TKnC Hellicious Halloween Special Kicks Off Today

The Hellicious Halloween Special kicks off today over at Thriller's Killers's-n-Chillers.

Check out the complete lineup of authors, stories, schedules, and today's first treat  HERE

The Beat On The Street

- Col Bury has shared some good news. His collection of crime stories "Manchester 6" has been published in eBook format. Col fills you in on all the exciting deets HERE

- Col is also the featured guest over at Richard Godwin's place HERE

- Over at BlogTalkRadio, Paul Brazill, Darren Sant, B.R. Stateham, and Luca Veste are talking about International Hard Boiled and Noir. Check out what they have to say HERE

- Chris Allinotte has a very good story, "Temping Morsels" over at Lily Childs' blog HERE

- The Blackwatertown blog has a couple worthy posts.  A very entertaining and well written recap of an encounter with the Queen of England HERE.  And there's  a lot more to visting Northern Ireland than wall murals ("Kid in the Gasmask" is  fav of mine) Find out about the many excellent alternatives HERE

- Charles Gramlih has an excellent post on the "psychology of fear"  HERE

- My feeble attempts to keep you up-to-date on whats happening in the crime writing webshpere pale, in comparison with the service Sandra Seamans provides on her blog. Sandra is also a fine writer as well, and has a great Halloween treat on display over at the Flash Fiction Offensive, "The Painter" HERE

- Declan Burke's tremendous new novel "Absolute Zero Cool" is up for an Irish Book Award. Find out more and how to cast your vote HERE

- Ken Bruen is now blogging. Stop in, check it out, and say hello HERE

- And finally, John McFetridge is one of a handful of writers that pen the exact kind of stories I love. If you have not read any of his novels or shorts, you do not know what you're missing.  I was pumped to hear that his next one "Tumblin' Dice" is coming out in March 2012. John fills you in HERE

The Beat On The Street

Nobody played the "rich kid A-hole" in the 80's like James Spader. In this particular pivotal scene from "Less Than Zero", he's being a real pal to Robert Downey Jr, as well as life coach and occupational, er, counselor (if you know what comes next. Yikes!). Things were a little bit different for me and the high school crew I rolled with, compared to LTZ crowd. It was more like "Dazed and Confused" (one of Matt McConaughey finest performances)

Anyway...plenty happening over the last week:

- Detectives Beyond Borders host, Peter Rozovsky, has a very good entry on display for Patti Abbott's Reginald Marsh Flash-Fiction Challange. Check out "Smithers Should Have Listened" HERE, and then check out the links to all the other entries at Patti's site HERE

-BSTSLLR.com is an exciting new digital publisher, who from what I can see, are on the right track, with a goal of publishing "established authors and promising new authors in eBook format across various plaforms". If their first debut, pictured below, is any indication, I'm already digging them. I just purchased WCCW and can't wait to get into it. You can check out their web site HERE

- Tony Black's site, Pulp Pusher has a nice interview with Declan Burke HERE

-Speaking of Mr. Burke, he's talking about Gerard Brennan's new novelette, "The Point", which has a great cover  HERE.

- Adrian McKinty has a nice little rant about NYC publishers HERE, the title of which might have fit in nicely with The Stones' "Shattered', at least that's what popped into my head.

-Charles Gramlich, writer and host of the Razored Zen blog, keeps meticulous track of what he reads. He shared some very interesting stats HERE

- Joe Konrath is on sabbatical, but his eBook designer, Rob Siders, has the floor as guest blogger and shared some very usefull insight HERE

- Over at Blackwatertown, there is another entertaining segment of "The Day I met..." series. This time it is actor James Nesbitt, who was in among other things, "Waking Ned Divine, "Bloody Sunday", and "Resurrection Man". Enjoy HERE

- Over at Do Some Damage, Steve Weddle shared some pics and a recap of his time at the "Whodunnit: A Day of Mystery Madness for Mystery Fans" HERE

Finally, I posted the following reviews at Smashwords, B&N, and Amazon.

HEARTBREAKER: Julie Morrigan

5 Stars: A Great Trip for Rock Music and Mystery Fans 

I'm all about Rock-n-Roll and this novel more than met the high expectations I had going in. Although Heartbreaker is a fictional band, it didn't take long for the author to have me thinking they were real. And when I finished, I was wishing I could go out an buy their CD's. The transitions from the interview style passages to flashback scenes were handled superbly. Along with being an excellent chronology of blues based RnR, there are a few nice subplots, as well as a damn good mystery that runs throughout and kept me guessing until the end. This was an excellent introspection into the behind the scenes world of all that is real rock n roll...the good, the bad, and the ugly. I Could easily see this novel being used in the classroom for courses related to post 1960's rock music history. Just like getting a bonus track on a CD, there is an excellent short included at the end titled "Shadow Man" which in itself, would have been worth the price of admission. The overall presentation and editing were flawless. Highly recommend this to both music and mystery fans.

THE BIG WINK: Steve Brewer

5 Stars: Brewer Delivers Again

As soon as I finished the author's latest novel, LOST VEGAS, it was so good, I jumped right into THE BIG WINK and was not disappointed. A great, fast moving caper tale for sure, with a terrific cast, lots of plot twists, and many riotous laughs. The way the story is told and the characters are top notch. Uncle Graybeard and Detective Holland's boss were just a few of the supporting characters who really added to the enjoyment of the read. I'm finding that a Steve Brewer story not only provides great entertainment, but can actually make a bad day, a good one. As mentioned by another reviewer, this story begs for a screen adaptation, ala, "The Big Lebowski".

 

Steve Brewer's In The House!

I posted a couple weeks ago HERE about how I discovered today's guest, mystery/crime/ heist writer Steve Brewer. Man, can this guy write AND tell a story. So, I was more than stoked when he agreed to do a Q&A. I have read his three latest novels LOST VEGAS, THE BIG WINK, and CALABAMA since then, and loved everyone of them. On Steve's blog, it says he "writes books about crooks" and he does it so well.

I am both pleased and honored to present you with the below Q&A with Steve.

How long does it typically take you to finish a novel?

SB: Usually around nine months. Takes about three months to write the first draft, and another three months to do the many, many rewrites. I take lots of "cooling off periods" during the rewrites, which is why it usually stretches to nine months.

In your latest novel, LOST VEGAS, of the three central characters, Nick, Tony, and Big Jim Kelton, which one did you come up with first?

SB: I initially thought Nick and Tony were future characters in two different books when I first came up with them years ago. The opening sequence, with the movie theater robbery, was going to be part of a book featuring Tony's crew. Then I started playing around Nick, this former button man who needs to hire some robbers, and it clicked together. Big Jim came later, as I started the first draft.

Big Jim Kelton is a tremendous antagonist. The sections with him in it had me cracking up the most. I’m not taking about smirks and smiles, but full blown laughter. Where did your inspiration for him come from?

SB: Glad you enjoyed Big Jim. I've met a lot of men like him over the years -- local backslappers and gladhanders who'll cut you off at the knees, given half the chance. Big Jim's also got a sadistic streak, which he exercises through his giant Samoan bodyguard, Shamu. They're a scary couple of dudes, in my mind, but good for a lot of laughs, too. I still crack up every time I read that passage where Shamu's on fire and Big Jim is casually putting him out....

THE BIG WINK is centered around the medical marijuana industry. It is a very hot and controversial topic in California, especially lately.  How much research did you have to do?

SB: Quite a lot. At the time, we were living in Redding, where THE BIG WINK is mostly set, next to the Emerald Triangle, the most famous marijuana-growing area in the U.S. Dispensaries were springing up all over town, and I talked to some of the local owners and growers and patients while I was researching the industry. I also followed the media coverage, good and bad, for years. I think THE BIG WINK is a succinct snapshot of a place and time, as the Green Rush swamped Northern California a few years ago. But it could all change if the feds follow through on their recently announced crackdown.

After a ten year hiatus, you are getting into teaching again next spring at the University of New Mexico. The class is called “Hard-boiled Fiction and Film Noir" Almost all the followers of this blog and the ones I frequent, are huge fans of these genres. What are you going to be covering with your class?

SB: I'm really looking forward to getting back into the classroom. I teach in UNM Honors, which is like a small liberal arts college within the larger university. Small classes full of really bright students. I taught there for three or four years before we moved to California in 2003, and they always said they'd love to have me back. I offered this class there before, and it was a lot of fun. The main texts are "Hard-Boiled," an Oxford Press anthology edited by Pronzini/Adrian, and Eddie Muller's "Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir." Students also watch a sampling of noir classics such as "Double Indemnity" and "Out of the Past." It's a fun class.

You also offer manuscript editing and polishing services. What are some of the common things you find that need editing and polishing when reviewing a manuscript?

SB: Point-of-view wobbles, overblown description, too many words devoted to the wrong things (the weather, driving directions, reams of backstory), clunky dialogue, poor sentence structure. Too many writers, especially new ones, believe they can just spew word salad everywhere and the rest of us will understand what they mean. If your story isn't clear and easy to read, it doesn't matter how wonderful the ending is. The reader will never get there. For more info about my editing services, your readers can e-mail me at abqbrewer@gmail.com.

You novels have some great covers. Do you create them yourself, or does someone create them for you?

SB: I've had mixed luck with cover art over the past 17 years, depending on the publisher and book, but the ones you're referring to are my latest novels, which are published as e-books. Those covers are done by my wife, Kelly Brewer. Kelly is a former newspaper editor who's my first reader as well. The covers she's created recently for LOST VEGAS, THE BIG WINK and CALABAMA have been top-notch.

Heists are by far my favorite genre, especially when they focus on the bad guys, not the cops. I also like a few laughs, along with the suspense, tension, and action.  Can you recommend any authors who write these types of stories that I and readers of this blog might not know about, but should take a look at?

SB: Surely, you've read all the Dortmunder novels by Donald E. Westlake. Those are the best. Hell, just go watch "The Asphalt Jungle" over and over. That's all you need.

What are you working on now?

SB: I just started writing a new Bubba Mabry novel (working title PARTY DOLL) in which the Albuquerque private eye is hired to find a missing stripper named Joy Forever. Typical screwy Bubba story. Assuming I finish it, this will be the ninth tale in the Bubba series. One of the great things about e-books is that I can write about a character like Bubba, who has bounced around a lot of publishing houses, and I can be certain someone will publish it. ;-)

I have been trying to spread the good word about you, because that’s the kind of guy I am. If I discover something good, whether it’s a new band, a tune, novel, or a writer, I’m going to tell anyone who I think may have similar tastes. Social media is a great tool for this.  How do these types of applications help you as both a writer, and with promoting your various endeavors?

SB: Again, thanks to my wife, I'm very active on Facebook and Twitter. I'm typically a technology foot-dragger, but she'll get me all set up with an account and show me the basics and, next thing you know, I'm a Facebook junkie. But I've always been an enthusiastic promoter of others' work. I used to review mysteries in magazines and newspapers, until I got to know so many mystery writers, I couldn't be objective anymore. I've been a member of DorothyL for more than a decade, talking up books, and I get hard-boiled reading suggestions from rara-avis. I'm fairly new to Twitter, but I'm trying to do that retweet thing whenever I see mentions of books/authors I enjoy.

I love music, have since I can remember. How about you? What’s playing in the car, or the Casa de Brewer?

SB: I'm a big blues fan, my wife less so. When we recently moved back to New Mexico from California, we were in separate vehicles for two days, and I listened to Chicago blues the whole time -- Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Etta James, Junior Wells. Just the thing to keep me blasting across the Mojave desert. I also listen to lots of jazz, and the bluesier side of rock: Stones, Allmans, Clapton, JJ Cale. Not many people notice, but all the titles in the Bubba series come from old songs: LONELY STREET, BABY FACE, WITCHY WOMAN, SHAKY GROUND, DIRTY POOL, etc. The exception is the novella SANITY CLAUSE, which is a Christmas story.

Your  first published novel Lonely Street, featuring what you have called your franchise player, bumbling Albuquerque private eye Bubba Mabry, was made into film starring Jay Mohr, Joe Mantegna, and Robert Patrick. Can you tell us a little bit about that experience?

SB: It was a lot of fun and a nice payday, though the movie went straight to DVD after a few film festival screenings. I spent two days on the set back when they were shooting in late 2006, and that was a blast. Then we got to attend a premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival in '09. I formed a tight friendship with Peter Ettinger, who wrote the screenplay and directed the movie, and he and I still bounce around screenplay ideas together.

Where can readers and fans find you online?

SB: www.stevebrewer.us.com takes you to my Amazon page, where there's a bio, my books and my Twitter feed. www.stevebrewer.blogspot.com is my blog, Home Front, which includes a lot of humor, personal/book news and the weekly humor columns I wrote for newspapers for a decade.

I'm also widely available on Facebook, where I post my silly "Rules for Successful Living" everyday, and on Twitter as @BrewerRules.

Where can we find your novels?

SB: Most of my 20-plus books are still available in paper form through your favorite bookstore, and they're all available as e-books via Kindle, Smashwords and other e-book stores. Thanks so much for asking!

Thanks you, Steve! I wish you the best of luck and next up for me are: