“Cute” may not be a word that comes immediately to mind when you think of Laurie R. King. But Laurie Richardson? On a Throwback Thursday? Oh, why not? This was taken in 1966, when I was fourteen, about the age of Mary Russell in Monday’s ongoing Mary Russell’s War. I was living in Saratoga, CA, and remembering the…
Read MoreThe proof, or galley stage of a book is when I receive a stack of printed matter that shows what the book will actually look like. This is always a surprise: Wow, it’s a real book! With margins! And pretty stuff!—since the publisher’s art department loves to contribute their little extras to the reading experience, whether it’s…
Read MoreYoung Mary Russell’s journal of the Great War, which began on August 4, 1914 continues. Her previous entries are here. 22 September 1914 Disaster! Calamity! Oh, how I loathe dogs! Who’d have expected a German spy to have a poodle? Father shouted at me—shouted!—and said that I was fortunate it hadn’t been an Alsatian, which might have…
Read MoreCrime and Thriller Writing: one part autobiography (half mine, half that of Michelle Spring), one part nuts-and-bolts writing manual, and one part guest speakers imparting a whole lot of wisdom. The middle of the book is a series of essays, on topics of their own choosing, from twenty-six other world-rank crime & thriller writers. Like Val McDermid: do I…
Read MoreSherman, let’s hop into our Wayback Machine for another Throwback Thursday, this one from 1972. The quilt, which I first pieced, then quilted (hence the frame) illustrates that the devil is in the details, whether for quilting, cooking, or plotting a story. Any of you out there have time to quilt?
Read MoreThe yearly Crime Extravaganza known as Bouchercon is in Long Beach this year, and as always, it’s going to be a whole lot of fun, plus, if you’re interested in mystery or thrillers, true crime or romantic suspense, writing or reading, you’ll learn a ton. I’m going to be in three panels during the weekend,…
Read MoreMary Russell’s journal of the Great War has come to light, beginning on August 4, 1914. This is week seven (For the other weeks, click here.) 15 September 1914 Last week, Levi circled an article in the news concerning a boy of fourteen years and eleven months who was serving in the German army, and left it…
Read MoreCrime and Thriller Writing, co-authored by me and my friend Michelle Spring, has three sections to it. The first is our reflections on our writing life; the third is the nuts-and-bolts how-to section. But the middle section is a little of everything–and everyone. Part two is a series of essays by twenty-six other fantastic crime & thriller writers,…
Read MoreI try not to take advantage of my middle-sized-fish-in-small-pond status and assert myself at events, but in June when I was one of the speakers at the American Library Association tea, and read up on the other speakers, there was one book I made a leap for, elbowing aside all the librarians who were there…
Read MoreThis Throwback Thursday brought to you by Bantam Books. Bantam (now a division of Penguin Random House, aka the Randy Penguin) showed me the love from the very beginning, with the mass market paperback for A Grave Talent forming one third of a summer special in 1995, along with Mary Willis Walker and John Straley. They did T-shirts,…
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