Need an ebook cover? DIY!


This post is specifically for writers:

I’d never heard of William King until a few weeks ago, but now he’s one of my favorite people. Mr. King is a British author of sci-fi and fantasy novels, and since I don’t read a lot of that stuff, our paths might never have crossed. But an odd twist of fate led me to his (electronic) doorstep one dark and stormy night this past June. He saved me a lot of time, effort, and money. Especially money. And if you’re in the situation I was in–a writer who needs good, fast, inexpensive cover art for self-published ebooks–he may be able to help you, too. Continue reading

The new reality


I started this blog and website a few weeks ago, Phase Two of my new “career” in publishing. Phase One was in May, when my new agency presented their clients with an opportunity to bring our out-of-print titles into the Ebook Era. I went along with it, even though it’s self-publishing, a.k.a. “vanity” publishing, something I swore many years ago that I would absolutely never do. But here I am, nonetheless, doing it. Continue reading

My 13 favorite Alfred Hitchcock movies

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Today is August 13, the birthday of Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980). It is the 113th anniversary of his birth, and I’m sure the great man himself would have been amused by the double appearance of that “unlucky” number. By all accounts, he loved things like that. Well, I love his movies, so I’ve selected my 13 favorites of his films for my latest list of Essential Mystery Stuff, a “baker’s dozen” to honor his birthday. In chronological order:

The re-release poster for VERTIGO by the great Saul Bass

The re-release poster for VERTIGO by the great Saul Bass

1. THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS (1935)
2. THE LADY VANISHES (1938)
3. REBECCA (1940)
4. FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT (1940)
5. SHADOW OF A DOUBT (1943) Continue reading

50 (okay, 51) modern mysteries everyone should read


Here’s the second list in my continuing series of recommendations. We covered classic mysteries (Poe–1960) on the first list, and this one goes from 1961–2001 (with a final choice, #51, from this last decade). Here it is:

1. Mary Stewart — THE IVY TREE*
2. John D. MacDonald — THE DEEP BLUE GOOD-BY
3. John le Carré — THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD**
4. John Ball — IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
5. Dick Francis — ODDS AGAINST Continue reading

Getting naked

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People are always asking me where I’ve been lately. Am I still writing? Do I have a new book out? The answers to these questions are: Around, Yes, and Not yet, but I’m working on it. Allow me to explain. My friends know all this, but people who only know me peripherally are apparently curious.

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