Feb 27, 2005

The Cocaine Chronicles



A great new anthology with short stories from: Susan Straight, Lee Child, Ken Bruen, Laura Lippman, Nina Revoyr, Jerry Stahl, Bill Moody, Emory Holmes II, James Brown, Gary Phillips, Jervey Tervalon, Kerry West, Donnell Alexander, Deborah Vankin, Robert Ward, Manuel Ramos, and Detrice Jones.

Manuel Ramos's contribution,"Sentimental Value" features the character from MOONEY"S ROAD TO HELL, one of my favorite books of all time.

You can read more Cocaine Chronicles on their website.

Walter Satterthwaite

Walter Satterthwaite has a new book out, it's called CAVALCADE and it's in his series featuring Pinkerton agents Jane Turner and Philip Beaumont. It's 1924 and this case has them traveling to Berlin to investigate an assasination attempt of a local politcal figure, one Adolf Hitler.

It's a great book, and every bit as enjoyable as the other two in his series, MASQUERADE and ESCAPADE. His other books are wonderful as well, I especially like MISS LIZZIE and WILDE WEST. Go hit the local independant bookstore and pick 'em up!

And check out Walter Satterthwaite’s website.

Feb 21, 2005

Hunter S Thompson

He shot himself dead.

What the fuck?!??

i'm not sure of the impact of this, but I bothers me that someone who seemed to take such joy in saying "fuck you" to everything said fuck it and left.

Especially weird when you consider the amount of booze and drugs he pumped into himself didn't kill him.

And is it just me or is it kind of pathetic that so many reprts on this need to mention Johnny Depp so people will know who he was? I like Johnny Depp a lot, but it's just a sad statement about our society that someone with credentials and a lagacy like Thompson's needs a pop culture icon reference to clarify his existence.

Of course that kind of stuff might be part of the reason....?

enough babbleing, I'm going to go read one of his books.

One whole day

with out playing Spider solitaire!!
hooray for me!

Feb 20, 2005

Sarah posts links, me? I'll vent a bit..

Ok, I'm putting together Crimespree #5. Working away, loving Microsoft Publisher.
I get to a feature that includes all the Edgar nominees. Cool.

Uh oh.... The fiction titles are all nice and short, but the non fiction stuff .... some of the titles run three damn lines!!! What the Hell?

And why is it Harper Collin's doesn't add Harper Collins to all their imprint's, But St. Martin's has to add it in front of Montoar?

And, as long as I'm here, why don't people at St.Martin’s answer email or faxes? Every publisher I contact at least responding some way. Not St. Martin's. Nothing. Not even a please fuck off.

So, I guess if you are a St. Martin's author and you are hoping for reviews, you might want to see about sending out arcs yourself.


I Hate Cell Phone Ads. A lot.
Parents? Are you sick of your kids going over their minutes?
No, Because I pay thr bills, they don't get their own damn phone. Why on earth would they be on the phone that much? Let 'em read a book!

Kid’s tired of your parents hassling you about going over your minutes? Then get a job and get your own damn phone!

Bill Maher's show, guests were a democrat senator, and Robin Williams. Both informed and pretty damn smart. And then there's guest #3, Tommy Thompson, late of the Bush administration and former Wisconsin governor. What a dolt. The only things he had to contribute wee quotes from George W.
He was like a damn puppet, except I didn't see any hand up his ass.

They mention the war and all he can say is some blah blah blah about our troops doing a great job. No matter what is said he mentions how terrific and brave they are. Ok we get it Tommy, now how about a fucking answer to the question dumbass!

Don Cheadle came out. He's great, smart and polite.

And they brought up the Gay Men's Website magnate who has a press pass from the secret service. Used a fake name and no one caught it....... I want to know who is getting the secret servicing....

Reality Television.... Enough already. You want good TV? Put me in a room with four of these morons who produce this crap and give me a bat. Television worth watching, I guarantee!

TV weathermen get way to excite. Do I need my shows interrupted to let me know there is thunder? I don't, Doppler this weather boy, think so...

Other than that… I had a pretty nice weekend!

CrimeSpree Magazine #5


It's coming....

What do you think? Put it on t-shirts? Coffee cups?
We could do the cover with Jason too.
Or maybe all the covers....

Things to look for in issue 5 include:
Cover story: Ian Rankin including a look at Rebus, a conversation with Ian from Ruth Jordan, and the walking tour of Edinburgh

Jason Starr Interviews Charlie Stella

Music article, Crimes On .45 By Kevin Burton Smith

James Ellroy Taught Me To Be A Man
(AND NOW I WANT TO KICK HIS ASS!) by Anthony Neil Smith

On The Web: The Daughters of Freya, an email mystery
Junk In The Trunk, The Blog Short Story Project by David White

Fiction From : Mark T. Conard, and J.S. Jordan

David Fulmer and David Housewright on Jazz

Japanese Noir Movie review from Gary Warren Neibhur

Natasha Cooper Interviewed by Ayo Onatade

James Swain on Cheating and Poker

Firearms and Fiction Conference by Michael Black

Libby Fischer Hellman goes to Prison

Reed Coleman interviews Peter Speigleman

Sherlock Homes in Footprints from Thalia Proctor

The Shadow by Tom Jenkins

All this and more including BABY pictures of authors!


Ship date is set for FRIDAY MARCH 11th at around 2:30 PM

Feb 10, 2005

tired of the same ol books?

Rob Roberge has a new book out from Harper Collins' imprint Dark Alley called MORE THAN THEY COULD CHEW.
Rob seems like a pretty cool guy from waht I could tell from his website,Rob’s Website tells who he is and waht he does. Including playing in a rock band.


So, Rob's book.
It's set in long beach. The main character is Nick Ray, a guy with his share of problems, including various addictions he's kind of trying to quit. Through a series of events he comes into possesion of an old coputer with a list of people in Witness relocation from the FBI. Let's just say this is where the fun starts.

I really liked the Russian character, Sergei, a gangster type who is all about commiting crime."It's business". And he dresseslike a drunk pimp from the seventies! very fun.

I don't want to give much away, but I have to tell you it's a whole lot of fun. And some of the weirdest sex seens I've ever read. Including Penthouse letters!

Turst me, a very good book, and only $13.95!

Feb 6, 2005

Superbowl? Screw that. PUPPY BOWL!!!!!!

That's right ladies and gentleman the Puppy Bowl.

Hours and hours of puppies on the Animal planet network.
It was very cute and beat the hell out of watching Paul McCartney. I love the Beatle, but dude, the voice is gone.

Any way, the best part was the Puppy fouling the 20 yard line and the ref running in to clean up.

A very nice alternative!

Feb 5, 2005

Stepping Out

Ruth and I got tickets to see Todd Rundgren and Joe Jackson live in May. I'm psyched. I saw Todd way back in 1979 and I saw Joe back on 1989. L love both and think they are wonderful performers. But seeing thme on a double bill?!?!! Too Much!

Here's the cover to a great live show on DVD

The first show Ruth and I were at together but actually before we met was Metallica. Kid Rock opened up. Two nights later we had our first phone call and discovered we were both at the show at the same time. I knew I was on the right track! Our first show as a couple was AC/DC. Front row courtesy of our pal Richard Katz of Mystery One Bookstore We had a great time. Right after we were married we saw Alice Cooper. The man stillrocks the house. Amazing show.
The weirdest week we had was seeing Rob Zombie on a Wed and Harry Connick Jr on that Friday.

We've seen a lot of great acts since then and hope to see many more.

I love live music.

Great new book

This is a review I whipped together for a local book store. It was really a great book and I'll do a more in depth review for crimespree


The Empire of the Wolves
Jean-Christophe Grange’
2005
ECCO (imprint of Harper Collins)
ISBN:0060573651

Wow. This was an amazing book. Translated from the original French by Ian Monk.

The story opens in Paris, a serial killer is targeting and torturing Turkish woman. The officer in charge brings in an older cop, who left under a cloud of scandal, to help out due to his expertise in the Turkish community.

At the same time the wife of a public official fears she may be going crazy. She has trouble remembering faces and people. But there is much more to the story than she knows. It looks like there might be an actual conspiracy behind her illness, if that is truly what it is.

The two stories come together and the pace of the book quickens. Nobody is what they appear to be.Itmight not be a serial killer on the loose, Anna may not be Mrs. Heymes, respected wife, and Retired officer Schiffer might not be the misunderstood cop he lets on to be…..

Tight and fast this is not a simple thriller, but a journey…. a journey into memory and the past, but it’s a journey being taken on an accelerated pace. Outstanding book!

One of Grange’s previous works, Blood-Red Rivers, was turned into a wonderful movie starring Jean Reno called The Crimson Rivers

Here's the french cover-