And it begins . . . the first nominations of the Awards Season come from the Hammett Prize, handed out annually by the North American Branch of the International Association of Crime Writers. This year's honorees include Craig Davidson for Cataract City; Heywood Gould, Green Light for Murder; Richard Lange, Angel Baby; Lisa Moore, Caught; and George P. Pelecanos, The Double.
One of the more unusual award winners recently may well be the author who won the 2012 St. Martin’s Press/Private Eye Writers of America Best Private Eye Novel Contest. His name is Alaric Hunt, and he's a convicted murderer who's been doing time in jail since 1988. Sarah Weinman profiled him in an article for the New York Times.
The Hogarth Shakespeare initiative is launching in 2016 to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, with contemporary bestselling authors retelling some of the Bard's plays. Jo Nesbo, author of the bestselling Harry Hole series, has recently been tapped to tackle Macbeth.
The winter edition of Plots with Guns is available, with new stories by Tom Barlow, Marie S. Croswell, C.J. Edwards, Rob Pierce, Brian Feehan, Holly Lopez, Sean O'Kane, and Rob Pierce.
The latest issue of Crime Factory (#15) is also out, with Justin Kirk discussing his role in thwarting what the press dubbed the “Hemet Attacks” on the Hemet Police Department, and in stopping an assassination of a police officer; journalist Tom Darin Liskey recounts getting mixed up with bikers and drug dealers in St. Louis in his teens; Steve Peacock takes us through his difficult journal in seeking justice and peace after being shot in the line of duty; and there's the usual great lineup of interviews, reviews, and original short stories.
Publisher Jay Hartman has set up Untreed Reads book reading challenge for 2014. To participate, send you name and e-mail address to 2014challenge @ untreedreads.com through January 31. Your name will be added to their New Releases Newsletter and each month Untreed Reads will send you a coupon for a free download from their store. Then, read the book and leave a review in their store or as many other ebook sitesds (but you must reveal you received the free copy in exchange for the review).
The first book-less library has opened in the U.S. The facility, located in Bexar County, Texas, is instead fitted with digital readers, laptops, tablets, and desktops. Patrons can check out audiobooks and eBooks as well as the actual eReaders.
The Q&A roundup includes two "Short, Sharp Interviews" over at Paul D. Brazill' blog, including Ryan Bracha and Mark Slade; Michael Connelly chatted with The Daily Beast about how he writes (and what he drinks while writing); and Brad Taylor chats with the Mystery People.
A study at Emory University found that reading a good book may cause brain and neurological changes that persist for days in a similar way to muscle memory.
If you live in the UK and have some extra time and money lying around, Random House is launching a creative writing course to begin in March. It will include videos, podcasts and texts from Random House authors and editors
The second annual Twitter fiction festival is also coming in March. The organizers are currently seeking authors from across the world to tell stories in 140-character bursts.
The BBC's popular Sherlock series, featuring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Holmes and Watson returns to BBC America on January 19th (it has already been showing in the UK). The Guardian has a tie-in quiz that lets you test your knowledge of the Holmes canon.
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