Alex Segura's Blog, page 18

“Miami’s new literary wave is young, experimental and diverse”

Miami, dubbed “Paradise Lost” by Time magazine in 1981, is now establishing itself as a mecca for writing and a source of inspiration for writers, a place that has nurtured the talents of Jennine Capó Crucet, Fabienne Josaphat, Chantel Acevedo, M.J. Fievre, Patricia Engel, Vanessa Garcia, Hector Duarte, Karen Russell, Ana Menendez, Alex Segura

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BAD BEAT is here!

This is a fun one.

Some background: Rob Hart is a friend and also a killer crime novelist. You should all read his debut Ash McKenna novel, New Yorked. We’re also both published by Polis Books, which is run by the great Jason Pinter. Rob and I are also big comic book fans.

So, cut to dinner a few months back and Rob and I are chatting about comic book crossovers and how cool they were as a kid. Why don’t mystery writers do the same thing? Light bulb. You can probably figure out the rest.

Really excited to announce the arrival of Bad Beat, a digital short story written by Rob and I coming in January that features Pete Fernandez crossing paths with Ash McKenna in a prequel to New Yorked and the first Pete book, Silent City. The short story will also feature the first chapters of both, serving as a great promo tool for our respective series.

Want to know more? Rob and I talk about the process at LitReactor. You can also pre-order Bad Beat at the usual places. Hope you enjoy!

Cover Reveal: DOWN THE DARKEST STREET

Earlier this month, you got a peek at the cover to SILENT CITY – the first Pete Fernandez novel being reissued by Polis Books in March. Well, I’ve got another one for you – a look at the cover to DOWN THE DARKEST STREET, the sequel to SILENT CITY, hitting in April of 2016, also from Polis. I love the series look Polis Books Publisher Jason Pinter and his team came up with for these – noir and modern and tropical all at once!

Needless to say, things get grimmer for poor Pete in book 2 – you’ll want to pick this up in April, or start the whole series in March with the new version of SILENT CITY.

Also on the book front, I’m happy to confirm that there will be audiobook versions of both Silent City and Down the Darkest Street available on each book’s respective release date via Audible and Polis. Additionally, you can pre-order print copies of the SILENT CITY reissue, digital info coming soon.

Cover reveal: SILENT CITY

So excited to finally unveil the cover to my Miami crime novel, SILENT CITY – hitting in March from Polis Books and kicking off the Pete Fernandez series.

Polis, not surprisingly, did an amazing job on this one and I’m extremely thankful to Publisher Jason Pinter for not on the cover, but for bringing me into the Polis family. It’s an honor to be part of the team. Big thanks to my agent, Dara Hyde, as well.

Here it is!

The next book in the series, DOWN THE DARKEST STREET, hits in April – so you’ll have plenty of time to catch up on Pete’s exploits before then.

ARCHIE MEETS RAMONES is a real thing that is happening

Yup. Announced at Comic-Con International: San Diego’s Pop Music and Comics panel!

Next year, Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee and Tommy will meet the Riverdale gang in this special, extra-sized one-shot. Words by me and my friend Matt Rosenberg, art by the amazing Gisele!

I was blown away by all the coverage this got – our names were in places like Pitchfork and EW! So, thanks in advance for the support and excitement. I can promise this’ll be a fun, rockin’ adventure that will appeal to fans of the bruddas and the Archie gang.

More soon!

Some Pete Fernandez book news…

I’m very excited to announce that I’ve signed a three-book deal with Polis Books!

The news hit today via Publishers Weekly, and I couldn’t be happier. The deal gives Polis rights to re-release my debut Miami crime novel, SILENT CITY, and launch two upcoming books, DOWN THE DARKEST STREET and DANGEROUS ENDS, continuing the series starring washed up journalist/reluctant PI Pete Fernandez.

This is huge news for me and I’m supremely honored to be part of the killer roster of crime authors Jason Pinter has put together at Polis Books.

Jason’s thoughtful, smart and inspired approach to publishing and his ability to nurture authors made Polis Books the ideal place to go with Pete, and I couldn’t be happier that his (mis)adventures have found a permanent home.

I feel like I’ve just been asked to join a championship team, and I can’t wait to line up next to some of the best writers I know (and some of my dearest crime writing friends), including Rob Hart, Patti Abbott, Bryon Quertermous, Dave White, Terrence McCauley, Jason Starr and more.

None of this would have been possible without my awesome agent Dara Hyde at the Hill Nadel Agency, whose even-handed and savvy approach to everything from book edits to publishing strategy made this a painless and amazing experience. Her passion for the work and her ability to determine what it would take to find the right home for these books proved invaluable. Thank you.

The publishing world rarely moves quickly, and I’m grateful for my colleagues and bosses at Archie Comics, my friends and my family for their help and support, which manifested itself in many ways.

I’d also like to thank Codorus Press and Wayne Lockwood for giving SILENT CITY its initial break and for being supportive and understanding throughout. I’ll never forget where Pete got his start.

Most importantly, I’d like to thank my amazing wife Eva for her support, love and guidance. I couldn’t do any of this alone.

I guess I have some writing to do!

We interrupt this program

(THE CLASH – “THIS IS RADIO CLASH”)

Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a safe, fun night kicking off 2015.

I figured now might be a good time to do a little Alex 101/Station Identification – just so you know where you can connect with me. IF YOU DARE.

Who am I? My name’s Alex Segura and I’m a writer of novels and comics. My first crime book, SILENT CITY, came out in late 2013. The second and third in the series are in the works. I’ve written a lot of comics, mostly for Archie, including ARCHIE MEETS KISS, “Occupy Riverdale” and more. I oversee Archie’s PR/Marketing and also edit the company’s Dark Circle line of superhero comics, which will launch next month with THE BLACK HOOD, followed by THE FOX and THE SHIELD, redefining the company’s stable of superhero properties. I’m married, vegan and live in New York City with my wife and two cats. I read a lot of books, listen to tons of music and watch some TV and movies. I talk about all of these things.

This site is my main hub of info – you can find out about books and comics I’ve written along with a bio, author photo and links to relevant places.

I tweet pretty frequently about books, music, comics, crime, Miami, veganism and whatever is irking me politically at the moment. I also talk about my day job at Archie Comics.

My Tumblr blog is a repository for interesting stories, funny/cool imagery and other Internet refuse.

I have an official Facebook Author Page, if that’s your thing.

You can find me and rate my books on Goodreads, too.

I blog at Do Some Damage every other Thursday about whatever pops into my head in relation to crime fiction.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled holiday…

Some thoughts on Serial and true crime

 

Most of this originally appeared on my Facebook page, but it felt like it merited being a blog post, so here it is! If you’ve been following me on Twitter at all, you know I’ve been hooked on Serial, the podcast produced by This American Life. The podcast is unique in that it doesn’t present standalone story episodes, but instead provides a serialized (get it?) look at one story – the case of Adnan Sayed, who was found guilty of the murder of his ex-girlfriend almost 15 years ago, when he was 17. Host Sarah Koenig brings listeners in on the investigation. The storytelling is decompressed and not linear – which is sometimes compelling and other times a little frustrating. But in short, we’re basically tagging along while Koenig and her team researches and reports on the case – so, with that in mind, there are some expected lulls and dead ends. I should note that while one of Serial’s claims to fame is its format, there’s at least one other podcast that does the narrative-season thing: Startup, but Alex Blumberg, which chronicles his journey creating a startup company. It’s not similar beyond that, but also worth a listen – though it does suffer from some of the same types of peaks and valleys.

Anyway, here’s my post – which was spurred by listening to the amazing Laura Lippman talk about Serial on BBC 1 Radio yesterday. I’ve trimmed the written-for-Twitter intro sentences and probably caught a few typos.

One of my favorite novelists, Laura Lippman, talked to BBC Radio 1 about the series – and her qualms with its approach to true crime writing (her segment starts around the 5m mark). Lippman, a Baltimore native and former crime reporter for The Baltimore Sun, gives some great insight into the case and zooms out a bit to give some wonderful perspective. It’s very much worth a listen – I wish they hadn’t been so pressed for time because it seemed like there was a lot more to discuss.

I should preface this whole thing by saying I enjoyed Serial and have listened loyally every Thursday. I found the format compelling and enjoyed how listening to the story brought me closer to the narrative than reading words on paper.

But, having listened to the finale (no spoilers!), I have to agree with Laura – while the journey of Serial has been interesting and at times engaging, I can’t say I’d pick that over a more concise and clear analysis of what that journey discovered. I also think “enjoying the ride” puts me (and others more familiar with the true crime genre) in the minority, as I got the sense most listeners were expecting some kind of “season finale” TV show-style conclusion. I could be wrong.

I also don’t think the podcast itself is remarkably unique in the world of true crime, especially if – like Laura, myself and many others – you’ve read a lot of true crime books. I also couldn’t help getting a little defensive at the occasional article along the lines of “It’s OK to like true crime now that Serial’s here” as if reading the genre before was somehow graceless – or gauche, as Laura puts it. This wasn’t helped by Koenig’s passive dismissal of true crime every time she pointed out that being a crime show wasn’t the intent of Serial at first. Sarah, it’s OK to write about crime! That’s what you’re doing.

Laura also mentions The Staircase as a stronger example of serialized true crime reportage – which I think is true, though it also has some faults. It manages to deliver in a way that I don’t think Serial ever could, not for lack of trying, while dealing with similar circumstances.

Overall, like I said, I enjoyed the journey of Serial – I felt like we got to ride along with a talented, flawed and honest reporter as she explored a story that, from what I could tell, she thought was going to be easier than it was. I don’t, however, think that this style of covering or narrative execution is new to crime reporting or true crime writing – but that’s OK. We all like a good true crime story, right?

Murder & Mayhem in Milwaukee and Where to Find Alex at Bouchercon 2014 Murder at the Beach

There was a lot of pointing at Murder & Mayhem in Milwaukee earlier this month. Here I am with Daniel B. O’Shea and Susanna Calkins, two great authors and friends.

November’s speeding by – faster than usual. It’s hard to believe that Bouchercon, the biggest mystery/thriller event of the year, is almost upon us. Kicking off later this week in Long Beach, CA, BCon promises some great panels, author events, conversations, laughs and much more.

I’ll be there the entire time – moderating a panel, doing a reading and participating in a few other things. Most importantly, I’ll be hanging out with some dear friends and enjoying the mystery community – which, as I’ve said, is extremely welcoming. This is a special show for me,having been to a few Boucerhcons already. This year marks my first as a published crime writer. If you’re attending the show, you’ll be able to pick up copies of SILENT CITY in the Book Room, which blows my mind. Very cool.

Before I dive into my Bouchercon schedule, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention where I was earlier this month: the wonderful and wild land known as Milwaukee for Murder & Mayhem in Milwaukee.

Last year, I had the honor of being invited to a great, energizing and thoughtful event – Murder & Mayhem in Muskego. Hosted at the local library, it brought together some of the best and nicest crime writers around for a day’s worth of panels, signings and chatting. The funding for this year’s event didn’t materialize, so a lot of us were bummed about not having another M&MM to attend in 2014.

But the magicians known as Jon and Ruth Jordan, Penny Halle and Erica Ruth Neubauer had other plans. With their diligent planning, care and effort – and the help of a killer crew of volunteers – Murder & Mayhem was back, this time at a snazzy casino and featuring the same feel-good vibe and A-list talent. The festivities took up most of the day on Nov. 1 and the partying went into the wee hours. I was on a really interesting panel discussing location in fiction featuring some of my favorite authors, like Dana Cameron, Daniel B. O’Shea and Kristi Belcamino, moderated by the great Kate Malmon. It was a blast and a treat to hang out with so many friends, fellow authors, readers and more. Here’s hoping next year is even bigger and better. Thanks again to the Jordans, Penny, Erica and the volunteers for a kick-ass job.

And right, Bouchercon! If you’re at the show, I should be fairly easy to find – I envision spending a lot of time in the Book Room or other communal areas if not at a panel or event. But here are the stuff that’s locked in.

Thursday

8:30 – 10:30am, Promenade 104-A-B-C

Author Speed Dating! Want to  hear my quick pitch on Silent City? Want to have a nice continental breakfast surrounded by some of the best writers in the business? Swing by and enjoy.

11:30am – 12:30pm, Regency B

Crime Goes Visual. I’ll be moderating an all-star panel discussing the worlds of comics, graphic novels and writing crime fiction. Join me, Duane Swierczynski, Dale Berry, Gary Phillips and Gregg Hurwitz for a fun discussion about two of my favorite things: crime novels and comics. We’ll be signing copies of our books after the panel, too, so come prepared!

5:30 – 6:30pm,

Regency C

Noir at the Bar! I join an amazing list of authors to read some quick, visceral crime fiction. There’ll be a great book giveaway and some amazing stories. This is one to definitely mark on your calendars.

Saturday

10 – 11am, Promenade 104 B-C

Bloody Murder: Recommendations from the Margins. Absolutely honored to be one of the 50 authors joining moderators Charlaine Harris and Sara Paretsky to celebrate diversity in the mystery community and talk a bit about authors we feel might deserve an extra plug. This is a can’t-miss event that I’m blown away to be a part of. Do not miss it!

One last bit: if this is your first Bouchercon, let me humbly suggest you read my convention guide. I also think you should check out Erin Mitchell’s and Kristopher’s. Good advice from smart people (except me – pffft!).

That’s the big stuff. If you happen to see me wandering the halls, please do say hello! I’m happy to chat and sign a copy of SILENT CITY if you have it!

This and That:

It’s looking like we’ll be having another NOIR AT THE BAR: QUEENS on 12/11 at 7pm. Swing by ODradek’s Coffee Shop and Wine Bar and come back here for more info as we get closer. We’ve almost finalized the author list, and it’s going to be a fun one!
I talked SILENT CITY over at fellow Codorus Press author Tom Joyce’s site. Thanks for taking the time to speak with me, Tom! You should all check out Tom’s debut novel, The Freak Foundation Operative’s Report.
I did an interview with the fine crew behind Long Beach Comic Con the last time I was in the area. They put the video up last week – marvel at my hand gestures and hear me talk SILENT CITY, Archie and more.

Happy birthday, SILENT CITY!

SILENT CITY, my first novel starring washed up Miami journalist Pete Fernandez, hit a year ago today from Codorus Press.

How crazy is that? It’s been an amazing, emotional and joyous ride – book events, signings, interviews, reviews, trips, panels, hugs, laughs and more. I’m overflowing with gratitude and excited to talk more about what’s next for Pete.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this book possible – including my loving and patient wife, family, the great team at Codorus, my agent, reviewers, friends, fans and the hugely supportive community of crime authors that so kindly welcomed me as one of their own – you’re all super-kind and awesome, and I’m lucky to have you in my lives.

SILENT CITY is still on sale from most major online retailers and bookstores – so, if you haven’t had a chance to check it out, please do! Plug, I know.

Pete’s adventures will continue in DOWN THE DARKEST STREET. More on that in the coming months.

Thanks again!