Those of you interested in attending the PWA Banquet in Indianapolis in Oct. please keep the night of Fri., Oct. 16th open, from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm. Invitations will go out to PWA members in August. After the membership is given the opportunity to respond, the event will be open to the public. Watch this blog for further info. Also, go to the Bouchercon Website http://www.bouchercon2009.com/.
RJR
Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Awards Update
DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR 2009 SHAMUS AWARDS OF THE PRIVATE EYE WRITERS OF AMERICA
For Works First Published in the U.S. in 2008
Following are the categories for the Private Eye Writers of America 2009 Shamus Awards for private eye novels and short stories first published in the United States in 2008. The awards will be presented in the fall of 2009.
DEADLINE for submissions is June 19, 2009. No extensions will be given.
Eligible works must feature as a main character a person paid for investigative work but not employed for that work by a unit of government. These include traditionally licensed private investigators; lawyers and reporters who do their own investigations; and others who function as hired private agents. These do not include law enforcement officers, other government employees or amateur, uncompensated sleuths. Not eligible for consideration are self-published works, e-books or works for which the author is not paid. All submissions must be in hard copy.
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BEST HARDCOVER NOVEL: A book-length work of P.I. fiction in its first hardcover publication that is not the author’s first published P.I. novel.
BEST FIRST NOVEL: A book-length work of fiction, in hardcover or paperback featuring a private investigator as a main character that is the author’s first published novel.
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL NOVEL: A book-length work of P.I. fiction in paperback original form that is not the author’s first P.I. novel. Paperback reprints of novels previously published in hardcover are not eligible.
BEST SHORT STORY: A work of P.I. fiction of 20,000 words or less. Stories first published in an earlier year and reprinted in a magazine, anthology or collection in 2008 are not eligible.
For the full submission guidelines and list of committees, e-mail Shamus Awards Chair Ted Fitzgerald at tedfitz[at]msn.com
For Works First Published in the U.S. in 2008
Following are the categories for the Private Eye Writers of America 2009 Shamus Awards for private eye novels and short stories first published in the United States in 2008. The awards will be presented in the fall of 2009.
DEADLINE for submissions is June 19, 2009. No extensions will be given.
Eligible works must feature as a main character a person paid for investigative work but not employed for that work by a unit of government. These include traditionally licensed private investigators; lawyers and reporters who do their own investigations; and others who function as hired private agents. These do not include law enforcement officers, other government employees or amateur, uncompensated sleuths. Not eligible for consideration are self-published works, e-books or works for which the author is not paid. All submissions must be in hard copy.
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BEST HARDCOVER NOVEL: A book-length work of P.I. fiction in its first hardcover publication that is not the author’s first published P.I. novel.
BEST FIRST NOVEL: A book-length work of fiction, in hardcover or paperback featuring a private investigator as a main character that is the author’s first published novel.
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL NOVEL: A book-length work of P.I. fiction in paperback original form that is not the author’s first P.I. novel. Paperback reprints of novels previously published in hardcover are not eligible.
BEST SHORT STORY: A work of P.I. fiction of 20,000 words or less. Stories first published in an earlier year and reprinted in a magazine, anthology or collection in 2008 are not eligible.
For the full submission guidelines and list of committees, e-mail Shamus Awards Chair Ted Fitzgerald at tedfitz[at]msn.com
Saturday, May 9, 2009
From Awards Chair Ted Fitzgerald
PRIVATE EYE WRITERS OF AMERICA ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS FOR 2009 SHAMUS AWARDS
For Works First Published in the U.S. in 2008
Following are the categories for the Private Eye Writers of America 2009 Shamus Awards for private eye novels and short stories first published in the United States in 2008. The awards will be presented in the fall of 2009.
BEST HARDCOVER NOVEL: A book-length work of P.I. fiction in its first hardcover publication that is not the author’s first published P.I. novel.
BEST FIRST NOVEL: A book-length work of fiction, in hardcover or paperback that is the author’s first published novel featuring a private investigator as a main character.
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL NOVEL: A book-length work of P.I. fiction in paperback original form that is not the author’s first P.I. novel. Paperback reprints of novels previously published in hardcover are not eligible.
BEST SHORT STORY: A work of P.I. fiction of 20,000 words or less. Stories first published in an earlier year and reprinted in a magazine, anthology or collection in 2008 are not eligible.
DEADLINE for submissions is June 19, 2009. No extensions will be given.
Eligible works must feature as a main character a person paid for investigative work but not employed for that work by a unit of government. These include traditionally licensed private investigators; lawyers and reporters who do their own investigations; and others who function as hired private agents. These do not include law enforcement officers, other government employees or amateur, uncompensated sleuths. Not eligible for consideration are self-published works, e-books or works for which the author is not paid.
For the full submission guidelines and list of committees, e-mail Shamus Awards Chair Ted Fitzgerald at tedfitz[at]msn.com
For Works First Published in the U.S. in 2008
Following are the categories for the Private Eye Writers of America 2009 Shamus Awards for private eye novels and short stories first published in the United States in 2008. The awards will be presented in the fall of 2009.
BEST HARDCOVER NOVEL: A book-length work of P.I. fiction in its first hardcover publication that is not the author’s first published P.I. novel.
BEST FIRST NOVEL: A book-length work of fiction, in hardcover or paperback that is the author’s first published novel featuring a private investigator as a main character.
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL NOVEL: A book-length work of P.I. fiction in paperback original form that is not the author’s first P.I. novel. Paperback reprints of novels previously published in hardcover are not eligible.
BEST SHORT STORY: A work of P.I. fiction of 20,000 words or less. Stories first published in an earlier year and reprinted in a magazine, anthology or collection in 2008 are not eligible.
DEADLINE for submissions is June 19, 2009. No extensions will be given.
Eligible works must feature as a main character a person paid for investigative work but not employed for that work by a unit of government. These include traditionally licensed private investigators; lawyers and reporters who do their own investigations; and others who function as hired private agents. These do not include law enforcement officers, other government employees or amateur, uncompensated sleuths. Not eligible for consideration are self-published works, e-books or works for which the author is not paid.
For the full submission guidelines and list of committees, e-mail Shamus Awards Chair Ted Fitzgerald at tedfitz[at]msn.com
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Robert Terrall, R.I.P.
THIS COMES FROM CRITIC JOHN FRAZIER, CRIBBED FROM ED GORMAN'S BLOG, WITH HIS PERMISSION. Terrall wrote the Ben Gates biooks as "Robert Kyle." He was 93.
"He is convincingly embedded in Manhattan, with believable professional contacts and associates—a middle-aged part-time secretary who fears the typewriter, a Jewish confrere, Davison, who looks like a quarterback and catches cold easily, a gossip-columnist who he can draw on for information, a friendly-adversarial police-lieutenant. And you believe that he is well enough known to make tabloid headlines when he fouls up during a case.
"Moreover, he appears to be Ivy League, or at least to have gone to a decent prep school. He is comfortable around the rich when a case takes him that way, as is (fictionally at least) Kyle himself. There are thoroughly convincing round-heeled debs, dissolute preppies, money-hungry upper-East-Side divorcees, and other more or less obnoxious types in the novels. Kyle knows how they speak and how their minds work.
"He is also excellent at devising central situations that permit of interesting complications—threats of libel action against a scandal mag that sounds very like Confidential; theft and murder at a posh country-estate wedding where Gates is guarding the presents; an Albany hotel full of lobbyists pro and con a bill to legalize off-track gambling; a take-over attempt against a Manhattan corporation.
"The books are essence-of-late-Fifties, early Sixties, when formal structures and taboos were still strong but anarchic pressures were starting to build up inside them."
A perfect description except for the line about Terrall having to suffer the "taboos" of the time. Ben Gates is Hot opens with an anonymous letter detailing what will happen to the fourteen-year-old daughter of Gates' client if the client doesn't do what a mobster wants him to. This line appears in the letter: "(Your daughter) may not come back to you the same kid. Some of these bums are cunt crazy or should I draw you a picture."
"He is convincingly embedded in Manhattan, with believable professional contacts and associates—a middle-aged part-time secretary who fears the typewriter, a Jewish confrere, Davison, who looks like a quarterback and catches cold easily, a gossip-columnist who he can draw on for information, a friendly-adversarial police-lieutenant. And you believe that he is well enough known to make tabloid headlines when he fouls up during a case.
"Moreover, he appears to be Ivy League, or at least to have gone to a decent prep school. He is comfortable around the rich when a case takes him that way, as is (fictionally at least) Kyle himself. There are thoroughly convincing round-heeled debs, dissolute preppies, money-hungry upper-East-Side divorcees, and other more or less obnoxious types in the novels. Kyle knows how they speak and how their minds work.
"He is also excellent at devising central situations that permit of interesting complications—threats of libel action against a scandal mag that sounds very like Confidential; theft and murder at a posh country-estate wedding where Gates is guarding the presents; an Albany hotel full of lobbyists pro and con a bill to legalize off-track gambling; a take-over attempt against a Manhattan corporation.
"The books are essence-of-late-Fifties, early Sixties, when formal structures and taboos were still strong but anarchic pressures were starting to build up inside them."
A perfect description except for the line about Terrall having to suffer the "taboos" of the time. Ben Gates is Hot opens with an anonymous letter detailing what will happen to the fourteen-year-old daughter of Gates' client if the client doesn't do what a mobster wants him to. This line appears in the letter: "(Your daughter) may not come back to you the same kid. Some of these bums are cunt crazy or should I draw you a picture."
Friday, April 17, 2009
Martin Meyers news
I have news for the blog:
Martin Meyers's new short story, "Nate Devlin's Money," appears in the Black Mask section of this month's (June) issue of ELLERY QUEEN'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE.
It's not like the old days where you could get EQMM or ALFRED HITCHCOCK from a news stand. But Barnes and Noble carries them. I assume other book stores do, too.
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CONGRATS, MARTY. I'D LOVE TO GET INTO THAT BLACK MASK SECTION, MYSELF.
RJR
Martin Meyers's new short story, "Nate Devlin's Money," appears in the Black Mask section of this month's (June) issue of ELLERY QUEEN'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE.
It's not like the old days where you could get EQMM or ALFRED HITCHCOCK from a news stand. But Barnes and Noble carries them. I assume other book stores do, too.
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CONGRATS, MARTY. I'D LOVE TO GET INTO THAT BLACK MASK SECTION, MYSELF.
RJR
Monday, February 16, 2009
Annette Meyers profile
Annette Meyers sent this link for the blog. Don't know if this will come through as a link, but if not you can type it in. You'll have to scroll down to find the thumbnail photo of Annette, and then click.
Here's a link to profile and video package:
http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/11/starting-second-career-leadership_0211_jobs_land.html
Just click on my name.
Annette
Here's a link to profile and video package:
http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/11/starting-second-career-leadership_0211_jobs_land.html
Just click on my name.
Annette
Friday, January 2, 2009
Donald E. Westlake
I've known Don Westlake for many years. I can't say we were close friends, more like acquaintances, for we would simply see each other every few years at one event or another. I also used him in at least one of my anthologies. He is the author of two of my favorite series, Parker, and the Mitch Tobin books, which he wrote as Tucker Coe. That series is in my top five, easily, of favorite P.I. series. I also enjoyed the one shot P.I. novel KILLING TIME.
75 is much too young for a talent like his to be taken from us. He had many, many more books in him, I'm sure. Now we'll never see them, and that's a sin. My prayers go out to Abby and his family.
More about him later, as I form my thoughts. This is a shock to all of us.
ROBERT J. RANDISI
75 is much too young for a talent like his to be taken from us. He had many, many more books in him, I'm sure. Now we'll never see them, and that's a sin. My prayers go out to Abby and his family.
More about him later, as I form my thoughts. This is a shock to all of us.
ROBERT J. RANDISI
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