Sound Check

This morning I sent Seth Harwood the files for CrimeWAV's third episode of poems from The Lineup, including "The Balance Lost" by Steve Weddle, recorded by Keith Snyder and read by actor Peter Linari (pictured). The episode's exact airdate is to be determined, but meanwhile, you can hear our previous two CrimeWAV appearances.

A video of Mr. Linari reading "The Balance Lost" is coming soon as well. Thanks again to Keith, Peter, and Steve Weddle.

Proof has arrived.

I received the second proof copy of The Lineup #4 today, and the cover transparencies have been resolved. Pre-orders will be accepted through Tuesday, February 15.

Anthony Rainone's fiction in AHMM

I just received the September 2010 issue of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, featuring "Tomb Guardian" by Lineup founding co-editor Anthony Rainone. Well done, Anthony. Click on the image to enlarge.

Caught on Camera: Jennifer Hollie Bowles

Jennifer is the poetry and fiction editor for The Medulla Review Issues 2 and 3.

In Focus: Once Upon a Crime Books (Minneapolis, MN)

The Lineup display at Once Upon a Crime (Click on the image to enlarge.)

Once Upon a Crime in Minneapolis was the second independent mystery bookstore to take a chance on The Lineup. Continuing our celebration of National Poetry Month, I asked owners Gary Schulze and Pat Frovarp what first attracted them to The Lineup, and why they continue to support it:

We've always been attracted to, and try to support, independent presses. As long as we like what they have to offer. And it helps when they publish some of our favorite authors. Your "The Lineup" crime poetry series does all that, plus it's attractive and affordable. I was thrilled when I saw that Anne Frasier has a poem in #3. And we'll read anything by Reed Coleman or Ken Bruen - they seem to be born poets. Thank you for providing this unique venue not only for them, but for all authors with a voice that should be heard.

Thanks,
Gary & Pat
Once Upon a Crime
Minneapolis

Caught on Camera: Patricia Abbott's Writing Group

Lineup 3 contributor Patricia Abbott sent in this photo of members of her writing group.

Lineup contributors and fans, if you have photos of yourselves reading any issue of The Lineup, wearing or using any item from The Lineup Gift Shop, e-mail them to g_so AT yahoo DOT com and they could be featured here on the blog.

Photographic Evidence

Bill Cameron—author of Lost Dog, Chasing Smoke, and Day One—reading The Lineup 2

Lineup contributors and fans, if you have photos of yourselves reading any issue of The Lineup, wearing or using any item from The Lineup Gift Shop, e-mail them to g_so AT yahoo DOT com and they could be featured here on the blog.



Gerald sporting the Lineup white longsleeve t-shirt

Staredown

Photo by Henry So, Jr.
Apparel available from The Lineup Gift Shop

"Face front, please."

Photos by Henry So, Jr.
Apparel from The Lineup Gift Shop.

Gerald and Ali Go to Bouchercon

Today on his blog (Existentialist Man) chemist, thriller writer, and critic Ali Karim mentions our meeting at Bouchercon 2008 in Baltimore:

I was delighted to actually spend some time [last autumn in Baltimore] with Gerald So - after many years of reading his work as fiction editor at Thrilling Detective, his blogging, his Twittering and his work as editor at ‘The Line-Up’. Gerald and his fellow co-editors Patrick Shawn Bagley, R. Narvaez, and Anthony Rainone have now produced Volume II of their collections of Crime-Fiction Poetry. Gerald kindly asked me to contribute to this volume, but due to my usual deadline juggling battles was unable to meet the timeline. I got my copy of ‘The Line-Up’ Vol II and was very impressed to find amongst the collection, pieces by award-winning poet Sophie Hannah as well as CWA Diamond Dagger Winner John Harvey both of whom incidentally attended the Baltimore event last year.

Ali goes on to urge his readers to buy The Lineup, plug our appearance on CrimeWAV, and offer this memento of our meeting:

"Poetry in Motion" at Bouchercon 2008

I arrived early for the "Poetry in Motion" panel last Friday and sat in the audience for a few minutes until the room organizer looked from my nameplate on the table to the name badge around my neck and said, "Excuse me. You're supposed to sit up here."

I then tested the steps to the dais and talked with a few people in the audience until my fellow panelists arrived.

Reed Farrel Coleman

Moderator Reed Farrel Coleman had us introduce ourselves and talk briefly about how we got into poetry. He then opened the floor to questions, and between answers we read two poems each.

Reed read "Jungfrau" from The Poetry of Murder (a chapbook printed for his well-remembered poetry panel at Bouchercon 2005 with Ken Bruen, Peter Spiegelman, and Jim Fusilli) and "The Dying Man", forthcoming in Issue 2 of The Lineup.

John Harvey

John Harvey read "Chet Baker" and "What Would You Say?" from his 1998 collection Bluer Than This.

Sophie Hannah

Sophie Hannah read "Don't Say I Said" from Pessimism for Beginners and "Occupational Hazard" from Leaving and Leaving You.

It seemed a decent turnout, mostly fiction readers who were curious about poetry. The first question, for example, was "How do you keep your prose from becoming too flowery and 'poetic'?"

Reed smiled at "flowery" before explaining that poetry involved cutting, distilling language to its essence. John Harvey agreed that poetry was about choosing the right word.

Reed also talked about his time as editor of a poetry zine and how he forgot the lessons of poetry with his first book, but remembered them in writing his Moe Prager P.I. series.

Gerald So

My poems "A Single Bound" and "Witness Protection" were by far the shortest, but they proved Reed and John's point that poetry is more focused than flowery.

Of course, a panelist's perspective is different from that of the audience. If you attended the panel, please comment with your thoughts, If anyone has pictures from the panel, I will replace these file images.

The rest of my first Bouchercon experience is covered here.

Caught on Camera

At last night's Robert Crais Chasing Darkness signing at Mysterious Bookshop. Photo: Joe Guglielmelli (l to r, Anthony Rainone, Richie Narvaez, Gerald So)

I had to leave the festivities early, but Anthony and Richie gave Crais a copy of The Lineup, which he received with enthusiasm and said he would read on the plane.