Feb 14, 2011

We Love Our Readers

What makes Crimespree work is our readers. Without them, we're kind lof like that guy walking by himself in New York talking to himself.

So as a thank you, anyone subscribing to the magazine or renewing their subscription will get an extra copy if they do so between now and next Monday, the 28th


You can subscribe right on line!

Feb 4, 2011

Serious news from Vince Flynn.

Some serious news from Vince Flynn:


In November, at the end of my last tour, I was diagnosed with Stage III metastatic prostate cancer. Just a few years ago, this diagnosis would have been a death sentence. Today, specialists are making great strides in the areas of hormone therapy and immune response, and there are several very promising drug trials that are changing the landscape of how prostate cancer is treated.

My treatments are working very well, and my near term prognosis is extremely good. In other words, I have more than a few Rapp novels left in me. My attitude is strong, and I feel better than I have in years. I am blessed to be surrounded by a wonderful wife, family, and great friends who have been extremely supportive. My faith has seen me through the darkest moments, and early on, when the diagnosis was not entirely accurate, things were very dark indeed. I am also blessed that I live in a part of the country that is known for great medical care. I have a wonderful group of doctors who are confident that I can beat this thing. For those of you who have gotten to know me, it will not be a surprise to you that this is a battle I do not plan on losing. As with any cancer, this is serious, but the good news is that I have lots of options for slowing this thing down, and then hopefully killing it.

I am currently working with Brian Haig on our joint novel and have started the next Rapp novel that should be out in October of 2011. Please keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers, and I will try to keep you posted as things progress.

Keep the Faith,

Vince Flynn

My heart goes out to Vince and his family. Cancer is a scary thing, but Vince is a tough guy and I have no doubt he can beat it. Having seen Lee (or Crimespree Cinema) battle lung cancer and win, I know that there is always hope and that determination and a positive attitude are essential. Both of those things Vince has in spades.

I first met Vince when he self published TERM LIMITS. He went to EVERY bookstore in the Twin Cities right before a WCCO appearance and convinced us to order the book. The next week, we were sold out and scrambling to find more copies. While many vilify self-publishing, Vince showed that it can be a good tool to establish yourself and gain a better bargaining position.

I think I speak for the entire Crimespree family when I say that Vince is in our thoughts.

Feb 2, 2011

The indie bookstore and you

The mystery community lost another bookstore this week. The Mystery Bookstore in LA has shut it's doors. I'm not exaggerating when I say people are mourning the loss.


Indie stores are vital to the genre of crime fiction. It's where new authors and smaller presses can break out. The people who run them read, a lot. They take it personal, they aren't just moving product, they are trying to sell you something they truly want you to enjoy, and they want to share the enjoyment with you.


As a consumer I understand the allure of shopping places whee things are cheaper.  I mean who wants to pay more for something they can get cheaper somewhere else?




But there is also a bigger picture here. If all the indies go out, where will we discover the next Michael Connelly? Walmart and the big chains didn't care to much about his first couple of books. And I certainly don't want to rely on the internet for book recommendations. Not by itself anyway. The best way to learn about books is from other people, and in person if possible. I discovered more authors due to recommendations from book store owners than any other place. And I've never met an author on a website, but the mystery stores bring in authors and the publishers have sent them out to us, and as a result I have met some wonderful writers I may never have read.


So lets look at this realistically. Money is tight, but you want books. I think it's worth a little more to support the indies. If you buy 5 books a month, get one of them from and bookstore that can use the sales. if you only use the library, go out and pick up one or two paperbacks. And while you're at it, buy books by authors who can use the sales. James Patterson won't feel a bump in sales one way or the other, but there are a lot of midlist authors who having sold an extra couple hundred books could make a difference when it comes time to sign a new contract.


I shop amazon, and I like amazon. But I make an effort to spend at least half my book buying money with mystery bookstores.If we don't support the genre we may find ourselves with very few choices, and personally I want more to choose from than just Patricia Cornwell and Dan Brown.I just would not be happy with the choices that the chains want to give me.


If you love the genre, support the genre. If you love reading indie comics and creator owned comics, show your support by shopping at comic shops that carry the books you want to read. Go to mystery bookstores that introduce you to new authors and love the same books the way you do. Bookstores do more than just try to make money, they have a place in our community as a place to meet and share a love of something.