A Trilogy to Die For

                           Dorothy McIntosh with her dog Bruin.

D.J.McIntosh is the National best- selling author of The Witch of Babylon, The Book of Stolen Tales.and now the final book in this thrilling trilogy.

The third book in this Mesopotamian Trilogy, Angel of Eden,  brings an end to the adventures of protagonist John Madison. Or does it? Have we seen the last of John?

Welcome back Dorothy to Jamie Tremain’s blog.

Jamie:

In 2011, The Witch of Babylon was released to much acclaim.

When The Book of Stolen Tales was released in 2013 they asked, "Is D.J. McIntosh the new Dan Brown?- The Globe and Mail

I've been lucky enough to read The Angel of Eden before its release on June 23rd/2015 and I'm not disappointed. John Madison takes you on a mystical, and at times harrowing and tortuous adventure.

Jamie: 

You have lived with this man,(in your head) for the last six years. How can you let such a great character go? Or is it time for you to move on to something else?

Dorothy:

John Madison and I are B.F.F.’s (when he isn’t making me clench my teeth). I could never let him go. Next up might be a prequel – we’ll have to wait and see!

Jamie:

Do you enjoy writing from the male point of view? Many writers have a preference. Do you?

Dorothy:

It’s trickier to write from a guy p.o.v. but, fortunately, my male friends set me straight if I veer off course. Feeling comfortable about writing a character has, i.m.o., more to do with their emotional core, beliefs and motivations than with their gender. 

Jamie:

So, trilogy, series or stand alone. You also write short stories. Can you give us a peek into what you will be writing next. Would you write another trilogy?

Dorothy:

The jury is still out on that. I’m tossing around a few ideas that include continuing with the John Madison series. I’m taking a much-needed break over the summer and will decide in the fall.

Jamie:

The publishing world is changing like everything else. Pam personally goes with the flow. But others fight it. Are all the changes inevitable? What is your take on this? 

Dorothy:

I don’t think we have any choice but to adapt – the publishing world is a good deal bigger than any individual writer. Rather than lamenting the changes, it makes the most sense to see where the new opportunities are and hop on for the ride.

Jamie:

John Madison's adventures would translate well to the big screen - any thoughts on who you'd like to portray him?

Dorothy:

A kinder, gentler, Christian Bale.

Jamie:

That you've done your research on the background of these books is very evident. Did you ever find yourself getting lost in the research at the expense of time spent creating the story? 

Dorothy:

At times, I did get lost in the research and it was such a pleasure! I like to say that readers enjoy historical novels because they want to learn something as well as being entertained by a great story. The same could be said about research – it’s so fascinating for me to learn about the ancient world and to weave my discoveries into a narrative. Research has also given me a lot: character’s names, plot points, descriptions.

Jamie:

During your research did you unearth any interesting facts that didn't make it into the pages of the tale?

You’ve pinpointed the downside to gathering a large volume of research – you can’t fit all of it in, and so you worry about whether you’re being respectful of your subject matter, giving a clear enough picture, skimming over important details. This is especially the case with an art work that entertains, like a novel, where any sense of ‘lecturing’ must be avoided. 

Dorothy:

Mark your calendar folks for this evening panel discussion at Indigo, Bay and Bloor, Toronto. It's sure to be an interesting evening. The Angel of Eden will be the star.

Dorothy

Thanks Dorothy for sharing your thoughts and explaining your take on the publishing world today. We wish you much success with Angel of Eden and your future writing projects.


D.J. (Dorothy) McIntosh is a Toronto-based writer of novels and  short mystery fiction. A member of the Canadian Society for Mesopotamian  Studies, she's a strong advocate for press freedom. She supports the Committee To Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders.

To Contact Dorothy:

http://babylontrilogy.com/

http://www.djmcintosh.com/

@d mcintosh1

Check back on July 13th to be entertained by our friend and  author, Gloria Ferris. She will be talking about her new book, Shroud of Roses, the latest in the Cornwall and Redfern mystery series and much more.

Thanks for being here.

Slainte,

Jamie

The Guernsey Girl

Award-winning author Jill Downie has written non-fiction and plays over the course of many years. Since 2011, she has concentrated on fiction with the Moretti and Falla series set in Guernsey.  

             

If you’re not familiar with this beautiful location, Guernsey is one of the Channel Islands between France and England.

London has Holmes and Watson, Sweden Blomkvist and Salander, and Yorkshire Dalziel and Pascoe.  And now Guernsey has its very own literary detective duo, Moretti and Falla.

Shaun Shackleton.  The Guernsey Press.

Jamie:

Welcome, to Jamie Tremain’s blog. You have a fascinating location in Guernsey for your detective series. Tell us about your memories of the time you lived there.

Jill:

Thank you, Jamie Tremain, for the invitation!  Living in Guernsey was the happiest period of an unsettled childhood, so the memories are vivid and precious.  I found myself on a beautiful island with a gorgeous coastline, and a relaxed pace of life – we never had to lock our doors.  I was born in the tropics, so the mild climate was a particular pleasure.  There were spectacular winter storms, but there were palm trees, and flowers bloomed all year round.  I made lasting friendships with girls with their wonderful island names – Bisson, Le Couteur, Falla.  Although I was an outsider, I was given a sense of belonging.  And yet there was also in that picture-book setting the dark backdrop of the war years when the Channel Islands were occupied.  The remnants of that terrible time were still very much present, from the wired-off sections of the cliffs where the mines had not yet been cleared, to the barred entrance of the vast underground hospital, built by the Nazis for their wounded troops returning from France and the planned invasion of Britain.  An island of striking contrasts.       

Jamie:

Pam admits to reading your latest novel in this series, Blood Will Out (released Sept 2014), before reading the first two. Is that a problem or are the stories stand alone?

Jill:

That is no problem at all, and I am so glad you asked.  Although this is my first mystery series, I have always been a lover of mysteries, and I know from my reading experience that it is great to be able to dip into a discovery in the genre and pick up the essentials.  Then, if I liked the book, I will go on and read the earlier ones.

Jamie:

Detective Inspector Moretti and Detective Sergeant Falla are equally strong characters yet they work well together.  Along with their job, they also share a love of music. Shall we see them sailing off into the sunset in a future book?

Jill:

Jamie, I smiled when I read this question!  I have been asked this so many times, by both men and women readers.  It is a question that delights me because I think it means that the reader has believed in both the characters and felt them as living, breathing, human beings.  And – you know what?  I cannot answer it.  I have it in my mind, but I’ll hold on to the suspense a bit longer!

Jamie:

Your published works over the years include both non-fiction and plays - what do you feel is the reason for your success as a crime/mystery writer?

Jill:

I think that any success I have had is because I know the genre so well.  I look back at the books I read as a child, and I realise that many of the classic children’s books  involve mystery and suspense, even though they are not, strictly speaking, in the crime/mystery genre.  So, perhaps subconsciously, I was always absorbing the elements that make up a good and gripping mystery.

Jamie:
What is your take on the publishing world today? Looking into your crystal ball do you predict the demise of paper books or a resurgence of readers interested in all things written?

Jill:

I do so hope I am right but, peering through the mist into my crystal ball, I believe that paper books will be with us for quite a while.  When the internet first got underway, I used to wonder what it would do to reading.  Now I think the so-called smartphone is a greater threat to the love of reading actual fully-formed words, complete sentences, and entire paragraphs.

Jamie: 

Just for fun, if you could – which current fictional detective would you bring to Guernsey to assist your intrepid investigators on a case?

Jill:

Thinking about the answer to this question was really entertaining.  There are so many great current fictional detectives, so I tried to imagine the dynamics between Moretti and Falla, and my choice. Can I choose two?  Ian Hamilton’s Ava Lee would get on really well with Liz Falla, I think.  Ava is gay, cosmopolitan and tough; Liz is straight, an island-girl, and tough.   Ava would probably baffle Ed Moretti, which would be fun to watch – and write about.  And I’d love to parachute Barbara Fradkin’s Inspector Michael Green on to the island to work with Moretti on a case. They are different in many ways, which would cause sparks, but both men are dedicated to the pursuit of justice, and both often have difficulty toeing the official line.     

Jamie:

All the books in this series hit on interesting topics. For a small island, Guernsey has plenty to write about.

The Nazi Occupation of Guernsey is the subject in

Daggers and Men's Smiles.

A Grave Waiting deals with Guernsey's role as an offshore tax haven.  

Our question is this - for an island of sixty-five thousand inhabitants, will you have enough stories and mysteries for Moretti and Falla to investigate?

Jill:

Yes, it is a small island, but it encompasses so many story possibilities.  The financial aspect of the island brings in a wide variety of people who live there for extended periods of time, and who are both outsiders and yet very much part of the island life.  Guernsey’s proximity to Europe is something I hope to explore in future books, and also the links to the United Kingdom.  I touched on the UK/Guernsey link in A Grave Waiting, and the link with Italy was crucial to the plot of Daggers and Men’s Smiles.

Jamie:

We met at two different functions last month. One a panel discussion at the library and the other the Arthur Ellis short list event at the Indigo Store in downtown Toronto. May 2nd you were busy schmoozing with customers at two local Independent Bookstores. How do you feel about the amount of promotion and marketing an author has to do today?

Jill:

As you know from your own experience, Jamie, promotion and marketing are necessary for writers today – and it is time-consuming!   But it is the reality of our world, and there are, for me, two aspects I enjoy, both of which you bring up in your question.  I get away from my desk and get to meet fellow writers, like yourself, and also make contact with our readers – and, hopefully, potential readers.  There is no alternative to that part of our writing life, so I’ll take from it the pleasure it gives and deal with the rest.  

Jamie:

Is it true, an author’s work is never done? If you have a work in progress can you tell us about it?

Jill:

Perfectly true, we are always planning and writing, aren’t we.  Yes, I have the fourth in the series underway, and it involves what has been left behind after those dark war years, the tunnels and underground structures built by slave labour when Hitler was turning Guernsey into his island fortress.  There have always been rumours about what could be hidden in that labyrinth of tunnels, including the possibility of looted Nazi gold.  One of the pleasures of writing fiction is that you are free to take a rumour and turn it into reality!  

Thanks Jill for making the time out of your busy schedule and speaking with us today. We wish you continued success with this exciting series. We look forward to the next book featuring Moretti and Falla.


To contact ,Jill check out her website
http://www.jilldownie.com/

Her Twitter handle is @Jillauthor, and she is on LinkedIn.

Jill Downie was born in Guyana, lived in England, on the Channel Island of Guernsey, studied in Paris, before settling in Canada.  She is the author of plays, short stories, historical fiction, biographies, and currently writes the Guernsey-based mystery series starring Detective Inspector Ed Moretti and his partner, Detective Sergeant Liz Falla.  The third in the series, Blood Will Out, was published in September, 2014.  She lives in Ancaster, with her actor husband, Ian.

A Man For All Seasons

            

A warm welcome to Howard Shrier as our latest victim to Jamie Tremain’s blog. This award winning author leaves no stone unturned. He has done it all, from journalism, many kinds of media, theatre and television, sketch comedy and improv. Teaching creative writing at the University of Toronto and the author of the Jonah Geller suspense novels.

“ A winning combination for any mystery lover.” The Globe and Mail

“Shrier is my top find of the year...His excellent PI series deserves much wider attention.” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

“ Howard Shrier has quickly cemented his reputation as one of Canada’s most gifted thriller writers.” Now (Toronto)

Jamie:

Thanks for being here Howard. No doubt you’ve heard this before, but you have an amazing website and appear to have answered most of the questions we had on our list. However here’s the one questions always asked; Would you ever consider collaborating as Jamie Tremain does?

Howard:

Not on a book. I did work with another writer years ago on a script for CBC’s hit show Seeing Things, and collaboration seems to suit TV writing well. But books to me are a solitary pursuit.

Jamie:

Pam is a fan of Jonah Geller and is now anxiously waiting for him to appear in a series on television. How close are you to seeing that realized?

Howard:

Buffalo Jump was optioned for television shortly after publication in 2008. For the past six years, it has slogged through what is commonly known as development hell. At one point, CTV seemed poised to greenlight a pilot, then it was bought by Bell Globe Media, decision makers changed and everything ground to a halt. Right now, Pam’s guess is as good as mine as to when a show might actually happen.

Jamie:

Do you have a particular actor in mind to portray him?

Howard:

Besides me? (That’s me laughing.) I always liked Zach Braff, the star of Scrubs, for the light in his eyes. If he were a little more fit, he’d be great. Same is true of Seth Rogen (though he’d have to get a lot more fit). He has the humour – and some of the anger – that Jonah carries.

Jamie:

How close is your portrayal of Jonah like you? Are you into martial arts?Did you do a stint in the Israeli army?

Howard:

Jonah is very much like me in terms of the way he sees the world, his humour, what he considers to be unjust, but the rest? Not even close. I studied martial arts when I was a teenager but haven’t been in a fist fight in over 40 years. I visited Israel in 1970, when I was a lad but have never had any military experience of any kind. I’ve researched both aspects extensively –YouTube, for example, is fantastic for watching martial artists at work.

Jamie:

Buffalo Jump and High Chicago both won awards. Do you find winning awards gives you more street cred? What did the recognition do for your writing career?

Howard:

Winning two Arthur Ellis awards definitely gave me more cred in the crime writing community. And beyond: the Canadian Who’s Who, for example, included me in the past few editions because of those awards. Unfortunately, as I noted on my website, they didn’t seem to do much for sales. I think the Crime Writers of Canada have done a great job of promoting the Arthurs, but they are still not widely known outside certain circles.

Jamie:

What, if any, are your frustrations - or praises -  with being a successful author in Canada?

Howard:

I love public speaking and my theatre background has equipped me to do it fairly well, so I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to present my work to book groups, libraries, writers’ conferences and other audiences. Frustrations? Chiefly that publishers don’t do as much as they used to, to promote the work of their authors and have downloaded most of it onto us. As I sometimes tell readers, if I had wanted to be a salesman, I’d have gone into a family business.

Jamie:

You have a background in comedy and improv. Comedy is scattered throughout your writing and it enriches the character of Jonah. How important is the element of comedy to your writing?

Howard:

It’s very important to me – and to my characters, I think. People like Jonah, Jenn Raudsepp and Dante Ryan do hard, dangerous work, and like many people in that element, a little black humour goes a long way. My own taste as a fan also runs in that direction. When characters become overly sour and self-important – think Kay Scarpetta – I get turned off.

Jamie:

You are a family man with two teenagers. Do you find it hard to find a balance between your writing life and being a good parent? Do your children read your books?

Howard:
My sons read all my books once they were old enough. My youngest, who is now 15, used Buffalo Jump as the basis for a school project this year, which I found pretty cool. It has been hard at times to balance work and family. I wrote most of Buffalo Jump between five and seven in the mornings because I still had a full-time corporate writing job and it was the only free time I could find. That meant I was often too tired to do some of the things I’d have liked to do with the boys and my wife. Happily, since I left corporate life ten years ago to write full time, I’ve been able to spend more time with everyone.

Jamie:
Your work in progress is set in Montreal in 1950-51. So, something new. Can you tell us something about it?

Howard:

Montreal was an amazing place in those years. Teeming with vice and scandal, even as young reformers like Jean Drapeau were gathering in the wings. Also, the financial heart of Canada, where fewer than 200 families controlled most of the country’s wealth from their mansions in a small enclave known as The Square Mile. The book I’ve been working on the past two years follows a homicide investigation that takes Sergeant Max Handler from the gritty underworld and glittering casinos to top of The Square Mile.

Jamie:

You teach writing at the University of Toronto. What would be the single most important lesson you would share with new writers?

Howard:

Probably to read voraciously in their field. I’m surprised, frankly, at how many people who take my course don’t really read crime fiction all that widely. I had probably read close to 3,000 before I wrote one. The other – which I’ll toss in gratis – is to forget what is hot in the market and find your own voice and setting, because what’s is hot now probably won’t be by the time your book is ready to come out.

Jamie:

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the writing life. Looking forward to your next book and seeing Jonah come to life on television.

Thanks for asking!

Links: To contact Howard

http://www.howardshrier.com/   

http://learn.utoronto.ca/interactive-course-search#/profile/1828  [Summer Institute]

http://learn.utoronto.ca/interactive-course-search#/profile/1714        [Fall 2015]

http://learn.utoronto.ca/interactive-course-search#/profile/2698
[Jan 2016 online]

Howard Shrier was born and raised in Montreal, where he earned an Honours Degree in journalism and creative writing at Concordia University. He has worked as a writer for more than thirty years in a wide variety of media, including print, magazine and radio journalism, theatre and television, sketch comedy and improv, and high-level corporate and government communications. His critically acclaimed first novel,Buffalo Jump, which introduces Toronto investigator Jonah Geller, won the Crime Writers of Canada’s Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel. The sequel, High Chicago, won the Arthur Ellis for Best Novel of 2009, making Howard the first author in the history of the awards to win both back to back. Boston Cream was published to rave reviews in 2013, including starred reviews in Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal. Miss Montreal, the fourth Geller book, is due out May 14, 2013. All the Geller books are published by Random House Canada and have been optioned for television by Toronto-based Media Headquarters.  Howard is also the author of one standalone thriller, Lostport (2011). He now lives in Toronto with his wife and sons and is working on a new novel set in Montreal in 1950-51. He also teaches writing at University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies. He plans to write a longer bio when he needs to procrastinate a bit more.

Check back next month for an interview with Jill Downie, the author of the

Moretti and Falla Mysteries and more.

Talk soon,

Slainte,

Jamie

I'm not a cat lady!

I am not a cat lady but who can resist them. And she is such a pretty girl is our Siggi. We were informed at the Humane society when we bought her that Calicos are not always the friendliest and never come when you call. She has proved them wrong.

She is very nosy and inquisitive and often perches on my desk reading  emails. Today she enjoyed a yutube video of horses line dancing. It's true. If you want to see it I'll send you the link.
I complained to my husband that he could be doing something other than watching golf on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. His answer, "Did you not tell me that you had just watched horses line dancing?' Case closed.

 

I'm not, I'm not a cat lady. Yes, I protest too much.

It's been a busy month since we signed with Black Opal Books and wait on our first edits. Income tax, book panel discussions at the library, book club get together's and reading the latest for our next victims interview on this blog. There is a theme going on here.

Howard Shrier will be in the hot seat April 27th. Be sure to check back then and I'll tell you more about our resident feline who has taken over our lives.

Talk soon,
Slainte,
Pam

Stone Cottages and a Good Manicure

Award-winning author Elizabeth J. Duncan will launch Slated for Death, the sixth book in the Penny Brannigan series set in North Wales, on April 14.These novels feature local artist and manicurist Penny as an amateur sleuth who in the tradition of cosy mysteries, solves the murders in an idyllic village setting amid interesting characters.

“Readers who enjoy classic English mysteries will find lots to love… Duncan excels at bringing her characters to life.”   Mystery Scene Magazine

Jamie:

Welcome Elizabeth, to Jamie Tremain’s blog.

Thank you, Jamie.

You started your career as a journalist. The switch to writing cosy mysteries and fiction was a jump. Was this a burning desire and are you glad you made the transition?

 Elizabeth:

 I had never had any desire to write fiction until one day an idea occurred to me and I started writing The Cold Light of Mourning, the first book in the Penny Brannigan series. I’m very glad I made the transition. Journalism was right for me at an earlier time and being an author is perfect for me at this stage of my life. And journalism is the perfect start to whatever kind of a writing life you choose.

 Jamie:

Your books are set in North Wales. What is your connection to this beautiful part of the world? Is this your birth country or do you just like the milder winters and less snow?

 Elizabeth:

I have no family connection to Wales, but I do love it. The scenery is stunning and it lends itself beautifully to my novels. By a strange series of fortuitous events I found myself in a Welsh market town in 2005 and thought if I ever write a mystery, which I’m not going to, this would be the perfect town to set it in. And eighteen months later, I was back in that town, with the first book well underway. I now spend four months a year in Llandudno, and yes, winters are much milder. I didn’t see any snow this year except at a distance on the tops of the mountains.

Jamie:

Your books have interesting covers and I especially like the one on Slated for Death. Who does your cover art? ?

Elizabeth:

Toronto artist Doug Martin. He held an exhibition in 2014 and I was able to buy the original paintings for every book cover. I love them as art and because they represent something wonderful in my life.

 Jamie:

Slated for Death will be released in April. What can you tell us about it?

Elizabeth:

Slated for Death is set against the backdrop of the once-great Welsh slate mining industry. A painful family secret, with its long simmering resentments, leads to two murders and a climax at a St. David’s Day concert being held down a slate mine.

Jamie:

Will we see more of Penny Brannigan mysteries or do you have something else in the works?

Elizabeth:

 I’m writing the seventh book now. In this one, Antiques Roadshow comes to town. Someone discovers that some sketches from her days at the old Liverpool Regional School of Art are worth a small fortune and someone else discovers a body.

I also have a second series which will launch in November, 2015. This one features Charlotte Fairfax, costume designer with the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company and is set in upstate New York.  

 Jamie:

If Penny Brannigan were to be brought to life for TV or film, who would you like to see portray her and why?

Elizabeth:

I’ll leave the casting to the experts, but I’d like her to be an age appropriate Canadian actress.

Jamie:

What do you find challenging in the writing process?

Elizabeth:

Getting started. I am a terrible procrastinator. 

Jamie:

Which writer has been the biggest influence and inspired you most in your own writing?

Elizabeth:

I can’t really narrow it down to one. I’ve been a great reader all my life and I’m sure every author has influenced me in some way or another.

Jamie:

 Are you a plotter or do you write by the seat of your pants?

Elizabeth:

Both, really. I start out knowing what the story is about, who did it and why, and then I let events unfold as one thing leads to an another. So in the end, I suppose I write like a reader, looking for twists and surprises.

 Jamie:

You have won awards for your writing and been nominated many times. How important is this to an author?

Elizabeth:

Winning an award got me published. In 2008 I won the Malice Domestic St Martin’s unpublished first novel award that included a publishing contract with a major American publisher. That was the beginning. In May, 2013 I won the Bony Blithe award. I had been thinking about packing in the day job so this award confirmed this was the right time to do that. Winning an award validates an author’s work. It says people who know about this kind of writing believe in you and your work – you are on the right track … keep going. It sets you apart.

Jamie:

Thanks, Elizabeth, for sharing your writing life with us. We wish you much success with your new book Slated for Death and your work in progress.

Thank you, Jamie and congratulations on your publishing contract!

 You can contact Elizabeth at her website and click the links below to find her books.

http://elizabethjduncan.com/

Elizabeth J. Duncan is the author of the Penny Brannigan mystery series set in North Wales.Elizabeth’s first novel, The Cold Light of Mourning, won the William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic 2006 Grant for Unpublished Writers and the 2008 St. Martin’s/Malice Domestic Award for best first traditional mystery and was nominated for an Arthur Ellis award in Canada and an Agatha Award in the United States.

Her fourth novel, A Small Hill to Die On won the 2013 Bloody Words best light mystery (Bony Blithe) and the fifth book in the series, Never Laugh as a Hearse Goes By, was nominated for the same award in 2014.

The sixth book in the series, Slated for Death, will be available in Spring 2015.

After graduating from Carleton University, Ottawa, with a BA in English, Elizabeth worked as a writer and editor for some of Canada’s largest newspapers, including the Ottawa Citizen and Hamilton Spectator. She lived and worked in London, England for five years as a freelance writer and broadcaster. She has also worked in public relations and is currently a faculty member of the Humber School for Writers.

Elizabeth lives in Toronto and spends several months each year in North Wales.

Follow her on Twitter @elizabethduncan or like her Facebook page Elizabeth J Duncan

Thanks for joining us with Elizabeth Duncan. Next month's author to be announced shortly.

Talk soon,

Slainte,

Jamie