Saturday, January 27, 2007

Tune In Tomorrow!

Coming up on "It's a Mystery":
Jan 29th: Anthony Award winner and Edgar nominee Bill Crider, author of numerous mysteries including Murder among the OWLS featuring Sheriff Dan Rhodes, and part 1 of a radio production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood starring Herbert Marshall. The show runs 11:00 until noon Eastern time, 10:00 Central.

Here's the site where you can listen live, or you can listen later to the archived show.

Who is the host of "It's a Mystery"?
Elizabeth Foxwell produces and hosts "It's a Mystery." Elizabeth won the Agatha Award for Best Short Story for "No Man's Land," which also was nominated for a Macavity Award; is the managing editor of CLUES: A Journal of Detection, the only US academic journal on mystery and detective fiction; and has published several short stories and numerous articles on mysteries as well as edited nine mystery anthologies.

Searching for the Worst Sound in the World

You can vote if you'd like to. There are about 30 sounds, but you can quit at any time. Link via Neatorama.

Sound 101 :: Bad Vibes: "Fingernails scraping down a blackboard... the scream of a baby... your neighbour's dog barking: what is the worst sound in the world? This is what this website has been trying to find out.

Acoustic science is concerned with the production, transmission, manipulation and reception of sound, from unwanted traffic noise to beautiful music. Acoustics is about both the physical properties of sound waves and the reaction of humans. This website is interested in the often complex ways in which people perceive and interpret sounds. The aim is to increase awareness of sound psychology by examining what makes a sound unpleasant to hear. Your votes on the site will also give us an insight into what is the worst sound in the world, and maybe why it is the worst sound.

The project is being led by Prof. Trevor Cox of Salford University’s Acoustic Research Centre. Salford has been carrying out teaching, research and consultancy in acoustics and audio for three decades. We teach pre-degree, degree and postgraduate courses in acoustics, audio and video. Our graduates work in the industry worldwide. We are a centre of excellence in research, gaining a 6* in the last RAE. Salford has world class laboratories for commercial work, teaching and research."

Novelists Are Often Absent-Minded

Nevada Appeal - News: "An acclaimed novelist lost his office in Carson City on Thursday when he threw a lit piece of paper into gasoline.

Fantasy writer David Eddings, 75, said he was using water to flush out the gas tank of his broken-down Excalibur sports car, when some fluid leaked. In a lapse of judgment he readily admitted, Eddings lit a piece of paper and threw into the puddle to test if it was still flammable. The answer came in an orange torrent.

The fire raged through the garage and a quarter of the way into the office that occupies the lot next door to his home. His 95-year-old mother-in-law inside the home, came outside to find the juniper trees lining the driveway had gone up in flames, too.

Eddings said his intention to was to prevent a fire - he was afraid to leave a tank full of gasoline in a car that had gone kaput - but instead he did the opposite.

'One word comes to mind,' the renowned wordsmith said as he stood in a pajama shirt and slippers. 'Dumb.'"

Friday, January 26, 2007

Bookseller Sees the Bright Side of Publishing Noir

Bookselling This Week: Bookseller Sees the Bright Side of Publishing Noir

For 18 years, David Thompson has sold the best in mystery, crime, and thrillers to customers at one of the most celebrated mystery bookstores in the nation, Murder By the Book, in Houston, Texas. Now, Thompson, the store's assistant manager and the founder of Busted Flush Press, is the publisher of an anthology featuring a 2007 Edgar Award nominee in the Best Short Story category.

"Cranked" is written by Bill Crider and is one of 27 original stories in Damn Near Dead: An Anthology of Geezer Noir, edited by crime writer Duane Swierczynski and published by Thompson. Damn Near Dead is the first anthology of original work to be published by Busted Flush, which Thompson founded in 2005 with the intention of reissuing out-of-print favorites.

The anthology grew from an idea hatched at a Murder by the Book signing for Swierczynski. "We came up with a great idea. Most mystery anthologies have a theme," Thompson told BTW. "Some are based on a setting, like Brooklyn, or an activity like basketball or cooking. We wanted something dark, and what is darker than getting old? One of us came up with the term Geezer Noir.

"Every short story [in the anthology] had to have protagonists who were elderly men or women -- active people -- no knitters or people with cats," he noted. In addition, each was never published before. (To be considered for this year's Edgar Awards, all work must have been published initially in 2006.)




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I Say We Hang 'em

Girls charged with conspiring to kill classmates, Oprah - CNN.com: "CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (AP) -- Six girls at a rural high school were charged with homicide conspiracy after their principal found a list of 300 names and officials discovered online postings suggesting they kill people, authorities said Thursday.

School officials said the list, discovered in a classroom trash can, mostly named students and faculty members but also included Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey and the Energizer Bunny.

Sequatchie County High School Principal Tommy Layne said that he initially considered it a joke, but that authorities then found the ninth-graders' online MySpace pages and postings that included the word 'kill.'

'In general terms, it was like, 'Let's kill these people,' ' Dunlap Police Chief Clint Huth said. He declined to provide the specific wording on the posting, which has been removed."

cityrag: 20 Greatest Guitar Solos Ever, With Videos

cityrag: 20 Greatest Guitar Solos Ever, With Videos: "20 Greatest Guitar Solos Ever, With Videos
Guitar World complied a list of the '100 Greatest Guitar Solos'. Over the last few days the Howard Stern Show has been playing clips from the list. We've found listening to these great classics a very moving experience, so we took it a step further and dug up a video link for each of the top 20! Listen and watch the musical genius and mastery that made these classics famous!"

In Honor of Barbara Seranella

Buzz, Balls & Hype : In honor of Barbara Seranella - DO THIS!: "In honor of Barbara Seranella - DO THIS!

A wonderful mystery writer and terrific woman died this week, while she was waiting for a liver transplant and we are all saddened and bereft.

Please consider being a donor in Barbara's honor. Find out more here. And please, please post this link on your sites and your blogs.

Lets see how many sites and blogs we can get in a week to link to the organ donor page. There are enough organs, there are just not enough people who sign the cards.

I live with someone who was lucky enough to get a kidney in 1999 and I can tell you that there is no gift that means more."

Just a Reminder

"N-Word" Ban Update

Brazoria mayor ends battle to ban racial epithet | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "By RICHARD STEWART
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

After facing intense opposition against a proposed ordinance that would have outlawed the use of the 'n-word' in his town, Brazoria Mayor Ken Corley announced Thursday he would drop the proposal altogether.

Corley's decision brought applause from most of the 200 people who gathered in the middle of Main Street to discuss the issue.

The meeting was held outside Thursday because the town's council chamber is too small.

Though almost all speakers said they condemned the use of racial epithets, most said the Brazoria County town of 2,800 has few racial problems, and the proposed ordinance would cause more problems than it would cure.

'I'm embarrassed for my little town,' said Bill Lott, who is white. 'We need to unite, not divide.'

The Rev. Melvin Johnson, who is black, said he thought it was wrong to single out one word."

Hardluck Stories on Comedy Central

The Comedy Central Insider: "Attention noir writers, Hardluck Stories, the online magazine dedicated to hardboiled crime fiction has sent out the call for its 'Truthiness' issue dedicated to the Colbert Report.

Editor Dave Zeltserman posts:

'What I'm looking for are the same typically brilliant noir stories that Hardluck routinely publishes, but stories that are somehow inspired by the Colbert Report show, possibly even by the concept of 'truthiness'.

'These could be stories featuring a Colbert-type character or inspired by an episode of Colbert Report or capture the essence of what Colbert is doing or whatever else your imagination can concoct as long as Colbert, his show or 'truthiness' is a key element of the story. What I'm not looking for is fanfic.' (Ed. - Emphasis ours. Sorry, fan fiction scribes)"

Big Contest! Win a Free Book!

Not from me, though. From Duane Swierczynski over at the Secret Dead Blog. You'll get a copy of Damn Near Dead signed by yous truly if you win. Maybe Duane will sign it, too. There will be three winners. Check it out.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

The Truth about Megan Abbott's Covers!













Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

Roy Head's son, Sundance, wows Idol judges | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "American Idol found a strong front-runner Tuesday night in Sundance Head, a barrel-chested Memphis auditioner with a huge voice.

As Sundance mentioned on the show, he's the son of singer Roy Head, who had a No. 2 pop hit in 1965 with Treat Her Right.

'He's a dancing fool, and I got no moves,' Sundance said on the show before wowing the judges. A 1965 clip of Roy Head on YouTube, true to his son's description, he was a fleet-footed wonder.

Of his name, Sundance told Idol, 'My folks were hippies, I guess. It was hell to grow up with.'"

And just to prove that Sundance was right about his daddy:


Stark House February Book


I really like Sid Fleischman's books for children and young adults. They've won just about every award there is, but I'd been reading them for quite a while before I found out that Sid Fleischman was the A. S. Fleischman who'd written for Gold Medal more than 50 years ago (he's still writing; visit his website). Now Stark House has made it easy for you to own a couple of the great old Gold Medal books, with new introductions by Steve Lewis and Fleischman himself. Read a page of either Look Behind You, Lady or The Venetian Blonde, and you'll be hooked. Check 'em out.

Probably Everyone But Me Knew about "Danielle Brown"

Features : Radar Online: "Thanks to the Web, literary fiascos may never again slip softly into the safety of oblivion. 'Out of print' no longer means not available. And though you might be able to buy up all the copies listed on Amazon, good luck purging your dud from all those used book stores. Even if your involvement in a project was entirely tangential, you're unlikely to escape the rude gaze of public scrutiny. Former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey, for example, wrote the introduction to a book called SWAT Fitness in 2003, a skeleton he'd no doubt prefer remain in the closet. Radar scoured the remainder bins so you don't have to. Below, some less-than-proud moments from the world of publishing."

Joe Lansdale -- Grandmaster!

Congratulations to Joe on a well-deserved award.

World Horror Convention 2007 <http://www.whc2007.org> is proud and delighted to announce that hisownself, JOE. R. LANSDALE, has been voted the winner of the 2007 Grand Master Award.

The number of votes cast this year by members of the convention was the highest in the history of the seventeen-year-old award, and Lansdale joins the distinguished ranks of such other honoured recipients as Robert Bloch, Stephen King, Richard Matheson, Anne Rice, Clive Barker, Dean R. Koontz, Peter Straub, Brian Lumley, Ramsey Campbell, Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, Charles L. Grant, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Jack Williamson, F. Paul Wilson and Ray Garton.

Texas-born Mojo storyteller and scriptwriter Joe R. Lansdale is the author of more than thirty novels in all genres, including crime, Western, horror and pulp adventure. The author of ACT OF LOVE, THE NIGHTRUNNERS, COLD IN JULY, SAVAGE SEASON, THE BOTTOMS and THE DRIVE-IN series, he is also known for his seven novels about two unlikely friends, Hap Collins and Leonard Pine, who live in a town in East Texas and find themselves solving a variety of often violent or macabre mysteries. The series began with SAVAGE SEASON in 1990 and CAPTAINS OUTRAGEOUS (2001) is the most recent title in the on-going saga.

Lansdale has also written scripts for comic books and animated television shows, and his novella BUBBA HO-TEP, about an aged Elvis Presley and black John F. Kennedy battling a soul-sucking mummy, was filmed by Don Coscarelli in 2002. His short story, "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" was adapted as the first episode of the first season of TV's MASTERS OF HORROR series.

Joe R. Lansdale is the winner of six HWA Bram Stoker Awards, the British Fantasy Award, the MWA Edgar Award, the American Mystery Award, the Horror Critics Award, the "Shot in the Dark" International Crime Writer's award, the Booklist Editor's Award and the Critic's Choice Award.

We are extremely pleased that JOE R. LANSDALE will be joining our previously-announced Guests of Honour MICHAEL MARSHALL SMITH, the multiple award-winning British author of such novels as SPARES, ONLY FORWARD, ONE OF US and the best-selling THE STRAW MEN trilogy; Montreal-based author NANCY KILPATRICK, whose books include novels NEAR DEATH, CHILD OF THE NIGHT, JASON X: PLANET OF THE BEAST and THE GOTH BIBLE: A COMPENDIUM FOR THE DARKLY INCLINED; Chesley Award and World Fantasy Award-winning American illustrator JOHN PICACIO; British writer/editor/publisher PETER CROWTHER and Toronto editor and pulp magazine authority DON HUTCHISON, and British-born Hollywood scriptwriter PETER ATKINS (three HELLRAISER sequels; WISHMASTER). Canadian writer SEPHERA GIRON, author of such novels as HOUSE OF PAIN and BORROWED FLESH, is Mistress of Ceremonies.

For the first time in its seventeen-year history, The World Horror Convention is being held outside the United States. With a theme exploring "The Diversity of Horror", World Horror Convention 2007 will take place over March 29-April 1 at the TORONTO MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN EATON CENTRE, located in the heart of Toronto, Canada.

Among those authors, editors and publishers also scheduled to attend are
GARY BRAUNBECK, RAMSEY CAMPBELL, MORT CASTLE, ELLEN DATLOW, SCOTT EDELMAN, LES EDWARDS, STEVEN ERIKSON, GEMMA FILES, TINA JENS, STEPHEN JONES, BRIAN KEENE, ALLEN KOSZOWSKI, MICHAEL LAIMO, ROBERTA LANNES, TIM LEBBON, BRIAN LUMLEY, L.H. MAYNARD & M.P.N. SIMS, PAUL MILLER, DAVID MORRELL, MARK MORRIS, YVONNE NAVARRO, SARAH PINBOROUGH, TONY RICHARDS, ROBERT J. SAWYER and F. PAUL WILSON, amongst many others.

The convention already has more British and Canadian attendees than any previous World Horror, making it a truly international event, and PROGRESS REPORT #3 (which will include travel information and a list of attendees) will be mailed to all registered members in early March.

THE 2007 Horror Writers Association BRAM STOKER AWARDS PRESENTATION will be held at the convention on the Saturday evening. For details about how to purchase your tickets to this very special event, please consult the HWA or WHC websites.

The convention's official airline is AIR CANADA, a Star Alliance Member <www.staralliance.com>.

For more information, please contact Convention Chairperson: AMANDA FOUBISTER <amanda@whc2007.org>

www.whc2007.org

Hungry Like the Wolf

Rome's Palatine Hill reveals new treasures as archaeologists work to save its monuments - International Herald Tribune: "ROME: Work on Rome's Palatine Hill has turned up a trove of discoveries, including what might be the underground grotto where ancient Romans believed a wolf nursed the city's legendary founders Romulus and Remus.

Archaeologists gathered Tuesday at a conference to save crumbling monuments on the Palatine discussed findings of studies on the luxurious imperial residences threatened by collapse and poor maintenance that have forced the closure of much of the hill to the public.

While funds are still scarce, authorities plan to reopen some key areas of the honeycombed hill to tourists by the end of the year, including frescoed halls in the palaces of the emperor Augustus and of his wife Livia.

After being closed for decades, parts of the palaces will be opened for guided tours while restoration continues, officials said.

It was during the restoration of the palace of Rome's first emperor that workers taking core samples from the hill found what could be a long-lost place of worship believed by ancient Romans to be the cave where a she-wolf suckled Romulus and Remus, the abandoned twin sons of the god of war Mars."

William Shatner Salutes George Lucas

He sings, he dances, he emotes! Well, sort of.

What the Well-Equipped Vampire Hunter Carried

Van Helsing's 19th Century Vampire kit is shown here.

E. Howard Hunt Redux

Mark Coggins points out that Hunt knew his Chandler.

Riordan's Desk: E. Howard Hunt and Raymond Chandler: "Steve Lewis, Bill Crider and J. Kingston Pierce at the Rap Sheet have pointed out that recently deceased Watergate burglar E. Howard Hunt was also a spy novelist.

What may be less generally known is that Hunt and Raymond Chandler once corresponded. In 1952, Chandler wrote a two page letter in response to--of all things--charges from Hunt of ethical violations of 'self-plagiarism.' Hunt had written to complain that several of Chandler's 1930s Black Mask short stories, anthologized in the 1952 collection The Simple Art of Murder, had been the cannibalized to provide the plot lines for his first four novels."