Here we go again, playing the fool again: The January Newsletter
Baby, I'm beginning to see the light
Hello!
I’ve been hard at work on my next book but I wanted to make sure I got this out before January was over!
Travel plans
I have planned the majority of my conventions! There's a new addition to my list of places I haven't visited before, and I'm really excited.
Kicking things off is Left Coast Crime, taking place in Bellevue, WA from April 11-14. This conference is a blend of fans and authors, and it's not as massive as another conference I'll talk about soon.
Coming up next is Malice Domestic in Bethesda, MD from April 26th to the 28th. This is the new one for me. I’m trying it out, can’t wait!
After that, I'll have a summer break before wrapping up my conferences with the big one, Bouchercon. This is in Nashville, August 28th through September 1st. More than a thousand fans and writers come to this conference. There are panels covering all aspects of writing mysteries and interviews with top authors.
If you love mystery and crime and there's a conference nearby, I highly recommend attending. It's an excellent opportunity to connect with people in the community and potentially discover your new favorite author.
If you happen to spot me, make sure to say hello!
It’s Why I Read My Local News Section
A news item caught my attention a few weeks back.
A 71-year-old man with four convictions for bank robbery under his belt was arrested last month in connection with a new heist: a $60,000 bank robbery in Sun Valley, the Los Angeles Police Department announced Tuesday.
Bell was on supervised release at the time of his arrest, having been released from federal prison in July 2021, according to the LAPD. He had served more than 40 years in prison.
I found this story utterly compelling for two reasons:
It’s a 71 year old man who is still robbing banks, which is kind of funny, but then…
It’s also kinda tragic. After serving over 40 years in prison, this is all he knew how to do or felt it’s all that he could do. And… actually, there’s a third reason…
People can still rob banks! And get away with a lot of money! Or at least get away for a little bit. That gives this mystery/crime writer some relief.
Book recommendation!
This is the challenge of an ever growing To Be Read pile, it takes time to get to a book. I’ve had The Damned Lovely for well over a year and I finally read it.
I am equal parts mad and inspired. Mad because it took me so long to get around to it and inspired because the writing is fantastic.
It tells the story of a down and out writer named Sam who works and commiserates in a bar — The Damned Lovely — in Glendale, CA. When one of the patrons — a beautiful, mysterious woman — is killed, the writer takes it upon himself to find out who did it. And where it leads… Well, that would be spoilers.
What I admire most about the book is how Frost uses language. The book is in First Person from Sam’s point of view and he speaks with a sort of SoCal patois that I find really engrossing. And, of course, I’m a sucker for a story set in the greater Los Angeles area. Frost’s description’s of the city felt truthful and strange all at the same time. Which, just about sums up this place.
So, if you want to check out a noirish, L.A. mystery, I’d recommend The Damned Lovely by Adam Frost.
Housekeeping!
In a bit of house keeping, I’m going to be moving this newsletter off of the Substack platform in the coming months. There’s nothing you need to do, you won’t have to resubscribe or anything. I’ll send you all a notice before the move to give you a further heads up.
That’s it, that’s all. Until next time.
— LA