Month: April 2013

Brooklyn Book Festival – Criminal Intent

Johnny Temple, publisher of Akashic Books and who runs the Brooklyn Book Festival,  asked me to put together a panel of crime fiction writers. I thought this diverse group would be fun and they were: Lawrence Block (multi-award winning writer of “A Walk Among the Tombstones,” just one of his 40 or so great novels), Susan Isaacs (her hilarious 1st novel, “Compromising Positions,” has become a classic), Peter Blauner (author, reporter and often Law & Order contributor) and Persia Walker (“Black Orchid Blues,” one of those crime novels so steeped in time and place –Harlem in the 1920s—one feels as if they have lived there). The combo of Susan, Larry, Persia and Peter was a great mix of super-smart people, light and dark humor and great commentary on crime writing. Have a look and listen.  

The Release of New Jersey Noir

I was honored when Joyce Carol Oates invited me to contribute a story for this collection of noir tales. The first thing she asked was, “Do you have a connection to New Jersey?” and I do. For one, I am married to a Jersey girl. And two, after graduate school I rented a studio in Hoboken (Frank Sinatra’s home town) and lived there for many years. That studio plays a part in the story that I wrote for this anthology, “Lola,” which is one of my favorite stories.

Strathmore Artist’s Pad Cover and Interview

Strathmore selected some of my work to be printed on the cover of their 400 Series Charcoal drawing pads.   To mark the occasion they also did a small interview with me on their website.  Here’s an excerpt: How did you interpret using the Strathmore Thistle for the pad cover artwork?  Anything else you’d like to share about your piece? I used the thistle as part of a plant motif that frames my portrait of the artist, Marcel Duchamp, and one of his artworks, and ties the drawing together. How did the Strathmore paper you used for the project affect your drawing (or painting) techniques? The paper’s tooth set up a wonderful texture for the charcoal, which I allowed to show through. I use Strathmore bristol plate when I draw with pencil because of it’s smooth surface, but the charcoal paper was perfect for exploiting the effects of this particular medium. (Read the rest here)  

Mary Higgins Clark Interviewed by Jonathan Santlofer at the Center for Fiction

Mary Higgins Clark is smart, funny, down to earth and earthy. When I asked her to speak at Crime Fiction Academy she didn’t hesitate. She contributed a chapter to the serial novel I put together for Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, “Inherit the Dead” and was never a diva, though she could have been. As you will see in this video, Mary is always Mary.