One of the big items in the news today is the stimulus: failure or success? No, this isn’t a political post. It’s a post, believe it or not, about story. Consider the cases of two average (and fictional) Americans; we’ll call them Patty and Paul. Patty has been laid off from her job as a…
Month: January 2010
Ideas for the Taking
So, one of the things I’m doing while I wait for my book to find representation is organize my computer. It needs organizing in the worst way. I have all sorts of documents floating around in all sorts of folders, some of which date from the time when I still thought Courier was the only…
Uxoriousness (Uxoriosity?)
Yesterday, Mark and I watched 9. You know, that kid’s movie with the kickass trailer that looked like it was going to be so, so amazing? Many parts of it were. It was a fabulously original film with great graphics, cool action sequences, and a really wonderful hook. The plot built, engaged, twisted, and then…
Government Efficiency
Whenever I decide to sell my house, I guess I get to sell it as a 2.75 bath instead of a 2.5. That’s because about a month and a half ago Atlanta brought me an early Christmas present in the form of a porta-potty for my lawn. And at this point, I guess it’s here…
Smackdown: Literary vs. Genre
Last night, my writing group hit a bit of an awkward moment. Outlander was talking about having read a Michael Connely novel, and I commented that Michael Connelly is the mystery writer’s mystery writer. He is the person people describe as their major influence, their hero, their dream blurb. And I said that I thought…
Your Questions Answered
Hello, and welcome to my new home at www.SimpleMystery.com. I’d like to thank you all for making the trip. And special thanks to Kelly and Leigh Anne, who gave me the fodder for this first post in the new digs. For my last post at my old address I opened the floor to questions, and…
Hundredth, and Final, Post
Ok, I confess, that was a bit of a tease. Yes, it is the hundredth post. And it is sort of the final one. Because for post 101, I’ll be moving this blog over to my new website, www.simplemystery.com. Because, let’s face it: www.all-about-the-book.blogspot.com? What was I thinking? But in the meantime, I’m going to…
Ten Years, Man
So, it’s a new year all over again. And since we’re changing the penultimate digit this time around, I’m thinking less about everything that’s changed in 2009 and more about everything that’s changed since 2000. When 2000 rolled around it was, if you’ll recall, a big damn deal. I’m talking pomp and circumstance, and dancing…