dhs literary show + tell

Manhattan Bridge Run

2012-01-15T14:13:00.004-06:00

HIP_347892817.880895
Originally uploaded by dhslit

Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan Bridge

2012-01-15T14:11:00.004-06:00

HIP_347892545.507521
Originally uploaded by dhslit

This was my reward last week for doing a cold early morning run in lower Manhattan. What a view!

The New York Times Picks Two by Michael Koryta as Best of 2011

2011-12-09T12:35:00.000-06:00

In her Notable Crime Books of 2011 column,

MARILYN STASIO takes a look back at some of the best mysteries reviewed this year. She chose BOTH of Michael Koryta's novels, The Cypress House and The Ridge, as her favorite supernatural mysteries of 2011.

Bravo, Mr. Koryta. What do you have up for your sleeve for your next trick?

A Spotlight on Black Light from Don Coscarelli

2011-10-04T10:37:00.001-05:00

A Spotlight on <em>Black Light</em> from Don Coscarelli

A rave review of BLACK LIGHT from the legendary horror film director!

The Haunting of Michael Koryta

2011-09-29T15:45:00.000-05:00

Book Talk: Haunting image of lighthouse inspires thriller

Thu, Sep 22 08:43 AM EDT

By Elaine Lies
TOKYO (Reuters) - Michael Koryta was working on a completely different book when he became haunted by the image of a lighthouse built in the woods, despite the fact that he didn't have a story for it.
But the image persisted, eventually leading Koryta through numerous drafts to the book that became "The Ridge," a supernatural thriller that mixes elements of folklore with reality to create a Midwestern ghost story.
The 29-year-old Koryta, who has published eight novels -- the first written when he was 20 -- first thought he wanted to write detective novels and even interned with a private investigator during high school to gain practical experience.
In a telephone interview, Koryta spoke about his determination to be a writer and how he works.
Q: The idea for this came from an image of a lighthouse?
A: "I just had the image, I didn't have much of a story to go with it. 'The Ridge' is really about an eccentric person who's dismissed by others in his area as being crazy, and he builds this lighthouse in the woods. And once he's gone, the question arises, what if there really was a method to the madness? I liked that idea because I think it resonates with every one of us -- we all choose to hear certain people, certain theories on a daily basis, whether it's political or religious or merely ignoring that raving drunk in the corner. You're making that selection constantly. The question that fascinated me was, what if you tuned out the one voice you should hear?"
Q: You say this was an unusual experience. Did that make it harder to write?
A: "Absolutely. It took I think 2,500 pages -- how long's the book, I think 350 pages? I threw out more than 2,000 pages, and that's not standard. I originally thought the newspaper reporter was the protagonist, I thought that through about five drafts, and then Kevin Kimble steps forward on his way to visit the woman who shot him. I was well into the book before I realized that the heart of the book appeared to be with Kevin.
"I'd be lying if I didn't say it was a little exhausting -- three months' work you just hit the delete key on -- but it is fun, too. I'm of the belief that there's a book there that your subconscious gets and the real challenge for the writer is to get your conscious mind out of the way to find the real story. I struggled with that on this one."
Q: Once you have an idea, where do you go from there and what do you emphasize: character, plot or setting?
A: "It's all of the above, particularly with the supernatural stories I've written of late. I'm trying three things: characters who draw an emotional investment from the reader. The second would be an atmosphere that feels real, but also feels a few clicks off, as though there's something wrong in this world. That allows the uncanny elements, when I begin to introduce them, to hopefully feel more organic. The third, which is really crucial for these books, is to add the elements of a procedural mystery, a detective story, so I have the reader invested in a pursuit of the truth."
Q: When you're working on something supernatural, does the world look different afterwards?
A: "I would say that when I'm working on a supernatural book, I do a lot of my thinking on hikes. When I run into plot problems, the first place that I go to fix those is take long hikes in the woods. I'm definitely capable of spooking myself out in the woods, but hopefully in a good, healthy way. The right sound of wind in the trees, the right look of the moon in the clouds, there's fuel for fiction -- no question. But I'm not seeing ghosts capering through my bedroom or anything."
Q: I heard that when you were a teenager, you interned with a private investigator?
A: "It was kind of a fascination with the business. I always knew I wanted to be a writer, and at the time I wanted to write detective novels. All the writers who really influenced me all worked in the world of the detective, and I thought what better way to understand it than to try and get a little taste of the real thing. I had the incredible good fortune of finding a mentor who was both really qualified and also really patient with the learning curve."
Q: Any advice for aspiring writers?
A: "Beyond the obvious -- read, read, read -- I'd just say writing every day is just really critical. You don't need to do 1,500 words a day, you don't even need to do 500 words a day. But I am a big believer in the fact that writers write. It requires a massive amount of self-discipline, particularly before you publish, and no one cares if you hand them pages or not. So you need to find that discipline to deliver pages and produce consistently from a place within yourself. And that can be really hard.
"Usually I write in the afternoons and evenings. I always listen to music and the 1,500 word minimum is the only rigid thing. It's a good way to keep my head in the story, and the closer I am to a story the better chance I stand of knowing when something's coming off the rails. In the last week, one day I got my 1,500 words in an hour and ten minutes, and on another day it took me eight hours. I'll crawl the 1,500 words on my hands and knees if I have to. I've done it many a time."
(Reporting by Elaine Lies, editing by Paul Casciato)

Spinetingler Reviews The Adjustment

2011-07-20T13:21:00.000-05:00

"Long-time Phillips readers will recognize Wayne Ogden from his prominent role in The Walkaway and relish the opportunity to spend a whole book with his heartless ass. Wayne is Phillips’ greatest creation, a character who always gets what he wants through his cunning and balls while never making it look too hard.

Like all Phillips novels, you never know where The Adjustment is going and the storytelling is nothing less than completely compelling. Phillips makes you yearn to learn more about any one of the many minor characters that appear in the novel, from the homeliest B-girl to the sharpest-eyed hotel dick, with just a few quick lines of dialogue or description. His period details are always fascinating but never digressive and he captures in Ogden’s first-person voice both the character’s amoral worldview and his sick sense of humor.

If you’re not familiar with Phillips’ Wichita novels featuring the Ogden family (which includes The Ice Harvest, The Walkaway and Cottonwood) then The Adjustment is a great place to start catching up with some of my favorite novels of the last decade...The Adjustment the best novel I've read all year." - Spinetingler Magazine

Fantastic Huffington Post review of THE RIDGE!

2011-06-29T10:52:00.000-05:00

“The Ridge by Michael Koryta is a strange and intense novel that has a touch of Stephen King thrown in for good measure…a fascinating study of good vs. evil...At one moment it is a legitimate drama and in a flash it becomes something supernatural. That is where the Stephen King influence shows its face. Koryta takes the drama then adds the supernatural…and when one portion begins to unravel the story beneath is an amazing one. Michael Koryta is a name that is growing in stature with each new novel he releases. THE RIDGE indicates he will keep getting better and better. This is a chilling story that will have you burning the midnight oil and wishing you had a lighthouse to ward off any dark presence around you.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jackie-k-cooper/the-ridge-shows-a-stephen_b_885721.html

Group Yoga in Times Square

2011-06-23T12:30:00.001-05:00

NYC 005
Originally uploaded by dhslit

Where does one sign up for this activity?

Smith and Gischler Take Manhattan

2011-06-23T12:29:00.001-05:00

NYC 010
Originally uploaded by dhslit

or at least this bar for a few hours...

Chris Columbus and 1492 Pictures have acquired screen rights to The Cypress House

2011-06-02T15:00:00.003-05:00

Chris Columbus and 1492 Pictures have obtained the rights to adapt Michael Koryta's novel The Cypress House into a feature film. Columbus will write the script and produce, along with 1942 partners Michael Barnathan and Mark Radcliffe. The story is set along an isolated stretch of the Florida Gulf Coast during the devastating 1935 hurricane. The protagonist, Arlen Wagner has an awful gift: he can see death in the eyes of men before it strikes. He's never wrong. He and his friend Paul Brickhill are traveling by train to a new CCC camp in the Florida Keys when Arlen’s supernatural sense tells him they have to get off the train if they want to stay alive. They find themselves at Cypress House, a strangely empty fishing resort on the Gulf Coast run by beautiful Rebecca Cady—and right in the middle of a vipers’ nest of small-town corruption and misery.

Here is what some others have had to say about the novel:

"The Cypress House is a unique and entertaining blend of noir and paranormal suspense, with a tightly controlled supernatural thread as believable as the gunplay. Mr. Koryta is at the start of what will surely be a great career. He's now on my must-read list." (Dean Koontz, author of Lost Souls )

"The Cypress House is a dazzling blend of suspense, the supernatural, and superb storytelling. What a gifted writer. Michael Koryta is the real deal." (Ron Rash, author of Serena )

"Michael Koryta is one of our new dynamos in the world of books, and in The Cypress House he spreads his range, wedding suspense with the supernatural in the eeriness of 1930s Florida. He uses the psychology of place to penetrate the human heart and delivers his tale of hurricanes and love and hauntings with great narrative force. Koryta's becoming a wonder we'll appreciate for a long time." (Daniel Woodrell, author of Winter's Bone )

"Michael Koryta has fashioned a great character in his reluctant prophet, Arlen Wagner, a good man who ends up with an awful lot of blood on his hands before the denouement of this deliciously dark tale. Koryta is a fantastic storyteller, and the many admirers of his previous novel, So Cold the River, will find similar chilly pleasures awaiting them here." (Scott Smith, author of A Simple Plan and The Ruins )

"Michael Koryta's command of story, character, and language put him in an elite group of writers at work today: Elmore Leonard, Michael Connelly and Lee Child to name a few. He is one of the very best writers out there. Don't try to label him, or stick him in a genre; that would be a disservice. Just read him, and soon you'll be saying Michael Koryta is among the best there is. And even that praise falls miserably short." (Ridley Pearson, author of In Harm's Way )

Over at Secret Dead Blog... check out Swierczynski's iFun & Games/i Giveaway!

2011-06-02T09:40:00.001-05:00

Duane Swierczynski is up to his mad promo tricks again....

Presenting... The iFun & Games/i Giveaway!

Team Swierczy on Edgar Night 2011

2011-05-30T18:06:00.001-05:00

Team Swierczy on Edgar Night 2011
Originally uploaded by dhslit

SMP Editor Marc Resnick, Duane Swierczynski and David Hale Smith preparing to head in to the carnage of the Edgar Allan Poe Awards Banquet. Swierczynski was nominated for the Best Paperback Original Award for his novel, Expiration Date.

The Deputy Goes Italian!

2011-05-18T13:28:00.001-05:00

Matteo Strukul in front of the Italian Promo display of The Deputy

Victor Gischler's fast-paced crime novel The Deputy is off to Italy, where the author will be visiting in June and later this fall to promote the book. With the help of publisher Meridiano Zero, the amazing publicity work of Matteo Strukul (pictured) and, of course, all those avid Italian readers, we're looking at a hit!

Michael Koryta's The Ridge

2011-05-04T12:59:00.000-05:00

The Ridge
Koryta, Michael. Jun 2011. 412 p. Little, Brown, hardcover, $24.99. (9780316053662).
“Koryta, who’s been a newspaper reporter and a private investigator, gets deep inside the minds of his protagonists, and the story is intriguing and frequently spooky. It’s a good book, effectively blending crime and horror…this one will definitely cross over to fans of both genres. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Koryta’s crime-horror genre-benders, beginning with So Cold the River (2010), have secured the author of the Lincoln Perry PI novels a new and larger audience. Expect the trend to continue here.” -- Booklist

David Hale Smith, left, Scott Robson, David Granger, Daniel Slater

2011-04-29T22:26:00.001-05:00

David Hale Smith, left, Scott Robson, David Granger, Daniel Slater
Originally uploaded by Christine Larson

Photo from party at the Stanford "Future of Freelancing Conference" last summer.

Starry Nights and Fun & Games for Mr. Swierczy

2011-04-19T23:42:00.001-05:00

Fun and Games

Duane Swierczynski. Little, Brown/Mulholland, $14.99 trade paper (304p) ISBN 978-0-316-13328-9

Swierczynski (Severance Package) steps on the gas early in this pulse-pounding contemporary thriller, the first of a trilogy, and doesn't let up. After second-tier movie actress Lane Madden survives multiple attempts by aggressive fellow drivers to run her off some treacherous Los Angeles roads, she has the good fortune to meet Charlie Hardie, a peripatetic house-sitter with a violent past, at the house in the Hollywood Hills where she takes refuge. Hardie, a former police consultant who's haunted by the deaths of several innocents, is skeptical of the actress's claim that she's being pursued by the Accident People, a shadowy group of killers who stage their homicides to appear as accidents. An escalating series of violent encounters builds to an unforgettable climax. Fans of the Die Hard movies will find this a literary equivalent, and the author deserves credit for making what could be an over-the-top setup oddly plausible. The sequel's appearance won't be too soon for many readers. (June) -- Publishers Weekly

Greg Rucka Earns Two More Eisner Award Nominations

2011-04-11T15:00:00.000-05:00

Major double large sized kudos to our client Greg Rucka for earning TWO nominations for the 2011 Will Eisner Awards (considered the "Oscars" for comics). One in the short story category and one in the limited series category. His nominated series Stumptown even has a working PI office number that you can call. Dial 503-389-2135 to reach Dex in her office. Try it!

Skiing with Blake Crouch Spring Break 2011

2011-03-22T11:07:00.001-05:00

Spring Break 2011 121
Originally uploaded by dhslit

I went west with my family for spring break and had the great pleasure of skiing for a day at Durango Mountain Resort with client Blake Crouch. The man has mad skills on telemark skis, folks. And due to a late afternoon navigation error, we almost wrote the beginning of a new Crouch horror novel which would have involved two idiots stranded on overnight on the backside of a mountain with inadequate clothing, no supplies and a storm blowing in.

Best cycling video ever from Rapha.

2011-03-09T09:06:00.000-06:00

2010 NW Gentlemen's Race from RAPHA on Vimeo.

The narration is perfect. Who wrote it? And when do we get one of these races in Texas?

2011-03-01T11:09:00.000-06:00

How totally cool. The new Oni Press Mixtape – providing soundtracks to your favorite creators' comics, including Greg Rucka's Queen & Country and Stumptown, and Jen van Meter's Hopeless Savages. Now available for free download here.

Swierczynski's EXPIRATION DATE gets an Edgar nom!

2011-01-19T16:33:00.001-06:00

Mystery Writers of America announces nominees for the 2011 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2010. Our man Duane Swierczynski is on the Best Paperback Original list for his novel, EXPIRATION DATE. Way to go, Duane!

Koryta's So Cold The River Continues "Best of 2010" Run

2010-12-06T13:17:00.004-06:00

Marilyn Stasio names her Notable Crime Books of 2010 in The New York Times and Michael's novel is on the list!

Here's her look back at some of the best mysteries of this year.

How we wound up topless

2010-12-04T14:26:00.004-06:00

Tremendous Salon.com cover article by our good pal Laurie Pomeranz on braving breast cancer with friends. Cute friends. How we wound up topless

Swierczynski Brings Deadpool and Cable Together Again

2010-11-17T10:07:00.002-06:00

Deadpool and Cable, Together Again

DEADPOOL & CABLE #26
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Penciled by LEO FERNANDEZ
Cover by DAVE WILKINS

Cable is dead, and no one’s more devastated than his old friend and partner, Deadpool (a.k.a. Wade Wilson, a.k.a. the Merc With the Mouth, a.k.a. the guy who’s in pretty much every other solicit this month). Sitting by Cable’s grave, Deadpool struggles to find the perfect way to honor his fallen mutant pal. Then… light bulb! Deadpool remembers Rumekistan, the troubled and totally fictional European country that Cable once tried to turn into a Utopia on earth. Deadpool travels there to establish up a Cable museum! A Cable amusement park! A Cable cable TV show! But Rumekistan isn’t quite what it used to be, and Deadpool’s appearance only makes things worse. To set things right, Deadpool will have to do more than just honor his old friend -- he must become him!

Greg Rucka in Dallas at Rathbun's Blue Plate Kitchen

2010-11-17T08:01:00.003-06:00

Originally uploaded by dhslit

Dubya's book-signing wasn't the only big book event in Dallas last week. DHS Literary hosted a happy hour book-signing party at Rathbun's Blue Plate Kitchen last Tuesday night to celebrate the publication of New York Times best-selling author Greg Rucka's new novel, THE LAST RUN. Rucka was in Dallas on his book tour, after a signing at Murder By The Book in Houston on Monday night. Barnes & Noble was on hand to sell books and Zeus Comics was there with a pile of Greg's beautiful graphic novels for sale, too. The Rathbun's staff did a fantastic job with the food and drink for the event, and a large crowd turned out to welcome Greg to town and buy books. Thanks, everybody!

Word Balloon The Comic Book Interview Podcast: The Rucka 10 10 Debrief Part 2

2010-11-10T18:50:00.002-06:00

Word Balloon The Comic Book Interview Podcast: The Rucka 10 10 Debrief Part 2: " Download The Mp3 here On This episode of Word Balloon, it's part 2 of The Rucka Debrief. Writer Greg Rucka talks more about his upco..."

Mulholland Books Releases Exclusive Excerpt of New Swierczynski novel

2010-10-28T11:00:00.003-05:00

Check out this high octane blast of "playful mayhem."

The True Believer, by David Hale Smith

2010-10-12T13:18:00.007-05:00

A literary agent has to be a True Believer. Some days it's a piece of cake.

Greg Rucka Signs 3-book Deal for New Series at Mulholland Books

2010-10-11T15:04:00.000-05:00

Publisher's Weekly reports today that NYT bestselling author and award-winning comics creator Greg Rucka is moving to Little, Brown's Mulholland Books suspense imprint. Mulholland's John Schoenfelder bought world rights in a three-book deal from David Hale Smith of DHS Literary, Inc. Rucka's credits include two established book series, the novels featuring Atticus Kodiak and the Queen & Country international espionage series, as well as numerous comics, including his legendary creator-owned Queen & Country and his new crime series, Stumptown, and an astonishing amount of other great material. At Mulholland, Rucka will begin a new series involving "a former Delta Force operator who discovers that his allies are not who they appear to be and are pursuing a dark agenda far different than his own." The first book in the series is called Alpha.

NPR Includes Gischler's Go-Go Girls in "Apocalypse Trio"

2010-10-05T08:41:00.004-05:00

A special end-of-days thanks to our new pal Ron Currie, Jr., for his awesome story here yesterday with his picks for...

Three Books To Help You Enjoy The Apocalypse!

Release of the new Dark Prophecy teaser trailer

2010-10-01T12:27:00.001-05:00

INNOCENT MONSTER launches on Oct. 7!

2010-09-29T11:20:00.000-05:00

Swierczynski takes on the Black Widow!

2010-09-23T07:47:00.005-05:00

"Black Widow #6 is probably the most intense jumping-on point I’ve experienced in my comic-reading experience so far this year, and it’s earned its place in my heart for many a reason... it won me over as soon as I read its first page.

The way that Swierczynski manages to have readers looking one way while he lobs a rather nonchalant curve in the opposite direction is a skill that many-a-writer, selling double the numbers, have yet to master, yet Duane makes it look simple... Swierczynski & Garcia purposefully leave readers not just wanting to know more, but needing to.

Between the exciting story and effective art by Manuel Garcia I only have one question: Why aren’t you reading it?"

- Alternate Reality Comics

More love for Moe

2010-09-22T11:41:00.002-05:00

Bookgasm is thrilled that "Reed Farrel Coleman’s Moe Prager is back, folks...INNOCENT MONSTER is another masterfully written descent into Prager’s world of regret and anguish...like most of the Prager series, it is utterly compelling and nearly impossible to put aside. So INNOCENT MONSTER is highly recommended for those willing to take a stroll down the darker side of human nature, with Coleman and Prager as your guide."

Gay Comic Book Character Hall of Fame

2010-09-08T18:56:00.005-05:00

Flavorwire showcases significant gay characters in mainstream comics, and includes the best-selling BATWOMAN:

"Kate Kane’s Batwoman has, due in no small part to the stellar writing of Greg Rucka, become a well-rounded and intensely interesting character"

The summer Mystery Scene

2010-09-03T10:48:00.002-05:00

Michael Koryta is the cover boy for Mystery Scene magazine's summer issue (#115).

Swing by your local bookseller for a copy today. Inside is Kevin Burton Smith's article "Michael Koryta: Take Me to the River" and Lynn Kaczmarek's write-up of "Stefanie Pintoff: In Old New York".

Gischler's chart-topper

2010-09-01T15:41:00.002-05:00

CBR has a great interview with Victor Gischler, author of crime novels and "X-Men #1 – the only single issue to notch over 100,000 copies in sales estimates [in July] – which kick-started the heavily promoted 'Curse of the Mutants' storyline."

Amie Streater tells it like it is

2010-09-01T14:15:00.005-05:00

"[A] straightforward approach to helping believers get out of debt. [Amie Streater] encourages living in light of God's abundance, not in overindulgence, and growing God's kingdom through sound financial practices. Speaking with integrity and with the wisdom of experience, she advises readers, shattering money myths and replacing them with sound biblical teaching in personal finance.

Your Money God's Way is a practical guide on how to reflect Christ to others through debt reduction, budgeting, tithing, giving and a financially responsible lifestyle. Heartfelt stories, scripture and practical application encourage personal growth."
- Christian Retailing

Little, Brown Goes Back to Basics To Put Michael Koryta on the Map

2010-08-16T12:22:00.002-05:00

Little, Brown Goes Back to Basics To Put Michael Koryta on the Map

Innocent Monster scores a starred review

2010-08-12T14:39:00.002-05:00

"Sashi Bluntstone, the 11-year-old Next New Thing on the New York art scene, has been abducted, and Moe Prager—former NYPD cop and former PI—is asked by his estranged daughter, Sarah, to join the search. He expects only tragedy; Sashi has already been missing for three weeks, and he hasn’t been a PI for seven years.

Now a well-to-do wine merchant, Moe agrees, primarily to attempt to restore his relationship with Sarah. He quickly learns that nothing increases the value of paintings faster than the death of the painter. Suspects abound: wealthy, self-important collectors; greedy gallery owners; odious rival artists; even the victim's parents. But Moe abides. This sixth Moe Prager novel is pretty much note perfect.

[Reed Farrel] Coleman's take on the art world as a den of iniquity is priceless, as is Moe himself—intelligent, street smart, and tough, especially for a sixtysomething. He’s also sophisticated, despite seeing himself as a “poor schmuck from Brooklyn.” He’s a mensch, and his bone-deep world weariness and mordant sense of humor should enthrall lovers of old-school, tough-talking, loner private eyes (think Loren D. Estleman's Amos Walker)."

- Booklist, Starred review

Dracula returns on Sept. 9!

2010-08-12T11:38:00.004-05:00

From Marvel's press release:

Marvel is pleased to present your first look at X-Men #3 by the jaw-dropping creative team of Victor Gischler and Paco Medina.
After back to back sell-outs, the red-hot Curse of the Mutants story continues! In a desperate attempt to end the vampire outbreak, the X-Men do the unthinkable - they resurrect Dracula! Will the former Lord of the Vampires play nice with Cyclops' plan to take down Xarus? Find out this September in X-Men #3.

Check out preview pages at CBR!

2010 Shamus Award Nominees

2010-08-12T10:36:00.008-05:00

The Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) sure know how to pick 'em!

Michael Koryta's THE SILENT HOUR is nominated for Best Hardcover PI Novel.

Gary Phillips' "Blazin' on Broadway" in PHOENIX NOIR is nominated for Best PI Short Story.

2010 Crimespree Award nominations

2010-08-02T08:53:00.014-05:00

Congratulations to Reed Farrel Coleman, Michael Koryta, and Greg Rucka for their Crimespree nominations!

TOWER is up for Favorite book of 2009.

THE SILENT HOUR and WALKING DEAD are both nominated for Best in an on-going series for 2009.

Quote-unquote

2010-08-01T10:03:00.001-05:00

DHS is quoted in a LA Times story about pal Mary Ann Naples and OpenSky, a new web biz that lets authors sell directly to consumers.

Dig this Spinetingler interview with Gary Phillips

2010-07-30T17:03:00.002-05:00

Gary Phillips interviewed by Keith Rawson from Damon Cap on Vimeo.

The Eisner Awards are announced

2010-07-24T11:45:00.006-05:00

Congratulations to Jill Thompson:

MAGIC TRIXIE AND THE DRAGON scores the 2010 Eisner Award Winner for Best Painter/Multimedia Artist!

Victor Gischler @ San Diego Comic Con

2010-07-23T22:54:00.005-05:00

Check out CBR's recap of Gischler's X-Men panel.
(Photo by DHS)

Rucka scores big on the NYT Best Seller list!

2010-07-17T12:54:00.004-05:00

The collected hardcover of BATWOMAN: Elegy debuted at #2 on the New York Times Best Seller list for Hardcover Graphic Books.

Congratulations, Greg!

Shout-out from Blake Crouch

2010-07-16T16:08:00.003-05:00

"At the moment, I'm tearing through Michael Koryta's new book, So Cold the River. It's a departure from his PI series and his excellent crime fiction standalone, Envy the Night, but I'm loving it. The main character is a washed-up filmmaker reduced to shooting video montages for funerals, and he goes to this strange town to investigate the history of his reclusive subject who no one seems to know anything about. This is no doubt Koryta's strongest book yet." (via Writers Read)

2010-07-13T23:40:00.008-05:00

Amazon.com chooses SO COLD THE RIVER as one of the Best Books of 2010! Way to go, Michael!

Congratulations to Tom Piccirilli!

2010-07-10T22:55:00.004-05:00

Tom scores a big win at 2010 Thrillerfest: Best Paperback Original for THE COLDEST MILE!

Wired Mag is sweet on Rucka's Batwoman: Elegy.

2010-07-07T21:28:00.003-05:00

"[Kate Kane, aka Batwoman, is] off to a great start with the literary-minded mayhem of Batwoman: Elegy, which collects issues No. 854 to 860 of Detective Comics and features a foreword from political geek Rachel Maddow.

Smartly written by Greg Rucka with sublime art from J.H. Williams, who is also writing and drawing Batwoman’s ongoing series starting in July, the new hardcover is a promising, powerful and often psychedelic phenomenon in a sexualized superhero landscape dominated by men in tights." - Wired magazine

A quick rave for SO COLD THE RIVER

2010-06-30T22:44:00.000-05:00

"Michael Koryta's novel is being compared to the writings of Stephen King and Peter Straub. He lives up to the comparison in this dark novel." - USA Today

A snapshot from Stefanie Pintoff's Tour de Tejas

2010-06-22T10:55:00.002-05:00

Beneath the dome

2010-06-21T16:12:00.002-05:00

The New Yorker visits Indiana for the West Baden Springs Hotel experience, Pluto Water not included.

In D. C., The Washington Post feels the chill. "[T]he material is so fresh and the characters so appealing that my interest never flagged. After reading it, I'm sticking to good old D.C. tap water. "

SO COLD THE RIVER also gets a nice write up in Australian paper The Age.

Stefanie Pintoff brings Det. Ziele to Texas

2010-06-18T13:11:00.008-05:00

Join Edgar Award-winning author Stefanie Pintoff in Houston tomorrow (Saturday) night for a discussion about her critically-acclaimed Detective Ziele series. She'll be at Murder by the Book at 5 pm.

And, if you're in North Texas, no worries! You can meet Pintoff at the West Plano Barnes & Noble on Monday, 7 pm.

The just-released second book, A CURTAIN FALLS, has garnered critical praise, such as this rave review from Oline H. Cogdill (Sun Sentinel):

"In her second novel, Stefanie Pintoff shows how the best in historical fiction not only unveils our past, but shows how our modern concerns evolved. Her comparison to Caleb Carr is well earned, although Pintoff shows a wider range and deeper affinity for storytelling than the author of "The Alienist."

Pintoff's meticulous research captures the heart of the era but her detailed characters and gripping plot about greed, jealousy and obsession for fame set "A Curtain Falls" on a higher plane. Pintoff nails the historical aspects with aplomb while giving close attention to characters. The people who inhabit "A Curtain Falls" give glimpses into how New Yorkers lived at the turn of the 20th century."

All Things Considered dips into haunted waters

2010-06-15T20:04:00.004-05:00

NPR has posted Michele Norris' conversation with Michael Koryta. Listen to the intriguing story here.

You can also read an excerpt and hear "Short Trip Home", the Joshua Bell song that shaped this chilling story.

Also up is a review in Entertainment Weekly:

"well-plotted...Michael Koryta, the author of first-rate Midwest-set mysteries, swigs from the fount of Stephen King with So Cold the River — much of the story takes place in a resort hotel á la The Shining"

Swierczynski's new deal at Little, Brown!

2010-06-15T14:27:00.004-05:00

"Mulholland Books launches in Spring 2011 with novels by the famed L.A. prosecutor Marcia Clark and mystery grandmaster Lawrence Block, new novels by UK prizewinners Mark Billingham and Michael Robotham, a trilogy of novels by Marvel Comics writer Duane Swierczynski to be published over five months, a border thriller by L.A. Times veteran Sebastian Rotella, and a trade paperback gathering of Daniel Woodrell’s legendary Bayou Trilogy of novels set in St. Bruno Parish, Louisiana. Future lists will include novels by rising stars Charlie Huston and others. The plan is for Mulholland to grow to 24 books a year, one hardcover and one paperback a month, by 2012."

As Spinetingler says, "it’s going to kick some ass"!

"major Marvel mutant moment"

2010-06-15T12:17:00.006-05:00

More preview art from X-MEN (Victor Gischler and Paco Medina) posted on LA Times' blog Hero Complex.

Calling all Houstonites

2010-06-14T09:00:00.003-05:00

Murder by the Book is hosting Michael Koryta's visit to Texas tomorrow:

June 15, 6:30 p.m.
2342 Bissonet Street

Go hear about his newest thriller SO COLD THE RIVER, and get your own autographed copy.

To top it all off, BookingMama reports that he is "cute and funny...I have to say that SO COLD THE RIVER is not my usual book fare, but I LOVED IT! I think I read this book (which is over 500 pages) in less than 24 hours! I didn't want put it down, and there actually came a time when I couldn't put it down.
Mr. Koryta actually brought these small towns in Indiana to life, and after reading this novel, I will forever think of French Lick as more than just Larry Byrd's hometown!"

Visit Michael Koryta's blog for some more nice coverage in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and The Boston Herald.

Be sure to tune into tomorrow's edition of "All Things Considered" on NPR, where Michelle Norris will be interviewing him.

UPDATE: Koryta also chats with LA Times' blog Jacket Copy about summer reads.

More zexy news

2010-06-11T13:39:00.002-05:00

Wait, Duane Swierczynski's been sitting on Scarlett Johansson?!

Get the deets here.

A sexy tease

2010-06-11T12:02:00.009-05:00

Rucka scores a Barry nom

2010-06-11T11:17:00.006-05:00

Outstanding news to kick off the weekend:

WALKING DEAD, the newest Atticus Kodiak thriller, is nominated for Best Thriller!

Way to go, Greg!

The Hulk has returned

2010-06-10T15:30:00.004-05:00

Issue synopsis: Three years of epic storytelling explodes as Greg Pak and Paul Pelletier bring you the biggest conclusion imaginable--SKAAR, SON OF HULK, finally confronts the father who abandoned him at birth in pain and fire. It's the heartrending, senses-shattering climax to WORLD WAR HULKS--and the Incredible Hulks will never be the same! (INCREDIBLE HULK #611, August 11, 2010)

But, never fear, Greg Pak has a plan!

Gischler heralds The Heroic Age

2010-06-09T13:23:00.010-05:00

"Marvel is proud to present your first look at the extra-sized DEATH OF DRACULA #1, beginning the biggest changes in the Marvel Universe since Civil War!

Acclaimed writer Victor Gischler and rising star artist Giuseppe Camuncoli enter the Heroic Age by killing one of the Marvel Universe’s most dangerous villains.

But just why does this put the future of the Marvel Universe at stake? Find out in Death of Dracula #1!" (On sale June 30)

Tune in to BlogTalkRadio now

2010-06-09T11:55:00.005-05:00

For more of Michael's great music recommendations, visit the NY Times' Paper Cuts blog or Largehearted Boy.

Pick up the perfect summer book today

2010-06-09T00:37:00.001-05:00

Available online and in stores today, SO COLD THE RIVER is the literary vacation you're looking for!

In her NY Times Sunday Book Review, Marilyn Stasio agrees wholeheartedly.

"If all good mysteries make ideal summer reading, what does a mystery fan turn to for true escape? How about a supernatural mystery that intensifies the suspense by thickening the atmosphere.

SO COLD THE RIVER (Little, Brown, $24.99), by Michael Koryta, is a superior specimen, with its eerie tale of a lovely valley in Indiana where at one time an elixir known as Pluto Water bubbled up from the underground springs. The restoration of the valley’s two old spa hotels attracts the interest of a cinematographer from Chicago who drinks the water and starts having visions...Koryta sets a beautiful scene, resplendent with dreamy images."

And the nominees for the Macavity Award are...

2010-06-08T23:12:00.015-05:00

Reed Farrel Coleman, Ken Bruen and Stefanie Pintoff continue to shine!

Just last Friday, we found out that they're nominated for the 2010 Anthony Award, and now they have also been shortlisted for the Macavity Award:

TOWER is in the running for Best Mystery Novel.

IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM is nominated for Best Historical.

Congratulations all around!

Presenting "The Curse of the Mutants"

2010-06-08T16:15:00.003-05:00

"Marvel is proud to present your first look at X-Men #1 from the red-hot creative team of Victor Gischler and Paco Medina."

Feast your eyes on these preview pages of the first X-Men #1 in 2 decades!

Elizabeth Somer has the top 10 foods to wake you up

2010-06-08T15:17:00.004-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Recap from Murder by the Book

2010-06-08T14:50:00.007-05:00

Check out these funny videos of Duane Swierczynski, Lisa Brackmann, and Victor Gischler's booksigning in Houston last weekend:

UPDATE: Scott D. Parker gives us a glimpse of the jackpot at Do Some Damage.

Koryta is a "Born storyteller"

2010-06-08T13:10:00.012-05:00

Bestselling thriller writer Jason Pinter says "So Cold the River is a breathtaking departure from Koryta's crime novels, upping the plotting and characterization skills that Koryta has displayed through five books...The result is a gripping, terrifying, and sometimes astonishing read."

Pinter's BEA interview with Koryta is up at The Huffington Post.

Live Chat with Michael Koryta tomorrow, 1 pm ET

2010-06-08T12:55:00.008-05:00

A note from Miriam Parker (top-notch publicist at Little, Brown):

I will be chatting live with Michael Koryta on the Little, Brown channel of BlogTalkRadio on the publication date of SO COLD THE RIVER, June 9th at 1PM ET.

I would love for you to participate! You can call in with a question to (646) 378-0040.
You can listen to the show live online or via the phone at the call-in number (if you just want to listen, tell the screener that you are “just listening”.)

There will also be an archived edition of the show up on the Little, Brown channel of BlogTalkRadio about 30 minutes after the show ends.

If you’d like to RSVP for the event or get a reminder for your Outlook calendar, click here.

The Globe and Mail commends Stefanie Pintoff

2010-06-04T16:46:00.005-05:00

"Stefanie Pintoff's debut, In the Shadow of Gotham, won two major first novel awards. This sequel is even better.

It's the early 20th century. Former New York police partners Simon Ziele and Declan Mulvaney have taken very different paths. Ziele relocated to rural Dobson, where he can solve crime without facing the violence of the city. Mulvaney, in Gotham, glories in the most violent crimes. But when a showgirl dies onstage, he's stumped and calls on his old partner for help.

Pintoff seems to have an encyclopedic knowledge of early criminal investigation, and fits it all into an excellent plot. "

Show 'em some Texas lovin'

2010-06-04T16:16:00.020-05:00

If you're in Houston tomorrow (Saturday), get to Murder by the Book at 5 pm.

Critically-acclaimed writers Swierczy and The Gisch will be signing books and sharing their wisdom about crime novels, smart-ass mutant heroes, and damn good beer.

In the meantime, BSC Reviews has beautiful preview pages of two DEADPOOL issues available on June 9:

DEADPOOL CORPS #3, from Victor Gischler and Rob Liefeld

Issue Synopsis – “WHAT’S THAT, DOGPOOL? WADE WILSON’S TRAPPED IN THE WELL?” No Deadpool Left Behind? Oops. With so many Deadpools to keep track of, I suppose we can understand that our pal Wade might accidentally leave one on the last planet where the Corps fueled up the Bea Arthur and stocked up on hot pockets. But the Corps has bigger worries, specifically an alien fleet of, well, aliens. Aliens with proton blasters and cluster-nukes, aliens who work for the bad guy cosmic uber-mind.

DEADPOOL: Wade Wilson’s War #1, from Duane Swierczynski and Jason Pearson

Issue Synopsis – “THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK” You’ve seen Deadpool in countless (and we mean countless) comics before — but never like this. Really. Want answers about Deadpool? Like why does he refuse to remove his weird red-and-black mask? Why does he only answer to the name “Deadpool?” Was he really part of a black bag special ops team that nobody has ever heard of? Were his teammates really given names like “Bulllseye,” “Silver Sable” and “Domino”? What did Wilson know, and when did he know it? A bloody massacre in Sinaloa, Mexico has left hundreds dead and disgraced soldier Wade Wilson has a LOT of explaining to do.

UPDATE: Swierczy and The Gisch will also be hitting up BookPeople in Austin on Sunday!

Anthony Award nominations

2010-06-04T16:05:00.006-05:00

TOWER has been nominated for Best Paperback Original,

AND

IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM is up for Best First Novel

Much deserved congratulations to Reed Farrel Coleman, Ken Bruen, and Stefanie Pintoff!

So Cold the River is a Best Book of June!

2010-06-01T14:57:00.007-05:00

Amazon.com's editors pick Michael Koryta's newest thriller as a must-read!

“[SO COLD THE RIVER is] spellbinding and check-your-doors-and-windows scary, and it all begins with a check and a bottle of water. At its deliciously creepy core, So Cold the River is about two men facing down their demons, and what happens when those demons fight back.

Recommended for fans of Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill and Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane”

Check out Michael Koryta's chat with Deb Smouse at Everything Girl, and Koryta's blog for more lovin' from the Australia's Men's Fitness magazine, The Chicago Sun-Times, The St. Petersburg Times and Cape Cod Times.

Michael Koryta tackles ghosts new and old

2010-05-28T15:34:00.012-05:00

Check out Sarah Weinman's great piece for the LA Times:

"So Cold the River is almost twice as long as his previous books (though it doesn't feel that way in the slightest), is more firmly set in small-town Indiana not far from where the author grew up, and dives headlong into supernatural territory -- so much so that after finishing the book I cast a suspicious eye on the water bottle on the nearby night-table, an unspoken admonition not to drink it sounding off loudly in my mind."

A simple man named Wade Wilson

2010-05-28T10:28:00.006-05:00

Duane Swierczynski chats with Marc Strom about looking into the depths of the 'Pool.

DEADPOOL: Wade Wilson's War # 1 is available at a comic store near you on June 9, 2010.

"the next Stephen King"

2010-05-27T16:13:00.006-05:00

That's what Little, Brown is calling Michael Koryta.

Check out the nice article in the Wall Street Journal for some behind-the-scenes background info about how Michael's forthcoming horror mystery SO COLD THE RIVER came to be.

"[This book] is his most muscular," said one of his Florida neighbors, the author Dennis Lehane.

USA Today agrees that SO COLD THE RIVER is a worthy selection this summer.

Mark your calendars

2010-05-27T15:31:00.005-05:00

for the inaugural X-Men Day on July 8!

"In the first X-Men #1 in almost 20 years, Marvel's mighty mutants enter the Heroic Age to face a deadly new threat, courtesy of fan favorite creators Victor Gischler and Paco Medina!

Be the first person on your block to score great X-Men Day commemorative items like the exclusive limited-edition cover print featuring Paco Medina's "We Are The X-Men" images, exclusive variants, mini-posters and more! Plus, fans can't miss the chance to add their own heroes to the X-Men lineup by sketching on the X-Men #1 Blank Variant!"

Little book, Lots of meaning

2010-05-27T15:22:00.004-05:00

The paperback edition of Laura Berman Fortgang's gem of a book is available today!

And, in other exciting book news, Laura is working on her next book. Look for THE PROSPERITY PLAN in January 2011.

Batwoman is sizzling

2010-05-26T10:44:00.006-05:00

BATWOMAN: Elegy makes the list as one of the hottest graphic novels to come out this summer (GraphicNovelReporter.com).

In her first hardcover, collecting tales from DETECTIVE COMICS #854-860, Batwoman battles a madwoman known only as Alice, inspired by Alice in Wonderland, who sees her life as a fairy tale and everyone around her as expendable! Batwoman must stop Alice from unleashing a toxic death cloud over all of Gotham City — but Alice has more up her sleeve than just poison, and Batwoman's life will never ever be the same.

"Spectacular—the kind of adventure story that you race through the first time and return to, to pore over slowly...[Rucka's] Batwoman, Kate Kane, is a superhero like no other" - Publishers Weekly, *starred review*

BookExpo 2010

2010-05-24T21:54:00.003-05:00

Michael Koryta and fellow panelist authors @ Borders' "Books for Sunny Days and Starry Nights" celebration

Chace all the way

2010-05-24T09:48:00.008-05:00

Greg Rucka's Tara Chace beat Bond handily in the first poll and advanced to Round 2!

Click this link to cast your vote for Tara vs. the Emma Peel-era Avengers.

Frenemy of the State

2010-05-21T13:43:00.004-05:00

Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir have a hot new miniseries (first of an ongoing series of miniseries), called FRENEMY OF THE STATE, which they created and wrote with the lovely and talented Rashida Jones.

If you'll be in Los Angeles this Saturday evening at 7 pm, the team, and their very gifted artist Jeff Wamester (AND a taco truck, we hear!) will be at Meltdown Comics for signings and all-around greatness.

FRENEMY OF THE STATE is an all-new series from the star of NBC's Parks & Recreation and veteran comic scribes DeFilippis & Weir!

Ariana Von Holmberg is an heiress with a secret. But what she's hiding isn't a sex tape or a drug addiction or an affair with a professional golfer—it's a new career as a CIA operative! What better cover for an agent than a globe-trotting, care-free femme with a penchant for flights of fancy? But can Ari balance her high society obligations with her new role as a spy or will the weight of two worlds bring her dual lives to a violent end?

Check out the spiffy preview pages at CBR.

3 more for Michael Koryta!

2010-05-21T13:05:00.006-05:00

Little, Brown and Company has signed DHS Literary rockstar Michael Koryta, author of the L.A. Book Prize winner ENVY THE NIGHT, for three more thrillers. Little, Brown’s Executive Vice President and Publisher Michael Pietsch will edit.

Let's celebrate by raising a glass and pre-ordering SO COLD THE RIVER, Michael's first book with Little, Brown to be released July 9!

Vote for Tara Chace!

2010-05-19T21:22:00.006-05:00

Mister 8 May Madness has brought us "a battle of spy supremacy"!

Greg Rucka's Queen & Country hero vs. James Bond? No contest.

(Voting ends May 20, around 11 am)

Cool tidbit: Queen & Country is on GraphicNovelReporter.com's core list of essential graphic novels that booksellers gotta have.

It's Rucka, It's Southworth, it's STUUUMPTOWN!

2010-05-19T17:03:00.003-05:00

Swierczynski, toot-sweet

2010-05-18T16:26:00.009-05:00

Spinetingler Magazine is sold on Swierczynski's Expiration Date, which they've declared is "entertaining as all hell. [Swierczynski's] prose is clean and the action never flags, new rules and twists popping up every couple of pages and hurtling you helplessly towards the climax. In other words, what you’d hope for in a Swierczynski novel.

Swierczynski is one of the great “just one more chapter won’t hurt, I’ll still be able to function in the morning” writers the crime world has today, and Expiration Date is nowhere near a fucking exception. Pick that shit up and for-fucking-go some sleep toot-fucking-sweet, dear reader."

Critics love Det. Zeile

2010-05-18T16:18:00.011-05:00

Edgar-winning Stephanie Pintoff's book IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM is a historical mystery that adopts "new crime investigation techniques just being born: fingerprinting and profiling, most obviously, but basically the whole idea of a scientific approach to figuring out whodunit. All of these historical elements are folded into a strong plot with a genuine mystery that challenges the reader into beating the detective protagonist to the solution." (ReadingTheLeaves.com)

And, "A CURTAIN FALLS is an even stronger book than the first...we have the beginnings of what promises to be a strong series." (ReviewingTheEvidence.com)

Oh, the horror of it all!

2010-05-18T16:17:00.007-05:00

Victor Gischler and The Big Bad Wolf talk DEATH OF DRACULA and meditate on the battle of X-Men vs. Vampires!

Happy Friday from Scott Phillips!

2010-05-14T13:24:00.002-05:00

(Photo courtesy of Busted Flush Press)

The Lost River will wash over you too

2010-05-13T16:04:00.002-05:00

The Christian Manifesto has a rave review for Michael Koryta's newest book:

"In a deeply suspenseful novel, So Cold The River is gripping, haunting, and all around unsettling. To call it impressive is a bit of an understatement. It was a seriously great book with awesome suspense and some extraordinarily haunting scenes.

This [book] excels in using the dark environment to accentuate evil. I loved it and the further I got into it, the better it became with an ending that was truly worthy of this remarkable book...Koryta appears to be a very talented author. I’m impressed with his imagination as well as story and character development abilities. "

The Deputy drips blood

2010-05-13T14:58:00.003-05:00

"One warning before picking up this book: don’t crack it open unless you are willing to park your ass in place for a couple hours and read it front to back in one sitting. Because once the action starts – and it starts almost immediately – it doesn’t stop until the end of the book. It is almost impossible to put down.

Victor Gischler has written a balls-out action movie of a book, with plenty of sex and violence to appease the most diehard of fans...Gischler captures perfectly the dead-end life in a remote small town and the impossible-seeming struggle to get away from it.

The guy [Gischler] knows his mayhem, and he’s got a great sense of humor. Gischler knows what his readers want and delivers it in gory handfuls. What more could you want?"

For something new that is exciting and drips blood but doesn’t require a huge time commitment, give The Deputy a try. Fans of violent crime fiction will love it."

- Chris LaTray, BluntForceBeating.com

American Gothic at its best

2010-05-12T16:10:00.003-05:00

Fresh Fiction has declared that "Michael Koryta's new novel is American Gothic at its best. In the tradition of Stephen King, SO COLD THE RIVER will most certainly send a chill down your spine and keep you turning pages well into the night."

But Michael's fans aren't just in the U.S. Check out his interview of Ten Terrifying Questions with Australia's Booktopia.

More praise for Stefanie Pintoff

2010-05-10T14:47:00.007-05:00

In the Huffington Post today, bestselling thriller writer Jason Pinter highlights "5 New Releases You Should Check Out" -- one of which is A CURTAIN FALLS, sequel to the Edgar Award-winning novel IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM!

Haven't read either of these critically-acclaimed books by Stefanie Pintoff? Stop by your local bookstore for release day tomorrow (May 11) or pre-order online now!

P.S. The unabridged audiobook of A CURTAIN FALLS is also available starting on the 11th!

The Indie Next List for June 2010

2010-05-07T16:09:00.003-05:00

The American Booksellers Association features SO COLD THE RIVER in their Indie Next List of Great Reads:

"Koryta's prose is fluid and masterful, making this a delightfully eerie and mesmerizing read!"
- Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH

Come see the Gischler in Plano, Texas!

2010-05-07T11:00:00.009-05:00

Victor Gischler will be at Madness Games & Comics tomorrow (Saturday) for a 3 pm panel and signings.

3131 Custer Road #125
Plano, TX 75075

Come witness the genius that's been at work in Deadpool, Punisher and now X-Men!

A gold medal for Dr. Jennifer Ashton

2010-05-06T11:30:00.003-05:00

THE BODY SCOOP FOR GIRLS is a gold medalist for the 2010 Living Now Book Awards!

The awards are presented each year to honor “books for better living”, and Dr. Ashton's book certainly fits the bill.