tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-297930182012-01-29T20:09:19.489-06:00The Outfit: A Collective of Chicago Crime WritersThe blog of Chicago crime writers Libby Hellmann, Barbara D'Amato, Michael Allen Dymmoch, Kevin Guilfoile, Marcus Sakey, Sean Chercover, David Ellis, David Heinzmann, Bryan Gruley, Laura Caldwell and Jamie Freveletti. Come join the conversation!Sean Chercoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00939494866272006802noreply@blogger.comBlogger9291100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-15296235362729811412012-01-26T15:33:00.001-06:002012-01-26T15:33:55.724-06:00E-Reader Owners Watch Your Wallets: Plagiarism Abounds
by Jamie Freveletti
If you haven't read the recent Fast Company article about rampant plagiarism on Amazon, check it out. Turns out that some entrepreneurial souls are uploading plagiarised material and swiping the cash from under the noses of the legitimate authors. While the article focuses on erotica books, I presume it is occuring elsewhere as well. I was surprised by the number of Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-34084357643444532742012-01-19T15:27:00.003-06:002012-01-19T15:30:07.889-06:00Writers' Conferences --Tips and Tricks
by Jamie Freveletti
I’ve been asked to comment on writers’ conferences. I’ll be
attending a few conferences and I always enjoy them. I began attending as an
unpublished writer and now attend as part of the industry, but I still enjoy
just listening to the panels and talking books. Writing conferences are the
something I didn’t attend as a reader. I would attend signings periodically,
but had Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-12372535837663675242011-12-17T11:34:00.004-06:002011-12-17T13:07:37.455-06:00Second City to None in Books...I am amazed and honored to report that TOXICITY was among the books cited by the Chicago Tribune in their list of favorite 2011 Chicago authors’ books!Several other OUTFIT authors were also listed, including Laura Caldwell, Dave Heinzmann, Jamie Freveletti, and of course, rising TV star, Marcus Sakey. And Luis Alberto Urrea, Keir Graff, Michael Harvey, and Melanie Benjamin, also some fine authorsLibby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-10734007382171443522011-11-26T12:35:00.011-06:002011-11-29T12:38:30.870-06:00Jon Cornbleet on the Peterson VerdictBy Kevin Guilfoile
Justice has been a long time coming for members of Chicago's Cornbleet family. It's been five years since Hans Peterson drove here from New York and brutally tortured and murdered their dermatologist father in his Michigan Avenue office.
After a year-long manhunt and an even longer extradition battle, Hans Peterson was convicted this week by a French court in Guadalupe and Kevin Guilfoilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08239157460247794910noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-67651002900880749142011-11-25T16:45:00.002-06:002011-11-26T13:37:19.815-06:00Hans Peterson Verdict: Life in Prison
A sentence was promised by the weekend and the French courts delivered.
Hans Peterson has been sentenced to life in prison plus 22 years without possibility of parole for 22 years.
More later.
(For more background on this story look at this and here, or you can really go in-depth with this excellent Chicago Mag article from 2007.)Kevin Guilfoilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08239157460247794910noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-42335528983286570102011-11-23T08:26:00.004-06:002011-11-25T14:20:35.892-06:00The Trial of Hans Peterson: Tuesday's TestimonyBy Kevin Guilfoile
(For more background on this story look at this and here, or you can really go in-depth with this excellent Chicago Mag article from 2007.)
Another update from the Guadalupe trial of Hans Peterson, killer of Chicago dermatologist Dr David Cornbleet.
This report contains a pretty thorough summary of yesterday's testimony, including that of Peterson's French mother and the Kevin Guilfoilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08239157460247794910noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-6109763099956169222011-11-21T11:20:00.014-06:002011-11-23T16:45:17.090-06:00The Prisoner Who Now Stands Before YouBy Kevin Guilfoile
On October 24, 2006, Hans Peterson drove a rented car from New York to Chicago and walked into the Michigan Avenue office of dermatologist David Cornbleet. His intention was to torture the 64-year-old physician with a knife and blowtorch.
Torturing and murdering someone, even someone more than twice your age, turns out to be more difficult than it seems. Dr. Cornbleet fought Kevin Guilfoilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08239157460247794910noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-21516398765573808582011-11-16T07:34:00.001-06:002011-11-16T08:36:40.668-06:00Writing a Thriller: Recent Plagiarism scandal shows just how difficult it is
by Jamie Freveletti
By now many have read about the most recent plagiarism scandal involving Assassin of Secrets, a spy novel that received high praise and launched a couple of weeks ago. Since the launch, it's been discovered that the author lifted entire passages from over thirteen spy novels, including those written by such famous authors as Robert Ludlum and Bond author Raymond Benson, (aJamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-21360862877729587452011-11-06T19:48:00.000-06:002011-11-06T19:50:26.047-06:00One Hit Wonders
By Jamie Freveletti
My last post talked about an author that wrote one amazing book and never wrote another and I got to thinking--who is a one hit wonder and why? We hear them all the time when dealing with songs, so what makes an author write one (or two) and then walk away?
For those who missed the last post, the one hit there was Zemindar, an epic story about the Sepoy Mutiny in India 1857Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-5899159451624571172011-10-28T08:23:00.026-05:002011-10-28T14:04:07.904-05:00Love Gone with the Wind? Try Zemindarby Jamie FrevelettiDon't you wonder why some books gain iconic status while others, equally as wonderful, don't? ZEMINDAR is one of those books. A sweeping historical epic that accurately portrays life in India at the time of the Sepoy Mutiny (1st Indian War of Independence) of 1857. If you thought our own Civil War was bloody, read about the residence at Lucknow when under siege. Valerie Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-12098560291018286732011-10-25T08:00:00.004-05:002011-10-25T08:11:26.071-05:00It Takes Two, Baby...Did you ever wonder how two people, especially two that are married to each other, can possibly write crime fiction together-- without murdering each other? We did. Luckily, we found someone who could tell us. Please welcome Aimee Thurlo, one half of the Aimee and David Thurlo writing team. It takes two - at least in the Thurlo household - to create a novel. Our collaboration works Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-35783896803837622762011-10-15T08:29:00.011-05:002011-10-15T09:08:37.155-05:00Halfway Through A Book TourBy Jamie Freveletti I'm halfway through a book tour for THE NINTH DAY and enjoying every minute. Even those minutes where I am the last in the restaurant when they're making the switch from breakfast to lunch and the coffee is burned from sitting for the past hour. While all my tours are fun, this one was made more so by the addition of Wendy Corsi Staub, a New York Times bestselling author. Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-60734958137337173792011-10-03T12:38:00.004-05:002011-10-03T12:44:10.480-05:00"SAY THE WORD... and you'll be free" now open for businessWell, I went and did it. I started my own personal blog. Still not sure why, except that it was time. I'll be staying at the Outfit as well, but now I'll have a chance to post stuff that is more -- well -- whatever I damn well want. Yeah, it is freeing. So... my first post on the new blog is the back story on TOXICITY. I hope you'll check it out and leave a comment. Or not. See you here and there.Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-30542645359229935482011-09-28T01:00:00.001-05:002011-09-28T01:00:11.393-05:00Guest Post: Faith Mortimer, AuthorI have a writer friend who lives in Cyprus (Yes, and I'm still waiting for an invitation). Anyway, she's just published her second novel, a traditional mystery called CHILDREN OF THE PLANTATION, and I thought it was an intriguing story. I hope you agree. Here's Faith Mortimer describing her novel. Diana is head over heels in love with life. Not only has she just solved the mysterious murders backLibby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-66588633914273827512011-09-24T16:35:00.012-05:002011-09-24T17:09:02.781-05:00The Outfit and BoucherconIt's been a week since Bouchercon, and presumably everyone has downed all the Advil they needed, caught up on sleep, and is back to their daily routine. The Outfit had a blast (at least this member did) and much of it was because of Bowling Day. We did bowl, and we had really cools shirts, thanks to Kevin, who procured them at some bowling supply company.We bowled as a team... with Outfiteer Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-91587070973447082262011-09-22T07:17:00.019-05:002011-09-22T07:58:17.376-05:00Five Days to Launch!by Jamie Freveletti I'm launching my third book in five days! I'm also emerging from the flu --just in time to tour. The advance reviews for the book have been wonderful, but I knew that would happen because I had the inside track: an editor that told me "I stayed up late because I had to finish this book." She's been in the business for a long time and reads constantly, so this praise let me Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-38034046793493797142011-09-02T11:08:00.005-05:002011-09-02T11:54:51.102-05:00TOXICITY -- New e-book
by Libby Hellmann
Hi, everyone. It's a new month, and I have a new book out! It's a police procedural/thriller and it turned out to be the prequel to my Georgia Davis PI series.
Here's the description:
Ten years before EASY INNOCENCE, PI Georgia Davis was a police officer on the force in a Chicago suburb. And while homicides are rare on the North Shore, three bodies turn up in quick Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-80481075107310507152011-08-30T16:53:00.006-05:002011-08-31T12:57:00.044-05:00Mystery Animalsby Michael Dymmoch
In spite of their titles The Man Who Understood Cats (Man Who...), The Death of Blue Mountain Cat (Death...), and Incendiary Designs (St. Martin’s wouldn’t publish it under its real title—Cats Burning. NO FOUR-LEGGED CATS WERE HARMED IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE STORY!), my books aren’t about cats!
Except as metaphor: the cat as a metaphor for the detective, the solitary hunterMichael Dymmochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424057697796493279noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-66017828525111754332011-08-28T08:25:00.018-05:002011-08-28T09:10:55.914-05:00Crime Fiction and Weatherby Jamie Freveletti Hurricane Irene is blasting its way up the coast in a fierce display of nature over manmade and it got me thinking about books that include weather as a key aspect of them. Here's a short list of the ones that I read and liked:
1. Eye of the Needle: Ken Follet. Woman on island with hurricane approaching. The isolation and final payoff is creepy and cool.
2. Smillas SenseJamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-84264265951535672512011-08-17T09:25:00.005-05:002011-08-17T09:37:25.323-05:00Crime Fiction Writing Workshopsby Libby Hellmann
Hi, all. Having presented a bunch of smaller workshops over the years, I had the opportunity to conduct a full day on writing crime fiction at the Midwest Writers Conference a few weeks ago. The response of attendees was so good they inspired me. (Warning.. do not get inspired often -- it leads to work.) At any rate, I've decided to offer an intense one-day writing workshop Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-48695645286574818022011-08-16T10:07:00.015-05:002011-08-16T10:28:20.512-05:00Mysteries and Thrillers at the Beach
by Jamie Freveletti
I'm technically on vacation, (so writing this on the fly) but wanted to show everyone what Mysteries and Thrillers are traveling the world. Don't know if this image is clear enough, but the shelf that you see here is in the library of the Cuisinart Resort in Anguilla. Of course the minute we landed I headed into the library to get a look at the books. This picture shows onlyJamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-71527694697807807922011-08-08T08:21:00.000-05:002011-08-08T08:20:21.100-05:00Writing as a Professionby Jamie Freveletti
At a recent dinner party my friends and I started discussing our previous jobs, from the earliest to present. Once we began going around the table asking the best and worst jobs we've had it became really funny. I've continued the discussion by asking those I meet to tell me their experiences. At least two had worked in some sort of meat processing facility and both quit afterJamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-14289818553282929252011-08-03T10:54:00.002-05:002011-08-03T10:56:47.735-05:00SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE at Kindleboardsby Libby HellmannHi, all. Those of you who are on KindleBoards might be interested in a discussion about SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE. It's part of their "Read With The Author" Book Klub, which they're in the process of reviving. I am one of six authors they asked to lead a discussion, and I had the "good fortune" to be the guinea --er -- first.So, I'd love it if you popped over and put in your two Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-20670496552860212382011-07-31T18:26:00.013-05:002011-07-31T18:53:48.929-05:00Overrated Classic or Favorite?by Jamie FrevelettiThe Huffington Post recently posted a list of six classics that the author thought overrated. The link is here. But if you don't want to click it they are:1. Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett2. Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger3. Moby Dick, Herman Melville4. Ulysses, James Joyce5. The Stranger, Albert CamusI never read Ulysses-dodged a bullet on that one, and I've only seen Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-65910574493205943092011-07-20T16:13:00.003-05:002011-07-20T16:18:05.820-05:00Young Man’s Death Rattles Indiana Beach Communityby Laura CaldwellI consider the Sunday New York Times one of life’s greatest pleasures. So I was thrilled when I saw that Long Beach, Indiana, a place of hidden beauty, a place I consider a home, was featured in the Chicagoland section on July 17, 2011. But then I saw what the article was about—the 4th of July tragedy.Two good guys (that’s the opinion from everyone who’s spoken about them) were Laura Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06396533460653770101noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-6613317947287269712011-07-18T12:40:00.012-05:002011-07-18T13:07:13.074-05:00Death Valley: The Middle of a Novelby Jamie FrevelettiIt's 95 degrees outside and even hotter in my air conditioned house. Why? Because I'm in the middle of one of my manuscripts. Yes, I'm at that lovely space about two thirds of the way that we writers like to call "Death Valley." It's when the plot is formed, the action moving along, and the characters heading toward discovery, BUT, they're not close enough for the last twenty Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-14768603142855309572011-06-30T11:27:00.004-05:002011-06-30T11:40:04.225-05:00Writerby Michael DymmochEvery writer keeps files with ideas, plot summaries, lines of dialog. Mine are in a folder titled "Great Beginnings." Sometimes, when I access it to add something I don't want to work on but don't want to forget, I reread one of the files. I did that today and discovered something I scribbled in 2009, something I'd forgotten I wrote:One of those rainy October mornings, with Michael Dymmochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424057697796493279noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-88568544668292440042011-06-24T07:59:00.030-05:002011-06-24T10:36:24.629-05:00Favorite Lines from Books on WritingBy Jamie FrevelettiHere are some of my favorite lines from books on Writing:My students assume that when well-respected writers sit down to write their books, they know pretty much what is going to happen because they've outlined most of the plot, and this is why their books turn out so beautifully and why their lives are so easy and joyful, their self-esteem so great, their childlike senses of Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-50228523296508882302011-06-16T07:00:00.000-05:002011-06-16T07:00:00.177-05:00From Ulcers to Audioby Libby HellmannI was diagnosed with ulcers in February, and I know the exact day they started to form. It was the day I realized the entire way I’d been marketing my books over the past 10 years had, in the digital e-book age, become obsolete. I remember realizing that I’d have to learn a totally new way of promoting: all online, all “soft” marketing, all very time-consuming. Not the thing a Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-85611121030727156052011-06-13T07:13:00.018-05:002011-06-13T07:54:48.995-05:00When a Character "Takes Over"by Jamie FrevelettiWhen I first started writing I used to sit in conferences rolling my eyes when a writer talked about character taking over the plot line and acting in unpredictable ways. I'd think, "are these people crazy? Their character isn't real!"Until it happened to me.It first happened in a manuscript that I still have on shelf--my first completed novel--called Black Money. One of the Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-72246216613985976262011-06-09T06:10:00.028-05:002011-06-11T11:56:18.358-05:00Teenage mobs and Violence: Chicago Styleby Jamie FrevelettiBy now probably half the world has heard about the recent attacks carried out by a group of teenagers against three different people, one a 68 year old. Crime in a big city is not so unusual as to create headlines, but mobs of teenagers heading out of their neighborhood to hit another and doing it in the early evening is news.Earlier in the year I posted about my concerns Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-66260663742377800262011-06-05T20:56:00.028-05:002011-06-06T06:53:43.259-05:00Printers Row Lit Fest Chicagoby Jamie FrevelettiI attended the Printers' Row Lit Fest here in Chicago this weekend. Here's a picture of the panel I was asked to moderate. From the left: the Outfit's own Kevin Guilefoile, Andrew Gross, me and Keir Graff.We discussed thrillers, how we wrote them, what we thought of our protagonists and writing and reading. Here are the highlights:Andrew Gross met Charles Manson when he was a Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-35469917021529988202011-05-30T06:30:00.000-05:002011-05-30T06:30:03.835-05:00Research for Crime Writers: Get it right.by Jamie Freveletti With the advent of television shows like CSI and others, those writing detective novels and crime scene investigators are under increased pressure to write details about crime detection. Which is not to say that CSI depicts in any way the actual steps that go into an investigation. I've been to many seminars put forth by forensic scientists and all roll their eyes at some of Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-64145941854775049382011-05-26T07:44:00.002-05:002011-05-26T07:55:40.097-05:00Notes from Book Expo America: Books, printed or 'e' are doing fine.by Jamie FrevelettiI've been attending the BookExpo America here in New York. What a cool convention! It's housed in the Javits center, and filled to the brim with booksellers, readers, writers, and publishing industry executives. I've been attending some of the presentations and will give you a quick overview here. I'm due back there in 20 minutes as I write this, so will update later. 1. Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-30150943010223218742011-05-16T08:44:00.014-05:002011-05-16T09:35:34.163-05:00First Person Vs. Third Person in Fictionby Jamie Freveletti I've been reading a couple of mysteries and thrillers--unusual for me because I'm writing continuously now and don't like to read others while I write-in order to nominate on various awards and moderate a panel at Printers Row Lit Fest in Chicago. One of the novels is written in first person, the others in third. I'm not surprised that the first person novel is a mystery, Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-17124220466305818172011-05-04T14:23:00.009-05:002011-05-04T14:50:06.084-05:00Fiction in the Future: Which Books Get it Right? by Jamie FrevelettiI was watching Star Trek: The Next Generation the other evening and was astonished to see Jean Luc Picard using a tablet computer device to create his upcoming lecture on archeology. (For Trek fans, this was the episode where the woman in his life "Vash" returns). I found the above image from another Star Trek episode, but the one Picard used was larger and a dead ringer for aJamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-20920859844949423772011-04-23T10:59:00.004-05:002011-04-23T11:12:08.424-05:00DOUBLE INDEMNITY -- The Noirest of the Noir?by Libby HellmannIt’s spring. Chicago is about to swear in a new mayor, the tulips are almost up, and the lake has lost all of its ice. Hopefully, the Outfit is coming out of hibernation too… except for Jamie, who, I’m convinced, never sleeps. So, armed with great intentions and energy, I’d like to ask those of you who are still reading us (bless you) some questions about a classic noir novel. (Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-59926759682914916542011-04-20T09:00:00.000-05:002011-04-20T09:00:05.299-05:00What Do You Read When The Flu Drops You?by Jamie FrevelettiI have just returned from somewhere in viral purgatory. It started with a massive headache. Headaches are rare for me, so I usually try to tough them out. Of course, a doctor friend set me straight: "You can't tough it out. They rarely disappear quickly. Best to just take aspirin." I ran the first day, but noticed my heart rate spiking. (For the non runners, interestingly Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-4593709572665472052011-04-14T01:00:00.002-05:002011-04-19T21:13:20.389-05:00How Far Can An Artist Stretch Before The Fans Reject?By Jamie FrevelettiI just came home from seeing Robert Plant and his Band Of Joy at Chicago's Auditorium theatre. Up until two days ago I had no idea I'd be there, but on Friday morning I heard Mr. Plant interviewed on the local radio. He sounded intelligent, thoughtful and interesting. A far cry from the man in the band known for its excess and I was surprised by the interview. And since I've Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-44713834235451735952011-04-12T11:00:00.004-05:002011-04-12T11:08:05.779-05:00GUEST POST: Julia Spencer-Fleming, and Reading at the End of the WorldHello Outfiteers!We have a special treat today. It gives me great pleasure to introduce Julia Spencer-Fleming. Julia has been nominated for or won pretty much every award there is, and with good reason. Her new book, One Was A Soldier, comes out today, and I can't wait to get my hot little hands on it.Besides her thoughts on the maddening downward spiral that seems to be our world today, JuliaMarcus Sakeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13255187621937702784noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-22394041416464523422011-04-08T11:06:00.031-05:002011-04-08T14:12:32.841-05:00Writing Groups: Why You Need Themby Jamie Freveletti I am often approached by writers who ask me if I think they need a writing group. My answer is always a resounding yes. And don't tell me that your spouse reads everything you write, or your mother or father and you consider them your writing group. They are not. They love you too much to be objective. (I'm reserving judgment on brothers and sisters because they can be brutal Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-60463564506392342092011-04-04T20:07:00.005-05:002011-04-04T20:11:05.085-05:00First Things FirstBy Bryan GruleyHow’s this first sentence?Reading the fine first paragraph of Barbara D’Amato’s new novel (congrats, Barbara!), I realize I’ve grown curious about reviews on Goodreads or DorothyL or Amazon that single out the “first sentence” of books.Maybe too curious.As a journalist for more than thirty years, I’m hooked on hooking readers with that first sentence of a newspaper story, the “ledeBryan Gruleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14854133842533898814noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-90679825132431405242011-04-02T07:17:00.048-05:002011-04-02T20:32:12.943-05:00Responding to Criticism: Brad Meltzer Shows Us The Proper Wayby Jamie FrevelettiThere's been a link circulating on Facebook that leads to a heated debate between an author and her reviewer. Authors responding inappropriately to poor reviews happens, some famous authors have fallen into this trap, and inevitably the author takes the fall for the both response and the review. As with most conflicts, the argument on the link devolved into everyone getting Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-61289430381254318032011-03-31T06:50:00.041-05:002011-03-31T08:40:40.838-05:00Banishing Fear: A Conversation with Laura Caldwellby Jamie FrevelettiLast night I had the privilege of attending a show called "Woman To Woman" that featured The Outfit's own Laura Caldwell and hosted by Jen Weigel and Mary Long, two former WLS radio announcers. The show also featured Jennifer Connor, the head of her own company that sells mustard, and Shea Vaughn a fitness and lifestyle expert.The topics ranged from fitness to health to Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-89038828275240373932011-03-25T05:00:00.002-05:002011-03-25T07:23:36.474-05:00Dream Killers: When People Just Have To Warn You Off Your Dreamby Jamie FrevelettiWe've all met them. The ones that will give us the "advice" that they feel we need to hear. The ones that say "don't go to college, it's only a piece of paper" (my generation was the first of blue collar workers to go to college and this comment came from some of the older relatives). Or "you won't win that poetry contest, do you have any idea how many other kids are writing?" Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-67946801039260735322011-03-23T14:42:00.004-05:002011-03-23T14:48:53.290-05:00Going Public: When do you tell the world that you're writing a novel?by Jamie FrevelettiI've been thinking a lot about going public-when you finally admit to others that you're writing that novel, play, screenplay, or crafting that poem. For me the process was gradual. My fiction writing career started with a creative writing night course at the University of Chicago chosen for its:1. late evening start so that I could complete work and,2. convenience of the Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-19465780877384866682011-03-19T09:12:00.019-05:002011-03-19T09:51:29.940-05:00Men, Women, Conflict and No Sex Allowed: The Classicsby Jamie FrevelettiI was pleased to see that the new movie Jane Eyre got great reviews. It's a favorite book of mine and I hope it will do well at the box office. At the same time that I write this I'm struggling with creating a male/ female relationship in a short story with conflict, sexual undertones but one that does not result in sex. Why no sex, you ask? Because I want to take the tougher Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-48530719059927010192011-03-15T01:02:00.007-05:002011-03-15T01:16:40.046-05:00Reviews Wanted for e-Anthologyby Libby HellmannHi, all. I've been very fortunate to hook up with a group of fabulous authors (in addition to those on The Outfit, of course), and we're e-publishing a new anthology April 1. We're looking for reviewers to help it launch it in style. Here's what we're saying:Hold on tight for a literary thrill-ride into the wickedly clever, frightening, and exhilarating world of Top Suspense, a Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-86313545434181274552011-03-06T21:31:00.023-06:002011-03-06T22:27:02.687-06:00Let's Talk Non-Fictionby Jamie FrevelettiI don't usually read fiction while I write, and definitely avoid thrillers and mysteries. I just don't think I'm free of influence enough yet, (though I'm told by other thriller writers that this will come with time). So, I end up reading a lot of non-fiction. Some relates to crime non-fiction and the rest to subject areas that I find interesting. Here's the latest batch:1. Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-78291043923120369712011-03-04T05:00:00.000-06:002011-03-04T07:22:53.446-06:00Character Archetypes: The X-Files had themby Jamie FrevelettiI was unable to write today due to the need to allow workmen in to replace our water heater. Bored and in a wish to drown out the banging from the lower level, I flipped on the television and found an old rerun of an X-files episode. I used to watch this show religiously back when it was new and I was working as a lawyer. Now, as a writer, I was struck by the broad, but classicJamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-58517694655521671102011-03-01T07:06:00.029-06:002011-03-01T08:28:06.130-06:00Johnny Depp had Keith Richards: I have Robert Plantby Jamie FrevelettiMy last post was about classic rock and classic protagonists, but let's talk rock and creating a character. I've finished Keith Richards' book Life and must say that I respect him a bit more since reading his views on music, especially Chicago blues. (Full disclosure: my mother was a jazz singer in the 60's and 70's in Chicago and knew many of the people mentioned). While the Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-41736208632988461602011-02-27T05:05:00.001-06:002011-02-27T10:38:17.127-06:00Best Protagonists--Are they all in the past?by Jamie FrevelettiI'm participating in a "Best Protagonists" debate over at the International Thriller Writer's blog, "The Big Thrill" and started wondering about past versus present protagonists. So far we've been fairly consistent in picking the obvious classic and unbeatable characters: Sherlock Holmes, Adam Daglieish, and Elizabeth Bennett. But note, these are all classic characters. In Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-67639179195370202682011-02-25T08:52:00.006-06:002011-02-25T09:11:04.306-06:00Amazon vs. The Worldby Libby HellmannRemember the battle between Betamax and VHS a few decades ago? Remember how VHS won? Well, as many of you know, there's a new battle today in the ebook world: Amazon vs. ePub. For those of you who have been in a cave, ebook formats roughly break down into the Mobifile format, which Amazon uses, vs the epub format, which everyone else (Barnes and Noble, Sony, Google, Kobo, etc) Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-56238133087934506912011-02-18T23:54:00.020-06:002011-02-19T00:47:03.700-06:00Went to the Idea Store....by Michael Dymmoch...the other day— Er... the CVS pharmacy. I was getting instant prints made at the Kodak kiosk when I noticed U.S. Passport wallets for sale at the camera counter.Then, along with my prints, I received some prints left by a previous customer—passport photos, judging by the size. Which gave me an idea for a story about a devious or desperate person who finds someone else’s Michael Dymmochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424057697796493279noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-20329364725864863972011-02-17T12:52:00.015-06:002011-02-17T13:55:04.440-06:00Selling an Expensive Item: Does it Translate to The Book Industry?by Jamie FrevelettiI spent the weekend in Florida, speaking with publishing professionals, editors of the books section of the local newspaper, and other writers. We, of course, all discussed the rise of the e-book and the change it will bring in the industry. But it was a discussion with a man not in the book industry that made me think.I visited one afternoon with a writer friend whose husband Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-4062036450946684962011-02-16T11:02:00.005-06:002011-02-16T11:08:00.867-06:00The Book Machineby Libby HellmannWe're all talking about ebooks, the future of publishing, and everything else. (Btw, this is a not-to-be-missed blogpost. So is this by Kris Rusch.)But what about this? Would you buy a book from this machine?What do you think?Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-34766974542402722482011-02-13T01:28:00.002-06:002011-02-13T01:45:51.161-06:00BREACH OF TRUST is now on saleI am recounting this story in case I am not around when the dust settles. If some accident should befall me, as they say, and I am unable to testify, I want to have some account of what I did and why. I will not try to justify my actions. I could tell you that they made me do it, but that's hardly the point, and it may not be entirely accurate.I won't lie to you, which is to say I will not David Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506278726202948673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-21595261121039931122011-02-08T01:00:00.003-06:002011-02-07T12:42:28.605-06:00Bad Advice. Some breathtakingly bad, and some just....weird.by Jamie FrevelettiI spent the weekend at the Love is Murder conference and gave a presentation about writing query letters. We discussed bad advice that we'd received and I mentioned the concept of "selective hearing."It's important to cultivate selective hearing in this industry, because there are those that insist on giving the worst advice possible--all under the umbrella of being helpful, ofJamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-6228200658995599452011-02-06T14:02:00.004-06:002011-02-06T14:19:12.125-06:00Two Sixties Storiesby Libby HellmannFollowing are two stories from the Sixties. Both are true. An abbreviated version of one is in SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE, but the other has an ending I just discovered, so it’s not in the book. I lived in Georgetown near here during what I now call “The Summer of My Discontent.” I shared an apartment with four other people above a movie theater at 28th and M. (Both are gone now). I Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-41453839399400198532011-01-31T13:52:00.005-06:002011-01-31T13:59:10.495-06:00Was justice served? Detective John Burge SentencingBy Laura CaldwellLast week, Detective Jon Burge was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison for perjury and obstruction of justice. As nearly every Chicagoan knows, Detective Burge, while reputed to be a very good police officer in many respects, also brutally tortured suspects at Area 2 on a regular basis. But by the time Burge’s tactics were revealed and confirmed, the statute of limitations for Laura Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06396533460653770101noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-38286464807843384182011-01-22T09:08:00.000-06:002011-01-22T09:08:24.856-06:00The New Covert-OneOur own Jamie Freveletti has some exciting news. Congratulations!Kevin Guilfoilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08239157460247794910noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-47647240984168864142011-01-20T14:25:00.003-06:002011-01-20T17:28:56.013-06:00Legaciesby Michael DymmochMy editor died recently. Ruth Cavin was an extraordinary person and a standout in her field. Mike Shatzkin, who knew her well, described her as a "great editor and world’s nicest person." Julia Spencer-Fleming, one of Ruth's authors, eloquently expressed how many of us felt about her.I remember getting Ruth's call, informing me I'd won the Malice Domestic contest. She Michael Dymmochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424057697796493279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-67177706049578511562011-01-17T15:41:00.005-06:002011-01-17T16:01:04.766-06:00Other Eyesby Barbara D'AmatoMarcus Sakey is my new role model. When he posted the first few pages of his new book [Outfit May 19, 2010] I thought what a good idea it was. I would really like to read everybody's first chapter. I'd buy the book anyway, but I like an appetizer. So here is mine--OTHER EYES [Forge, Jan. 18, 2011]CHAPTER ONENoonMay 29Chicago IllinoisInterstate 90 rises in Seattle, less than ten Barbara D'Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03991495702239085323noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-65811894952348945892011-01-15T14:57:00.002-06:002011-01-15T15:00:02.149-06:00Great review for Set the Night on Firein Sunday's Sun-Times. Congratulations, Libby.Michael Dymmochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424057697796493279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-91711577508342173822011-01-14T10:07:00.006-06:002011-01-14T10:18:56.328-06:00Scatalogical Talk in a dive bar in ChicagoArlynn Presser, former romance writer and all-around smart and funny woman, is conducting a year long project. She's decided to meet all her Facebook friends in person, even if it means traveling across the country or to the far corners of the earth. Her plans are to have a drink and videotape their conversation. She's convinced her friends have terrific stories to share.I think it's a fabulous Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-32964492325487424452011-01-12T01:00:00.000-06:002011-01-12T01:00:05.449-06:00People Talk and Writers Listenby Jamie FrevelettiI was thinking about dialogue today while I wrote some chapters in my latest manuscript. Some have asked me how I get my ideas for dialogue. Well, for most it's just from listening to people talk. I'm lucky to be able to ride the Chicago subway, where the best dialogue is all around you. For instance, heard today on the red line:He had a bad heart and then ended up having a Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-41391586014431778472011-01-10T01:00:00.005-06:002011-01-10T01:00:02.405-06:00When A Writer Is Ready to Sell A Manuscript: Take Advantage of the Chicago Literary Sceneby Jamie FrevelettiI'm preparing to give a three hour course at the Off Campus Writers Workshops on how to prepare and sell a manuscript. I've never really done this before, and honestly, I had to think about my own path to publication. While I'm still relatively new to the industry--just 18 months out there--looking back gave me a real chance to review what worked and what didn't. All this from Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-84806080783227513072011-01-05T11:56:00.004-06:002011-01-05T12:04:55.380-06:00Footage from '68 ConventionShelf Awareness is featuring the book trailer of SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE as today's "trailer of the day," mostly because it contains actual footage shot at the Democratic National Convention in 1968 by Chicago film-maker and artist, Tom Palazzolo (who, btw, will be having little show at the Art Institute main building in the lower level price auditorium at 6 o’ clock.)Anyway, for those of you who Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-11049403572496632032010-12-30T15:51:00.002-06:002010-12-30T15:51:59.832-06:00The Tribune's culture critic (and Pulitzer Prize winner) Julia Keller names Bryan Gruley's The Hanging Tree one of her favorite books of the year.Kevin Guilfoilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08239157460247794910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-13926032651563155352010-12-29T04:59:00.002-06:002010-12-29T05:08:26.770-06:00It's that time of year again...by Michael DymmochAlready. Time to make resolutions and say good bye to the old. The year. The decade. Time to start anew. At my age, resolutions seem like a waste of effort. My bad habits are so deeply entrenched they seem like canyons. Most days. But I'm still hopeful...When I was in college, I put off writing assignments until the night before they were due. Then I'd stay up all nightMichael Dymmochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424057697796493279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-15400488525991159972010-12-27T07:10:00.002-06:002010-12-27T07:12:17.908-06:00Five Amateur Haiku at ChristmasBy Bryan GruleyMy children embracetheir passions without (too much)regard for the money.A house on fire withtears at Christmas, men in hatsthat say C F DI love the tree withthe colored lights of boyhoodbut my wife’s grown upMy mother was NatKing a-croon as she reached formy father, smiling.Write a Christmas book,make people cry, and sellone million. Or not.Happy 2011, Everyone!Bryan Gruleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14854133842533898814noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-26372324813576445652010-12-24T14:05:00.002-06:002010-12-24T14:09:26.177-06:00FIREby Barbara D'Amato Far be it from me—well, not THAT far—to save work by re-posting a blog. However, a recent incident in our neighborhood, plus this time of year, makes me think a reminder might be important. The holidays are also days of accidental home fires. We have wrapping paper lying around, candles, fires in fireplaces, and often house guests who aren’t used to our houses and may “help” Barbara D'Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03991495702239085323noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-28425801314310325712010-12-21T14:38:00.010-06:002010-12-21T14:52:16.583-06:00A Holiday Gift for the OutfitRumor has it that Rick Kogan made several suggestions last Sunday on "The Sunday Papers" of books that would make great Christmas gifts. He limited the selection to books he's actually read. The top three:Thanks, Rick. And have a wonderful holiday, everyone!Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-50444259898928873972010-12-20T18:21:00.007-06:002010-12-20T19:09:47.717-06:00Price Drop at the iBookstore!by Sean ChercoverBetween now and midnight, December 28, my novels BIG CITY BAD BLOOD and TRIGGER CITY are both only $7.99 on the iBookstore!So, if the jolly old fat man leaves an iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone under your tree, just click on the above titles to mosey on over to the iBookstore.If you've already read my stuff (or, heaven forbid, you're just not that into me), check out the Mysteries & Sean Chercoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00939494866272006802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-54566933008334686652010-12-15T01:00:00.003-06:002010-12-15T07:25:21.554-06:00Holidays In the Family That's Left of Center by Jamie FrevelettiWell, we're well into the holiday season now and if you're like me you're starting to wonder just how you ended up a member of the family that you are. I always think, do other families have these issues? Or is it just mine? It starts with the Christmas tree. My family is spread out over the country, and I used to grab my husband and kids and drag them to Miami Beach over Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-15614175837103057812010-12-13T06:00:00.001-06:002010-12-13T06:00:00.733-06:00Writing SET THE NIGHT ON FIREby Libby HellmannThis appeared last week on Patti Abbott's blog, but I thought I'd republish it here. TRUE CONFESSION: I do remember the Sixties. Especially 1968. That was the turning point in my political “coming of age.” I was in college in Philadelphia on April 4th when Martin Luther King was assassinated. I watched as riots consumed the inner cities. I was saddened and disappointed -- as a Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-80651220213179913252010-12-10T10:42:00.005-06:002010-12-10T16:18:28.278-06:00My Journey to Springfield (the world of our own David Ellis)by Laura CaldwellI drove past the flat lands of middle Illinois, a law student in tow. On that trip en route to Springfield, I wasn’t too nervous, and to be frank, I wasn’t expecting much. I’d heard the stories about partisan politics and those that said people downstate were doing more panicking about the huge budget deficit than actually legislating. When we arrived and appeared before the Laura Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06396533460653770101noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-50924551203600193912010-12-08T03:58:00.003-06:002010-12-08T04:19:50.145-06:00Of all the things that interfere with writing...by Michael Dymmoch...the worst—for a Luddite like me—is a computer malfunction. Writer’s block, you can sneak around by doing more research; writing something else; brainstorming with another writer; putting on the right mood music; going for a walk... Kids can be bribed or sent to stay with Grandma. Spouses can often be distracted, pets ignored. But when the monitor won't light up, or the Michael Dymmochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424057697796493279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-61425413141255628922010-12-07T08:04:00.004-06:002010-12-07T12:52:18.662-06:00The 10 Most Infamous Female CriminalsFascinating article from the Criminal Justice Degrees Guide on the 10 Most infamous Female Criminals. Check it out. I only know 5 of them. How about you?Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-21044860522156930302010-11-30T15:21:00.009-06:002010-11-30T15:38:32.530-06:00Upcoming Events: SET THE NIGHT ON FIREHi, all. Just wanted to remind you that I'll be doing three events in the next 10 days to launch SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE. If you're in the area, consider yourself invited. There will be food, wine, and entertainment!In Andersonville:Thursday, December 2, 7:30 PMWomen and Children FirstIn Forest ParkSaturday, December 4, 2 PMCenturies and SleuthsAnd in WinnetkaSunday, December 12 2 PMThe Book Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-11270776546825274752010-11-29T06:53:00.003-06:002010-11-29T06:57:24.447-06:00Meet Brian Doyle, WriterBy Bryan GruleyCommitted a sin yesterday, in the hallway, at noon. I roared at my son, I grabbed him by the shirt collar, I frightened him so badly that he cowered and wept, and when he turned to run I grabbed him by the arm so roughly that he flinched, and it was that flicker of fear and pain across his face, the bright eager holy riveting face I have loved for ten years, that stopped me then Bryan Gruleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14854133842533898814noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-9874033713835885752010-11-28T11:20:00.002-06:002010-11-28T11:22:28.602-06:00Thomas Dolby - AirwavesAs an addendum to my earlier Radio post, here's Thomas Dolby's AIRWAVES.Enjoy.Sean Chercoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00939494866272006802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-33617556779048783402010-11-26T19:47:00.003-06:002010-11-27T17:37:45.109-06:00A Twenty-first Century Thanksgivingby Barbara D'AmatoAh, the aroma of roasting turkey! The spicy scent of bubbling cranberry sauce. Baking squash with cinnamon and brown sugar. Rich gravy. Buttery mashed potatoes. The family gathered round.But wait. One is a woman who is lactose intolerant. One is a man who won't eat meat on principle. One is boy who is gluten-sensitive. One a woman with reduced gall bladder function who has to Barbara D'Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03991495702239085323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-75910071552325650662010-11-24T07:56:00.012-06:002010-11-24T11:40:13.520-06:00Turn It Up, Radio...by Sean ChercoverMy love affair with radio began when I was about seven or eight years old. My father bought me a build-it-yourself crystal radio kit, and we built it together and set it up in my bedroom. My dad climbed the TV antenna on the house next door to fix the longwire antenna that led to my bedroom window. And with that, we were in business, as my dad used to say.The crystal radio isSean Chercoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00939494866272006802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-91234728097503907112010-11-22T13:28:00.004-06:002010-11-22T13:36:02.712-06:00The credibility of the storyBy David HeinzmannWhen I was invited to talk to my kid’s kindergarten class last week about being a reporter, I decided the best way to explain journalism to a bunch of six-year-olds was to tell them that I tell stories for a living.But not just any kind of story, of course. I told them there are two kinds of tales in this world: those that are make-believe and those that really happened.As a David Heinzmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07441680884534611327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-61727013579536628652010-11-19T09:30:00.005-06:002010-11-20T08:43:31.891-06:00You Know I See It Written Across the SkyBy Kevin Guilfoile
This week, rocker Patti Smith won the National Book Award for her memoir Just Kids. (First of all, yay.) In her acceptance speech, Smith said:
"I dreamed of having a book of my own, of writing one that I could put on a shelf. There is nothing more beautiful than the book, the paper, the font, the cloth. Please, no matter how we advance technologically, please don’t abandon Kevin Guilfoilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08239157460247794910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-86808444738706806092010-11-18T09:02:00.009-06:002010-11-18T09:18:33.924-06:00Parestsky and Aleksy: Chicago Crime Fiction Winners!Opened my email this morning to some fabulous news from Mystery Writers of America! Here's Part One:November 18, 2010 - New York, NY – Sara Paretsky has been named the 2011 Grand Master by Mystery Writers of America (MWA). MWA's Grand Master Award represents the pinnacle of achievement in mystery writing and was established to acknowledge important contributions to this genre, as well as a body Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-12305832917236397252010-11-17T06:00:00.007-06:002010-11-17T10:31:46.643-06:00Opposites Attract: Making a big point with imagery and dialogueby Jamie FrevelettiI'm a huge fan of classic movies (and songs). If you're a writer you need to watch the old ones to see just how conflict between women and men or evil and good should be done. I've been fairly outspoken about my dislike of the current "torture porn" movies and books. I'm not really blaming the writers, we all realize that the world we live in is getting more vicious by the yearJamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-76390730003030220052010-11-15T00:25:00.005-06:002010-11-15T00:49:54.117-06:00elementary educationby Michael DymmochYoung children are nearly always highly imaginative. They need watchful parents because they do things no sane adult would even think of trying. Unless their parents are hyper-anxious, young kids are fearless because they haven’t yet learned what to fear. They’re inventive because they haven’t learned the prescribed uses for stuff. They try things out without preconceptions. Michael Dymmochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06424057697796493279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-11802184487118005312010-11-10T13:22:00.002-06:002010-11-10T14:01:05.487-06:00Bignessby Marcus SakeyAs those of you who follow me on Facebook know, I often post questions. Part of the reason is that I find the whole social media thing a little me-me-me oriented, and as a good Midwestern boy, I was raised to find relentlessly talking about myself impolite. But the larger part of the reason is that I'm fascinated by the answers. Yesterday, my question was this: "What's a book orMarcus Sakeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13255187621937702784noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-79224759588131261842010-11-08T06:00:00.003-06:002010-11-08T06:00:11.362-06:00Location, Location, Locationby Michael WileyWe're always happy to have a present or former Chicago guy guest post on the Oufit -- especially one who still writes about Chicago -- and Michael Wiley fits the bill. Michael writes the award-winning Joe Kozmarski P.I. series, including the Shamus-nominated The Last Striptease (winner of the PWA/SMP “Best First” competition) and, most recently, The Bad Kitty Lounge. St. Martin’s Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-39713410739344559852010-11-05T01:54:00.001-05:002010-11-05T01:56:07.642-05:00Tuesday Mourningby David EllisThings that surprised me on Tuesday:1. The Republican steamroller, that left Democratic bodies in its wake throughout the country, was stopped in Illinois by … Pat Quinn.2. Alexi Giannoulias gave a very graceful and dignified concession speech. If he’d have run his entire campaign that well, he might be a U.S. Senator-elect.3. That dumb special senate election. It didn’t exactly David Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506278726202948673noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-26676341615455805862010-11-03T15:17:00.002-05:002010-11-03T15:26:32.086-05:00The best thing about working with the innocent...by Laura CaldwellAt the Life After Innocence clinic at Loyola Law School, we work with exonerees—people who were wrongfully convicted—in order to help them start their lives over. Being arrested for something you didn’t do is incredibly difficult, but being convicted when you are entirely innocent is a horror. You would think that exonerees would be the most bitter of people. They certainly Laura Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06396533460653770101noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-90279313496606977282010-11-01T06:14:00.003-05:002010-11-01T06:24:32.513-05:00HomeworkBy Bryan GruleyThirty-five years ago, I had a professor who told my English class that the greatest line ever written in American literature resided in a short story by J.D. Salinger. I saw the professor last week for the first time since I graduated from Notre Dame. Bill Krier did not remember the Salinger line. But he reminded me of what makes a great teacher, and how important that can be to Bryan Gruleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14854133842533898814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-84901011531791197812010-10-29T18:31:00.001-05:002010-10-29T18:34:33.646-05:00buy books?by Barbara D'AmatoSeveral years ago, after a meeting of the midwest chapter of MWA, I was standing at the coatrack and heard two women next to me, talking. Our speaker had been a man in the insurance business who had just had his first crime novel published. One of the women said, "If he has a book out, why is he still working at his job?"I pause to let the published writers out there chuckle Barbara D'Amatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03991495702239085323noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-14606300175622693882010-10-26T21:49:00.005-05:002010-10-26T23:24:23.412-05:00And now ... Bruce DeSilva:Many of you know already Bruce DeSilva from his crime fiction reviews at the Associated Press and the New York Times ... but now he has published a novel of his own, and if I tell you that his debut, Rogue Island, is making waves in the mystery community, I am guilty of gross understatement.On the Raves page on Bruce's website, I find myself in esteemed company - Dennis Lehane, Harlan Coben, Sean Chercoverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00939494866272006802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-2614212532650279782010-10-25T09:39:00.003-05:002010-10-25T09:59:35.268-05:00The daily miracle at the sausage factoryBy David HeinzmannI’ve been writing in my car a lot, lately. And I’ve been spending most of my time in my car, so I’ve been pretty productive. Of course, I haven’t been writing crime fiction. We’re a week from Election Day, and I’m on the campaign trail with the Republican nominee for governor in Illinois. Wherever he goes, I go. Friday it was the suburbs across the Mississippi from St. Louis, David Heinzmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07441680884534611327noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-34511765892295020492010-10-22T10:06:00.002-05:002010-10-22T10:10:37.631-05:00On Seeing My Reflection, I'm Looking Slightly RoughBy Kevin Guilfoile
Yesterday, for the first time in my life, I watched someone die.
Okay it wasn't someone, it was my cat. Our cat. My family's 18-year-old cat. But it was the first time I had been with a living thing larger than an insect at the moment it passed away. The first time I had held an animal while it died.
And it strikes me today, as I go about the house putting away Sinatra's Kevin Guilfoilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08239157460247794910noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-87479246511678662302010-10-20T11:00:00.011-05:002010-10-20T12:13:26.509-05:00Writers and Conferences.by Jamie FrevelettiI just returned from Bouchercon 2010 the annual mystery convention. My first writers conference was Bouchercon when it was here in Chicago. I remember finding the web page online, seeing the list of authors--many that I admired and read voraciously, and scanning the panels page.That conference sticks in my memory, mostly because it was my first, the weather in Chicago was Jamie Frevelettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896037129219297451noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29793018.post-79538454254992618732010-10-18T06:00:00.000-05:002010-10-18T06:00:08.856-05:00To E or Not to E, Part 2by Libby HellmannI blogged about ebooks (Part I) a while back. Then about a month ago Joe Konrath asked me to “defend” traditional publishing on his blog. What follows is the post I wrote. It generated a lot of discussion– bear in mind many of Joe’s followers are “indie authors” themselves. Still, most of the comments were surprisingly even-handed.I am a traditionally published author with six Libby Hellmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10693555214699897283noreply@blogger.com1