Tag: Books

Sometimes you just need a bit of DEXTER

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Dexter books

Dexter books

Things have been a bit hectic with the ‘day job’ of late.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m feeling knackered and in need of a ‘pick me up’ I have a few favorite novel series that I turn to. And one of those series is DEXTER by Jeff Lindsay.

The deliciously deadly Dexter, and his complicated life of serving Blood Splatter Analyst (by day) and Serial Killer serial killer (by night) is always a joy to read about. The quirky voice of the character immediately pulls me into the story and lets me forget the world for a while. And sometimes we all need that, right?

Of course, if I’m feeling more like watching than reading I can always dig out the series box set (I have them all!) and watch a few episodes too.

Perfect to chill out to, don’t you think.

What’s your ‘chill out’ book or series?

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The Rough Guide to Crime Fiction by Barry Forshaw

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cover image

cover image

This excellent book is a must-read for all serious fans of crime fiction.

Charting the history of the genre, it’s both highly educational and hugely entertaining.

With a foreword by Ian Rankin, each chapter goes on to chronicle a different sub-genre from classic mysteries, through noir and pulp, and visiting with cops, PIs, amateurs and serial killers along the way. It delves into psychological thrillers and criminal protagonists, and takes a peek at organized crime, espionage, and the worlds of historical and translated books.

Highly recommended.

Events Alert: Murder in the (British) Library

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Pulp Fiction - BW

Pulp Fiction – BW (Photo credit: Mark Coggins)

If you’re a crime fiction enthusiast like me then you might want to check out the ‘Murder in the Library: An A-Z of Crime Fiction’.

Installed at the British Library, London, this free exhibition is sponsored by The Folio Society.

It showcases the genre’s development from the early 19th century up to the present day, and will be open up to 12th May 2013.

For more information check out the British Library website at: http://www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions/murder/index.html

Maybe I’ll see you there …

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Events Alert: Get Writing 2013

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Get Writing 2013 logo

Get Writing 2013 logo

The 20th April 2013 is the date of the Verulam Writers’ Circle annual writing conference ‘Get Writing’.

Held at the University of Hertfordshire campus in Hatfield, England, this friendly and variety-packed conference is a one-day event and a must-attend for all writers aspiring to publication.

This year there’s a wide variety of sessions to pick from including workshops and panel discussions on childrens’ fiction, crime writing, historical fiction, writing drama, and some fabulous ‘how to’ sessions on editing, creating tension and a whole bunch of other essential writerly skills. For the conference fee of £55 you also get the opportunity to pitch your novel to an agent of your choice and, for those looking for more detailed feedback, you can pay a little extra and book a longer ‘Face Time’ slot.

I’m especially excited about this years’ event as I’ve been asked to chair the Crime Panel. I’ll be talking with the wonderful crime authors Claire McGowan, Adrian Magson, Ann Cleeves, and Lesley Horton. I’m sure it’s going to be a lot of fun, and I’m really looking forward to picking their brains on how they get their ideas, their writing process, the essentials of crime thriller writing, and any tips and advice they have for those aspiring to publication.

Also, for those with a novel, or the opening of a novel, ready to go there’s the ‘First Three Pages’ competition. It’s open to all attendees and requires you to submit the first three pages of a novel of any genre. So, Get Writing!

Booking is open now at http://vwc.org.uk/getwriting2013.php

Perhaps I’ll see you there?

 

Writing Prompts: The Frozen Lake

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frozen river

frozen river

A few days ago, just after the first snow fell, I took a walk through a park near my work office. Despite being in a city, just a minute or so after straying off the usual path I found a stilted walkway leading through a reed bed.

I followed the walkway out to a river that I never knew existed. It was entirely frozen.

Beautiful. Silent. Remote.

And with all that snow and the ice it reminded me that winter, and colder climates, can make for fabulous settings in crime thrillers.

Do you prefer your crime fiction set in cold or warm settings?

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My Favorite Books of 2012

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My favorite books of 2012

My favorite books of 2012

At this time of year everyone seems to be making lists of their top ten, twenty, fifty or hundred things of 2012.

So, just to be a little different, I’m not going to make a list.

Instead, I’m going to talk about my five favorite books of 2012 and why I loved them. And I’ll talk about them in the order that I read them in.

Here goes …

Talking to the Dead by Harry Bingham (Orion). This part police procedure, part psychological thriller follows Detective Constable Fiona Griffiths on her first murder case. It’s beautifully written, darkly quirky, and leaves you wanting more. And luckily for us there will be more. I believe the second book in the Fiona Griffiths series will be out in 2013.

The Fall by Claire McGowan (Headline). This  crime thriller tells the interwoven stories of three strangers – Charlotte, Keisha, and DC Matthew Hegarty – who are thrown together in the aftermath of a murder in a nightclub. With hugely compelling characters, a super-rapid pace and numerous twists and turns, it’s a real page turner. Claire McGowan’s next book, The Lost, is definitely one to look out for when it comes out in April 2013.

The Affair by Lee Child (Bantam Press). Another great Jack Reacher novel. This one is set six months before the opening of Killing Floor and follows Reacher on a mission in a small town in Mississippi. It’s everything you’d expect – quick-paced action, imaginative problem-solving, a love interest, and the bad guys getting Reacher’s very own brand of justice.

Heart-Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne (Headline). This young adult crossover novel is a real rollercoaster read. In diary form, it tells the story of Emily Koll, Archway Young Offenders Institution’s most notorious inmate. It’s sad yet funny, tense yet light-hearted, chilling yet warming, and fragile yet powerful. Through Emily’s story of love, grief, hate and revenge, you discover what drove her to do what she did.

Sleepwalkers by Tom Grieves (Quercus). This gripping psychological thriller follows the stories of adult Ben and teenage Toby – two strangers experiencing vivid and terrifying dreams – as they try to make sense of the jumbled up fragments of forgotten memories that haunt them. A real edge-of-your-seat read, I found this story un-put-downable.

So, there you have it. My favorite books of 2012.

What were your favorites?

Love books? This could be the perfect Christmas gift …

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#christmas

#christmas (Photo credit: Isselmuden)

If you’re looking for a last minute Christmas gift for the book lover in your life, and you’d like to give them something unique and rather quirky, this could be for you.

From the twitter feed of the fabulous Emma Darwin (@emma_darwin) via @shelleywriter I’ve just heard about this fabulous reading spa experience offered by Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath.

This award winning, independent bookstore offer two types of spa gift – the ‘Delightful Reading Spa’ and the ‘Extravagant Reading Spa’.

I’ve not tried one myself, but they sound amazing. I think I might need to treat myself to a little trip to Bath in 2013 …

Click here to find out more:  http://www.mrbsemporium.com/index.php/info/reading_spa

 

Learning from the CWA’s ‘Is Crime the new Literary Fiction?’ event

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The Panel

The Panel

On Monday I went along to the Crime Writers’ Association panel event ‘Is Crime the new Literary Fiction?’ With Sophie Hannah, Lee Child, Peter James and Benjamin Black (John Banville) as panellists it made for a lively and entertaining evening.

In the first part of the session, the panellists discussed the question, reflecting that some of the best fiction in the twentieth century is crime fiction, and yet you do encounter snobbery about the genre. What came across really clearly was each of the panellists’ passion for the crime thriller genre and their love of writing it.

As the discussion broadened, each of the panellists talked about how they approach their writing, what interests them about the genre, and the importance of great characters and great stories.

As an aspiring crime thriller writer, the key takeaways from the session for me were:

  • On thinking about character’s in action, the discussion on psychological depth was really interesting: how everyone is a psychological puzzle and that choosing who to trust and what will happen when a character does/doesn’t embodies the puzzle questions we ask ourselves in life.
  • That there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to writing – that it could be starting with an essence of plot, or planning everything in advance, or not knowing what happens in the next line let alone the next chapter.
  • That characters and story are both important in crime fiction – that you need strong, likable and memorable characters and a great story including a puzzle and a satisfactory conclusion.
  •  And, on pace, that stories don’t have to be fast paced, but they do have to be compelling. Pace is about variation.

It was a fabulous evening and I’d like to say a huge thank you to the panellists, and to the Crime Writers’ Association for organising the event.

 

ps. CTG was delighted to meet Lee Child and Peter James after the panel finished, and had a true fan-girl moment when discussing a shared love of coffee with Lee Child.

World Book Night: Attention Wannabe Book Givers – applications are open

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2013 World Book Night logo

2013 World Book Night logo

That’s right, applications have opened for applying to become a ‘book giver’ for World Book Night 2013.

If you’ve not heard about World Book Night before, it’s a huge celebration of reading which aims to reach out to the millions of people in the UK who have yet to discover the joys of reading.

Every year, the team behind World Book Night recruit 20,000 ‘book givers’ – people passionate about reading who are given 20 copies of their favorite book from the chosen World Book Night books to gift to people within their community who, for a variety of reasons, wouldn’t usually get the opportunity to read.

Next year, World Book Night will be 23rd April.

The books for 2013 have just been announced, and there are some fabulous picks, with several from the crime thriller genre including The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by  Alexander McCall Smith and Little Face by Sophie Hannah.

To see the full set of books chosen for World Book Night 2013 and to find out more about the event and how to become a book giver visit http://www.worldbooknight.org/

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