The Outfit: A Collective of Chicago Crime Writers

Mortification

2009-07-16T09:20:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite books of all time is an anthology called Mortification: Writer's Stories of Their Public Shame. In it, authors like Margaret Atwood, Carl Hiaasen, Chuck Palahniuk and Michal Ondaatje tell stories about their most humiliating public speaking engagements. In one, Rick Moody looks around at those gathered for his book reading and realizes there was only one attendee who "hadn't

And Yet Another Honor for Sean!

2009-07-15T13:56:00.002-05:00

Just heard that Sean won the CWA Short Story Dagger!!! Unbelievable. Come back from across the pond, Sean, so we can congratulate you in person!!For those who don't know, the story was "One Serving of Bad Luck" from Killer Year (Mira.

Unauthorized Advice from Arthur Phillips

2009-07-15T12:12:00.003-05:00

by Marcus SakeySix or seven years ago, my wife bought me a book called PRAGUE on a whim—she liked the cover and the flap copy, and knew that I harbored expatriate daydreams. The book turned out to be amazing, and I’ve been a big Arthur Phillips fan ever since.Three books later, he hasn’t disappointed. The man is wicked smart, and writes emotionally sophisticated showpiece prose that’s also a

Rants, Vents, and Raves

2009-07-14T00:53:00.003-05:00

by David EllisI figured if I ever wrote a blog, I would sometimes just go off on various topics. Since I joined up with the talented bunch of writers here, I have limited my comments to a single subject on writing. Not today. We’ll see if people are okay with this. A few rants, raves, and observations.1. Don’t you hate it when you’ve thoroughly researched a subject and you proudly vomit all the

Plan to not fail

2009-07-13T07:14:00.004-05:00

By David HeinzmannEvery once in a while I think of a tidbit about David Mamet I once read. On the wall next to his writing desk he had tacked a card that read something like: To fail to plan is to plan to fail.Some writers need to plan more than others, perhaps, but everybody needs a layer or two of discipline. Often when we talk about this we mean either carving out the same writing time and a

Agent Secrets, Man

2009-07-10T11:11:00.005-05:00

By Kevin GuilfoileA friend of mine called recently. He had just met with an agent about representing his first novel. That's the stage when an aspiring writer probably feels most excited and most vulnerable. The hope that one of your dreams might come true is accompanied by the realization that the mechanisms of publishing are a complicated mystery and you need a Virgil to guide you through its

Not Up to One's Former Standard

2009-07-09T13:13:00.003-05:00

by Barbara D'AmatoMy husband, Tony D’Amato, read my post [June 25] about critics, fair and unfair, but thought I’d left something out, something critics sometimes do.Tony says:I always read The Outfit to find out what my wife Barbara D’Amato is thinking about. Her most recent blog was about critics. What she didn’t mention was her own dispatch of a pompous reviewer in her short story “Of Course

Kudos for the Pros

2009-07-08T02:03:00.004-05:00

by Michael DymmochI grew up reading the Chicago Daily News because my parents subscribed. Sidney J Harris taught me philosophy—before I knew what the word meant—and that the purpose of a liberal education is to make one’s head a decent place in which to spend one’s leisure. The Daily News also introduced me to Erma Bombeck and Mike RoykoYears later, I followed Royko to The Chicago

Here Comes TYRUS BOOKS!

2009-07-07T12:39:00.008-05:00

by Sean ChercoverIf you haven't heard the publishing news that broke last weekend...Ben LeRoy and Alison Janssen announced today that they will leave their positions at Bleak House Books (a division of Big Earth Publishing) and begin a new venture, Tyrus Books.To read the news release and learn more, visit: Tyrus Books.For those who don't know, Ben LeRoy and Alison Janssen are the brains and

Ready to Commit Murder

2009-07-05T12:18:00.009-05:00

by Libby HellmannAh, the joys of summer: bright sunshine, soft breezes, flowers, steaks on the grill... And skunks. Some of you already know about my ongoing trials with these creatures. Well, at this point, they’re winning. And I’ve had it. It’s war. I live on the North Shore of Chicago not far from the forest preserve. I’ve gotten used to the deer eating my day lilies (and pooping on the lawn),

July 4

2009-07-03T09:20:00.004-05:00

When I was growing up, July 4 was our best family holiday. The others tended to get bogged down in my parents culture wars (think George and Martha in the Albee play.) My mother came partly from WASPy stock, family who came here in the 1730's; my father's parents had fled pogroms. Both parents felt a fierce connection to the promise of freedom implicit in our history and every year, until

Digital Distractions

2009-07-01T11:06:00.004-05:00

by Marcus SakeyMorning folks!So in preparation for the release of THE AMATEURS, I’m doing the stuff we do: planning my tour schedule, doing interviews, thinking about contests, and, the topic of the day, revamping my web site.I’ve had a site to promote my books for about four years now, and it has changed significantly as time has passed. Initially it was really a sales piece aimed at the

Opening Statement

2009-06-30T01:34:00.003-05:00

by David EllisSorry in advance if this blog entry is a little short. I was just in Paris, and I planned to write today’s entry there, but then there was an incident, and I had to leave in a hurry before the authorities could question me.I read in Sean’s entry a few days ago about how hard it is to get a book started. A lot of what he said rang true to me, but slightly altered. My problem isn’t

Is it Alzheimers or just CRS?

2009-06-30T01:29:00.005-05:00

by Michael DymmochI forgot I was supposed to blog yesterday.Sorry about that.I've been forgetting a number of things lately. Yesterday, I forgot to look at my calendar.My sister claims my memory is perfectly normal, that I just need to slow down and pay attention to what I'm doing. Maybe she's right. Paying attention is what makes most writers different from non-writers. Writers notice

Where a Man Can Lose His Mind

2009-06-26T00:07:00.007-05:00

By Kevin GuilfoileOn an August afternoon in 2007, John Mullarkey sent a text message (by some accounts to his mother) with his blood-splattered cell phone: I stabbed my self at demi.s i love you.That same instant, Gayle Slomer of suburban Pittsburgh heard a desperate, frantic shriek outside her daughter's window. She ran out the door to find her daughter's 16-year-old neighbor Demi Cuccia

Criticising Critics

2009-06-25T09:19:00.002-05:00

by Barbara D'AmatoThe passing of Ed Gilbreth last week got me to thinking about critics and what makes a good one. He and Anthony Boucher, who reviewed for the New York Times for many years and for whom the Bouchercon is named, were what fine critics should be—well informed, open-minded, and fair.Some people use the terms reviewer and critic differently, claiming that a reviewer simply describes

"Great Bodily Harm"

2009-06-23T23:49:00.009-05:00

By David HeinzmannRemember that video of the big, fat drunk cop pummeling the cute little blond bartender because she wouldn’t serve him another drink?It was hard to miss back in the spring of 2007 when it was played over and over and over again on cable and Internet news sites. The grainy image from a neighborhood bar security camera of the huge man in the flannel shirt, his long hair spilling

The First Six Weeks Are Like Hell

2009-06-23T03:42:00.007-05:00

by Sean ChercoverThere’s a video (embedded below) of Joyce Carol Oates talking about writing. She says that she always starts with characters, and setting (which she also considers a character).She says some stuff about the various personalities of dogs and cats and horses that I found a bit odd, as much as I love animals (Hi Edgar! – if you’re reading this, which, since you’re a dog, I guess

Once Upon a Time in Iran

2009-06-21T18:40:00.003-05:00

by Libby HellmannNot long ago I went to a high school reunion and talked to a classmate I hadn’t kept up with since graduation. She was one of those people you're not friends with, but you aren't enemies; we just traveled in different circles. For some reason (maybe because I was published, maybe not) she came up to me and said she wanted to tell me her story. Naturally I said sure and grabbed a

And Glad News

2009-06-21T16:04:00.002-05:00

Each year Deadly Pleasures and Mystery News present the Barry Awards. They are named in honor of Barry Gardner, major fan of mystery fiction. Readers of the two magazines vote on the nominees.The 13th annual Barry Awards nominations for books published in 2008 include our dynamic duo. Nominee for Best Novel is TRIGGER CITY by Sean Chercover, and for Best Thriller GOOD PEOPLE by Marcus

Sad, sad news

2009-06-19T06:49:00.004-05:00

from Barbara D'AmatoI'm extremely sad to report that Edward S. Gilbreth has passed away. Ed reviewed mysteries and crime novels for the Sun-Times for many years, after a distinguished career in the newspaper business. Ed was the most wonderful reviewer you could hope to have discuss your book. He was deeply well-read in the field, but more important, because he knew what was out there, he was

The End is Near

2009-06-18T21:54:00.004-05:00

The incomparable Nicole Hollander--cartoonist, performance artist, social commentator--occasionally does a strip in which the devil tells someone how they're going to meet their end--usually in an embarrassing or banal fashion. The person tries to negotiate upward to look more heroic, but the devil always has the last word.I thought of Nicole's devil yesterday on Lake Shore Drive. I was almost

The man named Panic

2009-06-18T09:09:00.005-05:00