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Shotgun Honey Presents: Both Barrels Volume 1

No Regrets

October 2, 2012October 2, 2012Writing, Books1 Comment

When Ron Earl Phillips asked me to be in the first ever Shotgun Honey anthology, my fingers couldn’t type “YES” fast enough.

Today marks the launch of Shotgun Honey Presents: BOTH BARRELS:

Buy the Trade Paperback – $14.95
Buy for Kindle – $4.95
Buy for Nook – $4.95 (coming soon)
Buy for Kobo – $4.95 (coming soon)

Before I continue, many thanks must be given to the Shotgun Honey crew: Kent Gowran, Ron Earl Phillips, Sabrina Ogden, and Chad Rohrbacher. These folks help writers like me who are trying to get their name out there by publishing our stuff. For that I am very grateful.

To date, this is my proudest achievement as a writer. My story, REGRETS ONLY, is about a chronically down-and-out woman named Tammy Valero, who, when she learns she has terminal cancer, decides she has a few loose ends to tie up.

The story was challenging for me to write, mostly because it required me to dig deeper than I usually do. I felt exposed and vulnerable when writing it, as though Tammy’s story was my own (it’s not, of course). Every story written, no matter how short, is a learning experience, and this story in particular was a milestone.

But enough about me. Check out the amazing talent who appears with me in this anthology:

Andrew Nette – King Tut’s Tomb
Cameron Ashley – The Blonde Chimera
Chris Holm – Not Forgotten
Dan O’Shea – Father’s Day
Frank Bill – The Jade Bounty
Frank Wheeler Jr. – Tapdancing for Idiots
Garnett Elliott – Chicken Soup for the Hole
Glenn Gray – Intubation
Hector Acosta – Jueves
Holly West – Regrets Only
Jen Conley – Escape
Jim Wilsky – Traffick
Joe Myers – Cold Read
Julia Madeleine – Rage
Keith Rawson – 2 Kilograms of Soul
Kieran Shea – The Judgement of Roland J. Monroe
Matthew C. Funk – Lovely Men
Michael Oliveri – The Wrench in Her Works
Naomi Johnson – Hero
Nigel Bird – Rhythm of Life
Nik Korpon – The Owls
Patti Abbott – How to Launder a Shirt
Paul D. Brazill – Gareth and Fiona Go Abroad
Peter Farris – Cut. Copy. Paste. Delete
Ray Banks – The Warmest Room
Steve Weddle – The Awakening: From the Cyborg Lesbian Vampire Chronicles
Thomas Pluck – Train: A Denny the Dent Story
Tom Pitts – Luck
Trey R. Barker – A Good Boy

Forget my story–I can’t wait to read what everyone else wrote.

Retro Homicide

September 11, 2012September 11, 2012WritingLeave a comment

I couldn’t be more pleased to announce I’ll be moderating a panel at Bouchercon 2012 in Cleveland:

RETRO HOMICIDE
Murder in the Golden Age of the 1940s and 1950s
Saturday, 10/6/12
1:30-2:20
Ambassador Room

I’ll be joined by a stellar group of authors: Kelli Stanley, Terence Faherty, Jim Fusilli, Sally Wright, and Sheila York.

As always, there will be lots of great panels at Bouchercon 2012. Click here for the full schedule.

Orlin Neville Horn

September 10, 2012September 10, 2012Diversions, More About Me7 Comments

UPDATE: This is a post I wrote back in September 2007. I’ve updated it to reflect the current year, 2012.

Orlin Neville Horn. How’s that for a name?

Today is my grandpa’s 90th birthday. I’ll be heading up to Oregon soon to celebrate this milestone birthday with him.

I am very lucky to be 44 and still have a grandpa. He was 46 when I was born, which is kind of young to be a grandpa. But here’s the kicker–my grandma was 39 when I was born! I can’t imagine being a grandmother at the age I am now, considering I can’t even imagine being a mother. But I suppose it would feel very nice to know that I’d finished the hard work of raising my children and could now enjoy my grandchildren. Here is a photo of my grandparents holding me (left) and my brother (right):

Here is a picture of my grandpa when he was a boy (he’s the taller one on the left. The one on the right is his brother Hollis, who passed away a few of years ago):

Remember the old cliche “When I was a kid I had to walk five miles, barefoot, in the snow to school?” Well my grandpa really did!

My grandpa grew up in Arkansas during the depression. He was the oldest of eight children–four boys and four girls. All four girls are still living, but my grandpa is the only remaining boy. They were very poor. My great-grandfather worked as a field hand and so did his boys. During the depression, they were employed through the WPA.

My grandpa was a tractor mechanic for much of his life but basically did all sorts of ranch work during his entire career. He is missing his right index finger up to the knuckle–the result of a work accident years ago.

This is my favorite picture of my grandpa:

He stopped playing the guitar when he lost his finger. I have his guitar displayed in my house (it’s not the same guitar as in the picture though. Wonder what ever happened to that one?).

Here’s a bit of trivia for you: My grandparents used to bowl with Johnny Cash’s ex-wife, Vivian. They didn’t like the movie “Walk the Line” because they didn’t like the way it portrayed her.

Another bit of trivia: my grandpa used to haul cattle on Slauson Boulevard from a ranch very near the property now occupied by LAX.

There are very, very few people in the world who I love more than my grandpa. He is an old man now, despite the fact that I still see and think of him the way I did when I was a little girl. He taught me all I need to know to live to be 90:

1) Smoke at least a pack a day for 40 years
2) Drink at least one beer a day
3) Drink a Carnation Instant Breakfast every morning
4) Eat pinto beans at dinner every night
5) Watch a lot of Bonanza
6) Never give up your love of the casinos
7) Be married to the same woman for 65+ years
8) Love your family more than anything, especially your first born granddaughter

My grandpa probably won’t ever see this, but I’ll say it anyway:

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

P.S. Here’s another funny Grandpa story.

Picture of a puppy studying. I know. Awesome.

I Build Stories

September 7, 2012September 7, 2012Current Affairs, Writing, More About Me1 Comment

I was thinking about something as I completed my two-mile run to nowhere on the treadmill this morning:

I build stories.

I’m very proud of the stories I build. But one thing is absolutely certain: though they are ultimately my own, they were not built alone.

They started with my parents, who kickstarted my imagination by reading books to me and encouraging me to be creative.

They were enhanced by the wonderful teachers I had while attending public school.

They were funded by the grants, student loans, work study programs and scholarships I received so that I could go to college.

They are assisted by my husband, my first and last editor.

They are improved by the brainstorming and critique sessions with my fellow partners in crime.

They are published by my fellow writers who come together in amazing ways to promote each other’s work, fund charitable projects, and to celebrate a mutual love of reading and writing.

There is no question I’ve benefitted greatly from the larger community of which I’ve been a part, both public and private. For that, I’m thankful.

I build stories, but I do not build them alone. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thinking Positivity

August 1, 2012August 1, 2012Diary of Bedlam, Inspiration, Diversions, More About Me, Writing4 Comments

Lenny Kravitz’s Mama Said album is one of my favorites of all time. I played the hell out of that sucker when it came out and for years afterward. It’s been awhile since I broke it out so maybe today it’s time. Let’s start with this:

When I first thought of this post it wasn’t supposed to be about Lenny Kravitz, but before I get to the meat and potatoes of it, I’d like to tell you a story from my archives.

Circa 1995 I lived in West Hollywood and worked in Mar Vista. My commute consisted of three streets: Right on Santa Monica Boulevard, left on La Brea Avenue, right on Venice Boulevard, reversed on the trip home. Easy, but traffic laden, so I generally spent about 30-45 minutes in the car each way.

Back then I had a fantasy that one day I would meet Lenny Kravitz, we’d hit it off, and fall in love. Okay, so I didn’t believe it would ever really happen (though at 25 I was nothing if not idealistic) but since I lived in LA and often had random celebrity sightings, it wasn’t such a far-fetched idea that I might actually see him one day. It was, as the title of the post indicates, “thinking positivity.”

So one day on the way home I was sitting in traffic on La Brea Avenue when I noticed a guy with long dreadlocks entering a furniture store on the right. It’s called Little Paris Antiques now but I’m fairly certain it was called something different back in the day.

There was no doubt in my mind it was Lenny Kravitz and it was an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up. Fortunately I was in the far right lane so I quickly pulled over and parked in front of the store.

It’s worth noting at this point that I’d skipped lunch that day and had stopped by the 7-11 on Venice and Sepulveda to buy a snack for the ride home. I don’t remember exactly what it was but it was crunchy and oniony, and left a powdery residue everywhere. I’d placed the open bag on the passenger seat and had been digging into it the whole ride home, so I’ll let you do the math on how I must’ve smelled. Still, I wasn’t about to let a little onion breath stand between me and my destiny. I ran into the store and it wasn’t long before I spied the man I’d seen enter.

Now, if this was a work of fiction, this is where I’d add the twist: the man turned around and it wasn’t Lenny Kravitz at all–it was just some poser. Cue the womp womp music.

But this was real life y’all! I found myself face to face with the man who was numero uno in my book. My Lenny radar had not failed me. It was the man himself.

I remember two things vividly about that meeting. 1) He was about as tall as I am, 5 ft. 4. 2) He had the most beautiful flaring nostrils I’d ever seen. Seriously, I could not stop looking at his nose.

He looked a bit panicked when I approached him. I quickly allayed his fears by telling him what a big fan I was and how much I respected him for being vocal about his commitment to Christianity. I loved me some Jesus big time back then. He just nodded politely while I spoke and then thanked me graciously, told me how sweet I was.

Did you hear that? He told me I was sweet. Unsurprisingly, that was the extent of our romance.

Okay, so this post wasn’t supposed to be about Lenny Kravitz. It was supposed to be about positivity.

Recently I started writing at a coffee shop on Sunday mornings with a couple of fellow writers. I noticed that we seem to spend a good deal of our time (when not writing of course) berating ourselves for not writing more. For not being more dedicated. For being slackers.

And yes, by some writers’ example, perhaps we are. But spending so much time talking about how we fail keeps us from being proud of how much we’ve achieved. With that in mind, I started reflecting on what I’ve accomplished since 2012 began:

1) Finished a major revision of DIARY OF BEDLAM, thereby greatly improving the manuscript
2) Started querying agents again
3) Had a flash fiction story published online
4) Contributed one short story to an upcoming anthology (a story, by the way, that I’m very proud of)
5) Been asked to contribute a second short story to a charity anthology
6) Hired a professional editor to edit DIARY OF BEDLAM
7) Begun implementing the suggestions of said editor
8) Started a new WIP
9) Started working with a critique group

Not too shabby!

This isn’t to say I can’t improve my work ethic, but sometimes it’s good for me to step back and look at what I have accomplished instead of dwelling on all the ways I don’t live up to my own expectations.

Lenny Kravitz would be proud.

Writing and the Craft of Sushi Making

July 25, 2012July 25, 2012Inspiration, JapanLeave a comment

It really comes down to making an effort and repeating the same thing every day.

Last night Mick and I watched a great documentary called Jiro Dreams of Sushi. It’s gotten fantastic reviews, we both love sushi, and since visiting Japan in 2007 I’m kind of enamored of the place in general, so we figured it would be interesting. It turned out to be more than that–it was inspiring.

Considered by many to be the best sushi chef in the world, Jiro Ono is a national treasure in Japan. So, what does it take to become the best sushi chef in the world? Well, for one thing, Jiro has been practicing and perfecting the craft of creating sushi for seventy-five years.

He tastes every piece of fish, trains his employees meticulously (even after ten years, his senior apprentice is still sometimes regarded as a novice), and thinks about sushi and how to improve his craft in nearly every waking moment. As the title says, he dreams of sushi.

Says Jiro:

Once you decide on your occupation, you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That’s the secret of success and is it’s the key to being regarded honorably.

While I’d say that Jiro is not a man who has achieved balance in his life (he doesn’t seem to need it as he’s content to put all of his energy into his occupation), I couldn’t help but be inspired by his work ethic. After only four years of studying and practicing the craft of writing, I am still a mere beginner. I must practice my chosen occupation every day.

Will I some day become a true master? If it takes 75 years, then perhaps not, but it’s certainly something to strive for. With every word comes improvement, albeit in small increments, but still there is progress. With every sentence comes increased mastery.

It’s not the first time I’ve compared a Japanese craft to the craft of writing. In 2009 I wrote a post called Secrets of the Samarai Sword:

The level of expertise required to make a sword can be applied to any field, whether it be sword making, jewelry making, or in my case now, writing. Young people apprentice in this work at an early age and through the years become experts themselves, thus preserving a tradition that is hundreds of years old. It is a reminder that to be good at anything, even if one possesses natural talent, takes years of practice. It is affirming and daunting at the same time–I am a novice at writing, at least as it pertains to novels, and I have a lot of work in front of me to become an “expert.”

There is still much work to be done, but in the end, it is worth it.

A Little Validation Goes a Long Way

July 17, 2012July 17, 2012Writing, Diary of Bedlam6 Comments

Diary of Bedlam update: Still querying agents and waiting for agents to get back to me.

The waiting game can be hard and frustrating. Although I must say the more time that goes by, the more I forget I’m waiting because I’m working on new projects. I’ve got actual deadlines, people! That feels good, makes me feel more legitimate for some reason.

In the midst of all this waiting I also sent the DOB manuscript to a professional editor. It was something I’d been contemplating for awhile, especially because I’ve been thinking seriously about self-publishing. On Sunday, I got my edit letter back and it was very encouraging.

There’s some work to be done, sure. But the editor (whose previous experience includes a few big 6 publishers) says DOB might be the book that could get me a NY contract. I hadn’t realized how much I needed to hear that until I actually heard that. She agreed I wouldn’t be compromising by self-publishing since it might be more lucrative to do it, but if I still had my sights set on a traditional deal, DOB was a contender (okay, my words, not hers).

So I’ve got a little revising to do and then I’ll be querying agents throughout the fall. If I don’t get any bites, maybe I’ll go the self-publishing route.

As a reminder, I’m contributing a story to the FEEDING KATE anthology which will be released in October. It promises to be a fantastic book, so please consider making a contribution so you can get your copy.

And in other news I’ve started (or rather expanded) a home/lifestyle blog called Crafty Devilish. I figure I spend so much time looking at home decor blogs, food blogs, etc. that I should put all that interest to good use. But I did it for another reason as well: after putting most of my creative energy into writing for the last four years I realized I wasn’t as happy as I wanted to be. I needed another creative outlet and Crafty Devilish is it. If you’re interested in that sort of thing, pay the blog a visit and get regular updates on Facebook by “liking” it.

Feeding Kate – A Charity Anthology

July 10, 2012July 10, 2012Inspiration, Books, Current Affairs, Writing2 Comments

I am honored to announce I will be contributing a story to a charity anthology called FEEDING KATE. It benefits someone whose very dear to me and many others in the crime fiction community, Sabrina Ogden. She suffers from lupus and needs a jaw surgery that her insurance company won’t pay for (those bastards). Laura Benedict, Laura Curtis, Clare Toohey, and Neliza Drew organized an Indiegogo campaign to fund it, and for just $5 you can get an e-copy of the anthology. An $18 contribution will get you the print version, and higher donations will get you a signed copy. All the details are here.

Even though I call this a “charity anthology,” it really doesn’t feel like charity. You know why? Because your contribution will get you a kick ass crime fiction anthology featuring stories from some of the best crime fiction authors writing today:

I know, huh? It’s great to be included in such an awesome list of writers–I am humbled.

If you’re unable to contribute, you can still help by posting about this anthology on your blog, interviewing one of the authors, tweeting about it, posting it on Facebook, etc. We all appreciate any promotional help you can give for this cause.

Where are my Bootstraps?

July 9, 2012July 10, 2012Writing2 Comments

I try to stay pretty upbeat online, really, I do. I try not to give in to my dark thoughts, I mostly avoid passive aggressive status reports, and in general, I don’t want to be a complainer, or come off as negative. Which doesn’t mean I don’t state my opinion when I have one, it only means I try to be nice about it, or at least have a semi-well-informed argument.

The thing is, I am a complainer. I can be bitter and resentful and petty. In fact, bitter and resentful and petty might just be my default state. But I’m working on it, I swear I am.

The last few days have been a bit hard for me though. It all started with a rejection on Friday morning, the first email of the day. It wasn’t a particularly surprising one, nor was it from someone I’d placed a lot of hope on, but I hadn’t seen one for awhile and it shook me. I spent all of Friday in a terrible mood and after a weekend of pretending none of my WIPs existed, today I find myself feeling a little like giving up. You know, giving up this writing thing. I won’t do it of course but there’s just that urge to say fuck it and get a job at Starbucks, or, as I’m so fond of joking, be a greeter at Walmart.

I realize I’m just feeling sorry for myself (and really, for no good reason–nothing’s changed in my writing world, which admittedly might be part of the problem). This type of self pity is similar to work avoidance in that it feels a bit legitimate. I’ve been doing this for this many years and what have I accomplished? Of course I should quit! It’s kind of the same as saying I’ll get to work as soon as I sharpen all these pencils because otherwise, what will I write with?

There’s this thing that I know exists, but I don’t often hear it spoken of. It’s writer’s jealousy. If left unchecked, it can be a potent poison, and I think I’ve been letting it get to me. This is where I need to put on the blinders and say the good fortune that other writers have has nothing to do with me–and to call it good fortune is a bit disrespectful because it doesn’t take into account all of the hard work, the time spent, and the patience that other writers have put into their own craft. Regardless, I’m happy for all of their good fortune and writer’s jealousy isn’t based on resentment about what they’ve accomplished it’s about my own perceived failure.

This post isn’t a prelude to me giving up, not at all. It’s simply me putting it out there, I’m feeling bummed, impatient, bitter. It happens to us all, no matter what we do, no matter what our goals. The best way to combat it is to simply take the next step or another step in whatever it is that’s going to get you closer to where you want to be. In my case, it’s getting a few hundred words written. So I think I’ll end this here and get to work.

All Time Favorite Book

June 19, 2012June 19, 2012Inspiration, Diversions, Books2 Comments

Naming one all-time favorite book is like choosing your favorite song–nearly impossible. Even as I was thinking about this post I thought well, really, it’s a toss up between two. Then I stopped myself and said NO. You get one and only one.

Sometimes I can be really hard on myself.

So I thought about it a little more. It became pretty clear what the favorite was, and so I shall name it:

MARJORIE MORNINGSTAR by Herman Wouk

It’s about as far from crime fiction as you can get, but I so dearly love this novel that I kinda-sorta get choked up just thinking about it. The ending is so bittersweet that I’ve never read it and not cried. And I’ve read it many, many times.

It’s not a sad book, not at all. It’s the story of Marjorie Morgenstern, a 17-year old, beautiful Jewish girl growing up in Manhattan in the 1930s. Her Russian immigrant parents have worked hard to make certain she has the perfect future: marriage to a prosperous Jewish boy and a family. But Marjorie has no interest in living the dull life her parents lead and has a different idea; she wants to be an actress on the Broadway stage. The book is a chronicle of her road to the stardom she dreams of, her struggle between what she thinks she wants and what society expects of her, and what, ultimately, she really wants out of life and love.

I so wish there was something brilliant I could say to make you understand how great this book is, but alas, I feel I’ve failed.

I first read MARJORIE MORNINGSTAR when I was around 15 years old. One could argue that I still view it with the idealistic eyes of a teenager and thus it might not be worthy of the title MY FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME. I’d concede that might be true but it doesn’t change the fact that Wouk’s characterizations, his portrayal of pre-war New York City, and the world in which Marjorie lives are so vivid and charming I can only say “idealization be damned, this is a kick-ass book.”

What is it Liz Lemon says? I want to go to there. In Wouk’s deft hands, I can.

I’m turning 44 tomorrow so perhaps I’m feeling nostalgic, but MARJORIE MORNINGSTAR sums up much of what life is all about–endeavoring to achieve our dreams because we think that’s what will bring us happiness but realizing when it’s time to leave them behind.

See what I wrote there? Realizing when it’s time to leave your dreams behind.

I get misty just thinking about it.

But enough about me–I want to hear what your FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME is. And none of this toss-up crap. You get one and only one.

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