National Year of Reading

By PD Martin

Sometimes when it's my turn to blog I have to scramble for ideas. But today, I had three potential topics!  

1. Valentine’s Day. I lucked out and drew Valentine’s Day for my Wildcard Tuesday. So I should write a blog about that, right? You know, tracing the history, talking about what it means to me…yada, yada, yada. But forget it…I’ve got other things to write about today. And I’m sure there will be loads of blogs around on Valentine’s Day. And if not, just go to Wikipedia for your fix.
2. Option 2 was relevant to the date, because tonight (Aussie time) I’m launching the National Year of Reading at one of my local libraries. I’m one of the ambassadors and this is my first duty of the year. In fact, when this goes live I will have just finished giving my speech. 
3. Option 3 came around on the weekend. While I believe writing is a craft more than an art, I still consider myself to be a creative, artistic person. And as a creative, artistic person I am upset, outraged and angry at the wasted talent of the one and only Whitney Houston. So much so, I considered writing a blog on it.

In the end, I’ve gone with option 2, the reading theme, because it seems so relevant to this forum, to Murderati.

For the launch I was asked to speak a little about reading and what reading and books meant to me. I’ve decided to write about some of these things today.

First off, I was lucky because I always loved reading. I didn’t need Harry Potter or fancy ebooks on iPads to engage me - I just needed a book. Sure, there were books I loved more than others, books that I read over and over again. Childhood greats like The Wishing Chair, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and Famous Five and Nancy Drew come to mind. But pretty much any book would do me. I’d devour them, keen to move on to the next story, or the next book in a series.

So, what did I love about books and reading? Some people talk about the feel of a book, the feel of turning pages. But for me, although my childhood reading was solely hardcopy based, it was never about the feel of a book, it was about the words on the page, or more specifically about where the book would take me. You can pick up a book and be anywhere in the world, or not in this world at all. Whether it’s reading about a cop in the US, a bodyguard in England or reading about the hobbits travelling to Middle Earth, books take you somewhere else, give you another experience. Sometimes that experience can be grounded in reality or what might be possible, like crime fiction, drama or even romance stories (although many would argue they’re not based in any realism at all!). And at other times, the world you’re transported to is fictional, fantastical. Whether it’s travelling with Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter to Narnia or following the lives of Bella and Edward in Twilight, these books take you to another world, a world that is appealing, interesting or intriguing in some way. 

Reading’s also about emotion, about how a story makes you feel. Reading has the ability, the power , to take you on emotional highs and lows. You can be inspired by triumph, moved or heartbroken by tragedy or drama, intrigued and challenged by a whodunit or you can simply get away from it all with an escapist read. These escapist reads could come in the form of classic fantasy novels, horror books, paranormal stories or even romance. And while some people like the more literary style of writing and others prefer a good vampire book, it’s all reading. And it’s all story telling. Sure, it’s changed a lot over the years. Originally it was people telling stories around campfires or ‘drawing’ stories. Then, as we evolved, stories became about the written word rather than the spoken word. They were about reading, not listening. And now, well in some ways we’ve come full circle with audio books that allow people to listen to stories, but they’ve also evolved to another level with ebooks. Our kids may read online, and via ereaders or i-Somethings, but they will still read. In fact, I think ebooks give these technology-savvy generations the ability to combine reading with gadgets and hopefully that will lead to an increase in the love of reading, and most importantly of literacy.

Reading is also ultimately why I became a writer - I think why anyone becomes a writer. Authors love hearing and reading stories, and most importantly we love telling our own stories.

However, I do have a confession to make. My reading is currently in a massive trough, which actually started when I got published. Like many authors, I found myself juggling tight deadlines and reading non-fiction research books instead of reading for pleasure. Plus I became a mother soon after I became published, which meant juggling the dual acts of motherhood and writing; and I’m also one of those authors who prefers not to read while writing. These things add up to not much reading.

However, I am inspired to read more this year. Inspired by the National Year of Reading, and by my role as an ambassador. What about you? What are your reading plans for the year? And what are your childhood memories of stories taking you to different worlds or on emotional highs and lows? 

What do you value?

By Allison Brennan

I'm so sorry this blog is late. I had every intention of writing it last night, but best laid plans ...

This weekend was homecoming at our high school. Normally, this isn't something I actively participate in. To me, it's about the kids, they have fun dressing up for school (pajama day, retro day, spirit day.) But we always go to the homecoming game. Last year, our football team was down 21-0 at the end of the third quarter and won 22-0 at the end. This year, we trounced the opposition 55-6. I know a lot of this kids--my oldest daughter has been at the school for 14 years, since pre-school. I've seen them grow up, now they're all bigger than me, and I've seen them mature (well, most of them) and grow into adults. We don't have a child on the team, but since my daughter's boyfriend plays I feel like we do (he eats a lot of food at my house!) Our team is also special because we have one of the few female kickers in the country. There's a long line of female football players, but they are still rare. I'm not surprised--football is a violent sport. But this is the third year we've had a female kicker. Our first graduated two years ago, and a freshman took her place. Both are star soccer players. It is fabulous to watch our players rally around her and, when necessary, defend her because not all the other teams think it's cool to have a star female kicker (ranked 36 in PAT in California this year, 9th last year. She has big shoes to fill--our graduating female kicker was ranked #15.)

This isn't our school, but I found this terrific article from Michigan about the homecoming Queen kicking the wining field goal.

This homecoming was particularly special as my daughter was voted Homecoming Queen. Dan and I were beaming :) It was surprise, because she's never been interested in these type of accolades. She's an athlete (volleyball) and loves choir. But after 14 years at the school and now senior class representative, everyone knows her. I never got involved in extra-curricular high school activities, and I can't honestly say why. My 25 year reunion is next year and if it weren't for Facebook, I'd never have reconnected with any of my classmates. I'm thrilled my own kids--all of them--will have these type of memories.

Last night, a large group of kids came over to my house for dinner before the homecoming dance. Parents came and went to take pictures. And Dan took this one candid shot of Katie that made me teary--it reminds me that she's growing up. That she's graduating in May, she's going to college, that whatever I did right or wrong, the future is now in her hands.

I've often said to people that I have no life outside of my kids and writing. Depending on the context, I suppose that it can come off as complaining. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I love my family, and I love writing. Everything else can wait. 

The writer's life is neither harder or easier than any other life. But most of us are living our dream, at least part of it. We might not be rich and living in a castle on a hill, but we are doing what we love. I truly love telling stories. I love it even when I hate parts of the process. I love creating and revising and polishing. 

I've told my kids that they can do or be anything they want, but that the most important thing is they find a career that is satisfying. That if they love what they do, they'll be happy. If that's a stay-at-home-mom (or dad), a doctor, a teacher, an athlete, an artist, a writer--they need to love it. Because every job has a downside. Every job has heartache. You have to love it--or, if it's a means to an end, put up with the crappy stuff and not let it destroy your dream. 

I've had ups and downs in my career; I've left one publisher and moved to a next. I have a new editor for the first time--after 17 books. I have a new agent. I'm excited about the possibilities, but a little scared, too. Fear is normal. But even with the uncertainties in this New Publishing Order, even with the ups and downs in the industry, the changes that seem to hit us hard even after we think we understand everything, I still wouldn't want to do anything else.

Sometimes, it's hard to remain optimistic in the face of big changes, whether it's college or career or family issues. Shit happens. Sometimes really bad stuff. Sometimes we want to crawl into a hole and hide, or quit everything and say to hell with it. But there is always hope. I believe it, otherwise I wouldn't be able to get up in the morning and do all the things that need to be done, for me or my family. 

I remember a group book signing (the Levy Bus Tour) where a high school teacher was sending students to buy Chip St. Clair's memoir (to read for extra credit.) Chip was great, and told the parents that there was a bunch of authors in all genre--thriller, historical fiction, romance, inspirational. One mom said, "Oh, I don't have time to read." 

I've thought about that exchange many times over the years. That mom was telling her two daughter that she didn't value reading. That everything else in life was more important to her than books. 

I don't want to set that example for my kids. Not just in books, but in life.

I think about the two female football kickers from our school, and what my 8 year old girl soccer player told me. "I want to be the kicker for the football team." I told her to work hard, do her best always, and don't give up. And I thank those girls for setting a great example, not only to other young soccer players, but to the boys on the team.

I value many things, and I hope my kids do as well, as they learn by example. I value stories. I value honesty. I value hard-work and sacrifice. I value dreams.

What do you value? What one lesson would you impart to high school seniors today?

Ending the Phrases "I Don't Read" and "I Don't Read Women," One T-Shirt At A Time

by Alafair Burke

Admit it. At some point in your life, you've said it, or at least heard someone say it. "I don't read books by women," or more harshly, "I don't like women authors."

Typically when I hear the sentiment, there's a slight (and I suppose flattering?) modification: "I don't usually like women authors, but I love your books."

Huh??

Appreciative yet perplexed, I started asking readers why they thought they didn't like women authors. Usually they said it was because the books weren't hard-boiled enough. Or they said there was too much romance and not enough action.T hey believed that women writers were writing for women and not men.

On the conference circuit, I've talked a little bit about the stereotyping of authors, and we've had great discussions about male/female differences (or the lack thereof) here on Murderati.  I do believe that publishers and editors are more likely to steer female crime writers toward romantic suspense.  They might also encourage them to write more about female experiences and characters. 

But to say "I don't read women" is very different than preferring certain types of books over other types of books.  Some of the most inventive, brilliant, and, yes, bad-ass crime fiction being written today comes from women.  Using gender as a proxy for subgenre is a darn lazy way to choose books when your local independent bookseller will happily hand-select books tailored to your individual preferences, and when Amazon tells you if you like Michael Connelly, you might also like Tess Gerritsen, and if you like Harlan Coben, you might also like Lisa Gardner, and when thousands of high-quality reader-reviews are a computer away via GoodReads. 

I was talking about the "I don't read women" phenomenon over on my Facebook wall a few months ago, and I quipped, "I want a t-shirt that says Real Men Read Women."  Before I knew it, a bunch of my friends said they wanted to buy that t-shirt.  Well, when it comes to my readers, I say, "Ask and you shall receive." 

But if I was going to get into the tee-shirt vending business, the money needed to go to a good cause.  And as the daughter of a writer and a librarian, I see no worthier cause than youth literacy.  As much as I hate to hear someone say, "I don't read women," it's far worse to hear, "I don't read."  And it's even sadder to hear those words from a child.

Did you know that the majority of low-income families do not have a single book for their children at home?  Teachers have students bringing in phone books when asked to bring a book from home, because it was the only book they had. 

I'm proud to report that bestselling (and super cool) authors Lisa Gardner, Tess Gerritsen, Laura Lippman, Karin Slaughter, and Lisa Unger have lent their names to an odd little effort to end the phrases "I don't read" and "I don't read women," one t-shirt at a time.  Thanks to them, "Real Men Read Women" gear is now available online. 

We've also got "I Like Boys Who Read Books by Girls" gear.

And though we thought that the use of our names would help bring the crime fiction community to the effort, we also have gear that does not list any individual authors, so you can collect the gear even if you prefer Harper Lee and Dorothy Parker.

All profits will go to First Book, a non-profit organization that provides new books to low-income children.  Order your stuff here.  And if you're not into t-shirts, mousepads, and water bottles (who ISN'T into that stuff?), please consider donating directly to First Book here.

Thanks in advance for your support and for help spreading the word!

I'll be raffling off a t-shirt to one lucky commenter.  Just post a comment that relates either to your favorite female authors or your experiences reading as a child.

P.S./B.S.P.  Early reviews for my new book, LONG GONE, are rolling in.  Library Journal, in a starred review, says "Burke’s first stand-alone novel is a fast-paced, plot-driven nail-biter."  And from Booklist: "Burke delivers a tightly plotted, suspenseful account  . . . It’s very much in the Lisa Gardner vein—strong female protagonist, shadowy villains, intricate and suspenseful story." (And they didn't even know Lisa and I are on t-shirts together!)  Still waiting for PW and Kirkus.

You can watch the LONG GONE book trailer here:

LITTLE GIRL GONE

By Brett Battles

Okay, so today is actually my birthday. True story, I was born 6 minutes to midnight, so 6 minutes shy of April Fools Day (not that there is anything wrong with that for any of you celebrating tomorrow.) My dad actually heard two cries, one before midnight and one after, and thought that my mom had had twins. In the rush to make sure I wasn't born on April 1st (apparently the doctor thought that was a bad thing), clamps were used, and my head was a bit pair shaped for a few hours...insert "so that's what happened" jokes here.

Anyway, I've been so busy, I almost forgot it was my birthday. Why? Well, next week t the new Quinn novel THE SILENCED hits stores, and I'm on a mini tour for that, but it's not the only new book I have out. In fact, it's the other one, plus a couple short stories I want to talk to you about today...all three of which are available now.

Like my friend and fellow Murderati Dusty, I have jumped into the world of electronic self-publishing. Firmly. Last week I released two short stories and a brand new novel, and those are just the start of more to come.

Let’s talk novel first:

LITTLE GIRL GONE is the first in a new series featuring a troubled man named Logan Harper.

Logan isn't looking for redemption. He just wants to live in peace and forget his troubled past. But one morning his quiet life is upended when he interrupts the attempted murder of his father's best friend Tooney.

The next thing Logan knows, he’s on his way to Los Angeles, searching for Tooney's missing granddaughter and uncovering a sinister plot connected not only to Tooney's Burmese past, but also to the boardrooms of corporate America.

As the odds stack up against him, Logan must fall back on old skills from the life he'd rather forget. He's made a promise, and the only way to fulfill it is to bring the girl home alive.

You can get LITTLE GIRL GONE for only 2.99 at the Amazon Kindle Store, BarnesandNoble.com, Smashwords, and, in the UK for £2.12, the Amazon UK Kindle Store.

I’ve also recorded myself reading the first chapter, had have embedded the player here:

I really enjoyed writing Logan, and look forward to created more stories featuring him and the cast of characters around him. And a quick thanks to Jeroen ten Berge—the same designer who Dusty uses—on the awesome cover art!

On the short story front…

JUST ANOTHER JOB – A Jonathan Quinn Story, is a glimpse into the life of a cleaner, a man who works in the shadows.

Not everyone who gets shot is supposed to be shot. And those who are shot don’t always die right away. It’s not Quinn’s job to kill people, but it is his job to clean them up. Sometimes, though, they’re not quite ready to go.

JUST ANOTHER JOB is only .99 at the Amazon Kindle Store, BarnesandNoble.com, Smashwords, and, in the UK for £0.70, the Amazon UK Kindle Store.

Cool cover by our own Robert Gregory Browne. Thanks, Rob!

PERFECT GENTLEMAN, a tale of a different kind of family.

The girls call Wade Norris, “Papa.”

He’s not their dad. He’s not their uncle. He’s not even related to them. In fact, he was born thousands of miles from the Philippines, the place he now calls home.

No, Wade’s none of those things. He’s their Papasan. He runs the go-go bar where the girls dance and entertain. But that doesn’t make them any less than a family.

And rule number one: don’t mess with the family.

PERFECT GENTLEMAN originally appeared in the KILLER YEAR: STORIES TO DIE FOR anthology edited by Lee Child.

You can purchase PERFECT GENTLEMAN for only .99 at the Amazon Kindle Store, BarnesandNoble.com, Smashwords, and, in the UK for £0.70, the Amazon UK Kindle Store. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Gentleman/dp/B004TGUD5I)

Once more, Rob did the cover.

What better way to celebrate my birthday than to pick up one (or all three) of these? Okay, that's blatant pandering, but it was too funny to resist.

These are just the beginning. I have another full length novel which will be out before the end of April, and be warned, it is a heart stopper! I’m also planning on releasing the first book in my new YA series HERE COMES MR. TROUBLE around the same time. And there will be more short stories and novels before the years out.

Why have I chosen this route? For one reason, I write a lot, and things have just been stockpiling much to my annoyance. But now with the freedom that self-publishing offers, I no longer have to wait a year or more before a book comes out after I finish it. For another, I like being the one in charge instead of the alternative. And I love the idea that I can write what I want and not worry if someone thinks it won't do well, so it shouldn't be published, or will be under-published, etc. I was as stunned as most of you were by Barry Eislers announcement last week on Joe Konrath's blog. Stunned, yes, but not shocked. It was coming, and I completely understand Barry's reasons, and, quite honestly, I agree with him. That's why months ago I had come to many of the same conclusions had have been working to get to this point. 

I’m excited about this new digital world, and am going to be a willing, enthusiastic participant.

I hope you check out LITTLE GIRL GONE, JUST ANOTHER JOB, and PERFECT GENTLEMAN.

If you have any questions—about the books, about epublishing, about the weather—put them in the comments, and let’s discuss!

Read Me A River

by Brett Battles

I just finished the draft of my latest WIP, and am feeling a little tired. Make that a LOT tired. Since November 18^th, I’ve actually written two books (one all the way through several rewrites, the current one with no rewrites at all yet), and did a thorough rewrite pass on a YA novel I wrote last summer. Yeah, I write fast. The thing is, we all write a different speeds, and have different amounts of time we can dedicate to the process. So it’s not a "wow," or a “how do you do that.” It’s just an “is.” That’s all. To achieve this though, I keep this insane schedule (not my words, I’ve been told by many people.) The result is that I basically wipe myself out, day after day. Not great for the old social life, but works well on the writing front.

Anyway, this is a long way around for me to say I’m going to go with an easy one today. Something fun.

It thought we could talk about recent reads. I’ve read a string of winners since the holidays, which is not always the case. I’m on number six in a row, and have at least three more lined up that I have high hopes for! This makes me very, very happy.

First up: THE HUNGER GAMES/CATCHING FIRE/MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins

Several years ago, I read the book BATTLE ROYALE by Koushun Takami (translated by Yuji Oniki) about a group of school age kids that get picked against their will by a fictional oppressive government in the future to partake in a game of sorts where they have to kill or be killed and the winner is the last one standing. I absolutely loved it. Have read it twice. Well, over the holidays, I finally read THE HUNGER GAMES, about a group of school aged kids that get picked against their will by a fictional oppressive government in the future to partake in a game of sorts where they have to kill or be killed and the winner is the last one standing. Yep. There’s no denying that the plots are…eh…similar, down to the fact that two of the last players standing are in love (or appear to be in one of the two books.) But even so I loved this book, too! And the plot similarity didn’t bother me. I think both books rock. (One of the big differences is that in THE HUNGER GAMES most of the deaths occur off screen. Not the case in BATTLE ROYALE.) Anyway, I loved Collins so much, I rushed out and bought both of the sequels (CATCHING FIRE and MOCKINGJAY) and devoured them, too. The first was the best of the series, but the others were good, too. Big recommend from me. (If I find out BATTLE ROYALE has a translated sequel – and yes, I know there was a sequel movie, I’m talking book – I’d read it in a heartbeat.)

Next: THE REVERSAL by Michael Connelly

How can you not enjoy anything Connelly writes? I loved the combo of Haller and Bosch in this one. Well worth the read.  

And then: THE SENTRY by Robert Crais.

Yep, I went from one L.A. based series to another. That was actually kind of fun. In fact there were scenes in both books set in areas that I frequent a lot. I always love that. As far as THE SENTRY goes, I just have to say I would never want to have Joe Pike on my ass. You might as well purchase your grave marker right away. Not surprisingly, this was another page turner.

And, finally: THE WANDERING GHOST by Martin Limon

This might be my favorite of the bunch. It’s from Limon’s Sueño & Bascom mystery series about two Criminal Investigation Sergeants in 1970s era Korea. They try to do the right thing, but are also great at getting themselves into trouble. WANDERING GHOST is no exception. I love this series, and Limon is such a good writer that I can’t wait to pick up another one of his. Couldn’t recommend this series more.

There’s six recommendations (seven if you count BATTLE ROYALE) from me to you. So whatca’ got for me?