NEW YORK/ TRI-STATE SISTERS IN CRIME 1 New York/ Tri-State Bloodletter Sisters in Crime NEWS AND NOTES FROM SISTERS IN CRIME FEBRUARY 2016 Reacher novel. When it comes to research, Lee dispelled the notion of the writers in the room that he must spend time in situ—traveling PRESENTING LEE CHILD through the back roads of the By Ellen Quint United States to get the real feel for the scenes he writes about. He Lee Child (AKA Jim Grant), author brief bio: Although Lee now lives in went on to explain that he gathers of 20 Jack Reacher books, joined New York, he was born and raised his information on locations and the Tri-State/New York Sisters in in the United Kingdom. He details of stories from his overall Crime-Tri November meeting for a attended law school in Sheffield, travels and experience. He mentally lively give and take on the craft of England, and after part-time work files away the images, ideas, and writing and everything Reacher. in the theater, joined Granada facts and then draws on them for Television in Manchester for what particular scenes when appropriate. turned out to be an 18-year career as a presentation director He relies on reading about the throughout the BBC’s "golden age." topics he is writing about and also During his tenure his company calls on a long list of people he uses made “”Brideshead Revisited,” “The as resources in different areas, who Jewel in the Crown,” “Prime share their expertise with him. Suspect,” and “Cracker.” But, alas, Interestingly, Lee explained that as a result of corporate the integrity and believability of the restructuring, he was fired in 1995 story sometimes dictates that he is at the age of 40. inaccurate, tweaking the facts or descriptions to fit the situation or Always a voracious reader, he move the story along. decided to seize this opportunity to test his writing skills—the result— As with most discussions with Lee, “Killing Floor,” the first in the Jack here too, he had to explain, “Why Reacher series. Tom Cruise?” Lee indicated an actor not meeting readers’ Lee graciously responded to expectations creates a big problem He’s pictured here with Ellen questions about his approach to for a writer to deal with—that his Quint. For Lee Child fans, his writing: He sits down every fans are so engaged with Reacher background is well known. Here’s a September to write his next and what he should look like they NEW YORK/ TRI-STATE SISTERS IN CRIME SUBTITLE | July 2015 2 actually care who is playing him in being biased, slanted toward male the movie. However, Lee has no authors, away from cozies, and problem with Tom Cruise playing toward big presses. However, the role but appreciates that there's a different Edgars chair readers may have created a appointed every year, then the different image in their minds. He chair picks a chair for each shared that a second movie due out category, and the category chair soon. picks his or her committee Lee talked about his admiration for members, who read ALL books the women who write mysteries and eligible for that category, making it thrillers. He said he was delighted Prolific Writer awfully hard to build bias into that to be asked to be a guest of Sisters kind of randomness. in Crime and the members who Margaret Maron attended were thrilled he was there. Discusses Writing and Margaret said, "I made sure" each category committee included a mix SinC’s History of gender, region, and genre. She The latest Jack was president in 2005, which indicates each set of Edgar Reacher novel is Margaret Maron was this month’s nominees and winners was “Make Me.” speaker and is a prolific mystery selected by a group carefully writer with a number of awards to weighted to avoid bias and judge her credit. the books on their merits. Margaret grew up in North Carolina Elizabeth knew Julie Smith, who on a family tobacco farm, where won the Edgar for Best Novel she helped harvest and prepare the for “New Orleans Mourning” in tobacco for market. 1991, but she didn't know Julie was the first American woman to win it After two years in college, she took since the 1950s. a summer job at the Pentagon where she met her future husband, “I looked that up too, and there a Navy man. were a three British women and a Scandinavian husband and wife They settled in Brooklyn after a team in between,” Liz said. tour of duty in Italy. Though she wrote short stories and poetry in Laura Joh Rowland gleaned these the beginning, she eventually began tips from Margaret’s discussion: work on her first series about v Write what you know is Sigrid Harald, who was a NYPD limiting. Research broadens detective in NYC’s art world. your scope and is endlessly fascinating. Meeting one After Margaret and husband moved person opens a whole to a corner of the family land in panoply of people to talk North Carolina, she began a new with. series featuring District Court v Trust your subconscious. Judge Deborah Knott. v There’s no one way to write a book. Find what works for Her many awards and accolades you. include the Lifetime Achievement v Dialect (those funny Award from Malice Domestic and spellings) slows the reader Bouchercon in 2015. down. v Humans have five senses. Two things Elizabeth Zelvin noted Show the reader what the from the meeting: Every year, characters hear, smell, people complain about the Edgars NEW YORK/ TRI-STATE SISTERS IN CRIME SUBTITLE | July 2015 3 taste, and feel as well as One But You,” in late 2016 or early called "Bossa Novas, Bikinis, and Bad what they see. 2017. Ends.” It's set in Rio and comes out in March. Joan Ramirez published a short Members felt the evening was mystery story, entitled “Maude's The fifth in the series,"High Kicks, Hot educational and entertaining, Deception,” in January in www.short- Chocolate, and Homicide," is set in New providing advice from an story.me. York and featuring The Rockettes, experienced writer to inspire and comes out in August. motivate everyone. Elizabeth Zelvin says all 10 Bruce e- books are available for less than $20— quite a bit less than the cost of a hardcover in the olden days (eight years ago) when “Death will get You Sober” debuted. The most recent title is “Death will Pay Your Debts.” Elizabeth has also compiled an e-book collection titled “Breaches & Betrayals,” which is previously published standalone short stores. You can also order “Journey of Strangers,” Radha Vatsal’s debut novel, “A Front her historical novel and a Kindle Scout Page Affair,” is on Net Galley, and if you winner. have access, you can read it free: https://s2.netgalley.com/catalog/ book/76241. The novel is a historical mystery set in New York City in 1915. Cathi Stoler is pleased to announce Members News her newest adventure “The Writer’s and Notes Dream” television show. She was a guest of Linda Frank, SinC sib and producer of the program. The show airs on Long Island Cable Vision stations and is also available on YouTube. It is a two-part show, and Cathi shares the inspiration behind her writing and her journey to publishing her novels and novella. Check it out on YouTube and see part 2 at Terrie Farley Moran’s short story, http://bit.ly/1SqedTT. Cathi asks that “Inquiry and Assistance,” is in Alfred you leave a comment if you watch the Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Jan./Feb. video. She also has a story published in Mysterical-E from December. It's titled "What If?" is available to read on the site. Catherine Maiorisi’s short story, “Come as You Want to Be” was released as a Bella Books standalone Feb. 18. Another short story, “You will Mary McHugh has two new books in See a Stranger,” will be in an anthology the Happy Hoofers series coming from of Bella authors in June. “Matters of Kensington Publishers in 2016. The the Heart,” Catherine’s romance novel fourth in her series about five women is schedule for release by Bella in June in their 50s who tap dance on cruise followed by the romance novel, “No ships, luxury trains, and resorts and This year is the 60th Anniversary of solve murders in between dances is the publication, and Terrie said, “I am NEW YORK/ TRI-STATE SISTERS IN CRIME SUBTITLE | July 2015 4 busting my buttons seeing my name in We have exciting programs the icing on the anniversary cake.” planned for March, April, and Terrie’s short story “A Killing at the A Note from the Co-Presidents May. And, of course, our annual Beausoleil,” was nominated for an party in June. Specifically, in Agatha Award for Best Short Story. It is Dear NY/Tri-State April, Joe Giacalone, will return. the prequel to the cozy mystery He is a former NYPD novels “Well Read, Then Sisters in Crime: Dead” and “Caught Read-Handed” sergeant, John Jay college and was published in the November We started 2016 with Open Mic, adjunct professor since 2005, 2015 issue of Ellery Queen Mystery our usual January program and author of The Criminal Magazine. It gives readers the where members have the Investigative Function, a great backstory of the first day Sassy opportunity to practice reading book on police procedures and Cabot and Bridgy Mayfield arrived from their work in front of a evidence.