down the writer's path

Edgar Allan Poe, a father to many of today's writers

Edgar Allan Poe would have turned 200 years old in January had he been blessed with exceeding longevity. The event has proved a boon for anything Poe. Publishing houses have lit the candles in hopes of a Poe revival. Well, they didn’t need to strike a match for me to come to the table. I remember as a teenager being sprawled across a giant armchair reading and turning pages while my heart rate increased as if to somehow sync with the heart beating in The TellTale Heart. I tried to make Poe the subject for my thesis in an American Literature but too many other students had claimed in so I had to settle for Emerson. Today my appreciation for Poe translates to having a major fictional character in my novel be a fan of Poe’s work and rereading Poe has become one of my more enjoyable tasks associated with this project.

In honor of Poe’s bicentennial Mystery Writers of America has put together a collection of tales combined with essays of top mystery writers and edited by Michael Connelly titled In the Shadow of the Master: Classic Tales by Edgar Allen Poe. Clearly I stand in the shadow of much brighter lights who tip their hats to the master. Those who owe a debt to Poe include Stephen King, Jeffery Deaver, Tess Gerritsen, Sue Grafton, and many others. Writers and readers have long been fascinated with the “darker side of humanity,” and Poe’s ability to mine the dark deep that lives in the heart of man continues its call across the centuries. If you, like me, enjoy reading Poe and reading stories where Poe is incorporated into the work, take a moment and let us know.

--Links: Mystery Writer's of America, Poe's biography

One of DWP's favorite authors, Arthur Plotnik, sent me a note saying his fantastic book Spunk & Bite: A Writer's Guide to Bold, Contemporary Style is now available in trade paperback. This "Son of Spunky" edition has "the same content plus an appended study guide, at a better price. And much shinier." I urge all of you to run to the stores or click your way to Amazon and get this book. (Naturally, I'd appreciate it if you'd click through here.) Read my 2006 interview with Art. He's always engaging, inspiring, and fun. You'll find pleny of tidbits from the Great Plotnik!

Part 1: Get a little Spunk & Bite with Arthur Plotnik
Part 2: Arthur Plotnik's take on the revered Strunk and White
Part 3: Arthur Plotnik on the writing process
Part 4: Arthur Plotnik answers the question Why Write?
Part 5: Arthur Plotnik on living the writer's life
Part 6: Arthur Plotnik reveals names, chats about MFA programs and the Iowa Workshop, and offers advice
Part 7: Arthur Plotnik chats about the publishing's Internet dance
Part 8: Arthur Plotnik answers "Why Blog?"
Part 9: Arthur Plotnik on the future of language and style
Part 10: Arthur Plotnik on the future of e-books
Part 11: Arthur Plotnik on the changing role of editors

See for yourself why so many are praising Plotnik's latest work. Check out Art's website, Spunky's Blogrr, and the official Arthur Plotnik bio. Still not sure? Read my review of The Elements of Authorship. (Note: Parts 2-6 are from an interview by Briget Ganske, Spring 2006 and posted with her permission.)

Apparently newspaper editors across the country are taking the hatchet to book review sections. Crime writer Michael Connelly highlights the trend in a recent article in the LA Times and questions the impact of such decisions on newspapers, the publishing industry, and the reading public. Unless their books conformed to specific criteria or expectations, new authors have always felt the sting of rejection from traditional book review editors. With the coverage of books being substantially cut, if not obliterated, today’s authors must become versed in alternative outlets if they are to survive. Will sites such as Blogcritics.org democratize the book review process and finally release the grip traditional book editors have had on the fate of new books? Or will it be even more difficult for authors to find their audience? Worse, are Connelly’s fears prophetic and the slashed book review sections do, indeed, spell the demise of a reading public? For today’s authors, these are just a few more troublesome questions to add to the mix.

For more information, read Connelly’s The folly of downsizing book reviews, CJR Daily’s The Organic Link Between Books and Newspapers, and NYT's Are Book Reviewers Out of Print?

If you enjoy reading "how-to" books on writing, here's one guaranteed to make you think more deliberately about your prose. READING LIKE A WRITER: A Guide for People who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them by Francine Prose is an in-depth look at how a writer reads the work of another writer to look beneath the play of words across the page, to learn techniques, and to be inspired. Long before the advent of MFA programs, the popularity of critique groups, and the hundreds upon hundreds of books published on the craft and theory of writing that line library shelves, the writer wrote in solitude and turned to the prose of those who came before him to learn his craft. Ensuing novels maintained an ongoing dialogue that continues to this day.

It is that dialogue that Prose turns to for her daily inspiration. While Prose has a definite literary bent, she describes discoveries that will enhance any writer's work. If you have exhausted your resouces and don't know where to turn, take a cue from Prose and learn to read--and read deeply--the way a writer reads. Apply the close reading strategies she suggests to the work of your favorite writers--commercial or not--to see how they handled various technical problems. If you're writing commercial fiction, she offers this observation:

Mediocre writing abounds with physical cliches and stock gestures. Opening a mass-market thriller at random, I read: "Clenching her fists so hard she can feel her nails digging into the palms of her hand she forces herself to walk over to him. . . . She snuggled closer to Larry as she felt his arms tighten around her and his sweet breath warm the back of her neck. . . . She adjusted her cap as she crunched down the gravel driveway. . . . Tom bit his lip." All of these are perfectly acceptable English sentences describing common gestures, but they feel generic. They are not descriptions of an individual's very particular response to a particular event, but rather a shorthand for common psychic states. He bit his lip, she clenched her fists--our characters are nervous. The cap-adjuster is wary and determined, the couple intimate, and so forth.

Writers cover pages with familiar reactions (her heart pounded, he wrung his hands) to familiar situations. But unless what the character does is unexpected or unusual, or truly important to the narrative, the reader will assume that response without having to be told. On hearing that his business partner has just committed a murder, a man might be quite upset, and we can intuit that without needing to hear about the speed of his heartbeat or the dampness of his palms. On the other hand, if he's glad that his partner has been caught, or if he himself is the murderer, and he smiles. . . well, that's a different story.

In READING LIKE A WRITER, Francine Prose reminds us that the masters of the past have more than good stories to tell; they instruct as well as entertain.

Quick. Grab your remote, click to the CSPAN2 channel and set your timer for these upcoming BOOK TV events. (The schedule will fill up over the next few days.) This Sunday, December 8th at 7:30PM, Michael Crichton's speech to the National Press Club will be aired on C-SPAN. Crichton always delivers a provocative and interesting talk. Given the subject matter of his new book, you can imagine the depth and breadth of his talk. Then, if you've wondered what really goes on at the New York Times Book Review, make sure you watch CSPAN the following Sunday, December 17th. The program will air at 11 AM and 7PM (Eastern times).

Weekend Highlights ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Michael Crichton, Next Saturday 8 PM, Sunday 7:30 PM ET In his novel, Mr. Crichton describes the genetic world as "fast, furious, and out of control." During this event hosted by the National Press Club in Washington, DC, the author discusses recent scientific leaps in the study of genetics and talks about how gene manipulation can help cure drug addiction.

**Coming up on Book TV next weekend - December 16-18**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sam Tanenhaus, Editor, New York Tiimes Book Review
Sunday, December 17 11 AM and 7 PM ETA rare look inside the influential New York Times Book Review, featuring Editor Sam Tanenhaus. Mr. Tanenhaus guides viewers through the editorial and production process including how books are chosen, how reviewers are selected and how the review is fact-checked and copy edited.

If you aren't in the habit of watching CSPAN on the weekends and you love books, particularly nonfiction, you'll love watching CSPAN on the weekends. Often a weekend is devoted to one of the national, regional, or state book festivals. While 90% of the time the subject matter is nonfiction books and their authors, occasionally, like this weekend, a writer known more for his fiction than nonfiction turns up. Of course, nothing compares to the 3-hour in-depth interviews that happen on the first Sunday of every month where an author sits for an interview that covers their life and complete literary works. Great stuff. Another favorite of mine is the National Press Club meetings. Most of the time the subject matter is timely and the author interesting.

And if you're keeping up with the latest book talk gossip, then the in-depth interview with former President Jimmy Carter Sunday morning might be of interest. If you do watch one or both of these shows, stop back by and tell me what you thought.

Spent the weekend exercising my writing muscles. I worked up a piece for blogHouston on the Houston museum that is featuring the dog in art exhibition. Museum exhibitions offer some good opportunities for Artist Dates (in the vein of Julia Cameron), spontaneous writing exercises, and old-fashioned inspiration. Why not check your local calendar and see what opportunities are available right now at your local venues? Plan an Artist Date with your creativity and go alone. Another option is to call up a few fellow writers/artists and wander through the exhibit; then, separate for about 15-20 minutes of free writing before you share your experience and your impressions.

I also wrote up and posted another book review at Blogcritics.

Have to say it feels good that I'm starting the week with two short pieces under my belt and at least 1500+ words published.

You would think that as a society we would be weary of the OJ syndrome, but alas it seems we are not--or at least the media has not had its fill. The book isn't even out yet and the media hours are racking up with its nonstop commentary. Worse, the bulk of it is a rehash of the crime and the court case. I guess that's to be expected. How many times have we heard the case declared "the crime of the century?"

But this latest book. Now that brings up a new issue. After hearing publisher Judith Regan's statement on why she entered into this surreal landscape, I found myself at the keyboard tapping out another article, O.J.'s If I Did It: It's Not About the Book, It's Not About You, Judith:

If I Did It, the new O.J. Simpson book that is roaring over the publishing landscape like a tsunami and leaving as much devastation in its wake, is wrong on so many levels, it’s hard to even begin to separate them; but frankly the real issue has nothing to do with publisher Judith Regan or even that of Simpson writing a book about the slayings. What is weird, perverse, and pretty much evil is that Simpson is being given a public forum to fantasize, relive the details of a crime in his mind, and then invite us all to share in the “dream.” I mean, how perverse and voyeuristic have we become?

Blood money transactions abound in our culture. Publishers show dismal taste in their choice of many books. Readers open their minds to baser and baser information. That’s a given in our culture today. But this, this is different. There is something wrong, something twisted, something unreal about this whole issue and the ensuing conversation. For whatever reason there are, apparently, those who believe that somehow Simpson’s creative “confession” would be a boon for society.

The announcement took on epic proportions early, long before Judith Regan entered the fray. Now, what already screamed bizarre became, if possible, even more odd. How can Reagan even imagine that Simpson’s folly will have some kind of cleansing effect on anyone, let alone her? And what does it say about her own pathology when she has apparently so intricately threaded her personal psychology into the fabric of this drama?

Whatever Regan’s reasons are for publishing the book, she is not the issue. Whatever ethics might be called into question regarding the supposed three million dollar deal, that is not the main problem. Whatever motivations are ascribed to O.J. for his latest headline-grabbing antics, they are barely worth the time and energy invested in their generation. The fact that there is an automatic assumption that we, the readers, will not only want to know but will willingly become accomplices in O.J.’s public fantasy projections is something that society may need to examine carefully.

If Simpson is innocent, how does this benefit us? If Simpson is trying to make a rather perverse “confession,” what is our role in all of this? If Simpson committed these crimes, what are we allowing him to do to us?

11/21/06 Update: As many will undoubtedly know, the book and the interview have been canceled. Now, how many books and snippets of footage will make it onto the black market. All eyes turn to eBay.

Court TV opens normally closed windows and allows viewers to peer into the inner landscape of five top crime writers. James Ellroy, Faye Kellerman, Jonathan Kellerman, Michael Connelly and Lisa Scottoline are top in their field, and these crime writers take their story-telling skills to a new level with their deeply-felt reactions to specific crimes and how they crashed up against the author's autobiographical storylines. Last night James Elroy told a griping first-person narrative of his mother's violent death, its dark subterannean impact on his psyche, his work, and his realtionships with women. She had haunted him all his life, and she had left footprints on every thing he had done since the day she died.

After two-plus decades, Elroy found himself steeped in another story, this time one frighteningly personal, after he vows to solve his mother's murder. He speaks eloquently in a sparse, lean cadence that is gripping in its simplicity. At one point he goes through his mother's personal belongings still in police custody.

I touched my mother's dress and smelled her on it. . .
I want to be in that death zone, I want to commune with her there.

If you enjoy crime fiction, love writing crime novels, wonder about the writers who spin these mysterious tales, then Murder by the Book is definitely a series for you. If you want to know more about Elroy's journey, read MY DARK PLACES.

Be sure and go to the Murder by the Book series interactive website for in-depth extras. Next week, Michael Connelly.
(Monday nights, 10:00 PM/Eastern, Court TV)

Well, I've hit the NaNoWriMo 5K mark. I also received a note from Heather saying she posted the review on VIDEO MAGIC on Blogcritics.org. Her BC review--her first one, too--has been selected for online syndication with Advance.net, so now VIDEO MAGIC will now receive a bit more attention and hopefully attract some new readers. If you have a few minutes, read her review. Yesterday's post shares how Heather was around for the genesis of the story idea and how the story then garnered an award. Read on....

VIDEO MAGIC has received another favorable review. (Scroll down to find the review.) Heather Ames over at Blog Trek recently posted her review on Amazon. Heather did a great job of capturing the essence of the story, and I'm delighted that she saw how the book is so clearly more than romance.

Simmons shows the pitfalls not only of jealousy but rivalry. The students of this second book in a series about Northrupp High School are struggling to complete projects, prepare for future careers and manage their personal lives. The pressures of modern-day life are clearly reflected in choices made and decisions that could dog these characters long after they leave high school.

Lovers of romance will find satisfaction here, as Kimberly and Greg find more than the video project occupying their thoughts. Their characters evolve with the plot, and as the stakes grow higher, they become people the reader will root for until the last, satisfying page. (Heather Ames, Amazon Review of VIDEO MAGIC)

I should tell you Heather is an old friend. In fact, we met years ago when we took our writing classes at the Houston Community College and became critique partners and conference rovers for the next six years. Heather saw the genesis of VIDEO MAGIC. She even shared in the St. Louis celebration when VIDEO MAGIC won the RWA Golden Heart Award for Young Adult Novel in 1993. But then life put a twist in our writing relationship and she moved to Phoenix, then Boston, and now resides in L.A. Several years ago I picked up VIDEO MAGIC (VM) and completely retold the story before submitting it to Awe-Struck. (As it happens, although written after VM, DIVIDED LOYALTIES became my first teen novel published.) Over the years I developed a potential series concept for my teen books and wove that into the story, too. With all the changes, I wondered how Heather would react when she finally sat down with the actual book. Even with good friends, writers wait with trepidation to hear what their friends truly think about their writing efforts. I'm glad she liked the new version and so completely "got' what I was doing with the story.

Add a dash of Spunk & Bite to your writing

One of DWP's favorite authors, Arthur Plotnik, sent me a note saying his fantastic book Spunk & Bite: A Writer's Guide to Bold, Contemporary Style is now available in trade paperback. This "Son of Spunky" edition has "the same content plus an appended study guide, at a better price. And much shinier." I urge all of you to run to the stores or click your way to Amazon and get this book. (Naturally, I'd appreciate it if you'd click through here.) Read my 2006 interview with Art. He's always engaging, inspiring, and fun. You'll find pleny of tidbits from the Great Plotnik!

Part 1: Get a little Spunk & Bite with Arthur Plotnik
Part 2: Arthur Plotnik's take on the revered Strunk and White
Part 3: Arthur Plotnik on the writing process
Part 4: Arthur Plotnik answers the question Why Write?
Part 5: Arthur Plotnik on living the writer's life
Part 6: Arthur Plotnik reveals names, chats about MFA programs and the Iowa Workshop, and offers advice
Part 7: Arthur Plotnik chats about the publishing's Internet dance
Part 8: Arthur Plotnik answers "Why Blog?"
Part 9: Arthur Plotnik on the future of language and style
Part 10: Arthur Plotnik on the future of e-books
Part 11: Arthur Plotnik on the changing role of editors

See for yourself why so many are praising Plotnik's latest work. Check out Art's website, Spunky's Blogrr, and the official Arthur Plotnik bio. Still not sure? Read my review of The Elements of Authorship. (Note: Parts 2-6 are from an interview by Briget Ganske, Spring 2006 and posted with her permission.)

Where have all the book reviewers gone?

Apparently newspaper editors across the country are taking the hatchet to book review sections. Crime writer Michael Connelly highlights the trend in a recent article in the LA Times and questions the impact of such decisions on newspapers, the publishing industry, and the reading public. Unless their books conformed to specific criteria or expectations, new authors have always felt the sting of rejection from traditional book review editors. With the coverage of books being substantially cut, if not obliterated, today’s authors must become versed in alternative outlets if they are to survive. Will sites such as Blogcritics.org democratize the book review process and finally release the grip traditional book editors have had on the fate of new books? Or will it be even more difficult for authors to find their audience? Worse, are Connelly’s fears prophetic and the slashed book review sections do, indeed, spell the demise of a reading public? For today’s authors, these are just a few more troublesome questions to add to the mix.

For more information, read Connelly’s The folly of downsizing book reviews, CJR Daily’s The Organic Link Between Books and Newspapers, and NYT's Are Book Reviewers Out of Print?

Reading like a writer

If you enjoy reading "how-to" books on writing, here's one guaranteed to make you think more deliberately about your prose. READING LIKE A WRITER: A Guide for People who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them by Francine Prose is an in-depth look at how a writer reads the work of another writer to look beneath the play of words across the page, to learn techniques, and to be inspired. Long before the advent of MFA programs, the popularity of critique groups, and the hundreds upon hundreds of books published on the craft and theory of writing that line library shelves, the writer wrote in solitude and turned to the prose of those who came before him to learn his craft. Ensuing novels maintained an ongoing dialogue that continues to this day.

It is that dialogue that Prose turns to for her daily inspiration. While Prose has a definite literary bent, she describes discoveries that will enhance any writer's work. If you have exhausted your resouces and don't know where to turn, take a cue from Prose and learn to read--and read deeply--the way a writer reads. Apply the close reading strategies she suggests to the work of your favorite writers--commercial or not--to see how they handled various technical problems. If you're writing commercial fiction, she offers this observation:

Mediocre writing abounds with physical cliches and stock gestures. Opening a mass-market thriller at random, I read: "Clenching her fists so hard she can feel her nails digging into the palms of her hand she forces herself to walk over to him. . . . She snuggled closer to Larry as she felt his arms tighten around her and his sweet breath warm the back of her neck. . . . She adjusted her cap as she crunched down the gravel driveway. . . . Tom bit his lip." All of these are perfectly acceptable English sentences describing common gestures, but they feel generic. They are not descriptions of an individual's very particular response to a particular event, but rather a shorthand for common psychic states. He bit his lip, she clenched her fists--our characters are nervous. The cap-adjuster is wary and determined, the couple intimate, and so forth.

Writers cover pages with familiar reactions (her heart pounded, he wrung his hands) to familiar situations. But unless what the character does is unexpected or unusual, or truly important to the narrative, the reader will assume that response without having to be told. On hearing that his business partner has just committed a murder, a man might be quite upset, and we can intuit that without needing to hear about the speed of his heartbeat or the dampness of his palms. On the other hand, if he's glad that his partner has been caught, or if he himself is the murderer, and he smiles. . . well, that's a different story.

In READING LIKE A WRITER, Francine Prose reminds us that the masters of the past have more than good stories to tell; they instruct as well as entertain.

Michael Crichton and NYT Book Review Editor on Sunday CSPAN2 Book TV

Quick. Grab your remote, click to the CSPAN2 channel and set your timer for these upcoming BOOK TV events. (The schedule will fill up over the next few days.) This Sunday, December 8th at 7:30PM, Michael Crichton's speech to the National Press Club will be aired on C-SPAN. Crichton always delivers a provocative and interesting talk. Given the subject matter of his new book, you can imagine the depth and breadth of his talk. Then, if you've wondered what really goes on at the New York Times Book Review, make sure you watch CSPAN the following Sunday, December 17th. The program will air at 11 AM and 7PM (Eastern times).

Weekend Highlights ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Michael Crichton, Next Saturday 8 PM, Sunday 7:30 PM ET In his novel, Mr. Crichton describes the genetic world as "fast, furious, and out of control." During this event hosted by the National Press Club in Washington, DC, the author discusses recent scientific leaps in the study of genetics and talks about how gene manipulation can help cure drug addiction.

**Coming up on Book TV next weekend - December 16-18**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sam Tanenhaus, Editor, New York Tiimes Book Review
Sunday, December 17 11 AM and 7 PM ETA rare look inside the influential New York Times Book Review, featuring Editor Sam Tanenhaus. Mr. Tanenhaus guides viewers through the editorial and production process including how books are chosen, how reviewers are selected and how the review is fact-checked and copy edited.

If you aren't in the habit of watching CSPAN on the weekends and you love books, particularly nonfiction, you'll love watching CSPAN on the weekends. Often a weekend is devoted to one of the national, regional, or state book festivals. While 90% of the time the subject matter is nonfiction books and their authors, occasionally, like this weekend, a writer known more for his fiction than nonfiction turns up. Of course, nothing compares to the 3-hour in-depth interviews that happen on the first Sunday of every month where an author sits for an interview that covers their life and complete literary works. Great stuff. Another favorite of mine is the National Press Club meetings. Most of the time the subject matter is timely and the author interesting.

And if you're keeping up with the latest book talk gossip, then the in-depth interview with former President Jimmy Carter Sunday morning might be of interest. If you do watch one or both of these shows, stop back by and tell me what you thought.

Writing prompts and exercising your writing muscles

Spent the weekend exercising my writing muscles. I worked up a piece for blogHouston on the Houston museum that is featuring the dog in art exhibition. Museum exhibitions offer some good opportunities for Artist Dates (in the vein of Julia Cameron), spontaneous writing exercises, and old-fashioned inspiration. Why not check your local calendar and see what opportunities are available right now at your local venues? Plan an Artist Date with your creativity and go alone. Another option is to call up a few fellow writers/artists and wander through the exhibit; then, separate for about 15-20 minutes of free writing before you share your experience and your impressions.

I also wrote up and posted another book review at Blogcritics.

Have to say it feels good that I'm starting the week with two short pieces under my belt and at least 1500+ words published.

O.J.'s If I Did It: An invitation, but to what?

You would think that as a society we would be weary of the OJ syndrome, but alas it seems we are not--or at least the media has not had its fill. The book isn't even out yet and the media hours are racking up with its nonstop commentary. Worse, the bulk of it is a rehash of the crime and the court case. I guess that's to be expected. How many times have we heard the case declared "the crime of the century?"

But this latest book. Now that brings up a new issue. After hearing publisher Judith Regan's statement on why she entered into this surreal landscape, I found myself at the keyboard tapping out another article, O.J.'s If I Did It: It's Not About the Book, It's Not About You, Judith:

If I Did It, the new O.J. Simpson book that is roaring over the publishing landscape like a tsunami and leaving as much devastation in its wake, is wrong on so many levels, it’s hard to even begin to separate them; but frankly the real issue has nothing to do with publisher Judith Regan or even that of Simpson writing a book about the slayings. What is weird, perverse, and pretty much evil is that Simpson is being given a public forum to fantasize, relive the details of a crime in his mind, and then invite us all to share in the “dream.” I mean, how perverse and voyeuristic have we become?

Blood money transactions abound in our culture. Publishers show dismal taste in their choice of many books. Readers open their minds to baser and baser information. That’s a given in our culture today. But this, this is different. There is something wrong, something twisted, something unreal about this whole issue and the ensuing conversation. For whatever reason there are, apparently, those who believe that somehow Simpson’s creative “confession” would be a boon for society.

The announcement took on epic proportions early, long before Judith Regan entered the fray. Now, what already screamed bizarre became, if possible, even more odd. How can Reagan even imagine that Simpson’s folly will have some kind of cleansing effect on anyone, let alone her? And what does it say about her own pathology when she has apparently so intricately threaded her personal psychology into the fabric of this drama?

Whatever Regan’s reasons are for publishing the book, she is not the issue. Whatever ethics might be called into question regarding the supposed three million dollar deal, that is not the main problem. Whatever motivations are ascribed to O.J. for his latest headline-grabbing antics, they are barely worth the time and energy invested in their generation. The fact that there is an automatic assumption that we, the readers, will not only want to know but will willingly become accomplices in O.J.’s public fantasy projections is something that society may need to examine carefully.

If Simpson is innocent, how does this benefit us? If Simpson is trying to make a rather perverse “confession,” what is our role in all of this? If Simpson committed these crimes, what are we allowing him to do to us?

11/21/06 Update: As many will undoubtedly know, the book and the interview have been canceled. Now, how many books and snippets of footage will make it onto the black market. All eyes turn to eBay.

Murder by the Book, a darkly engaging new series for crime writers and mystery lovers

Court TV opens normally closed windows and allows viewers to peer into the inner landscape of five top crime writers. James Ellroy, Faye Kellerman, Jonathan Kellerman, Michael Connelly and Lisa Scottoline are top in their field, and these crime writers take their story-telling skills to a new level with their deeply-felt reactions to specific crimes and how they crashed up against the author's autobiographical storylines. Last night James Elroy told a griping first-person narrative of his mother's violent death, its dark subterannean impact on his psyche, his work, and his realtionships with women. She had haunted him all his life, and she had left footprints on every thing he had done since the day she died.

After two-plus decades, Elroy found himself steeped in another story, this time one frighteningly personal, after he vows to solve his mother's murder. He speaks eloquently in a sparse, lean cadence that is gripping in its simplicity. At one point he goes through his mother's personal belongings still in police custody.

I touched my mother's dress and smelled her on it. . .
I want to be in that death zone, I want to commune with her there.

If you enjoy crime fiction, love writing crime novels, wonder about the writers who spin these mysterious tales, then Murder by the Book is definitely a series for you. If you want to know more about Elroy's journey, read MY DARK PLACES.

Be sure and go to the Murder by the Book series interactive website for in-depth extras. Next week, Michael Connelly.
(Monday nights, 10:00 PM/Eastern, Court TV)

Still on the NaNoWriMo train and update on Video Magic review

Well, I've hit the NaNoWriMo 5K mark. I also received a note from Heather saying she posted the review on VIDEO MAGIC on Blogcritics.org. Her BC review--her first one, too--has been selected for online syndication with Advance.net, so now VIDEO MAGIC will now receive a bit more attention and hopefully attract some new readers. If you have a few minutes, read her review. Yesterday's post shares how Heather was around for the genesis of the story idea and how the story then garnered an award. Read on....

Another favorable review for VIDEO MAGIC by Vikk Simmons

VIDEO MAGIC has received another favorable review. (Scroll down to find the review.) Heather Ames over at Blog Trek recently posted her review on Amazon. Heather did a great job of capturing the essence of the story, and I'm delighted that she saw how the book is so clearly more than romance.

Simmons shows the pitfalls not only of jealousy but rivalry. The students of this second book in a series about Northrupp High School are struggling to complete projects, prepare for future careers and manage their personal lives. The pressures of modern-day life are clearly reflected in choices made and decisions that could dog these characters long after they leave high school.

Lovers of romance will find satisfaction here, as Kimberly and Greg find more than the video project occupying their thoughts. Their characters evolve with the plot, and as the stakes grow higher, they become people the reader will root for until the last, satisfying page. (Heather Ames, Amazon Review of VIDEO MAGIC)

I should tell you Heather is an old friend. In fact, we met years ago when we took our writing classes at the Houston Community College and became critique partners and conference rovers for the next six years. Heather saw the genesis of VIDEO MAGIC. She even shared in the St. Louis celebration when VIDEO MAGIC won the RWA Golden Heart Award for Young Adult Novel in 1993. But then life put a twist in our writing relationship and she moved to Phoenix, then Boston, and now resides in L.A. Several years ago I picked up VIDEO MAGIC (VM) and completely retold the story before submitting it to Awe-Struck. (As it happens, although written after VM, DIVIDED LOYALTIES became my first teen novel published.) Over the years I developed a potential series concept for my teen books and wove that into the story, too. With all the changes, I wondered how Heather would react when she finally sat down with the actual book. Even with good friends, writers wait with trepidation to hear what their friends truly think about their writing efforts. I'm glad she liked the new version and so completely "got' what I was doing with the story.