Second 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 authors and friends, were on the list as well.

Here's the link so you can read it yourself.

Chicago, the Second City? Bah, humbug!

Jon Cornbleet on the Peterson Verdict

By 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 sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole for 22 years. It's the maximum penalty allowed under French law.

Yesterday, Dr. Cornbleet's son, Jon, spoke to reporters about the verdict



Incredibly, even though this was a huge story in Chicago in 2006 and 2007, and received national attention on shows like Dateline NBC and Inside Edition, not a single English language print media outlet has reported this week's trial and verdict (I'm not aware of TV coverage either, but it's possible I could have missed it). An exception was Whet Moser's thoughtful and personal piece on the trial for Chicago magazine's web site.

The Chicago Tribune does have a story today about an Australian who was sentenced to two months detention in Indonesia for marijuana possession, but nothing about the conviction on the same day of an American who stabbed a Chicago doctor more than two dozen times just a few blocks from Tribune Tower.

(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.)

UPDATE: Here's a television report (in French) that includes scenes of the courtroom and a comment from Peterson's mother:



UPDATE 2 Jon Cornbleet will be addressing the Chicago media Tuesday (11/29) morning. I assume we'll finally see local coverage of this story Tuesday night and Wednesday.

Hans 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.)

The Trial of Hans Peterson: Tuesday's Testimony

By 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 Chicago coroner who examined Dr. Cornbleet's body.

Peterson's mother, who was born in France (a fact that enabled her son to apply for French citizenship and avoid extradition) describes dramatic changes she perceived in her son after just a small dose of Accutane. The medical examiner said that the extent of the injuries suffered by Dr. Cornbleet resembled those of a "hate crime."

One interesting detail--it appears the family of Dr. Cornbleet is also represented by an attorney, who has the right to cross-examine witnesses. He pointed to Peterson's history of problems managing his anger and observed that Peterson's mother is not a medical expert who could identify a link between Accutane and Hans's ailments.

(Also, read this thoughtful, personal piece from Chicago magazine's Whet Moser on the start of the Peterson trial.)

DAY FIVE UPDATE: Shortly after the arrest of Hans Peterson, some speculated that the most he could serve under French law was 20 years. Today, the prosecution asked for a sentence of life plus 22 years.

The Prisoner Who Now Stands Before You

By 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 back. Peterson eventually overpowered him, however, stabbing him more than twenty times until he was dead.

We followed the Cornbleet case extensively here at The Outfit, even publishing the first photo of Peterson after his arrest, and uncovering Peterson's ominous postings on an Accutane web site. But there hasn't been much news on that front in quite a while. Peterson fled to the island of St. Martin where he was eventually arrested by French authorities. He has been sitting in a jail in Guadalupe for four years.

Today he finally goes on trial for "murder and acts of torture and barbarism." (Even though this was once a high-profile case with primetime network coverage and an appeal for extradition from then Senator Barack Obama, I can find no coverage of this at all in the English-language media. Many thanks to the pen pal who alerted me to the news.)

It appears the case will be a war of experts, with the defense attempting to mitigate Peterson's guilt by claiming that the Accutane prescription Dr. Cornbleet had written for Peterson's acne several years before the murder caused significant and irreversible damage to Peterson's brain.

French justice is slow to arrive, but swiftly delivered, apparently. A verdict is expected by the weekend.

We'll post it when we hear it.

UPDATE: Here is a very brief summary of the first day of testimony.

UPDATE 2: Summary of Tuesday's testimony.

Writing 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, (a lovely and multi-talented man who lives here in the Chicago area). When asked why he did it, the author mentions (I'm paraphrasing here) that after he sold the book to Little Brown he received extensive edits from his publisher that amounted to a nearly entire rewrite of the manuscript. Upon receiving the edits he realized that: 1. that he had to create these edits in record time and 2. began to have serious doubts about whether he could create something compelling enough to satisfy the house. 

 Welcome to the world of thriller writing. 

In fact, welcome to the world of writing in general. If you're a writer and reading this then you know just how difficult it is to create a scene that holds together and drives the story forward. In thriller writing that scene may also include action sequences, which I love to write but have their own rhythm and can fall flat if not done just right. 

If you're a reader then you know, too, because a thriller requires a certain type of pacing and detail that is the mark of an interesting read. Readers know what a thriller feels like and they aren't confused about the work that goes into creating such a novel. I know this, because before I became a writer I was-and am- an avid reader. I'd read a book by one of my favorites and think about how tough it must have been to write over three hundred pages that kept me so enthralled. I never took books or authors for granted. 

Writing is a struggle enough when not under deadline, but when under deadline or when asked to rewrite passages a writer can freeze. I remember the joy of writing my first before I sold it. It was just me and the story late at night when the city was quiet and I allowed my imagination to fly. After Running from the Devil was sold I, too, like every other author, received a list of suggested edits from my editor and a few short weeks to create them. Panic, especially if you are doing it for the first time, as I was, can set in. You think, "I just wrote this and now I have to write it again?" Some authors have confided to me their anger at having their scenes gutted or questioned by the editor. They spent months writing them only to find them marked out and left on the cutting room floor. 

From the first time it happened to me I remember looking at the list of edits and taking a deep breath. I knew intellectually that they would probably make the book better, but I was frightened that I would not be able to produce on a regular basis. Yet, once the book is sold that's what you are asked to do. So I created a mantra for myself and it goes like this: 

You're a writer. That's what you do. You should be able to rewrite this scene a hundred times and make it interesting. So let's go. 

If you're writing your first and haven't sold yet you are in that wonderful place where it's just you and your imagination. Enjoy it! When you do sell it will still be magical, but the reality of other expectations will crowd into the room and stand at your back as you write. Don't worry, it's not all pressure; they'll applaud, too.

And when I looked at the list of thriller writers that were plagiarized it makes me want to go out and read their novels. They're all good, but because Raymond Benson is a Chicago based author and this is a Chicago blog I suggest that you start with his latest, The Black Stiletto.

One 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 1857. Valerie Fitzgerald wrote an amazing story and never wrote another. I compared this book to Gone With The Wind, and...guess what--Margaret Mitchell only published GWTW during her lifetime. Another manuscript was found after her death. Seems as though for these two authors one epic historical novel was enough. Perhaps the research required was just too taxing, or they thought they would be unable to top the earlier work.

I did a quick google search and found that some of our most famous novels are one hit wonders. From the well known To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee to Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man the list is distinguished.

I've also found great books by writers writing under a pseudonym who then give it up. I remember reading Stephen King's Thinner written as Richard Bachman and wondering "this writer is great, why doesn't anyone know about him?" Ha!  Joke was on me.

Without a doubt, creating a novel is a labor of love and work and I can understand someone having done it, done it well, and then deciding to move on to another medium. Apparently this is what Oscar Wilde did after The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Which makes me think--are there any great books that you've read that never received the acclaim you think they deserved? These novels were "one" but not a "hit?" I'd love to learn about them and add them to my "to be read" pile!

Love Gone with the Wind? Try Zemindar

by Jamie Freveletti

Don'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 Fitzgerald's family lived in India and her portrayal of both the country and the historical facts surrounding the uprising is fascinating. The book is long--I think over 800 pages, but you won't notice. You'll be fighting along with both the Indians and English, because she shows how the mutiny is instigated by foolish decisions.

The story begins with Laura Hewitt, a single, poor relation to her cousin Emily heading from England to India on a trip. Emily marries Charles, and Laura goes with them to India for what she believes will be a vacation. Charles is related to Oliver Erskine, a powerful zemindar, which is the term for wealthy landowners in India. Zemindars not only ran massive estates, but meted out justice and controlled vast areas of land. Oliver is one of the wealthiest.

Laura slowly becomes fascinated with both Oliver and India. She embraces the country even as it begins to unravel and she and Oliver, Emily, Charles and their servants slowly reveal their true characters when they are tested by war. Fitzgerald's descriptions of the battle scenes, the siege at Lucknow, and the political bumbling and outright criminal behavior gives a compelling description of a bloody stage in India and England's history.

If you've read the FLASHMAN series by George McDonald Fraser you know how interesting the history of English occupation in various countries can be. While Fraser's protagonist is an anti-hero, Oliver Erskine is more akin to a Rhett Butler than Flashman, and Fitzgerald's Laura Hewitt begins as a quiet woman whose intelligence and fearlessness during a violent time causes you to root for her. She's no Scarlet--she's neither foolish nor vain. Instead she's more akin to an Elizabeth Bennett of Pride and Prejudice.

Watching Oliver and Laura fight off hordes of attackers and flee through India makes for a classic action adventure novel. That the war they are fleeing was real makes it all that more gripping.

You'll love this book. Valerie Fitzgerald never wrote another. I don't know why, but this one is a tour de force.

It 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 because the two of us make one terrific writer.

Our partnership began after a long conversation where we each acknowledged our individual strengths and weaknesses as writers. We wanted to produce the best novels possible, so teaming up professionally seemed the logical way to go.

The subsequent years became a continual learning process. Writing a book is an incredibly uneven, unpredictable process that often takes us on a roller coaster ride of emotional highs and lows. Adapting to your partner’s eccentricities is a must. Taking into account that each of us has our own set of skills, voice, and method of working, we knew right away that we’d have to establish certain ground rules.

Sometimes, as it was in our case, it’s obvious who does what best. For example, my action scenes are horrendous. One time I got IUDs mixed up with IED’s. If David hadn’t caught it in time, our readers would have been rolling on the floor with laughter and our credibility lost forever. I also have no sense of direction, as evidenced by my driving skills. Without looking at my hands and/or wristwatch, I still have no idea which direction is left or right. Don’t even ask me to choose east or west. As a result, we decided right off the bat that David would choreograph all the action scenes and handle those details.

However, there’s also a yin to that yang . David’s weaknesses as a writer are precisely where I excel. My strengths lie in dialog, characterization, and in bringing out the emotions, essential to any compelling storyline.

Our latest Ella Clah mystery, Black Thunder, (Oct. 2011) is a perfect example of how our styles blend. In this suspenseful mystery Ella and her ad hoc investigative team have to track down a possible serial killer before he or she can strike again. At the same time, Ella struggles with pressures from home. Her little girl is now a teen with a mind of her own and those pesky, raging hormones that complicate every mom’s life.

The reviews for Black Thunder, our seventeenth southwest mystery, have been excellent. PW said it was an "insightful portrait of a native culture still evolving between tradition and modernity." Booklist, the Journal of the American Library Association, also gave it a favorable review, calling Special Investigator Ella Clah a "compelling character", and promised that our story "should keep readers on their toes until the final pages."

We also have a brand new romantic suspense novel coming out Nov. 1, Winter Hawk’s Legend. In this story Holly Gates must hide out with Daniel Hawk, the security expert sworn to protect her. She finds herself falling in love with him though, unlike her, he craves no home or family - just the same freedom as the great hawk. This is a story about the power of family, of hope, and the courage to defy the odds.

Winter Hawk’s Legend is a landmark book - our 30th for Harlequin Intrigue. To date our publisher has sold more than a million copies of our Harlequins.

Romantic Times gave Winter Hawk’s Legend 4½ stars, which means “in a class by itself.” My favorite review, however, came out in Genre Go Around. The reviewer said, “Winter Hawk’s Legend is a superb Native American mystery starring a woman in peril who has no concept as to who wants her dead or her unknown adversary’s motive. Thus readers have an innocent doing an innocent thing leading to her danger mindful of Alfred Hitchcock. Readers will relish team Thurlo’s enchanting New Mexico thriller.”

To be compared to Hitchcock, at any level, made our year.

I believe what makes David and I such a strong writing team is that we’re two very different people. We’re opposites in almost every way imaginable. For example, I take things way too personally. A mediocre review can put me either in the dumps or have me diving headlong into chocolate. David is calmer by nature, and his objectivity often helps me maintain an even keel.

Even our approach to writing is different. I can spend countless hours working over a paragraph and have the ability to shut out all distractions when I’m on deadline. Unless the kitchen blows up and I find myself without coffee, I stay on target. David, on the other hand, has a hard time sitting still for long periods of time. He usually plots our books while on the move. Afterwards, I go over the details of the storyline and fine tune it. Once again, though our styles are different - or maybe because of it - we balance each other.

Though our team has been very successful, our collaboration isn’t always smooth. The very fact that there are two of us working on the same words, pages, and story almost guarantees that there’ll be disagreements somewhere along the way. Since our first priority is the novel we’re working hard to create, we’ve agreed to settle those issues in a manner we believe is most beneficial to the work. If it’s an emotional or characterization problem, I have the last say, but David’s opinion takes precedent on any aspect of the plot or the actions scenes.

The rewards of working as a team are clear. When it’s time to celebrate victories, you’ll always have someone who understands the sacrifices it took to get that starred review, or that brand new multiple book contract. Yet, as a married couple who also works together, achieving balance remains our greatest challenge. Pressure can wreak havoc on a partnership, be it business or personal, so it’s crucial for us to find time to do fun things together, too. On Saturdays or Sundays we might choose to watch a football game together while eating gobs of popcorn. At other times, we’ll take our trio of standard poodles for a walk in the bosque, the wooded banks of the Rio Grande, or go for a long car ride down country back roads.

Teamwork takes work, but in the end run, I’ve got to say I’d never trade it for a solo act. As Ella Clah, our Navajo tribal police investigator might say, “When you’ve got good backup nearby anything is possible.”

Halfway Through A Book Tour

By 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. Harpercollins teamed us up and the trip became that much more enjoyable.

We started out in Buffalo on the local morning show (WKBW- Linda Pellegrino http://.http://www.wkbw.com/programming/am-buffalo/video/Authors-Wendy-Corsi-Staub-and-Jamie-Freveletti---September-30th-130867263.html ) and headed to Dunkirk, where Wendy grew up. After Dunkirk we flew to Chicago for a few signings here.

We capped the entire section of the tour off with a livestream event from the Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Arizona put together by Wendy's imprint, Avon and I got to go along for the ride. (You can watch it here: http://livestre.am/14puh ).

We've laughed--a lot. As I was shooting down the freeway in upstate New York watching the beautiful countryside fly by I thought that the one lesson I'm trying to learn is to enjoy the moment. Live in the present and stop worrying about the next goal I've set for myself. This is particularly tough for me--I always feel as though I could be doing more-but on this tour with the laughter and wonderful time spent talking books I came very, very close. Thanks to the readers that came out to share in our book launch.

I'm headed down the East coast of Florida and will update again when that is completed. In the meantime, I'll do my best to update on Facebook and Twitter and will cap it off with another post here.

Enjoy your week!

"SAY THE WORD... and you'll be free" now open for business

Well, 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.

Guest Post: Faith Mortimer, Author

I 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 back home in Cyprus in, ‘The Assassins’ Village’ but she’s also expecting her first child.

Steve decides they both need a holiday after solving the murders and suggests a return visit to Malaysia, where Diana spent some of her childhood. She remembers the lush, velvety tropical nights and agrees it is a delightful idea.

They arrive at their luxurious plantation hotel but things turn out not quite as they would have liked. The hotel was the family home of the Chalcots, a family whose life was steeped and shrouded in mystery. Diana is asked to take a look through some old diaries and discovers dark secrets about this enigmatic family.

Such as: Who was Alex and what did he discover…and what did he really do all those years ago when he was growing up? Who was Paul, Hermione and the beautiful but selfish Eleanor? Who was responsible for the events that plunged the family into despair? And what is the real story behind all the façade?

Find out in CHILDREN OF THE PLANTATION.

And here's the prologue to the story.

Prologue
Opening the kitchen door, she spotted a vixen standing near the refuse bin. Hermione clapped her hands, and it shot through the hedge at the bottom of the garden.
Hermione's heart thudded in her breast as she considered what next to do. Casting a look around, she gave thanks that the clouds scudding overhead made it a dark night. This had to be done in complete privacy.

Giving herself a mental shake, she crossed the damp grass to the shed and picked up a spade. A clod of earth still clung to the sharp blade from where she had been digging in her vegetable patch earlier. It seemed a long time ago now but was just that afternoon. She paused, still not completely certain she was doing the right thing. Making up her mind, she walked over to the newly turned earth.

The air smelled fresh after the rain , and a light breeze blew the mixed garden scents her way while she dug. The hole was to be small but deep, especially as she had just driven the fox off. Satisfied, she stood back and peered down into the soft loamy material, a sorry place for such a pathetic bundle.

Sick at heart, but knowing they had no choice, Hermione laid down her spade and walked back into the kitchen. She picked up the tightly wrapped package and carried it outside; it weighed no more than a couple of pounds as she gently laid it down into the hole.

Covering it with fresh earth, she scattered pebbles around and knelt on the grass. Had there been any other choice? Whatever were they going to tell him when the time came?

You can find the ebook here, or wait for the trade paperback next month. Enjoy!

About the Author. Faith Mortimer was born in England. Her father was in the Royal Air Force and from the tender age of five, Faith learned the meaning of travel and living in different parts of our beautiful world. Faith now spends her time between England and Cyprus where she lives with her husband. She’s filled her life with different careers, Registered nurse, entrepreneur and writer. She loves the outdoors, acting and writing. She has written two other bestselling novels and a short story collection. Visit Faith Mortimer’s website http://www.faithmortimerauthor.com/for more information.

The Outfit and Bouchercon

It'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 Emeritus Sara Paretsky and Honorary Outfit Member Enid Perle to cheer us on. Unfortunately, what we amassed in enthusiasm didn't quite transfer to our scores, and our form... ahem, Laura....probably wouldn't make it past the Professional Bowling Association (or whatever they call themselves.)

Still, we will remember this event fondly. And now, thanks to Michael Dymmoch and her spot-on photography, so will you!























On a personal note, I want to say that I have been nominated for awards at Bouchercon three times, but I have never won until this year. And what trophy did I bring home? The Worst Bowler at Bouchercon. I am very proud, and the trophy sits in the place of honor in my office.


St. Louis was terrific. And that's a wrap.

Five 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 know that it would review well.

In The Ninth Day, Emma is in the Arizona desert looking for night blooming plants and working on the side for Darkview, a contract security agency. She's asked to watch for human trafficking activity over the border, and since much of it occurs in the desert she's in a perfect position to find it. She's eventually captured by a coyote and dragged across the border to Ciudad Juarez and the compound of a cartel leader with a big problem: his marijuana fields are rotting with a strange disease. Worse, the disease transfers to humans and his girlfriend has contracted it. He believes the American herbicide dusting planes have killed his fields and he prepares to transport the diseased plants throughout the US. He also gives Emma an ultimatum, cure the disease in nine days or die.

I've heard the recent Mexican cartel activity described as "the war next door" and the comment couldn't be more accurate. Much of what I write about in my books involve actual diseases, cures and events and this book is the same. What is shocking is the level of crime in Mexico and the rate at which it is accelerating.

As for the disease, (which I won't reveal as it would be a spoiler) I was researching something and developed a hypothesis from clinical reports. There I was, eating breakfast and reading the Chicago Tribune in June and lo and behold an article about a recent clinical study that confirmed my idea was published. One of those moments when you think that reading really does pay off--at least reading clinical studies-we all know that reading in general is one of the best things to do!

I'm heading out on tour and really excited as well. I'm touring with the fantastic Wendy Corsi Staub! She's an New York Times bestselling author and funny, charming person. I hope to blog here during the tour and hope to upload some photos. Generally I'm not a photo taker, but I vow that this time I will. (I hope).

I posted our tour locations on the web page, but it will include: Buffalo, Dunkirk (New York) Chicago and suburbs, Milwaukee, Houston, Katy, Phoenix, Tempe, and the eastern coast of Florida starting in Lady Lake through Vero Beach, Cocoa Beach, Mt Dora, Stuart, Deerfield Beach and ending in Boca Raton.

I hope you enjoy the book, and if you have a chance to stop by at a signing I'd love to see you!

Best Regards, Jamie