Inspired to try new-to-me authors by Warren Bull’s series of reviews of
classic crime novels, I decided to pick up a book by an author who came onto my
radar through a Tweet from Sisters in Crime. The Tweet announced the Eleanor
Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award. Bland was an
African-American author who in the 1990s created a series about Marti
MacAlister, an African American police detective in a suburb of Chicago. Marti
is a widow who must juggle finding killers and raising her two children. In a
post on her website, Sara Paretsky praised Bland’s commitment to literature and
her concern for the portrayal of women and African Americans in crime fiction.
I picked up the first in the Marti MacAlister series, Dead Time. A mentally ill woman is murdered in a rundown hotel that
caters to the elderly, the down and out, and addicts in Lincoln Prairie,
Illinois. MacAlister’s partner on the police force, Jellenovik, wants to
believe that Lincoln Prairie is a small town without the type of crime found in
its larger neighbor, but streetwise MacAlister knows that drug use,
homelessness, and crime don’t respect borders.
In the 1990s, female police officers are breaking new
ground and the appearance of an African-American female detective at a murder
scene sets tongues wagging. MacAllister not only has to fight the public’s
mistrust, she must prove herself to fellow officers who don’t respect her
abilities. But she’s just as tough as any of her fellow officers and her role
as mother gives her insights that help her crack a case that involves two
homeless boys who have unwittingly witnessed a murder.
The opening scene, with the two boys running through a snowstorm in the
dark, dodging drunks and security guards to make a delivery, pulled me into the
story. MacAlister’s storytelling was taut and unsentimental, packed with
details that grounded the story in its time and place. Dead Time kept me up all night.
Sisters in Crime honors Bland's contribution to the genre with the Eleanor
Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award. The deadline for authors who would
like to apply for the grant has been extended. Here’s the scoop from the
Sisters in Crime website:
“The EleanorTaylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award is an annual grant of $1,500
for an emerging writer of color. An unpublished writer is
preferred, although publication of one work of short fiction or academic work
will not disqualify an applicant. This grant is intended to support the
recipient in activities related to crime fiction writing and career
development. She or he may choose from activities that include workshops,
seminars, conferences, and retreats; online courses; and research activities
required for completion of the work. Applications will be accepted after April 15, 2017.
Deadline for applications is June 15, 2017. The winner will be selected
and announced by August 1, 2017.”
Have you tried a new author lately?
Shari, as to new authors: I’ve been doing some dabbling in dystopian literature and just finished Joe Hart’s “Dominion Trilogy.”
ReplyDelete~ Jim
Jim, what made you want to try his books? I just googled him - the covers do look appealing. Also I discovered there's a Joe Hart who plays for Manchester United.
ReplyDeleteShari, I am working on the idea of a dystopian trilogy and so am sampling what others have done to become more familiar with the genre, see what works and what doesn't, test my story ideas compared to what has already been done. I bought a Kindle Unlimited Subscription and so use that for books not available at my library (or from my grandkids).
ReplyDelete~ Jim
Lori Rader-Day recently did a joint book promo with Columbus, Ohio, AP reporter and author Andrew Welsh-Huggins. He writes about Columbus-based PI Andy Hayes. I'm curious how he portrays Columbus in his books, and how they compare with other PI series (DeSilva, Lippman, Muller, Grafton).
ReplyDeleteMy college roommate grew up in Columbus and I've visited twice. I bet she'd love to try out that series. Thanks, Margaret!
ReplyDeleteJim, that sounds so exciting! It's great that you'll have your grandkids to beta read for you!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteShari, this sounds like a book I'd like to read. Since it was published so long ago, would it be easy to find do you think? I really enjoy Frankie Y. Bailey's books.
I didn't know about this author. thanks.
ReplyDeleteWhen you mentioned the award, it made me think, Why haven't I even wondered who Eleanor taylor Bland was, and how an award came to be named after her?
ReplyDeleteI think this is one I;ll have to try to track down.
A more organized person would have looked things up before replying the first time, but...
ReplyDeleteEleanor Taylor Blank books are available through Amazon. They are probably available other places, too.
Since I lived in south Chicago for a few years, I'm curious to see if she portrays the south Chicago I remember.
Hi Gloria, I got my copy through the library. They had several of her books.
ReplyDeleteHi Warren, it's cool to read a book you haven't covered yet!
Hi KM, I have to admit I hadn't heard of Bland either before I saw the tweet about the grant in her name.