Kevin's Corner: November 2016

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

IVIG Completed

We have just gotten home as Sandi had a multi hour infusion this morning of IVIG. This is the stuff that supports her immune system and keeps it from collapsing. Sandi did fairly well though there were concerns over her high blood pressure when we first got there. That seemed to resolve on its own so they went ahead with the infusion.

She does not have to be back at Texas Oncology until the 15th of December. At that time they will do blood work and she will have a visit with the doctor. At that time they will also schedule another IVIG deal for the end of the year between Christmas and New Years Day.

The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: Society Members' News: November 2016

The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: Society Members' News: November 2016: The members below reported their publishing successes this month: Micki Browning, “Sleighed” in Mystery Weekly Magazine: December 201...

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

The Rap Sheet: Bullet Points: This and That Edition (11/29/2016)

Susanne Adair's Relevant History: "Was Abraham Lincoln a Scrooge?" by Warren Bull

Guest Post: Dave Seaman on "Turning Short Stories Into A Computer Game, And Back Again"

Please welcome Dave Seaman to the blog today. I have known Dave for a few years now stretching back to when we both were writing various things at the late Epinions.Com. He has two books out now and this is one of them.

Turning Short Stories Into A Computer Game, And Back Again

Let me tell you a story. Back in the late 90s I was a teenager with a dream of becoming a published author. Well to be honest I never really got very far with that, at least until self-publishing became ridiculously easy, but I did at least achieve a little success in the Indie Press, or the “Small Press” as we tended to call it then. Slightly before the millennium I got a story published in a tiny magazine (photocopied and with a distribution of about 150 for the first issue I think) called “Visions”. It was the first of quite a few short stories and poems I have published in the Small Press over the next few years – never coming anywhere close to hitting the big time unfortunately – but the very first story I ever had published was Captain Disaster Episode One – The Planet Eater of Acturus. A further 5 episodes would be published in Visions before the magazine closed down.

In years to come I would try to create a point and click adventure game featuring the puzzle, I seem to remember getting a decent-ish prototype working in around 2003, but it all fizzled out. I eventually got up to 11 episodes and tried self-publishing them to the total lack of interest of the rest of the world. More recently I tried again to create a computer game featuring the character, and this time instead of going it alone assembled a small team In 2012 we released a demo, which won the Best Demo Award at the AGS (Adventure Game Studio) awards that year, and after a few enforced team changes and a lot of difficulties to plough through, we are almost ready to release Captain Disaster in Death Has a Million Stomping Boots in 2017. Originally I had planned to make small games based on the 11 existing episodes, but it quickly became apparent that this was not a plausible concept, so a new storyline had to be created from scratch.

Betwixt times I also designed another, shorter Captain Disaster game (The Dark Side of the Moon), which I made with the help of a different coder. The graphics are pretty awful because I made them myself, but overall it’s a good little game and I’m proud of it, it’s really the first “proper” point and click adventure game the I designed all the way from concept to completion. More recently I released a fully voiced version (I did all the voices myself, which was a lot of fun) – both the original and voiced versions can be downloaded at http://gamejolt.com/games/captain-disaster-in-the-dark-side-of-the-moon/16772

“But wait!” you might think, “what has this all got to do with writing?” Well I’m just in the process of finishing the eBook of the game – it’s not really a “novelisation” as it’s far too short for that, but it’s a fun story in its own right and also (more or less) serves as a walkthrough / hint book for the game itself. I’m 99% decided to release it as a free ebook to try to get more people introduced to the Captain Disaster universe. So basically, as Obi-Wan might say... the circle is complete. I have gone from writing stories about Captain Disaster to making games about him, to writing a story about a game I already made. Groovy, huh?

Captain Disaster Collection: Amazon Kindle Edition is available for $2.99 (or $1.23 if you happen to catch it between 11^th and 15^th December 2016)! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N3W1MNY

Dave Seaman has been spending the last few years mainly focusing on game design and play-testing with a fair amount of sound effect editing and voice acting thrown in, but more recently has been drawn back towards fiction writing and is currently working on his first novel. His writing blog can be found at http://backtofictionwriting.blogspot.co.uk/

Monday, November 28, 2016

EVENT: Crime Fiction at the Fest: A Celebration of Diverse Literary Voices in Texas (MysteryPeople Blog)

New Release Mondays: Marry in Haste by Susan Van Kirk (Judy Penz Sheluk's Site)

In Reference To Murder Blog: Media Murder for Monday (11/28/2016)

Monday Markets and Jobs for Writers for 11/28/2016 (The Practicing Writer)

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: He's So Not Worth It by Kieran Scott

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: He's So Not Worth It by Kieran Scott: Reviewed by Ambrea Ally Ryan had her entire school year ruined when her former friend, Shannen, decided to publicly ridicule h...

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: LINDA RAE SANDE'S NEW RELEASE!

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: LINDA RAE SANDE'S NEW RELEASE!: The Gossip of an Earl (The Widows of the Aristocracy Book 1) by Linda Rae Sande Genre: Historical Romance Extra! E...

TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: TEXAS LITERARY CALENDAR 11/28-12/4...

TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: TEXAS LITERARY CALENDAR 11/28-12/4...: Bookish events in Texas for the week of November 28 - December 4, 2016: Special Events: 8th Annual Humanities of Texas Holiday Book F...

Guest Post: Jeanne on "Sidney Chambers, Ian Carmichael, and The Nine Tailors"

Please welcome back Jeanne of the Bookblog of the Bristol Library on this final Monday of November….

Sidney Chambers, Ian Carmichael, and The Nine Tailors

I have been reading my way through the Sidney Chambers aka Grantchester books by James Runcie and was intrigued by a particular aspect of one of the stories. In it, Sidney is persuaded to take a bit part in a movie production of “The Nine Tailors” by Dorothy Sayers. Sidney is rather put off by having to do several stereotypical vicar things—shots of him riding his bike are described, for instance—but is soon sidetracked by a mystery. Which I can’t quite remember, because I was sidetracked by the idea of a filmed version of “The Nine Tailors.” (In case you aren’t familiar with the structure of the Chambers books, there are generally at least four novellas in each book with a mystery—not necessarily a murder—attached to each.) I had read the book years before and remembered it as being difficult for me because so much of the plot revolved around the formal ringing of the church bells (the “tailors”) and I got more than a bit lost. For what it’s worth, reviewers seem to think it’s one of the best of the series but Sidney and I were not convinced.

Curious, I checked the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) just to see what filmed versions existed and found only one listed: a four part series with Ian Carmichael as Wimsey. I had enjoyed that series and knew I owned at least one episode, but I was delighted to discover I actually owned the complete set. There must have been a good sale at some point. So I settled in to watch.

As I said, I really enjoyed the Ian Carmichael Wimsey series. Many have pointed out that Carmichael was actually too old to play Wimsey—he was in his 50s at the time—but I liked the way he talked piffle: he was very good at playing Wimsey as air-head aristocrat when needed, but always allowing the audience to see the sharp intelligence behind the pose. For me, that was one of Lord Peter’s best investigative techniques, just as it was Miss Marple’s: the ability to appear to be harmless and a bit air-headed so that suspects would let down their guard.

For those unfamiliar with the book or series, the plot revolves around the theft of a very valuable emerald necklace from a guest at the Thorpe family’s manor house near the village of Fenchurch St. Paul. The thieves are caught—one of them being the manor’s butler-- but the necklace is not recovered, and its loss drives the Thorpes into near bankruptcy as the family feels obligated to pay for the loss. Some twenty years later, Lord Peter and faithful valet Bunter end up at the village in time for a ringing of the bells just as Lady Thorpe dies of influenza. Not many months after, Lord Thorpe dies but in the process of digging his grave next to his late wife’s, a mutilated body is found to have been added to her grave. The news reaches Lord Peter, who believes there may be a connection between the body and the theft of the necklace.

The first thing I noticed was that the series must have been shot on tape instead of film. It has that faded, grainy quality one gets from tape. A good bit of the action took place in winter or early spring, which added to the drab look.

The other unfortunate choice was that the program opened with a young Lt. Wimsey headed off to war. This was accomplished by putting a mustache and a lot of makeup on Carmichael which to my eyes made him appear older than ever and was actually kind of confusing when later (20 years later, in story time) he looks much younger than he did at the beginning. Apparently, the idea was to show audiences how Bunter—Lord Peter’s batsman in the War—came to be his butler. This is absent in the book, by the way.

The plot is more than a bit convoluted in both book and movie. I had to watch parts of it twice to get some of the characters straight for reasons I can’t explain without spoilers, and I still do not grasp the finer (or coarser, for that matter) points of bell ringing which is essential to the plot. (For one thing, cracking a cipher depends on knowledge of bell ringing.) Still, I found it worth watching which was good, because it took a couple of viewings to get some of the plot points straight.

As for the story which inspired the original question, I concluded that the scenarios Runcie described came from reading the original story and not from the filmed version. There were also a couple of pointed comments from Sidney’s POV about the plot of the original novel. I gathered that Sidney—and I presume Runcie—are not fans.

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Gravetapping: BEATING THE BUSHES by Christine Matthews

Gravetapping: BEATING THE BUSHES by Christine Matthews: Vincent Lloyd is broken. His six-year old daughter disappeared a few years earlier, and he was the prime suspect. He was suspected by the...

Crime Review Update

We feature new 20 reviews in each issue of Crime Review (
www.crimereview.co.uk), together with a top industry interview. This time
it’s author Simon Mason in the Countdown hot seat:
http://crimereview.co.uk/page.php/interview/4135



We’re on Twitter at:

Crime Review: @CrimeReviewUK

Linda Wilson: @CrimeReviewer

Sharon Wheeler: @lartonmedia



This week’s reviews are:



THE PROMISE by Alison Bruce, reviewed by John Cleal

Maverick DC Gary Goodhew returns to duty after injury to help investigate
the strange killing of a down-and-out and part-time informant and finds a
chain of events which all point to an obsessed killer.



EPIPHANY JONES by Michael Grothaus, reviewed by Ewa Sherman

Jerry Dresden, deeply troubled and unhappy, is accused of murdering his
work colleague and of stealing a Van Gogh painting from the Chicago museum.
While on the run he becomes involved with Epiphany, an emotionally damaged
young woman who listens to voices from God.



HURRICANE GOLD (audio) by Charlie Higson, narrated by Nathanial Parker,
reviewed by Linda Wilson

On an island full of criminals, the young James Bond has to face a series
of terrifying ordeals to win his freedom.



CAMILLE: AND THE LOST DIARIES OF SAMUEL PEPYS by Bob Marshall-Andrews

Bawdy Restoration England is threatened by a renewal of the war between
King and Parliament. A chance meeting between the beautiful Camille, a
fugitive French actress and Royal advisor Samuel Pepys leads to an
improbable love story in an atmosphere of political intrigue and danger.



WAKING LIONS by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen, reviewed by Chris Roberts

Driving in the desert late at night, Dr Eitan Green hits and kills Asum, an
Eritrean immigrant. Asum’s wife Sirkit finds Eitan’s wallet at the scene
and pressures him to make his medical skills available to those in need.



HARD WIRED by JB Turner, reviewed by Linda Wilson

Ex-Delta Force operative Jon Reznick is top of the list of someone with a
grudge against his former unit, and whoever wants him dead is closing in
fast.



THE UNFORTUNATE ENGLISHMAN by John Lawton, reviewed by Arnold Taylor

Joe Wilderness is in a West Berlin jail after having unintentionally shot a
woman whom he was trying to smuggle to the West. Just when it seems that he
is going to be there for a long time, his father-in-law, a senior member of
MI5, comes to his rescue - but it is at a price.



AN HONEST MAN by Simon Michael, reviewed by Chris Roberts

Driving in the desert late at night, Dr Eitan Green hits and kills Asum, an
Eritrean immigrant. Asum’s wife Sirkit finds Eitan’s wallet at the scene
and pressures him to make his medical skills available to those in need.

BETWEEN THE CROSSES by Matthew Frank, reviewed by Kati Barr-Taylor

DC Joseph Stark, war-hero-turned-copper, is unconvinced a double murder is
a botched up burglary.



TALL OAKS by Chris Whitaker, reviewed by Chris Roberts

A small American town gains notoriety when three-year-old Harry is
abducted. His mother Jess is devastated, but others have problems too.



THE ACCIDENTAL AGENT by Andrew Rosenheim, reviewed by Arnold Taylor

James Nessheim, having resigned from the FBI, is now studying law at
university. His former boss, Assistant Director Harry Guttman, asks him to
go under cover and establish whether a Nazi spy has managed to infiltrate
the Chicago team working on the first atom bomb.



A SPRING BETRAYAL by Tom Callaghan, reviewed by Chris Roberts

Exiled to remote Karakol, Inspector Akyl Borubaev of the Bishkek Murder
Squad becomes involved when the bodies of seven small children are found
together, all bearing wristbands from a Kyrgyzstan orphanage.



CUCKOLD POINT by Patrick Easter, reviewed by John Cleal

River policeman Tom Pascoe tries to track down a consignment of stolen silk
and becomes involved with brutal criminals and international espionage in a
case which threatens his life, his family and his country.



THE STROKE OF DEATH by Jessica Mann, reviewed by Linda Wilson

Tamara Hoyland is left to deal with the aftermath of her father-in-law’s
death, and the return of the black sheep of the family, her grasping
brother-in-law.



BROKEN HEART by Tim Weaver, reviewed by Jim Beaman

A woman drives to a secluded beauty spot and disappears. Her sister calls
in missing persons’ investigator David Raker. For him the mystery of where
she went is only the start.



FALLING SUNS by JA Corrigan, reviewed by John Barnbrook

Rachel has given up her job as detective inspector to raise her son. Her
son is murdered and Rachel’s cousin is convicted for his murder and placed
in a secure psychiatric unit. When it becomes clear that he is likely to be
freed, Rachel is driven into a determined and elaborate plan for revenge.



ENDGAME by Chris Ryan, reviewed by Linda Wilson

Teenage agent Zach Darke has to go up against an old adversary to save the
life of two friends.



KILL ME TWICE by Anna Smith, reviewed by John Cleal

Reporter Rosie Gilmour investigates a trail of abuse and murder from the
sink estates of Glasgow to the corridors of Westminster.



DEAD GROUND IN BETWEEN by Maureen Jennings, reviewed by Chris Roberts

On a cold winter’s night in late 1942, an old farmer goes missing and is
later discovered, stabbed, in a secret bunker. Detective Inspector Tom
Tyler investigates.



DARK FORCES by Stephen Leather, reviewed by Linda Wilson

Spider Shepherd has to infiltrate a dangerous criminal organisation as well
as help to counter attacks by IS terrorists.



Best wishes


Sharon

A Bookseller Recommends: Mistborn (A Book With More Than 500 Pages)

A Bookseller Recommends: Mistborn (A Book With More Than 500 Pages): Pro: Some really unique stuff I've never seen in fantasy before. Con: I got nothing. The Bottom Line: I had a great time reading t...

The Cajun PI and Other Matters Cajun: Searching for Lilith

The Cajun PI and Other Matters Cajun: Searching for Lilith: When part time Criminal Justice teacher and detective, John Legrand, answers chemistry teacher, Zack Miller's phone call wanting hi...

Saturday, November 26, 2016

A Message From Amazon

I just got this with the subject line of "Top Reviewer Notification: Non-Verified Purchase Reviews Policy Change." Right there, you know that Amazon is fiddling with the review program again and it won’t be anything good. They write:

"Hello!

As a frequent reviewer of products on Amazon, we want you to be among the first to know about our review policy changes. Shoppers consistently tell us that they value reviews from other shoppers who they know have purchased the product on Amazon. As a result, we are introducing a policy change around customer reviews. Customers can now only submit a limited number of non-Amazon Verified Purchase reviews each week. The count is calculated each week from Sunday at 12:00am UTC through Saturday 11:59pm UTC. Your ability to submit Amazon Verified Purchase reviews will not be impacted. This policy also does not apply to Vine reviews or reviews on digital and physical books, music, and video.

What is an Amazon Verified Purchase review?

• When an Amazon Verified Purchase badge appears next to a review, it means we have verified that the person writing the review purchased the product at Amazon and represents a typical customer experience with the product.

• Reviews that are not marked “Amazon Verified Purchase” are valuable as well, but we either can’t confirm that the product was purchased at Amazon or the customer did not pay a price available to most Amazon shoppers.

For more details, please see our Community Guidelines at https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201929730.

We're always innovating on behalf of our customers, and we'd love any feedback or ideas you have for how we can improve. You can contact us directly at community-help@amazon.com.

Regards,

Your Amazon Community Team"

Of course they don’t just tell you what the limited number is…you have to go looking for it. Eventually one discovers that they have decided, in their Borg like wisdom, the magical number to cap submissions at is FIVE. Yes, no matter whether you write quality reviews like I do or one and two sentence garbage “reviews” like many folks do, everyone is equally capped at five. This is not innovation---this is flat out stupid.

Not only is it an unnecessary hassle for me as I often submit a number of reviews over a couple of hours and clean the decks here, it does nothing to improve the quality of reviews at Amazon. Many shoppers complain about the worthlessness of the reviews at the site and this change does nothing to improve anything.

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: POINCIANA ROAD BY MARGARET WAY

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: POINCIANA ROAD BY MARGARET WAY: Poinciana Road by Margaret Way ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GENRE : Contemporary Romance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POINCIANA ROAD Blurb: A...

KRL This Week Update for November 26, 2016

Up in KRL this morning a review & giveaway of "Eggnog Murder" by Leslie Meier, Barbara Ross & Lee Hollis http://kingsriverlife.com/11/26/eggnog-murder-by-leslie-meier-lee-hollis-barbara-ross/

Also up a review & giveaway of "Deck the Hallways" by Kate Carlisle along with a fun Christmas guest post by Kate http://kingsriverlife.com/11/26/deck-the-hallways-by-kate-carlisle/

And we have a post by mystery author Amanda Flower about her giveback program for her latest book "Prose and Cons"--you can buy her new book & help the poor all at the same time http://kingsriverlife.com/11/26/prose-and-cons-giveback/

And a review & giveaway of "Something Buried, Something Blue" by Wendy Corsi Staub along with an interesting interview with Wendy http://kingsriverlife.com/11/26/something-buried-something-blue-by-wendy-corsi-staub/

We also have a review & giveaway of "First Degree Mudder" by Kate Dyer-Seeley http://kingsriverlife.com/11/26/first-degree-mudder-by-kate-dyer-seeley/

We are thrilled to have Sunny Frazier back to provide us with a December mystery Coming Attractions column! And with it we have giveaways of books by Lynn Cahoon & Vickie Fee http://kingsriverlife.com/11/26/december-coming-attractions-seasons-greetings-edition/

And we have a mystery short story by John M. Floyd http://kingsriverlife.com/11/26/survival-mystery-short-story/

Over on KRL Lite a review & giveaway of "A Killer Location" by Sarah T. Hobart

http://kingsriverlife.blogspot.com/2016/11/a-killer-location-home-sweet-home.html

Happy reading,

Lorie

--

KRL is now selling advertising & we have special discounts for
mystery authors & bookstores! Ask me about it!
Mystery section in Kings River Life http://KingsRiverLife.com

Check out my own blog at http://mysteryratscloset.blogspot.com/

Small Business Saturday and Sandi

If you are buying today as part of Small Business Saturday, please consider heading over to Sandi's store on iOffer. Everything is made by her hands with sales going to help pay for her cancer treatments. So, if you are looking for that gift with a personal touch check out what she has to offer.

Lesa's Latest Contest: Cozy Mystery Giveaway

This week, I'm giving away cozy mysteries by Miranda James & Ali Brandon. Miranda James' Digging Up the Dirt & Ali Brandon's Twice Told Tale are the prizes. Check my blog at http://www.lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com for details. Entries from the U.S. only, please.

Lesa Holstine

lesa.holstine@gmail.com

http://www.lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com

Friday, November 25, 2016

Sweet Freedom Blog: Friday's "Forgotten" Books: post-festival edition, 25 November 2016

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Head Ball Coach: My Life in Football by Steve Spurrier ...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Head Ball Coach: My Life in Football by Steve Spu...: Reviewed by Jeanne Love him or hate him, Steve Spurrier left his mark on SEC football starting with his years as a player and t...

No FFB Today--I'm Sorry

If you came looking for the FFB review this week, I apologize for not having something up. Thanksgiving for us is/was a tough day. This year marks five years since Sandi was first diagnosed. Our lives permanently changed around 1:45 in the afternoon when the doctors came in and broke the news. While she has survived far longer than anyone expected and, make no mistake we all are very grateful for that, we are acutely aware of her increasing limitations and what is going to come. So, it was a tough and very emotional day for us.

I need a break and did NOT want to run another repeat. So, I took today off FFB wise.

I hope your Thanksgiving was a good one.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Thanksgiving 2016

Happy Thanksgiving from Sandi, Scott, and myself. May it be a great day for you and yours.....

and no matter how it goes, keep your sense of humor. It is the only way to cope. Sure, there is booze, but for some of us that does not work so well. So, hang in there, laugh, and let whatever it is go as best as you can.

In Reference To Murder: Mystery Melange, Thanksgiving Edition (11/23/16)

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: Little Big Crimes Review: The Long Black Veil by V...

The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: Little Big Crimes Review: The Long Black Veil by V...: Little Big Crimes: The Long Black Veil, by Val McDermid : "The Long Black Veil," by Val McDermid, in Crime Plus Music, edited by ...

WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: The 2016 TCM Classic Cruise

WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: The 2016 TCM Classic Cruise: Sadly, it was with bittersweet feelings that The Bride and I attended the 2016 Turner Classic Movies Classic Cruise , as it had been ann...

Review: Fast Women and Neon Lights: Eighties-Inspired Neon Noir Editor Michael Pool

Eighteen complex short stories make up the anthology Fast Women and Neon Lights. As made clear by the subtitle, Eighties-Inspired Neon Noir” the tales in this book are noir in style and heavily steeped in the glitz and glamour of the 80s. The music, the hair, the clothes all play their atmospheric role in these short stories where things often take a very dark turn under the neon lights.

After a short introduction by publisher and Editor Michael Pool and a forward by Will Viharo, the read starts with “Valley Girl” by Kat Richardson. Detective Willet has a serious problem and she sits across from him in interrogation. Kimberly Peterson knows what she did and yet, at the same time, does not really seem to grasp what she did. The social worker isn’t really helping either. Detective Willet would like to give them both an attitude adjustment. As made clear in the first sentence, the fact that “the Interrogation room smells of Pine-Sol, Love’s Baby Soft, and vomit” does not help either.

Hot and humid in Orlando, but at least the car ac in the Chevy Celebrity is working in “Alone Now” by Patrick Cooper. The alarm is supposed to be off according to cousin Harv, so Trip and Nash should have no problem stealing what they came for.

If Gary could stay sober for a bit, their big payday might just happen in “Big Shots” by S. W. Lauden. Murphy, the moneyman, is in New York and counting on Gary to do a good job with the band down from Seattle for the big show in Los Angeles. Some major labels are going to be at the show and, as group managers, Gary and Murphy stand to make some serious bank.

Connie Jackson is working hard in the yard as “The Deep End” by Dietrich Kalteis begins. Emmett Granger, a senior investigator with NorthWest Lifeco, just caught her lying about her claim though she doesn’t know it yet. What he is going to do about that is just one small piece of the tale.

Wrestling is the game in “Parts Unknown” by Sam Wiebe. A chance to wrestle in the holy mecca known as “The Garden” in NYC is too good to pass up. Sure, he has to get thrown by the wrestler known to all as the Giant as he loses the match, but it will be worth it. Hett also gets the chance to reconnect with some folks and make friends with others.

The show sold out in Los Angeles and because Tiffany didn’t think to buy them when she had the chance, now Pia and Tiffany can’t go. Unless Pia can work a deal and trade some coke for the tickets. First Pia has to score the coke in “Besties and Blow” by Sarah M. Chen. That and not kill her ex and his new girlfriend. Sure, they ought to die, but they have the tickets so she needs them for when she gets the coke.

Lake Castor Police recovered the body of Jessi Spangler on a dark and grey morning in September 1985. What happened to her and why she is dead is a big part of “It’s Morning Again In Lake Castor” by Eryk Pruitt.

Tokyo is the location for “Widowman” by Matthew J. Hockey. Aki is ready to take out Junko, but she wants some answers first. Secret and lies have to be uncovered before she can go home to her 24rth floor apartment.

Ryan thinks they should go to Calgary in “The Envelope” by Linda L. Richards. Bonnie is not at all thrilled with the idea. Ten long years after high school the envelope has the potential to change their lives in so many ways unthinkable before.

Crockett and Tubbs are hard at work in “Meantime” by Will Viharo. It is a typical Miami night as they conduct surveillance on the art deco style mansion down the street. The subject of the surveillance, Enrique Salazer, picked up where the recently and very violently deceased, Tony Montana, left off.

Suzanne wants to be the next female superstar on the pro wrestling circuit. In “Big Hair, Banana Clips, And The Figure-Four Leg lock” by Nina Mansfield, Suzanne has a plan. Part of that plan is to attend a job interview over at the local roller rink. Good thing Laura is around to talk about reality.

People only pay when you make them. Like sin, payment comes in many forms. Timmy has a very specific payment in mind “Dutch” by C.S. DeWildt. He knows going in that the payment is going to be expensive. Whether the plan will solve the issue is the real question.

Andie tries her best to keep up in “In The Swimming Pool” by Jen Conley. Being in the pool at Jimmy’s and trying to throw the ball just as hard as the guys isn’t working out for her. At least Alan didn’t go after her and try to humiliate her.

Pardo and Bobby are watching television when the press conference with Britney Jackson and Sheriff Brad Daniels begins. She somehow survived being shot in the head during an armed robbery. For Pardo and Bobby the story by Greg Barth is all about “Getting Seconds.” This also is the winner hands down for the most seriously disturbing tale in the book. The last few paragraphs blow away the competition.

Roberto Razetta’s appliance-shop in Korea town is less than five miles away from Hollywood but is a world away in reality. It is hanging on thanks to a secret side income Roberto makes in the course of his video repair work. In “Caught on Video” by Brian Leopold, Roberto’s latest client this spring morning seems to be typical in his urgency to get his Sony product fixed.

The plan was to get in and out of the Gryphon Sportsbook as quickly and quietly as possible. She needs to place the $8500 bet on Buffalo to win and leave. That is all. It won’t be that simple in “Fleckman’s Fix” by Preston Lang.

“Last Dance at the Glimmer Lounge” by S. A. Cosby involves the DJ Chaz, drugs, and his special girl, Lydia. Of course, a plan for getting out is involved. That is not going to be easy since there is a connection to the Philly Mob.

Bringing up the end of the anthology is the tale from the editor, “Night Thief.” A stolen 81 Camaro, a dead hooker in the trunk, and the overriding need to stay alive and get the job done are just some of the elements at work in this one.

The eighteen stories that make up Fast Women and Neon Lights: Eighties-Inspired Neon Noir are all solidly good ones. Often twistedly funny, the tales here pay homage to the bright colors and big hair decade in a variety of ways. Drugs are often present, plans are sure to go wrong as one would expect with noir style tales, and your lover may not have your best intentions at heart as greed always rules.

Fast Women and Neon Lights: Eighties-Inspired Neon Noir

Editor Michael Pool

https://michaelpool.net

Short Stack Books

http://www.shortstackbooks.net

November 2016

ASIN# B01M2541HM

eBook (also available in paperback format)

222 Pages

$3.99

Digital ARC supplied by the editor Michael Pool to read and review if I so desired with no expectation that I would do either.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

In Case You Wondered About That Shadowy Place

Crime Time : MURDER IN THE WINGS -- Ed Gorman

Crime Time : MURDER IN THE WINGS -- Ed Gorman: Were I Police Detective Edelman and I had the faded TV star Stephen Wade in my custody I'd lock him up, close the case and take a long,...

Here’s What’s Fantastic About “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (Biff Bam Pop!)

WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: Arrow S05 E06: So It Begins

WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: Arrow S05 E06: So It Begins: Well, I'll give it an A for effort and dramatic effect, but the opening to this episode, with Green Arrow and Spartan walking into wh...

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: DOUBLE POSTS - TURKEY TROT AND STEPHANIE BURKHART

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: DOUBLE POSTS - TURKEY TROT AND STEPHANIE BURKHART: Be sure to check below this post for another giveaway! WooHoo! Lots of giveaways today! A Princess is Always Right by Stephani...

Mystery Fanfare: Thanksgiving Mysteries: A Crime Fiction List

Mystery Fanfare: Thanksgiving Mysteries: A Crime Fiction List: Thanksgiving . I have a lot to give thanks for -- my family, my friends, and the wonderful mystery community . We'll be going ...

Monday, November 21, 2016

Beneath the Stains of Time: Passio Christi

Beneath the Stains of Time: Passio Christi: " Men may keep a sort of level of good, but no men has even been able to keep on one level of evil. That road goes down and down. ...

SleuthSayers: Dreaming the Life: Self-Publishing Part I

SleuthSayers: Dreaming the Life: Self-Publishing Part I: by Steve Liskow Before I say anything else, if you don't already know this, no legitimate publisher will charge you money up front to ...

RTE Update for November 19

The November 19 2016 issue of RTE is out and includes fifteen new reviews as well as a new interview:
http://www.reviewingtheevidence.com

Matthew FitzSimmons in the 'Sixty seconds with . . .' interview hot seat:

http://www.reviewingtheevidence.com/interviews.html?id=232


REVIEWS THIS WEEK:

NIGHT SCHOOL by Lee Child                        Reviewed by Anne Corey

RATHER BE THE DEVIL by Ian Rankin                Reviewed by Jim Napier

THE GIRL FROM VENICE by Martin Cruz Smith            Reviewed by Anne Corey

THE WONDER   by Emma Donoghue                      Reviewed by Yvonne Klein

CITY ON EDGE by Stefanie Pintoff                     Reviewed by Nicole Leclerc

SAN JUAN NOIR by Mayra Santos-Febres, ed                 Reviewed by Lourdes Venard

HEART ATTACK AND VINE   by Phoef Sutton            Reviewed by Susan Hoover

STRANGE THINGS DONE      by Elle Wild                Reviewed by Lourdes Venard

THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10   by Ruth Ware                Reviewed by Karen Chisholm

THE HERMIT     by Thomas Rydahl                       Reviewed by Barbara Fister

FACE BLIND    by Lance Hawvermale                    Reviewed by Christine Zibas

MURDER ON BRITTANY SHORES by Jean-Luc Bannalec         Reviewed by Christine Zibas

RECKLESS CREED    by Alex Kava                    Reviewed by Caryn St Clair

ALL THE LITTLE LIARS by Charlaine Harris                Reviewed by PJ Coldren

SERGEANT CLUFF STANDS FIRM (1960) by Gil North           Reviewed by Rik Shepherd

We post more than 900 new reviews a year -- all of them are archived on the site -- as well as a new interview with a top author every issue.

Yvonne Klein
Editor: ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com

In Reference To Murder: Media Murder for Monday (11/21/16)

My Review at Plano Reads: Robert B. Parker’s Debt To Pay

Monday Markets and Jobs for Writers for November 21, 2016 (The Practicing Writer)

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: A DOUBLE LIFE--TEMPTING THE EARL!

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: A DOUBLE LIFE--TEMPTING THE EARL!: Tempting the Earl by Rachael Miles ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GENRE : Historical Romance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TEMPTING THE EARL Blurb: ...

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Guest Post: Judy Penz Sheluk on "Writing The Book Inside Your Head"

Back in August, Judy gave us all some advice on “Becoming A Professional Writer.” She is back today on the topic of “Writing The Book Inside Your Head.”

Judy Penz Sheluk: Writing The Book Inside Your Head

This past summer, I was invited to speak at a local creative writing group. The invitation came with the hope that I’d give the members some insight into writing and getting published. I was happy to accept. My blog is largely devoted to the writing life, and I’ve been very honest about my own journey, from hope to heartbreak to happiness. Besides, there’s always the off chance that someone in the group will purchase a book from me.As is the case with most groups, there was one member (herein fictitiously named Grace) who overshadowed the rest with questions, comments and running dialogue. I like to categorize these people as “Well, enough about me. Here’s more about me.” Here’s how it went:

Grace: I’m writing a novel about my uncle during the Second World War. He escaped POW camp by being taken in by nuns and living in a convent.

Me: That sounds interesting. How far have you gotten with it?

[Other members shift in their seats and study their hands.]

Grace: I’ve written the first chapter.

Another member (let’s call him Bob): Grace has been writing and rewriting that first chapter for six months.

Grace (defensive): The first chapter has to be perfect, or no agent or publisher will read on.

Me: That’s true. But you need to have a finished novel before you can start querying agents and publishers.

Grace: But I have the entire book written in my head.

[More seat shifting. Clearly this group has heard it all before.]

Me (trying to be tactful): Here’s the thing, Grace. No one can read the book inside your head. You have to just write it.

That stopped Grace, but only for a moment. Her next worry was whether or not to use her uncle’s real name, or make one up.

Me: Is this a biography?

Grace: No, I’m using things that happened in his life, but he’s dead now, so I have to make most of it up.

Me: So it’s going to be a work of fiction?

Grace: Yes, but I’ll be including some real facts.

Bob: We’ve all told her to change his name. You always see that at the front of a novel. That the names and places are from the author’s imagination.

Me: I have to agree with Bob. It’s better to make up a name. You can always credit your uncle in the acknowledgements. Besides, real incidents and people influence authors all the time.

Grace: I don’t think I can write the book without using his real name. That’s the name I’ve been using all along.

Me: In the book that’s been written inside your head.

Grace nodded.

Thankfully our time was up.

Did Grace buy one of my books? Of course not. But two other members did, and one came to my local bookstore signing the following Saturday and bought a book there. You just never know…as for Grace, I’m pretty sure she’s still writing that book inside her head.

Do you have a writing group story you’d like to share?

Synopsis for Skeletons in the Attic

What goes on behind closed doors doesn’t always stay there…

Calamity (Callie) Barnstable isn’t surprised to learn she’s the sole beneficiary of her late father’s estate, though she is shocked to discover she has inherited a house in the town of Marketville—a house she didn’t know existed. However, there are conditions attached to Callie’s inheritance: she must move to Marketville, live in the house, and solve her mother’s murder.

Callie’s not keen on dredging up a thirty-year-old mystery, but if she doesn’t do it, there’s a scheming psychic named Misty Rivers who is more than happy to expose the Barnstable family secrets. Determined to thwart Misty and fulfill her father’s wishes, Callie accepts the challenge. But is she ready to face the skeletons hidden in the attic?

Amazon International bestselling author Judy Penz Sheluk’s crime fiction includes The Hanged Man’s Noose, Skeletons in the Attic, and several short stories. Find her at www.judypenzsheluk.com and on Facebook: https://business.facebook.com/JudyPenzSheluk

Find Skeletons in the Attic in print at all the usual suspects, and on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited on Amazon: http://www.imajinbooks.com/skeletons-in-the-attic

Saturday, November 19, 2016

KRL This Week Update for 11/19/2016

Up in KRL this morning reviews & giveaways of some fun new food mysteries for your Thanksgiving reading-"The Chocolate Bunny " by JoAnna Carl, "The Good, the Bad, and the Guacamole": A Taste of Texas Mystery by Rebecca Adler, "A Killer Kebab: A Greek to Me Mystery" by Susannah Hardy, and "Dying for Strawberries": A Berry Basket Mystery by Sharon Farrow http://kingsriverlife.com/11/19/food-mysteries-for-your-thanksgiving-dinner/

And a review of "The Gourmet Detective" mystery movies on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel http://kingsriverlife.com/11/19/the-gourmet-detective-movies-on-hallmark-movies-mysteries-channel/

We also have an article about an interesting new way to enjoy cozy mysteries, and possibly a unique idea for a Christmas gift, A Cozy Experience http://kingsriverlife.com/11/19/experience-your-favorite-books-in-a-whole-new-way-with-a-cozy-experience/

And yet another Thanksgiving mystery short story, this one by KM Rockwood http://kingsriverlife.com/11/19/holiday-summons-thanksgiving-mystery-short-story/

And a review & giveaway of "Murder at the Moonshine Inn" by Maggie King http://kingsriverlife.com/11/19/murder-at-the-moonshine-inn-by-maggie-king/

We also have a review & giveaway of "Cat Got Your Diamonds" by Julie Chase http://kingsriverlife.com/11/19/cat-got-your-diamonds-by-julie-chase/

Also mystery author Lorna Lund Collins shares about an interesting Thanksgiving celebrated in Japan, along with a couple of recipes for pumpkin pie http://kingsriverlife.com/11/19/pumpkin-pie-in-japan/

And we also have another Thanksgiving mystery short story, this one by Andrew MacRae http://kingsriverlife.com/11/19/felony-at-farquhar-farms-a-thanksgiving-mystery-short-story/

And up on KRL Lite a review & giveaway of the anthology "Sunshine Noir" edited by Annamaria Alfieri & Michael Stanley http://kingsriverlife.blogspot.com/2016/11/sunshine-noir-edited-by-annamaria.html

Happy reading,

Lorie

KRL is now selling advertising & we have special discounts for
mystery authors & bookstores! Ask me about it!
Mystery section in Kings River Life http://KingsRiverLife.com

Check out my own blog at http://mysteryratscloset.blogspot.com/

The Rap Sheet: Revue of Reviewers for 11-18-16

Review: Downfall: A Brady Novel of Suspense by J. A. Jance

The last days of August would have been hard enough for Cochise County Sheriff Joanna Brady, as it was. She has to make funeral arrangements for her mom, Eleanor, and her stepfather, George. What was initially believed to be a simple motor vehicle accident involving their RV as they returned to Bisbee, Arizona was actually a crash caused by a sniper. George died at the scene and Eleanor was airlifted to Phoenix where she soon passed as well. The killer was taken down and dealt with just a few days ago. Now Joanna has to deal with funeral arrangements and other family matters all made more complicated by the recent arrival into her life of her adopted brother whom she had known nothing about.

When you are in charge it means your personal situation often has to take a backseat to your job. Moments after finalizing the numeral arrangements, she is called by her Chief Deputy Tom Hadlock. He wants to make her aware that there has been a discovery of two bodies at the base of a nearby rock formation known as “Geronimo.” It may have been a murder/suicide or a double murder. Haddock wants her to take a look. Quickly it becomes clear this was no suicide and it was a double murder. That means everyone on staff including Sheriff Brady, the FBI, and law enforcement in neighboring counties are hard at work on a case that escalates in complexity seemingly by the hour as evidence is uncovered.

The latest in the series, Downfall: A Brady Novel Of Suspense, is a really good read by author J. A. Jance. The author works the heartstrings of the reader to great effect as Brady is faced with a number of personal issues. At the same time, the overarching mystery is complicated with tentacles that go off in many directions. The result is a mighty good book that powers along on all levels to one very suspenseful conclusion.

Downfall: A Brady Novel of Suspense

J. A. Jance

http://www.jajance.com

William Morrow (Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers)

http://www.harpercollins.com

September 2016

ISBN# 978-0-06-229771-6

Hardback (currently also available in audio and eBook formats)

400 Pages (more like 385)

$26.99

I was able to read and review this book because I was able to get it by way of the good folks of the Plano Public Library System.