This Time For Sure @HankPRyan

LUCY BURDETTE: Among the casualties of the current surge in Covid cases in Louisiana was the Bouchercon mystery conference. So many people work so hard to put on a conference of this size, and so many authors and readers had planned to attend--we all felt sad when it had to be cancelled. Our own Hank had been chosen as the editor of the official Bouchercon anthology of stories, with all proceeds from sales designated for the New Orleans library. She chose the theme of second chances. Naturally, most of the sales would have happened at the conference, so we felt really glum. But now the anthology is available and we asked a few of the stellar writers who appear in it to tell us something about how they took off on the second chances theme. I cannot wait to read all the stories! 

Gabriel Valjan on Burnt Ends: The 1987 film Angel Heart, which was an adaptation of William Hjortsberg’s 1978 novel Falling Angel, haunted me, so much so that when I had read Hank’s call and the theme of ‘second chances,’ I knew I wanted to write an atmospheric story that would leave the reader, I daresay, unsettled. I wanted to convey a New Orleans in high swelter, on the verge of a reckoning. “Burnt Ends” is a noirish tale about unfinished business. History is what comes between two men. First, there is a world war and then a pandemic. The HOW and WHY I hope readers enjoy with a Sazerac, NOLA’s official cocktail.

Charles Todd: One of the great things about Bouchercon is the anthology, which is always a fundraiser for a good cause. And this year's is awesome. Thanks to Hank and her team! We can say one thing about our own story--we had such fun writing it. Wait till you see some of the characters Rutledge meets--only in a short story could we get away with testing him like this. Does everyone deserve a second chance? Even a murderer? Hmmmmm. 

Elisabeth Elo on The Unappreciated Wife: As her husband lay dying, Polly Clancy finds herself on the verge of widowhood—and a second chance at happiness. After thirty-seven years playing dutiful second fiddle to an ambitious and demanding husband, she will finally be able to make her own choices and pursue her own interests. So it comes as a shock to find out, quite by accident, that her dream will actually not materialize, at least not in the way she imagined it. Now Polly must finally face herself. What does she really want, and what is she willing to do to get it? 

Alexia Gordon on Love’s Labor: I was living in Newport, Rhode Island when I wrote this story, “virtually in-residence” as a student at the US Naval War College. My classmates and I had all relocated to Newport, excited to study at this prestigious school, founded in 1884 as the staff college for the United States Navy, only to learn that our entire academic experience would be conducted via Zoom. We felt cheated. I wanted a do-over, a second chance to experience all that the Naval War College had to offer. My mood was often as dark as Aquidneck Island’s fog is thick. I’d wander around Newport, a city that dates to 1639, to cheer myself up. I spent a lot of time by the harbor, imagining what Newport must have looked like in its 18th century heyday as a major trade center, filled with ships and rum distilleries and enough people to make it the 9th largest Colonial city. One day, instead of imaginary ships, I saw real teenagers daring each other to jump from the causeway between Newport and Goat Island into the harbor. Their target was a narrow strip of water between the causeway and a pier. Being an old fuddy-duddy and not an invincible teen, my first thought was “Do your parents know what you’re up to? One of you kids is going to whack your head on the pier, and then what?” My next thought was, “And then what? What if a loved one died because of a stupid stunt and you carried that resentment around for years, what would you do?” Love’s Labor was the answer to that question.

Lucy Burdette on Married Seeking Married: About thirteen years ago, I was waiting for my latte in a local coffee shop and spotted this on the cork board nearby: Married Seeking Married. Attractive, safe man (and with honorable reasons!) looking for companion for friendship and intimacy. Oh my gosh, someday this was going to make a doozy of a story, I thought as I pocketed the card. When Hank mentioned the theme for this anthology, I knew the moment had come. Angry divorces, second chances, FantasyFest in Key West with a fairy tale theme--this was a blast to write!

And now a question for Hank: Tell us about the theme and what you were expecting, and how that compared to what turned up in your inbox.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: This is so exciting! And I cannot wait for you all to read this. Here’s the scoop. Last...April? I got a call from the powers that be at Bouchercon--and figured they were setting up a signing for HER PERFECT LIFE and I was delighted to agree. But that was not why they were calling! When they asked me to edit this year’s anthology, I almost fell off my chair, and then of course, with much delight said yes.

All you have to do, they said, is come up with the theme and title, invite authors to participate and get them to say yes and set a deadline for the stories and edit them and organize them and write an introduction and the cover copy and coordinate the promotion. 

Sure, I said. (Having no idea. :-))   

But a few inner workings. I wanted to make sure the collection encouraged and included all authors--so we decided to have a huge widespread call for submissions. We fervently encouraged writers in all stages of their writing lives to submit, and especially encouraged those who had never been in an anthology before. Bouchercon recruited six judges (who we are keeping anonymous) to read the hundreds--I mean hundreds!--of stories that came in. All the submissions were anonymized, so no one knew who had written them.

Meanwhile, all of the New Orleans guests of honor were invited to write a story, and I was also allowed to ask some people who I thought might write terrific stories. I can tell you--they are all amazing! Craig Johnson’s story will break your heart. David Heska Wanbli Weiden--so incredible. Karen Dionne reveals the untold history of the Marsh King’s Daughter. And Alexia Gordon writes a darkly hilarious podcast. And more. 

FInally, the judges--who are definitely saints!--sent me 30 or so still-anonymized stories. I read them, and chose 12.  Out of all those submissions! AndI had NO idea who wrote them. And one of the joys of my life was when I was told who the authors were. People I had never heard of, hurray! First time short-story writers, hurray! Friends--like Gabriel Valjan and Martha Reed and Clair Lamb--hurray! Oh, it brings tears to my eyes.  Can you imagine how much fun it was to see that?  

 It’s called This Time For Sure--which was initially because it was the second Bouchercon in New Orleans. But now, it’s turned out to be a much more ironic title than any of us had imagined.

All the profits go to the New Orleans public library.  They get help from us, you get a terrific book. Please do not miss this--it’s a limited edition, and soon to be a collector’s item. Until we run out, each book will have signed bookplates from some of the authors.  And when the books are gone, they’re gone.

We have one copy of THIS TIME FOR SURE to give away today, but grab your copy here before they're gone!

What We're Reading

INGRID THOFT

It’s Monday, the beginning of the week here at Jungle Reds, but I wanted to start the week with a coda of sorts.  Last week, we talked about “What We’re Writing,” and now it only seems fitting to share “What We’re Reading.”

I’m proud to admit that I’m in the middle of an Ann Cleeves binge. I am reading all of the Vera Stanhope books, not even in order, just when I can get my hands on them.  Even though I’ve watched the first few seasons of the TV show, I’m still completely enthralled with the books, and I’m consuming them like a box of Wheat Thins, and you know I’m a slave to Wheat Thins.  The main draw, of course, is Vera, but the supporting characters are three dimensional, and the plots are air tight.  I can’t get enough of Vera! 

Ann Cleeves in Shetland.

Another book that I’ve just started—I tend to read more than one at a time—is called Warnings: Finding Cassandras to Stop Catastrophes.  The authors, Richard A. Clarke and R.P. Eddy, both have had distinguished careers in the fields of counter terrorism and intelligence, and they argue that disasters can be prevented, if only we learn to listen to the early warnings given by outliers.  Cassandra, in Greek mythology, was able to foresee calamities, but the gods cursed her so that her warnings of impending doom were ignored.  According to Clarke and Eddy, catastrophes like Katrina and the rise of ISIS were predicted by some, but their warnings were listened to by few.  Warnings examines how we can start paying attention to the Cassandras in our midst.


So, what are the rest of you reading when you’re not writing?

JENN MCKINLAY: Ingrid, I love the Vera Stanhope books but as an avid knitter, I love Ann Cleeves's Shetland Island Series with D.I. Jimmy Perez even more. I have a fascination with the Shetland Islands (home of Fair Isle knitting) and read everything I can get my hands on about the area. There was even an article in my Vogue Knitting (Holiday 2016) talking with Ms. Cleeves about the Shetland Isles. She attended Left Coast Crime here in Phoenix and she is delightful. Anyway -- sorry, I went all fan girl there for a moment -- I am currently reading Sherry Thomas's A Conspiracy in Belgravia, having just finished her A Study in Scarlet Women, which are the first two titles in her Lady Sherlock series. I am so enjoying her reworking of Sherlock (Charlotte) Holmes as a brilliant, titled, independent lady who is too clever and a bit socially awkward for her own good.

IPT: Jenn, don't even get me started on Jimmy Perez!  I would consider moving to the Shetland Islands just to listen to him read the phone book in that Scottish accent!

HALLIE EPHRON: I'm reading an advance copy of Jessica Keener's Strangers in Budapest, and it's making me think about what it would be like to move with your family to somewhere utterly alien. And I've got lined up, books by Mary Kubica (Pretty Baby) and Sara Blaedel (The Lost Woman) who blew me away at Book Passage last week, talking about how they write.

RHYS BOWEN: I'm another big fan of Ann Cleves and the Vera books. And the Shetland novels too. I've never been to Shetland but it's on my to-do list. My reading at the moment seems to be one book to blurb after another. I think I've become the go-to historical novel quotation endorsement person, and it's hard to say no when the request comes from publishers and also people like Lee Child and Louise Penny and our own Jungle Reds have taken the time to read my books. Since the books won't come out for many months yet, I don't think I should mention names as titles could change. Next on my must read instantly pile is Louise's new book, Glass Houses, which I plan to take with me when I escape for a few days to Monterrey next weekend.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: When I left for London, I was a third of the way through the new Ann Cleeves Vera Stanhope novel, The Seagull. Well, I wasn't going to lug a hardcover with me, so I had to buy it on Kindle to finish it!! (And it's really good!) I also left behind new hardcover copies of Louise Penny's Glass Houses, and Peter Robinson's Sleeping in the Ground, but I may have to wait until I get back to read those. In the meantime, there's a new Nick Dixon novel by Damien Boyd loaded on my Kindle so that's what I'm diving into. (These are British procedural novels, set in west Somerset. They are only available on Kindle but I've really enjoyed them.)  After that, who know what might call to me from a London book store??

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I just powered through Louise Penny's A Great Reckoning, and I have to say I adored it. Megan Miranda's The Perfect Stranger kept me totally guessing, and every time I thought--oh, I know what'll happen, it didn't. One of the great joys of my life is interviewing/introducing authors, so I have to (get to!) read their books to prepare, so I just read Tess Gerritsen's  I Know A Secret and Craig Johnson's  The Golden West. Such proof of how much voice matters---two completely different books, and I adored both of them. Yes, blurbing--I agree it's hilarious how that commands reading decisions.  But I count my blessings every time--such a treat! Next to read: Candice Fox's Crimson Lake.  But my current night stand book is You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott. Absolutely chilling. And cannot wait for the new Mary Kubica.

LUCY BURDETTE: I love it when I can report a run of wonderful books, and this happened over the past 10 days. First I read Chime and Punishment, the third in Julianne Holmes's Clock Shop mystery series. She has a wonderfully rounded character (which is what I care most about it) and a fascinating setting in this small town clock shop. Next I read The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda, a big sweeping novel  about an Indian man who comes to the US to study medicine. A fascinating clash of cultures.

And finally, Karen Joy Fowler's We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves. I cannot even tell you how much I loved this book. Don't want to say too much about it because I hope you'll be as surprised as I was about the twist in the plot (it's not a mystery, it's a family psychological story.) Gorgeous writing and quirky characters and a compelling plot. What more does a reader need? And on my nightstand sits Keziah Frost's debut novel The Reluctant Fortune Teller. This book reminds me of early novels by Elinor Lipman (a very good thing!) and is chock-full of interesting characters and psychological insights. You'll be hearing more from her!

IPT: I love Elinor Lipman so I need to add Keziah Frost to my TBR pile ASAP!

So tell us, what are you reading these days?

What We're Writing: In which Hank Hears Voices

The pilot coming out to tell us all is well

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Book tour is so crazy/wonderful/exhausting/hilarious. I can confess to you—on a plane from Atlanta to St. Louis last week I had a serious moment of having no idea where I was, and I could not feel my fingers. Weird. But, truth be told, it makes a good story, right?  Then from Boston to Indianapolis we had an emergency landing, which was terrifyingly NOT fun, but everything turned out fine. And, truth be told, in retrospect it makes a good story. Thank goodness.

This weekend—with the only travel by car and imagination—I spent at Crime Bake, the wonderful treasure of a crime fiction conference. On a panel with Guest of Honor Craig Johnson (LONG LIVE LONGMIRE!), we talked all about storytelling. Because of course, that’s what we all do. And those who read are just as involved with story telling, right?

w/Craig Johnson, Steve Ulfelder, Sheila Connolly, Brendan DuBois

 And now I have two exciting things to share. Both about storytelling.

First, TRUTH BE TOLD was just chosen as a Library Journal Best Book of 2014. What an honor. (I am still floating—and when I found out, in the security line at the

San Diego airport, I hardly needed a plane to get to my next destination!)

Second, I had an especially profound experience.

Last week, sitting in the Chicago airport waiting area (you can see how my life has been), with my earbuds in, I clicked "play" on the audiobook of TRUTH BE TOLD.  Wow. And again, it made me think about storytelling.

Tell me a story. How many times have you said that? How many times have you heard that? From the moment we understand what storytelling means, having someone say "Once upon a time" can transport you to a new world.

And it didn't even matter than my plane was delayed. On that audiobook, I heard my story come to life. I almost burst into tears.

The banker turned Robin Hood who manipulates mortgage records. The skeevy guy who confesses to the unsolved Lilac Sunday murder. Reporter Jane Ryland on the trail of murder victims in foreclosed homes. And Detective Jake Brogan working to solve the case that's baffled Boston police for 20 years. The reporter who makes stuff up.

It's all fully realized though the amazing voice of Xe Sands, who reads TRUTH BE TOLD so brilliantly on Macmillan Audio.

Even if you don't read audiobooks, even if you're planning to read the book-book, listen to this excerpt. Just click:

https://soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/truth-be-told-by-hank-phillippi-ryan-chapter-1 

From the very beginning, when Jane says, "I know it's legal, but it's terrible..." it's exactly the way I heard the book in my head as I was writing it.

But—very important, writers!--here’s what I learned from it. I learned a different way of writing from this different way of reading.  When you "read” an audiobook, it’s very difficult to go back and check on a fact or a character or an action. Right? You either get it, or you don’t. And if you don’t, you’re lost.

And if, at the beginning of a scene, you are confused about who is talking and where they are, you can’t go back and make sure. The minute you say “HUH?” Whose head am I in?” Or “WHOA—where am I?” You’re lost, right? And as the audio voice goes on and on, you begin to think—“I don’t get this. I’m done.”

And you give up. On to the next book. 

That was a life-changing realization for me. When you hear your book out loud, it shines a spotlight on the parts that don’t make sense, on the parts where the reader is confused, on the parts that lack clarity in time and space and geography.

When I start my revisions of my new Jane and Jake book next week—it's called WHAT YOU SEE, and you’ll hear more about that soon!—I’m going to keep in mind the lessons of the audiobook. At the beginning of every scene, I must ground the reader. Make sure they’re on the train and safely seated before the scene leaves the station.

My goal for readers–whether they read with eyes or ears—is to have them think: “OH! I can just envision that!” 

So now? Just take three minutes. Click.  And let Xe Sands tell you the "once upon a time" of TRUTH BE TOLD:

https://soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/truth-be-told-by-hank-phillippi-ryan-chapter-1 

And Darling Reds—do you “read” audio books? Let me know in the comments! What makes you love them—or not?   A fabulous prize to one lucky commenter.

And with much love gratitude and admiration to our veterans.

PS: As I said,  I'm on tour! Click here to see if I'll be in your city!
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?HankPhillippiRyan/7c7b615fd4/1ecea090f5/0113bdf8cf/HankPhillippiRyan/7c7b615fd4/TEST/0113bdf8cf

I Need A Hero...with a special Longmire Giveaway!

 JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Today's the day our friend Craig Johnson's latest Walt Longmire mystery, ANY OTHER NAME, hits the stores. Since the A&E series LONGMIRE is coming back for a second season, I assume there are a lot of people out there who've been introduced the Walt Longmire, but I (puts her hipster glasses on) have been crushing on Walt Longmire since Craig's first book, THE COLD DISH, came out ten years ago.

Walt Longmire is an example of the kind of hero I can't resist: fifty-something, laconic, tough-but-sensitive, knows his way around a gun but gets thrown by the women in his life. (People who read me may recognize certain similarities to my own male protagonist.) There are a lot of sigh-worthy heros in crime fiction, but what is it that makes them so? 

I got into an interesting discussion at Murder in Muskego a few years back on this point. I said it was competence - the sense that the hero could Do What Needed To Be Done with a minimum of fuss and bother. Tess Gerritsen opined it was being an alpha male that made the hero irresistable - women want to read about the man all other men defer to. Libby Hellman (IIRC) argued for sensitivity - a man whose emotions the reader can experience.
All of these? Something else? To reach the pinnacle of "Women want him, men want to be him," what qualities does the crime fiction hero need, Reds?

HALLIE EPHRON: Doesn't Take Himself Too Seriously and Has a Sense of Humor... those are my two. And Longmire, boy howdy! Does he qualify on both counts, especially in the novels. Ah, Likes Women... he's that, too.
And NEWS BULLETIN, Craig Johnson is going to be Guest of Honor at this fall's New England Crime Bake -- a wonderful conference for mystery writers and readers (set not in Wyoming but near Boston) which sells out fast... and registration is about to open! He'll on a bunch of panels, get the GOH interview treatment, as well as be on a panel of plot conjurers and we'll get to see how he does it. Registration should be opening later this week.
 
SUSAN ELIA MACNEAL: I love the kind of hero Craig Johnson and Julia write, but I'm also up for the deeply flawed protagonist who might not fit those criteria. The male protagonist I'm currently obsessed with is Buck Schatz, introduced in Daniel Friedman's, DON'T EVER GET OLD and now in DON'T EVER LOOK BACK. Buck's 88, moves with the aid of a walker, and has increasing issues with dementia. He's a curmudgeon, but I absolutely adore him. 


 

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: And Breaking News number two: the fabulous Craig Johnson is offering--just for today's Jungle Red commenters--THREE COPIES of his new book ANY OTHER NAME! So--just tell us about your heroes..and you're entered!

Here's me with the fab Craig Johnson last time he came to Boston..he's hilarious and tells wonderful stories. (He has a very cool wife, too.)
And Susan, I, too, am in love with Buck Schatz--he's so terrific. And right now I am delighted with Henry Swann, the poetry-reading skip tracer in Charles Salzberg's about to be released SWANN'S LAKE OF DESPAIR. Those familiar with this blog will remember my love of Inspector Morse. So I guess the thread for me in all of my favorite heroes is that they're smart. And wry.

RHYS BOWEN: My kind of hero has to be someone I can identify with. He or she has to have an innate goodness and desire to make things right. I'm a fan of the unlikely hero--Frodo in the Lord of the Rings--a little, insignificant person thrust into a role far beyond him but taking it on anyway. And retaining the self deprecating humor and basic humanity throughout. I think Louise Penny's Gamache is that sort of person. I hope that my heroines have just a tinge of it. 


DEBORAH CROMBIE: All of the above! Competent. Not necessarily outwardly tough, although I adore Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden. Likes women, yes, AND respects them. Sense of humor, check. Not taking themselves too seriously, check. And I love a bit of the eccentric--I haven't read the Buck Schatz books, or Henry Swann (putting on never-ending list) but I love Christopher Fowler's Arthur Bryant and John May.


Oh, and Walt Longmire is okay, too:-)




How about you, dear reader? What attributes do you like to see in your fictional hero-and-heartthrob? Don't forget, we have three copies of Craig Johnson's ANY OTHER NAME to give away!

Surrounded by Beautiful Women: Craig Johnson

ROBERTA: Okay, Jungle Reds, you are in for a real cowgirl treat today with visitor Craig Johnson from Wyoming. I'd heard a lot of buzz about his books, and read and enjoyed the first one this winter. On a lark, I signed up for his mailing list, which he calls "post-its." They are highly entertaining and give you a wonderful sense of the man behind the books. I knew Jungle Red Writers needed one of these notes, and Craig agreed. Hope you enjoy this post-it and then feel free to sign up for more by going to Craig's website.

CRAIG: I’m still trying to figure out why I’ was asked to blog on Jungle Red… Not that I’m not grateful, and honored. Maybe it’s the nail polish. I don’t wear any myself, but it does peak my interest, like most things female.
That’s one of the benefits of being a writer; it puts you in contact with female writers. Okay, I’ll come clean. I like women. Most of my life has been spent in the company of men, which has made the opposite sex even more appealing. Judy, my wife, says I’ve never met a woman I didn’t fall in love with in some way or another—and she’s probably right. As the saying goes, I like reading the menu but I always eat at home.
I do cheat.
In a sense.
My female characters are an entire cavalcade with whom I spend a lot of time and energy. I fall in love with them, too. My first novel in the Walt Longmire series, The Cold Dish, introduced me to a pretty wonderful group of women I could fixate on for the rest of my life. I was writing this novel in first-person and knew it was going to have a preponderance of masculinity, so I was going to have to balance that with some really strong female characters. My sheriff was in the throws of clinical depression when I first met him but I made sure to supply him with a cadre of females, mountain lionesses if you would, who protect him and make sure he doesn’t go down the tubes.
In my experience there isn’t much that men need more desperately or dismiss more rapidly than female assistance—but not my Walt. The first character who comes to mind is Ruby, Walt’s dispatcher, who provides the framework for the sheriff’s working day by planting the Post-Its on his doorframe every morning and being in charge of his moral integrity. Walt’s a good guy, but he needs reminders, like when he sucker-punches one of his deputies in The Cold Dish… Most women laugh and nod when I mention the Post-Its, because there isn’t a woman out there who hasn’t had to grab the man in their life by the lapels, stick their face in his to get his undivided attention, and say, “Hey, listen up—I need this from you.” As a gender, we guys are easily distracted.
Working my way down Main Street, Durant, the next woman up is Dorothy Caldwell the chief cook and bottle washer (a term I gleaned from my mother, the real story teller in the family) of Walt’s favorite restaurant, The Busy Bee Café. All right, rapidly following women on my list is food. Here I had this widower sheriff living on his own, mostly deriving nourishment from the pot-pies in the jail commissary, so I figured I had to give him a place to eat regularly. Do you know how often I go into the local restaurants in Wyoming and get asked if I’d like ‘the usual’? Any small town cop will tell you that if you want information go to the local café or bar, hence The Busy Bee became a nerve center for information in the novels.
Cady, Walt’s daughter, is so important that I couldn’t allow her anything but some appearances on the phone answering machine; she was so important to him that I couldn’t let him have access to her in the first book. There was a female officer in Iraq who wrote me that every time she read about Walt missing his daughter and wishing she’d call, she would immediately call her father. I have nothing to add to that and figure if the series does nothing else besides get daughters to phone their dads then my mission’s accomplished.
Victoria Moretti. Hmm… What can I say about Walt’s under-sheriff and second in command? Just about all the characters in my books are based in some way or another on somebody I know. My male readers are always asking who is Vic and what is her phone number? I’ve had the most improper suggestions from male readers. I’m thinking of putting up a 1-900 service, but haven’t found the woman with just the right voice, yet. There is this Italian, ex-Goldman/Sachs stock trader from New Jersey who comes close… But she just doesn’t have Vic’s extensive vocabulary—actually, I’m not sure if anybody does. I’m not sure if the attraction there isn’t because she talks like one of the boys, the bad boys that is, or if it’s just physical. I try to never get too detailed, but here’s an example—“with a body like Salome and a mouth like a saltwater crocodile”.
Works for me.

Craig Johnson has received both critical and popular praise for his novels The Cold Dish, Death Without Company, Kindness Goes Unpunished, Another Man’s Moccasins and The Dark Horse. The Cold Dish was a DILYS Award Finalist and was translated into French in 2009 as Little Bird and was just named one of the top ten mysteries of the year by Lire magazine. Death Without Company was selected by Booklist as one of the top-ten mysteries of 2006, won the Wyoming Historical Society’s fiction book of the year. Another Man’s Moccasins, was the recipient of Western Writer’s of America’s Spur Award as Novel of the Year and the Mountains and Plains Book of the Year.
Craig lives with his wife Judy on their ranch in Ucross, Wyoming, population 25.

And he's standing by today to answer your comments and questions!