Hilary Davidson's Blog, page 19

The Next Big Thing

I’ve been enjoying the Next Big Thing blog hop that’s been going around for the past couple of months, even if I have resisted getting involved. (Travel, deadlines, and family illness all played a role — there’s been a lot going on lately.) But it’s a new year and my engaging, talented friend Sandra Brannan roped me in. (Thanks, Sandra!)

1: What is the working title of your book(s)?

THE DAMAGE DONE (2010)

THE NEXT ONE TO FALL (2012; coming in paperback on February 12, 2013)

EVIL IN ALL ITS DISGUISES (coming March 5, 2013)

BOOK #4 (I kid you not — I have trouble coming up with titles until very late in the process. This won’t be out until spring 2014, so I still have time!)

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?

Usually the characters come to me first, but the process was different with EVIL IN ALL ITS DISGUISES. It’s the third book in the Lily Moore series, so I’ve been hanging out with some of the characters for a while, but this is the first time I’ve written a novel that was inspired by a real-life crime. More about that below, in #9.

3: What genre does your book come under?

Mystery and suspense.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

This is one of those questions I can’t even begin to answer, partly because I’m so out of touch with movies being released right now. In 2012, I think I saw two in theaters: The Avengers and Argo.

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

When travel writer Lily Moore arrives in Acapulco for a press trip, an old friend asks for her help investigating hotel fraud; but when that friend vanishes — and the resort blocks an investigation into her disappearance — Lily is determined to find the truth.

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?

My books are published by Forge, a division of Macmillan. The Forge people are phenomenal.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The first draft of this book took about four months, but I’m a big believer in revising. No human eyes — besides my own — ever see my first drafts.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I always have trouble coming up with comparisons, but I think there are some similarities to books by Laura Lippman and Lisa Unger.

9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?

In 2000, when I was writing guidebooks for Frommer’s, a young, female editor from the company went missing while on a press trip. It’s a horrifying story, in part because the resort she disappeared from tried to pretend nothing was wrong. Later, as her disappearance got more media attention, the resort tried to blame the editor, claiming that she was using drugs and sleeping around. EVIL IN ALL ITS DISGUISES begins with the disappearance of a journalist during a press trip, and while the novel goes in a very different direction from what happened in real life, there are elements — such as the resort trying to blame the victim — that are part of the narrative. The real-life story resonated with me partly because the editor and I were about the same age, and she was an experienced traveler, which was how I thought of myself, too. It was harrowing to realize that a resort might cover up a crime to avoid scaring tourists away. The editor’s body had never been found.

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

If you’re one of the readers who’s trying to figure out Bruxton’s first name, you’re in luck. There’s a huge clue in this book. A lot of people have written to me about his name, and the most frequent guess is Humphrey. (That’s not his name.) I’m thinking of coming up with a prize for the first person to guess the correct name. What do you think?

The final part of the Next Big Thing blog hop is to tag some wonderful writers you need to know. Most of these writers have already done Next Big Thing blog posts, but check out their websites:

Sandra Brannan, who writes the gritty and fabulous Liv Bergen mysteries

Robin Spano, who writes the wickedly sharp Claire Vengel mysteries (I’m reading her third, DEATH’S LAST RUN right now; early review: awesome)

B.V. Lawson, who runs the excellent In Reference to Murder site (uh oh; I just remembered I owe her a blog post)

Keith Rawson, author of LAUGHING AT DEAD MEN, who tried to get me to do this blog weeks ago

Sara Blaedel, a Danish writer who I had the pleasure of meeting at BookExpo last year — watch for her Next Big Thing post next Wednesday!

 

 

How to Get an Advance Read of EVIL

It’s hard to believe, but EVIL IN ALL ITS DISGUISES will be launched into the world (well, the U.S. and Canada) on March 5th, 2013. It’s the third book in the Lily Moore series, and I’m excited about it. One of my favorite writers, Lisa Unger, read an advance copy and had this to say:

“Hilary Davidson delivers the goods — an exotic, atmospheric setting, a rocket-paced plot, and a bright, engaging heroine in Lily Moore. EVIL IN ALL ITS DISGUISES is a top-notch mystery — exciting, harrowing, and smart”

(All I can say is that there’s nothing better than praise from a writer you admire.)

Some reviews are starting to trickle in, too… like this one from Publishers Weekly:

“In Davidson’s creepy third outing for travel writer Lily Moore (after 2012’s The Next One to Fall), Lily checks into Acapulco’s Hotel Cerón just as a snake coils itself around her foot… Eventually, Lily discovers that she’s bait in a trap, but unsure who’s the hunter and who’s the prey or whether she can trust anyone. Smoothly sinister characters and a creepy Poe-like atmosphere keep the pages turning”

Anyone who knows me at all will appreciate how deeply a comparison to Edgar Allan Poe thrills me.

On March 5th, EVIL IN ALL IS DISGUISES will be available as a hardcover and an eBook from Tor/Forge, and as an audiobook from Dreamscape. Pre-order information is here. In the meantime, if you’d like to win an advance copy, all you have to do is sign up for my newsletter and — if you win — provide a mailing address in the U.S. or Canada. (Apologies to international readers, but I think you know what international shipping costs.) The first drawing will be this coming Friday, January 25th. There will be a couple of draws in February, too. For those afraid of spam, please stop worrying: I’m much too lazy to write a newsletter on anything but a very occasional basis (in fact, I have yet to write a newsletter at all). Nor will I give your email address to anyone else.

If you’re a reviewer, you can download a copy right now from NetGalley. Booksellers can download a copy on Edelweiss.

I’ll be touring extensively for EVIL, as my very kind friends at Crimespree blogged about this weekend. Right now, there are dates set for (in chronological order): New York City, Huntington (NY), Tucson, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Los Angeles, Pasadena (CA), Denver, Austin, Houston, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Toronto. There are some more dates still to come (the list is on my site). Honestly, I can’t wait.

PS The second book in the Lily Moore series, THE NEXT ONE TO FALL, will be out in trade paperback on February 12, 2013. Win a copy on GoodReads!

An EVIL Giveaway

Psst. Want to win an advance copy of EVIL IN ALL ITS DISGUISES? There are 10 copies up for grabs over at GoodReads, so if you have a mailing address in the United States or Canada, enter the draw now (contest ends on November 15th).

Wait, you’re not a GoodReads member? It will take about two minutes to fix that, and signing up is free. EVIL IN ALL ITS DISGUISES is the third novel in the Lily Moore series, and it won’t be out from Tor/Forge until March 5, 2013, so you’ll get the book long before everyone else…

The Return of Thuglit

If you know anything about me at all, you know Thuglit is where I got my start writing fiction. I was sad when the e-zine closed a couple of years back, but it was for a good reason. (Speaking of which, preorder Todd Robinson’s THE HARD BOUNCE. You can thank me later!) But you can’t keep a thug down for long. Thuglit is back with a vengeance, now as an e-zine you can download for 99 cents. The first issue contains stories by Johnny Shaw, Mike Wilkerson, Jason Duke, Jordan Harper, Matthew Funk, Terrence McCauley, Court Merrigan, and me. Mine is called “Magpie”; here’s an excerpt:

The sheriff who called about my mother-in-law’s death sounded genuinely sad about it. “She looked like she was called up to the Lord all peaceful-like,” he said, in a deep voice that had a lingering drawl to it. “She went in her sleep, I reckon. I’m sure she didn’t feel no pain.”

He told me that she’d died of a heart attack, and that it had probably happened a couple of days earlier, given the state in which she was found. “Couple of her near neighbors hadn’t seen her about, so they went over, and then they called me. Poor Mrs. Carlow. Let me give you my number so your husband can call me.”

I dutifully wrote it down, then folded the paper and put it into my purse. It was just before noon, and Jake was probably with a patient, maybe even in surgery. Telling him the news about his mother over the phone seemed heartless. I could drive to his office and reveal all in person, but given that he hadn’t spoken to his mother in years, that seemed like overkill. The news could wait until evening, after he got home. There wasn’t anything either of us could do about it now. His mother had lived in the western edge of Ohio, close to the border with West Virginia. Jake and I were in Los Angeles, where we’d moved for his medical practice. We’d been there almost five years, and even though his roots were in hill country and mine were in Cleveland, the West Coast felt completely like home.

Jake surprised me an hour later, the tires of his Porsche squealing into the driveway. I met him at the door.

“My mother’s dead,” he said. We clung to each other for a while.

“I’m sorry, baby.”

“Ludy said they think she died in her sleep.”

“Ludy?” I pulled back. “You talked to your sister?”

“She called to tell me what happened.”

“She called your office?” My stomach suddenly clenched into knots. “How did she…”

“Never mind that now, Erica. I need to think.” He pushed me away and headed for his den, slamming the door behind him. I was too surprised to say anything, or to go after him. He didn’t seem sad so much as unsettled. That wasn’t a surprise: it was normal to mourn a parent, even one who was a mean, manipulative person. Jake had cut off contact with her years ago because of her abusiveness, and while he was right to do it, I suspected that his conscience wasn’t easy right now. Any sense of loss would be made worse if it was accompanied by guilt.

When I knocked on the door, he didn’t answer. I listened at it for a moment, but all was quiet. He had alcohol in there, I knew, but no food, so I went to the kitchen and made him a sandwich. I put it on a tray and wrote a little note on an index card—I love you, baby—and left it in front of the door, knocking to let him know it was there. An hour later, it was untouched, like a rejected peace offering at the altar of an angry god.

That was when I started to worry. My husband was a man with a tender heart; he found it hard to hold a grudge against anyone, no matter how deserving. It had been so painful for him to cut off contact with his mother, even though he’d done so for reasons any sane person would understand. You couldn’t put up with a toxic person just because you were related to her; you still had to draw a line somewhere. Mrs. Carlow had actually made it easier for Jake by ignoring him. Jake had sent her a birthday card once, after they cut off contact. I only knew about it because his mother had crossed out her name with a spidery X and wrote RETURN TO SENDER on the envelope, so the card boomeranged back. How did you mourn a mother like that?

I wandered aimlessly through our house, wondering what to do. Jake needed help, but I wasn’t sure how to give it to him. We’d been together for a dozen years, and yet sometimes I found it hard to understand him.

When I knocked again on the door of his study, he ignored me. But he hadn’t locked me out, and the knob turned under my hand. I stepped over the tray and went inside. The blinds were drawn, but I could see Jake’s silhouette at his desk. He seemed to be staring into space. I didn’t hear the music at first, it was turned so low. The lyrics came as a whisper: “Oh, Death, oh death, please spare me over till another year.”

“What is it, Erica?” Jake’s voice was just as quiet as the singer’s.

I’d prepared a speech in my mind, but it slipped away. “I’m sorry,” I blurted out. “I wish I knew what to do to help you, baby.”

Jake just looked at me with that hard, flat expression that came over him when he got lost inside his own thoughts. Normally, I could cajole him out of it, but I had a feeling that I wouldn’t be able to this time. He was too bitter and raw right now. He was dangerous at the moment, liable to do something rash if I didn’t pay very close attention to him.

“There’s nothing anyone can do now. What’s done is done.”

“It’s normal to have conflicted feelings in a situation like this. It’s…”

“Erica, please cut out the bullshit psychobabble. I can’t listen to it now.”

That made a lump swell in my throat. Jake almost never cursed, certainly not at me. He was more depressed than I’d realized.

“I have to go out there,” he muttered.

“You what?”

“I need to go home for my mother’s funeral.”

“Jake, she’s gone and nothing is going to change that. Going to her funeral isn’t going to help her. It’s just going to drag you back to a place you hate and bring back painful memories.”

“I’d rather have the painful memories than whitewash the past.”

“You’re so busy at work,” I pointed out. “They need you at the clinic. You can’t just leave them in the lurch.”

“Why? Because some starlet wouldn’t get her boob job? Or maybe some spoiled teenager wouldn’t get her bumpy nose fixed?”

“You’re picking ridiculous examples. You know you do wonderful work. Important work. Think of all the little kids you’ve helped.” Jake occasionally spent his weekends performing surgery, for free, on poor kids from the inner city whose parents could never have afforded to fix their cleft palates and other disfigurements.

He rubbed his temples. “It’s not enough.”

“Look, let’s make a donation in your mother’s honor. I was looking online, and there’s this one association that focuses on heart attack and stroke prevention for women.”

Jake stared at me for what felt like a very long time. “How did you know my mother died of a heart attack?”

“Oh, I…” I felt terrible for not telling him about the sheriff’s call sooner. But when he’d come home, he’d already known that his mother was dead, and he’d disappeared into his den before I’d had the chance to say anything. “The sheriff who found her called here, right before you came in. I was going to call you, but then I was thinking I should tell you in person, and then you came home and you already knew…”

He put his hand up. “I don’t want to hear it. Just leave me alone.”

I swallowed hard and backed out of the room. “Let me know if you need anything,” I said, pulling the door behind me. Just before it closed, I stopped and poked my head back in the room. “I love you, baby.”

Jake just stared at me. I shut the door and tried not to panic.

Want to read more? Download the issue now. Don’t have a Kindle? You don’t need one. You can read Thuglit on your computer or smartphone with these free apps.

Evil in All Its Disguises

March 2013 used to seem so far away. Not anymore! My third novel, EVIL IN ALL ITS DISGUISES, will be published by Forge on March 5th, 2013. Here’s a brief summary:

Lily Moore joins a group of travel journalists for an all-expenses-paid press trip to Mexico’s famous resort town of Acapulco. But the city, once the playground of Hollywood stars, is a place of faded glamour and rising crime. When Lily arrives at the luxurious Hotel Cerón, she finds a resort that’s nearly deserted, a staff who waits attentively to serve guests who aren’t there, and abandoned construction projects on the grounds.

Lily’s fellow journalist, Skye McDermott, drops hints about an investigation she’s conducting. Skye, deeply upset at a lover who jilted her, is obsessed with getting revenge by exposing his company’s fraud and illegal activities. But when Skye suddenly disappears, Lily knows something is terribly wrong.

The hotel’s staff refuses to listen or to even contact the authorities, and Lily begins to suspect that Skye is in grave danger. Worse yet, as Lily herself tries to escape, she discovers she’s become a virtual prisoner in a gilded cage.

A deadly trap has been set, and Lily finds herself maneuvered into the role of bait. Faced with unthinkable choices, Lily must summon all her strength to survive and to save those she loves.

Anthony Award–winner Hilary Davidson weaves a thrilling story of paranoia, vengeance, and murder.

EVIL IN ALL ITS DISGUISES is already available for pre-order on IndieBound, Amazon, Books-a-Million, Powell’s, and Indigo/Chapters. Indie bookstores can pre-order it for you, too — all you need to give them is the ISBN (076533352X). More news coming soon!

Beat to a Pulp: Round Two

I’ve been waiting for this for months: Beat to a Pulp’s second short story collection is now on sale! The editors, David Cranmer and Matthew Mayo, rounded up many of the usual suspects — Ed Gorman, Bill Pronzini, Chris F. Holm, Sean Chercover, Jake Hinkson, Patti Abbott, Glenn Gray, Matthew McBride, Steve Weddle, Keith Rawson, Charles Ardai and Vicki Hendricks, to name a few — and put together a knockout of an anthology. They’ve also included an awesome intro by Sophie Littlefield and a terrific essay on pulp art by Cullen Gallagher. Since James O’Barr did such a phenomenal job on the cover of Round One, it’s great to have him back for Round Two.

It’s an honor to be able to say that my short story “A Special Kind of Hell” is in BEAT TO A PULP: ROUND TWO. This is a new story that I wrote specifically for the collection. Sophie, in her intro, says, “Hilary Davidson’s prose burns so clean you barely notice until it’s too late in ‘A Special Kind of Hell.’” (Given how much I love Sophie’s prose, I take that as a huge compliment.) Here’s the opening of the story:

A SPECIAL KIND OF HELL

“You understand this isn’t about sex, don’t you, honey?”

Paige hated it when her husband called her honey. It sounded so insincere as it rolled off his tongue. She bit the soft tissue of the wall of her cheek to tamp down her anger. “Yes,” she muttered.

“You’re sure you’re okay with this?”

“I’ve told you a hundred times. What more do you want from me, Derek?”

Her husband sighed and glanced around the bistro. It was late Tuesday afternoon and the place was empty except for the staff. Paige wondered what they thought of the fortyish couple refusing to relinquish their corner table. She caught their loaded looks as they set tables for the dinner crowd, murmuring subversively in Spanish.

“Dr. Shapiro says it’s a bad idea for me to go through with it if you’re not okay with it,” Derek said.

She gulped her third glass of chardonnay. It was an amazing trick Derek had pulled on her, really. He was forcing her to give him permission to indulge a twisted fantasy. If she didn’t do it, she was a bad wife. A fetish needs an outlet, Dr. Shapiro had told them when they’d gone for counseling. You can’t think them away. They need a channel so that you can have a satisfying life as a couple.

Bullshit, Paige had thought at the time. She hadn’t changed her mind about that. “I don’t understand why you want a dominatrix to torture you.” Her face flushed as the words gushed out.

“Dr. Shapiro explained it to you, didn’t he, Paige?” He took a sip of club soda, then steepled his fingers, taking on the serious, steady demeanor he assumed in front of juries when speaking on behalf of his shady clients. “Every day, literally hundreds of people look to me to take care of them. My employees, my clients. Charities I support…”

“I’m the one who helps charities,” Paige said.

“With my money.” Derek’s voice was even. “Our money, of course. But I’m the one who has to go out and earn it. I have so many people depending on me. Think of what the kids’ schools cost.”

That jolted Paige. Everything had seemed fine between her and Derek when the kids were at home. But then Derek had insisted on shipping them off to Swiss academies. Once it was just the two of them at home, minus the sunshine and cover the kids provided, Derek’s darker desires had flourished like poisonous plants. “But you’re the one who insisted…”

“I’m in control twenty-four seven, and it’s exhausting. I’m not complaining about how I live my life, but I need a release,” Derek went on. “You understand the dominatrix and I aren’t going to have sex, right? That’s why the dungeons are legal, by the way. No sex. You can legally hire someone to beat you with a whip, so long as there’s no sexual contact.”

Paige hated the way he slithered behind lawyerly arguments when discussing something personal. Did he really think that highlighting the technicalities of a morals law was going to make her comfortable with the fact her husband was going to go into a dark room with some leather-clad woman with a whip? Paige couldn’t put her finger on the part that bothered her the most. Her personal trainer liked to talk about trigger points in the body, and Paige felt that a bunch of hers were being hammered at the same time.

“I just don’t understand…” Paige started to say, but Derek had already opened his wallet and dropped several bills on the table.

“This doesn’t have to be a big deal, Paige, unless you make it one. This is about satisfying my needs.”

“But what about my needs?”

He stood without answering that. “Look, my appointment’s at three. I want to be on time.”

He meant his session at the dungeon, of course. It didn’t matter how she felt; he was going no matter what she said.

“Let me put you in the car.” Derek took her elbow. That made her feel older suddenly, like someone’s maiden auntie. “You’ve had a lot to drink.”

“I can get to the car.” She pushed him away.

Derek called his driver. Finally, the black town car turned the corner and double-parked in front of the bistro. Derek stepped off the curb and opened the door for her.

Paige started to get in. “Why did you tell me, Derek? Why didn’t you just do it quietly? I probably never would’ve known.”

Derek gave her that flat, broad smile that worked on juries. “I couldn’t keep secrets from you, honey.” He nudged her into the car and shut the door. When she turned to look at him, he was already on the sidewalk, his shoulders squared and his step swift, as if he couldn’t wait to get where he was headed.

“Home, ma’am?” the driver asked.

“Yes, please.” Paige sat back and rubbed her eyes. Had it really come to this? Seventeen years of marriage to a man who secretly craved dungeon paddlings? Whips and chains? A ball gag? Paige wasn’t even completely certain of the nature of his cravings. A couple of sessions at Dr. Shapiro’s townhouse hadn’t enlightened her about that. The doctor talked mostly about how trust is the most important thing in a relationship and how you have a responsibility to satisfy your partner, even if their desires don’t match up with yours.

I’ve been doing that for years, Paige had said.

I’m sure you think you have, the shrink told her.

*          *          *

BEAT TO A PULP: ROUND TWO is available from Amazon. If you’ve read “A Special Kind of Hell” and want to see the paintings by John Waterhouse that are mentioned in the story, I’ve created a Pinterest board about them, with links to the museums for more information. Happy reading!

Crime Spree in BC

News I’m thrilled to share: in mid-June, I’ll be heading to British Columbia for a crime spree with fellow authors Ian Hamilton, Robin Spano, and Deryn Collier. (The photo is of me with Deryn and Robin at last year’s Arthur Ellis Awards dinner in Victoria.) If you know me, you know I love doing book events, and the only thing more fun than going somewhere to talk about my book is going somewhere with a posse of fine writers to talk books. Details from the media release:

They are calling it The Crime Tour: Three Hip Chicks & One Old Fart — a chance for Vancouver and Lower Mainland mystery lovers to talk crime fiction with four up and coming Canadian authors this June.

The Chicks are Hilary Davidson, Deryn Collier and Robin Spano. The Fart is Ian Hamilton. All four are fresh faces on the crime fiction scene, with eight books published between them in the last two years.

“We are all writers who rage on the page,” says tour organizer Robin Spano. “But we are really friendly in real life. Whether you’re an aspiring writer looking for inspiration or you love books and are intrigued by what goes into their creation, we hope you’ll come away having learned something.”

The authors will all be staying in Spano’s home for the duration of the tour. “It’s going to be loads of fun,” says Spano. “We’re going to get to know each other well, and I think that will really add to the events.”

The events: Crime Tour events are booked in venues from Burnaby to Squamish as follows:

Real Vancouver Crime Sunday, June 17th from 2-5 p.m., W2 Woodwards Join Sean Cranbury of Books on the Radio as he hosts The Crime Tour for an afternoon of readings in a funky underground space on Vancouver’s Lower East Side. This event is free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale on site.

Murder in the Woods Monday, June 18th from 6:30-8:00 p.m., Squamish Library The Crime Tour travels up the Sunshine Coast for an evening of chatting mystery and writing in the wooded beauty of the Sea-to-Sky highway. This event is free and open to the public. Books will be for sale on site by Armchair Books.

Meet and Greet at Chapters Tuesday, June 19th from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Chapters (Robson & Howe) Come down to Chapters on Robson & Howe to meet and visit with The Crime Tour authors and get your books signed. Books will be available for sale/signing.

A Mystery Evening to Die For Tuesday June 19th from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the Richmond Public Library Brighouse (Main) Branch. Join up with The Crime Tour for a full evening of author readings, a panel discussion on the writing process and a lengthy Q&A. Books will be available for sale on site from Dead Write Books.

Triple Threat: Chicks Who Solve Crime! Thursday June 21 7:00-8:30 p.m., Burnaby Public Library, McGill Branch Join The Crime Tour chicks for a fun, all-female night of mystery readings and discussion in Burnaby. Books will be available for sale on site from Dead Write Books.

The Authors:

Hilary Davidson’s debut, The Damage Done, won the 2011 Anthony Award for Best First Novel. It also earned a Crimespree Award and was a finalist for an Arthur Ellis and a Macavity award. The sequel, The Next One to Fall, was released in early 2012. Says the Los Angeles Review of Books: “Her voice is a fresh and welcome addition to the noir landscape.” www.hilaydavidson.com

Ian Hamilton’s first novel in the Ava Lee series, The Water Rat of Wanchai, was chosen by Quill and Quire as one of the top five novels of 2011 and was nominated for a CBC bookie award for best crime/mystery of the year. It is currently in the running for an Arthur Ellis Award for best first novel. The fourth book in the series, The Red Pole of Macau, will be published this fall. Says The Toronto Star: “Ava Lee is unbeatable at just about everything…She’s perfect. She’s fast.” www.ianhamiltonbooks.com

Robin Spano’s undercover protagonist Clare Vengel has been described as a “slightly slutty grown up Nancy Drew”. Spano has been dubbed one of Canada’s Hot New Crime Writers by Crime Fiction Lover. She has fast developed a loyal following with her “smart, stylish and sharp” writing in Dead Politician Society and Death Plays Poker. www.robinspano.com

Deryn Collier is the newcomer in this group. Her just-released first novel, Confined Space, was nominated for an Arthur Ellis award for best unpublished crime novel. Set in rural BC, Confined Space has been called “superbly written, densely layered, and marvelously suspenseful” by New York Times bestselling author Julia Spencer-Fleming. www.deryncollier.com

In addition to the events mentioned above, Robin Spano and I will be talking about Social Media Platforms at the June 16th meeting of the Off the Page Toastmasters in New Westminster, B.C.

Acknowledging Some Debts

[image error]THE NEXT ONE TO FALL came out a month ago, and I've had a wonderful — and completely crazy — ride with it so far. I had a terrific launch party at New York's Mysterious Bookshop, headed down to the Southwest to tour, then up to Ontario for more events, including a phenomenal Canadian launch party at Ben McNally Books. I owe a debt of gratitude to all of the stores who have hosted me, reviewers who've written about the book, and to everyone who has been so supportive. I'm just about to hit the road again for a tour that will take me to Denver, Los Angeles, San Diego, Thousand Oaks, Sacramento (for Left Coast Crime), San Francisco, and Berkeley. As you can probably imagine, I can't wait!

Feeling thankful for everything that's happening now reminded me that I wanted to put the acknowledgments for THE NEXT ONE TO FALL online. I know I have a whole raft of new news to include next time around, but I wanted to say thanks again to the many, many people who've helped me on the road to publishing the book.

Acknowledgments for THE NEXT ONE TO FALL:

If I started a novel with a character who's deeply in debt, you know he or she would end up burying a body, committing a heist, or participating in some mayhem. In my own case, I'm forever indebted to a long list of amazing people, and I consider myself blessed. My editor, Paul Stevens, never ceases to amaze me with his brilliant insights, gentle humor, and thoughtful ways. The entire Tor/Forge team deserves a round of applause for all of their hard work, especially Miriam Weinberg, Aisha Cloud and Patty Garcia. I'm grateful to many at Macmillan, in particular Talia Sherer. A big thank you to my agent, Judith Weber, and to everyone at Sobel Webel Associates for all of their work on my behalf and for their ongoing assistance.

I'm so grateful to all of the bookstores and libraries that have supported my work. Special thanks to Barbara Peters at the Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale; Lesa Holstine at the Velma Teague Library in Glendale, AZ; Marian Misters and J.D. Singh at Sleuth of Baker Street in Toronto; Bobby McCue and Linda Brown at the now closed — and very much missed — Mystery Bookstore in Los Angeles; Allison Robinson and Dustin Kurtz at McNally Jackson in New York City; Mary Alice Gorman and Richard Goldman at Mystery Lovers in Pittsburgh; Scott Montgomery at BookPeople in Austin; Ed Kaufman at M Is for Mystery in San Mateo, CA; Charline Spektor at BookHampton in East Hampton, NY; and Sally Owen at the Mysterious Bookshop in NYC. A big thank you to the entire staff at Partners & Crime in NYC, where I had the launch party of my dreams. I'm sorry I never got to meet David Thompson in person, but I'll be forever grateful for his sweet enthusiasm when I contacted him about reading at Murder by the Book in Houston; my thanks to McKenna Jordan, Kinley Paisley and everyone else at the store for their warm welcome.

Publishing fiction has shown me just how many people are in my corner, and I'm amazed at their efforts, awed by their tenacity, and humbled by their belief in me. Linda Fairstein has astonished me time and time again with her generosity and kindness. The Crimespree family — Jon and Ruth Jordan and Jennifer Jordan — has been unfailingly helpful and wise. Steve Weddle has been a one-man promotion machine, interviewing me in print and audio, hosting a contest, foisting my work on countless strangers, and doing so much more. Jen Forbus has overwhelmed me with her support of my work. Susan Shapiro has been a longtime source of wisdom and encouragement. I'm also thrilled that an incredible group of writers — including Megan Abbott, Ken Bruen, Reed Farrel Coleman, Ed Gorman, Jane Stanton Hitchcock, and Dennis Tafoya — took the time to read and blurb my work.

The support I've had from the crime-fiction community has been incredible. Some of the many I need to thank: Patti Abbott, Jedidiah Ayres, Nigel Bird, Judy Bobalik, Aldo Calcagno, Rebecca Cantrell, Lisa Cotoggio, David Cranmer, Elyse Dinh, Barna Donovan, Margery Flax, Cullen Gallagher, Kathleen Gerard, Jack Getze, Chris F. Holm, Kate Horsley, Fiona Johnson, Vince Keenan, Ray Adam Latiolais, B.V. Lawson, Sophie Littlefield, Maggie Lyons, Erin Mitchell, Lauren O'Brien, Dan O'Shea, Brad Parks, Keith Rawson, Todd Ritter, Todd Robinson, Peter Rozovsky, Kathy Ryan, L.J. Sellers, Robin Spano, Julie Summerell, Sarah Weinman, Chuck Wendig, Holly West, Elizabeth A. White, Lina Zeldovich, and Dave Zeltserman. I'm also thankful for the support of my fellow members of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Crime Writers of Canada, International Thriller Writers, and to my pirate crew of fellow bloggers over at 7 Criminal Minds. A special shout-out to my wonderful friends on Twitter and Facebook, who keep me (passably) sane.

Others who deserve my deepest thanks: Darya Arden, Tom Best, Margaret Cannon, Suzanna Chang, Joan Chin, Beth Russell Connelly, Carolyn Cooke, Stephanie Craig, Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Jessica DuLong, Leslie Elman, Alice Feiring, Alyson Gerber, Stacey Gibson, David Hayes, Amy Klein, Jenn Lawrence, Martin Levin, Pia Lindstrom, Helen Lovekin, Louisa McCune, Michael Mejias, Ellen Neuborne, Dorri Olds, Bethanne Patrick, Tony Powell, Rich Prior, Ilana Rubel, Jenna Schnuer, Rita Silva, Trish Snyder, Charlie Suisman, Alex Robertson Textor, Kate Walter, and Royal Young.

Heartfelt thanks to all of my family and friends, who have been supportive of me from day one. A special thank you to my mother, Sheila, for never complaining about the countless pages I send her way; her sharp eyes and solid editing instincts are invaluable to me. My father, John, is a one-man cheering squad and I apologize to everyone he's tackled and forced to buy my work. My husband, Dan, manages to encourage me while giving great criticism, a rare feat.

Finally, thank you to everyone who has come to a reading or contacted me online after reading my work. I can't tell you how much that means to me.

Release Day!

[image error]February 14, 2012, used to seem like a far-off date; it's hard to believe it's finally here. But it is, and so is THE NEXT ONE TO FALL, the sequel to THE DAMAGE DONE. The new book has already had an enthusiastic reception, for which I am truly grateful. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped me get the word out!

If you'd like to read some background about the book, I've been guest-blogging about it at different sites:

Jen's Book Thoughts: "Perfect Place for a Murder"
Book Reviews by Elizabeth A. White: "The Ones Who Didn't Get Away"
Jungle Red Writers: "It's a… Character!"

There's also an incredibly perceptive piece by Katrina Niidas Holm over at Criminal Element — she talks about grief as a character in the book (if you haven't read THE DAMAGE DONE, this does have a few spoilers). Also at Criminal Element: read the first three chapters online. You can also see photos I took while I was in Peru — this slideshow features many of the settings I write about in THE NEXT ONE TO FALL.

Last week I wrote about some of the early reviews the new book is getting. That list has grown longer. I've also been interviewed a few times. I won't list the pieces here, but if you want to see what I'm up to, visit the "News & Reviews" page on this blog (I try to keep that up-to-date).

Thanks again for all the support. I'm looking forward to seeing some of you over the next few days at the party in New York City, and while I'm on tour (first up: Houston, Austin, Scottsdale, and Glendale!).

One Week to Go!

[image error]My second novel, THE NEXT ONE TO FALL, will be published by Forge on Tuesday, February 14th — Valentine's Day. It's an ironic release date, since the book features a wealthy man whose wives and other female companions have a strange habit of going missing… or turning up dead. Romantic, the book is not. But it does bring back Lily Moore, the main character from THE DAMAGE DONE, and her best friend, Jesse Robb, and it sets them loose in Peru. The book has been getting some phenomenal reviews:

Publishers Weekly: "Davidson's exciting follow-up to her debut, 2010's The Damage Done, takes travel journalist Lily Moore, who's still reeling from her sister's death in The Damage Done, to Peru… The rich history and geography of Peru add depth to an engrossing mystery that constantly keeps the reader guessing."

Library Journal: "Davidson's follow-up to her Anthony Award-winning debut (The Damage Done) will leave you breathless, and not just because of the Andes' high altitude. Her determined young travel writer propels the exciting plot like a rocket. Think Jamie Freveletti's thrillers (Running From the Devil) for no-holds-barred action and the single-mindedness of the protagonist."

Kirkus Reviews: "An attempt to overcome grief with a trip to fascinating Machu Picchu leads to even more wild intrigue… Lily's feelings for her sister ring painfully true, and Davidson's rendering of Machu Picchu and Cusco would merit a pisco sour toast even from the great Jan Morris."

The Maine Suspect: "The Next One to Fall is the sequel to author Hilary Davidson's stellar debut, The Damage Done, and it's quite simply a fantastic read.  Equal parts action-adventure thriller and classic paranoia tale (with a touch of Peruvian travelogue thrown in for good measure), Davidson's latest is an intelligent, atmospheric, heart-stopping tour-de-force, guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.  The prose is graceful, the pace is electric, and the mystery will keep you guessing until the very end." — Katrina Niidas Holm

Mystery Scene: "I have never been to Peru nor have I tasted coca tea. But I had just read Anthony Award winner Hilary Davidson's The Next One to Fall, which is so wonderfully steeped in the scenery of Peru that I could picture the country as if I had been there. Davidson shows the reader Peru's geography, its politics, its violence and its people in ways that most travel articles do not." — Oline Cogdill

Jen's Book Thoughts: "Lily and Jesse suffered hardships and still have open wounds that can be easily re-opened. But their core strengths still guide them day to day. Jesse still exudes wit and charm; Lily is still thoughtful and introspective. And the relationship between the two is still shaping up to be one of the greatest in crime fiction." — Jen Forbus

I'm also honored to say that BookPeople in Austin, Texas, has made THE NEXT ONE TO FALL the store's Mystery Pick of the Month for February:

"Davidson is a master at character. She skillfully ties the plot to having Lily confront what she's running from. It's exciting to watch her find her inner strength in her darkest moments. She understands that pace is more than moving through plot points and twists as fast as you can. She allows her characters to breath, such as in a wonderful passage where Jesse discusses his homosexuality and Christian faith. It's Davidson's play between light and dark that make her books so fresh and prove that she is an author to keep watching and reading." — Scott Montgomery, Crime Fiction Coordinator, MysteryPeople

Canada's Chatelaine magazine has also selected THE NEXT ONE TO FALL as one of "February's Best Books," putting it in some amazing company.

I'm overwhelmed, and incredibly grateful for all of the support. There are some things I should mention.

To everyone who has pre-ordered THE NEXT ONE TO FALL: You are wonderful and I want to hug each and every one of you.

To everyone thinking about ordering the book: the pre-order contest is open through Monday, February 13th! Here's your chance to win a character name, collection of books, or a llama. You're also helping to support Heifer International.

To everyone in New York: you're invited to my launch party at The Mysterious Bookshop! It's being held on Wednesday, February 15th so that the romantics in the crowd can celebrate Valentine's Day. The party starts at 6:30pm and everyone is welcome.

To everyone in Houston, Austin, Scottsdale, and Glendale (AZ): I'm coming to your town SOON. Please come see me while I'm visiting! The schedule:

Friday, Feb. 17, 6:30pm: Murder by the Book, Houston
Saturday, Feb. 18, 4pm: BookPeople, Austin
Tuesday, Feb. 21, 7pm: The Poisoned Pen, Scottsdale
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2pm: The Velma Teague Library, Glendale, AZ

The full tour schedule is on my website. It includes Long Island (Book Revue, Feb. 28), Toronto (Ben McNally Books, Mar. 8), Denver (Tattered Cover, Mar. 23), Los Angeles (Noir at the Bar, Mar. 25), San Diego (Mysterious Galaxy, Mar. 26), Thousand Oaks (Mysteries to Die for, Mar. 28), and San Francisco (Book Passage, April 2). There are also some conferences on that schedule, and a couple of private events. I'm hoping to see a lot of friends while I'm on tour.

In other news, I have a newsletter. Sign up now!

If you don't already subscribe to Crimespree Magazine, now would be an excellent time to start. The awesome people who run it made me the cover story for the January/February 2012 issue, and Ruth Jordan and Jen Forbus interviewed me for the piece. I can't vouch for my answers, but their questions were brilliant.

I've got a lot of things coming up, including guest blogs, Q&As and other pieces. If you'd like to see what I'm up to or what people are saying about the book, check out the News & Reviews page on the blog. I'm thrilled beyond belief that I get to do what I do. Thanks again for all of the support. I hope to see you soon!