They Like Me! They Really, Really Like Me!

Until very recently, Publisher's Weekly has had little use for me as a writer*. This though the now defunct Kirkus Reviews gave me starred reviews back in the days when they hated everyone and took pleasure in making authors sad. But I'm pretty sure PW actually called one of my books useless (or pointless, something like that - not much to do with spinning that I'm afraid). But then they called my short story in Uncage Me! "moving" and now they've called my latest effort - BLACKOUT IN PRECINCT PUERTO RICO (coming in April to a bookstore near you... assuming that bookstore has a desire to carry books that have little chance of shifting off the shelves) - "searing." Searing... imagine. From "pointless" to "Searing."

Now, of course, they might have meant it in a bad way. After all, searing is good for steaks, but, for instance, not for human flesh. But I'm almost positive that they meant it in a good way. The context follows: "A heinous crime that rocks the small Puerto Rican town of Angustias scars far more than victim and perpetrator in Torres's searing fifth Precinct Puerto Rico novel..." That makes "searing" sound good, right?

Then there's the last line which I think is the reviewer's way of taking a little of that praise back*:

"Fans of downbeat slice-of-life mysteries will be most rewarded."

Now I have no desire to argue with the assessment. I think it's probably true. The story is almost a Greek tragedy. Tragedy certainly, but Puerto Rican.

Still, it does read a little like a backhanded compliment, no? After all, "fans of downbeat slice-of-life mysteries" can't include that many people, can it? Sounds like the book is being put into the slimmest of pigeonholes. Ah well. This is a step up anyway. True, it's up from being pointless, but a step never-the-less.

There. Now I've seen the dark cloud behind the silver lining...



* Not to suggest they had a use for me in any other capacity.

The Russel McLean Show...

I've praised Russel McLean's novel The Good Son, a nice bit of noir, but since it was originally published in the UK, I haven't expected to see any reviews of it here in the States. Now, of course, St. Martin's Press - my publisher - has picked up Russel's book and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine has seen fit to review it. The review glows. Here's a nice line for Russel to tuck away: "McLean's prose is marvelous..." Or try this one: "McLean has created an intensely complex, credible central character and surrounds him with a skillfully drawn supporting cast. Readers will look forward to a reprise of J. McNee."

All this in the March 2010 AHMM. To learn even more about the book, and to enter some contest where you get a chance at earning a copy of your own, go to his blog.

Puerto Rican Statehood - The Vote No

Since I'm Puerto Rican and write about Puerto Rico, I sometimes get asked about Puerto Rico's status. Puerto Rico is either a territory of the United States or a colony depending on who you ask. The UN is on the side of colony.

Every once in a while, the question comes up in a formal way, and Puerto Ricans on the island are asked to vote to voice their opinion. Usually the vote goes something like 49% for statehood, 49% for status quo and 2% for independence. It seems that the question is going to be called again.

What would I vote?

Well, first I'd say I should have absolutely no right to vote because I don't have a primary residence on the island. I live in Connecticut. People who aren't on the island shouldn't have a vote. Period. Why? Aren't they just as Puerto Rican as those on the island? Sure. But they won't be living with the decision. I'm just as American as any Texan, but I don't live there and shouldn't have a vote on what affects them only.

But what advice would I give my friends and family who do live there? I have two pieces of advice:

1 - The citizens of Puerto Rico should look at the history of what has happened to native populations in each of the 50 states. For instance, did native Hawaiians maintain control of their island in 1959? Are the Eskimo people (Inuits?) the powers of Alaska? Puerto Ricans should ask whether Native Americans or even Mexican descendants benefitted by the statehood votes in California or Texas or New Mexico or Arizona or Colorado or Nevada or any other state. Will Puerto Ricans be able to retain control of the island upon becoming a state? If the answer is yes, then go for it. It would be lovely to be the first state out of 51 to have the native population retain control after statehood.

2 - Realize that as soon as Puerto Rico becomes the 51st state, there will be a big push (bigger than in previous years) to make English the official language of the United States. Only a tiny percentage of Puerto Rico's 4 million residents speak English fluently enough to do well if, for instance, court proceedings and contracts were all in English. Of course, the 1st amendment might protect the right of Puerto Ricans to have their contracts and laws be in whatever language they choose, but I'd rather see an amendment to the US Constitution that says that "Congress shall make no law concerning an official language for the United States." When that happens, there will be a real protection for Puerto Ricans.

Notice that Puerto Rico would be one of the bottom three states in terms of economics. There's a benefit, then for the people of Puerto Rico. For the first time, they'd be eligible for welfare. There'd also be some more monies poured into the island to bring their schools and infrastructure up to par (though they're generally not so bad now).

Right now, I'd be for the status quo. Hopefully, with one more generation, Puerto Rico will be ready to hold its own.
I love the island and I love America. Just not sure they're right for each other at this time.

An Interview

There's an interview with me up at El Boricua. El Boricua means "The Puerto Rican" in Taino-speak. This is part of the massive buildup for the March 30th launch of BLACKOUT IN PRECINCT PUERTO RICO.

In other parts of my promotional efforts, I have a call in with Oprah's people, and certain low-level managerial staff at both B&N and Borders have promised me that both chains will have special midnight parties to celebrate the release of the book. People are expected to come costumed as Sheriff Luis Gonzalo or one of his deputies.

Of course, most of my fans so far have been Puerto Ricans, and the costume wouldn't be complete without handguns, so things could be very interesting...

Back to the interview...

In it, I talk a bit about my background for writing THE CONCRETE MAZE among other things.
There are also some great recipes in case you're looking for some fine Latino food. Be warned, however, that the food can lead to a sensory overload.

On the other hand, my interview will leave you feeling quite dull, so in all, things balance out...

The Beginning of the End...

A few years back Reed Farrel Coleman waged a campaign to "Save Moe." Since his character, Moe Prager, is still going strong, the campaign must have gone well. I'm tempted to start a "Save Luis" campaign. Gonzalo is on the chopping block. That is, The next in the series Blackout in Precinct Puerto Rico is coming out to greet the world on March 31st of this year - happy news, no? But there's no contract for anything after that. Interestingly, the book is also the first that I wrote and the earliest set, so, in a way, the series has come full circle.

I'd love to expand the circle, write more novels, extend the series, see where Gonzalo goes next. I'm very much afraid - resigned, almost - of NOT seeing that happen. I have more to say, and I think the world could use more Gonzalo. Ah well.

What thinkest thou? Should I hope against hope that someone the numbers will work out and warrent a new adventure or should I move on and leave a tired series to die in the dust?

The Edgars...

It's been a while, but here is a bit of news (besides Robert Parker's daeth...) The MWA has announced the nominees for Edgars this year. Congrats to all of course...

BEST NOVEL

The Missing by Tim Gautreaux (Random House - Alfred A. Knopf)
The Odds by Kathleen George (Minotaur Books)
The Last Child by John Hart (Minotaur Books)
Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death by Charlie Huston (Random House - Ballantine Books)
Nemesis by Jo Nesbø, translated by Don Bartlett (HarperCollins)
A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn (Simon & Schuster – Atria Books)

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR

The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano (Grand Central Publishing)
Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley (Simon & Schuster - Touchstone)
The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf (MIRA Books)
A Bad Day for Sorry by Sophie Littlefield (Minotaur Books – Thomas Dunne Books)
Black Water Rising by Attica Locke (HarperCollins)
In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff (Minotaur Books)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL

Bury Me Deep by Megan Abbott (Simon & Schuster)
Havana Lunar by Robert Arellano (Akashic Books)
The Lord God Bird by Russell Hill (Pleasure Boat Studio – Caravel Books)
Body Blows by Marc Strange (Dundurn Press – Castle Street Mysteries)
The Herring-Seller’s Apprentice by L.C. Tyler (Felony & Mayhem Press)

BEST FACT CRIME

Columbine by Dave Cullen (Hachette Book Group - Twelve)
Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde by Jeff Guinn (Simon & Schuster)
The Fence: A Police Cover-Up Along Boston’s Racial Divide by Dick Lehr (HarperCollins)
Provenance: How a Con Man and a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Art by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo (The Penguin Press)
Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti (Random House - Alfred A. Knopf)

BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL

Talking About Detective Fiction by P.D. James (Random House - Alfred A. Knopf)
The Lineup: The World’s Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives edited by Otto Penzler (Hachette Book Group – Little, Brown and Company)
Haunted Heart: The Life and Times of Stephen King by Lisa Rogak (Thomas Dunne Books)
The Talented Miss Highsmith: The Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith by Joan Schenkar (St. Martin’s Press)
The Stephen King Illustrated Companion by Bev Vincent (Fall River Press)

BEST SHORT STORY

"Last Fair Deal Gone Down" – Crossroad Blues by Ace Atkins (Busted Flush Press)
"Femme Sole" – Boston Noir by Dana Cameron (Akashic Books)
"Digby, Attorney at Law" – Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine by Jim Fusilli (Dell Magazines)
"Animal Rescue" – Boston Noir by Dennis Lehane (Akashic Books
"Amapola" – Phoenix Noir by Luis Alberto Urrea (Akashic Books)

BEST JUVENILE

The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity by Mac Barnett (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
The Red Blazer Girls: The Ring of Rocamadour by Michael D. Beil (Random House Children’s Books – Alfred A. Knopf)
Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Books)
Creepy Crawly Crime by Aaron Reynolds (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers)
The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer (Penguin Young Readers Group – Philomel Books)

BEST YOUNG ADULT

Reality Check by Peter Abrahams (HarperCollins Children’s Books – HarperTeen)
If the Witness Lied by Caroline B. Cooney (Random House Children’s Books – Delacorte Press)
The Morgue and Me by John C. Ford (Penguin Young Readers Group – Viking Children’s Books)
Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone by Dene Low (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Books)
Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell (Random House Children’s Books – Delacorte Press)

BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY

"Place of Execution," Teleplay by Patrick Harbinson (PBS/WGBH Boston)
"Strike Three" – The Closer, Teleplay by Steven Kane (Warner Bros TV for TNT)
"Look What He Dug Up This Time" – Damages, Teleplay by Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler & Daniel Zelman (FX Networks)
"Grilled" – Breaking Bad, Teleplay by George Mastras (AMC/Sony)
"Living the Dream" – Dexter, Teleplay by Clyde Phillips (Showtime)

ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD

"A Dreadful Day" – Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine by Dan Warthman (Dell Magazines)


GRAND MASTER

Dorothy Gilman

RAVEN AWARDS

Mystery Lovers Bookshop, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
Zev Buffman, International Mystery Writers’ Festival

ELLERY QUEEN AWARD

Poisoned Pen Press (Barbara Peters & Robert Rosenwald)

THE SIMON & SCHUSTER - MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
(Presented at MWA’s Agents & Editors Party on Wednesday, April 28, 2010)

Awakening by S.J. Bolton (Minotaur Books)
Cat Sitter on a Hot Tin Roof by Blaize Clement (Minotaur Books)
Never Tell a Lie by Hallie Ephron (HarperCollins – William Morrow)
Lethal Vintage by Nadia Gordon (Chronicle Books)
Dial H for Hitchcock by Susan Kandel (HarperCollins)

The Harlequin Mess

A few weeks ago there was a big brou ha-ha over at DorothyL about the Mystery Writers of America's rules for accepting publishers - some argued our rules were too rigorous or arbitrary. MWA board members (myself included) argued that the standards MWA imposes for deciding whether a publisher should be accepted (and therefore, whether their authors would be eligible for Active membership based on the publication of their books, for instance) are rigorous, yes, but meant to protect authors from predatory practices. That is, practices that intentionally mislead into paying for publication or into paying for services like editing with the false hope that publication is in the offing.

Someone on DorothyL pointed out that MWA had Harlequin listed as an acceptable publisher though Harlequin engaged in predatory practices. Well, I provide here a link that will hopefully clear up some of this mess as it pertains to Harlequin specifically. It should also explain part of why MWA and sister organizations needs to take a strong stance.

Let me know what you think of this mess. Ask questions of me. I'm an MWA board member. If I don't know the answer, I'll try to find out.

The Violent Novel

Over at Sarah Weinman's, there's a comment on violence in the modern crime novel. According to some, there's too much of it and it is gratuitous - a kind of "sick puppy" one-upmanship is discussed. The link is meant to draw your attention to that discussion. Part of my own response follows:

"When a serious crime novel is written about Afghanistan or Iraq (they may have already been written, my TBR pile is backed up to about Herodotus...) the violence will have to be grisly if it's going to portray just daily life let alone crime.

Just think: there are five year olds around the world who have seen and experienced violence that would make our novelized serial killers, be they never so gruesome, shiver."

Growing up in the Boogie Down Bronx, violence in the neighborhoods we lived in was always fairly casual. Just a part of real life*. Gangs used to tag our building on Washington Avenue: Apache Warriors and Savage Skulls. As a kid (maybe 8 or 9) I remember watching the David Suskind Show when he interviewed a gang leader from my neighborhood. The man talked about using rape as a way to intimidate. He talked about murder.Just the way things were.

Ed Dee was an NYPD lieutenant in the precinct two blocks from my door. He's got stories too. Magnificent writer, by the way.

Paul Newman came to my neighborhood to film scenes from Fort Apache, The Bronx. Not his greatest movie, but I got close enough to touch him and, yes, his eyes were really a startling blue. Jimmy Carter came to the neighborhood where my mother worked (and where I'd lived as an infant and toddler) and promised to rebuild it. So did Ronald Reagan. Twice. And Bush the First. And when Clinton showed up it, community activists had already rebuilt the area without a federal dime.

I digress.

The quantity of violence is probably not the problem. It's the gratuitous nature of it in some books that bothers. Anything gratuitous, unneeded, is going to be a bad thing in a novel.

Ah, but how can you tell if it's gratuitous? Really hard to say. Try this: If the author is putting in a scene of violence as a mere structural element - "This guy has to do something really messed up in order to deserve what happens to him in the next scene..." maybe then it is gratuitous.

Thoughts?

* Or death as the case may be.

Best Sellers

Patti Abbott asked about the top ten fiction sellers of 1959 a while back and whether our generation of writers is producing anything comparable. Here they are:
1. Exodus, Leon Uris

2. Doctor Zhivago, Boris Pasternak

3. Hawaii, James Michener

4. Advise and Consent, Allen Drury

5. Lady Chatterley's Lover, D. H. Lawrence

6. The Ugly American, William J. Lederer and Eugene L. Burdick

7. Dear and Glorious Physician, Taylor Caldwell

8. Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov

9. Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris, Paul Gallico

10. Poor No More, Robert Ruark


I'm a little ashamed to say I've not read a single one of the books... Or a single title by any of the authors.

I go to thinking about her question. Hard to say if we've produced a Nabokov or Lawrence without the perspective of some time passing. So here is the list from 25 years ago...


The top hc fiction sellers for 1984 (courtesy of NY Times):

1. ''The Aquitaine Progression,'' by Robert Ludlum
2. ''The Talisman,'' by Stephen King and Peter Straub
3. ''. . . And Ladies of the Club,'' by Helen Hooven Santmyer
4. ''Lincoln,'' by Gore Vidal
5. ''The Butter Battle Book,'' by Dr. Seuss
6. ''The Fourth Protocol,'' by Frederick Forsyth
7. ''Love and War,'' by John Jakes
8. ''The Sicilian,'' by Mario Puzo
9. ''The Haj,'' by Leon Uris
10. ''Full Circle,'' by Danielle Steel

Interesting that Uris is on both lists. I've never read any of these titles either. My bad. But then, this does seem a little like a step down from the 1959 list.


Now try the 1999 list from Publisher's Weekly:

1. The Testament by John Grisham, Doubleday

2. Hannibal by Thomas Harris, Delacorte

3. Assassins by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim La Haye, Tyndale

4. Star Wars: Episode 1, The Phantom Menace by Terry Brooks, LucasBooks/DelRey

5. Timeline by Michael Crichton, HarperCollins

6. Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King, Scribner

7. Apollyon by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim La Haye, Tyndale

8. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King, Scribner

9. Irresistible Forces by Danielle Steel, Delacorte

10. Tara Road by Maeve Binchy, Delacorte


Again, I've not read a single title (geez, Steven, what do you read?) but I have seen several of the movies...Hearts in Atlantis, Timeline, Star Wars, ep. 1, and Hannibal. Don't know if anything else made it to the screen. So is Thomas Harris the Nabokov of our time? Is Grisham our Lawrence? Perhaps Steel is our Pasternak?

Does this comparison tell us anything about readers? Writers? The business?

Megan Abbott

Megan Abbott is obscenely talented. I mention this because I just heard she had a new book out and I immediately thought two things...and these thoughts were in competition with each other so it was painful: 1 - Why wasn't I notified? Is there a way to get updates? I've no doubt James Patterson has a website where there is a clock counting down to the next book. Actually, come to think of it, a regular clock that chimes every twelve hours would probably do, no? But really, for the benefit of mankind, there ought to be a way of signaling people when one of Megan's books comes out. Her and Will Thomas. Imagine what a world this would be if everyone knew when Megan's books were coming out the same way everyone knows when Oprah's on.Or if at the very least, Border's had midnight parties when Megan's books came out like they do for Harry Potter and everyone came dressed in 1940s regalia...

Then, of course, I thought 2- Why God? Why? I love the books. Don't get me wrong. They're great. But then, I'm a mystery writer too. I have feelings. I want to think I'm good. I want to think that I can string sentneces together like few others. Then Megan comes out with a book and you can't help but feel inferior. This might be an unintended side-effect of her writing. Not sure. Still, it's enough to break a writer's spirit. I was, by the way, happy that PW had said nice things about my short story in Uncage Me!. Now this. Ah well.

Bury Me Deep.

Bad News! - Akitada Murdered!

This is indeed bad news. Suguwara Akitada, sleuth from Ancient Japan, is one of my very favorite series characters and now he's lost his publishing home. A gentle soul with real-life problems like a leaky roof or annoying family relations as opposed to the cliched addictions and gambling debts too many PIs seem to share. Maybe that's what killed the series. Maybe Akitada needs to shave his head into a Mohawk, sport a tattoo on his neck and an earring through his nose. Maybe he needs to get hooked on opium. And ride a Harley...

Ah well, IJ Parker promises to try to get a couple more novels into print by hook or by crook. Sad that it has come to this - a talented writer scrabbling. Yes, it's always been this way. No less sad because of it.

Free Roman Polanski??

I am not a movie buff. Though I like movies, I can't say I know who directed what - when the credits go up, I leave the theater. I have seen some of Polanski's films. Rosemary's Baby is cool. But it seems (I'll admit to not knowing all the details) he pled guilty to committing a crime. And there seems to be no doubt that the crime was actually committed. By him. And it's not a little crime either - not jaywalking or speeding or talking on the phone while driving or DUI or skipping out on a restaurant bill or even shoplifting from Bloomingdale's. We're talking about sexual assault of a minor.

Now, the erstwhile minor and he have come to some agreement, and she's fine with him going free. But that's the civil side of things, not the criminal side.

And there may be grey areas in the whole statutory rape thing - fifteen year olds may look like sixteen year olds, etc, you've heard it before. But that's no excuse. Especially not when we hear that drugs and alcohol were used. That suggests she needed some prepping before the act. That is, she was otherwise unwilling.

So there are a lot of ideas floating around, simmering, a lot of questions I'd like answered.

And maybe there were procedural improprieties in the original handling of the case.

But to be outraged that he was arrested goes far, no? Martin Scorsese demands the immediate release of Polanski? I don't get it. Why shouldn't Polanski face Justice? Why should he get a free ride? That's what stumps me. The French government thinks Polanski should go free, too. Why? Because he makes good movies? (The Pianist was great.) Because he's old? If Hitler were found to be hiding in Argentina, I'd drag his ass to jail even though he turned 120.

I get Polanski fighting extradition. That makes sense. No one wants to go to jail even after they admit to raping a child.

But Hollywood is behind him? I don't get it. Not that he deserves jail - I'm willing to hear more about the case before deciding (though it seems open and shut)- but to demand his release like nothing happened 32 years ago and like he hasn't been on the lam for all this time seems ridiculous. Maybe Marty knows something?

People. Help me understand.

In the history of bad ideas...

Okay, this story is not something that would be easily accepted if it were fiction.

How do you take a criminally insane murderer on a county fair field trip? Do you let the paranoid schizophrenic go into the funhouse? Do you put a sign on the guy - KEEP BACK 200 FEET?

Was there a paranoid schizophrenic day with discounts?

Uncage Me! Giveaway

Terrie Moran whose review of Uncage Me! I linked to a short while back is right this moment running a contest to give away a copy of this precious, precious book. Of course, one of my stories is including, but don't let that deter you as it is not that bad of a story and reading my particular story is optional...*



* But seriously, it's a good story.

The Gates Thing Again...

CNN provided an article that asks a salient question. The title is about conservatives and their ability to be consistent, but the bulk of the article is about the Henry Louis Gates affair. In the interest of full disclosure I should say I read a book by Professor Gates once and understood it...

I should also say I'm about as moderate as you can get. I purposefully ask for directions to the middle of the road on just about every issue. In any event, a friend of mine who is quite a bit more liberal asked me recently about politics and the conservative ideology and I said, listen to Rush Limbaugh. We listened together right after the Gates thing exploded and I predicted Rush would be on the side of Prof. Gates. Man's home is his castle, government intrusion, etc. Then Rush came on and gave me the exact opposite of what I expected. It was all Gates's fault, the police were in the right even though the full details aren't disclosed. According to Rush Limbaugh, apparently, a man's home is not his castle, the police have a right to be in your living room even after you've proven you're in your own home, and the police have a right to arrest you if you're not fawning when you ask them to leave.

Now I wonder, if Professor Gates had a fully licensed and permitted handgun in his hand when he answered the door what would Mr. Limbaugh (and the NRA) think about arresting him? He certainly would have appeared more threatening, no? Would Rush have said he had no right to have a firearm? Sounds like it. Of course, if Officer Crowley had knocked on Mr. Limbaugh's door with the same questions, and Mr. Limbaugh somehow wound up arrested, I assume his next show would have been filled with mea culpas and explanations about why he (Limbaugh) had acted so badly...

Of course, as the article does mention, neither side has a monopoly on inconsistency. Any way the wind blows seems to be the slogan for both sides. It's to be expected - the world is a pretty complicated place. Liberals want the government to regulate everything except marijuana. Conservatives want the government to deregulate everything except marijuana... Gets confusing.

Uncage Me - The Review

Friend Terrie Moran took a look at the greatest antho ever published - Uncage me! And she liked it. I could, of course, excerpt the part where she calls my story heartbreaking, but that would be self-serving, and I promised myself when I was just a wee lad back in Glasgow never to use my blog for self promotion or aggrandizement...

About the antho, I will say that it will change your life*.

Anyway, I'm just hoping that we also get reviews at Mystery Scene and in EQMM.

* Well, at the very least you'll have lost a few irretrievable hours...

Justin Barrett

Barrett is suing Boston. If you don't know Justin Barrett, he's the Boston police Officer who sent out a mass email (including one for public consumption to the Boston Globe) in which he called Professor Henry Louis Gates a jungle-monkey (as opposed to a zoo or circus monkey) He believes that while President Obama shouldn't speak about a case when he knew only a few of the details, it was alright for him to pass judgment on the case while knowing even less - after all, a friend of Mr. Gates might be forgiven for thinking they at least know one side of the story, Barrett doesn't know Gates or the arresting officer, Crowley. Still, he claims to know that the situation was handled correctly, maybe even with leniency since he claims he would have used pepper spray on Gates. How would he - a two year veteran - know the situation called for pepper spray? Well, Gates is a jungle monkey. Clearly, pepper spray would have helped things.

In any event, Barrett is suspended and likely to be fired. Of course, some court might find against Boston and for Barrett. But I don't see how he can make the argument that he can still serve as an effective officer. Could he ever arrest a black man? Or any other minority? Wouldn't a defense attorney love having to question Barrett in front of a jury? How would that play out? "Officer Barrett, you've publicly called one black man a jungle monkey. Did you call the defendant any racial names while putting on the cuffs?"

"Officer Barrett, I see you're in your police uniform. Were your klan robes still at the dry cleaners?"

Would Barrett be quick to provide backup for an officer who happened to be black? Even money.

Would he be quick to use a gun against a black suspect? Clearly, since he'd have the pepper spray out to deal with a situation that 15 year veteran James Crowley handled without the spray.

Crowley might have overreact.I tend to believe that a person in their own home can dance drunk and naked without being arrested. Clearly the outcome wasn't optimal for anyone. Still, thank God this wasn't Barrett's beat.

Uncage Me!

The greatest anthology of crime fiction to come out since Christie, Doyle, Chandler, and Hammet joined forces to create a little book afficionados know as "The Gruesome Mallet," comes out today. In fact, since today started a while ago, it's already out and about selling like hotcakes.

Get UNCAGE ME! today. Get two. One for you and one for Mr. or Ms. Right if you should happen to be so lucky to find such a person.

My Stoop the thief story is in the anthology, but don't let that stop you. Publisher's Weekly said some nice things about the book:

"While John Connolly (The Reapers) rightly notes in his introduction that this all-original anthology isn't for the fainthearted, noir lovers will find plenty to savor among the 22 stories from both familiar and unfamiliar names. Steven Torres offers the most moving selection, The Biography of Stoop, the Thief, in which a 14-year-old boy tries to save the mother who abandoned him for a life on the streets as a substance abuser. Tim Maleeny's Prisoner of Love not only features twists and betrayals but manages to make an ambiguous resolution satisfying rather than frustrating. There are some duds, like Maxim Jakubowski's shocker We Mate in the Dark, with its pointless savagery, but on the whole the contributors demonstrate the ability to create believable and memorable characters as well as settings in a few pages."

And Another Scottish Thing...

Thought I'd just spread the word about Donna Moore's newish blog which you can find by clicking. CLICK.

Donna is funny on paper and in person so if you're looking for a bright spot to your day, she could very well be it. Scroll down on her blog for her trip to San Francisco.

Scroll down on this blog for my thoughts on her fellow Scot Russel McLean. He's also funny in person but then on paper he gets all noiry and makes you think about still waters and whether they run deep or whether they're just still...

Russel McLean's book... And a possible contest

was the fodder for my first Amazon review. Take a look. And a good book it was too. How do I know it was good? Well, first because I read it. I think that's a John Locke's primary experience type thing, no? But more importantly because I can still see images from the story and it has been months. Also, I can imagine the main character, J. McNee, doing things other than what he's shown to do in the novel. A secondary experience, no?

In any event, I do recommend the book if you're a fan of noir and/or Sottish people. Plenty of both in The Good Son.

Also, I will also be asking Mr. McLean a few questions about his writing and such and I hope to sell that (euphemistically since cash does not actually change hands...there again, can one do something euphemistically?) to Crimespree Magazine.

Now, in my review at Amazon, I say the the book present the world with the first Scottish PI. If I'm wrong, please show me the evidence. And I do mean Scottish PI working in Scotland with a license and everything. If you're the first to prove me wrong, I'll send you a brand new hardcover book. It might even be a copy of Russel's book though that would have to wait until it is out in this country since I don't fancy paying more for shipping than I did for the actual book again.

Visit with Russel at his blog. He doesn't bite.

AHMM and EQMM Giveaway

I've got a dozen (or more) EQMM/AHMM magazines from the last year or three sitting around clogging up bookshelf space. Anyone want them? Leave a comment to that effect and I'll check back tomorrow. If there's more than one interested party, I'll pick from a hat. Same contest at NASTY.BRUTISH.SHORT so you have two chances to win (that is, I've got two boxes of magazines primed for the post office...)

A Bit More Business...

Lastly, I have two other short stories out and about now. And another story that is being looked at at Alfred Hitchcock.
First, if you rush out now, you can get one of my stories ("Caring for Jose") in an anthology of Latino mystery fiction called "HITLIST." This is put out by Arte Publico Press and, in case you were worried, a- it's all in English, and b- there are other, better writers in it - Mario Acevedo and Manuel Ramos for starters.John Lantigua and Lucha Corpi, too. Many others. My story is a Luis Gonzalo story, and I can guarantee that none of the other writers can say that...

Also, later this summer, the good people at Spinetingler Magazine will be publishing another of my short stories. It's called "The Dean," and it's about a dean. It's also about roaches and sexual harassment. Not a mystery. Kind of science fictiony. Maybe a horror story if you're not a fan of roaches...


The story I have at AHMM is called "The Most Dangerous Man in New York City, 1969-1977." It's not a romance. Nor is it cozy. It introduces a not very nice man named Ray Cruz who hurts and kills people for a living. Sounds like a terrible job, but then, somebody's got to do it.

Hope it gets picked because publication in AHMM means a paycheck and baby needs a new pair of shoes. Seriously.

More writerly news

Jen Jordan has put together another of her excellent anthologies for Bleak House and I'm in it. Ms. Jordan is a supporter of my writing which pleases me greatly since she's a woman of otherwise great taste. In any event, the book is called UNCAGE ME, and my story is titled "The Biography of Stoop, the Thief, Chapter Three: Stoop and Elizabeth."*

In any event, this is an anthology with one of the most stellar lineups of writers that you'll ever come across. To quote the product description: "Scott Phillips, Allan Guthrie, Christa Faust, Victor Gischler, J.A. Konrath, J.D. Rhoades, Declan Burke, Brian Azzarello, Steven Torres, Stewart Macbride, Simon Kernick, Patrick Bagley, Greg Bardsley, Stephen Blackmore, Tim Maleeny, Nick Stone, Martyn Waites, Talia Berliner, Maxim Jakubowski, Gregg Hurwitz, Blake Crouch, and more!"

Usually "and more" or "and others" refers to me...


In any event, here is what Publisher's Weekly had to say about the collection and my story in particular:

Publishers Weekly- -
While John Connolly ("The Reapers") rightly notes in his introduction that this all- original anthology isn't for the fainthearted, noir lovers will find plenty to savor among the 22 stories from both familiar and unfamiliar names. Steven Torres offers the most moving selection, The Biography of Stoop, the Thief, in which a 14- year- old boy tries to save the mother who abandoned him for a life on the streets as a substance abuser. Tim Maleeny's Prisoner of Love not only features twists and betrayals but manages to make an ambiguous resolution satisfying rather than frustrating. There are some duds, like Maxim Jakubowski's shocker We Mate in the Dark, with its pointless savagery, but on the whole the contributors demonstrate the ability to create believable and memorable characters as well as settings in a few pages.

Now, if you visit Jen Jordan's site, you get an explanation for the one negative comment. (Scroll to the May 22 entry.) Here I'll say a word about the positive comment about my story...It is the first positive thing PW has had to say about anything I've written so I'm quite excited. In the past, they accused me of writing gratuitous sex and violence (that of a book without a single sex scene... The next week another review called my writing "music for the soul". Study in contrasts...) and called one of my books "pointless." (Either that or useless, can't recall... Possibly both.) In any event, it is nice that PW has finally hopped on the Steven Torres bandwagon. A wagon which carries myself, my mother, Jen Jordan, and now PW...

More business news tomorrow.



* The long title is a little more than an affectation - There is a "Biography of Stoop, the Thief, Chapter One: Stoop and Clyde" out there (published by Crimespree some years ago) which is one of my favorite stories. Chapter Two is unpublished.

The New Book

Blackout in Precinct Puerto Rico. As I said yesterday, the title wasn't my idea and I kind of like it though there really isn't a blackout in the book...yet.

I still owe St. Martins a few thousand words on it. Here's the thing...The book is the first one I wrote and the third one I sold to SMP, but the fifth that they're publishing. And, unlike many first novels, I think it is actually quite good. In fact, I think it's the strongest of the Precinct Puerto Rico novels. I'll go a step further and say that this PPR novel beats the other PPR novels with a stick. I won't say it leaves them for dead since I'm partial to the first published (third written). Is it good? Yes. Not quite at the contractually required length, so I'll be adding a couple of scenes to make it less an inverted mystery and more straightforward.

But if it's not actually about a blackout, then what's it about? (I hearing you thinking that.) It's about Luis Gonzalo trying to figure what happened to this teenaged girl he found beaten and naked in the middle of the night - she won't say a word, so he has a bit of guesswork he has to conduct and it's about what happens when his guesswork leads him to the possibility (not the conclusion, just one possibility among several) that the girl's father was responsible. The father can't remember what he was doing at the time except to say it involved a lot of drinking (see? blackout).

Now I've said a fair bit about the story, but not the good bits. And of course what we all want to know (we meaning you, not me since I've read the thing already) is whether Gonzalo figures things out at all because I'll tell you since the victim won't say a word, this one's a puzzler. Well, you'll have to wait until April.

BLACKOUT IN PRECINCT PUERTO RICO. Buy it today!!!

More writerly news tomorrow.

Writerly news...

Well, if the first four Precinct Puerto Rico weren't enough for the world (and frankly, were I to judge from sales I'd have said the first one was more than enough) then there is going to be a fifth to satiate a demanding public. I've been given a pub date from St. Martins Press, and we're looking at April of 2010. This is great news for me since, of course, having a book published a very nice thing. Also, it means I'll get more money from SMP as they pay out the other half of my advance. Baby needs a new pair of shoes and by next April, she'll be able to get them...

The book will be called...Get ready... BLACKOUT IN PRECINCT PUERTO RICO. Readers of this blog and of my books, or even just people who've run into me casually will know that I don't name my books. SMP does that. I was surprised by this particular title for two reasons - 1. given that we have to have the phrase "precinct puerto rico" in the title (their idea, not mine) this title isn't really all that bad, but 2. there isn't actually a blackout mentioned in the book. Of course it has been a while since I wrote the thing so I could be wrong, but I don't think so.

Anyway, for that part of the world that has been waiting for another Precinct Puerto Rico book, it's coming.

Tune in tomorrow and, if I remember, I will tell you something about the storyline and whether or not I think this is the greatest of the Precinct Puerto Rico books yet.

Another Bronx Puerto Rican done good..

And it's not me. Ah well. Still it is a pride filling day for Sonia Sotomayor and all her family. And as a Puerto Rican, of course, I am familia too. No doubt she'll be grilled. Almost no doubt, however, that she'll be confirmed. The neighborhood she grew up in was quite rough back when the Bronx was the Wild East. It's still not that nice a place. Still, she gives hope, no? It's hard, but it can be done. You can move up, move out, make a difference, control your destiny. Good for her. Good for me.

Tomorrow, if I'm lucky, a little news about that whole writing career thing...

Wait...

I just noticed the following title by the enormously successful Janet Evanovich - FINGER LICKIN' FIFTEEN. I'm going to take the plunge and say this is probably the fifteenth entry in the Stephanie Plum series. Haven't read the series. I'm sure it's lovely. No knock on Ms. Evanovich either. I don't know her. Never met her and in all my Bouchercon forays - more on that later - I don't think we've ever been in the same room at the same time.

But...have I missed something? Do people say "finger lickin' fifteen"? Has there been a KFC promo I'm not aware of? (I do try to stay informed.) Fine if it's a cliche or pun that I'm just not picking up. Anyway, I'm sure it's a good book. Titles for my own books have never yet been left up to me. Every single title has been imposed by outside forces. Maybe that happened here.

In any event, if you've read this far, sould you recommend a Lawrence Block title? I've never read him either. Something recent please.

Wait...

I've never read...

Robert B. Parker. There. I've said it. And there's even a reason for the oversight - in fact, it's not really an oversight at all. Ever since I became interested in mysteries about ten years ago, I've been hearing about Parker and, frankly, it is always along the lines of "Mr. Parker phoned in another novel. Don't waste your time unless you're a die-hard fan." Because of reviews like this,I never gave him a chance. Life being short and all that.

Still, I'm wondering what I'm missing. So I'm asking for a recommendation. But... Unlike most readers, I'm not that interested in the history of the author - that is, I don't want his "breakthrough" novel. I want to know what is his most recent novel that you think is a must read. Has he written anything in the past ten years that is absolutely "can't miss" material?

Or am I right to think that Parker's ability to "wow" a reader went stale in the 1980s?

Not Trying to Start Anything, But... (Political)

I don't understand the Rush Limbaugh thing. When it comes to politics, I should say I'm about as likely to vote Dem as Rep. I'm listed as an Independent, but even that's not an overt political thing for me - I just find both sides sometimes do stupid things and both sides sometimes do smart things.

But Limbaugh? Really? He's the leader? That pretty much guts the GOP doesn't it? I mean, Limbaugh IS an entertainer, for goodness sake. I understand he has an Oprah-like platform, millions of people listen in everyday, etc. Fine. I get that and the kow-towing that comes with it. Certainly, nobody wants to piss him off intentionally. Understood. Hell, it would even be rude to in a certain way, but COME ON! He's a voice on the radio. He's not a leader. I can tell he's not a leader. Want to know how I'm so sure? He doesn't hold public office. As far as I know. Has he ever had to try to push a single bit of legislation through? Or make an executive decision that didn't involve donuts*?

Rush is a Monday morning quarterback. He puts spin on what real leaders have done. Frankly, if I were Mr. Steele, I wouldn't have taken back what I said. If there were enough pressure for me to do so, I'd rather quit than stroke Mr. Limbaugh's ego...Or any other part of him. Most likely, I wouldn't have responded to Rush's tirade. If anything, I would have put out a clarification that said: "We of the Republican party want America to succeed. We will work with the President to ensure that happens."
Or,
Given my penchant for sarcasm, I might have said something more like, "Sorry to Rush Limbaugh, I didn't mean to offend him. I thought for sure he was still high as a kite and wouldn't be paying attention..."




* Not a knock on his weight. I make executive decisions about donuts almost daily.

Follow the link...

Absolutely hilarious, I think. I had to check this wasn't an article from The Onion. RYANAIR seems to be run by absolute loons. That or the travelling public in Ireland is accustomed to a very low level of customer service. Anyway, here's the link.

Okay, This Isn't Crime, But...

Just thought this story needed comment. What the hell is wrong with this country...? I'm really lost on this one. Really? Now people are complaining when the airlines DO give out peanuts?

So what's next? "I'm allergic to heights, couldn't the plane just run along the highways really, really quickly?"

Baseball Question...

If the next years of Albert Pujols's career copy the first eight years, would we say he was a greater hitter than Stan Musial? Just about all his numbers would trump Musial's, but Musial is revered, so...

At this point, Pujols has a slightly better batting average, and much better power numbers than Musial. Even a better on base percentage.