Pulp Fiction, Mystery Author Lawrence Block – And Me

Two events last week led to this blog’s headline. The first was reading A Writer Prepares by Lawrence Block, the bestselling author of more than 50 mystery novels. This self-published memoir tells the story of his writing career up to the point where he published his first hardcover novel in 1966. 

It’s a tale of his beginnings in the 1950s, when he was honing his writing chops by contributing short stories and novellas to pulp fiction magazines. They were known as such  because they were printed on cheap wood-pulp paper, Nothing to do with the Quentin Tarantino movie of that name. Block, the 1994 recipient of the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America, sold his first short story in 1957 to Manhunt, a crime pulp magazine.  Continue reading “Pulp Fiction, Mystery Author Lawrence Block – And Me”

Copy Edits And Commas Can Drive An Author Crazy

Let me emphasize at the outset that the title of this blog refers to copy edits not copy editors. One of the tasks of a copy editor is to pick out inconsistencies and whatever doesn’t make sense. Copy editors are invaluable to the process of getting your manuscript turned into a readable hardcover or paperback or e-book. Continue reading “Copy Edits And Commas Can Drive An Author Crazy”

Staying In Shape While Writing (Or Editing) On Deadline

It’s really tough to stay in shape when you’re a writer. You sit hunched over a laptop screen for hours and hours at a time. And, you’re  (maybe) drinking while pecking away at the keyboard. And/or snacking because who has time to cook? Continue reading “Staying In Shape While Writing (Or Editing) On Deadline”

Final Edits & Revisions: AKA Two Weeks in Hell

You’d think coming into the final stretch of the publication process would be a piece of cake for an author. That’s the stretch where you make your final edits and revisions— just before you hand over your novel to copy editors and proof readers. That’s about where I am with my thriller Fool Her Once which is to be published next Spring by CamCat Books. Continue reading “Final Edits & Revisions: AKA Two Weeks in Hell”

Guest Post : What If My Second Novel Sucks?

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you may recall that about four years ago, I attended the Algonkian author-mentor workshop in St. Augustine, Florida. There were only eight of us in the workshop. We named ourselves The Gonks and have maintained contact with each other since the workshop, mainly through group email. Continue reading “Guest Post : What If My Second Novel Sucks?”