Chris Holm's Blog, page 29
August 15, 2013
Crime Fiction with a Twist
Today, I've got a guest post up at MysteryPeople's blog, in which I explain how a guy known for crime fiction shorts winds up writing a fantasy series. (Disclaimer: I'm not bagging on fantasy. I love fantasy. I read fantasy. I just never thought I'd write fantasy. Shows what I know.)
August 13, 2013
Crimespree on THE BIG REAP
Dan Malmon of Crimespree filed his review for THE BIG REAP today. Here's a taste:
"Big concepts in a book filled with big ideas and big action. But what fans of Chris Holm’s Collector series already know is this: there is plenty of big heart here as well."
Click through to read the rest. And thanks, Dan!
"Big concepts in a book filled with big ideas and big action. But what fans of Chris Holm’s Collector series already know is this: there is plenty of big heart here as well."
Click through to read the rest. And thanks, Dan!
Episode 156: Attack of the Holm
Today, my first of two new Functional Nerds podcasts has hit the interwebs. In this episode, Patrick, John and I discuss horror flicks. As ever, gents, it was a pleasure stopping by!
August 9, 2013
Feeling the Love
One of my favorite sites for all things pop culture is The A.V. Club. They're a daily read for me, on account of their killer coverage of books, movies, music, and TV. So imagine my surprise when I woke up today to discover I got name-dropped in the latest installment of their weekly AVQ&A feature.
The question posed to their staff today was this: "What book or series of books should be made into a TV show?" And here's what Jason Heller (a kickass fantasy writer and Hugo-nominated editor in his own right) had to say:
"Chris F. Holm’s series The Collector—comprising Dead Harvest, The Wrong Goodbye, and The Big Reap—is something I’d love to see come to the small screen. [...] Technically it’s urban fantasy, but Holm has a great ear for crime-fiction grit and rich yet dialed-in prose. And Thornton is one of the most quietly gripping characters I’ve run across in a long time."
In other news of interwebby kindness, Scott Montgomery of Austin's BookPeople featured me on their MysteryPeople blog today, saying "Chris is a stand out among the new crop of rising crime fiction writers. His mix of hard boiled, humor, and poignant heart that you wouldn’t think would come out of the stories he’s telling set him apart."
Thanks to Jason and Scott both!
The question posed to their staff today was this: "What book or series of books should be made into a TV show?" And here's what Jason Heller (a kickass fantasy writer and Hugo-nominated editor in his own right) had to say:
"Chris F. Holm’s series The Collector—comprising Dead Harvest, The Wrong Goodbye, and The Big Reap—is something I’d love to see come to the small screen. [...] Technically it’s urban fantasy, but Holm has a great ear for crime-fiction grit and rich yet dialed-in prose. And Thornton is one of the most quietly gripping characters I’ve run across in a long time."
In other news of interwebby kindness, Scott Montgomery of Austin's BookPeople featured me on their MysteryPeople blog today, saying "Chris is a stand out among the new crop of rising crime fiction writers. His mix of hard boiled, humor, and poignant heart that you wouldn’t think would come out of the stories he’s telling set him apart."
Thanks to Jason and Scott both!
August 7, 2013
Five Foxy Things
Forgive the brevity of this post, y'all, but I'm either in the throes of an epic allergy-induced sinus headache, or one of you is trying to pop my melon Scanners-style (in which case STOP IT)(ow I should not have shouted that).
Today, I'm talking five movies that inspired THE BIG REAP over at Crimespree. And a couple days back, Gef Fox took a peek at THE WRONG GOODBYE. Here's a glimpse of what he had to say:
"The blend of hard-boiled mystery and high-octane fantasy make THE WRONG GOODBYE a tremendous novel that surpasses DEAD HARVEST and sets a pretty high bar for the third book in the series, THE BIG REAP. If you like urban fantasy with touches of noir and pugnacity, you really need to check this series out."
Pugnacity. I like that. Thanks, Gef!
Today, I'm talking five movies that inspired THE BIG REAP over at Crimespree. And a couple days back, Gef Fox took a peek at THE WRONG GOODBYE. Here's a glimpse of what he had to say:
"The blend of hard-boiled mystery and high-octane fantasy make THE WRONG GOODBYE a tremendous novel that surpasses DEAD HARVEST and sets a pretty high bar for the third book in the series, THE BIG REAP. If you like urban fantasy with touches of noir and pugnacity, you really need to check this series out."
Pugnacity. I like that. Thanks, Gef!
August 3, 2013
Guest Post at Maine Crime Writers
Thanks to the efforts of the lovely yet formidable Kate Flora, this morning finds me guest-blogging at Maine Crime Writers. I'm talking about my Collector series' strong ties to the crime-fic canon, and the crime-fic canon's ties to the archetypes of religion and myth. Go check it out!
August 1, 2013
A brief transmission from the whiskeybunker...
So THE BIG REAP is out, and people are reading it. Which means I've retreated to the steel-reinforced fallout shelter buried deep beneath my backyard, where I will subsist entirely on ramen, whiskey, and the occasional nerve-induced crying jag until such time as the world decides I'm either brilliant, or a fraud, or possibly a brilliant fraud.
I am, however, dimly aware the world outside my whiskeybunker continues to spin on its axis. One bit of evidence for this fact is that the inimitable Scott Montgomery has gone live with his New Authors on Old Favorites feature on the MysteryPeople blog, in which I took part. The idea is, we writer-types pick a contemporary we'd like to see tackle a classic series character. To see my pick, click the link above. And while you're there, be sure to read Hilary Davidson's choice, as well!
I am, however, dimly aware the world outside my whiskeybunker continues to spin on its axis. One bit of evidence for this fact is that the inimitable Scott Montgomery has gone live with his New Authors on Old Favorites feature on the MysteryPeople blog, in which I took part. The idea is, we writer-types pick a contemporary we'd like to see tackle a classic series character. To see my pick, click the link above. And while you're there, be sure to read Hilary Davidson's choice, as well!
July 31, 2013
New Review and Mind Meld, Too!
This morning, Paul Simpson of Sci-Fi Bulletin tucks in to the literary delicacy that is THE BIG REAP, and declares it "A powerful piece of urban fantasy." Thanks, Paul!
Oh, and yours truly is featured in today's SF Signal Mind Meld, alongside such talented authors as Richard Kadrey, Lou Morgan, and Stephen Blackmoore. The question du jour is "What authors are on your auto-read list?" Click through to see what we all had to say.
Oh, and yours truly is featured in today's SF Signal Mind Meld, alongside such talented authors as Richard Kadrey, Lou Morgan, and Stephen Blackmoore. The question du jour is "What authors are on your auto-read list?" Click through to see what we all had to say.
July 30, 2013
THE BIG REAP is Now Available!
As I type this, THE BIG REAP has been out in the world for going on twenty hours. I can't tell you how thrilled I am folks will finally get a chance to read it, or how bowled over I am by the support of my friends and fans on social media, who've made this book release one to remember. Thanks, all. It means a ton.
In honor of today's book launch, I embarked upon a BIG REAP Release Day Blogstravaganza (trademark pending). For those who missed the links flying fast and furious on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+, flip the table and duck behind it, 'cause here come the bullets:
COUNTRY HARDBALL author/debonair man-about-town Steve Weddle was kind enough to interview me about all things Collector-y at Do Some DamageHugo Award-winning author and all-around lovely person Mary Robinette Kowal graciously had me by her blog to discuss my favorite bit about THE BIG REAPStephen Blackmoore, the evil genius behind CITY OF THE LOST and DEAD THINGS, let me crash his blog-space to talk about the upside of writing in a blind panicAnd honorary inclusion in my BIG REAP Release Day Blogstravaganza on account of its irrefutable awesomnity goes to Sean Cummings' video review of THE BIG REAP. Sean is the author of the wildly entertaining POLTERGEEKS, and a great guy as well, so his kind words carry a lot of weight around these parts.
Huge thanks to Steve, Mary, Stephen, Sean, and everybody who took the time to share a link or post a review. And, of course, to everyone who's bought the book. Without y'all, I'm just some weirdo with a head full of crazy stories. Actually, that's true either way, but make-believe's more fun with company.
In honor of today's book launch, I embarked upon a BIG REAP Release Day Blogstravaganza (trademark pending). For those who missed the links flying fast and furious on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+, flip the table and duck behind it, 'cause here come the bullets:
COUNTRY HARDBALL author/debonair man-about-town Steve Weddle was kind enough to interview me about all things Collector-y at Do Some DamageHugo Award-winning author and all-around lovely person Mary Robinette Kowal graciously had me by her blog to discuss my favorite bit about THE BIG REAPStephen Blackmoore, the evil genius behind CITY OF THE LOST and DEAD THINGS, let me crash his blog-space to talk about the upside of writing in a blind panicAnd honorary inclusion in my BIG REAP Release Day Blogstravaganza on account of its irrefutable awesomnity goes to Sean Cummings' video review of THE BIG REAP. Sean is the author of the wildly entertaining POLTERGEEKS, and a great guy as well, so his kind words carry a lot of weight around these parts.
Huge thanks to Steve, Mary, Stephen, Sean, and everybody who took the time to share a link or post a review. And, of course, to everyone who's bought the book. Without y'all, I'm just some weirdo with a head full of crazy stories. Actually, that's true either way, but make-believe's more fun with company.
July 26, 2013
A Frightfully Good Review
Today, at Jenn's Bookshelves, the eponymous Jenn Lawrence reviews THE BIG REAP as part of her Frightful Friday series. The verdict?
"Honestly, I don’t think there is a reader out there who wouldn’t appreciate the sheer brilliance contained within this series. Highly, highly recommended."
You can't ask for a nicer blurb than that. And the fact that it comes at the end of so thoughtful of a review is just the icing on the cake. Thanks, Jenn!
"Honestly, I don’t think there is a reader out there who wouldn’t appreciate the sheer brilliance contained within this series. Highly, highly recommended."
You can't ask for a nicer blurb than that. And the fact that it comes at the end of so thoughtful of a review is just the icing on the cake. Thanks, Jenn!
