Mark Stevens's Blog, page 28
July 15, 2018
Q & A #67 – Gregory Hill, Zebra Skin Shirt
Well, there is a first time for everything. Occasionally the interviews here on the blog don’t go as well as some of the others. On his third appearance here on Don’t Need A Diagram, Gregory Hill ran into some issues, … Continue reading →
July 6, 2018
Donald Ray Pollock, “Devil All the Time”
A writer friend recommended The Devil All the Time as a compelling example of a novel that reveals the dichotomy of the human spirit. About all I can say to that is “boy, howdy.” This same writer friend also likes … Continue reading →
June 12, 2018
Q & A #66 – Nick Arvin, “Mad Boy”
You won’t forget Mad Boy. You won’t forget Henry Phipps, his wild adventures through the War of 1812, or Henry’s dead Mother, whose postmortem involvement in Henry’s actions and thinking is truly unique. You also won’t forget Nick Arvin’s stellar way … Continue reading →
June 11, 2018
Emily Fridlund, “History of Wolves”
I would say read History of Wolves for the first chapter. Or, make it as far as you can. Or, put your expectations on hold, perhaps, and just go with the flow of this novel, which prefers taking on issues … Continue reading →
June 6, 2018
The Business of Patience
A Q & A with Keir Graff and Linda Joffe Hull (writing together as Linda Keir) about all the work* that went into their novel, The Swing of Things, due out in August from Lake Union Publishing. On the Rocky Mountain Fiction … Continue reading →
May 30, 2018
Q & A #65 – Christine Carbo, “A Sharp Solitude”
It started three years ago with The Wild Inside. I was taken with the cover (it’s a winner) and, later, the story. Next, Mortal Fall. Last year, The Weight of Night. And now, A Sharp Solitude (released yesterday). Christine Carbo’s Glacier Mystery Series is a “series,” … Continue reading →
May 28, 2018
Finn Murphy, “The Long Haul”
Who doesn’t wonder what it’s like to drive a long-haul truck? (Or is that only a boy thing? A quick web search suggests only 5 or 6 percent of truck drivers are women. Does that mean only boys–and, er, men–wonder … Continue reading →
May 23, 2018
Q & A #64, Patricia Abbott, “I Bring Sorrow & Other Stories of Transgression”
In 2017, I moderated a panel for the Edgar Awards Symposium and among the writers was Patricia Abbott. Abbott was nominated for the Best Paperback Original category for her novel, Shot in Detroit. It was a fun panel for lots … Continue reading →
May 1, 2018
One Judge’s Tale
A piece on the RMFW blog about judging the Edgar Awards for Mystery Writers of America. Here. Photo is Deborah Shlian, one of my fellow judges, with her stack of 535 entries. Advertisements
April 22, 2018
Jeffrey Siger, “An Aegean April”
How does the first world wrap its head around third-world problems, let alone crises like the outpouring of refugees (millions of people) looking for sanctuary and a new home, a fresh start? How do we begin to imagine the day-to-day … Continue reading →
