Chasing Smoke news

Very exciting news. Chasing Smoke is on the IndieBound Indie Next List Notables for January 2009 under Mystery / Suspense. Thanks to Linda Dewberry of Whodunit? Books in Olympia, Washington for recommending it. As always, be sure to check out your local independent bookstore. You can find those in your area using the IndieBound Store Finder.

Also, I've subjected Chasing Smoke to the Page 69 Test. Check out the results here.
 
 

Final Stops on Whirlwind World Tour!

Tea Party Bookshop, November 10, 2008, 6:30pm. Salem, Oregon. Appearing with Eric Stone.

Whodunit? Books, November 11, 2008, noon. 119 5th Ave SE, Olympia, Washington. Drop in visit only; no formal event planned.

Seattle Mystery Bookshop, November 12, 2008, noon. Appearing with Eric Stone.

Murder by the Book, November 12, 2008, 6:30pm. Appearing with Eric Stone.

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After this, I will be getting myself back in gear finishing the next book. But I do have a few more events coming up in January, including an event at MacWorld in San Francisco with Mariner Software, and an appearance at the Multnomah County Library, Hollywood Branch, on January 26.

Wordstock Weekend

Wordstock arrives this weekend, Portland's annual festival of books. It will take place November 7-9 at the Oregon Convention Center. Wordstock features ten author stages, a book fair with over 150 exhibitors, a special children's area and children's literature stage, a series of workshops for writers and for K-12 teachers, a special broadcast of Live Wire!, the popular public radio variety show, featuring writers from the festival, and more.

One quick way to get to know the writers at this year's event is to check out Portland on Portland, where authors talk about the city in a mere 50 words. (My topic is coffee, surprise, surprise.)

I will be involved in a number of activities. If you're in the area, this is a great event. I'd love to see you.

• Saturday, November 8, 2:00pm: Participating in a panel moderated by Katy King, with Phillip Margolin and Robert Clark: "The Changing Face of Mystery."


• Saturday, November 8, 3:00pm: Reading and Q&A.


• Sunday, November 9, 12:45pm: Leading a workshop, "How Character Collides with Premise to Create Plot."

On the Road

I'll be on the road this weekend, and if you happen to be within range of where I'll be, I'd love to see you.

M is for Mystery, October 30, 2008, 7pm, San Mateo, CA. Appearing with Eric Stone, author of the acclaimed Ray Sharp series to discuss Chasing Smoke and Eric's latest, Flight of the Hornbill. We'll be doing a multi-media presentation in addition to reading and discussion.

The Mystery Bookstore, October 31, 2008, 7pm, Los Angeles. Group signing.

Men of Mystery, November 1, 2008. A day-long celebration of men who write mysteries. Irvine Marriott Hotel, Irvine, California.
 
 

Chasing Smoke Receives ★ Starred ★ Review from Library Journal

★ Yeah, I'm giddy!

Check out the review here!
 
 

I'm being roasted, which is probably better than getting baked.

Catch me at BookRoast on September 17, 2008.

Chris Eldin will be my roastmaster, and I have no doubt the heat will rise. Also roasting in September are my agent Janet Reid on September 12, and friend and fellow Killer Year member Jason Pinter on September 18, among many others. A hot time should be had by all.

Visitors will have a chance to win one of two free copies of Chasing Smoke.

BookRoast: Serving up authors and books lightly grilled and seasoned with humor.

Ken Lewis and I Chat for NetDrag

At the recent Willamette Writers Conference, I met fellow writer and NetDrag host Ken Lewis. We got a chance to sit down and chat, and Ken has graciously posted our conversation for all to hear. I do natter on a bit, as Janet has mentioned, but we had a fun time. Thanks, Ken!

Listen here!
 
 

Paper Fort

Literary Arts of Oregon recently started a news blog about Oregon Writers called Paper Fort. Edited by Susan Denning, Director of Programs & Events for Oregon Literary Arts, the blog so far has featured some marvelous author profiles, as well as news about Oregon writers and writing events.

Oregon has a rich writing community, and this looks to be a great resources to get to know some marvelous writers.
 
 

Thank you, ITW Debut Authors

Very fun and very thoughtful, the folks at the ITW Debut Authors Group presented me with a delightful gift, myself immortalized in caricature form. I love it. The Official Lost Dog Bomber Cap is represented, as well as my propensity for Speedos. Be assured, however, that I would never cause fear and alarm by wearing actual Speedos in public.

The gift is ostensibly for my service as adviser to the group, and while I endeavored to offer what aid I could, the real stars are the authors themselves. I am humbled and thrilled by this generous gift.

Hear "Counterflow"

Hear my story Counterflow read by Alan Vogel on Lit 103.3: Fiction for the Ears, starting Tuesday, July 8 through July 15. The broadcast will be streamed July 8 at 1pm EDT, or available as a podcast throughout the week. Fiction for the Ears is broadcast on Valley Free Radio, Northampton, Massachusetts.

Alan will also be reading Adam Novitt's "The True and Real History of Elspeth and the Indian Wars."

"Counterflow" was a finalist in the 2008 Press 53 Open Awards Short Short Story category.

Get the podcast here.
 
 

Bill Cameron's Portland Noir

Read “Bill Cameron’s Portland Noir” by Jeff Ayers (PDF). This profile appeared in the May/June 2008 Issue of The Northwest Magazine.

Jess and Dana Buzz Through PDX

And on their way they stopped by Murder by the Book. It was a lovely time, and featured not only reading by both lovely and talented authors, but also a wide-ranging discussion which included such topics as food phobia, auto-breakdown self-protection techniques, Lutheran ubiquity in Minnesota, and Nut Goodies -- among many others.

Check out the pictures from their appearance below, and learn more about them at their web sites: DanaFredsti.com and JessLourey.com.

Win a Book, Just About Any Book

Win a Book is a blog devoted to book giveaway contests on the Net and nothing else.

Sounds pretty cool to me! Check 'em out.
 
 

Press53 Open Awards Announced

My story "Counterflow" is a finalist in the Press53 Open Awards competition for Short Short Story. I'm very pleased and honored.
 
 

Good news, everyone!

I am very pleased to announce that Bleak House Books will be publishing Chasing Smoke, with plans for a fall release this year. If you're not familiar with Bleak House, well, you gotta:

A) Check out their marvelous books, including Eric Stone's Ray Sharp books, Jennifer Jordan's fab anthology Expletive Deleted, among so many other great titles by great authors. Edgar nominees and winners, critically-acclaimed authors, and authors of whom I'm simply a huge fan. I can't say enough about what an honor it is to be among so great a lineup of writers.

B) Listen to the Bleak House podcast. Interviews, playful asides, and insight into publishing. If you've got iTunes, just subscribe. Good stuff.

C) Check out any number of print interviews of publisher Ben LeRoy and editor Alison Jannsen. The latest Crimespree, for example, features a conversation with Ben, and Publisher's Weekly recently wrote about Bleak House.

D) Watch this short interview with Alison Jannsen on YouTube.

With so many opportunities to read and hear about Bleak House, and Ben and Alison, I already feel like I know them in some small way. I'm thrilled about the opportunity to work with them and to become a part of the Bleak House lineup.

Lost Dog named a Spotted Owl Runner Up

Lost Dog is a runner up for the 2008 Spotted Owl Award and named a great read for 2007 by Friends of Mystery.

Congratulations to Kate Wilhelm, winner of the 2008 Spotted Owl for A Wrongful Death!

The Rocky

Allow to wake the joint up very briefly to announce that Lost Dog is a finalist for The Rocky Award for best mystery of 2007 set in Western North America. The Rocky is voted on by attendees of Left Coast Crime and will be announced during the event banquet. Alas, I can't make the event this year, but this news takes a bit of the sting off not being able to attend.

The Left Coast Crime Awards Finalists are:

THE LEFTY
Donna Andrews, THE PENGUIN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Don Bruns, STUFF TO DIE FOR
Jeff Cohen, SOME LIKE IT HOT BUTTERED
Jess Lourey, KNEE HIGH BY THE FOURTH OF JULY
Elaine Viets, MURDER WITH RESERVATIONS

THE ROCKY
C.J. Box, FREE FIRE
Bill Cameron, LOST DOG
Margaret Coel, THE GIRL WITH THE BRAIDED HAIR
Tim Maleeny, STEALING THE DRAGON
Twist Phelan, FALSE FORTUNE

THE ARTY
Megan Abbott, QUEENPIN
Laura Benedict, ISABELLA MOON
Rhys Bowen, HER ROYAL SPYNESS
Ken Issacson, SILENT COUNSEL
Tim Maleeny, STEALING THE DRAGON