Friday, June 7, 2013

Perks


Perks
Perks: Every job has at least one. Even trash collectors get first dibs at the garbage people throw out.  Since WWK has some new contributors, I thought I would mention some of the things I have gained  from blogging here.

I enjoyed writing reviews of excellent books in my blog. I wanted to identify books worth reading for readers. Also, It’s been a great way to find books for me. For example, I got to review Leslie Budewitz’s Books, Crooks and Counselor, winner of the 2011 Agatha award for best non-fiction of the year.  And now I have an essential reference for anyone wanting to write about legal matters. Leslie is informative and actually funny.  How many legal tomes make readers laugh out loud? Her publisher was kind enough to offer another book for review, Editor-Proof your Writing, by Don McNair, which offers the distilled wisdom of the author’s years of experience with writing and editing. It is thoughtful and relevant.

I was able to get an ARC of Hank Phillippi Ryan’s The Other Woman before its publication date.  That book won the Mary Higgins Clark award in 2013.  I’m enthusiastic about the book and I want to read its sequel. 

I wrote one of the first reviews of Michelle Black’s Séance in Sepia, which was a finalist for the 2012 WILLA literary award. It was fun to see other people find the book and realize what a truly special work it is.  It recently became available as an audio book.

I’ve been privileged to write about both of Suzanne Adair’s Michael Stoddard American Revolution Thrillers, Regulated for Murder and A Hostage to Heritage.  I am an American History buff. Her series is fast-paced, well-researched and, even though I’ve read many mysteries, the author offers surprising twists and turns I do not expect.  

A promising newcomer to mysteries (assuming you don’t count her multiple award-winning books of poetry and her cookbook) is Linda Rodriguez whose initial offering, Every Last Secret, won the Malice Domestic First Traditional Novel Competition and had been nominated for a number of other awards.  One reason, of many, I liked first novel was what it did not have.  You know that moment in so many novels when the heroine, knowing the killer is at large and after her, walks into the dark room/parking garage/apartment lobby for no reason other than the author wants her too?  You won’t find that in Every Last Secret.  The author’s cop acts like a cop. I advise you to get in on the series now.  Her second book in the series, Every Broken Trust, is now out.  It looks to be every bit as enticing as her earlier work.

It has truly been a pleasure to work with all of the authors mentioned above. I look forward to meeting more authors over time,



3 comments:

  1. That's one of the reasons I love to interview authors, Warren. I read books. When I love them, I seek out the author to ask questions. Although I want to inform readers, interviewing authors has taught me about writing, and by asking questions, I've learned from them.

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  2. It's a reason I like to read reviews, too, Warren. I always look forward to reading yours. I already knew I wanted to read Linda's second book, but you gave me some others I'd like to try, too.

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  3. With so many books and so little time, we all lean on book reviewers to help us decide which books to choose. Thanks, Warren!

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