tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post2825136284115160453..comments2024-03-28T21:31:13.672-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: Glen Erik Hamilton--Past CrimesJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-24732301089936434992015-02-13T20:12:51.886-05:002015-02-13T20:12:51.886-05:00Thanks everyone for dropping by and chatting! It&...Thanks everyone for dropping by and chatting! It's great to see some of my friends from the conventions and organizations -- if you've never gone to Left Coast Crime or Thrillerfest or Bouchercon or one of the many others, come out and play!<br />Cheers,<br />GlenGlenErikHamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08607878773051509249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-8809139777908649512015-02-13T20:04:24.362-05:002015-02-13T20:04:24.362-05:00Glen, congratulations on "Past Crimes." ...Glen, congratulations on "Past Crimes." Have to add it to my TBR pile. Your questions come just as I'm trying to decide how far over the line my protagonist is willing to go, so I guess that puts me into the grey hat category.Larry Gaspernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-90431566650490410552015-02-13T17:29:51.731-05:002015-02-13T17:29:51.731-05:00Good point, PK. Come to think of it, even Superman...Good point, PK. Come to think of it, even Superman operates outside the law...Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-40382336992741666572015-02-13T16:23:22.063-05:002015-02-13T16:23:22.063-05:00As I contemplated the white hat/black hat preferen...As I contemplated the white hat/black hat preference... I was struck by a conundrum. I was thinking of what characters I admired and trying to think of examples and I thought of The Avengers movie like Captain America. Yes. Love him and them. But then it struck me that he is good with all capital letters but actually operating outside the law, though associated with S.H.I.E.L.D., a shadowing organization itself. My mind is blown for the day. :) PK the Bookeemonsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03478996122841311684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-89061919187656093572015-02-13T14:19:47.913-05:002015-02-13T14:19:47.913-05:00Having just finished reading "An Unsuitable J...Having just finished reading "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman," I have to say I'm far more intrigued by heroes who skirt the law for a greater good. <br /><br />Glen, so great to "run into" you again ... always in unexpected places. The gumbo party. The Santa Claus pics line at the Americana. And now here on my favorite blog.<br /><br />I can't wait to read your new novel. Congratulations!!Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15354719566758459929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-76673344259508703322015-02-13T12:34:49.847-05:002015-02-13T12:34:49.847-05:00Hm, mostly white hats is good. Although there are...Hm, mostly white hats is good. Although there are those situations that require an elastic view of the law.<br />Pure white can be rather dull. Like vanilla ice cream it benefits from hot fudge sauce!Libby Doddnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-40312589469609155352015-02-13T12:29:09.058-05:002015-02-13T12:29:09.058-05:00I'm definitely hearing a theme here -- Gray is...I'm definitely hearing a theme here -- Gray is okay, but a strong sense of ethics is critical. No crazed vigilantes need apply. <br /><br />Deb, to answer your question: Past Crimes took about three years to write. It's a little flexible, because the original story and subplots went through some significant revisions, and I was also still very much a beginner writer, so there was some learning curve as well. Not that that curve is done -- I still feel like I have a lot to learn about writing in this genre and others, and I always feel more energized when I'm a student.<br />GlenErikHamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08607878773051509249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-46279216826402750802015-02-13T11:21:59.356-05:002015-02-13T11:21:59.356-05:00Congrats on your first book!
I must admit, I pref...Congrats on your first book!<br /><br />I must admit, I prefer protagonists who are mostly white hats. As Edith points out, the amateur sleuths I love to read about do skirt the law. Yet I find reading about criminals as the main character rarely appeals to me.Mark Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11567392254011373198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-11040625600185543132015-02-13T10:53:32.192-05:002015-02-13T10:53:32.192-05:00Welcome, Glen and congratulations! I definitely li...Welcome, Glen and congratulations! I definitely like my white hats with a bit of grey (although NOT 50 shades....)Susan Elia MacNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00349842866995778987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-72177917790152839332015-02-13T10:41:45.462-05:002015-02-13T10:41:45.462-05:00Glen, how long did it take you to write Past Crime...Glen, how long did it take you to write Past Crimes? I suspect that's a hard question to answer because most of us don't sit down and plow through a first novel without stopping. But I was curious because the book is so polished.Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-71677558473036127142015-02-13T10:37:59.803-05:002015-02-13T10:37:59.803-05:00Congratulations, Glen! I love detective novels, I&...Congratulations, Glen! I love detective novels, I'm addicted to all of the masterpiece mysteries, and boy howdy would I love to get compared to Dennis Lehane.<br /><br />White-hatted characters are pretty one dimensional. I like my heroes with shadows and dark recesses of the soul, people who do the wrong things for the right reasons. Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-35078190807188978382015-02-13T10:27:00.598-05:002015-02-13T10:27:00.598-05:00It's clear that our justice system is radicall...It's clear that our justice system is radically incapable of delivering real justice much of the time, but I'm not a fan of vigilante-ism. A protagonist who has a strong ethical code and occasionally bends or breaks the law to bring about real justice is fine with me, however.Linda Rodriguezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11913741596693442469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-77983104078965121192015-02-13T10:25:37.079-05:002015-02-13T10:25:37.079-05:00These are great replies! Thanks everyone for the ...These are great replies! Thanks everyone for the encouragement on Past Crimes. <br /><br />We definitely seem to have a preference for hats with a little gray in them. (Perhaps appropriate, given the shading of a certain movie that opens today...) <br /><br />Edith is absolutely right that our protags have to at least ignore the presence of the "proper" authorities! Maybe that adds the little bit of tarnish to the heart of gold that Mary mentioned.<br /><br />And Hank, remember we're talking about Seattle here. Just like rain doesn't get your car really clean, precipitation doesn't mean you don't have to scrub the deck. But we can both dream of sunnier days...<br /><br />Thanks, everyone!<br /><br /><br /><br />GlenErikHamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08607878773051509249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-78850816753540332642015-02-13T09:49:01.572-05:002015-02-13T09:49:01.572-05:00I prefer the law-abiding protagonist, although I d...I prefer the law-abiding protagonist, although I do enjoy reading an occasional "heist" type of novel! It's probably my desire for justice that makes me want to read about people who try to "get" the Bad Guys.Deb Romanonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-34476056421111660912015-02-13T09:17:33.638-05:002015-02-13T09:17:33.638-05:00Welcome, Glen--and congratulations!
You had me a...Welcome, Glen--and congratulations! <br /><br />You had me at swabbing the decks. It is 19 below zero here, or something like that, and if there's deck swabbing, there must be sun, right?<br /><br />Sun.<br /><br />We're about to hit another blizzard, incredibly, so curling up with a good book sounds like just the thing. Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-13314272944467859842015-02-13T09:04:52.131-05:002015-02-13T09:04:52.131-05:00Past Crimes is one of my most anticipated books of...Past Crimes is one of my most anticipated books of the season. I am happy to see it move closer and closer to the top of the TBR pile. <br /><br />As for Glen, one would be hard pressed to find a nicer guy to strike up a conversation with. I became a bit of an unintentional stalker at Glen, when we continued to shop up at the same panels and events, so I know he has good taste.<br /><br />Good luck with the impending launch week, Glen!Kristopherhttp://www.bolobooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-37767581590923482332015-02-13T09:00:21.030-05:002015-02-13T09:00:21.030-05:00The book sounds intriguing and Van seems like my k...The book sounds intriguing and Van seems like my kind of guy.<br /><br />For myself, I don't mind a little rule-skirting when the character has a very clearly defined personal code and (generally) does the rule-skirting for the "right" reasons. It's okay if that white hat is a little gray, as long as the heart of the guy/gal wearing it is gold. Tarnished gold, maybe - but gold underneath.Liz Millironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04919409969263609919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-4052963278442043652015-02-13T08:03:50.840-05:002015-02-13T08:03:50.840-05:00Throw my black hat in the ring with the others. Ro...Throw my black hat in the ring with the others. Robert B. Parker's Spenser (especially the first books)was a character who operated by his own set of rules, as we all know. And he accepted the consequences of those rules. I might not agree with those rules, but as long as they make sense to the character and he/she's consistent, then I'm along for the ride! <br /><br />Congratulations, Glen, for the publication of your first novel and for the great reviews--can't wait to grab a copy!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15456197765348393332015-02-13T07:35:31.075-05:002015-02-13T07:35:31.075-05:00Pubs, Irish, crime - what could be better? It'...Pubs, Irish, crime - what could be better? It's on my t-b-r list as of now.Gramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027824918114690029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-85885519616107835182015-02-13T05:54:23.595-05:002015-02-13T05:54:23.595-05:00This sounds like a great story. Seattle is one of ...This sounds like a great story. Seattle is one of my favorite cities, so I'm definitely picking up this book.<br /><br />A protagonist who skirts the law is the most interesting kind. Come to think of it, any amateur sleuth does that, even in cozies. Otherwise they'd call the police, tell them they found a body, and the book would be over. ;^)Edith Maxwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01388006370860482509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-61232238434498928242015-02-13T01:09:55.842-05:002015-02-13T01:09:55.842-05:00Having already read, and greatly enjoyed, "Pa...Having already read, and greatly enjoyed, "Past Crimes," I must say I'm really hoping there are more Van Shaw stories to come. Thanks for a great interview. [But I'm passing on the whole living on a sailboat experience; I can get seasick just looking at a boat.] <br />As for the "unsullied white hats," those who skirt the edges of the law are often far more interesting. Joan Emersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06810313925049108163noreply@blogger.com