Cheers, Mates

Pin It

All---

Among the many things that have lapsed by the wayside while I've been too busy to keep up with this blog, is the need to congratulate a lot of my writing friends on recent milestones, and to, at the same time, let you readers know about some great new reading opportunities.  In my defense, I also haven't had time to keep up with their blogs, and am still catching up on the news myself.

Here's my best attempt at some highlights.  If I've missed something, please let me know!  I will be happy to edit and modify.  Going in roughly alphabetical order by author's first name (arbitrary -- holla) . . .

Davin Malasarn just published an anthology of short stories entitled, Wild Grass (also available in Kindle format).  If you're not familiar with Domey's writing, he writes literary fiction, though he sometimes wonders why it's called that.  In his case it's clear: the mark of literary fiction is the painful attention to craft that goes into every word, phrase, sentence, and paragraph.  His writing is shot through with sharp details poke and prod the reader until, in the end, all the details fade away into some something more bigger and more true than you realized you were reading.

Jennifer Hillier's news may have me the most excited.  No offense to any of my other writing friends, but the fact that Jennifer's debut thriller Creep (also available in the UK) is about to hit the shelves (July 5th!) from Simon & Schuster has me bouncing up and down.  (In a dark, sinister, introspective kind of way, of course.)  I am so excited for my sister in the shadowy places of American genre fiction.  I can't wait to get my hands on her book, and I look forward to watching it explode onto the scene!  July 5th!  Can you believe it?  I can't!

Michelle Davidson Argyle is just full of writing news.  Her short story, "Signs," was picked up by Suspense Magazine.  ARC's are hitting the street for her September 2011 release Monarch, and the book is now available for pre-order.  Monarch is soft psychological suspense at its best; I cannot recommend this book enough.  As if that weren't enough, her self-published novella Cinders is having a $0.99 celebration event, and has had its best month of sales.  If you like literary fantasy with a dark, character-driven engine, you need to read Cinders.  After you have, we can argue about whether it has a happy ending or not.  (I vote yes.)  On top of all that, of course, she and JC Martin have just edited the Stories for Sendai anthology.

RJ Ellory's A Simple Act of Violence is now available in US markets.  If you're not tied down to US Markets, you should also know that the paperback release of Saints of New York (due in September) is now available for pre-order, as is the hardcover debut of Ellory's newest novel, Bad Signs (due in October).  If you're not familiar with his writing, RJ Ellory writes psychological suspense with an incredibly human voice and a deep investment in the humanity of humanity.  He and I write very differently, and from very different perspectives, but if I ever feel a kindred authorial spirit when reading another author's work in my genre, it's when I read Ellory.  He sets the mark of quality psychological suspense to which I aspire.

Ryan David Jahn's UK award-winning thriller, Acts of Violence is now available in the US, where is has been released as Good Neighbors.  I read the UK release and still, to this day, cannot shake this book from my head.  Told in a voice-rich, intimate third person POV, the brutal physical and emotional violence in this story is not for everyone.  It's worth the read, though, for its unlikely bleakness and its even unlikelier hope.

Tim Stretton, whom you may may remember I consider a master of fantasy world-building, has at long last published The Last Free City, the sequel to The Dog of the North, and it's available on Amazon.com in the US or Amazon.co.UK across the pond.  Shortly before time slipped completely through my fingers, I ordered an early LuLu release of the book.  Rose pounced on, devoured, and enjoyed the read, so even though I haven't had a chance to catch up with my TBR pile yet, she would attest to its quality.

If you have writing news that should be shared with the world, the only reason I haven't done so is that I missed it.  Please, let me know about it, and I'll be happy to update the post with your scoop.

Readers, if you've read any of these releases and would like to chime in about what you thought, please do so!  For that matter, readers, if you know about a new or upcoming release that you think plays well in the Nevets universe, let me know!

.Nevets.