Observations from the Balcony

-Duane Swierczynski tweets his thoughts on the length of a novel.

-A special screening of the final season of The Wire and what Tommy Carcetti thinks of the show

-Q&A with Duane Swierczynski

-Bookgasm brings news of a collectors edition of the 50th release from Hard Case

-A review of Oisín McGann’s Small-Minded Giants. I’ve never heard of it but it sounds interesting.

-Page 69 of Undertow by Sydney Bauer

-The lede is buried but the question, what is the value of writing awards?, is asked.

-Peter gives all the details about Noir at the Bar III in Philly

-Juvenile Mystery Series Recommendations

-The opening lines of Bright Lights, Big City

-Review of Darker Than Amber

-Bill Crider’s read Ocean by Warren Ellis and offers up this quick take.

-He liked it enough to go and read Dark Blue too.

-Should critics write negative reviews?

-“Perhaps I have delusions of grandeur”. Well no shit. I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I did notice the way that you managed to make it all about yourself. This is (and always will be) a cheap, petty, transparent and ineffective way to bring attention to your work. What you do succeed in doing is making sure that you sound like Randy “You know I used to play with Journey” Jackson. Word of advice: Don’t be that guy.

-Ali Karim’s fourth installment of Harrogate Festival coverage

-Coming soon for your pulp-tastic reading pleasure is The Adventures of Gabriel Hunt which will feature Christa Faust, David Schow, James Reasoner, Nicholas Kaufmann and others contributing books to the series.

-Two questions tied into this one. 1) What is better first person POV or third (answer: neither). 2) Do female authors tend to write more third person POV fiction then men?

-Video of Joe Lansdale big pimpin’ at Armadillocon

-For those coming to Charm City make sure to keep up with the official blog. Looks like panel assignments are starting to make their way out.

-Quint reviews season 1 & 2 of Dexter

-Dave White gives a quick take on The Given Day by Dennis Lehane

-This photograph feels staged in some ways but I’ll pass it along anyway. A policewoman from 1909.

**Just a note. I’m covering more and more places everyday so the expansion of coverage will grow as time goes on. I want to cover as much of the mystery blogosphere as possible but also other outlets as well so if you see something of interest please feel free to drop me a line.