Messages

61

What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...

« on: December 13, 2020, 08:28:50 am »

Wow, thanks so much for sharing this with us! Sounds like it was a combination of your writing talent plus a bit of serendipity that set you on this path. Must be fun to have a career that "requires" lots of reading. :-)

While I might have some small talent with stringing words together, let's not forget I have an editor (Teri Duerr) who makes sure the words are concise and in the right order. She Rocks!

And there's a whole heaping helping of luck involved with how I got to be part of the Review Crew.

But getting the ability to say that I'm a paid professional writer, even tongue-in-cheek, is a nice thing.

The one regret I have is that my mom died before that first review was printed so she never got to see the magazine with my review printed in it. She would've loved it. She was my editor on all the Christmas letters that I would write for my niece when she was a kid.

62

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Mystery Movies for Self-Quarantine

« on: December 13, 2020, 08:22:55 am »

My husband and I watched Enola Holmes last night and we both really enjoyed it. Great cast!

Since I haven't had a chance to see a lot of movies released in 2020, my annual Top 10 list has barely enough movies to fill out the slots. I'm thinking of cutting it down to a Top 5 since some of the ones I did see weren't that good either. But I do know that Enola Holmes is at the top of the list.

63

What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...

« on: December 12, 2020, 08:55:30 pm »

I'm currently reading an advance copy of the new C.J. Box book DARK SKY. It's due out in March.

You are lucky to get advance copies. If you don't mind me asking, how did you come to be a book reviewer?

A few years back I was writing for a website called Poptopia. It's long gone now but it was co-owned by a friend of mine and I wrote a variety of articles for the site dealing with music and TV.

One year, I wrote an article on my ten favorite mysteries and thrillers. When the article was posted, a PR guy for Atria Books saw the article and got in touch with me. He asked if I would be interested in reviewing a book he had available. It was the book I AM PILGRIM by Terry Hayes. Outside of book reports in school, I'd never done a "real" book review. But I said yes and got the book in the mail. I read it, loved it and after 2 1/2 weeks trying to craft a review that I was comfortable posting, the article went up. The PR guy couldn't believe it was the first time I'd done a review. He would send me a new book every once in a while.

Then the site was sold off/shut down and I had a review that didn't get the chance to go up before it did. But when I sent him the file of the review of Thomas Mullen's DARKTOWN, he got back to me and said it was so good that I should consider sending it to Mystery Scene. I hemmed and hawed a bit but sent it to the magazine. (I believe I sent it to Kate Stine). A couple weeks or so went by and then I had an email that said they liked the review but already had a review for the book. I was offered a tryout book to review and if it was accepted, I'd get added to the review crew for future books.

The first book that I reviewed for the magazine was Rob McCarthy's THE HOLLOW MEN. You can read that review HERE!

And I've been reviewing ever since. I love it and hope to continue for many years to come.

64

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Edith Maxwell/Maddie Day: Cozy Capers Book Club Mysteries, Wednesday, June 24

« on: December 11, 2020, 06:47:07 am »

As Maddie Day, Edith has a novella in the collection CHRISTMAS COCOA MURDER and her most recent Country Store mystery CANDY SLAIN MURDER is set during the Christmas season.

65

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Bookmarks?

« on: December 11, 2020, 06:44:38 am »

I've only been to a couple booksignings - Carolyn Hart and Nancy Pickard and Duffy Brown. I think there was one more but I can't think who it was. I usually put the signed bookmarks into the signed books and then I don't have a bookmark when I need one.

I read Nancy Pickard's Jenny Cain series. When she was writing them, I would've loved to have been able to have her sign my copies.

66

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Mystery Movies for Self-Quarantine

« on: December 11, 2020, 06:43:25 am »

I need something new to watch. It sounds like Enola Holmes might be a good one. Thanks!

Let us know what you think of the movie when you see it!

67

What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...

« on: December 11, 2020, 06:42:22 am »

I'm currently reading an advance copy of the new C.J. Box book DARK SKY. It's due out in March.

68

What I'm Reading / Re: MURDER AT THE PALACE by Margaret Dumas

« on: December 11, 2020, 06:41:13 am »

Is there a TV show or movie based on this series? It might be something I'd like.

I don't believe so. But it might be an interesting property to think about adapting to TV. (Assuming they don't mess it up that is.)

69

What I'm Writing / Re: New Releases!

« on: December 11, 2020, 06:39:51 am »

As far as new releases? I'm pretty excited to read that new David Baldacci book DAYLIGHT.

I'm also interested in Ellie Alexander's WITHOUT A BREW and Paige Shelton's COLD WIND.

70

What I'm Writing / Re: Sale Alerts

« on: December 11, 2020, 06:37:08 am »

I didn't find any big Black Friday book sales, but I did get a couple books at 20% off. I reread my old books a lot but it's a real treat to have some new books on my bedside table.

Barnes and Noble had 50% off of bestsellers on Black Friday so I was able to pick up a copy of the new David Baldacci book Daylight for myself and for a Christmas gift for a friend of mine.

71

What I'm Reading / Re: MURDER AT THE PALACE by Margaret Dumas

« on: December 06, 2020, 11:49:05 am »

I'm glad you are enjoying the series!

I love Trixie - I wish she played a bigger part in these stories!

Yes, but the nature of the character kind of precludes more participation than she's got already.

72

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Nancy Drew's 90th Anniversary

« on: December 05, 2020, 05:30:10 am »

I liked both Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys noir-ish stories THE BIG LIE and THE DEATH OF NANCY DREW.

There's another title that came out first called NANCY DREW: PALACE OF WISDOM. It's by a different writer and while it's decent, it was not as dark as the other two stories. At least to me, anyway.

73

What I'm Reading / Re: MURDER AT THE PALACE by Margaret Dumas

« on: December 05, 2020, 05:24:28 am »

I'm glad you are enjoying the series!

74

Welcome and General Discussion / Giving Books as Gifts?

« on: December 04, 2020, 03:00:28 pm »

Anyone making a point of giving their fellow book lovers some new reading material as gifts this year?

I am giving books to a co-worker and one of the people on my trivia team. Two people are getting gift cards. And two of my cousin's kids are getting four books apiece.

I believe one friend is giving me a book as a gift this year.

What about everyone else?

75

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Nancy Drew's 90th Anniversary

« on: December 04, 2020, 06:00:19 am »

I recently finished a 6 issue comic book miniseries featuring Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. It's called The Death of Nancy Drew.

The trade paperback collection isn't due out until March 30th, 2021 but you can get an idea about the story via this Amazon link.

I thought this was a joke when I read about it here: https://bookriot.com/ideas-for-nancy-drews-90th-birthday-that-arent-killing-her/

I read that article via the link you provided. It fails to take into account that the person writing the comic miniseries has written at least one previous story featuring Nancy Drew and I don't recall anyone raising a hue and cry about it then. Also, since they haven't read the story at the time of the article, they couldn't know that the story was actually pretty good with a hellaciously fun and kind of unexpected turn for at least one character. Oh, and the least the writer of the article could've done was get the name of the publisher right. It's not Dynasty Comics, but rather Dynamite Entertainment.