Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
More Great Moments in Detective Plumbing History!
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| Actor Mark Harmon on the popular CBS Series "NCIS" |
The other day I revealed the secret history of detectives wielding pipe wrenches. You might think that genre (other than Georgiana Neverall) had long ago faded away. And that's where you'd be wrong!
I bring you further pictorial evidence to the contrary. Here's actor Mark Harmon (in his role of Special Agent Gibbs) on the top-rated CBS crime series "NCIS" displaying our crime-busting tool of choice. Now, to be honest, I'm not sure if this was a current episode (I spotted this and snapped the picture back in October) or a re-run, but I'll bet if you look around Agent Gibb's house, you'll almost certainly find a pipe wrench among the boat-building tools, so we stand by our case!
Meanwhile, don't forget the new Georgia book, "Drip Dead," now in stores!
It may not be NCIS, but it's pretty popular too! Get your copy while the getting is good! (And drop by the hardware store and pick up a pipe-wrench too. You know -- just for household defense and stuff!)
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Great Moments in Detective Plumbing History!
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| Detective Comics #27, 1939, first appearance of Batman |
People seem to think that the conjunction of plumbing and detective work in Christy's Georgiana Neverall series is unusual, unprecedented, and occasionally even a little bizarre.
But Georgiana isn't the first amateur detective to wield a pipe wrench. In fact, she's part of a long and proud tradition, and we have some evidence here for you today!
The art at left is from Detective Comics #27, published in 1939, the first-ever appearance of Batman (then known as "the Bat-Man").
We'll admit that Batman has since traded his pipe-wrench in for a Bat-a-rang, but he still wears a
So, Georgie is far from the first crime-solver to sling a wrench, and she may not be the last! We'll just have to wait and see...
(Batman art via Bleedingcool.com)
Sunday, January 30, 2011
A NEW BOOK!!
Wow!! The release date for the third Georgie mystery, DRIP DEAD, is almost here! Tuesday, February 1, is the official date for the new book, which is suddenly only a couple days away.
When plumber's apprentice Georgiana Neverall crawls under her mother's house to check the pipes, she's horrified to find her mother's flashy fiancé, real estate mogul Gregory Whitlock, dead in the dirt. Instead of a wedding ring, Georgiana's mother is soon wearing handcuffs, accused of killing the man she loved. To clear her mother's name, Georgiana's going to have to crawl into a few more dark spaces and uncover secrets Whitlock was hiding.
Available for pre-order at Amazon (print and Kindle editions), Barnes and Noble (including for Nook), and bookstores everywhere, DRIP DEAD already is garnering good reviews, including 4 stars from RT Book Reviews! Get your copy today!
Friday, July 30, 2010
The Only Thing Constant is Change
Maggie's post on storytelling really resonated with me. For several months, I've been thinking about the amazing changes happening in the publishing industry.
If you had asked me - even as little as a year ago - about electronic publishing, I would have been skeptical. Make that very skeptical. Sure, a few people were breaking out in e-pubs, but to my mind they were the exception, not the rule.
However, over the last few months, I have been looking closer at electronic publishing, and the wide variety of new publishing paradigms available to writers. I began to consider, very cautiously, the opportunities opening up for me.
Then, a couple weeks ago, I came to a startling conclusion:
All those manuscripts that didn't fit the structure of New York publishing?
They fit just find in e-pubs!
The book that was too short for a print publisher?
An e-publisher would take it.
The subject matter that wasn't commercial enough for a large audience?
E-publishers can serve those niche markets.
The genre that is currently out of favor with the big guys?
The little guys don't have the same restrictions.
Let me say, right here and now, that this is not meant as a condemnation of New York publishing. Quite the contrary. In New York (and other major publishing centers) there are financial and corporate constraints that shape their publishing programs. It's simply a fact of business life.
Although large publishers operate under restrictions that small presses and e-publishers don't have, they also have resources which aren't available to the smaller publishers. Established relationships with major booksellers, an experienced national sales force, savvy marketers, and an army of professional
editors, art directors, copyeditors, accountants - all the people that keep a business running.
All this is to say that there are good reason to publish, or not publish, with each company across the broad spectrum of publishing options. And I was starting to look at my options.
Then I read Maggie's post and started thinking about what she said. We are storytellers. We want people to read our books, to hear our stories, to share the thoughts and images in our heads.
What we want most of all is an audience.
So, when I realized there were places I could take those stories that didn't "fit" the big markets, I got excited. I could get my stories out into the world, give them an audience, share them with readers.
Does this mean I've abandoned traditional publishing? Heavens, no! I'm actively working with my editor at Berkley on new projects, and I'm excited to see what we'll do next. I'm also working with my agent on some cool secret projects.
All it means is that I have a whole bunch more options and outlets than I did a year ago. And I am excited at the possibility of trying all of them!
If you had asked me - even as little as a year ago - about electronic publishing, I would have been skeptical. Make that very skeptical. Sure, a few people were breaking out in e-pubs, but to my mind they were the exception, not the rule.
However, over the last few months, I have been looking closer at electronic publishing, and the wide variety of new publishing paradigms available to writers. I began to consider, very cautiously, the opportunities opening up for me.
Then, a couple weeks ago, I came to a startling conclusion:
All those manuscripts that didn't fit the structure of New York publishing?
They fit just find in e-pubs!
The book that was too short for a print publisher?
An e-publisher would take it.
The subject matter that wasn't commercial enough for a large audience?
E-publishers can serve those niche markets.
The genre that is currently out of favor with the big guys?
The little guys don't have the same restrictions.
Let me say, right here and now, that this is not meant as a condemnation of New York publishing. Quite the contrary. In New York (and other major publishing centers) there are financial and corporate constraints that shape their publishing programs. It's simply a fact of business life.
Although large publishers operate under restrictions that small presses and e-publishers don't have, they also have resources which aren't available to the smaller publishers. Established relationships with major booksellers, an experienced national sales force, savvy marketers, and an army of professional
editors, art directors, copyeditors, accountants - all the people that keep a business running.
All this is to say that there are good reason to publish, or not publish, with each company across the broad spectrum of publishing options. And I was starting to look at my options.
Then I read Maggie's post and started thinking about what she said. We are storytellers. We want people to read our books, to hear our stories, to share the thoughts and images in our heads.
What we want most of all is an audience.
So, when I realized there were places I could take those stories that didn't "fit" the big markets, I got excited. I could get my stories out into the world, give them an audience, share them with readers.
And I made the leap.
DORY COVE (written as Christina F. York), a sweet romance set on the Oregon coast, just published from Tsunami Ridge Publishing (http://www.tsunamiridge.com/). It's available at http://www.smashwords.com/, and should be available soon at http://www.amazon.com/ in Kindle format. Other books and short stories will follow soon, according to the fine folks at Tsunami Ridge.
Does this mean I've abandoned traditional publishing? Heavens, no! I'm actively working with my editor at Berkley on new projects, and I'm excited to see what we'll do next. I'm also working with my agent on some cool secret projects.Will I stop writing mystery in favor of romance? Once again, no! I have written across several genres from the beginning, and romance is only one of them. I love writing mystery, and I don't think I could stop.
All it means is that I have a whole bunch more options and outlets than I did a year ago. And I am excited at the possibility of trying all of them!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
STORYTELLERS
Maggie Sefton is a fabulous writer, and a thorough professional. Here she explores what makes us tick. Thank you so much, Maggie!!
Christy and I actually met this last spring at Malice Domestic mystery conference. We first met online when we joined a cozy mystery writers group. Since we both needed a roommate to make the conference more affordable, we joined forces and shared a hotel room.
What fun! As mystery authors, we were both already storytellers. But as we started talking—immediately, I might add—we found all sorts of other connections. One of them was a lifelong love of STAR TREK. Yep. We’re both Trekkies. The original was the one that hooked us, but most of us Trekkies went on to be faithful fans of all Star Trek productions---The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and the others as well as the myriad movies.
We also discovered that we’ve each written many other types of novels and stories under other names. Some published, some not. When you’re a born storyteller, you simply HAVE to tell the stories that come to you, capture those fascinating characters that show up in your mind and translate them onto the page. Sometimes the novels sell, sometimes they don’t. Whatever happens. . .you keep telling your stories. And, telling other people about them.
I’m in the midst of touring this month with the newest release in my New York Times bestselling Knitting Mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime. The 8th in the series, SKEIN OF THE CRIME, came out June 1st. Personally, I love to travel around and meet readers and other book people. But then, I’m a “people” person and am certainly not shy. You can ask Christy. I love talking about my sleuth, corporate refugee Kelly Flynn, and her friends who gather at that great yarn shop in Colorado. That’s where they kick back and knit and juggle their fast-paced 30-something lives. Of course, a murder always intrudes, and CPA Kelly cannot resist poking her nose into the investigations.
If you’d like to learn more about Kelly and the gang and the other mysteries, you can check out my website at http://www.maggiesefton.com/. I also blog with six other cozy mystery authors on http://www.cozychicksblog.com/. And---Christy and I are letting our characters blog on KILLER CHARACTERS with a bunch of other mystery authors. Please check it out. http://www.killercharacters.com/.
Christy and I actually met this last spring at Malice Domestic mystery conference. We first met online when we joined a cozy mystery writers group. Since we both needed a roommate to make the conference more affordable, we joined forces and shared a hotel room.
What fun! As mystery authors, we were both already storytellers. But as we started talking—immediately, I might add—we found all sorts of other connections. One of them was a lifelong love of STAR TREK. Yep. We’re both Trekkies. The original was the one that hooked us, but most of us Trekkies went on to be faithful fans of all Star Trek productions---The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and the others as well as the myriad movies.
We also discovered that we’ve each written many other types of novels and stories under other names. Some published, some not. When you’re a born storyteller, you simply HAVE to tell the stories that come to you, capture those fascinating characters that show up in your mind and translate them onto the page. Sometimes the novels sell, sometimes they don’t. Whatever happens. . .you keep telling your stories. And, telling other people about them.
I’m in the midst of touring this month with the newest release in my New York Times bestselling Knitting Mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime. The 8th in the series, SKEIN OF THE CRIME, came out June 1st. Personally, I love to travel around and meet readers and other book people. But then, I’m a “people” person and am certainly not shy. You can ask Christy. I love talking about my sleuth, corporate refugee Kelly Flynn, and her friends who gather at that great yarn shop in Colorado. That’s where they kick back and knit and juggle their fast-paced 30-something lives. Of course, a murder always intrudes, and CPA Kelly cannot resist poking her nose into the investigations.
If you’d like to learn more about Kelly and the gang and the other mysteries, you can check out my website at http://www.maggiesefton.com/. I also blog with six other cozy mystery authors on http://www.cozychicksblog.com/. And---Christy and I are letting our characters blog on KILLER CHARACTERS with a bunch of other mystery authors. Please check it out. http://www.killercharacters.com/.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
A Love Letter to Malice
Malice Domestic is a cozy mystery conference held in the Baltimore/DC area at the end of April each year. From my perch overlooking the Pacific Ocean, it's on the other edge of the continent. It's a long trip for a three-day event, but I tried it this year and it was worth every mile.
I really tried to talk myself out of it. It was too far. The registration/hotel/airfare was expensive. I couldn't get time off work. All the usual arguments. I bargained with myself. I couldn't afford to go, but if SINK TRAP was nominated for Best First Novel (hey, a girl's gotta have her dreams!) I'd go anyway. When that didn't happen, I told myself I'd won (or lost) the argument about going. I was staying home.
The Internet, however, had other ideas. First, Travelocity taunted me with a ridiculously fare for the cross-country flight. Then my boss said he thought we could manage if I was gone a couple days. And I got on a list with other cozy writers and asked about a roommate - within minutes the fabulous Maggie Sefton (who'll be guest blogging here in a couple days) popped up and said she was looking for someone to share.
What could I do? I was outnumbered; Travelocity, my boss, AND Maggie were all aligned against me and my fading will power. Add to that the incredible Malice organizers who managed to get me in the program book and give me a signing, even though I decided at the last minute. I had to go!
Which is how I found myself on a flight leaving Portland at 11 pm on Wednesday, heading to Atlanta and connecting to Washington National. I landed in Atlanta with just enough time to race from one gate to the other, lugging my laptop and my Kindle - my two travel must-haves.
Even after working all day and flying all night, I was excited to arrive in DC. The Marriott had a shuttle, and my room was ready, even though I arrived about 10 in the morning! By the time I met up with Maggie a bit after noon, I'd settled in and was ready to explore Georgetown.
After our walking tour, we met a bunch of other writers for dinner and to assemble the goodie bags we gave out over the weekend. I can't believe how many wonderful people I met! When I finally fell into bed well past midnight, I could hardly wait for the next day.
Friday was a blur of activity, leading up to the dinner hosted by my publisher, Berkley. An incredible meal with my amazing editor, Michelle, and the other editors and writers. It was especially wonderful to share a dinner table with my editor-sisters, Diana Orgain and Lila Dare.
Saturday was more of the same, interrupted by a lovely lunch with my editor, a book signing, and winding up with the awards banquet on Saturday night. Parnell Hall was hysterical, Rhys Bowen was delightful, and Mary Higgins Clark was charming and gracious.
My biggest regret was that I had to leave before the finish of the Tea that closed the convention on Sunday afternoon. Next time I'll know I need to take a later flight.
And I can guarantee you, there WILL be a next time!!
I really tried to talk myself out of it. It was too far. The registration/hotel/airfare was expensive. I couldn't get time off work. All the usual arguments. I bargained with myself. I couldn't afford to go, but if SINK TRAP was nominated for Best First Novel (hey, a girl's gotta have her dreams!) I'd go anyway. When that didn't happen, I told myself I'd won (or lost) the argument about going. I was staying home.
The Internet, however, had other ideas. First, Travelocity taunted me with a ridiculously fare for the cross-country flight. Then my boss said he thought we could manage if I was gone a couple days. And I got on a list with other cozy writers and asked about a roommate - within minutes the fabulous Maggie Sefton (who'll be guest blogging here in a couple days) popped up and said she was looking for someone to share.
What could I do? I was outnumbered; Travelocity, my boss, AND Maggie were all aligned against me and my fading will power. Add to that the incredible Malice organizers who managed to get me in the program book and give me a signing, even though I decided at the last minute. I had to go!
Which is how I found myself on a flight leaving Portland at 11 pm on Wednesday, heading to Atlanta and connecting to Washington National. I landed in Atlanta with just enough time to race from one gate to the other, lugging my laptop and my Kindle - my two travel must-haves.
Even after working all day and flying all night, I was excited to arrive in DC. The Marriott had a shuttle, and my room was ready, even though I arrived about 10 in the morning! By the time I met up with Maggie a bit after noon, I'd settled in and was ready to explore Georgetown.
After our walking tour, we met a bunch of other writers for dinner and to assemble the goodie bags we gave out over the weekend. I can't believe how many wonderful people I met! When I finally fell into bed well past midnight, I could hardly wait for the next day.
Friday was a blur of activity, leading up to the dinner hosted by my publisher, Berkley. An incredible meal with my amazing editor, Michelle, and the other editors and writers. It was especially wonderful to share a dinner table with my editor-sisters, Diana Orgain and Lila Dare.
Saturday was more of the same, interrupted by a lovely lunch with my editor, a book signing, and winding up with the awards banquet on Saturday night. Parnell Hall was hysterical, Rhys Bowen was delightful, and Mary Higgins Clark was charming and gracious.
My biggest regret was that I had to leave before the finish of the Tea that closed the convention on Sunday afternoon. Next time I'll know I need to take a later flight.
And I can guarantee you, there WILL be a next time!!
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