IT'S A CRIME! (OR A MYSTERY...)

11 September 2006

Today is poignant for a myriad of reasons.

It is, of course, the fifth anniversary of an act of calculated brutality and the loss of many lives.  The pictures of the Twin Towers will forever remain the mark of that day; but let's not forget others who lost their lives elsewhere in the US, on this day, five years ago.  Likewise, the bombings in London and those in Madrid and also elsewhere in the world.  Let's also not forget the fact that some survived these atrocities with physical and/or mental hurt of varying degrees.  Some of these people will never be able to forget, for a moment or so, for the rest of their lives.  They only have to look down at a lost limb, or be unable to see, or hear, to be reminded.

Let us all remember those who lost their lives and suffered immeasurably.  And let's strive to make the world a better place, in any way we can.

Five years ago, I was at home and switched on the TV to see the events of New York unfold before my eyes.  With hindsight, I now realise that the day was so immense in its impact that I also forgot at the time, and for a while afterwards, that it was my father's birthday.  I would have  remembered before the date and been prepared, but I know I was distracted, to say the least, on the day and in the days afterwards.

But today, I cannot possibly forget my father's birthday.  He has reached the ripe old age of 80!  So, today is sad for that dreadful period in our world's history, but it is also a time to appreciate life, and, particularly, my father's life.  In fact, it's also a time to celebrate life.  Again, my father's, particularly.  He lives on and he reads on.  He has little by way of leisurely enjoyment these days, due to his health, apart from reading.  He reads novels, crime fiction mainly, and he also reads the newspapers.  His forays into the press might allow some insight into his character when he draws my attention to the politics of the day.  Our current PM holds no place in his heart, even though I suspect that my father is a diehard Labour man, through and through.  (Well, that might explain his vitriol.)

He's absolutely hopeless at crosswords (my mother's favourite passtime) and fills in the gaps when my mother has finally hit "the wall".  The trouble is this - he tends to overlook the clues and just fills in the gaps.  Plus, he doesn't care about correct spelling too much...

But hell, what's left at eighty to have fun and enjoy life, especially if you're a bit physically constrained?

Today is the day of the many dead and the many affected by that atrocity.  But it's also my father's eightieth birthday.

He doesn't read this blog.  Neither does he read any print of it that I take him.  (Although I notice that he does keep the prints.)  But he is aware of it and how it's growing.

So, happy birthday to my father!  I hope you enjoyed your cards and cake!  (And yes, I bought him a cake in the end.  And don't laugh, I bought him a "Thomas the Tank Engine" cake.  He has a very sweet tooth!  And before Beeching, he was a railway man.  In addition, I'm still keeping him well stocked with novels, as best I can...)

More in the "crime sites to watch" category - this one's from Headline!

It's not fully up and running yet; it's "coming soon", but here's the link to Headline's "Crime Files" web site.

While it's in "Full Site Coming Soon" mode, Headline has posted up a link to download their latest "Crime Files" Magazine and they also have a link to download an extract from "Never Fear", the UK debut from Amercian author Scott Frost.  (From that page you can also subscribe by email for further information from Headline.)

(Note: Scott Frost is a scriptwriter who has worked on "Twin Peaks", "The X Files" and "Life Goes On".  It appears that "Never Fear" is in fact his second novel, which, along with the first, "Run the Risk" was published in the US by Penguin.)

And it's a small world...

As noted here before, Penguin UK also has a focused crime fiction site: "Most Wanted".

It's good to see UK publishers making that focus as it allows quick access to what's new for favourite reads!

I suggest pagemarking Headline's "Crime Files" for future reference.  Their authors include: Paul Eddy; Barbara Nadel; Brian Freeman; Martina Cole; Louise Penny; James Patterson; David Morrell; Michael Jecks; Quintin Jardine; Anne Perry; Janet Evanovich; Colin Bateman; Steve Martini; Veronica Stallwood; Jed Rubenfeld and Siamese cat lover, Lilian Jackson Braun.  Amongst others...

Currently reading...

..."Raven Black" from Ann Cleeves.  This is the novel that won the CWA's inaugural Duncan Lawrie (formerly the "Gold") Dagger Award in 2006.

I'm not too far into it, but the first pages are so good I can already understand why!  I'm looking forward to the conclusion and the write-up already!

Do check out Ann's site as it's a source of great information, for her own work and also those of her colleagues within the "Murder Squad" team.

Now back to bed for some more pages of that novel and some well earned zzzzzzs.

At a best guestimate, I'll post again next weekend.  Have a good week and enjoy your reading!

The Venice Film Festival

Sorry, but I can't resist this before I go to bed.

The film about Her Majesty The Queen, called "The Queen", (focusing on the untimely death of Princess Diana and its impact on the monarchy), starring Dame Helen Mirren as the Queen, has picked up a couple of awards at Venice - Mirren for "best actress" and screenwriter, Peter Morgan, for "best screenplay".

But here's the bit I really love - a quote from the winning screenwriter Peter Morgan, courtesy of the BBC:

"Collecting his prize, Mr Morgan joked: 'Thank you Tony Blair for timing your political disintegration with the release of our film.'"

Congratulations to Helen Mirren - I've always appreciated your work and love to see you on screen, whatever the role.

Congratulations to Peter Morgan - a great script is what makes a great film!

"Taking Comfort" by Roger Morris

I'd read the synopsis of this novel before and thought it sounded like a bit of a thriller.  Hence the hook for a normally genre focused reader...

And so it is a bit of a thriller in type, but it's also more than that.  It's more literary than the crime thriller genre due to its marketing (based on originality) more than anything else, but also due to the style of its writing.  As noted in various sessions at the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival this year: good innovative crime writing pushes boundaries.   Timing aside, if anyone had actually read and chosen to take notice of "Taking Comfort", they'd have read a novel that wasn't crime per se, but one that pushed the boundaries, just like those others that featured in 2006. 

In a nutshell:  Rob Saunders is on his way to start a new job with a corporate insurance giant in the City when he is an observer to the suicide of a Japanese student on the Northern tube line.   As she jumps, she drops a Snoopy ring binder onto the platform and Saunders picks it up, finally placing it in the safe haven of his own new briefcase, the leather "Di Beradino classic".  But the observation of this woman's suicide, and a memento taken from the incident is just the start - Saunders faces a couple of days or more of tragedy and disaster, in which he feels compelled to take another memento, and another...  He is merely an observer.  The tragedy and disaster are theirs, until Rob becomes a reluctant party to all that unfolds...

I have not read a book like this in a long time.  It really is original.  Every chapter is an individual "scene" and the key way of getting to know the main character within that scene is through the product they embrace and what it means to them, as explicitly told.  As Rob himself, the main protagonist of the novel is a marketing man, the focus is on marketing, so we get the short spiel that accompanies each of the products in the market place.  Then, we get to understand what the product means to the holder and how it brings them comfort, all alongside a scene that moves the plot forward.

Pace is assured and catalysed by the Golf GTi presence of the present tense (a product that does not feature - that's just my analogy).

Rob appears to be in a stage of mental meltdown, observing all kinds of crime and bad things within a short period.  Some may question this and think "coincidence" or "contrived", but I didn't.  Personally, I amended the "rule of three" to "rule of five" some time ago.  Bad things don't necessarily come in threes.  You may be lucky and have the odd one or two.  You may also amend your thoughts on the matter, as I did.

So, I was open to the set of circumstances that led Rob to his breakdown and I kept reading, eagerly anticipating, but not guessing the dénouement, which ultimately came as a shock.

In conclusion - this is a damn good read, for a few other reasons as well.  (More later.)

Those who hate the mention of designers and "product placement" in their fiction reading will need to "suspend" their sensibilities if they choose to read this novel.  What they hate is the beauty and originality of this novel; but I urge them to get past the labels and see them as Morris sees them in this novel - a source of comf0rt for some, but not others.

So what can this novel bring that others don't?

• Morris gives great insight into London living here.  If you want to know what it is like to be a tube commuter and work in the City, this is your book, even down to how lunch is typically experienced.
• School leavers and university graduates are inundated with corporate brochures that tell them what a wonderful career they can have with "said" firm/company.  This is true to an extent - they may have some work experience, but it is unlikely to be in the  sort of company they aspire to join for the longer term.  To work through a blissful naivety, I suggest that Morris's novel "Taking Comfort"  should be required reading for those about to embark on a corporate career.  I have read nothing that says so much about the corporate world; its politics; the politics of ambition; the day to day grind; the experience of the "newbie"; the impact of "first impressions" - than this.

This is a very good novel on many counts.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I need to reminisce about the Nobo Brainstormer Flipchart Pad.

Find me an author said he...

Thanks and congratulations are due!  Thanks to the readers of this blog who clicked out to a certain site and congratulations to the site itself, which is proving to be an original take on finding that author...

I've recently swopped a couple of emails with the owner and manager of "find me an author" ,(see the link in the left sidebar), because it came to light that this blog is the source of the bulk of their referrals.

I'm really not one to boast, but when reviewing my sitemeter stats the other day, I discovered a link to those of "findmeanauthor" - and in the referrals section, I counted up "It's a crime" pages as making 21 out of their top 30 referrals!  To say it surprised me is an understatement.  I was simply glad I was sitting down at the time.

So indulge me if you will; I'd like to remind you about "findmeanauthor.com".

Originally considered a "madcap" idea by the owner himself, it's a madcap tangent that works.  On that site you will see a selection of thumbnail pictures of authors, by genre, and if you hover your mouse over a picture, a box of blurb comes up to tell you something about them, but not who they are.  As a reader of crime fiction, I can't see anyone as too different from me - it is so easy to click on the link to the author's website, as you simply have to find out who they are!

This site is good for both readers and writers as:

• Readers may find a new author, just by clicking on an author photograph.
• Writers who use this site for "publicity" may find new readers (and it's not a massive chunk of budget, so I suggest you try it out).

And now, I'll leave you with a quote from the owner, something of which I am very proud:

"What can I say? http://itsacrime.typepad.com/ has been fantastic; I am really proud to be associated with it!"

I will sleep more soundly tonight.  It's good to know this blog has its uses!  Those words are better than a Mogadon.  (Not that I take Mogadons, I've just heard about them, you understand...)

Coming up soon...

The next book featured on here will be th highly original "Taking Comfort" from Roger Morris.  Expect that near the start of next week.

I will be away for a few days.  I'm going into hiding.  I thought I ought to.  I've discovered in my sitemeter stats that someone from Jane's Information Group Ltd. is reading.  No, just joking.  I reckon it's the post about Robert Wilson's "The Hidden Assassins" that did it!

I will, of course be reading while sitting around at a hospital, but I'm not sure what yet.

A moment devoted to choral music and to composer Ed Hughes particularly

Thanks to the very kind Macmillan New Writing writer Roger Morris (whose novel "Taking Comfort" I am reading right now) I have been able to listen to more of the music of Ed Hughes.  Roger used a piece of music composed by Ed Hughes for the video trailer for his novel.  It was such a haunting and evocative piece of music that I had to hear more; so after hitting Amazon and Googling in vain, I asked Roger how I could indeed hear more.

Roger put me in touch with Ed Hughes and he sent me a link to his site, on which he has loaded a few MP3s.  They are for personal use only and I suggest you try them out, if you like choral music and contemporary classical music.  I love each piece and all are different.

All of life is in there, if you listen carefully.

Once again, here it is.  The first part of "Why Weepest Thou in Wild Array" is what I heard in Roger's trailer and that is what had me hooked!  But that's not all on the site, so do take a gander and listen carefully.  Great stuff!  I hope we hear more and get a CD in the market place.

As a complete novice in this sphere, I can only imagine it's even harder for a contemporary composer of classical music to make his/her mark than a new author.  I may well be wrong.  But I really love what I hear and invite you to try this out.  What wonderful sounds, melody and imagery!

Medieval mysteries

Jeri Westerson recently emailed me with an invitation to read her interview "with Sharan Newman and Margaret Frazer, the divas of medieval mystery! They have some interesting things to say regarding history, writing, and the publishing industry".  Jeri is writing medieval mysteries too and seeking a publisher.

Thanks Jeri and all the best with your work!

(You'll have to scroll down the page a little to see the interview Jeri refers to, as I have been a little remiss of late in catching up on here, and elsewhere come to that!)

The rise of the "celebrity" book

Friday evening is fast turning into diatribe evening.

Last week it was the impudent daring of the media to suggest that J.K.Rowling does not spend her money as a "celebrity" should, which caught my eye.  This week, I came home to an email from book2book about "celebrity publishing", which said:

"Such is the lure of the bookshelf in the aisles that when mass-market imprints want to hire a commissioning editor these days, they nip out and pick one up from Tesco. But will these top-dollar deals from the School of Jordan be shrewd investments for the buyers, or just enormous boobs? Alas, we can't even call a premium-rate line to cast our vote."

I loved the last line on that one.  The link was to an article in The Independent which has done the rounds of finding out what "celebrities" have been signed up for, for mega bucks, to tell their stories.  So here we have it, The Indie's list and my own thoughts:

Kerry Katona with "Too Much too Young" -  The Indie suggests that the title may in future be inscribed on the tombstones of many foolhardy publishers".  I agree.  This ever foolhardy and increasing culture of "celebrity" has at its heart an underlying dependence on short-termism.  Katona's appearance on "I'm a celebrity, get me out of here" was eons ago.  Reliance on Iceland ads does not feature personality.  I think it will bomb.

Jack Osbourne with "21 Years Gone" - it may be a life of just 21 years, but anything "Osbourne family" seems to capture the public's imagination.  It'll sell, but not overly well; he doesn't have his mummy's public profile, or her history.

Chantelle Houghton with "Living the Dream" - her Big Brother appearance was some time ago now, but she did have a Jonathan Ross talk show appearance recently with her hubby-to-be.  I anticipate lots of promo allowing a pretty good initial show in sales, then a very fast slide down.

Pete Bennett, the recent Big Brother winner who has Tourette's has been signed by Random House.  The signing is prompt, so this shows promise.  If more become aware of the reality of Tourette's then this might be a worthy addition to the shelves.  One I think will make a payback.

Billy Piper - oh I think this one will sell and extremely well.  Piper has achieved a very wide audience in her short years, from the very young, courtesy of Dr Who, to the quite old (also likely courtesy of the same).  It's also based on talent and actually doing something; and neither does she concentrate on one thing, she moves on and stretches herself.  In that short life, Piper has packed in much more than many in twice the number of years.  She's also been dripping comments into the media about just how awful life was as a teenage pop star, and how she and Chris Evans met at a dreadful time in both their lives.  This, I reckon, will pack a great punch and sell extremely well.

When it comes to "The Gospel According to Chris Moyles - another Random House extravaganza - then, given the title, thoughts of extra-judicial crucifixion do spring to mind" says The Indie.  I've heard of him; caught him on "Celebrity X-Factor"  one or two times when I must have been eating dinner (about the only time I might see the TV on an ad hoc basis) - he's a popular DJ, on Radio One.  But do young listeners who share his taste in music want to read what he has to say?  I suspect sales, but the lack-lustre variety.

The Indie also asks and comments "Did Little, Brown really pay, as credible sources maintain, a cool million for Rupert Everett's star-struck reminiscences, Red Carpets and other Banana Skins? If so, that title might, like Katona's, prove a touch too prophetic for comfort."  The Indie has overlooked a couple of things here.  Everett is a "friend" of Madonna.  He's also a man many heterosexual women love and also love to hate the fact he's homosexual.  He's even caught the eye of my 73 year old mother, for goodness sake.  ("He's gay isn't he?  What a waste!" says she.  Well for some, yes.  For others not at all.)  Seriously though, Everett is old school when it comes to autobiographies - he's an actor, not a "celebrity".  It all depends what's in there, but I suspect the "million", if true, is over the top.  He's not Gielgud or Olivier in their day, after all.  But the Madonna friendship factor may prove to be key.  I'd anticipate reasonable sales, but nothing to get him into bestsellers' list, even with a big promo budget.  He needs a bigger profile right now, however gorgeous he is.  It's that old short-termism thingy again.

Terry Wogan with "Mustn't Grumble" - according to The Indie he had a "stupendous advance making 'Mustn't Grumble' - the understatement of the publishing year?"  Like Everett, it depends what he has to say.   The Indie also notes his "evergreen appeal".  I strongly suspect that this is a dark horse that could be in the bestsellers' list for weeks, if not months.  The 40+ group, who cringed at hearing him when young, when their mothers tuned into his show on the radio, are now listening to him and finding him talented, skillful and entertaining (and cringing at that the thought that they cringed before).  Endless pages on The Eurovision Song Contest would kill the book.  But I don't think he'd do that.  The only risk is that he'll play safe and become a boring autobiograahy/biography.  My money's on evergreen sales for this one.  This could be a dark horse emerging from a Trojan horse.

Gary Barlow with "My Take" on his time with the band "Take That"- its history, long gone.  Those who enjoyed the intrigue at the time have moved on.  They've now got lives with mortgages to pay, kids to feed and educate as best they can, and they're juggling all sorts of stuff.  I wish Barlow all the best as he is very talented.  But hoping to take on the "celebrity" world right now, with a book about his life is misdirected.  Whoever signed him up, should be shot on sight - there could have been many more worthy books that the public would be interested in - if only you'd done some market research.  This one will bomb like Anthea Turner's, or Cherie Blair's history of PMs' wives, if not worse, IMHO.

The Indie concludes with this, a shortened version:

"... In modern Britain, celeb culture acts as a focal point of power and privilege; the new elite who service and profit from it are denying us other voices and choices. Starve the gifted poor; throw money at the undeserving rich; and vilify anyone who points out the emperor's curious lack of clothes. Celebrity publishing belongs to the realm of fairy tales in more ways than one. "

My opinion is this: the culture of "celebrity" is a hollow sham.  I take comfort from an observation many years ago that suggests our "quite" young are more able to fight an evergrowing culture than their parents.

In the mid 90s, in an aisle in Sainsbury's in west London, I observed a child, of about ten years of age remonstrate with her mother about buying eco-friendly products.  The child won and "eco-friendly" made it into the trolley, the mother now well and truly "educated" about that topic.

This culture we have in the UK of "celebrity" and associated spending to be the same as them is not good.

Today's "celebrities" as touted by the media are boring and have nothing to offer.  A true "celebrity" is known because they have a piece of work to offer and appreciate, such as: writing; acting; music; or pursuance of a decent cause/campaign.  There are many things, but simply being in the public eye is not one of them, for long lasting memory.

Let's get real, please.  And if we do, the bestsellers' list will reflect my thoughts when it comes to the "authors" The Indie has noted in that article.  I have faith in humankind.  The reading public has discerning taste and will be heard.

"Celebrity" is nothing.  An author who has something to say of value, will always have a reader or two or more...