This week, Robert Cooperman "On Hearing The Supreme Court's Ruling Against the Voting Rights Act":
Submissions for 5-2 guest editor Terry Trowbridge are open through September 30.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
My Bouchercon 2013 Plan
Here are my first and second choices for the panels I want to take in at Bouchercon, September 19-22, in Albany. I'm arriving Thursday, possibly late for the noon panels, but if not:
Thursday 12:00-12:55 P.M. - River of Dreams - Room 1 - The road to being a debut author with moderator Erin Mitchell, Sean Chercover, Elizabeth Haynes, Gilbert King, Lisa Lutz, and Alex Marwood.
2nd Choice - Thursday 12:00-12:55 P.M. - Can I Get a Witness - Room 7 - On William Morrow's planned digital-first mystery line, Witness, with moderator Danielle Bartlett, James Heyman, Dan Mallory, and Meg Ruley.
Thursday 1:20-2:15 P.M. - Angry Young Man - Room 2 - What drives the P.I. with moderator Ted Fitzgerald, J.L. Abramo, Jack Fredrickson, David Housewright, Tom Sweeney, and Richard Lipez.
Thursday 2:40-3:35 P.M. - Leave a Tender Moment Alone - Room 6 - Levels of intimacy with moderator Lauren Henderson, David Corbett, Heather Graham, Julie Kramer, William Kent Krueger, and Jess McConkey.
Thursday 4:00-4:55 P.M. - The Siegfried Line - Room 3 - Crime before, during, and after World War II with moderator Peter Rozovsky, James R. Benn, J. Robert Janes, John Lawton, Martin Límon, and Susan Ella MacNeil.
Thursday 7:30-9:00 P.M. - Opening Ceremonies - Hart Theater - As part of the ceremonies, SMFS president Tom Sweeney will present plaques to the Derringer winners.
Friday 10:20-11:15 A.M. - Goodnight, My Angel - Room 2 - Readers' love affair with hardboiled and noir with moderator Peter Rozovsky, Eric Beetner, Mike Dennis, Dana King, Terrence McCauley, and Jonathan Woods.
Friday 12:30-1:25 P.M. - Until the Night - Room 1 - The art of writing the P.I. novel with moderator Ali Karim, Baron Birtcher, Jack Bludis, Brendan DuBois, Charles Salzberg, and John Shepphird.
2nd Choice - Friday 12:30-1:25 P.M. - Somewhere Along the Line - Room 6 - Guess the true first line with moderator Rhys Bowen, Lucy Burdette, Deborah Crombie, Hallie Ephron, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Julia Spencer-Fleming.
Friday 1:50-2:45 P.M. - I Don't Want to Be Alone - Room 1 - The art of collaboration with moderator Barbara Peters, Barbara Collins, Max Allan Collins, Wendy Corsi-Staub, Jonathan Greene, and Paul Kemprecos.
Friday 3:10-4:05 P.M. - Light as a Breeze - Room 4 - How far can you go and still be a cozy? with moderator Donna Andrews, Laura Bradford, E.J. Copperman, Liz Mugavero, Katherine Hall Page, and Rebecca Tope.
Saturday 10:20-11:15 A.M. - Shameless - Room 6 - Dead Cats & Bad Girls: The True Taboos in Crime Fiction with moderator Laura Lippman, Megan Abbott, Alison Gaylin, Lauren Henderson, Greg Herren, and Alex Marwood.
Saturday 3:10-4:05 P.M. - A Room of Our Own - Room 4 - What are We Reading? with moderator Dave Magayna, Lynn Farris, Jordan Foster, Joe Myers, Gerald So, and Kristopher Zgorski.
Sunday 9:00-9:55 A.M. - Pressure - Room 2 - The trials and tribulations of a modern author with moderator Russel McLean, Frankie Y. Bailey, John Burley, Aric Davis, Barb Goffman, amd Koethi Zan.
2nd Choice - Sunday 9:00-9:55 A.M. - Heartbreak Hotel - Room 3 - Being a writer doesn't come with room service with moderator Tom Sweeney, Maggie Barbieri, Suzanne Chaizin, Chris Ewan, Terry Shames, and Andy Siegel.
I hope I've left enough time for spontaneity. Feel free to contact me and rope me into something not listed.
Thursday 12:00-12:55 P.M. - River of Dreams - Room 1 - The road to being a debut author with moderator Erin Mitchell, Sean Chercover, Elizabeth Haynes, Gilbert King, Lisa Lutz, and Alex Marwood.
2nd Choice - Thursday 12:00-12:55 P.M. - Can I Get a Witness - Room 7 - On William Morrow's planned digital-first mystery line, Witness, with moderator Danielle Bartlett, James Heyman, Dan Mallory, and Meg Ruley.
Thursday 1:20-2:15 P.M. - Angry Young Man - Room 2 - What drives the P.I. with moderator Ted Fitzgerald, J.L. Abramo, Jack Fredrickson, David Housewright, Tom Sweeney, and Richard Lipez.
Thursday 2:40-3:35 P.M. - Leave a Tender Moment Alone - Room 6 - Levels of intimacy with moderator Lauren Henderson, David Corbett, Heather Graham, Julie Kramer, William Kent Krueger, and Jess McConkey.
Thursday 4:00-4:55 P.M. - The Siegfried Line - Room 3 - Crime before, during, and after World War II with moderator Peter Rozovsky, James R. Benn, J. Robert Janes, John Lawton, Martin Límon, and Susan Ella MacNeil.
Thursday 7:30-9:00 P.M. - Opening Ceremonies - Hart Theater - As part of the ceremonies, SMFS president Tom Sweeney will present plaques to the Derringer winners.
Friday 10:20-11:15 A.M. - Goodnight, My Angel - Room 2 - Readers' love affair with hardboiled and noir with moderator Peter Rozovsky, Eric Beetner, Mike Dennis, Dana King, Terrence McCauley, and Jonathan Woods.
Friday 12:30-1:25 P.M. - Until the Night - Room 1 - The art of writing the P.I. novel with moderator Ali Karim, Baron Birtcher, Jack Bludis, Brendan DuBois, Charles Salzberg, and John Shepphird.
2nd Choice - Friday 12:30-1:25 P.M. - Somewhere Along the Line - Room 6 - Guess the true first line with moderator Rhys Bowen, Lucy Burdette, Deborah Crombie, Hallie Ephron, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Julia Spencer-Fleming.
Friday 1:50-2:45 P.M. - I Don't Want to Be Alone - Room 1 - The art of collaboration with moderator Barbara Peters, Barbara Collins, Max Allan Collins, Wendy Corsi-Staub, Jonathan Greene, and Paul Kemprecos.
Friday 3:10-4:05 P.M. - Light as a Breeze - Room 4 - How far can you go and still be a cozy? with moderator Donna Andrews, Laura Bradford, E.J. Copperman, Liz Mugavero, Katherine Hall Page, and Rebecca Tope.
Saturday 10:20-11:15 A.M. - Shameless - Room 6 - Dead Cats & Bad Girls: The True Taboos in Crime Fiction with moderator Laura Lippman, Megan Abbott, Alison Gaylin, Lauren Henderson, Greg Herren, and Alex Marwood.
Saturday 3:10-4:05 P.M. - A Room of Our Own - Room 4 - What are We Reading? with moderator Dave Magayna, Lynn Farris, Jordan Foster, Joe Myers, Gerald So, and Kristopher Zgorski.
Sunday 9:00-9:55 A.M. - Pressure - Room 2 - The trials and tribulations of a modern author with moderator Russel McLean, Frankie Y. Bailey, John Burley, Aric Davis, Barb Goffman, amd Koethi Zan.
2nd Choice - Sunday 9:00-9:55 A.M. - Heartbreak Hotel - Room 3 - Being a writer doesn't come with room service with moderator Tom Sweeney, Maggie Barbieri, Suzanne Chaizin, Chris Ewan, Terry Shames, and Andy Siegel.
I hope I've left enough time for spontaneity. Feel free to contact me and rope me into something not listed.
Friday, August 30, 2013
THE OTHER WOMAN by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Embroiled in a lawsuit, TV reporter Jane Ryland protects her source and is let go by her station. Jane lands at the Boston Register newspaper, where she's assigned to look into why a Senate candidate's wife has dropped off the campaign trail. Jane's search overlaps a police investigation into possible serial killings.
My interest in The Other Woman was piqued last summer, when I saw it described on Twitter as "Basic Instinct meets The Manchurian Candidate." I'm still not sure what that means, but the book plays on readers' expectations of political corruption and collusion. It's not much a stretch to say everyone is involved with everyone else.
The book is told from the viewpoints of Jane, her friend Boston Det. Jake Brogan, and a handful of key players, but is nonetheless full of eye-popping revelations. Quite a feat.
My interest in The Other Woman was piqued last summer, when I saw it described on Twitter as "Basic Instinct meets The Manchurian Candidate." I'm still not sure what that means, but the book plays on readers' expectations of political corruption and collusion. It's not much a stretch to say everyone is involved with everyone else.
The book is told from the viewpoints of Jane, her friend Boston Det. Jake Brogan, and a handful of key players, but is nonetheless full of eye-popping revelations. Quite a feat.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Perception: "Warrior"
TNT's Perception had its summer finale last night, a great episode that brought to a head Season 2's storylines so far. I was wary of Scott Wolf joining the cast, thinking Donnie might be a shallow character introduced just to throw a wedge between Daniel and Kate. That is how things began, but with each episode, Donnie was fleshed out. This season has seen not just Daniel at low points, but Donnie and Kate as well, and in each case, the other characters have come through as you'd hope friends would.
The Cumulative Effects of Violent Entertainment
Earlier this week, I joined a discussion on Tyrus Books publisher Ben LeRoy's blog about the repercussions of crime fiction. Ben conscientiously asks:
Also taking the discussion to Twitter, Ben asks to what extent violent entertainment perpetuates real violence and contributes to a cycle whereby writers depict violence, cynicism, and other negativity in their efforts to depict our world accurately.
I replied on Twitter that—though I enjoy some violent fiction, TV shows, and movies—a lot out there doesn't appeal to me. I choose not to immerse myself in violent entertainment even knowing it's not real.
I'm not saying, "It's not a problem for me, so it's not a problem." I just think we should equip future generations to be discerning consumers of entertainment as well.
Even if all of the violent media consumed doesn't cause copycat acts of violence, what does it do to the hardwire of our brain as far as our perception of those around us, most notably the strangers on the “other side” goes?
Also taking the discussion to Twitter, Ben asks to what extent violent entertainment perpetuates real violence and contributes to a cycle whereby writers depict violence, cynicism, and other negativity in their efforts to depict our world accurately.
I replied on Twitter that—though I enjoy some violent fiction, TV shows, and movies—a lot out there doesn't appeal to me. I choose not to immerse myself in violent entertainment even knowing it's not real.
I'm not saying, "It's not a problem for me, so it's not a problem." I just think we should equip future generations to be discerning consumers of entertainment as well.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Ben Affleck is Batman?
I've just read Variety's report that Affleck has been cast as Batman opposite Henry Cavill's Superman in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel sequel. I'm in disbelief given Affleck's professed disappointment at having played my favorite superhero, Daredevil, and his resulting vow never to play a superhero again.
The report is probably true, though. I liked Ben well enough as Daredevil. I don't know that I'd believe him as a darker, broodier Batman, but his Batman may not be as dark as Bale's anyway. The key will be for the characters to balance each other. Since Cavill's Superman is darker, Affleck's Batman may be lighter. There's room for that without reentering Joel Schumacher territory.
Here's what I thought when news of the movie broke at San Diego Comic-Con.
The report is probably true, though. I liked Ben well enough as Daredevil. I don't know that I'd believe him as a darker, broodier Batman, but his Batman may not be as dark as Bale's anyway. The key will be for the characters to balance each other. Since Cavill's Superman is darker, Affleck's Batman may be lighter. There's room for that without reentering Joel Schumacher territory.
Here's what I thought when news of the movie broke at San Diego Comic-Con.
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