dog. Do you know that 2006 is the Year of the Dog? Since the Asian zodiac repeats itself every 12 years, anyone born in 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970, 1958, 1946, 1934, etc. is officially a dog–known, of course, for being loyal. In contrast, for second-generation Japanese Americans incarcerated in World War II U.S. detention camps, inu also refers to being an informant to authorities, a snitch, a stool pigeon, a backstabber.

QUIBBLES & BITS

Deni Dietz

When I’m up to my armpits in alligators, the hands on my office clock rotate as quickly as the hands on a clock in a John Garfield/Lana Turner movie. I received the galleys for my "paranormal history-mystery romance," THE LANDLORD’S BLACK-EYED DAUGHTER. They are due back "yesterday." The clock hands are rotating faster than a speeding bullet. And yet I know I should use my Murderati Tuesdays to write something relevant, something really profound, like…

CAN ONE WRITE A BOOK AND DIET AT THE SAME TIME?

The answer is yes, and I’ll tell you why.

Before my Landlord galleys arrived, I was "tweaking" the glitches in the scanned versions of my Ellie Bernstein/Lt. Peter Miller "diet club" mysteries, TROW DARTS AT A CHEESECAKE and BEAT UP A COOKIE, for backlist publication. Naturally my thoughts turned to how many readers will actually buy these updated versions, and will my publisher negotiate with the fantastic cover artist, Peter Caras, who created the covers for my mass market paperback editions, and my…

WEIGHT

Don’t turn away, guys (or click off this blog). Don’t pretend you never think about how you’d look in spandex and/or jeans that mold your butts.

So I’m happily tweaking, eh? And thinking about when these books first came out. Thinking about the pretty clothes I wore to my booksignings and conferences and my one TV appearance – someday I’ll tell you about my first -and last- TV appearance! Thinking about the straight black skirt that molded MY butt, and the skin-tight jeans with Mickey Mouse as a cowboy embroidered on the back pocket (in those days you could see my back pockets because I tucked my shirts in).

Thinking how I actually said "No, thank you" to Diane Mott Davison’s brownies, when we did that Denver booksigning together.

Thinking about the skinny T-shirt Tom and Enid Shantz gave me, as a gift, when I signed Beat Up a Cookie at the Rue Morgue.

Thinking about how that skinny T-shirt fit!

Without a bra, even.

Recently, some really nice people sent me pictures from last June’s Murder In The Grove conference.

So, okay, you can look in a mirror and fool yourself. You can look in a mirror and see what you want to see. But you can’t hide from photos. No matter which way you turn a photo (even upside-down), you can’t change your appearance.

So, for the record, I’m back on Weight Watchers. And writing a new book.

Recently, when Julia Buckley interviewed me for her blog, she asked the following question: Deni, you used to be a Weight Watchers lecturer. I’ve joined Weight Watchers three times, and each time my starting weight is higher. What would group leader Ellie Bernstein say to me?"

My answer: It took Ellie two tries to reach her goal weight. The first time she attended a party and saw her ex-husband and his new wife — a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader — at the party, and she scarfed up the party goodies like a recently-repaired Hoover. Then she binged for weeks, always planning to go back on her diet "tomorrow." When she finally rejoined Weight Winners and reached her goal, she called her experience "WW II" — "Weight Winners II." As for what Ellie would say to you, she’d say, "You’re a wonderful person, thoughtful, intelligent and talented, and you deserve to be healthy and attractive. But losing weight isn’t everything. Be proud of who you are and what you’ve achieved." She might also quote Dave Barry, who said "The leading cause of death among fashion models is falling through street grates."

Julia also asked: Can we ever eat what we want to again and still lose weight? Keep in mind that what I WANT to eat is a big chocolate cake.

My answer: Eat as much chocolate cake as you like. Just don’t swallow it.

The entire interview is on Julia’s blog.

Remember my blog entry on "Walking the Dog"? Remember how I said if you write one page a day,

at the end of a year you’ll have a book? I’m thinking if I lose one pound a week…

This is what I look like at the end of a busy, up-to-my-armpits-in-alligators day.

Over and out,
Deni

Flying Chairs

by Pari Noskin Taichert

"If Hell exists, it’s filled with old boyfriends . . . and a cat."

So begins the manuscript I’m editing right now in which Sasha Solomon, my protagonist, is plagued by nightmares about relationships gone bad. Because I’m thinking so much about her life, I’m remembering fragments of my own.

Many years ago, I had a boyfriend who was an artist. Since our first interactions neglected talking in favor of aerobics, we didn’t get to know each other much until we were well into being "a couple."

One day, he showed me his art.

I broke up with him that night.

You see, I didn’t get it — his art, I mean. He spent hours with pastels and watercolors creating images of flying chairs. These weren’t chairs with wings; I think I would have liked that. No, his renditions were chairs moving through the air — white background, slightly bent chrome or wooden legs, and blah upholstery. Like I said, I didn’t get it.

I broke up with him because I felt our relationship had no future if something so important, something that tagged his essence as a human being, evoked mocking emotions in me.

As writers, we know writers. Every convention, every trip to the bookstore or library, offers oppportunities to read friends’ works.

What do you do when you care for the person, but not for his story — or craft?

I’m not thinking of anyone in particular here — not when it comes to mystery authors — but I know it’s happened to me. I’ve picked up a book by someone I like, wanted to love it, and haven’t.

It’s an uncomfortable, incomplete, and slightly treacherous response — and it needles me when I see that person later.

Right now, I can imagine several of you are wondering if I’m writing about you.

Don’t go there.

I’m not thinking of anyone in particular.

Honest.

I simply want to explore this uneasy subject because it’s one of those things we don’t talk about — and it stymies forthright communication and makes us cringe internally.

So, I want to know: How do you handle it when a friend asks you to read his book — or expects that you have — and you have . . . but you don’t want to talk about it because you couldn’t get past p. 40?

Me?

I’ve begun to search for the good in every work — something I can praise or admire. But it can be difficult and I still feel like a traitor for not adoring the entire tome, the baby that it took a friend or acquaintance so much effort to create.

Has this ever happened to you?

How have you handled it?

What Do You Read? Huh?

Jeffrey Cohen

I am a bad mystery author.

Quite often (okay, once every few months, but for me, that’s often), I’m asked by a reader, an interviewer, or just this guy who always follows me into the Stop & Shop, “what do YOU like to read?” The guy at the supermarket asks everybody that question, so I’ll discount his participation, but the others seem to think that, as a published author, my taste in reading is in some way more relevant than their own, which it’s not.

Because I have a reputation, and a very minor one, for including humor in my writing, I can get away with a snappy comeback like “I read graffiti,” “I read my wife’s moods, in order to stay alive,” “who said I could read?” or “I read grocery lists,” which really only works on the supermarket guy. But the truth is, I’m embarrassed to say what I really read, because it’s not what they want to hear.

I’ll confess it here: I’m a mystery author. I don’t really read mysteries all that much.

It’s not that I don’t find the form interesting. It’s not that I don’t ENJOY the odd mystery book here and there. But the sad fact is, after a day of toiling away at my own meager work, it’s depressing to read someone who does it better, and whose book is, after all, finished. It all seems so easy for those other authors–even though I know it’s really not, their work is between covers and has a copyright date on it, and everything, so it feels like they’re just flaunting their success at me.

Besides, I’ve seen enough words for one day. Spending hours staring at a screen with words on it, I believe, has a finite capacity. After a certain number of words, my brain goes into a fetal position and gives up for the day. I just can’t deal with any more, especially if the words are actually challenging.

And the sad fact is, when I do read for pleasure, I tend more toward non-fiction than fiction. I’m currently listening to an audiobook of Manhunt, a description of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the pursuit of John Wilkes Booth, by James L. Swanson. Booth has just gotten to the home of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd to get his broken leg set, and at the rate I’m going, it’ll be a lot more than twelve days before they shoot him in a barn in Virginia.

Why don’t I read more mysteries? Well, for one, I don’t want to steal stuff inadvertently (or even advertently) from other authors, and there’s sure to be some morsel of plot that will make me go: “oh yeah, that would work perfectly with the story I’m working on now!” I’d have to suppress that impulse, and would do so, but it’s just too upsetting to go through the process.

There are certain authors I can’t read when I’m writing. For days, my work will sound like a bad imitation of theirs. Scarier than that, I’ve been told at least once (okay, once) that at least one (okay, one) author can’t read me while writing. I assume reading too much of my writing while working on one’s own would lead to an upset stomach. Lord knows, that’s what happens to me.

On the other hand, I do sometimes read mysteries by friends I’ve met through this adventure of an industry. For example, this week I read the ARC of Julia Spencer-Fleming‘s upcoming All Mortal Flesh, and I’ve gotta tell ya, it’s dynamite. Luckily, Julia and I don’t write on similar themes–her heroine is an Episcopal priest, and my characters are about as not an Episcopal priest as you can get without actually being a different species. But Julia writes with humor, with emotion and with an evil sense of plot and pacing that will keep you turning pages, which is what this business is all about. I’d ask her how she does it, but then she’d just tell me, and I still wouldn’t do it as well, and that would be the waste of an afternoon.

What was I talking about? Oh yes, what I read.

A few years ago, an interviewer asked me what my favorite book was, and I said, Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Sometimes Zeppo: A Celebration of the Marx Brothers and a Satire on the Rest of the World, by Joe Adamson. For some reason, the interviewer thought I was kidding. I wasn’t. Concerning itself with one (well, four) of my favorite subjects, this is the book that I would have written if Adamson hadn’t gotten there first. It’s out of print now, but you can find a copy. The information is copious, and it’s a funny, funny book.

I know what I was supposed to say. I should have looked thoughtful and said, “you know, my real influences have been Chandler and Hammett, but I’d have to say my favorite book is The Canterbury Tales. What a depth and breadth of character!” Of course, I wouldn’t have a clue what I was talking about, and I wouldn’t know one Canterbury Tale from another, but that’s what you’re supposed to say. (Although you can substitute Moby-Dick or Ulysses for The Canterbury Tales and still be considered acceptable.

A lot of people cite Dickens, Shakespeare, Salinger or (god help us) James Joyce as influences. For me, it was Joe Adamson for how to make non-fiction entertaining, and for storytelling, I had to go to Irwin Shaw. A storyteller beyond compare, Shaw’s novels had lots of juicy plot to chew on, and characters who weren’t stupid, which is a plus. If you haven’t, check out Nightwork, in which a hotel clerk’s life changes when he comes across a tube filled with money one night. Some would say shallow; I say, ahh.

You don’t get to choose your influences, or everybody would be writing in iambic pentameter, and wearing accordion collars. And those would chafe like crazy in this heat.

What it comes down to is, it doesn’t matter what an author reads. It matters what an author writes. And you should read what you want to read. Assuming, of course, that my books are included on that list.

After all, a guy’s got to have priorities.

ON THE BUBBLE WITH CHASSIE WEST

I must confess that I adore this woman so much, I’m having one hell of a time coming up with an intro that doesn’s sound soppy. It’s hard to describe so warm a heart, so giving a soul, or so fine a writer, but more – so fine a lady. I mean, you all know Chassie is beloved by so many in our mystery community, so I’d merely be shouting to the chorus. Maybe a recap of her writing prowess would be a good place to begin.

Chassie got her feet wet in the young adult genre, then on to teen romance and adventures and then two Nancy Drew’s! Add to that – three romantic suspense novels for Silhouette as Joyce McGil –Through The Looking Glass and Unforgivable made Waldenbooks bestsellers list and that one was the very first adult romance to feature an African American protagonist. It wasn’t any wonder she received the 1989-1990 Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times for New Series Author, and then to top that off – the 1990-1991 Career Achievement Certificate of Excellence for Series Romantic Fantasy! Foreign rights offers arrived faster than the Concorde.

From those wonderful achievements, Chassie went on to mystery. And thank God she did! Else we would never have met her wonderful Leigh Ann Warren. Leigh Ann arrived in Sunrise – this one snagged an Edgar nomination. Then came Killing Kin – Edgar and Anthony nomination. And on to Killer Riches and her latest, Killer Chameleon – a pick of the week by Sarah Weinman. Out now for Chassie, is a new anthology from Avon – Bark M For Murder – with J.A.Jance, Virginia Lanier and Lee Charles Kelly. Chassies story is Nightmare In Nowhere. And, at the moment, Chassie is working on a standalone that will leave you breathless!

Oh, one last thing – before we chat with Chassie – I have to tell you that were it not for this incredible woman, I’d not be writing. But don’t hold that against her, okay? Chassie believed in me, and kept me rowing in that damn boat that often felt like it was ready to sink or capsize. And I’m not the only published writer who can lay claim to that – you’d be surprised who some of the NYT bestsellers are who got a ‘green light’ from an editor because of Chassie West.

Now come have fun with us!

EE: At what point in your career, Chassie, did you find it necessary to tell Otto Penzler you didn’t write cozies – and that Leigh Ann Warren is a cop?

CW: Hey, hey, hey! No way are you getting me in Dutch with the Otto Penzler. I’ve never met him, at least as far as I know. I do remembe reminding a certain reviewer who shall remain nameless taht he hadn’t felt that KILLING KIN, the second in the Leigh Warren series, was worth of an Edgar nomination. Since I hadn’t the foggiest who he was at the time, it didn’t have much of an impact. Besides, it was obvious that the Edgar judges disagreed with him.

Oh, man! If Otto is reading this – he’s gonna be ticked that you don’t remember him. But, okay – if you say so.

EE: Is it really true you listen to Bach whilst you write?

CW: Occasionally, but Rachmanioff’s my man. Just leaves me in puddles. And the Swingle Singers. Used to listen to Gregorian chants until I realized I was falling asleep in front of my computer. And Lou Rawls until I realized I was getting horny. Definitely counterproductive when you’re trying to write.

Lou Rawls? Oh, yes!! He was THE ONE! Remember ‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine’?, or hey – what about ‘At Last’?, or "After The Lights Go Down Low’?, and then there was…oh, excuse us. Back to the interview.

EE: Whew. Where those hot flashes, Chassie, or what? Okay – uh, next question. Everyone has a Walter Mitty dream, what’s yours? 50,000 words or less, and keep it clean, okay?

CW: Well, hell, if I’ve got to keep it clean, I can’t answer it. Next!

Clever you! Okay, you get a free pass on that one.

EE: Word on the street is that Halle Barry was going to option one of your Leigh Warren books, but she didn’t think she was beautiful enough to portray her on the screen.

CW: I should be so lucky! Besides, Leigh Ann isn’t beautiful; even she will admit that. A notch or two above average, according to her. Of course if Barry wants to mess her up a little to take on the role, that’s fine with me.

Can I tell Halle that? I’m supposed to get back to her. I mean, I told her that myself, but hearing it from you would make all the difference. Sit tight – leave it up to me…we’ll be in LaLa Land before you know it. You are taking me along, aren’t you? I promise to be good. Honest.

EE: Rumor has it that you’re working on a standalone that will make that TV show ‘Medium’ look like a kid’s picnic. How about an advance hint? Just between us here, okay? Our lips are sealed. Sorta.

CW: I thought somebody was hacking into my computer! Well, now that you’ve spread my work in progress all over the Internet, yeah, I’m working on a standalone. And yeah, it deals with psychic stuff. But no spooky dreams. I mean, when does the poor woman on ‘Medium’ get any therapeutic sleep? She needs one of those by-the-numbers mattresses. Mine is a more who-dunnit with a tad of interference from the Other Side confusing the issue and mucking up the works. I may never see it on a store bookshelf, but there are some books you’ve just got to write, and this was mine.

Hehehehe! That was moi hacking into your computer. And I’m waiting for more! So get with it, okay? It’s got legs, kiddo! Even Halle thinks so, she said…ooops. Scratch that. I didn’t tell her a thing. Really. We were talking about something else. Er, someone else. That Brit actor, Sean Bean. Yeah, that’s what it was.

EE: My favorite little spy told me that you get weak in the knees over a certain actor. Uh, care to share here, Chassie?

CW: Look, lady, the last thing I need is Denzel’s wife putting out a contract on me! Everybody lusts in their hearts every now and again. Don’t they?

Uh, yeah. Sure. We’ll talk. But not here, okay?

EE: Okay, Chassie, after clueing us in about chants, what’s your favorite retreat and what do you do there?

CW: Any place it’s 80 degrees or better, near water and if there are mountains as well, I’m in heaven. Hawaii does it for me. Think I must have been Hawaiian in a previous incarnation. And what do I do there? Besides sitting overlooking the water and pounding my laptop? As much as nothing as I can beside just wallowing in being there.

Oh, I can relate to that! My heart still lives there too. Da kine Islands pono! Maybe I lived there too in another life and meeting you on Maui back in 2000 was a ‘reunion’ of sorts? And maybe we were sistahs? Must be.

EE: Mysteryville is abuzz about that dinner you had last week in D.C. with a guy that could be Stedman’s twin. Is this true? Are you the reason for his split with Ophra?

CW: You really are trying to get me killed, aren’t you? There’s not a word of truth in the rumor. Well, maybe a syllable or two. But that’s all. Honest. Ophra used to live in my condo development. That’s the closest I am to anything of hers. I’m in no way responsible for who looks like who. Or should that be whom? Never mind. It ain’t true!

Killed? What? I’m only passing on rumors here. Damn, but you’re a cagey one! Okay, I believe you. Sorta.

EE: I understand you have a bad habit of crossing your eyes at birds when they land on that huge deck of yours. I mean, come on, Chassie! That’s just not fair.

CW: Look, I like birds as much as the next person, but bird poop is another matter. Besides, I’m doing it for their own protection. I’ve got cats. Get it?

Uh, yup. Loud and clear. Actually, that’s really very creative of you. Hmmm. Might try it myself.

EE: Here’s an easy one finally – who would be your ideal panel mates?

CW: Uh-uh. Ain’t going there. Too many of my friends are writers. Let’s just say I feel most comfortable with panel membes who make me and the audience laugh. And think. Not necessarily at the same time.

Damn! You’re a hard nut to crack. Diplomatic as all get out. But then, I already knew that. But hey, I tried.

EE: Whispers are rampant that the CIA wants you back in the fold. What’s with that?

CW: You bring this up considering what’s going on in D.C. with the special investigator and civil suits and stuff? I know nothing. I repeat, nothing!

Well done, Ms. West. A representative from our office will be contacting you soon to begin re-entry into the system. Until that time, please be careful what you say to Evil E. We’ve got her on our radar, and keeping a close watch.

EE: Ignore that man. I don’t know how the hell he got in here. Anyway, which writer would you love to have all to yourself in a cozy corner of the bar at the next ThrillerFest?

CW: No contest there. Lee Child. I’d love to pick his brains about Jack Reacher and how he came to be. I’m heavily into character and Reacher’s one complex so-and-so.

Lee Child and Reacher again??? Why does that duo keep cropping up here? I’m gonna have to get them both On The Bubble.

EE: God forbid – but what would you be doing if you weren’t writing?

CW: To paraphrase the son, ‘rolling around heaven all day’. I can’t envision life without writing. It’s like oxygen. A necessity. I can’t not write. Period.

Thank heaven (no pun intended) for that! Can you hear the hallelujah’s from your thousands of fans? I can.

EE: Who would be your ideal book tour mate?

CW: I’m gonna take the easy road on this one: you. How’s that for sucking up?

Excellent! But then, I knew you couldn’t stay mad at me even though I’ve asked you some pretty dumb questions. But you drive, okay? You know I’m direction challenged. Hell, you still have to point me in the right direction when we get out of elevators.

EE: Okay, now that we’re best buds again, here’s the last question, and the easiest. Hehehe. You’re having six guests for dinner. Who would they be, and what would you serve?

CW: Sorry, this needs revising. I’d be willing to take guests out for dinner and they could like it or lump it, but I don’t cook. And for six? You jest. As for who, if you insist: Stephen King, Grace Edwards, Kay Hooper, Walter Mosley, Suzanne Brockmann and Nora Roberts. In payment, all I’d want them to answer is: how in the world do you do that? There are qualities about their writing I’d love to master. It would be worth having to declare bankruptcy after the dinner to get those answers.

Au contraire, dear, dear Chassie. How in the world do YOU do it is more like it!

And Chassie? Aloha Kaua – A hui hou kakou!

Mahalo nui loa,

xoxo Ileina

ANATOMY OF A STORY

Maybe it’s my engineering background that compels me to take things apart. I treat my writing no differently. Before I sat down to write my first novel, I picked out four novels in the same genre and I dissected them. I had no background in creative writing and this seemed like the best approach for me. I broke down each story into component parts: action and reaction scenes, characters, their entrances and exits, and their motivations, changes in points of view, the plots and subplots, etc. I did this chapter by chapter. I read a chapter and made my notes. When I reached the end I had a complete guide on how each book was created. I could look over my notes and see how the threads pulled together and how all the parts connected to make a seamless narrative. This exercise gave me a lot of confidence when I started outlining my novel. It forced me to think about all the components that make a good book and helped me avoid the common errors of a novice writer.

I still analyze my favorite books every time I begin a new book. I find it puts me in the mood to write my story and sharpens my mind. I use unabridged audio books now. It allows me to make notes while I listen.

Writing is an art, but it’s not all instinctual. There’s a mechanical side to good storytelling and to master it, you need to know how it works.

Simon Wood

PS: Apologies for the brevity of this entry, but I had a death in the family this week and I’m busy with family matters.

Last POV Standing

NAOMI HIRAHARA

I love books with multiple POVs, especially those that mix first person with third. They range from upmarket women’s books, including Ann Darby’s The Orphan Game and Mary Sharratt’s The Real Minerva to Japanese classics (Natsume Soseki’s Kokoro) to literary fiction (Barbara Kingsolver’s Poisonwood Bible, Suzan Lori-Park’s Getting Mother’s Body, and my favorite of all time, Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicine).

My debut mystery SUMMER OF THE BIG BACHI started off with two POVs–my main character Mas Arai and a Japanese doctor named Yukikazu Kimura. I ended up killing off Kimura’s voice and morphing the character into a red-haired journalist slacker in his early twenties. Mas was the last POV standing.

With my second mystery in the series, GASA-GASA GIRL, again I attempted to add other voices to the mix, including Mas’s good friend, Tug Yamada, a World War II vet with a shortened finger. My dear editor at the time suggested that I stick to the most interesting voice, Mas’s, and I complied. She was right.

I don’t know why I gravitate towards storytelling in multiple voices. Perhaps it’s because I love to look at things from different points of view. A psychoanalyst may posit it’s because I’m the first child of an immigrant and had to understand and interpret multiple worlds for my parents. It may be because I worked as a journalist and had to question people on opposite sides of an issue. Or it just may be my natural predisposition.

With my present project, I’m running into the same conundrum. I was envisioning a women’s book like Whitney Otto’s How to Make an American Quilt or Terry McMillan’s Waiting to Exhale. Again, a combination of first person and third.

Of course, the mystery genre, especially thrillers, implement this method of storyline all the time. I asked members of various mystery listservs about what books they feel did a good job of mixing first person with multiple third-person perspectives.

Here’s a compilation of suggestions I received:

Donna Andrew’s Turing series
James Lee Burke’s books
Jan Burke’s BONES and other books
Harlan Coben’s standalones
Robert Crais’s L.A. REQUIEM
Sue Grafton’s S IS FOR SILENCE
Joan Hess’s Maggody series
Joseph Hone’s spy books
Margaret Maron’s Deborah Knott books
James Patterson’s Alex Cross books

But in spite of all these models, as I wrestle with my crocodile of a manuscript, I realize that I have to heed my book’s inner voice. One single voice: my main character’s. Unlike my Mas Arai series, which is third person throughout, I’m using a first-person POV of the same character during two different time periods.

And that story with multiple voices–it’ll happen someday with a book I write, but apparently not this one.

WEDNESDAY’S WORD: bakatare (GASA-GASA GIRL, page 84)

Bakatare, pronounced ba-ka-TA-re, can have different versions–bakayaro or just plain baka. They all mean essentially the same thing: stupid or foolish. In high school, I somehow convinced my junior varsity basketball team to yell "BAKATARE" before we started an official game. S.J. Rozan, what do you think?

GO, JANET RUDOLPH, GO: If you haven’t ever read Janet Rudolph’s Mystery Readers Journal, this is definitely the time to do it. Mystery Readers International’s latest issue is titled Murder in the Far East and it’s a doozy. There are articles on Japanese mystery fiction, the four leading Japanese female mystery writers, Asian fact crime, Judge Dee, and author essays. I contributed an essay, and so did Colin Cotterill, Barry Eisler, Dale Furutani, G. Miki Hayden, Peter May, I.J. Parker, Laura Joh Rowland, Eric Stone, and so many others. It’s really outstanding. To subscribe, see the Mystery Readers International website.

SADDEST MOVIE EVER: I recently viewed a DVD with one of the saddest and most infuriating storylines ever. It’s a Japanese movie called NOBODY KNOWS, inspired by a true incident that occurred in Tokyo in the 1980s. Beautifully made with an exquisite performance by a 14-year-old boy who captured Cannes Film Festival’s best actor award in 2004. Also saw CACHÉ , starring Juliette Binoche. This one’s also foreign–French. This film received rave reviews from critics; I thought it was pretty good, but not quite up to the critical buzz. The most interesting feature was actually the director’s interview, in which he expressed that he tries to enter a scene as late as possible and then leave as soon as possible. A great tip for writers. Both these films have a much slower pace and rhythm than most American movies, so if you’re used to a lot of talking and fast cuts, you may find them utterly boring. For me, however, watching NOBODY KNOWS confirmed that deep within my American soul resides a strong Japanese aesthetic.

AND A SAD FAREWELL: I always pictured him playing Mas in a film or play, and now he’s gone.

QUIBBLES & BITS

Deni Dietz

"Hi, my name is Denise Dietz Rubenstein Sourdellia Wiley Aalborg—"

"We don’t use last names here."

"Oh. Okay. Hi, my name is Deni, and I’m a blogaholic."

Hi, Deni."

Do you want to hear how my addiction started? I’ll tell you how my addiction started. Slowly.

Once upon a few weeks ago, when I was miraculously in between [free-lance] edits, I clicked on one of the Murderati blog links. I believe it was Naked Authors…

And I haven’t stopped.

Clicking from link to link, I’ve found that several blogs talk about Serious Pub Biz Issues and/or Important Author Issues, and that’s a Good Thing. Despite what passes for humour and my occasional [ahem] irreverence, I, too, have addressed Serious Issues. But recently my friend
Lynn Whitacre said, "Deni, why don’t you write a blog just for fun?" [Hah! I told Lynn I’d put her name on my blog and she didn’t believe me – hah!]

So, since it’s summer and hot as hell and all the editors are on vacation (except me), my blog designation for today is: JUST FOR FUN

Subtitled: MY SISTER EILEEN

Yes, I know. My Sister Eileen is a 1955 movie, a musical remake starring Betty Garrett, Janet Leigh, and a very young Bob Fosse (first, it was a non-musical with Rosalind Russell and Janet Blair). But I’m talking about my sister Eileen Dietz, who has been an inspiration to me since the day I decided I wanted to be a "real live author."

My sister Eileen Dietz is a "real live actress." She was a series regular on General Hospital [which inspired me to write a glitzy mystery called SOAP BUBBLES].

Eileen played The Demon and many of the possession scenes [for Linda Blair] in The Exorcist. Eileen was, of course, the inspiration for my black-comedy novel, FIFTY CENTS FOR YOUR SOUL ["Horror and Hollywood noir…who can resist?" said Publisher’s Weekly], which revolves around events that occurred during the filming of The Exorcist.

More recently, Eileen starred in Exorcism and had supporting roles in Sin-Jin Smyth and Creepshow III. Eileen was also featured in Constantine, Doglover’s Symphony and Tracing Cowboys.

I’ve seen my sister Eileen in several plays. My favorite was the original Steambath at the Turck & Warehouse Theatre in NYC. Written by Bruce Jay Freidman, Steambath was directed by Tony Perkins. Hey, let me tell

you, it’s always a blast to see your little sister run naked across the stage. Almost as much fun as seeing her spew pea soup and spin her head.

Here is a composite, except I haven’t learned how to make pictures big.

Here Eileen auditions for a lucrative Cover Girl contract. It finally came down to Eileen or Christie Brinkley.

When a producer/director friend of Eileen’s said she planned to shoot an Indie film in Victoria, on Vancouver Island, Eileen volunteered to play a small role. She had never been to Canada, thus had never met my husband Gordon or seen my house, so she and another beautiful actress, Promise LaMarco, stayed with me the whole shoot.When the director needed a house interior to film a murder, Gordon and I

volunteered our home.

1-Eileen at my kitchen table. 2- Eileen gets bopped on the head by the killer. 3-Eileen and promise. 4- Eileen with the two teenage stars.

Although my dog Pandora might disagree, it was fascinating to watch the filming. I especially loved watching Eileen improvise. The director said she wantedEileen to sing or hum something as she entered the (my) kitchen, so she sang, "The lord is good to me, and so I thank the lord, for giving me the things I need, the sun and rain and the apple seed…" from Johnny Appleseed. I forget how many times Eileen sang it, as they shot the scene over and over, or how many times she "died" in my upstairs hallway, but the director said cut-and-print just before the take-out Chinese restaurant closed. As you can see, Eileen "died" before she could finish reading THE SPECIALIST by Gordon Aalborg. I’m told that the final cut will have framed posters of my book covers on the wall.

Here’s a poster of SIBLING RIVALRY, just in case it appears any time soon at your neighbourhood theatre or in your neighbourhood video store.

Eileen will start shooting her next movie in a few weeks. She told me it’s "Sunset Boulevard meets Carrie." I love that. And I love the title: THE QUEEN OF SCREAM

Meanwhile, if you can rent a video of Helter-Skelter, you can see what my sister Eileen looks like bald. Personally, I think that, even bald, she’s much prettier than either of the Janets (Leigh and Blair).

Eileen humors me by pretending to be a Denver Broncos fan. She’s such a good little sister.

Over and Out,
Deni

The Pros of Small Cons

by Pari Noskin Taichert

2006 has been the year of small mystery conventions for me. Since February, I’ve gone to Murder in the Magic City, Malice Domestic, Mayhem in the Midlands, Murder in the Grove and Con Misterio. My last convention in this cycle will be Magna Cum Murder in October. In past years, I’ve gone to Left Coast Crime and Bouchercon, too. That’s a lot of out-of-pocket expense, a lot of travel — and a lot of experience from which to draw a few conclusions.

Sure, conventions are promotional opportunities. That’s the excuse I give my husband.

On a quieter, private level, they offer community and companionship with people who share my passion.

I’ve loved every single mystery convention I’ve ever attended — including the Bouchercon in Las Vegas. As finances and time allow, I’ll continue to go to as many as I can.

But smaller cons have a special place in my heart.

The biggest difference between attending conventions such as Bouchercon (and Malice Domestic) and smaller venues — is the members. At the biggies, you get more editors, agents and super-successful authors (an exception might be ITW’s first foray this year). But, I’ve found that they don’t tend to mix with others.

Sure, if you’ve got an NYC publisher, you’ll be invited to the parties, but don’t expect to hang out with the biggies beyond that. I don’t think this is a function of snobbery; it’s more that these people have business to do — and it’s not with you.

However, I believe that if you work large conventions right, they provide opportunities to make meaningful, influential connections.

So, why attend a small one — where you know you won’t run into that publisher who might change your life? Or that author whose blurb will propel you into the big leagues (yeah, right)?

As a fan, why would you spend money to go where all of the authors — but the Guests of Honor– are unknown to you?

1. Small conventions encourage mixing.
I don’t know if it’s because these conventions are more relaxed or because of the mix of attendees, but they always encourage cross-genre interaction. I believe one reason — especially for authors — is that many of us don’t have our usual friends around. As a result, there’s more mingling. The Boys in Black will sit with the Girls in Pink in the bar — and they’ll converse. Also, readers don’t have as much competition for authors’ attention.

2. Small conventions allow more per person, face-to-face impact.
Murder in the Magic City limits attendees to 135. However, since there are no concurrent sessions, each author who attends has an audience of 135. How many other cons provide that? Smaller conventions also tend to allow authors more than one panel. That makes a big difference, too. And, I’d argue that without as many huge names competing in concurrent sessions, attendees will try more new authors than they would if they were intent on seeing their big-draw favorites.

3. Small conventions’ per-author, per-book sales probably equal those at bigger ones.
Rarely will any convention pay for itself (for an author) through book sales. For me, I’d have to sell hundreds of books in order to cover the hotel expenses alone. But, I’ve noticed that I’ve signed basically the same amount of books at most conventions I attend . . . period.

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

Con Misterio
What a wonderful event! I hope attendance increases by 50+ people so that it can become viable economically for the organizers. Frankly, it’s a great addition to our mystery convention calendar — and Austin in July is lovely when you’re in an air-conditioned, pleasant hotel.

Lousy Photos Presented with Lots of Love
Apologies first: None of these authors have red eyes. Forgive me. Believe me, I spent time trying to fix them. Then, I couldn’t import those fixes into this post. Argh. Also, I realize the text wraps around the photos in an odd, erratic way; I tried to fix that, too.

Nevertheless, in an effort to promote my fellow authors, I’m including these lousy examples of photographic prowess and layout — along with author website links (or whatever I could find) — with the hopes that if someone interests you, you’ll click on his or her name and get to a location where there is a good picture.

We had a lovely reception at Con Misterio. Here, Reed Coleman and Jane Cleland ham it up. Notice how PR savvy Reed is. He’s got his books in hand . . .

John Maddox Roberts has written more books than I thought humanly possible — and he’s still going strong. He’s embracing the lovely (her eyes are gorgeous, btw) and talented Karen MacInerney (pronounced "Mac and Ernie").

Sean Doolittle is one of the nicest guys you’ll meet. I doubt I would have met him but for attending smaller conventions and having the time to compare notes about parenthood, our careers and life. He’s now beginning to gain some real national attention and I couldn’t be happier for him.

These three would probably always run in different crowds than little ol’ me, but thanks to smaller cons I’ve met them all.
From l to r: Anthony Neil Smith, Victor Gischler, Harry Hunsicker

Oh, this is a terrible picture. I want to hide . . . but, it contains some of my favorite people. Troy Cook at the far left is a new author who is already getting tremendous kudos. Next to him is the deceptively gentle Lono Waiwaiole. And, in the foreground is Troy’s dad, Bruce Cook. Don’t let daddy Cook’s nice demeanor fool you. He knows more about the L.A. movie scene — about the inner workings of movies and their production, than most of us could ever learn.

Mr. James Crumley in his office.
Actually, I got to spend some quality time with Jim. He was totally unassuming and could drink most of us under the table. (I hope the link takes you to an article about him.)

l to r: Dean James, Lillian Stewart Carl, Karen Macinerney.

They’re all much better looking than this photo indicates. Hey, I’m a writer, obviously not a photographer.

Notice the lights emanating from Karen’s head? Could it be her aura? Or, maybe it’s because all of these fine authors deal with the supernatural?

l to r: authors Kaye George and Marilyn Meredith. Kaye is also a violinist. I’ve known Marilyn since my very first panel at my very first con — LCC Pasadena.

Ah, the lovely bar. Great conversations happen just because of proximity.

l to r: Laura Elveback, Leann Sweeney, Sara Weiss. I couldn’t find any url for Laura — darn it.

Um, welcome to the bar again. On the left is Keith Raffel — a brand new author from Sillicon Valley. Next to him is a pro — Mark Troy. I had the honor of being on a panel with each of them.

Should I identify them from top to bottom? The lady in the back is Katharine Eliska Kimbriel — author of both science fiction/fantasy and mystery. Because this convention was small, I had the joy of dining with Margaret Maron more than once. What a kind, intelligent woman. Jan Grape (seated) also generously shared her experiences as an author with me.

The wild-worded, wild-minded author Jim Nisbet and Con Misterio organizer and tireless worker Karen Meschke.

What would any convention be without food? Con Misterio fed us very well (the hotel was great, too). The hospitality room served its purpose with elan. We also had fresh fruit and veggies, good drinks and other wonderfulnesses throughout each day. Wow.

This is a box of breakfast treats from author Sharon Wildwind (oh, I hope I have the right url!) who was unable to attend the con but found a way to have an impact on our grateful stomachs one morning. I really liked those cookies with the powered sugar.

Well, that’s enough for today.

cheers.

This, above all else

by Pari Noskin Taichert

Believe it or not, the other day I was complaining about the slow build my books seem to be experiencing, the slow build to my career. A friend asked me, the perennenial