Monday, March 31, 2008

A Wonderful Review

"The Guilty
proves that Pinter knows what he's doing as his exciting plot grabs the reader from the first page. Pinter also bypasses many of the cliches and predictable storylines.

Pinter's series hero, Henry Parker, is a young, ambitious reporter with good news judgment and a sense of ethics. Fortunately, the newspaper he works for is more interested in actual news than the gossip that feeds its competition. The shooting of a celebutante at a nightclub opening is the beginning of a rampage by a sharp-shooter who uses an antique rifle. Henry uncovers a link between the killer and a legend of the Old West.

The Guilty is a fresh tale with original characters, as Pinter demonstrated in last year's impressive debut, The Mark."
--Oline Cogdill, Sun-Sentinel

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Sunday, March 30, 2008

It is 12:37 a.m. on Sunday morning. I am hunched over a stack of manuscript pages, the final proofs for THE STOLEN. I have just downed a cup of coffee, a glass of Red Bull, and a can of Coke is next on the agenda. Writing is not exactly the most glamorous of professions.

But damn do I like how this book turned out.




Friday, March 28, 2008

Jose Canseco

I think this guy is the biggest scumbag on the face of the earth. Whatever he's done to expose the steroid era in baseball, fine. Congratulations. I'll give him credit for helping clean up the game. But that's where any sort of congratulations end. Don't think for a second Canseco would have done any of this if he wasn't getting paid. He's not a hero. He's Henry Hill, some worthless junkie who realized life had nothing more for him, a doofus who found people willing to pay for his story in which he condemns all the terrible things other people have done.

Even before Canseco began his "crusade," the guy was in a personal and professional tailspin. He was a punchline, Hawking his belongings, including his awards for chump change. He beat his wife, and beat up tourists. And ever since he became a "celebrity" with JUICED, you can barely turn on your TV without seeing the guy dispatching his "expert opinion" on the state of the game.

Today I was in my local Barnes & Noble and came across a copy of his new book, VINDICATED. The one where he says he introduced Alex Rodriguez to a steroid dealer, and personally injected Magglio Ordonez with roids. Now I would never buy Canseco's book, neither this one or the first. As much as I do hope the game is cleaned up, I refuse to contribute a dime to Canseco. 

Flipping through VINDICATED, it was painfully obvious the book has more empty stuffing than Pamela Anderson. A ten page chronology of Canseco's career. Twenty pages of lifetime statistics of all the players named in the book. Tons of photos. Forget paying $24.95, just go to ESPN.com. That's 97% of the book right there.

Then I turned to the back flap and read Canseco's 'about the author.' The last line of his bio reads as follow: Jose now lives a quiet life in California with his daughter Josie.

Quiet life?!?!?!?!?

When exactly does this quiet life occur? In between seasons of "The Surreal Life"? During his Nightline interview? After he was literally turned away from the recent (televised) congressional hearings? In between takes on the as-yet-to-be-filmed movie of his life that Canseco has been trying to get off the ground for years?

Do you know why Jose refused to name the mysterious 'Max' during his Nightline interview, claiming "The timing's not right"? Because he wants to maximize his publicity. And do you know why the book is being released on Monday, March 31st, opening day of the 2008 baseball season? To maximize publicity.

Jose Canseco is not a crusader. He is not a man who prefers anonymity. He is a man who realized he could make a few bucks throwing everyone he ever knew under the bus, and is now squeezing out every last drop he can. If I were Josie, I'd be pretty careful doing anything Dad wouldn't approve of since there's a good chance he'll throw her under the tires to puff up his third book.

So please, don't buy VINDICATED. You'll get all the relevant stories as the sports media picks apart the book's (fairly meatless) bones. If A-Rod and Ordonez are guilty, so be it. We'll learn in due time. And if baseball is going to be cleaned up, it can be done so up without donating money to this vermin. Lord knows you don't need money to lead a quiet life.

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Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Awards, links, etc...

Last week I got the press release that THE MARK had been nominated for "Best First Novel" by the Strand Critics Award (you can check out the actual release here). This is the second nomination the book has picked up (the other being from Romantic Times magazine), and I'm really just thrilled and shocked by both. Most importantly, it means people have enjoyed the book. And for that I'm thankful.

And here are a few links to get caught up on:

THE GUILTY has gotten some wonderful notices recently. Here's the latest from Bookreporter.com. And you can check out the rest of the reviews here.

I arrived home yesterday to find galleys for THE STOLEN waiting for me. A very pleasant surprise. I plan on posting a sneak peek at the cover art shortly, but subscribers to my newsletter will get an early look. You can sign up in the handy box on the right side of this blog, or at www.jasonpinter.com.

I must give a shout out to fellow Mira author Rachel Vincent, whose second book ROGUE just hit stores. Her first, STRAY, was a huge hit, and she's a pretty darn nice person as well (and a big help with my contest last month). Check out her terrific blog at urbanfantasy.blogspot.com, and then order a copy of ROGUE.

I'm in the midst of planning several trips. I'll be in Arizona on April 6th, signing at the renowned Poisoned Pen bookstore. I've never been to the Pen, and I'll be signing with C.J. Lyons. C.J. has been a friend for a few years, and her first novel LIFELINES was just released. C.J. has had a, shall we say, unique road to publishing her first novel, and I hope it's a huge success. Then I'll be at the Oklahoma Writers Federation Conference in May, and in June I'll be hopping across the pond to promote the UK release of THE MARK. I'm particularly excited for this, as my UK publishers have been wonderful and are working very hard to spread the word. They've lined up some very cool promotions, though a few of them will test my mettle as videographer and spokesman. I'll post links when I can (provided I'm not humiliated).

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Thursday, March 20, 2008

I'm speechless...

Strand Magazine Announces Nominees for 2007 Critics Award

Award honors excellence in the field of mystery fiction

DETROIT, March 20, 2008—The Strand Magazine has announced its nominees for the 2007 Strand Magazine Critics Award. Recognizing excellence in the field of mystery fiction, the Critics Award is judged by a select group of book reviewers from the nation’s top daily newspapers, as well as by Andrew F. Gulli, Managing Editor of The Strand Magazine. With Larry Gandle of The Tampa Tribune serving as The Strand Critics Award chairman, this year’s judges include Patrick Anderson of The Washington Post, Dick Lochte of the LA Times, Oline H. Cogdill of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, David Montgomery of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Hallie Ephron of The Boston Globe, and Sarah Weinman of The Baltimore Sun.

Best Novel

Down River by John Hart (St Martin’s Minotaur)
The Shotgun Rule by Charlie Huston (Ballantine Books)
The Strangler by William Landay (Delacorte Press)
The Watchman by Robert Crais (Simon and Schuster)
What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman (William Morrow)

Best First Novel

The Blade Itself by Marcus Sakey (St. Martin's Minotaur)
In the Woods by Tana French (Viking)
The Mark by Jason Pinter (Mira Books)
Missing Witness by Gordon Campbell (William Morrow)
When One Man Dies by Dave White (Crown Publishing)

“We’ve got a great group of experienced book reviewers from all over the country judging these books,” said Frank Simon, Associate Publisher of The Strand. “Add to that the fact that The Strand is putting its name behind it and you can be sure that all the nominees represent some of the best mysteries being published today.”

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Nobody Knows Anything

While reading the newspaper this morning, I came upon an article comparing two recent memoirs by tabloid staples: LOSING IT by Valerie Bertinelli, and STORITELLING by Tori Spelling. The article noted how Bertinelli's memoir is a huge bestseller, while Spelling's memoir has not kept the same pace. And while Spelling's book has not flown off the shelves the same way Bertinelli's did, Bookscan numbers indicate that Spelling will likely end up in the top 5 on next week's New York Times bestseller list.

Now here's what perplexes me. Both of these books were offered on proposal while I was still working as an editor. I remember discussing them in editorial meetings while trying not to laugh. I couldn't take the discussions seriously. Valerine Bertinelli? Tori Spelling? Where's the proposal by Mario Lopez? How about Buddy Lembeck?

Granted, at 28 years old I'm too young to be overly familiar with Bertinelli's "resume," and am actually one of the few people my age who wasn't addicted to 90210 (I was a "Saved by the Bell" guy). Still, I'm a huge pop culture fanatic and am well aware that when these two names came up, my first thought was, "Wait, weren't they both just on 'The Surreal Life'?"

I have not read either book. And do not plan to. But from all the media hoopla, I can basically sum up their books like this: Bertinelli lost a lot of weight, cheated on her rock star husband and screwed Steven Spielberg. Spelling was born wealthy, doesn't get along with her family, and has had lots of plastic surgery. BTW my favorite tidbit from Bertinelli's appearances? Discussing her audition for the part of Marion in "Raiders of the Lost Ark," which she says I was so wrong for. Yeah. The old, 'it's not you, it's me' routine.

Anyway, I was shocked when I saw the massive media blitz Bertinelli received, culminating with a spot on Oprah. Again, I acknowledge I am the exact opposite of the book's target audience. Yet something was surprising. Bertinelli has regained the limelight for the most part by doing crummy, exploitative reality shows and airing her infidelities. Spelling has clutched onto her fame like a toddler who stole a piece of candy and refuses to give it back. To my generation, both actors are largely self-parodies, along the lines of Flavor Flav, Scott Baio and formerly Anna Nicole Smith. It shocks me to see that so many people are paying $25 to read their books, especially when the media has seemingly cherry picked all the "juicy" parts. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, though. Ashley Dupre is bound to reap a seven figure windfall for 'whatever.' And if a publisher signs her up, they're deluding themselves if they think they're publishing anything more substantial than a hardcover edition of Letters to Penthouse. And don't think those P&Ls won't include pricing for a 16-page color insert.

Decent people don't get publicity. We're too busy watching Tori Spelling and Valerie Bertinelli talk about their disorders, addictions and infidelities. Did I mention that Spelling sold the photo rights to her unborn child to OK! Magazine for $250,000? We're too transfixed by Margaret Seltzer to pay attention to literature, memoirs or otherwise, that is honest and genuine. Is it a coincidence that James Frey's A MILLION LITTLE PIECES has sold over a million copies after he was exposed as a fraud? Want to get your name out there? Do something terrible, then apologize for it. It's practically a winning lottery ticket.

When it comes to books, there's rarely such thing as bad publicity. If you don't think LOVE AND CONSEQUENCES would have been a huge bestseller had Riverhead not recalled the print run, you're kidding yourself. Sales of Kaavya Viswanathan's OPAL MEHTA went up the week after she was accused of plagiarism. Compared to other forms of media--movies, television, music--books are the redheaded stepchild of P.R. And nothing gets more ink than a scandal, something gross and tawdry. Finding a newspaper these days that isn't running topless pictures of Spitzer's hooker is like searching for a condom wrapper in a landfill.

It seems like in order to find the money you not only have to hit rock bottom, but you have to live underneath the stones.

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Wednesday, March 19, 2008

THE STOLEN: cover art exclusive!!!

I'm offering a sneak peek at the cover art for my next Henry Parker novel, THE STOLEN. This quickie will only be available to subscribers to my newsletter however. So if you haven't signed up, go to www.jasonpinter.com and enter for this exclusive viewing.

Not only will you get a sneak peek at THE STOLEN cover art, but you'll have access to lots more exclusive content, including contests, giveaways, and news before anyone else gets it.

So head on over to www.jasonpinter.com, sign up, and find out why THE STOLEN will be Henry Parker's most chilling story yet.

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Monday, March 17, 2008

Seattle: Not just coffee and Pearl Jam!

Enjoy the batch of photos from my trip last week to the city of Seattle, where I partook in a signing at Third Place Books and an interview that will run on authormagazine.org. First off, I have to give a special thanks to writer/reviewer extraordinaire Jeff Ayers, who was kind enough to show me around the city. Not to mention patient enough to wait in the car while I took pictures of the space needle. And without further ado...

Seeing THE GUILTY at the Detroit Metro Airport during my first layover. A cool way to start the trip.

The view of downtown Seattle outside my hotel room. No match for the brick wall view from my NYC apartment.

Oh, who am I kidding.

The Space Needle. Apparently there's a restaurant at the top. Of course there is.

I got a fever...and the only cure...is MORE SPACE NEEDLE.

According to Jeff, this is the hill where Frasier Crane lives. Yes, I know Frasier is not real.

The Needle, seen rising above the Seattle Science Fiction Museum. The museum was built by Paul Allen. Allen also owns the Seattle Seahawks, the Portland Trail Blazers, and Eddie Vedder.

Third Place Books, the store gracious enough to host my signing and interview. Any time a book store is the tentpole in a fairly large mall it's a good thing.

The placard for my signing. To the right there's a stack of about a bazillion Jodi Picoult books. Though my books fought hard to defend the onslaught, Jodi Picoult fights dirty.

With my buddy Jeff Ayers. If you're a Trekkie, make sure to check out his book VOYAGES OF IMAGINATION: The Star Trek Fiction Companion. If you're not a Trekkie, you stopped reading after "Jeff Ayers."

A pleasant surprise: one of my former editees, Alex Bash, made an appearance. Alex's first book, THE IMBIBLE, comes out in August. It's a flat out hilarious book. Bonus: you might get a hangover just reading it.

More needle.

A restroom at Minneapolis/St. Paul airport during my second layover. I swear, Larry Craig walked by the second I put my camera away.

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we're experiencing technical glitches...back soon




Friday, March 14, 2008

Friday Links

I'll post some photos from my Seattle trip on Monday, but for now here are links to two recent interviews.



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Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Checking in....

...from the 18th floor in a hotel room in Seattle. I'm here for a signing and interview at Third Place Books. A more detailed account will come shortly. But I had to share this: apparently the hotel shampoo is called 'softening sea lettuce' and the body wash is called 'stimulating sea rocket.' Let's just say there are a few props missing from the XXX version of "The Little Mermaid."

And also...Eliot Spitzer's 'friend' Kristen has a MYSPACE PAGE!

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Monday, March 10, 2008

The Wire: Series Finale

I didn't get around to watching any of "The Wire" until a few months ago, when I went on a wire binge, bought the first three seasons on DVD and watched the fourth On Demand in the time it takes for Tony Soprano to fall off the fidelity bandwagon. Safe to say it quickly became one of my favorite shows of all time, and even though I've only been a fan for a scant few months, I'm sad to see it depart. The writing in particular is arguably the best I've ever seen/heard on TV.

"The Wire" never ceased to amaze me with its incredibly large cast of characters, and how each of their lives intersected, but even more so than that each character was defined, had a true personality. With literally dozens of people to keep track of--from the lowest grade school pusher to the mayor of Baltimore--you could know each person just from their language and cadences. Baltimore in "The Wire" felt like a real world.

And in the end, as many expected, everything came full circle. The crap got recycled. Just to recap (I can't call these spoilers, since the show's run its course):

--McNulty gets booted, but redeems himself with Helene McCready (I mean Beadie Russell). Quits the booze, quits the broads, learns to play Sorry! with her kids. A little too neat, considering I wouldn't have been shocked if McNulty ate his own gun at the end of the show. But Beadie deserved happiness, so good for them.

--Lester retires to make his wooden chachkis, alongside D'Angelo Barksdale's stripper ex-girlfriend. Go figure.

--Kima and Bunk appear to be partners. There wasn't any real drama as to what was going to happen to either of these characters, but it was a nice scene at the end where Lester and McNulty absolve Kima for ratting them out.

--Daniels is out, Rhonda is up. I thought Daniels's arc was especially interesting, since in seaosn 1 he's installed as head of the Major Crimes Unit because he's a 'yes man', and ends up leaving his job because he refuses to be one. Though we never learn what dirt Nerise and Burrell had on Daniels. Call it a five season long McGuffin.

--Bubbles is finally allowed out of the basement. One of the more poignant--and pertinent--moments was when Bubbles was talking to Walon about the newspaper article, wondering why so much ink is spilled on a reformed addict when all he's doing now is what he should have been doing all along. People with integrity don't get press in Baltimore, just the people who screw up. (wait, is that just in Baltimore?)

--Carcetti proves that extramarital fling in season three wasn't an isolated incident; the guy's soul is corrupted. But now he's Governor, and if there's a "Wire" reunion in five years, he'll probably be president. And Norman laughing like a hyena when Carcetti learns Bitey McBiterton wasn't real--priceless. 

--No Clay Davis! Boo! Seriously, if Isiah Whitlock, Jr. (who plays Davis) doesn't get an Emmy nod, there's no justice in this world. His courtroom monologue was simply one of the greatest speeches in TV history. It was brilliant yet horrifying, because you knew everyone on the jury was eating it up. And when he turned his pockets out, and the camera showed Pearlman looking stunned, you knew all that work was for nothing.

--Carver is up at the BPD, Herc is up with Levy. Speaking of which, I never bought that Levy couldn't put 2 and 2 together and realize Herc was the "anonymous source" who turned over Marlo's cell number. How many other options were there? 

--Rawls is head of the Maryland State Police, Stan Valchek is the new commissioner, Nerise Davis is the new mayor. I still love the brief scene at the end of season two where Valchek is looking at the photo of Sobotka's purloined van, and realizes, too late, that it was a pretty good joke. And still we don't know why Rawls popped up in that gay bar in season three. Obviously it was meant to shock, but it never went anywhere. Since we never learn a thing about Rawls's personal life, it felt a little too manipulative looking back (SLEDGEHAMMER OF PLOT: Everyone has secrets!!!).

--Landsman is Landsman, and you're soulless if you didn't get a little emotional during his speech at McNulty's "funeral". Amidst all the bluster, you knew that when Landsman says he'd want McNulty to catch his case, it might have been the only sincere and heartfelt thing Landsman has said all series.

--Leander is the new McNulty, already leaning on judges. I never cared much for Leander; he was one of the few characters who felt underdeveloped. And his cracking of Marlo's code, talk about lucky...

--And at the Sun, Gus is down, Alma is out, Templeton is the golden boy even though even though everyone, his bosses included, know he's full of poop. This didn't sit right by me. I can't imagine anyone willfully ignoring Templeton's now proven B.S., especially when so many could easily blow the whistle. And if Clark Johnson doesn't get an Emmy nod for Gus...ugh, who are we kidding. This show will get Emmy nods right around the same time the media stops covering Paris Hilton blowing her nose.

--Chris is in prison for life. Snoop is dead. Cheez is dead. Slim Charles is the new Prop Joe. Michael is the new Omar (a nice surprise), Dukie is the new Bubbles (sigh), Namond is the new Cornel West, and Prez finally grows a pair (and a beard). 

--Marlo goes back to his roots, quickly and viciously. And man, that scene where Marlo scares off the two corner boys then laughs orgasmically at the sight of his own blood...one of the most chilling moments ever. And the game goes on...

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Sunday, March 09, 2008

Hero Song


The best part of last night's SNL. This season so far has been hit or miss. Thankfully Samberg still brings the pain. Literally.

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Friday, March 07, 2008

Writer Unboxed Interview: 
less filling, now online!

I recently did an interview with Writer Unboxed, the first part of which can be read here. Along with my road to publication, I talk about the first book I ever tried to have published back in 2003. Which, in light of the recent fake memoir scandals, is pretty darn interesting. 

It's called THE REAL LIFE OF JOHN GILLIS, and it's about a man whose life is manipulated by a literary agent to make his memoir more "salable." I'm thinking about posting some of it. Perhaps a few chapters. Maybe even the whole book.

I never considered it a novel about the publishing industry, but more about how lives these days are packaged, distorted, and the lengths people will go to in order to make lives more commercially appealing. I don't think it's a great novel--it's kind of a comedy/suspense mishmash--but I do think it's more timely than ever. And I still think the opening line of John Gillis's fake memoir might be my favorite I've ever written.

My name is John Gillis, and my life is in syndication...

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Wednesday, March 05, 2008

On Making a Career

Next Wednesday, I'm flying to Seattle for a book signing and interview session. This got me thinking about my career to date, where it's gone thus far, and where I want it to be.

I'm excited to for my trip to Seattle. I've spent very little time on the West coast, and have never been to Seattle in particular. It's always nice to see a city, especially such a prominent one, for the first time. Though I'll only be there for one night (try the veal), it should be a blast.

Of course there's a lot about this trip that I see as a small microcosm of my career to this point. I figured I'd break it into two parts.

Things I'm thankful for:

--I just published my second book.

--That my publisher had enough faith in me after a relatively short period of time to extend my original contract, so that I now have seven novels under contract. Additionally, I feel their promotional support has been outstanding.

--That I'm fortunate enough to be in a position--financially and with a supportive spouse--to be able to write full time.

--That the critical and reader response to my books has been, for the most part, very positive.

I'm grateful for all of these things. Yet at the same time, I want to grow as a writer. Both in terms of my ability and in terms of exposure. Listed below are the main issues I'm struggling with right now. Please refrain from playing the world's smallest violin. These are not complaints--again I am grateful--but in order to take the next step some, if not all of the following bridges must be crossed. Some must be crossed sooner, some will take time.

Issues that must be addressed:

--As of right now, my books are being published as paperback originals. While this has permitted terrific distribution and a likely far greater print run than I would have seen publishing in hardcover to date, there is a stigma attached to PBOs, both critically and commercially. Especially in the crime genre.

--It is very, and I mean very difficult, outside of trade magazines and websites, to get reviews for my books. I've made it into a few smaller places, but those have come more from being in the right place at the right time (one newspaper reviewer requested a galley via MySpace, one I met at a conference, etc...). I have a publicist for THE GUILTY who's lined up a bunch of cool stuff, including my first radio interviews, but the publicity and review issue is a big one.

--It is very hard to set up book signings for PBOs. The simple economics of publishing make it hard for stores to profit off of mass market signings unless the author is a major name or has a large enough following in the area. I tried to set up a signing at a favorite indie store in my hometown, but was told they couldn't unless I guaranteed 75 copies sold. While I do have friends and family in NYC, I didn't feel comfortable 'guaranteeing' that kind of turnout.

--I have never officially toured. Though I have a signing and interview lined up in Seattle, and will be going to the UK in June to promote my release there, in both cases I'm traveling on my own dime. Barring Ichiro promoting my Seattle signing, there's no way in hell I'm going to sell enough copies to cover the cost of that trip. I'm ok with this. I understand that you have to spend money to make money, and I'm more than happy to plant some seeds in the hopes that in the future that will bear fruit.  The same goes for various conferences I'm scheduled to attend, where travel, hotel and bar tabs eat up a pretty penny.

--The long-term goal, of course, is for my books to be published in hardcover. My publisher, I believe, is making a smart choice publishing me in paperback first. Having worked in the industry, I've seen too many first novels come out in hardcover to a mediocre sell-through, from which the author's career might never recover. Starting the other way around, establishing a base readership who will (hopefully) follow my books into hardcover when the time is right seems a safer long-term option. The flip side is that there's a lot more money in hardcover than paperback (royalties are about $2.50-$3.75 on a $25 hardcover, versus $.64 on a $7.99 paperback). Again, I'm a younger guy with no children (unless you include Wilson), so I'm willing to take the slow, steady approach and hope it keeps me in the race longer. I look at other authors who've achieved success with this model (Harlan Coben, Laura Lippman, Jim Butcher), and hope the same happens here. I want to be writing as long as I'm alive, and whatever it takes to achieve that, I'm willing to do.

(so if anyone needs a kidney...drop me a line)

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Monday, March 03, 2008

That Shiver Moment

When it came time to begin my fourth Henry Parker novel (THE STOLEN has been in the can a few months), it took a little longer than usual to come up with a story that I liked. Then, when it finally hit,  I knew it was right. I had the story for book 4.

I wrote the first two chapters, which would be included as an excerpt in my third book, THE STOLEN. Chapter two ends with a moment that, when I describe it or think about it, makes me shiver. I'm not going to give anything away since THE STOLEN hasn't come out yet, but it made me think about my favorite 'shiver moments.'

A Shiver Moment is that moment in a book that literally sends a jolt of electricity down your spine, eliciting some sort of physical reaction just from reading the words on the page. It can be violent, sexual, beautiful, just something done or written in a way in which the words create a sort of psychosomatic reaction.

I think there's a shiver moment in each of my books. In THE MARK and THE GUILTY, the shiver moments each occur a little ways into the book. But I knew what they were and knew when they would happen when I began writing the books. I felt if these moments made me shiver (and I knew they were coming!) they would hopefully make the reader do the same. In the fourth book, the Shiver Moment comes right at the beginning. And it might be my favorite one yet.

This made me think about other 'shiver moments' in my favorite books:

--When Chief Bromden says, "It's the truth even if it didn't happen" in Ken Kesey's ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST.

--When Jimmy Marcus confronts Dave Boyle in Dennis Lehane's MYSTIC RIVER (I just shivered typing this--seriously).

--When Georgie meets Pennywise in Stephen King's IT.

--When Carl realizes the truth behind Zora's motives in Zadie Smith's ON BEAUTY.

--The very last sentence in Charlie Huston's A DANGEROUS MAN (more powerful if you've read the whole Hank Thompson trilogy).

These are a few of the times when reading a book where the words or actions had such an impact on me that they gave me a "shiver moment."

What are some of your favorite Shiver Moments?

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Saturday, March 01, 2008

A global Mark

I just received copies of three foreign editions of THE MARK. I am quite verklempt. It's been published in at least 5 countries so far, and is scheduled to be released in several more by the end of '08.

Sweden


Finland

Norway

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