How I Got Published

That's the title of a new anthology out from Writers Digest Books.  The volume includes short essays by dozens of writers about their early days in publishing, with plenty of anecdotes and advice for aspiring authors.  Contributing writers include Clive Cussler, David Morrell, J.A. Jance, Stephen Coonts, Barry Eisler, among many others.

You can look for my own contribution on page 148, where I talk about the need for writers to rely on other people to "make it" in the business -- something that doesn't always come easily to independent, introspective authors.

The book is edited by Duane Lindsay and Ray White.  I had dinner with Duane while he was passing through the Cities earlier this year.  He has assembled a great reference tool for writers, with a lot of practical wit and wisdom.

M is for Mystery

We had a book signing at M is for Mystery in San Mateo, California yesterday.  As it happens, the store -- one of the best-known mystery stores in the country -- is only a couple miles from where I grew up and went to school.

The crowd included family, friends, and some curious strangers who wondered how it was possible for the author to know all these people who showed up at the store.

My 8th grade teacher, Joyce Bartky (see post on Teachers below) attended, and we had a wonderful reunion.   It's hard to believe nearly thirty years has passed.  My wife asked if I would recognize her (which I did), and I mentioned that I remembered her as being tall.  She had to remind me that, of course, I was a lot shorter back then.  Good point.

One visitor saw an article on me and Ms. Bartky that appeared in the San Mateo County Times on Thursday and was interested enough in the book to buy nine copies for her book club.  That's what we like to see!

Many thanks to Ed Kaufman of M is for Mystery for all his help and support.

I continue to get several e-mails a day now from readers who have enjoyed the book.  We've heard from people all over the U.S., as well as Spain, Holland, Canada, Germany, Belgium, and Australia so far.  Keep those cards and letters coming.

Katrina

We read mystery novels and thrillers for the excitement of unveiling the perpetrator at the climax of the book.  But in the case of the Gulf coast, we saw a serial killer named Katrina assault the region with no attempt to mask her identity.  The results were more brutal and devastating than any writer's imagination.

Our hearts go out to the countless victims who must start their lives over in the wake of this terrible storm.  I hope the multi-year effort to re-build and strengthen the coastal region will bring all of us together, not set us apart with recriminations.

You've seen this web site in many other places, but I'll post it here again:  www.redcross.org.

Literary Guild

I received my September 2005 catalog from the Literary Guild today, in which I have the honor of sharing this month's Main Selection with Tess Gerritsen.  So we have IMMORAL and Tess' VANISH leading the roster.

I couldn't help but remember that, in thinking about potential titles for IMMORAL, I had actually considered VANISHED!  Good thing I decided to go another way!

One of the reasons I chose a different title is that I'm probably one of the few folks that remembers a Fletcher Knebel novel from the 1970s (maybe even 1960s?) entitled VANISHED.  I loved the book and didn't want to tread on Fletcher's ground. 

My parents have been members of the Literary Guild since the 1960s, and I can remember growing up in Chicago looking forward to the arrival of each month's catalog.  So it's a particular thrill for me to have my book there as a Main Selection.

The Literary Guild and its sister clubs like Book of the Month Club, Doubleday, and Mystery Guild are great deals for readers.  If you haven't checked them out lately, go to their web sites, and think about becoming a member.

Welcome!

Welcome to my web log!

After an 18-month gestation period, today is the official ship date in the U.S. for my novel IMMORAL.  It will be in all major bookstores as of Labor Day week.  You can check the Book Tour page of my web site at www.bfreemanbooks.com for more information about book signings in your area.

The publishing industry always works way ahead of time, so I actually delivered my NEXT novel to my agents in the UK and US just this week.  You can look for it in 2006.

We have deals for IMMORAL in 13 countries (China was the latest to sign on).  This month it's a Main Selection in the Literary Guild and Book of the Month Club.

The Spanish and Dutch editions came out earlier this summer, so I've been receiving a steady stream of fan mail from overseas.  Thank heavens for online translators -- although it pays to be careful when replying.  My standard sign-off, "With warmest wishes," comes through the online translator as "With hottest desires"!  So there are a few women in Spain and the Netherlands who are probably wondering about this very forward American author...

Check back here regularly for thoughts on writing, the publishing industry, and updates about my work.  And feel free to join the conversation.