Mystery Melange

After a two-year hiatus, Deadly Ink Press is planning to once again host the Deadly Ink Conference this year, August 2-4 in New Brunswick, NJ, with Hank Phillippi Ryan as Guest of Honor, Rosemary Harris as Toastmaster and Bob Daniher as the Fan Guest of Honor. Organizers are currently seeking authors to participate in panels and signings, and interested folks should send email to info@deadlyink.com. The conference is also again sponsoring a crime fiction short-story contest for submissions of 5,000 words or less that are set in New Jersey. The winner will receive $25 and free admission to the conference. Proceeds from the anthology of finalist stories will be donated to the Christopher Reeve Foundation.

More "Best Crime Fiction of 2012" lists have been released, including this one for the Boston Globe by Hallie Ephron, and a two-part list compiled by J. Kingston Pierce and other reviewers for January Magazine. Here's part one of January Magazine's list, with books from Declan Burke to James Lee Burke, and part two adds books by Stephen L. Carter, Don Winslow and more.

Here's an item of interest for authors who can combine a manuscript critique with a charitable donation: Literary agent Irene Goodman founded a nonprofit called Publishing for Vision & Hearing in honor of her son, Rob, who suffers from Usher Syndrome. Each month, the organization's website auctions the editorial services of editors, agents, and bestselling authors to give personal critiques to aspiring writers. Previous items have included a partial critique by Movable Type Management co-founder Jason Ashlock and author Sophie Littlefield. Check back soon for more offerings, including special gala events.

There will soon be a new crime fiction ezine on the block. Plan B Magazine is launching a fundraising campaign on IndieGoGo in 2013, with the intent to post one story per week, available to read online for free. Quarterly ebook anthologies will be made available to purchase, as well as an annual ebook subscription. They're aleady open for submissions.

The Q&A roundup this week includes Eric Beetner chatting with Paul D. Brazill about writing for media, social networking and more; and Libby Fischer Hellman stops by the Kittling: Books blog, talking about the very first book she remembers reading and loving and her favorite recurring characters in crime fiction.