Supporting Local Authors

I did some internet shopping recently.

In order to complete my Aaron Sorkin collection I ordered the movie MALICE from Amazon a week and a half ago. At the same time, I ordered PB (read: Pat) Ryan's last book in her Gilded Age historical mystery series. It's a really good series, you should check it out.





I also went to eharlequin.com and ordered up the new edition of LL (read: Lorraine) Bartlett's MURDER ON THE MIND. This is a really good book in a series that is just starting. DEAD IN RED, book #2, comes out later this year. The book itself is only $6, plus shipping, but I got some sort of deal (maybe as a first-time customer?) that netted me $4 free, which brought the entire order under $4! This may be a limited time offer or something, so you should jump on it now. The new cover looks great and I'm glad I have both editions. Now I'll have to get this one signed, too.

Not so local, but someone I've come to admire, is Lawrence Block. He is running a special on his site to get both the print and audio versions of TELLING LIES FOR FUN AND PROFIT for only $20. I jumped on that.

I also hit the Gates Public Library Used Book Sale by accident. Bad idea. Lots of Ian Fleming and Lawrence Block, Stephen King and even THE SECOND SALADIN by Stephen Hunter. This haul will probably last me for years. But if I can make it to Bouchercon before I buy more, I'll be happy.

Ed Hoch

I've never met Ed Hoch. I haven't even read that much of his work. But I've been aware of him.

In this business of publishing, that's saying something. I knew he lived in Rochester, and wrote of Rochester, or at least his version of it. And I knew that he was widely respected.

I guess I always assumed that I would meet him one day, however briefly. I would feel like I had nothing to say to him, a giant, but would have some connection in this small community of Rochester writers, and the even smaller community of Rochester crime writers.

Ed Hoch died on Thursday, so I won't get to meet him. But so many people that did meet him have had so many nice things to say about him. Check out these links provided at Confessions and The Rap Sheet.

This man had a career in writing. I could do worse than to try to follow in the trail that he blazed.

Hello Faithful Readers

And to all those just passing through.

Sorry to have been away so long, but my wife just gave birth to our second (and final) child. It's another boy. The wife is feeling a little outnumbered. Not to mention overwhelmed. I took a couple of weeks off of work and my turn for primary care comes up when the Wife goes back to work next month. I'll take 4 out of 5 weeks off then stay with the little bugger till he's ready to go to Baby School.

In the meantime, I haven't gotten much done on the writing front. I think I fantasized that with all those days off I'd have time to do something. But that wasn't the case. Not only did we have a new baby, but we did it around the holidays, my mom came up to visit for 4 days and we had another kid trying to reclaim his place in the familial structure.

Anywho, I'm getting back on track. It helps to have inspirational books to read. I got both Elmore Leonard's and Walter Mosley's writing books for Christmas, and I'm listening to ON WRITING again. It's good stuff. Another way to motivate yourself is to read the second book from a writer you met last year. You exchanged first books and now she's done with her second. Get on your horse, Gus.

It's these inspirational missives that may give me direction here on the blog. There are things that they say that I don't agree with, and things that I'd like to explore further, for myself, if nobody else. I hope you'll see what I mean when I find my hard copy of ON WRITING and start going through it again.

Till then, have fun. And remember that pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 15!