The Necessity of Warmth
My son, the other day: "I love the coronavirus."
That was, um, surprising.
I asked him what he meant.
"Because I get to stay home with you and mommy."
And, yes, that was very sweet, but dude...PHRASING.
That said, I get his point. Prior to this March, I was frustrated with how little I saw my tiny first grader. Given my day job (which, unlike so many in the D.C. area, mercifully has straight 9-5 hours), the time I spend with my son during the week is brief. The morning is a rush and, by the time I get home in the evening, it's time for the dinner-bath-bed routine.
I know this is the norm for most families in America, and I'm thankful to have two steady jobs, but I was growing more and more disheartened at how much of his life I missed. And I was confused at the way this priority of work over family was not only accepted, but a point of pride for so many people.
I didn't expect a worldwide pandemic to be the thing that allows me to spend more time with my family...but that's where we are. And although none of us love the coronavirus (kids amiright), I'll never forget the sense of family and compassion that this catastrophe brought.
Although, as a community, those emotions seem to have eroded.
My friend Sean Murphy runs a wonderful organization dedicated to writers - 1455 Literary Arts - and asked if I'd contribute an essay to that organization's journal, Movable Type. Specifically, he asked if I'd write about community during the time of COVID-19, tied into the D.C. Noir at the Bar series. I was happy to write something, tied into these exact thoughts, and that essay ran yesterday. You can read it HERE, but I don't think I said everything I wanted to say, because I'm still compelled to write about it. This past March, when the world shut down, has stuck in my mind like 911 or the D.C. Sniper or the bullet that went through my son's daycare window.
I remember how scared you and I were back then, and I remember the silent streets and the closed stores. The fears of illness and financial anxiety. The constant and new reminder to always keep a distance of six feet. Trying to explain to our children why life had changed so abruptly, and even trying to learn from them as they cheerfully adapted. The grocery store aisles empty of toilet paper and cleaning supplies. The unsteady, hopeful timelines. The hunt for masks.
And I remember how much of it was shared. The pictures of New Yorkers on balconies cheering healthcare workers as they started their shifts. The videos on social media of families, housebound, dancing together. The realizations that we were going to have to cut our own hair, educate our children, learn Zoom. My wife and I watched John Krasinski's "Some Good News" every week, smiling or laughing through tears at high schoolers having living room Proms or backyard graduations, at families watching weddings performed online.
As people resolutely reimagined ways to express love.
I have a lot of events coming up in advance of my next novel, They're Gone. And, when it came time to plan these events, I was keenly aware of Zoom fatigue, and how the novelty of seeing people through a computer screen has faded. So I tried to frame these events differently than I've done in the past, sort of how D.C. Noir at the Bar is done differently than it was prior to the pandemic.
These events aren't just me talking about my book.
Rather, I wanted to do events with good friends, writers I love and admire, in the hopes that we have warm, funny, engaging conversations you'll enjoy. I want to touch on issues important to readers and writers, but I want to laugh with friends, and I want you to laugh with us.
I'm a writer and, much like how I want a certain passage in a book to come across, I want you to feel a certain way. I hope that, if you do join one of the events listed below, you feel a shared sense of warmth and love. Like being lost in a wonderful book, where the plot is turbulent and uncertain, but you're with characters you've come to care about. The opposite of loneliness, no matter what's happening in the world around you.
Speaking of They're Gone, I've had some recent fortune with my upcoming thriller. Buzzfeed included it in a list of anticipated novels for this fall, and it's really awesome to see my book included with others by some of today's top writers. And the publisher (Crooked Lane) recently sold the audio rights to Dreamscape audio, so an audio version of the book will be available on publication date! And Book Span bought the title and is including it in their book clubs - it's already being promoted to the readers of the Mystery Guild, Doubleday, and Literary Guild.
And The Unrepentant is also going to be given audio life. My friend Sara Jones (who provides those wonderful musical excerpts at the virtual Noir at the Bar series) has agreed to record an audio version! Release date to come, but I'm such a fan of Sara's and having her tied to a project of mine is a bucket list kinda deal for me. Also, if you have a book you're interested in turning to audio, then you should definitely contact her. You can learn more about Sara HERE, or contact her via e-mail HERE.
One of the neat things about a being a published writer, particularly as you meet more people, is having the chance to take part in anthologies. Commentators, editors, and new puppy owners Dan and Kate Malmon are two of my favorite people in crime fiction, and I loved having the chance to contribute a story to their second anthology dedicated to fighting MS, Revenge of the Widow Malmon. Their first anthology, the Anthony Award-nominated Killing Dan Malmon, featured stories where Dan was killed in every single one. The sequel is Dan's widow, Kate, seeking revenge. It will be published October 19th and you can preorder it HERE.
D.C. Virtual Noir at the Bar
If it's a creepy image with some amateur font, you know what that means! Time for another Virtual Noir at the Bar! The next one is this Sunday at 8 PM ET, and the lineup is AMAZING! Really, some of the best readers in the business, and Chantal Tseng will be back with a cocktail, and Sara Jones will be back with her jazz. And four people will be given gift cards to Old Town Books! You can register for it HERE.
Fox Cities Book Festival: Dark Thrills and Sweet Chills
Jennifer Hillier, Andrea Bartz and I will be taking part in a virtual happy hour (Wednesday night, October 14th, 9 PM ET) as part of this year's Fox Cities Book Festival. I'm really excited about this event because I like both writers so much, and I think it'll be a really fun conversation. So many panels are dedicated to craft and publishing - which is great and useful, don't get me wrong - that it's nice to do one where we can just talk smack about other writers and get drunk. Just kidding, we're not going to get drunk. Learn more about the event, and the entire festival, HERE.
Bouchercon: Have a Clue! Live Murder Mystery with Star Amateur Sleuths
I'll be on a panel spearheaded by the great Naomi Hirahara and featuring Glen Erik Hamilton, Heather Young, Joyce Krieg, Keenan Powell and Frances Aylor about amateur sleuths and how they solve crimes. And Naomi has a wonderfully inventive approach that sounds like a lot of fun! A live murder mystery where one of the writers gets killed. On screen! Wait, what?
Later that evening, I'll be part of the awards ceremony, since The Unrepentant is up for Best Paperback Original. It's a stacked category and, honestly, an honor to be included with so many friends and great writers. Assuming Naomi doesn't have me killed ahead of time.
Learn more about that panel, and Virtual Bouchercon, HERE.
Revenge of the Widow Malmon - Launch
On Thursday night, October 22nd, at 8 PM ET, Jennifer Hillier (her AGAIN?) and I will co-interview Dan and Kate about Revenge of the Widow Malmon through Minnesota's own Mystery Loves Company. It'll be a fun interview, because Hillier and I have decided that our sole effort is to make Dan as uncomfortable as possible. It'll just be awkward sexual innuendoes, exclamations of THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!, and digs at Minnesota's failing sports teams. I don't even know if we'll mention the book. Everyone will regret this. Make sure you tune in by registering HERE.
Book Marketing During a Pandemic with Rea Frey and Alex Segura
It's hard enough to market books during normal times, so how does a writer do it during a global pandemic? Three writers with extensive marketing backgrounds - and who are all releasing, or have released, books in 2020 - will discuss some of the best practices they've witnessed, what's worked, what hasn't, and in what ways the marketing landscape is going to change for writers going forward.
As you probably know, Rea Frey and Alex Segura are both really fun, and this should make for a great conversation. I'm going to steal all their ideas. That's why I'm there.
The event is being held by The Ivy Bookshop, and you can register for it HERE.
Writing Outside of Books
I'm really happy that City of Fairfax Regional Library is putting on this event. Bethanne is a freaking fountain of knowledge (weird imagery, I know, but it's true) and Greer is a wonderful speaker, and I think this is a topic sorely ignored by writers. Click HERE to register.
1455 Literary Presents: Social Issues in Crime Fiction with Jennifer Hillier, L.A. Chandlar and Vanessa Lillie
You might remember that I was on the board of the International Thriller Writers and then I stepped down, and then about two weeks later the entire board resigned and crime fiction had its latest scandal? Yeah, that (read more about it in this great PW summary). Well, Vanessa Lillie and L.A. Chandlar were two of the writers instrumental in bringing about that change, and both have taken large, admirable roles in standing up for women and other marginalized writers. And Jennifer Hillier (her AGAIN) is on the new board, which is trying to learn from the errors of its past. We're going to talk about all of that, as well as other controversial issues in crime fiction and publishing that we've seen and are hoping to change. EASY!
(But, seriously, this sounds like an amazing conversation. Register HERE.)
Okay, that's a lot of events. I have MORE, but they're after my next newsletter.
And I'm tired of typing.
I don't know how I met Hannah Mary McKinnon, but I'm glad I did. Her new novel, Sister, Dear, is a master class in character and tension. I was drawn to it from page one all the way to the end, which doesn't happen that often when you read A LOT of books. But Hannah has a way of creating exceptionally complicated characters that you find relentlessly engaging, all while the plot moves sleekly underfoot. I can't recommend her book enough, and I'm looking forward to reading everything else she's written.
And a writer Hannah recommends? Gilly Macmillan. As she says below:
When you read a Gilly Macmillan novel, you’ll question everything. I’ve loved all her books to date, and in each she’s had me second guessing every twist and turn, disbelieving whatever the characters say, and wondering about all the seemingly innocent little details sprinkled throughout. Meanwhile, Gilly weaves masterfully told stories around me, and which ensnared me entirely. Her work is spine-tingling, utterly engrossing and should be on every thriller-lover’s list.
To learn more about these writers and their work, click on the images above.
It's contest time! The monthly contest winner wins copies of the books listed in my "Two Writers You Should Read" segment. So, for this month, the winner of Sister, Dear and To Tell You the Truth is:
Amy Condra!
Congrats! Check your e-mail for a separate note from me, and happy reading!
My most recent column for the Washington Independent Review of Books was about whether or not writers should state political views, and which platforms they should use. And then, coincidentally, unrelated to my column, that issue blew up on social media a week later. DAMMIT, TIMING. Whatever. I also did an interview with 1455 Literary for their 14:55 series, in which you answer a series of questions in under 15 minutes, which was a lot of fun and, of course, I went over the time limit. And, finally, the folks at Indie Crime Scene interviewed me about They're Gone, with a focus on women in crime fiction thrillers and then I somehow started talking about Mexican Islamists.
Until next time, much love to all of you. Happy Reading!