I attended a workshop on August 10, 2019, presented by award-winning author Glen Erik Hamilton. The Orange County Chapter of the California Writers Club hosted the workshop, titled First Class Ticket: Your Setting is Your Hook. Glen focused on the importance of setting for any story, regardless of genre. For …
The Poisoned Pen and owner Barbara Peters welcomed thriller writers Stephen Hunter and Jack Carr on July 29 to sign copies of their new books. Hunter’s book, Game of Snipers, is the latest in a long line of novels featuring sniper Bob Lee Swagger. True Believer is Carr’s second book …
The Seldom Scene, a bluegrass band formed in 1971 in Bethesda, Maryland, performed July 25 at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. I first heard these guys play several years ago at The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, and they are as good now as they were then. Members from left …
Bestselling thriller writer Mark Greaney (right, below) and Rip Rawlings (soon to be retired from the USMC) signed their new book, Red Metal, at The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale on Tuesday, July 16. The novel depicts a “startlingly realistic” version of World War III, as Russia invades Europe and Africa …
J Todd Scott and David Bell signed their new books at The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale on Monday, July 15. Todd’s book, This Side of Night, is the story of a Mexican cartel border war and its spillover into the Big Bend region of Texas, based loosely on the kidnapping …
On Sunday, July 14, the Desert Sleuths (Phoenix) Chapter of Sisters in Crime, in cooperation with Changing Hands Bookstore, presented a panel of unpublished writers to talk about “Getting Your Novel Out of Your Imagination and onto the Page.” The panel members talked about what they had done in their …
In addition to writing, I’ve been reading quite a bit this year. So far, I’ve read 17 fiction books, all but one a mystery (the one was a young adult novel), and 5 nonfiction books, all related to the writing profession. If you’re looking for something to read that may …
Blue Highway, an outstanding bluegrass group based in Tennessee, performed tonight at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. An excellent show at an excellent venue! The group will be at the Susanville (CA) Bluegrass Festival tomorrow and Saturday.
Cara Black (left), author of the 19th Aimée Leduc mystery, Murder in Bel-Air, and Nina Laurin (right), author of the psychological suspense thriller, The Starter Wife, signed books for readers tonight at The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale. Both provided interesting and thought-provoking observations about their books and the writing processes …
I believe it is fair to say that author Martin Walker is a serious history buff. The creator of the Bruno, Chief of Police, series signed his most recent book, The Body in the Castle Well, at The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale last night. The book is the twelfth in …
