Monday, February 28, 2011

All Star Lineup For Patti Abbott's "Scarry Night" Flash Challenge.

Over at Patti Abbott's blog, there is a veritable who's who of short story writers who took part in her Scarry Night Flash Challenge. I missed out on this one, but considering who took part, I don't feel worthy enough to be listed with such talent. You can find links to all the stories HERE

- Bale won the Oscar for BSA, the only one I really cared about, and I figured there was a 50% chance he would get screwed out of it.

- For whatever reason "GoodFellas" has been playing a lot on cable lately and I watch it every time if I am home. If I had to pick one movie as my favorite, this would be it.

- There's still time to enter Chris Allinotte's Madness in March Story Challenge. Deadline is March 4th. Details HERE

- I'm still working away on my next novel, "Sissy Murphy" or "The Dead and Dying" are the titles I like so far. I have a 2000 word crime story "Toraloo" submitted to TKnC, I'm finishing one to send to Flash Fiction Offensive, and working on one for Chris A's above mentioned challenge.

Lastly, today is the deadline for the Red Adept Review: Twists Contest. I submitted a 2,500 word story (non crime / violence) two months ago and should find out soon if it made the cut and will be in the planned anthology which will be published. JA Konrath is involved, so that is a bonus. Details of the contest are HERE

Friday, February 25, 2011

The Beat On The Street

Over the last few weeks I was lucky enough to win some free items from other great blogs I follow.

- Over at Crime Always Pays, I received "Three Seconds" by Roslund and Hellstrom from host Declan Burke. About twenty pages in and I really like it. Glenna over at Inspirations blog did a great review ot the novel HERE

- Stephen Blackmoore host of the L.A. Noir blog sent me a copy of Needle Magazine # 2. Half way though it and there are some tremendous stories. Going to do a reveiw once I finish.

- I got Michael Connelly's "The Lincoln Lawyer" and poster from Jebidiah Ayres, who hosts the Hardboiled Wonderland blog. First time I have read Connelly and I really like his style so far.

Now playing at the RAT PACK REVIEW....Kevin Michaels HERE

Thrillers Killer-n-Chiller's has temporarily closed for submissions. Details HERE

Some familiar names have made it into the Radgepacket 5, including Paul Brazill, who can provide the details HERE

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

RAT PACK REVIEW now playing AT THE BIJOU

Th Rat Pack Review has kicked off at Absolultely* Kate's blog AT THE BIJOU. Special guest, Mystery writer Robert J. Randisi, who has also authored a series of way cool "Rat Pack Mysteries"  is featured today and throughout the extravaganza. This is going to be a good one, for sure. Check it out HERE

Friday, February 18, 2011

Madness In March Story Challenge

Over at the Leaky Pencil blog, host Chris Allinotte is sponsoring a story challenge that sounds very interesting. I swore I would hold off on the shorts for a while, but I don't think I can resist this one. I'm finally realizing that the stories that give me the most problems are the ones where you have to include certain aspects or items in the story. Besides a crime theme, I like to freewheel it and find that required items in a story, while good for brain exersize, end up getting in the way of the story. Check out the details HERE

Highlights from the challenge include:

*2000 word max

* The best of the runners' up to be featured on Chris' blog on every second Wednesday at thirteen o'clock following the contest.

*If your story is the best of the bunch, Chris will feature the book of your choice, and its purchase link on this site for 30 days.  (There may be a little something else for the winner as well, but that's t.b.d.) 

*For all the entries, Chris will be putting together a PDF chapbook that includes featured stories, as well as any other entries received, to be sent out after everything's finished.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

A Good'n Over At FFO

Over at the revitalized Flash Fiction Offensive, which seems to be getting stronger with every story, Chris Allinotte's "Heisting Miss October" is a great read. I'm a child of the Seventies and Chris did a great job of capturing the vibe 'o the times. Check it out HERE

Monday, February 14, 2011

A Valentines Day Song

Not much to say other than this song is the perfect song that I am dedicating to my wife for Valentines Day for oh so many resasons.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

When The Breaks Are Beating the Boys

Man, has it been a hellaciuos stretch lately, one that has seriously challenged my undying Joie de Vivre. Yet, I have been around the block enough to know that everything passes, eventually, and so it has. No earth shattering stuff, but enough to be really fucking up my program that it was all I could do to stay up-to-date with my fav blogs, which kept me sane. Now I'm revisting them and commenting on all the great stories and info.

Adding to the insanity was that darn inspiration striking right before all hell broke loose, and feeling the need / compulsion to finish a couple of stories I had started, and having to come up with something for The Fab Feb Film Fest. I really am my own worst enemy sometimes. I'm reading "Black Mass" and watched "In The Name of The Father". Both excellent by the way.

On thing that is really bumming me out is I can't comment on Paul Brazill's blog because Internet Explorer seems to crash my browser every time I try. My laptop is the one I use for work as well and non IE browsers are a big no-no. So Mr. B, I'm still enjoying your blog as usual but...I'm with you in spirit man!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Absolutely * Fab Story & Great News for Declan Burke

Declan Burke shared some really great news over at Crime Always Pays. His tremendous new novel, which I had a chance to read, has found a publisher. Details HERE

Over AT THE BIJOU,  where a story isn't just a story, it's an extravaganza of the highest order ( I almost feel bad for not having to fork over an admission fee)  Absolutely*Kate's Fab Feb Film Fest is featuring  a tremendous story, "Chopper John" by Colin James. You have to read this. I burst out laughing in my veal cube today. Read it and enjoy  HERE

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Where's My Motivation?


So, I'm at the gym the other morning and they don't exactly play any rocking stuff at 5:30 AM. I'm also still racking my brain as I workout for a subplot in the novel I'm working on. I hear a hip hop style song and as I'm listening to the chorus, I'm thinking that I have heard this somewhere before. Sure enough, it's someone poaching Supergrass' "Alright". The lyric's of the chorus spark a major idea for me and I knew what direction I needed to go with the story.  Turn's out it was Travie McCoy. Can't any of these hip-hop wankers come up with anything original?

Anyway,  the Supergrass version does not quite inspire the mood or the characters I'm going for, but I'm happy to have found the idea. I was still in search of some tune that will bring images to my mind, when low and behold, while driving home in a snowstorm tonight, scanning the radio channels, on comes Buckcherry's "Dead'. I spent the rest of the ride with my brain on overdrive and ideas coming quickly. Another one down!