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Home , Agatha Award, Art Taylor (writer), Avon (publisher), Chris Grabenstein, Donna Andrews (author), Kathy Lynn Emerson

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History is in the details By Brian Thornton Book Expo America History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it. - Winston Churchill Let me tell you, having read both Churchill’s memoirs and some of the “history” he wrote, the guy wasn’t kidding about history written by him being kind to him. And while Churchill’s fictionalization of history was equal parts intentional and unintentional, there is a growing group of authors who intentionally blend not only history and fiction, but history and crime. These writers of “historical mysteries” include such literary lights as Steven Saylor, , , Jason Goodwin, Steve Hockensmith and Louis Bayard (the first two are past Edgar Award winners, Winspear is a 2004 Edgar nominee and the last three are 2007 Edgar nominees). Whereas research has always played a large role in mystery writing, historical research can be a different animal altogether. I recently asked several writers to name their favorite internet research tool, the one that most readily accomplished the twin goal of saving them time and giving them a maximum return on their investment. Hockensmith (Holmes on the Range, On the Wrong Track) Chuck Zito and Bill Bryan greet their fans. (Photos by Margery Flax) points to an overlooked sector of internet research: Yahoo groups. “For my latest book, I needed a ton of material on trains and railroad lines of the 1890s,” he says. After checking “literally dozens of train books” out of the library, Hockensmith still wasn’t getting what he needed, so he joined several Yahoo groups that catered to railroad enthusiasts and hit pay dirt. “There are a lot of people out there with extremely arcane knowledge on obscure subjects, and they’re usually quite happy to share what they know,” Hockensmith recalls. “I figure most of them have already been told ‘Enough about the trains!’ by their families, so they’re pretty thrilled when someone pops up who’s actually interested in what they have to say.” And let’s not forget email discussion lists. Aside from the terrific Crime Thru Time and Historical Mystery Yahoo discussion lists, there are more period-specific ones as well. These include the historical “-L” lists, populated mostly by academics whose families apparently don’t differ much from those of the railroad junkies listed above. Priscilla Royal (Justice for the Damned), singles out the Mediev-L historical discussion for particular praise, Meredith Anthony attempts to kidnap Margery Julia Pomeroy and plot murder Continued on Page 5 Flax's husband, Steve. and mayhem. The official newsletter of Mystery Writers of America ISSN #1535-9034 Published 10 times per year

MWA National Officers PRESIDENT: Nelson DeMille EXECUTIVE VP: Daniel J. Hale At the June 6 meeting, the MWA National Board approved changes and clarifications SECRETARY: Frankie Y. Bailey to the qualifications for active category members. (See Page 6) TREASURER: Bob Williamson For books, authors must receive a minimum advance, royalties, or combination of both to equal $1,000, and print runs for a work of fiction or non-fiction must be at least 500 The Third Degree Staff copies. Authors of short stories must receive a cumulative amount of $200, with only TTD COMMITTEE CHAIR: Sandra Balzo payments of a minimum of $25 counting toward that total. EDITOR: Beth Tindall Playwrights or authors of screenplays or teleplays must receive a minimum payment ASST. EDITOR: Annie Chernow commensurate with the standards and practices of the Writers’ Guild (film/TV) or Dramatists ADVERTISING MGR: Jeffrey Marks Guild (stage plays), and the work must be produced. · Executive Vice President Dan Hale mentioned that the Board of Directors of the EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS: Mercantile Library, where the MWA national office is located, may be near accepting an E-MAIL: [email protected] offer for the building. The board will be monitoring the situation and how it affects our For terms of submission please see: office space. www.mysterywriters.org/submit · Book Expo America was a rousing success, with MWA hosting 50 member author signings. Twenty-four new libraries and 24 bookstores were added to the MWA databases, THE MARKET SUBMISSIONS: which can be purchased for a nominal fee. E-MAIL: [email protected] · Finally, it’s membership renewal time, so get those forms in! ADVERTISING SUBMISSIONS: --Sandy Balzo Jeffrey Marks 5470 Asbury Lake #27 Cincinnati, OH 45247-6973 REMINDERS TEL: 513/481-4449 The user name and password for the regular members only section FAX: 513/481-1198 is the same word — type this word in both fields of the pop-up E-MAIL: [email protected] window (lower case in both fields) — the word is: member ADDRESS CHANGES AND OTHER MEMBERSHIP ISSUES: Watch for the names of the next MWA Anthology authors, coming Margery Flax in the Aug./Sept. issue of TTD. Administrative Manager Mystery Writers of America Membership renewals have been mailed – return yours today if you 17 E 47th St, 6th floor New York, NY 10017 haven’t already! TEL: 212/888-8171 FAX: 212/888-8107 The submission deadline for MWA's Rebound Grants Program is Tues., E-MAIL: [email protected] September 4, 2007, sent via U.S. mail to the Rebound Grants WEB: www.mysterywriters.org Committee. © 2007, Mystery Writers of America, Inc.

All rights reserved. The publication herein of news, advertising, seminars, classes, etc. does not imply any endorsement by or Killer Nashville 2007 recommendation of MWA. The Edgar name Killer Nashville 2007, sponsored by the SouthEast Chapter of MWA, will be held Saturday and logo are registered in the US Patent and and Sunday, August 18 and 19, 2007 at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs (700 Cool Springs Trademark Office. Blvd., Franklin, TN 37067). This two-day conference brings together New York Times-bestselling and award-winning authors, film and television writers, playwrights, as well as other entertainment industry experts, and will feature book signings, panel discussions, and workshops. The event begins with an official kick-off at 7 p.m. Friday, August 17, 2007 with a book signing and gathering. Saturday and Sunday’s TTD by e-mail events begin at 8:30 a.m. Also parts of the weekend are the If you would prefer to receive your TTD by e-mail, please let the national office Third Annual Magnolia Awards and the Guest of Honor Dinner. know. You must be able to receive large is the Guest of Honor this year. PDFs (1-2M) as e-mail attachments. Registration forms and other information can be found at www.KillerNashville.com or by calling 615-554-9797.

2 and/or revisions. The Author shall have 60 days from the Author’s Book Contract Trouble Spots receipt of such a request to deliver to the Publisher a revised Work Part 4 – Manuscript Acceptance and Revision that is acceptable to the Publisher. The Publisher shall advise the Author within 45 days of its receipt of the revised Work whether or Q. I turned in my novel’s manuscript on time three months ago, not the revised Work is acceptable to Publisher. If the Work as but my editor still hasn’t “accepted” it. What are my rights? And resubmitted is deemed unacceptable, the Agreement shall be can my publisher make changes without my approval? terminated at the option of either party and neither party shall have A. As always, your publishing agreement controls. An industry- any further liability to the other. If the Author does not receive any standard publishing agreement typically gives the publisher the notice from the Publisher within the 45-day periods set forth above, right to accept, reject, or ask for revisions in your manuscript. the Work shall be deemed to have been accepted.” But keep in mind that the editor who acquired your book may not Although some publishing agreements already will have a time be the same editor limit for the publisher’s acceptance, they will require YOU to notify who sees it through to an editor and/or publication; we all an executive of the know that editors house that “failure change publishing to respond shall be houses frequently. If deemed a new editor comes in acceptance.” If so, before your manuscript make sure you has been accepted, he follow the or she might just sit specified on your book while pet procedure: Failure projects take priority. to do so will leave you in limbo. You need some assurance that the publisher: a) won’t unreasonably delay production of the manuscript or payment of your remaining Also, who gets the final say on the manuscript after acceptance? advance by never getting back to you about what changes the editor Some contracts allow the publisher to make changes “provided the wants; and b) can’t reject the manuscript outright without giving meaning of the text is not materially altered.” In whose view? you a chance to revise the manuscript. Generally, a publisher should only have the right to make copyediting changes. You should have the right to approve all material changes The solution is to insert a contact clause such as this: “Within 45 to the manuscript before publication. days of its receipt of the complete manuscript of the Work, the Publisher shall notify the Author in writing whether or not the Work is acceptable to Publisher. If the Work is not acceptable to the Daniel Steven is Chairman of the MWA Contracts and Grievances Publisher, the Publisher shall give the Author a request for changes Committee and a publishing and media attorney. This column provides general legal information; consult an attorney for application of the

On August 14, I will interview five avid readers as they analyze PA’s Mystery Lovers Bookshop. why readers choose the books they do. They offered fantastic tips on how to work with bookstores to help Listen to what Shannon Clute from Georgia, Michelle Fritz-Cope us authors promote our books. The MWA Members Only website has from California, Dan Hale from Texas (who is also Executive Vice archives of this show and others. President of MWA), Robert Kresge from New Mexico, and Helen Pike To listen to the August show, dial toll-free 866-212-0875 from from New Jersey, have to say. This show airs at 8:00 p.m. Central. USA, or 866-212-7554 from Canada, or 978-964-0049 Direct Global On July 10, we brought you Jon and Ruth Jordan, editors and Toll. When prompted, punch in the participant passcode: 7629501#. publishers of CrimeSpree Magazine, to learn more about the ins and During the last fifteen minutes of the show, I’ll open all lines so outs of this award-winning magazine and how it benefits us. that my guests can receive questions from you, the listeners. The June two-part interviews provided a glimpse at maintaining You can also email questions and suggestions for future guests and a bookstore. topics to [email protected]. The first focused on bookstore owners Ray Hengst from San Antonio’s Remember the Bookstore, and David Thompson from Houston’s L. C. Hayden’s newest book, Why Casey Had to Die, is a 2007 Agatha Murder by the Book. Award Finalist for Best Novel. Her previous mystery, What Others The June 25 interview brought us Richard Goldman from Oakmont, Know, was a Left Coast Crime Award Finalist.

3 Kristen Weber, Senior Editor at NAL on YouTube. Crime fiction writers even have their own MySpace now: Crimespace (http://crimespace.ning.com/) Kristen Weber is a Senior Editor at New American Library, where What advice do you have for authors in the current publishing she oversees their brand new mystery imprint Obsidian and their climate? movie/TV tie-in publishing program. The authors she has worked Again, it’s very important to take an active role in your book’s with include and Marcia Muller. publication. Don’t sit back and wait and see what your publisher What kinds of mysteries do you acquire? is going to do for you. I acquire cozy, lighter paranormal, and chick lit mysteries with Make sure you have a professional web site that is updated often. strong hooks and strong protagonists. Most of the mysteries we Talk to your editor or publicist about publicity ideas that you publish under Obsidian are series titles, but I will consider stand- have and work together to implement them. Tell everyone you alones. And I’m always looking for darker, commercial thrillers. know that your book is coming out. I currently work with Patricia Smiley and Karen E. Olson. They You are your book’s best salesperson. both followed me over from Warner. Do you buy series from proposals? If so, what are you looking for? My brand new mystery authors with books coming out at the end I do buy series from proposals. But, for first time authors, you of this year, or early next, include Kathryn Lilley, Wendy Roberts really should have a complete manuscript to submit. I tend to and Gabriella Herkert. I also just bought original novels based on buy proposals more from authors that have published books under the hit CBS crime drama CRIMINAL MINDS. Max Allan Collins will their belts. be writing those. The first thing I look for is the author’s voice. I want a strong, What turns you on in a manuscript? original voice. And then I’m looking for a really strong hook. I look for a compelling and unique voice – one that captures me For example, I recently acquired a soap opera mystery series instantly and pulls me right into the story. Then I look for a strong written by mystery author Robert J. Randisi and soap opera star main character that I want to read about. Eileen Davidson. The publicity possibilities for that project are In mysteries, I’m looking for a dead body to pop up quickly endless. (usually within the first 10-20 pages), plenty of red herrings, and a really fast pace. Pari Noskin Taichert is a two-time finalist. The I’m turned off by anything that feels too familiar. Or anything Socorro Blast, her newest book from the University of New Mexico that almost feels like a copy of what else is already out there. Press, will be available in January 2008. What are some of the typical mistakes that authors make? The biggest mistake I see is authors sitting back during their book’s publication and not doing everything they can to make it Advertisement a success. A lot of what I’m looking for when signing authors is how promotional and publicity savvy they are. I need an author who understands their job doesn’t end when they finish writing the book. They need to help us market their book. They need to create a professional and updated web site, come up with promotional ideas that they can implement, and also talk to me about what they hope we can do. What current trends in the mystery business do you find the most interesting/disturbing? The most interesting trend to me is how multimedia the industry is becoming. It isn’t enough to just have a web site anymore – now most authors also have a blog, or a myspace page, and a lot more are also making wonderful trailers for their books and posting them

Archives: http://www.mysterywriters.org

4 Continued from Page 1 saying of her experience with it that she gets “questions answered and lots of good book recommendations.” Alan R. Gordon (An Antic Disposition, The Lark’s Lament), whose acclaimed Fool’s Guild series is set in late medieval Europe, also has a particular favorite. “One (web site) that I keep coming back to is the Catholic Encyclopedia (www.newadvent.org),” Gordon says. “Not being Catholic myself, but writing in a Church-dominated period, it answers a lot of questions.” Fellow medieval mystery writer Sharan Newman (The Witch in the Well, Heresy) points out that there is a wealth of online primary source material available “if you speak Latin and want to get it straight from the horse’s mouth.” For the rest of us, there is www.questia.com. It is a subscription service, so there is some payment involved, but according to Newman, the collection to which the website gives you access makes it worth the money. “It’s saved me a fortune in copying,” she says, “and they have some sources that I couldn’t find anywhere else.” Beverle Graves Myers (Interrupted Aria, Cruel Music) sets her Baroque Mystery series in 1720s Venice, when that great trading city’s fortunes had taken a definite turn and she had lost most of her overseas empire. Although she relies mostly on non-internet sources (”My desk is surrounded by towers of books”), Myers cites the delightful www.costumes.org for “dressing my characters,” and relates how she uses Wikipedia for “a quick survey on a topic.” She also frequently uses the ubiquitous Google, saying, “Google Earth is a nice feature,” which “gives you the aerial view of anywhere.” (Face Down Beside St. Anne’s Well, No Mortal Reason), who has a how-to book on writing historical mysteries due out in 2008, reports that the “most useful website I’ve found for historicals is one that tells you what (the) phase (of) the moon was in a specific place on any date in history. It’s at http://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/uncgi/Yoursky.” Rhys Bowen (In Dublin’s Fair City, Oh Danny Boy) gives voice to a common concern writers have about online research when she says that she takes anything she reads online “with a grain of salt.” Bowen’s’ mysteries are set in , and she prefers to do her own legwork. “I can walk the streets, see the buildings that I feature in my stories,” Bowen said. Eliza Tucker, a native South Carolinian transplanted to the wilds of Ohio, also writes about New York. She shares Bowen’s general distrust of web- based research, because most websites don’t list references. “They’ll tell you a credible story,” she says, “but they won’t tell you where they got the facts. Two websites I can’t live without, however, are The American Memory and Chronicling America divisions at the Library of Congress (located at www.loc.gov), and Cornell University’s Making of America project (http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/moa/).” For my own part, I have an M.A. in 19th century American history, and the maxim I learned in graduate school back when the internet was in its infancy still holds true today: if you find something on sites maintained by government institutions or universities (with URLs that end in .gov and .edu, respectively), you’re likely on solid ground. For the time being at least, sites like Wikipedia and Answers.com serve as good starting points, but you’ve still got to be rigorous in confirming anything you find as a result of searches you run there.

Brian Thornton’s latest short story, "Counting Coup," a historical mystery set in 1870s Montana, was featured in the November 2006 issue of Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. Currently at work on a set in Washington, D.C circa 1844, he can be reached on the web at http://crimespace.ning.com/profile/BrianThornton

5 How to become an active status member

Mystery Writers of America, July 2007

Active membership is open to professional writers in the other authors per year, none of whom may be an employee of the crime/mystery/suspense field whose work has been published or company, a business partner, or a relative of the publisher. produced in the U.S., who reside in the U.S., and who meet specific 8. Your work is professionally published or produced and is not criteria set by the Board for this category. Currently, some of those self-published or cooperatively published. criteria are: Among (but not all of) the situations defined as "self-published 1. The applicant is a professional creative writer of fiction, non- or cooperatively published" are works by those who have paid all fiction, or drama (including TV, screenplays, radio, and staged or part of the cost of publication or distribution of the work; works drama). printed and bound by a company that does not place the work in 2. The writer has received payment for his or her work in an physical (aka brick-and-mortar) bookstores; those works for which amount determined by the Board of Directors of Mystery Writers the authors were required by the publisher to pay any monies of America. Proof of payment is required. whatsoever before or during publication; those published by 3. The work is neither self-published nor cooperatively published; "cooperative" publishing or others which require authors to pay no monies were required of the writer by the publisher. for marketing; those published by privately held publishing 4. The publisher is on MWA's list of approved publishers or eligible companies with whom the writer has a familial or personal to be added to that list; similar criteria are set for dramas, films, relationship beyond simply author and publisher; those published and video productions. by companies or imprints that do not publish other authors; those published by publishing companies in which the writer has a Only Active members may vote, hold office, and serve on Edgar® financial interest. committees in MWA. A reputable, professional publisher works with agents or other authors' representatives; the publisher is listed in the Literary Membership: Active Status Defined Marketplace or belongs to professional publishing associations; Active category membership is open to professional writers in the publisher pays for editing, copyediting, design, cover art, the mystery/crime/suspense genre. A number of factors determine production, advertising, marketing, distribution, and all other eligibility for this category. You may qualify for Active category aspects of publication. They do not require authors to pay for any membership if: of the above. 1. You are a citizen or legal resident of the , and 9. Your publisher must not be engaged in the practice of wrongfully your work is published or produced in the United States. withholding or delaying the payment of royalties to authors. 2. You have been paid for your work. If you are a writer of books, 10. The work submitted for qualification is not simply an article you have been paid at least $1,000 in advances, royalties, or a of journalism, a review, interview, or a compilation of another's combination of advances and royalties. If you write short stories, work without commentary. your cumulative earnings are at least $200, with only payments Reviews, interviews, reports, forensic science or legal studies, of at least $25 counting toward the total. Scholarly articles or newspaper or magazine articles about crimes, articles about mystery- chapters of nonfiction books will be treated like short stories for related events and the like do not qualify an individual for Active purposes of Active Category qualification. Category membership. However, non-fiction and scholarly works A. Payment must be in monies, not in barter for advertising about the genre itself, whether presented as articles or as a chapter or copies. of a text; a book-length critical works; biographies; true crime B. Payment must be actual—not, for example, a donation of novels; and books that are more than a compilation of another's your writing deemed worth a given amount. work qualify as creative writing and the writer or editor may be C. Payment must have been made and not merely promised. eligible for Active Category membership. The promise of royalties will not qualify toward Active Category 11. Your publisher is on the MWA list of approved publishers. membership. Most major publishers and their imprints, as well as established D. A contract alone is not payment. Proof of payment is required. independent and small presses, are on this list. 3. The initial print run for a book-length work of fiction or 12. If your book or short story is available only in an electronic nonfiction must be at least 500 copies. format (e-book, Acrobat Reader, webpage, etc.), but can meet certain criteria, you may qualify. A hard copy of such works and 4. If you are a playwright or an author of screenplays or teleplays, proof of its online/electronic availability must be provided, even you must have received a minimum payment commensurate with if not currently available. A work must be available for a minimum the standards and practices of the Writers’ Guild (film/TV) or of thirty days to be considered published. All rules of eligibility, Dramatists Guild (stage plays), and your work must have been including those regarding self-publishing and payment, apply to produced. works published in electronic format. 5. Your publisher must have been in business for at least two 13. Your work is available to the public, or intended to be available years, except for new imprints by an established publisher. to the public. 6. Your publisher, within the past five years, may not have charged 14. Your application is approved by the Board of Mystery Writers a fee to consider, read, submit, or comment on manuscripts; nor of America. may the publisher, or any of the executives or editors under its employ, have offered you or any other authors self-publishing The requirements and standards for Active Category membership services, literary representation, paid editorial services, or paid are under constant review by the MWA Board. Please ask for help promotional services. from our headquarters if you have questions about the appropriate category for your membership. 7. Your publisher, if also an author, must publish at least five

6 36. Harvest House The List 37. Haworth Press PLEASE NOTE: Mystery Writers of America is currently re-evaluating 38. HeartQuest (Tyndale House) its list of publishers. As more publishers are reviewed and approved, 39. Henry Holt & Co. they will be added. Approved publishers meet MWA’s professional 40. Howard Publishing (Simon and Schuster) standards of good business practice and fair treatment of authors. 41. Hyperion The books published by the publishers on this list currently qualify for submission for Edgar Award consideration and applications for 42. Intrigue Press Active Status membership. However, this list should not be considered 43. James A. Rock & Co. Publishers a blanket endorsement or recommendation of any particular publisher. 44. Justin, Charles & Co. The list is under constant review and subject to change. 45. Kensington, including Brava, Dafina Pinnacle Books, Zebra, To be sure of the current status of a publisher, or to ask about 46. Leisure adding a publisher to our list, please contact the National Office. 47. Level Best Books You should also carefully read the "join" page of the website to familiarize yourself with the requirements for Active Status 48. Literary Guild/Doubleday Book Club membership. 49. Llewellyn Worldwide and all divisions 50. Lyle Stuart Publishing companies approved by membership committee 51. MacAdam/Cage Publishing (Other publishers will be added as they are vetted and approved.) 52. MacFarland Last revision date: June 28, 2007 53. Marietta Publishing 1. Academy Chicago Publishing 54. McMillan, including Pan Macmillan 2. Akashic Books 55. Mills & Boon, Ltd. (UK, Harlequin/Silhouette) 3. Alyson 56. Multnomah Publishing 4. American Bar Association Book Publishing 57. Orion Books 5. Avalon Books 58. The Overlook Press 6. Avocet Press 59. Overmountain Press, including Silver Dagger 7. Barbour Publishing 60. Paradox Magazine 8. Bella Books, including Rising Tide 61. Peachtree Publishers 9. Bella Rosa Books 62. The Penguin Group, including Berkley, Berkley Prime Crime, 10. BelleBooks Dutton, GP Putnam Sons, NAL, Onyx, Penguin, Putnam, Plume, Signet, Viking 11. Bethany House 63. Perseverance Press, including John Daniel 12. BET Books (owned by Miramax) 64. Permanent Press 13. Bleak House Books 65. Piatkus Books 14. Bloomsbury Publishing, including Walker Publishing, USA 66. Pleasant Company, including American Girl Books 15. Brilliance Audio Books 67. Pleasure Boat Studio 16. Bywater Books including Bloody Brits Press 68. Random House, including Ballantine Books, Bantam, Crown, 17. Carroll & Graf Delacorte, Dell, Doubleday, Doubleday Broadway, Knopf, 18. Cemetery Dance Publications Pantheon, Villard, Waterbrook Press 19. Chicago Review Press 69. Scholastic Press (and all imprints) 20. Chronicle Books 70. Severn House 21. Coffee House Press 71. Simon & Schuster, including Atria, Scribner, and 22. Crum Creek Press Pocket Star 23. Dell Magazines, including Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine 72. Soho Press and Ellery Queen Magazine 73. Southeast Missouri State University Press 24. Dorchester Publishing- 74. St. Martin's, including St. Martin's Minotaur, Thomas Dunne 25. Europa Editions Books 26. F&W Publications (all imprints) 75. Strand Magazine 27. Farrar, Straus and Giroux (all imprints) 76. Thorndike Press 28. Five Star Publishing (subsidiary of Thomson Gale Publishing) 77. Tor/Forge Books 29. Foul Play Press 78. University of New Mexico Press 30. Greenwood Press (including Praeger) 79. University of Wisconsin Press 31. Hachette Book Group, including Mysterious Press, Little, Brown 80. Woman’s World Magazine & Co., Grand Central Books 81. W.W. Norton 32. Harcourt 82. 33. Hard Case Crime 34. Harlequin, including MIRA, LUNA, Red Dress Ink, Silhouette POLICY ON UNIVERSITY PRESSES: Major state or private universities Bombshell, Steeple Hill are to be approved; minor or relatively unknown schools must 35. HarperCollins, including Avon, William Morrow, Torch, be reviewed. Regan Books, Rob Weisbach 7 Florida the creation of believable female characters. Call NYPL (212) 340-0863 for further details. www.mwa-florida.org SleuthFest 2008 is set for Feb. 28 – March 2, 2008 at the Hilton Deerfield Beach/ Boca Raton. Mark the date in your Northern California calendar. www.mwanorcal.org The July meeting features the P. J. Parrish sisters writing On Saturday, July 21, beginning 11:30 a.m., with lunch at team of Kelly Nichols and Kris Montee. They’ll be talking about noon, legal experts Dylan Schaffer and Robert Bloom will look their new book “A Thousand Bones.” The chapter will be taking at how lawyers approach murder cases in "Homicides we've August off. worked on." John’s Grill, 63 Ellis St., San Francisco RSVP by July 19 to [email protected]. Mid-Atlantic Also the NORCAL Chapter is sponsoring a half-day, hands-on writers’ workshop, The First Page—How to Write a Killer Opening www.mwa-ma.org for Your Novel, to help you "jump start" the beginning of your After a series of fascinating and informative speakers, the novel. It will be held Sept. 8, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at the San Mid-Atlantic Chapter dinners are going on hiatus until September. Mateo Main Public Library—Oak Room, 55 West Third Avenue, The Mid-Atlantic Chapter’s Mystery Monday brown bag lunches, San Mateo, California. produced in cooperation with Chapters: A Literary Bookstore, will feature Lauren Carr on July 23, and on August 20. Rocky Mountain Join us Oct. 27 for Dying to Write 2: a one-day conference www.rockymountainmysterywriters.com by writers, for writers, and about writers. Registration and For our Sept.13 meeting at the downtown Denver Press Club, program information will be available this summer at our Sgt. Jeff Santelli and Officer Micah Reader will present the Chapter website. inner workings of the members of a S.W.A.T. team, to include a display of special equipment and weapons used by the team. There will also be a demonstration of S.W.A.T. involvement Midwest in a hostage situation, in which case one lucky volunteer from www.mwamidwest.org the audience will be selected as the hostage. The Midwest Chapter is taking its usual summer break so our Retired DEA Special Agent R.T. Lawton (in his biker colors) members can enjoy time with their families, but the officers will play the part of the hostage taker. Fun for all. are busy making plans for the coming year of activities. Once RSVP’s are required for our supper program. again we will be holding meetings not only in Chicago but in other cities, as well. Our long-time treasurer, Joanne Collins, is retiring from that Southeast position. Our new treasurer is Jonathan Quist. The two of them www.semwa.com are working together to make the transition a smooth one. Our Adding to your already thick file about Killer Nashville is the thanks go out to Joanne for her dedicated service to MWA fact that the award-winning Michael Connelly is going to be Midwest. Welcome, Jonathan! our guest of honor. To register, see the complete lineup, or for more information, visit www.killernashville.com. New York SEMWA is sponsoring a Skill-Build entitled "DeMystifying the www.mwa-ny.org Mystery Novel" featuring award-winning author Hallie Ephron, on Saturday, Aug. 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Old Post Office The New York Chapter is busy this summer with two free in Wetumpka, Alabama. Cost is $65. For more info visit our writing seminars at the Mid-Manhattan Library (40th at 5th website. Ave.) on July 17 and Aug. 7 at 6.30 p.m. Our SE members are teaming with Sisters In Crime members The first, What’s So Funny About Murder, will include published in promoting their books at the Southeast Booksellers Convention writers from across the mystery genre discussing the use of in Atlanta, Sept. 28-30. All current SEMWA members may attend. humor in mysteries and will be moderated by Anthony winner Please e-mail Patricia Sprinkle at [email protected] Chris Grabenstein. for more information. The second, Women of Mystery, will be moderated by NY Chapter President Jane Cleland, with women authors discussing Continued on Page 9

8 Chapter News cont. McCloy Scholarships Southern California www.socalmwa.com awarded to authors Recent meetings of the SoCal chapter have been very well attended by Erin Hart and gathering a lot of interest from members. Things are going to slow down somewhat during summer, but The Helen McCloy/MWA Scholarship Committee has selected the Speakers Bureau has put together a program on July 24 to Joshua Morrey (Kearns, UT) and Kristin Johnson (Saint Paul, help authors learn how to best present themselves at events. MN) as this year’s recipients of the Helen McCloy/MWA Scholarship for Mystery Writing. Then on July 29, MWA SoCal is co-hosting a beach party in Orange County with the OC Sisters in Crime chapter. Morrey’s novel-in-progress, Hate the Sin, features a straitlaced police detective who investigates a deadly shootout in downtown The chapter will resume its activities full tilt in September with Los Angeles that may have roots in international arms dealing some new programs and a reactivated speakers bureau promoting and terrorism. members for events at libraries and other venues around the region. Johnson’s novel-in-progress, A Murder to Speak Of, involves an American student abroad and the discovery of an ancient manuscript that may hold the key to a dark conspiracy designed to snuff out Southwest the struggling Welsh language once and for all. www.mwasw.org Morrey will use his scholarship to continue his study of fiction The Southwest chapter welcomes Dallas-based literary agent writing at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, UT, and Johnson David Hale Smith as their guest speaker at a special meeting will use her scholarship to attend the Split Rock Arts workshop Wednesday, July 25, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Borders/Preston- in writing at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN. Royal in Dallas. The committee expects to circulate application information for Smith represents a wide variety of award-winning and bestselling 2008 scholarships to creative writing programs nationwide in the mystery authors including 2006 Edgar winner Theresa Schwegel, fall of 2007. Guidelines and application forms will also be available Quill Award-nominated author Michael Koryta, and Greg Rucka on the MWA website, in TTD, and through various online mystery whose novel “Whiteout” is currently being made into a feature writing newsgroups. film starring Kate Beckinsale. The Helen McCloy/MWA Scholarship for Mystery Writing seeks to Regular meetings make a return to the North Texas area on the nurture talent in mystery fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, and first Saturday of each month from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Texas screenwriting. It is named for MWA Grand Master and past president Land and Cattle Restaurant, 812 South Central in Richardson. Helen McCloy, a mystery author, agent, publisher, and critic. The first was held July 7 and featured a workshop entitled “What 2007 Helen McCloy/MWA Scholarship Committee the Kick-Ass Character Knows and the Mystery/Thriller Author Should.” Erin Hart, chair; Margaret Coel, Melodie Johnson Howe, William For more information on the upcoming meetings, please visit Tapply, Carolyn Wheat our website at www.mwasw.org. Erin Hart is the Anthony and Agatha-nominated author of Haunted Ground (Scribner 2003, Pocket Books 2004) and Lake of Sorrows (Scribner 2004, Pocket Books 2006). Let’s get baked On November 9-11, the 6th Annual New England Crime Bake will be held at The Hilton Boston/Dedham in Dedham, MA. MWA offers grants to authors in need This year's conference will feature Have you recently been dropped by your publisher? Has your best-selling thriller author series been cancelled? Were you orphaned when your publisher as the guest of honor, panels by a went under? new roster of mystery authors and MWA offers one-time grants of $1,000 for authors in need under crime experts, 5-minute pitch sessions our Rebound Grants Program. Up to six grants are awarded each with literary agents, Friday master year. It may not sound like much money, but sometimes a struggling classes, a Saturday night cocktail writer can save a career with just that little extra boost. One party, and author critiques (an author (name withheld) said: "Thank you! This helped more than opportunity to have your writing you know. I was able to pay the bills and get back to writing." critiqued by a published author). Here's what to do: If you are an Active Category (published) There will also be a presentation of member of MWA, and your dues are paid for 2007-2008, go the the Al Blanchard Award, a Saturday MWA website and log in to the page on Rebound Grants. (If you've night banquet with a mock trial of forgotten the password, contact the National office.) Jack Reacher — Lee Child's hero, that You will find all the rules clearly laid out. Basically, you will tell is, with none other than Lee himself us why you need the grant and how you will use it in your career. in the leading role — and a Sunday The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, September 4, 2007, sent breakfast with the authors. via U.S. mail to the Rebound Grants Committee. To register, visit the Crime Bake website: www.crimebake.org. Requests will be logged in, all contact information removed, Don't miss New England's premier mystery conference! and then submitted blind (anonymously) to the committee.

9 MWA IN PRINT – JUNE & JULY 2007 Short Stories Doug Allyn, “Dead as a Dog,” EQMM, July 2007 Books Lawrence Block, “A Vision in White,” EQMM, June 2007 Megan Abbott, Queenpin, Simon & Schuster Jon Breen, “The Saga of Sidney Paar,” EQMM, July 2007 Aileen Baron, The Gold of Thrace, Poisoned Pen Press Tim Broderick, “Feeding Frenzy,” Wall Street Noir, Akashic Press, Rhys Bowen, Her Royal Spyness, Berkley Prime Crime June 2007 Alafair Burke, Dead Connection, Henry Holt David Dean, “Ibrahim’s Eyes,” EQMM, June 2007 James Lee Burke, The Tin Roof Blowdown, Simon & Schuster Brendan DeBois, “Country Manners,” AHMM, July-August 2007 Ellen Byerrum, Grave Apparel, Signet Kevin Egan, “Big Jim’s Winter Dream,” Rosebud Magazine, Spring Tori Carrington, Foul Play, Forge 2007 Nora Charles, Death Rides the Surf, Berkley Prime Crime Edward D. Hoch, “Leopold Undercover,” EQMM, June 2007 Mary Jane Clark, When Day Breaks, William Morrow Edward D. Hoch, “The Problem of Suicide Cottage,” EQMM, July 2007 Michael Connelly, The Overlook, Little, Brown Janice Law, “My Life in Crime,” AHMM, July-August 2007 Philip R. Craig, Vineyard Stalker, Scribner R.T. Lawton, “Shot in the Dark,” Women’s World, June 26th Issue Shirley Damsgaard, Witch Hunt, Avon Robert S. Levinson, “A Prisoner of Memory,” AHMM, July-August Jeffery Deaver, The Sleeping Doll, Simon & Schuster 2007 Phillip DePoy, A Widow's Curse, St. Martin’s Minotaur Tim Maleeny, “The Weight,” AHMM, July-August 2007 Barry Eisler, Requiem for an Assassin, Putnam P.J. Parrish, “Lost and Found,” EQMM, June 2007 , Little Tiny Teeth, Berkley Prime Crime Twist Phelan, “A Trader’s Lot,” Wall Street Noir, Akashic Press, June Robert Ellis, City of Fire, St. Martin’s Minotaur 2007 Janet Evanovich, Lean Mean Thirteen, St. Martin's Press Kristine Kathryn Rusch, “Incident at Lonely Rocks,” AHMM, July- Lynda Fitzgerald, If Truth Be Told, Five Star August 2007 Anthony Flacco, The Last Nightingale, Ballantine Zoë Sharp, “A Bridge Too Far,” EQMM, July 2007 Michelle Gagnon, The Tunnels, MIRA Marianne Wilski Strong, “Saint Casimir’s Fire,” AHMM, June 2007 Brent Ghelfi, Volk’s Game, Henry Holt , “An Internal Complaint,” EQMM, June 2007 , Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants, NAL James Lincoln Warren, “Heat of the Moment,” EQMM, June 2007 Carol Goodman, The Sonnet Lover, Ballantine Robert Weibezahl, "Objet D'Art," Crimespree Magazine, Spring 2007 Chris Grabenstein, Whack A Mole, Carroll & Graf Mike Wiecek, “The End of the Train,” AHMM, June 2007 James Grippando, Lying with Strangers, HarperCollins John Morgan Wilson, “Serious Money,” EQMM, July 2007 Carolyn Haines, Ham Bones, Kensington L.A. Wilson, Jr., “German Johnson and the Lost Horizon,” AHMM, Parnell Hall, Hitman, Pegasus Books July-August 2007 Angela Henry, Diva's Last Call, Kumani Greg Hurwitz, The Crime Writer, Viking Magazine Articles Charles J. Hynes, Triple Homicide, St. Martin’s Press Oline Cogdill, “Ian Rankin: Rebus Turns 20, Magazine, J.A. Jance, Justice Denied, William Morrow Spring 2007 Daniel Kalla, Blood Lies, Forge Ed Gorman, “Small Press Profiles,” Mystery Scene Magazine, Spring Stuart M. Kaminsky, Deluge, Pocket 2007 Susan Kandel, Christietown, William Morrow Steve Hockensmith, “Evermore: The Enduring Legacy of Edgar Allan Alex Kava, Whitewash, MIRA Poe,” Mystery Scene Magazine, Spring 2007 Evan Kilgore, Who is Shayla Hacker, Bleak House Anthony Rainone, “Raven in a Trenchcoat: Hard-boiled Noir Poetry,” William Kent Krueger, Thunder Bay, Atria Mystery Scene Magazine, Spring 2007 Vicki Lane, Old Wounds, Dell Brian Skupin, “What’s Happening with Teri Holbrook,” Mystery Scene Con Lehane, Death at the Old Hotel, St. Martin’s Minotaur Magazine, Spring 2007 , The Secret Hangman, Soho Press Kate Stine, “At the Scene,” Mystery Scene Magazine, Spring 2007 Jackie Lynn, Jacob's Ladder, St. Martin’s Minotaur Art Taylor, “Die Laughing: 10 Comic Crime Movies,” Mystery Scene Marcia Muller, The Ever-Running Man, Mysterious Magazine, Spring 2007 Robert B. Parker, Spare Change, Putnam P.J. Parrish, A Thousand Bones, Pocket Awards/Nominations & Michael Ledwidge, The Quickie, Little, Brown Toni L.P. Kelner, Agatha Winner, Best Short Story, “Sleeping with the Ridley Pearson, Killer Weekend, Putnam Plush” Jason Pinter, The Mark, MIRA John McEvoy, Ben Franklin Award, Best Mystery/Suspense Novel, Patrick Quinlan, The Takedown, St. Martin’s Minotaur Riders Downs Ruth Rendell, The Water’s Lovely, Crown Sandra Parshall, Agatha Winner, Best First Novel, The Heat of the Priscilla Royal, Justice for the Damned, Poisoned Pen Press Moon Shirley Tallman, The Cliff House Strangler, St. Martin’s Minotaur , Agatha Winner, Best Novel, The Virgin of Small Plains Patricia Smiley, Short Change, Penguin/NAL Chris Roerden, Agatha Winner, Best Non-Fiction, Don’t Murder Your Will Thomas, The Hellfire Conspiracy, Touchstone Mystery Camilla Trinchieri, The Price of Silence, Soho Press Phyllis Smallman, winner Best Unpublished First Crime Novel by Kathryn R. Wall, Sanctuary Hill, St. Martin’s Minotaur Canadian Crime Writers, Margarita Nights Tom Wallace, The Devil’s Racket, Salvo Press Nancy Means Wright, Agatha Winner, Best Children’s/YA, Pea Soup Mark Richard Zubro, Hook, Line & Homicide, St. Martin’s Minotaur Poisonings

10 MAY 2007 OHNSON, Douglas G. RM “Cliff’s Folly” (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery ACTIVE Magazine) 2007 KILGORE, Evan SOCAL Who Is Shayla Hacker (Bleak House Books) STANLEY, Kelli NORCAL Nox Dormienda (A Long Night for Sleeping) June 2007 Five Star, July 2008 MAY, Peter CORR The Critic (Poisoned Pen Press) November 2007 MCCLURE, Holly SE Lightning Creek (Bella Rosa Books) Winter AFFILIATE 2006 PERRY, Thomas SOCAL Silence (Harcourt) July 2007 BATES, Cindy SW Church Music Assistant PHILLIPS, Sue SOCAL Rapture’s Legacy (St. Martin’s Press) 1989 BRANNAN, Cheryl SW Web Developer PRINGLE, Peter NY Day of the Dandelion (Simon & Schuster) BURNETT, Bob NORCAL Political Commentator May 2007 CROWN, Lucas SOCAL Internet Project Manager PROUD, Geoffrey SE City Confidential (A&E TV Network) 1999- EMMET, Kathleen MA 2003 GERBER, Rip NORCAL STOLTEY, Patricia RM The Prairie Grass Murders (Five Star) February KAHREN, Frank NORCAL Financial Analyst 2007 LEE, Susan SE Graphic Designer LOMELI, P. Ann Futter NE ASSOCIATE LOWE, Brian SOCAL Paralegal LUNDIN, Leigh FL SCOTT, Nathalie NY Literary Agent, Gotham Literary Agency LYON, Suzanne RM MILLER, Lee Ryan NORCAL College Professor AFFILIATE MORREALE DE LA GARZA, Phyllis SOCAL RICHARDSON, Travis NORCAL Development Manager BALDWIN, Matthew NW Programmer ROSEVEAR, John NE Marketing Consultant BARRACO, Rosemary NY Attorney at Law (retired) ROSS, Christopher MW Freelance Statistician BIGHAM, Michael NW Police Officer SHARP, Eric Howell SOCAL Entertainment Producer BINDER, Sharon Davenport SOCAL Teacher THOMAS, Robert B. NE Teacher BRECHNER, Judy FL Retired Compensation Claims Judge WEINERT, Suzi MA CLARK, Becky RM DELANEY, Eileen NY Freelance Non-fiction writer REINSTATEMENT DINGWALL, Wendy SE FLYTE, Mary NY KRAMER, Nina NY Affiliate FONG, George NORCAL Federal Law Enforcement MITCHELL, Laura SOCAL Affiliate GAVIN, Anthony SOCAL READ, Cornelia NORCAL Active HAMILTON, Nora NY TURZILLO, Jane Ann MW Active HARRIS, Lisa Love SW Antique Dealer HORTON, Lise Kim NY Legal Secretary REQUEST FOR CHANGE TO MEMBERSHIP STATUS JAPHE, Cherri SW IT Control Compliance Manager JOHNSON, Kristin MW College Instructor EHRHART, Peggy NY Affiliate to Active. Sweet Man is Gone MICALE, Gina SOCAL (Five Star) July 2008 MICHAELS-DEGOWSKE, McKensie MW Homemaker MULLEN, John Edward SOCAL NICHOLSON, Stephen NE Software Sales JUNE 2007 PANDIAN, Gigi NORCAL Graphic Designer ACTIVE SIMKO, Ann NY SMITH, Peggy Collins SW Clinical Psychologist BATTLES, Brett SOCAL The Cleaner (Bantam Dell) June 2007 TALTY, Jennifer NY CIULLO, James A. NE Orinoco (Five Star) June 2007 WEBER, Debra SOCAL ESL Teacher CRUSE, Lonnie MW Fifty-Seven Heaven (Five Star) December WINSTON, Andrew M. MA Attorney 2007 FETZER, Amy SE Intimate Danger (Brava, div of Kensington REINSTATEMENT Books) March 2007 HARRIS, Lynn NY Death by Chick Lit (Berkley) June 2007 BARRETT, Kathleen Anne NY Active HAYES, Jonathan NY Precious Blood (HarperCollins) November KRAIDMAN, Gary NY Affiliate 2007 LEWIS, Joanne T. FL Affiliate JAMES, Peter CORR Looking Good (Carroll & Graf) February 2007 WARNER, Penny NORCAL Active 11 June/July 2007 issue

In This Issue - Brian Thornton (left) on Internet searches - BEA, Killer Nashville, CrimeBake - Agents & Editors column - New publisher standards - McCloy Scholarships - Author grants from MWA

Book Expo America

Fans lined up all the way down the aisle to have 2007 St. Martin's Malice Domestic winner Meredith Cole gets an autograph from former Brad Meltzer sign his latest, Book of Fate. MWA EVP Reed Farrel Coleman while author Mark Combes and volunteer extraordinaire Polly Nelson keep watch. (Photos by Margery Flax)