Chris Holm's Blog, page 23

Fire (and Brimstone) Sale!

I just got word from Angry Robot that the ebook version of the first novel in my Collector trilogy, DEAD HARVEST, will be on sale for just $1.99 from 4/15 to 4/21! So what're you waiting for? Click here for the Kindle version, and here for the Nook version.

THE KILLING KIND UK/Australia/New Zealand Cover Reveal!

Oh, internet, you sneaky little gossip. You just love blurting out people's secrets, don't you?

In this case, though, said secret is pretty cool. See, I've been sitting on the gorgeous UK/Australia/New Zealand cover for THE KILLING KIND for weeks, biding my time until I got the go-ahead to show it off... only to discover it snuck onto my publisher's website while my editor and I weren't looking.
Last night, I got the thumbs-up to share it here. BEHOLD!

One pretty cover is almost too much to hope for. But two? Yea verily do the publishing gods smile upon me. Nice to know I haven't been sacrificing all those brindled calves beneath the pale moonlight for nothing.

THE KILLING KIND a Library Journal Prepub Pick!

Two posts in one day? Madness, I say! But this Library Journal piece naming THE KILLING KIND a Prepub Pick for September is too cool not to share, not least because it'll probably be the only time I'm mentioned in the same breath as Salman Rushdie and J.M. Coetzee.

Now back to our regularly scheduled blog silence...

David Baldacci on THE KILLING KIND

I confess, when I saw this blurb in my inbox yesterday, I was floored:

"With THE KILLING KIND, Chris Holm has created a story of rare, compelling brilliance with a concept so high you'll need oxygen to finish it. Hit man against hit man, one pure silk and evil, the other not exactly good, but we root for him anyway as the classic antihero. This is a one-sitting extravagant, mind-blowing reading pleasure with a stable of characters who come across as all flesh, bone and folly. You will never look at men hired to kill other humans the same way. You won't merely read this book, you will inhale it."
-David Baldacci, New York Times bestselling author of ABSOLUTE POWER and MEMORY MAN

I've been a fan of Baldacci's since I read his debut, ABSOLUTE POWER, way back in '96. To know that he enjoyed THE KILLING KIND is quite a thrill. Many thanks, David, for your kindness and generosity.

Left Coast Crime Update

Left Coast Crime is days away, and there've been some last-minute updates to my schedule. Remember when I said I'd be front-and-center for Katrina Niidas Holm's panel? Turns out I was off by a few feet, because I'll actually be on Katrina's panel. See, Bill Loehfelm couldn't make it to Left Coast Crime, so the organizers tapped Lou Berney for the panel. Unfortunately, Lou just had to cancel, too, so now Katrina's stuck with me—and I'm stuck feeling like I just signed on to play drums for Spinal Tap.

In addition, I'll be co-hosting a table at the banquet with the insanely talented Hilary Davidson. If you'd like to break bread with us—and maybe take home some fun freebies—don't forget to sign up when you register!

So, barring disaster, here's where you'll find me:

Make Up Your Mind: Writing in More Than One Genre
Friday, 3/13 at 10:15AM in the Holladay Room
Chris Holm (Moderator)
D.J. Adamson
Heather Ames
S.G. Redling
Sheila Simonson

Pants on Fire: A Liars Panel
Saturday, 3/14 at 10:15AM in the Multnomah Room
Simon Wood (Moderator)
Chris Holm
Jess Lourey
Catriona McPherson
Johnny Shaw

Sweet & Lowdown: A Cozy/Noir Summit
Saturday, 3/14 at 11:30AM in the Oregon Room
Katrina Niidas Holm (Moderator)
Hannah Dennison
Chris Holm
Josh Stallings
Marty Wingate

Awards Banquet Table
Saturday, 3/14 at 7:00PM
Co-hosting with Hilary Davidson

Hope to see you there!

THE KILLING KIND Cover Reveal!

I've had a charmed run when it comes to covers. The distressed, Penguin-inspired covers for the Collector trilogy beautifully evoke the dime store paperbacks that inspired the series, and garnered no shortage of praise. So the cover for THE KILLING KIND had a lot to live up to.

Lucky for me, Mulholland is no slouch in the design department. Duane Swierczynski's CANARY practically screams to be picked up. The cover for Lauren Beukes' BROKEN MONSTERS is as eerie and unsettling as the novel itself. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention J.J. Abrams' and Doug Dorst's S., which may well be the prettiest book I've ever seen.

But in covers, as in life, there are no guarantees. So how's THE KILLING KIND stack up? Find out after the jump...
Read more »

Maine Crime Wave 2015

Last year's inaugural Maine Crime Wave proved a huge success. I'm happy to report that it's back for a second year, and this year's program is even more ambitious than last!

The festivities kick off on Friday, April 10 at the Portland Public Library with Two Minutes in the Slammer. Attendees are invited to read a short passage of their own work (!), and the best readings will earn an award from the crack team of judges. (This is a truly one-of-a-kind event, and I would have killed to participate when I was starting out.) Then, anyone who wants can grab dinner/drinks out with one of Maine Crime Wave's featured writers (including yours truly.) Anyone who'd like to participate in the reading or one of the dinners can RSVP here.

Then, on Saturday, April 11, join me, Kate Flora, Paul Doiron, Gerry Boyle, Barbara Ross, and many more at the University of Southern Maine's Glickman Library in Portland for a day of panels, workshops, and critiques. I'll be participating in a panel on the business of writing, as well as leading one of the four hourlong workshops. The workshops are included in the registration fee, and the schedule is set up such that every registrant will have the opportunity to attend two of them. I went to Julia Spencer-Fleming's last year, and it was terrific. Here's the details for mine:

PLANTING EVIDENCE AND TURNING UP THE HEAT How to Play Fair with Your Mystery and Still Ratchet Up the Suspense 

Thomas Hood once said, “The easiest reading is damned hard writing,” and never is that truer than in crime fiction. Whether you’re penning a cozy mystery or a race-against-time thriller, it’s your job to dole out clues, stage reveals, and manage the pace such that an audience steeped in the genre’s conventions is kept guessing—and frantically turning pages—right up until the very end. This workshop aims to stock your toolbox with tips, tricks, and techniques to craft an exciting, unpredictable tale that hangs together well and keeps even the savviest crime fic fan reading into the wee hours.

If you're interested in attending, click through for details and registration information. And if you're on the fence, perhaps you'll be swayed by Portland's unparalleled food scene, our wealth of tasty beer, or the offerings of our stellar craft distillers. Hope to see you there!

More KIND Words!

Hot on the heels of last week's post, today brings more early word on THE KILLING KIND:

"I love Chris Holm. He can evoke a landslide of character in a single detail. THE KILLING KIND crackles with muscle and moxie and wit. I will read it again and again."
-Chelsea Cain, New York Times bestselling author of ONE KICK

"Chris Holm’s latest is exceptional in every way, with breakneck pacing, sensational storytelling, and razor-sharp prose. At its hardboiled core is an unforgettable antihero who inhabits a violent purgatory of his own making, but discovers there’s a piece of his soul he hasn’t lost yet. Dark, riveting, and instantly addictive, THE KILLING KIND is this year’s must-read thriller."
-Hilary Davidson, Anthony Award winning author of BLOOD ALWAYS TELLS

"With a great writer, a great premise, and a great protagonist, how can you lose? With his unique take on the hit man thriller, Chris Holm claims his place amongst the best suspense novelists working today. It takes real talent to make a hero of a cold-blooded killer, and Chris Holm pulls it off with style."
-Stuart Neville, Los Angeles Times Book Prize winning author of THOSE WE LEFT BEHIND

I can't tell you how psyched I am that Stuart, Hilary, and Chelsea enjoyed it. They're three of the finest thriller writers on the planet. Many, many thanks to each of them.
In other news, I got a glimpse of my UK cover this morning, and it's darn slick. I've been sitting on the US cover awhile now, which has been tough 'cause it's fantastic. Maybe someday soon I'll get to share them...

First word on THE KILLING KIND is in!

One of the most exciting and nerve-wracking stages in launching any book is seeking out blurbs. For me, this has never been more true than for THE KILLING KIND. I took a big swing when I wrote this book — aiming to make it the sort of smart, propulsive thriller I love to read — and I hoped like hell it'd connect.
We're still a ways from its September release date (heck, we don't even have proper ARCs yet), but my editor was kind enough to make a small batch of bound manuscripts to send out. All I had to do was reach out to some of my literary heroes — luminaries of the modern thriller all — and ask them if they'd be willing to take a peek.
To my great delight, most said yes. And this weekend, the first few blurbs came in. So what's the verdict?

"Lean, brutal and riveting, Chris Holm’s THE KILLING KIND is the kind of novel you can’t put down but also want to savor. With sharply etched characters, knifelike twists and hardboiled energy to burn, it’s an utter winner, beginning to end."
-Megan Abbott, Edgar Award winning author of THE FEVER 

"Chris Holm loads an ingenious premise — an assassin who kills only other assassins — into a high-powered story that goes off like a rocket. His protagonist, Mike Hendricks, is an all-American anti-hero with his own code of justice, living on stolen time. THE KILLING KIND is sleek and smart, and will stay with you long after you've finished reading."
-Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of THE FIXER 

"A high-octane, cat-and-mouse thrill ride, written with style and a flair for the spectacular. Chris Holm is a master storyteller, and THE KILLING KIND is his best work to date. Don’t miss it."
-Owen Laukkanen, Anthony, Barry, and Thriller Award nominated author of THE STOLEN ONES

To say I'm honored would be an understatement. Many thanks to Megan, Joe, and Owen for their kindness and generosity. The fact that I'm a huge fan of theirs makes these blurbs all the sweeter. And stay tuned... fingers crossed this is only the beginning.

Other Portland, Here We Come!

Left Coast Crime is soon upon us! I, for one, can't wait. I'll admit, a goodly part of that is thanks to the brutal winter we New Englanders are suffering through, but hanging out in a cool city full of book-folk still rates.

If you're attending and would like to meet/stalk me and/or catch up, here's where I'll be:

Make Up Your Mind: Writing in More Than One Genre
Friday, 3/13 at 10:15AM in the Holladay Room

Chris Holm (Moderator)
D.J. Adamson
Heather Ames
S.G. Redling
Sheila Simonson

Pants on Fire: A Liars Panel
Saturday, 3/14 at 10:15AM in the Multnomah Room

Simon Wood (Moderator)
Chris Holm
Jess Lourey
Catriona McPherson
Johnny Shaw

And while I'm not participating in this panel, my lovely and talented wife is moderating, so you'll surely find me front-and-center:

Sweet & Lowdown: A Cozy/Noir Summit
Saturday, 3/14 at 11:30AM in the Oregon Room

Katrina Niidas Holm (Moderator)
Hannah Dennison
Bill Loehfelm
Josh Stallings
Marty Wingate

You can see the full panel schedule here. And as ever, if you see me at the con and want to say hello, please feel free.