Another (e-book) Party Heard From

In the midst of all this e-book hoopla that has been appearing in articles, web sites and blogs, Barnes and Noble, world's largest bookstore chain, announced that they would be opening a "mega e-book store" on their site, bn.com.

According to the NYT article: "In an announcement on Monday, Barnes & Noble said that it would offer more than 700,000 books that could be read on a wide range of devices, including Apple's iPhone, the BlackBerry and various laptop or desktop computers. When Barnes & Noble acquired Fictionwise in March, that online retailer had about 60,000 books in its catalog."

Me personally, I'll always have this thing for paper books. Call me a sentimentalist. And I think the other reason that e-readers are not a bigger percentage of book sales is the cost. Most readers are still around $300 and above, as opposed to mass-market paperbacks which are generally all $7.99. Still a little high for a mass market book, but still readily affordable to many more people.

Now, I realize, I'm far from the first person to mention e-books, and I certainly won't be the last. But I'm curious to know, what do you all think of the whole e-book thing in general? Is it the true future of publishing? Will it make the printed book a thing of the past? How will this affect authors and the publishing industry as a whole?

Anyone who comments on this within the next week or so, will be entered in a drawing for two $25 gift cards. One for Barnes and Noble and one Visa for just about anything you'd like.

Frank McCourt Passes Away

Frank McCourt, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir Angela's Ashes, as well as New York City school teracher of almost thirty years, passed away yesterday from cancer at the age of 78.

McCourt had been treated for melanoma but then became seriously ill with meningitis. He died at a hospice in New York City, according to his brother Malachy.

McCourt considered himself to be a late bloomer in the publishing world. Angela's Ashes was published in 1996 when McCourt was 66.

Goodbye, Barbara Parker

Barbara Parker, NYT best selling author of numerous thrillers, died Saturday at the age of 62.

Mitch Kaplan, owner of Books & Books in Coral Gables, FL, called Parker a "a unifying figure to the writing community."

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to help writers. Donations can be sent to the Author Sponsorship Fund, Mystery Writers of America, 1140 Broadway, New York, NY 10001.

In Library News

Local Libraries Seeing More Use

With the poor state of the economy, people are spending less money on books and heading off for their local library. In an article in The Cape Cod Times, contributing writer Laurie Higgins said:

"Public libraries are no longer just quiet places where people go to check out books or study. In the past 10 years, librarians have worked hard to respond to patrons' needs, and today many libraries are vibrant community centers offering information, education, modern technology and entertainment."

It's a great thing that libraries offer these services for their communities. Unfortunately, some could face the possibility closing due to state budget cuts. Let's just hope that this doesn't happen and that these library can continue to provide a haven for the many avid readers out there who are trimming their book buying budget in these tough economic times.

Fairstein's Latest Book Involves NYC Public Library

Speaking of Libraries, Linda Fairstein's latest book Lethal Legacy will bring readers into a fascinating world: The New York Public Library's rare books and maps archives. Lethal Legacy is the eleventh book in a series featuring Manhattan sex-crimes prosecutor Alexandra Cooper.

Author Linda Fairstein touring the NYC Public Library

The Passing of Another Great

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winning author John Updike died today at the age of 76. According to Alfred A. Knopf Inc., Updike's publisher, Mr. Updike, who was a long time residence of Beverly Farms, died at an area hospice of lung cancer.

This is yet another loss to the literary world, coming so close to the death of Donald Westlake.

Quoth the Raven: "Happy Birthday!"

It has been 200 years since the birth of Edgar Allan Poe and in honor of that, there are two new books (books make great gifts by they way) out now.

The first is On a Raven's Wing, an anthology released by The Mystery Writers of America. It features new tales in honor Mr. Poe and his work. Contributors include Stuart M. Kaminsky (who also edited), Mary Higgins Clark, Thomas H. Cook, Don Winslow, John Lutz and the late Edward D. Hoch.

The other book (also from Mystery Writers of America) is a new collection of some of Poe's work titled In the Shadow of the Master. The stories are followed by essays by some of today's top writers such as Stephen King, Jeffrey Deaver, Lisa Scottoline, Sue Grafton, Michael Connelly and Tess Gerritsen.

Also, in an earlier post I detailed some of the events hat would be going on in Baltimore as part of a year-long celebration of Poe called Nevermore 2009.

James Earl Jones reciting "The Raven"


Vincent Price performing "Tell-tale Heart" (Part 1)

Goodbye, Donald Westlake

Donald Westlake, author of the Dortmunder series, numerous crime novels and short stories as well as the Parker series under the name Richard Stark, has died at the age of 75. He was on his way to a New Year's Eve party, when he collapsed of an apparent heart attack.

I first discovered Mr. Westlake when I read Money For Nothing in 2003. I was really impressed with this book and immediately went back to read his others. Two favorites include The Hook and The Ax. I even found out that A Slight Case of Murder, one of my favorite movies, was based on a story by Westlake.

Needless to say, I, along with the rest of the crime fiction community (readers and writers alike) will be feeling the loss of this prolific writer. You can see the numerous tributes here.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Westlake. You will be greatly missed.

Hodie EGO sum Centum (Today I am 100)

Okay, so I'm not 100, but this IS the 100th post here at Out in Writefield. (trumpets sound) And to kick things off, I'd like to announce the winner of Ken Bruen's latest book, Once Were Cops, that I offered to one lucky commenter on my post Cracking the Block. And the winner is....(opens envelope). Jake Nantz. Congratulations, Jake. Could you please e-mail me at rj@rjmangahas.com with your snail mail so I can get your book off to you? And by the way folks, check out Jake's blog, The Pen-Ferno. Cool name, huh?

So let's move this party. You're probably wondering, "What's with the Latin in the post title?" Well, it goes along with my guest here today at Out in WriteField: Kelli Stanley. She is the author of Nox Dormienda, a historical mystery set in Rome but with a noir feel. So please join me in welcoming Kelli Stanley to Out in WriteField.

-------

RJ: NOX DORMIENDA. Can you give us the pitch?

KS: Well, first let me thank you, RJ, for the invite! It’s great to be here to help celebrate your 100^th.

As for NOX … it’s a mystery-thriller and the first Roman Noir. A combination of ancient historical setting (first century Roman Britain) and the style of hardboiled fiction made famous by Hammett, Chandler, Woolrich and Cain. Arcturus—the governor’s doctor—has only one week to figure out who murdered a Syrian spy—and why … or civil war will erupt between the Roman Empire, and the small, wet province known as Britannia.

And of course there’s a woman involved. Isn’t there always? ;)

RJ: I've read that you're both a Classicist and a huge fan of noir. What made you decide to combine the two?

KS: An epiphany while attending Eddie Muller’s Noir City film festival in San Francisco. I’ve been a noir fan all my life. I wanted a lens for the book, something people could look through and say, “OK, I get it, Roman culture wasn’t all marble and togas, and it really does have relevance to the here and now.” For me, noir is that lens … it gives me a chance to prove that history can be just as tough, just as visceral, as a contemporary novel.

RJ: NOX DORMIENDA has been described by you and others such as author James Rollins, The Library Journal and Becky Lejeune, of Bookbitch.com, as "Roman Noir." What exactly is Roman Noir?

KS: Well, Roman Noir is a pun on “roman noir”, the French literary term for a detective novel. I thought it would be a good way to distinguish NOX from other historical mysteries on the market, and let people know that it’s something completely new. I’m very proud of the fact that the city and county of San Francisco—my homebase—awarded me a Certificate of Honor for my creation of a new subgenre.

Thanks to Jim Rollins, Becky Lejeune, and other reviewers, I’ve been able to get the word out about Roman Noir. Thanks to the support of readers, I have a good chance at expanding the series to the second, third and fourth novels. We’re trying to move to a larger publisher, so we’ll see.

RJ: I understand that you're also working on another series set in San Francisco in 1940.

KS: I just finished it, actually. Right before Bouchercon (a large annual mystery convention). Not Roman, but definitely noir … and a much darker version than Roman.

RJ: Any possibility for a little insight into the series?
KS: Without giving too much away, the protagonist is a female PI, who gets involved in a case dealing with racial tensions between the Chinese-American and Japanese-American communities in the wake of Nanking. Sweeping book, very dark and very big.

RJ: Just for fun, what are some of your favorite noir films and books?

KS: My favorite noir films include Nightmare Alley, Gilda, Out of the Past, Double Indemnity and Touch of Evil … and of course the minute I say that, I think of Night and the City, In a Lonely Place, Sudden Fear, Woman on the Run, Thieves’ Highway … it’s virtually impossible to rank them!

As for books, I consider Chandler a noir writer. He’s my favorite author. I also hold Hammett, Woolrich, Elizabeth Sanxay-Holding, Patricia Highsmith, Dorothy B. Hughes, David Goodis in high esteem. James Cain. Jim Thompson was brilliant, hard as hell to read sometimes because he was so damn disturbing. I like a combination of aesthetic lyricism with a brutal subject.

RJ: Who were some of the biggest influences on you as a writer?

KS: All of the above, plus Hemingway, Steinbeck, Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen, the Brontes, Poe and a whole lot of other people. Lots of poetry. Shakespeare. Virgil, Catullus, Euripides in terms of classical literature.

RJ: You say that you're also a comic book buff. Name some of your favorites.

KS: I used to own a comic book store with my family, and have collected since I was a kid. Batman and Detective are my two main titles … I have every issue of Detective from about 1959 to 1989. Batman is, for me, the ultimate noir super-hero. I’ve always been a DC fan (and am one of those unfortunate souls who can name all the members of the Legion of Super-Pets).

My collection has ground to a halt since publication, but I collect Silver and Golden Age DC, Fawcett and Quality. I’ve always loved Plastic Man (Jack Cole), Will Eisner’s The Spirit (what a wonderful man Eisner was!) … and I’m partial to a few other heroes in the DC pantheon, including Green Arrow, Dr. Fate and the Specter. I adore Catwoman. I was never much of a Wonder Woman fan, though as an academic I published an article on how she reflects American cultural trends toward women.

RJ: Did any of them influence your writing as well?

KS: Great question! I’m sure comic books have influenced me … they’re like reading storyboards, and before I turned to novels, I wrote screenplays … gave it up because unless you’re in LA and are willing to knock on doors it’s too frustrating a business. Batman certainly influenced me … made me understand (and from a young age) the pain of loss and the anger at not being able to prevent it. And the desire for revenge … psychologically he’s a very complex figure.

RJ: What do you enjoy doing when you're not writing?

KS: Movies—I’m looking forward to Quantum of Solace. Usually I’m catching up on something from 1948 on DVD. J I love visiting historic places, watching ships come in under the Golden Gate Bridge, walking in parks, playing with the dog. I also like vintage radio shows—some great writing on shows like Suspense … full entertainment in a half hour. But the thing about being a writer is that you never *not write.* Even when you’re doing other things, you’re still writing in your head. Deep down, I never stop.

RJ: So, what's next for Arcturus and company?

KS: The sequel is called MALEDICTUS (Cursed). Set a few months after NOX, in the town of Aquae Sulis (modern day Bath). It deals with the health spa/snake oil atmosphere of the town, and the murder of a curse-writer … someone whose curses seemed to come true. I’m hoping to see the series picked up by a larger publisher.

RJ: Thanks so much for taking the time to chat today.

KS: My pleasure, RJ, thanks for asking me!! And here’s to the 200^th post!

----

There you have it fols, your intro to Roman Noir and a great writer. So be sure to get your copy of Nox Dormienda. And in honor of Kelli Stanley stopping by, you can check out the first three chapters of Nox Dormienda in the chap book that I'll be giving away to a randomly selected commenter.

---

Kelli Stanley likes fog, which is a good thing because she lives in San Francisco. In addition to writing Roman noir, she holds a Master’s Degree in Classics. As a scholar, she writes and lectures internationally on a variety of subjects from Sallust to Superman, and her published work can be found in academic books and journals.

Her favorite film is Casablanca—she always gets choked up over the “Marseillaise” scenes.

She is currently working on her third Arcturus novel, and is researching a second series set in San Francisco in 1939.

Cracking the Block

I'm sure this has happened to you. You're breezing along through your current WIP and all is right with your writing world. Then it happens. Your fingers hover over your keyboard and won't go back down. You've been blocked. You rack your brain, but the words just won't come fast enough (or even at all). Now what? Fortunately, today, we have award winning-author Ken Bruen to offer some advice as to what he does:

......................Blocked?
There's an old joke about if you are blocked, picture your bank manager and the words will flow. Then there is Chandler's advice, bring a man through the window with a gun
I'm a little more radical when I'm blocked
I kill someone
Usually a loved character, the impact of that will really get you moving
Or if not that, something to shock the hell out of yer own self, and if it shocks you, it will definitely shock the reader
take a real reckless chance, come out of left field, do something you never dreamed you'd do and watch the block dissipate

There you have it folks. Kill someone {on paper of course ;)} or shock your reader. So how about you all? What do you do to get past your block?

Everyone who comments in the next few days or so will be entered in a drawing to receive a copy of Ken Bruen's latest book Once Were Cops.

-------

Ken Bruen was a finalist for the Edgar, Barry, and Macavity Awards, and the Private Eye Writers of America presented him with the Shamus Award for the Best Novel of 2003 for The Guards, the book that introduced Jack Taylor. He lives in Galway, Ireland.

He is also a former regular at the grog Murderati. If you've never read his posts, you can do so here. They are well worth the read.

Method to the Madness

In a creative writing course I took years ago, a student asked, "What's the best way to write?" I don't remember the answer, but I remember the instructor telling us that their particular method was the correct way to do it. I thought that that sounded rather absurd.

Writing can be a very individual thing. Everyone has their own writing habits and routines. I almost always have to write my first draft in long hand (or at least on my typewriter). I think that there's something so satisfying about seeing the words on the page as opposed to a monitor. As far as where, I usually work best in a café, bookstore or anywhere where there is some daily activity going on, although other times I need the peace and quiet.

Here are some of the writing habits of some well known writers:

Stephen King:

• Writes approximately 10 pages a day
• Writes first in long-hand

Truman Capote

• Wrote lying down
• Drafts were written on yellow paper
  

Emily Dickinson

• After she died, most of her work was found on the back of envelopes, grocery bills, or scraps of paper.

Dennis Lehane

• Said that he sometimes gets his ideas when walking his dogs
  
• Writes either early in the morning and/or late at night

Danielle Steele

• Puts in 18-hour days
• Uses a 1946 Olympia manual typewriter

As you can see from just the small sampling, everyone has their own method to their madness, so to speak. What writing habits do you have? Do you write with a particular pen? Where and when do you like to write? And remember, despite what that writing teacher said, there is no wrong answer.

R.I.P. Edward D. Hoch

On January 17, the mystery genre lost one of it's true greats. Edward D. Hoch died at the age of 77.

Anyone who has picked up a copy of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine is no doubt familiar with his stories. One has appeared in every issue since 1973.

Even to the end, Hoch was writing. He was truly the master of the short story. Probably one of the most versatile writers, Hoch penned over 900 stories; everything from cozies and police procedurals to hardboiled tales. Hoch was also a former president of The Mystery Writers of America as well as a Grand Master.

The writing community has lost a great writer (and from what I understand a fine man as well). I know it's going to take a little getting used to opening up a copy of EQMM and not see one of his stories.

The End of an Era

This past weekend, the literary world suffered the loss of one of its greats: Norman Mailer.


" What ruins most writers of talent is that they don't get enough experience, so their novels tend to develop a certain paranoid perfection."
-- Norman Mailer