Welcome: Please Introduce Yourself

[Paul_Hochman]

I don't dare hazard a guess as to how the Easter Bunny figures into that picture Welcome, Jason, and thanks for the link.

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JasonBovberg wrote:
Hey everyone, my name is Jason Bovberg, and I make my home in Fort Collins, CO. I published a couple books a while back, under the name Dark Highway Press--Santa Steps Out (an erotic fairy tale starring Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny) and Skull Full of Spurs (a roundup of weird westerns). Sadly, Dark Highway is now on hiatus. These days, I'm focusing more on fatherhood and my own writing.

I've always been a HUGE noir fan, and currently I'm working my way through the great Hard Case Crime line. If you're interested, here's a fun Hard Case Crime thread over at DVD Talk's Book forum that I'm sorta maintaining.

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[Peanutman]

My name is Dan Kelly and I'm out in gorgeous Studio City, CA. The writer whose books I cannot put down is Ken Bruen, the crime bard of Galway, Ireland. However, since I'm in the home stretch with my own first novel, I'm not reading other crime writers, so let me cite two non-crime books. I am currently transfixed by "Sunflower," by Gyula Krudy, a dazzling writer who lived in Budapest from 1878 to 1933. And I was recently wowed by Cormac McCarthy's "The Road".

[Bilbo72]

Hi! My name is Billy Weeks and I live in Baton Rouge, La. Some of my favorite writers are Duane Swierczynski, Ken Bruen, Charlie Huston, Jason Starr, Sean Doolittle, Allan Guthrie, and Victor Gischler. I also love old writers Chandler, Hammett, Woolrich, and Goodis. Basically if it is crime I love it.

[ROCKETRAY55]

Thank you PaulH. I just started Fright today and will let you know how I liked it when I finish!

Ray

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PaulH wrote:
Welcome, Ray. As a Chandler fan, you've arrived in the right place! Let us know what you think of Fright. It's certainly a twisted tale with real psychological repercussions.

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ROCKETRAY55 wrote:
Hello everyone,

My name is Ray and I live in Denver Colorado. Having discovered Chandler in the last few years he has become my favorite author. The Big Sleep is simple amazing, but I have to admit Lady In The Lake is my favorite! (Have not read Poodle Springs yet)

I am currently reading The Big Knockover by Dashiell Hammett, then Fright by Woolrich. I am up for any recommendations, So feel free to make a few, they will be appreciated.

Cheers,
Ray

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[Streble]

Hello,

You can call me Streble. I live in Kalispell, MT.

My favorite crime writer's have always been Chandler and Hammett. Along with
Donald Hamilton and John D. MacDonald, these guys are the cream of the crop.

My pick for Chandler's best is Farewell My Lovely. Hammett's would have
to be The Maltese Falcon, but for originality you wouldn't want to
overlook The Dain Curse or Red Harvest either.

I'd like to thank Charles for creating the Hard Case Crime Series. Today
I tell people my favorite Hard Case Crime novel is the current one I'm
reading. Just finished Fright. On deck is Slide. Can't wait for the
new Spillane book.

[JuanchoS]

Hey everyone-

My name is John, and I'm from Cleveland. I was glad to hear about this board from the Hard Case newsletter, and it's awesome to see that half my favorite writers seem to have posted already!

I've been hit hard by the crime novel bug in the past two years. Recent reads have included books by Ken Bruen, Sean Doolittle, and always some Hard Case Crime. My nightstand currently has some Victor Gischler, Robert Parker, Stuart MacBride and more, and there's a George Pelecanos I'm keeping in the car...

I'm a media librarian by trade, and I was happy to discover Duane Swierczynski last year and turn a couple of co-workers on to him.

[Paul_Hochman]

This is the second post regarding Victor Gischler. I haven't read him. Where should I start?

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JuanchoS wrote:
Hey everyone-

My name is John, and I'm from Cleveland. I was glad to hear about this board from the Hard Case newsletter, and it's awesome to see that half my favorite writers seem to have posted already!

I've been hit hard by the crime novel bug in the past two years. Recent reads have included books by Ken Bruen, Sean Doolittle, and always some Hard Case Crime. My nightstand currently has some Victor Gischler, Robert Parker, Stuart MacBride and more, and there's a George Pelecanos I'm keeping in the car...

I'm a media librarian by trade, and I was happy to discover Duane Swierczynski last year and turn a couple of co-workers on to him.

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[Bilbo72]

The first one I read from him was Gun Monkeys but my favorite one from Gischler has to be Pistol Poets love that one.

[CharlieHuston]

Charlie Huston here. I write crime, horror and comic books. Raised in the East Bay area of Northern Calfornia, now in Los Angeles after an extended stay in NYC.

Favorite crime writer is, why quibble with the best, Chandler.

Currently reading Derek Raymond's "He Died With His Eyes Open". A good book, terribly sad, well worth seeking out. The cover on the current Serpents Tail edition, the one in my hotel room, uses the same Getty Images stock photo that was used on the cover of my own book, "Already Dead". Minus a fang that was added to my cover. Odd and lovely.

[Paul_Hochman]

Good to have you here, Charlie. That's a popular image!

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CharlieHuston wrote:
Charlie Huston here. I write crime, horror and comic books. Raised in the East Bay area of Northern Calfornia, now in Los Angeles after an extended stay in NYC.

Favorite crime writer is, why quibble with the best, Chandler.

Currently reading Derek Raymond's "He Died With His Eyes Open". A good book, terribly sad, well worth seeking out. The cover on the current Serpents Tail edition, the one in my hotel room, uses the same Getty Images stock photo that was used on the cover of my own book, "Already Dead". Minus a fang that was added to my cover. Odd and lovely.

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[JD_Rhoades]

Hi! I'm J.D. Rhoades (aka Dusty). I write the Jack Keller series of thriller novels: THE DEVIL'S RIGHT HAND, GOOD DAY IN HELL, and SAFE AND SOUND. I live in a small town in North Carolina. While I do love Chandler, I have to say I'm more of a Hammett fan. In fact, I just re-read THE GLASS KEY for the first time in about ten years and was knocked out all over again by how wonderfully conflicted a character Ned Beaumont is. And I've sprinkled a few homages to RED HARVEST through SAFE AND SOUND.

Right now I'm reading Zoe Sharp's FIRST DROP, which totally rocks. It's aptly named: the first few pages are like cresting the first hill on a roller coaster and it never lets up from there.

Message Edited by JD_Rhoades on 10-01-2007 05:37 PM

[Clea_Simon]

Hi, I'm Clea Simon, the author of the Theda Krakow mysteries ("Mew is for Murder," "Cattery Row," and the upcoming "Cries and Whiskers" ). Yes, they have cats in them, but the cats don't talk and I prefer to think of the books as traditionalamateur sleuth rather than overly cozy. Maybe someday I'll end up writing harder-edged books. I read from traditional to harder, from Donna Leon and Anne Perry through Jeff Lindsay (bloody but funny) and Robert Wilson (ditto) to, oh, John Burdett may be the hardest-edged books I like. I'm currently reading Lindsay's latest, "Dexter in the Dark" for a Boston Globe review, and my TBR pile is toppling over. At any rate, I'm looking forward to a new place to vent and share.

Oh yeah, I live in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in an apt. too small for all our books.

Message Edited by Clea_Simon on 10-01-2007 06:10 PM

Message Edited by Clea_Simon on 10-01-2007 06:11 PM

[Paul_Hochman]

Welcome JD and Clea! We look forward to your input.

[Duane_Swierczy…]

Hey, thanks, Paul! Hope SEVERANCE holds up for you...

Cheers--

Duane

[Duane_Swierczy…]

Currently reading Derek Raymond's "He Died With His Eyes Open". A good book, terribly sad, well worth seeking out. The cover on the current Serpents Tail edition, the one in my hotel room, uses the same Getty Images stock photo that was used on the cover of my own book, "Already Dead". Minus a fang that was added to my cover. Odd and lovely.

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Oddly enough, that's one of the next ones up on my TBR pile, Charlie.

[ChristaFaust]

Christa Faust here. I have a new novel called Money Shot forthcoming from Hard Case Crime in February. I may be the first woman to be published by Hard Case, but I'll never be mistaken for a lady.

I'm from New York City originally and currently live out on the West Coast, in Chandler's old stomping grounds. I'm still trying to figure out how I managed to wind up on the shelf along side my pulp heroes like Cornell Woolrich, David Goodis, Richard Prather and Day Keene. It's really impossible to pick a single favorite book or author, but I have a soft spot for Prather's Shell Scott. Right now I'm reading Michael Marshall's The Intruders.

[arhwriter]

Greetings to all:

My name is Aaron Hilton. I'm from Portland, Oregon. I'm addicted to hard-boiled fiction. I've always been able to rely on mystery stories to sharpen my own prose. Ever since the Hard Case Crime imprint came out I've put every single title on my shelf. More than a couple of them have kept me up nights and remind me how thankful I am for my imagination. I'm looking forward to Mickey Spillane's Dead Street release and right now I'm reading Trashed by Alison Gaylin.

[CraigClarke]

Hello, all. My name is Craig Clarke and I'm a copyeditor/proofreader and sometime book reviewer from New England. I love crime and horror fiction -- I tell people I only read books where someone gets killed -- and I'm looking forward to interesting discussions.

[Paul_Hochman]

Hi, Christa. Pleasure to have you here. I read Money Shot in manuscript, which is a real feat on the number 4 at rush hour, but it speaks volumes on just how great your book is!

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ChristaFaust wrote:
Christa Faust here. I have a new novel called Money Shot forthcoming from Hard Case Crime in February. I may be the first woman to be published by Hard Case, but I'll never be mistaken for a lady.

I'm from New York City originally and currently live out on the West Coast, in Chandler's old stomping grounds. I'm still trying to figure out how I managed to wind up on the shelf along side my pulp heroes like Cornell Woolrich, David Goodis, Richard Prather and Day Keene. It's really impossible to pick a single favorite book or author, but I have a soft spot for Prather's Shell Scott. Right now I'm reading Michael Marshall's The Intruders.

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[shewan]

I'm Scott Shewan from Montreal. I think it's amusing when people write Montreal Canada, but never Chicago America.

Right now I'm reading Bust by Bruen and Starr. My favorite writer is Ross MacDonald.