Mark Pryor's Blog, page 4
February 3, 2014
A trailer for you.
Have you ever seen a book trailer? You know, like a movie trailer but for a book. Some are brilliant, usually the ones with high budgets, actors, and trippy CGI. Naturally, most aren't.
And yet I've always been fascinated by the concept even though I've never had the contacts or resources to make an outstanding one. (I'm waiting for locals Richard Linklater and Matthew McConaughey to call and offer their services. Actually, McConaughey would make a good Hugo Marston, hmmm....).
Anyway, my kids...
And yet I've always been fascinated by the concept even though I've never had the contacts or resources to make an outstanding one. (I'm waiting for locals Richard Linklater and Matthew McConaughey to call and offer their services. Actually, McConaughey would make a good Hugo Marston, hmmm....).
Anyway, my kids...
January 30, 2014
Stories and sandwiches... and jail.
If I were to write an "advice to criminals" column, this post would be in it.
There's a reason criminals wear raccoon masks and carry bags marked with a generic "SWAG." It's because they don't want to be recognized, and bare faces and Gucci bags will stand out to members of the public being relieved of their possession in an illegal manner.
Therefore, if you want to commit a crime, (a) don't wear a distinctive t-shirt when there are witnesses, (b) if you do wear a distinctive t-shirt when...
January 28, 2014
Disarming reviews: "So disappointing..."
I'm starting a new, weekly habit here on D.A. Confidential and I'm calling it "Disarming Reviews." Yes, I know that's an ambiguous label but it's intentional. Here's the plan: I want to take my bad reviews and disarm them, render them harmless, and do so in a way that is itself quite disarming. Simple, no?
But why would I do this? Two reasons.
First, as you might imagine, if a writer has a hundred good reviews and then one bad one comes in, guess which gets his attention? The words sting and sm...
But why would I do this? Two reasons.
First, as you might imagine, if a writer has a hundred good reviews and then one bad one comes in, guess which gets his attention? The words sting and sm...
January 26, 2014
Numbers one, seven, and ten. Good numbers, those.
This may never happen again, so I'm marking it for posterity: all three of my books are best sellers at BookPeople. Love that place, the magnificent staff and its wonderful customers.
The books in question:
The list in question:
[image error] That's all. Have a wonderful Sunday. :)
The books in question:
The list in question:[image error] That's all. Have a wonderful Sunday. :)
January 23, 2014
An English pyschopath... (no, not me!)
As regular readers of the blog will know, I am utterly fascinated by psychopaths and sociopaths. To the extent, actually, that a novel I'm working on right now features one.
I have no idea what the gender breakdown is for psychopaths, in terms of how many men to women. But I do know that female serial killers are rare. One has just popped up in England and I thought I'd share for anyone who missed the story.
Her name is Joanna Dennehy, she's 31 years old and she just pled guilty to murdering th...
I have no idea what the gender breakdown is for psychopaths, in terms of how many men to women. But I do know that female serial killers are rare. One has just popped up in England and I thought I'd share for anyone who missed the story.
Her name is Joanna Dennehy, she's 31 years old and she just pled guilty to murdering th...
January 16, 2014
Polly busts a drunkard
This has to be one of the best stories I've seen in a long while:
Police in Mexico City said a drunken driving suspect stopped at an alcohol checkpoint was betrayed by his pet parrot, which told police "he's drunk."
Investigators said Guillermo Reyes, 49, was pulled over last week at a routine checkpoint in the city and officers heard a voice in the car repeating "he's drunk, he's drunk," Spanish-language newspaper El Universal reported Tuesday.
Police said they looked inside the vehicle, expect...
Police in Mexico City said a drunken driving suspect stopped at an alcohol checkpoint was betrayed by his pet parrot, which told police "he's drunk."
Investigators said Guillermo Reyes, 49, was pulled over last week at a routine checkpoint in the city and officers heard a voice in the car repeating "he's drunk, he's drunk," Spanish-language newspaper El Universal reported Tuesday.
Police said they looked inside the vehicle, expect...
January 14, 2014
Crikey, it's here already!
The day snuck up on me, like one of my own dastardly ne'er-do-wells.
Release day for The Blood Promise!
Here are a couple of nice things people have said about it, already (but I'd rather you made up your own mind, of course):
“Mark Pryor is one of the smartest new writers on the block. His new novel is a doozy.”
—Philip Kerr, author of A Man Without Breath, a Bernie Gunther novel
"Pryor seems to have hit his stride in this series, as he adroitly juxtaposes the light banter between Marston and Gr...
Release day for The Blood Promise!
Here are a couple of nice things people have said about it, already (but I'd rather you made up your own mind, of course):
“Mark Pryor is one of the smartest new writers on the block. His new novel is a doozy.”
—Philip Kerr, author of A Man Without Breath, a Bernie Gunther novel
"Pryor seems to have hit his stride in this series, as he adroitly juxtaposes the light banter between Marston and Gr...
January 8, 2014
Wow, two years already?
I was going to let yesterday pass in quiet reflection of an old bugger. An old bugger who passed away two years ago. But he visited me last night in my sleep (dreams, people, I don't believe in ghosts. Though that'd be cool, and he'd get a kick out of haunting me).
As a result, and because I'll likely be talking about him at the launch of my next book (since he's one of the inspirations for my hero, Hugo Marston), I thought I'd repost the tribute to my Dad that I wrote the day after he died.
No...
As a result, and because I'll likely be talking about him at the launch of my next book (since he's one of the inspirations for my hero, Hugo Marston), I thought I'd repost the tribute to my Dad that I wrote the day after he died.
No...
January 1, 2014
New year, new book, new names needed...
Happy New Year everyone.
Remember a month or so ago, I mentioned wanting to use real people's names in my upcoming books? Oh wait, here's the post. Anyway, I'll be having in in-person drawing at the launch of my new Hugo Marston novel, called THE BLOOD PROMISE. I'll be sharing wine, cheese, and a hat full of names at BookPeople on January 17, at 7pm.
In fact, the new book contains the names of the winners from the last drawing in May. So yes, it's for real! But you have to be there to win. Or l...
Remember a month or so ago, I mentioned wanting to use real people's names in my upcoming books? Oh wait, here's the post. Anyway, I'll be having in in-person drawing at the launch of my new Hugo Marston novel, called THE BLOOD PROMISE. I'll be sharing wine, cheese, and a hat full of names at BookPeople on January 17, at 7pm.
In fact, the new book contains the names of the winners from the last drawing in May. So yes, it's for real! But you have to be there to win. Or l...
December 18, 2013
A minute too late...
On Thursday night, all was quiet in Charlie Sector. I was riding with Jared, who was coming up to the end of his first year as an APD officer. I'd guess this was my fourth or fifth time riding with him, he's highly regarded by the two Sergeants he's worked under. I got to see why.
We were coming back from a nothing call when a new message popped up. Burglary in progress, and pretty close to where we were. The normal protocol for that is to hit the lights and sirens (aka "running code") until w...
We were coming back from a nothing call when a new message popped up. Burglary in progress, and pretty close to where we were. The normal protocol for that is to hit the lights and sirens (aka "running code") until w...
