Whilst on a trip around bookshops last week in London I stumbled across the brochure for Moniack Mhor – Scotland’s Creative Writing Centre.

This was a new one on me, but the Crime Writing Course they have on offer makes me tempted to jack in my job and set off trekking towards the highlands right now with laptop on my back. The course is from Monday 25th May – Saturday 30th May so, if I set off now, I should get there in time ….

According to the website, it is already fully booked (I’m not surprised) but there is a waiting list:

Want to know how to make a reader’s heart rate increase?…

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(image from Waking the Dead – via BFI website).

I’ve just spotted this on the BFI website and am sure it’ll be of interest to crime fiction and TV fans and, in particular, to those who have visited or are to visit the excellent ‘Forensics’ exhibition at the Wellcome Collection:

In conjunction with Wellcome Collection’s free exhibition ‘Forensics: The anatomy of crime’, BFI Southbank presents a special weekend of screenings and events looking at how advances in forensic science have been reflected in TV crime drama, and how factual TV programmes have reported on the world and work of forensic scientists.…

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As part of the Author HQ strand of events at the London Book Fair today, I was pleased to see that Crime and Thrillers were given a genre panel.

Chaired by Justine Solomons of BytetheBook.com, the panel consisted of agent Oli Munson, Sarah Hodgson of Harper Collins and Journalist and reviewer Jake Kerridge.

It was a very informative panel and clearly all were essentially looking for similar things in new authors and books – something that grips them, a great style and a good voice. This was described by Jake Kerridge as something of a ‘speed-dating’ technique which he agreed with the rest of the panel as being those first few pages where there really has to be something to like or love to keep the interest going.…

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Out now from Penguin in paperback.

Yesterday, over at lizlovesbooks.com the opening lines of the first chapter of this highly acclaimed new crime novel were released so as to whet your appetite.

Today, I’m honoured to be second up to provide the second section (below).

Be sure to check out the next daily extract over at ravencrimereads.wordpress.com where you can continue to unravel Oliver…

Extract 2.

Two hours later, I was on my third brandy in Nash’s. Nervously, I buttoned and unbuttoned my shirt cuffs. It is a habit from childhood, a thing I do when I am distressed.…

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Very pleased to find out this week that my Flash Fiction entry for the annual Crimefest competition has been longlisted, so now nestles nicely alongside eleven others awaiting the next round and the shortlist announcement later this month…..

Here’s the link to FlashBang Contest if you want to check out future news and info – and do, of course, also check out Crimefest.

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Okay Crime Fiction fans, here’s what we got so far.

Harper Collins and Waterstones are partnering on a virtual festival on 13th & 14th March 2015.

We don’t have much more than that at the moment, it’s too early to guess at its M.O. or just how many victims there might be already, but they’re sure to have their best working the case already, so we’re hoping to get a break real soon.

For updates on the investigation and developments in the case best you get yourself following #KillerFest15 or, better still, get yourself signed up for the festival right HERE.…

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Scandinavian Blockbuster Author Launches Theakstons Crime

Jo Nesbo, one of the world’s leading crime writers, who dominates the bestseller charts and is published in 40 countries, is heading to Harrogate.
Nesbo will appear on April 8 at the Old Swan Hotel at a special launch event with the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, where the full 2015 festival programme will be revealed.

The number one best-selling author of the Harry Hole series set in Oslo will discuss his new thriller, Blood on Snow on the eve of its publication with acclaimed broadcaster Mark Lawson. They’ll also discuss the globally popular Harry Hole books, soon to be turned into a film.…

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LAWRENCE BLOCK RETURNS WITH
BRAND NEW NOVEL!

Hard Case Crime to Publish THE GIRL WITH THE DEEP BLUE EYES

New York, NY; London, UK (January 28, 2015) – Lawrence Block, the acclaimed author of more than 100 novels including A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES (recently adapted as a feature film starring Liam Neeson), will publish a brand new novel in 2015 through Hard Case Crime, the award-winning line of vintage-style crime fiction from editor Charles Ardai and publisher Titan Books. THE GIRL WITH THE DEEP BLUE EYES tells the story of a former New York police officer, now working as a private eye in Florida, who gets drawn into the web of a local wife who’s looking for a hit man to help her become a widow.…

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This will be of interest to all the crime writers out there – and it’s to tie in with a new book of the same name by Val McDermid

At the Wellcome Collection in Euston next month.

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