ABOUT THE BOOKSTHE JACK MCMORROW MYSTERIESBRANDON BLAKE: A CRIME NOVEL

Events

October 30th, 2012

Life on the Edge

IMG 00391 1024x764 Life on the Edge

October Morning on the Lake

HThanks for stopping by. And if you’re wondering where I’ve been, I can tell you I’ve been painting the house. This involves Hey all:

Thanks for stopping by. What have you been up to? In addition to writing, I’ve been spending much of my time standing atop very tall ladders. So you may say, why don’t you hire somebody to do that? What if you fall and break your wrists and can’t write? Well, that would be a bad day. For me, especially. But sometimes a crime novelist has to live on the edge. Right now that adrenalin rush is coming from standing near the top of a 40-foot extension ladder. And hoping a bat doesn’t explode out from behind that shutter.

Anyway, I’m working on a few things. Both continuing series and something entirely new. More news on that to come shortly. I’ll post it here and on my Facebook page, which I hope you’ll visit and “like.” Also, a couple of appearances this fall (ah, I can’t say no). I was unable to make the Bangor Book Festival. Sorry about that. I will be at Rockport Public Library, Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m. I hope to see you there.

I’ll leave you with these

images from autumn in Maine. Today I saw sumac waving from the roadsides like red-orange cheerleaders;  a garter snake that tried to cross a road and didn’t make it; a painted turtle that did; two turkey vultures feeding on a large but unidentifiable carcass  in a field.

July 13th, 2012

So many authors …

Hey all,

Saturday Aug. 14, it’s off to the Boothbay Book Fest. Forty authors, including moi. A flash mob of Maine authors of all sorts and sizes.  Don’t miss it. If you do, hope to catch you later on. The list of my stops for the summer is below, or click on the “events” tab.

June 6th, 2012

The Summer 2012 Maine Library Tour

A quick reminder, folks. Here are upcoming stops. Hope our paths cross along the way.

June 7, 6:30 p.m., South Portland Public Library.

July 2, 6 p.m., Auburn Public Library.

July 14, 12:30-3:30, Boothbay Harbor, Books in Boothbay.

July 17, 6 p.m., Rangeley Public Library.

July 25, 5:30 p.m.,Tenants Harbor Public Library.

Aug. 9, 5:30 p.m., Newport Cultural Center.

Aug. 23, 7 p.m., Orr’s Island Public Library, with Kate Flora.

Hope I see you along the way.

April 9th, 2012

Ireland, Scotland and other April news

Friends:

I’m calling this the Summer 2012 Maine Library Tour. Libraries are special places for readers and writers and I’m going to hit a few in coming weeks.  Here’s the latest:

May 24, 7 p.m., North Gorham Public Library.

June 7, 6:30 p.m., South Portland Public Library.

July 2, 6 p.m., Auburn Public Library.

July 14, 12:30-3:30, Boothbay Harbor, Books in Boothbay.

July 17, 6 p.m., Rangeley Public Library.

July 25, 5:30 p.m.,Tenants Harbor Public Library.

Aug. 9, 5:30 p.m., Newport Cultural Center.

Hope I see you along the way.

August 20th, 2011

Keeping up Appearances

I’ll be getting out and about in coming weeks for PORT CITY BLACK AND WHITE. Last week it was the Wells (Maine) Public Library where we all had a good time, I think (photo at right). More events are coming in, and I’ll be updating this list so keep checking back in:P8150324 250x187 Keeping up Appearances

Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011, 7 p.m., book launch event! Longfellow Books, Portland, Maine.

Come and partake in the festivities. Or just sit in the back and listen was we chat, read from PORT CITY BLACK AND WHITE, generally have a good time celebrating Brandon Blake No. 2.

Sept. 17, 1-3 p.m., Children’s Book Cellar, Waterville, Maine. Signing and chat. And don’t let the name fool you. Store owner Ellen Richmond is a big mystery fan and very knowledgeable.

Oct. 4, 7 p.m., Water Street Books, Exeter, N.H. Reading/signing/chatting with author Toby Ball (SCORCHED CITY). Toby’s a good guy, good writer. I’m looking forward to it.

Oct 20, 6:30 p.m., Lithgow Library, Augusta, Maine. One of my favorite stops. Great reading room with handsome period stained glass. And nice people.

August 15th, 2011

And the winner of the PORT CITY SHAKEDOWN giveaway is …

… Pamela Oberg of Stone Coast Writers Conference. Her name was picked randomly (entries written on small pieces of paper, placed in a beat-up Red Sox hat ((Manny Ramirez special edition)), shuffled around, and voila!) Thanks for all who took the time to enter. Keep stopping by. We’ll be doing a PORT CITY BLACK AND WHITE giveaway very soon.

Lastly, a reminder that I’ll be at the Wells, Maine, Public Library tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 16. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. My plan is to have a good general chat and, because this is the first event for PORT CITY BLACK AND WHITE, I may read from that one a bit. Hope that if you’re in the area, you can stop by. It’s a handsome library with good people. More events are coming in. I’ll be posting them asap.

June 1st, 2011

Lighting up Rockland, Maine

Come September I’ll be on the road for PORT CITY BLACK AND WHITE, Brandon Blake No. 2. More to come on that. In the meantime, I’ll be warming up with an appearance that sounds like great fun. The Maine Lighthouse Museum is having a big weekend celebration in one of my favorite towns, Rockland. Books, boats, maybe a beer. Good times!

I’ll be there with a dozen authors from noon to four Saturday, July 23. There’s stuff going on all weekend. You can’t lose when the host is the U.S. Coast Guard. Hope to see you then.

April 29th, 2011

In Newburyport, writers aplenty

newburyport pic 1 250x166 In Newburyport, writers aplenty Give the folks in Newburyport, Mass., that historic seaside town, two thumbs up for the Newburyport Literary Festival, which gets underway tonight and continues through the weekend. Writers of all shapes, sizes, and genres will invade the town for talks, workshops, signings, readings, and panel discussions. If you’re in the area, check it out. I’ll be doing a panel discussion at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Old South Church with Linda Barnes, best known as the author of the Carlotta Carlyle series, and Hallie Ephron, who has written a bunch of chilling stand-alone suspense novels. We’ll have a good chat. I hope you can join in the fun.  Here are directions.

March 30th, 2011

Before the snow. And after

A quick note before I go watch the train wreck of a weather report.

Thursday, March 31. 6 p.m. I’ll be at University of New England, Biddeford, Maine. Alfond 113. Talk and signing. May break out some of the new Brandon Blake, PORT CITY BLACK AND WHITE. Come and chat before the snow comes.

And after you dig out …

Portland, Sat. April 2, 9:30 a.m. Maine Festival of the Book.
Abromson Center, USM. Here’s the blurb:

Variety is the Spice of Mystery. Gerry Boyle, Cornelia Read and Toby Ball, three mystery writers in different phases of their careers, discuss writing mysteries, their inspiration, and thoughts on the genre.

Grab a coffee, put your feet up. Hope to see you there.

February 18th, 2011

Southbound

No, not some tropical island. Hey, and miss mud season? No way.

I did want to mention that I’ll be talking about books, boats, beer—and writing (maybe not in that order) at:

University of New England, Biddeford, Maine, 6:30 p.m. I don’t know the location but will add that asap. I’ll be talking about my upcoming Brandon Blake novel, PORT CITY BLACK AND WHITE, among other things. If you’re in the area, please drop by. Admission is free. Such a deal.

The Maine Festival of the Book, Saturday, April 2, 9:30 a.m. Abromson Center, University of Southern Maine, Portland. This is an event with two other mystery writers: Cornelia Read and Toby Ball. Good writers, interesting people (otherwise I wouldn’t have agreed to take part.). So you get a three-fer and it’s free. Hope to see you there. All kinds of book stuff going on all day so don’t miss it.

I’ll add more as they come up. But it’s been a long winter. Looking forward to chatting so hope you can make it.