how to write a non-sexist crime novel
In October, Jessica Mann, an award-winning crime novelist and Literary Review critic, decided that “I’ve had enough torture-porn…and won’t review that any more.” Of course, it went out on the airwaves as ‘Book Reviewer Quits Over ‘Increasing Sexist Violence’,’ because I’m sure that raked in way more site hits than her more moderate actual stance would [...]

13 Nov 09
I think maybe perhaps possibly I’ve got that bloody scene fixed. I may have been trying to get too much information into it — trimmed some out to reveal later and the whole thing works better. Now, however, I fear hitting a wall where I need the info I trimmed out sooner than later. It’s [...]

11 Nov 2009
As usual, I’m paying for last week’s hubris with this week’s trip through hell. There’s a scene in the middle of the book where a lot of backstory gets traded between the two major characters, and it’s kicking my ass.

06 Nov 2009
One of those rare good days, where I read over the section I’m editing and start to think I’m a goddamned genius. It’s probably a good thing I don’t have more of these; I’d be insufferable.

lessons from other writers
Every time I read a book, I learn something about my own writing. I read a short novel by Sherman Alexie a couple of days ago, called Flight. When I finished, I had the same feeling I had after reading Indian Killer some years ago: why the hell is this guy so good? His writing [...]