Mystery conference: things learned

On my first day at Bouchercon, the huge conference for mystery writers and readers, I was taken by the fact that everyone was talking about books, which I thought was strange.

By “book” we now mean a codex rather than a scroll or an oral tradition. Since medieval times, reading silently to oneself has become . . . → Read More: Mystery conference: things learned

Grousable Books Newsletter: September 15

Grousable Books Newletter banner Bouchercon

Named after mystery writer and critic Anthony Boucher, Bouchercon is the a huge convention of mystery writers and readers. This was my first time, and it was fantastic. Mystery folks are the friendliest and nicest people. Why? I think it’s because all our . . . → Read More: Grousable Books Newsletter: September 15

Mr. Wells and the gorilla

It begins, as these things often do, with a search for a source. Wellsians, as we style ourselves, are familiar with this picture of H.G. hanging with a gorilla skeleton,

What I didn’t realize was how far back Wells was dealing with gorillas. In his . . . → Read More: Mr. Wells and the gorilla

Grosable Books Newletter: September 1

Grousable Books Newletter banner Literary fiction in hardcover

Whether book readers have been awaiting it or not, I certainly have. My literary novel Before the Time Machine (2021) is finally available in hardcover.

hardcover book: Before the Time Machine . . . → Read More: Grousable Books Newsletter: September 1

Rest: a poem

Sensing autumn in the air

the sap wonders whether it’s time to pull back.

It hesitates, leaving some leaves green and others brown.

A striped hawk comes looking for an errant mouse,

an inattentive lizard.

Each season was once anticipatory

spring the prelude to glorious summer

winter . . . → Read More: Rest: a poem

Grousable Book Newletter: 15 August

Grousable Books Newletter banner Welcome to BookFunnel readers

First, a special welcome to those who downloaded a copy of “The Dancing Colonel” through Find Your Next Favorite Author on BookFunnel. The short story features the characters from my Tommy Jones Mystery books, and ties in to some . . . → Read More: Grousable Books Newletter: 15 August

Conversation with a character

“I don’t understand,” says Hephaestus, snuggling his large orange body onto my belly. “Am I the protagonist?”

“No, honey. You’re not. The protagonist is Rosie McMahon, your . . . → Read More: Conversation with a feline character

Grousable Newsletter 1 August

Grousable Books Newletter banner Bouchercon Historical Mystery Panel

Big news this fortnight is that I’m on a panel for Bouchercon, one of the biggest mystery writer conferences anywhere.

Bouchercon poster . . . → Read More: Grousable Newsletter 2 August: Mystery and more

A mystery writer writes romance

Having never done it, I was nervous about writing a romance. So before I began, I did some reading about how to write romance fiction, and concluded that there are some . . . → Read More: A mystery writer writes romance

Grousable Newsletter 15 July

Grousable Books Newletter banner Traveling books

I’ve always wanted my books to travel. When I was writing Murder at Old St. Thomas’s, I imagined leaving copies on trains and in bus stations, particularly in England. When I got there with books in hand, I wasn’t sure how . . . → Read More: Grousable Newsletter 15 July