One Week Countdown ...

I looked around and it was January.

Not New Year's Day, mind you, I remember that, even with the champagne. And I started the New Year off like everyone does ... full of plans and resolutions, one of which was to blog more often! ;)

I hope you forgive me. The whirlwind that has been leading up to the official launch of City of Dragons has been whirling ever faster, and in between book tour preparations and everything else I'm also going on a virtual blog tour and hanging out with friends--so I actually have been blogging. You can catch me on Working Stiffs and the Femmes Fatales ... and Notes from the Handbasket, Type M for Murder, The Rap Sheet, Meanderings and Musings, Pens Fatales, The Kill Zone, The Page 69 Test, My Book, My Movie, Coffee with a Canine, Detectives Beyond Borders and Jen's Book Thoughts are all upcoming!

So how do I feel, now that City of Dragons is only seven days away? Well, a little like Dorothy walking into technicolor. I've been stunned by the reception, and am immeasurably grateful for the all the support from this incredible and generous community. I'm trying to keep centered--that's what my wonderful agent tells me to do, and she's always right--but it's difficult. I alternate between absolute exhilaration and fear and anxiety, with gratitude and acknowledgment of my own extreme good fortune as the constants. :)

I'm looking forward to the book tour, which is taking me to Seattle, Portland, Thousand Oaks, Los Angeles, San Diego and Scottsdale ... I only wish I could venture farther. My ultimate goal is to be able to support myself through my writing, and if that day gets here, zipping all over and meeting wonderful readers is part of the plan! And I'm popping vitamin C and trying to get some rest, so I can withstand the rigors of travel in the rainy season. I hope to meet some Writing in the Dark readers along the way.

And like every other crime fiction reader and writer, I am deeply saddened by the loss of Robert B. Parker. His blurb for City of Dragons was an incredible act of generosity--a trait he was well-known for. I was looking forward to thanking him in person--I plan to be in Boston in July. Instead, I joined many voices in a heartfelt tribute on The Rap Sheet. As we head into the hurly-burly of actual publication, I feel like Miranda has Spenser's hand on her shoulder.


So, my friends, once more unto the breach, to use a line that was probably corny when Shakespeare wrote it. We write, we revise, we copy edit, we proof and proof and proof ... and, eventually, we let it fly, hoping paper-thin wings can withstand the weather, hoping it reaches readers who will love it and cherish it and make it their own, make it something we could never imagine.

Letting go is every author's challenge and every author's dream ... and in just a week, it will happen to City of Dragons.

Thanks for being a part of it!!

Bay City Holiday

I know San Francisco is supposed to be perennially shrouded in fog--and we do get quite a bit of the atmospheric pea soup variety--but sometimes it's just plain mild and sunny, even in December. Those are the days when you remember you're in California. :)

During the holidays, there's an ice rink in Union Square, smack dab in the middle of the downtown shopping district ... right next to lit palm trees. And cable cars and the vintage streetcars that travel down Market are decked out in wreathes and garland ... and the rotating star at the top of the Sir Francis Drake is just a little extra bright.

I had occasion to go downtown on Saturday--a visit to Melissa at Secret Agent Salon, the most fabulous stylist and team in the Bay Area--and thought I'd share some photos of what San Francisco is like during the holiday season.

Chinatown, as you can see, was thronged with shoppers, bargain-hunting in the small stores that line Grant and California. Gold garlands added a festive touch to the always festive lantern street lights, while banners and lanterns make every day a holiday when you shop in Chinatown.

Still ... atmosphere reins. The Li Po bar, like most of its brethren, opens early and closes late. And Sam Wo--one of my favorite places to eat, with its no-frills set-up, huge and delicious portions, cheap prices and dumbwaiter to deliver the food upstairs--is always quintessential Chinatown, as downscale as the Empress of China is upscale. (BTW, the Empress had a delicious drink of the same name, with Midori liqueur. Tell 'em I sent you. ;) ).

Not too many blocks away is Union Square, Christmas Tree and the Menorah keeping company with the Dewey Monument (the column), and the famous heart painted by Tony Bennett for our Hearts of San Francisco city-wide fund-raising exhibit a few years ago.

I was in Union Square for the ceremony when this particular heart was dedicated ... and had a chance to both hear Mr. Bennett croon a few notes of you-know-what song, and actually got to thank him for the years of artistry and enjoyment he's given me and millions of other fans around the globe. Tony may have been born in New York, but he's a San Franciscan, through and through. :)

Later in the evening--the sun sets early this time of year, particularly in the downtown canyons--I had a chance to eat at John's Grill, another favorite restaurant, and celebrated home of The Maltese Falcon. I indulged in a Bloody Brigid--their signature drink, named after Hammett's femme fatale, of course--and a Jack LaLanne Salad. I grew up with "The Godfather of Fitness", and he's still in good shape--and recently celebrated his 95th birthday at John's.

John's--which is next to one of my favorite buildings in the city, the stately Flood Building, where Hammett worked as a Pinkerton (I worked in it during one summer, decidedly not as a Pinkerton)--has a cameo in CITY OF DRAGONS. A more prominent role in the book is played by the Pickwick Hotel, which dominates the corner of Mission and 5th, directly across the street from the Old Mint.

The Pickwick is mentioned in The Maltese Falcon, and my own history with it goes back to a fondly-remembered 8th grade trip. :)

Market Street is busy this time of year ... it boasts lighted snow flakes on every corner, and street musicians share the street with the homeless.

San Francisco's not a perfect city, and it can be a mean and dangerous place ... even more so than in 1940. But there is something about the place we call The City that is timeless, that transcends its politics, its Mayors, its debauchery and its decadence.

She's a grand old dame ... and a profound inspiration. I'm lucky to be able to spend the holidays with her! :)

May you and yours have a joyous and festive season ... and thanks for reading Writing in the Dark! Noir City is just around the corner ...

***

I also wanted to share some really wonderful news: CITY OF DRAGONS is an Indie Next Pick for February, and just received a starred review from Publishers Weekly! I'm very, very grateful ... and proud that the subtitle is "A San Francisco Mystery." :)

I'm also giving away a scarce signed advanced reading copy of CITY OF DRAGONS, along with a gift basket from Chinatown. Just go to my website and sign up for my newsletter to be entered ... the drawing will be at the end of December!

Gratitude

I seem to be posting from holiday to holiday these days. Partially from being behind (thanks to the flu) partially because life is whizzing by in a blur and there's a lot on all my myriad to-do lists.

Hard to believe it's only three months until CITY OF DRAGONS is out. And still videos and podcasts to come!

As for me, I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving. Whether or not I lose my noir street cred and sound like a sap, here goes ... I am extraordinarily thankful and blessed to have a lot of wonderful people in my life.

To have both my dear parents. To have a wonderful family. To have a circle of amazing friends, many of them incredibly talented authors, whether of books or blogs or book reviews. To be blessed with the best agent and agent team, the most supportive, wonderful editor and publishing team. To have my books published in a very tough economic climate and get a chance to literally see my dreams come true.

See? I told you I was going to be sappy. ;)

But seriously, I am thankful for so many things, and one day just doesn't begin to cover them all. Right now, I'm looking at a gorgeous sunset over the Pacific Ocean. And I'm thankful for that, too.

Wherever you are, dear reader--and I hope it's someplace warm and safe--I hope you have a joyous week ahead, whether or not Thanksgiving is part of this month's calendar. Thanks for reading, and see you soon!

All Hallows' Eve

As I write this, my neighborhood is full of ghoulies and ghosties and short-leggedy beasties, all scrambling for candy. Dressed in hodge-podge homemade costumes and store-bought accessories, kids of all ages revel in Halloween and the celebration of social trust it represents. I do, too. :) All Hallows' Eve is a magical night ...

It was just three years ago, on a Halloween night in 2006, when I finished the sequel to NOX DORMIENDA. I had neither a publisher nor representation, and I wasn't at all sure I would be able to find either. But I had to finish MALEDICTUS (Cursed), had to finish a story that was wrapped up, in a way, with Halloween. A story dealing with curses, with ghosts, with necromancers, and with violations of that social compact that underlies our modern holiday.

Sure, it takes place two thousand plus years ago, nine months after the events of NOX DORMIENDA -- in October, 84 A.D. But it's a Halloween type of mystery, and a continuation of Roman Noir, all the same.

It's been quite a three years. NOX was published, won the Bruce Alexander Award for best historical mystery, was nominated for a Macavity, and will be published in Italy and Greece. My second series, set in 1940 San Francisco, is going to be published by Thomas Dunne/Minotaur starting with CITY OF DRAGONS on February 2, 2010. A short story prequel to CITY OF DRAGONS will be in FIRST THRILLS, an upcoming International Thriller Writers anthology featuring bestselling and emerging authors, publishing in June of next year by Tor ... my story "Children's Day" will be in print among writers whose work I venerate.


And now ... the Arcturus Series will continue! My Halloween book, finished three years ago tonight, will be published by Thomas Dunne/Minotaur. We're calling it CURSED, and hoping that it does NOT live up to its name. ;)

We celebrated at Bouchercon, this and other good news ... CITY OF DRAGONS will be available through all three major book clubs (Mystery Guild alternate selection; Book of the Month, Quality Paperback Book Club). We gathered as a community of mystery readers and writers and publishers and media, and in that gathering I celebrated career things, personal things, family things, mostly the feeling of being very, very blessed in many ways. I count those blessings every day.

And on Halloween ... even with a lingering cough from a bout of bronchitis ... I like to spread those blessings around. :) Have a safe, blessed, and wonderful All Hallows' Eve ... and thanks for reading Writing in the Dark!

Bouchercon Countdown!

In about three weeks I'll be on the way to Indianapolis and my third Bouchercon. I can't wait!

CITY OF DRAGONS got the push off from goal to paper after my first Bouchercon in Anchorage, in 2007. I now have the thrill of going to my third Bouchercon, knowing the book will be coming out February 2nd from Thomas Dunne/Minotaur Books, and that it is dedicated to my family and the friends I met in Anchorage.

It's been quite a journey. :)

In the meantime, I've been busy. I'm involved in several events at the PPWebCon (first ever virtual crime fiction convention!), and have a lot of work to do before leaving for Indianapolis. I just concluded a two part interview with Jen Forbus on the fabulous Jen's Book Thoughts. I also enjoyed an interview with thriller writer Kathy-Diane Reveille on her wonderful Behind the Books blog. I've got a post for the always interesting WordNerd coming up, and I just wrote a Noir Bar review on one of my favorite film noirs--In a Lonely Place--for Pop Syndicate.

I've also released the trailer for CITY OF DRAGONS ... and am proud to say that the footage is genuine 1940 San Francisco film, in color.



I hope you like it ... and hope to see you at one or more of my stops along the way to Bouchercon ... and maybe even at the conference itself. Thanks for reading Writing in the Dark!

Time is Relative ...

Can you believe August is over, pfft, gone? Here we are, September 1st, suffering all the endless and aged puns on back to school. Back to Cool? School Daze? Ouch. Where's Lulu when you need her?

I've been absent ... not, with apologies to Shakespeare, in the spring ... but throughout the month of August. Unfortunately--in the middle of the month, and while I was in the middle of setting up my new computer and reorganizing the messy but beloved room I write in--I can't call it a home office, that gives me hives--I came down with what the doctor thought was an upper respiratory infection. It soon migrated to my throat and probably became strep, after which he doused me in antibiotics and I emerged, Lazarus-like, about ten days later.


That took care of the middle of the month. Fortunately, my mom was staying with me on a visit, and she took care of me. My mother's chicken soup is at least as salubrious as antibiotics.

As soon as I became ambulatory, I plunged into going over copy edits for CITY OF DRAGONS. I just finished the process a few days ago, and that takes me to the end of the month. See what I mean? I've had Augusts that crawled by, but this one really flew.


Now I'm getting ready for Bouchercon in October (my panel is Saturday) and preparing to launch the book trailer video for CITY OF DRAGONS next week. And finishing up a much-delayed Noir Bar article for Pop Syndicate, and getting ready for an interview on one of my favorite blogs, Jen's Book Thoughts, and working on about a thousand other things--videos, podcasts, website stuff, articles, the Poisoned Pen Virtual Conference on October 24th--and oh, yeah--the CITY OF DRAGONS sequel. The working title is COUNTRY OF SPIDERS.

I'll be back next week with more news ... and maybe my mom's chicken soup recipe. ;) In the meantime, stay safe--and thanks for reading!

Back to the Future

It's been crazier than usual--and it's usually crazy! :) All good stuff--just a lot of it! We have so many cool plans for the website that require a certain mastery of technology and video software, I feel like I've enrolled in an intensive video-editing course.

We're working on the book trailer for CITY OF DRAGONS, and will be launching a cool web map of San Francisco highlighting places mentioned in the book -- locations we'll explore in more detail through videos. I'll also be launching a series of podcasts about some of the historical and thematic aspects to the novel.

All this by way of saying that I'm late to the gate with Writing in the Dark ... but if I'm tardy, at least you'll know where I am. ;)

Friday, though, I was somewhere unexpected. And fun! I ventured out of foggy San Francisco to the 95+ degree weather of Davis (home of U.C. Davis and some of the best farm produce in California).

The occasion? An invitation to speak to the national conference of the National Junior Classical League. About 1,300 junior and senior high school students from around the country converged at the university for a full week of colloquia, talks, and presentations, culminating in an outdoor Roman banquet that was strictly BYOT--Bring Your Own Toga.

These are some of the brightest young people you'll meet anywhere. They all share a love of antiquity, history, literature. The NJCL was established in 1936--the '30s saw a big resurgence in fascination with the ancient world, not all of it sanguinary (i.e. Mussolini). It's now the largest classical organization in the world.

And given the daunting problems facing our ever-shrinking, ever-warming little planet, meeting these young men and women and their tireless, devoted teachers certainly made me feel more optimistic about the future. I could insert any number of quotes about being doomed to repeat what we don't learn from the past, but hey--we already know that.

I had a great time. And knowing that a writer I admire tremendously--Steven Saylor--spoke to the kids earlier in the week made it all that more special for me.

To top off the day in the sun, we returned via the Napa-Sonoma Highway to pick up the dog at his B&B. Yeah, I know, you're thinking "California!" But if you can let your dog romp outside and have a great time in the (wine) country, why not? And the B&B owners are a wonderful French couple who take care the very best care of your dogs--but still let them be dogs.

Anyway, across the street and just down the road from Bertie's vacation getaway, we spotted a new/old diner. An ancient landmark drive-in hamburger place closed down about a year ago, and finally--even in the middle of The Recession--a new business opened up in the same spot.

And we found ...

The best hamburgers in California. I'm talking absolute bliss, and I don't eat much beef. The place is called the Fremont Diner, and it's like comfort food except gourmet and healthy. I know that doesn't sound possible, but honestly--what else can you call a fried pie with no sugar added organic apricot filling? Or grass-fed Napa Valley beef burgers? Or milkshakes thicker than the blush on a Zinfadel grape?

To top off the feeling of nirvana, they have a wonderful sense of design and simplicity in the interior, preserving the 30s/40s feel, sell homemade jam (Santa Rosa plum!), and have two sweet senior dogs who wander loose, accompany you to your car, and beg politely for food.


It was so perfect that I'm beginning to wonder if it really does exist. Fortunately, I found evidence that they do on Facebook. So ... if you're up in wine country, between Sonoma and Napa, and you get lost along the Carneros Highway ... don't worry. It's not the Twilight Zone--it's the Fremont Diner!

We're thinking of letting Bertie take more vacations ...

Until next time ... thanks for reading! :)