From the back of the book:

Some say that Andy Dalziel wasn’t ready for God, others that God wasn’t ready for Dalziel. Either way, despite his recent proximity to a terrorist blast, the Superintendent remains firmly of this world. And while Death may be the cure for all diseases, Dalziel is happy to settle for a few weeks’ care under a tender nurse.

Convalescing in Sandytown, a quiet seaside resort devoted to healing, Dalziel befriends Charlotte Heywood, a fellow newcomer and psychologist, who is researching the benefits of alternative therapy. With much in common, the two soon find themselves in league when trouble comes to town.

Sandytown’s principal landowners have grandiose plans for the resort- none of which they can agree on. One of them has to go, and when one of them does, in spectacularly gruesome fashion, DCI Peter Pascoe is called in to investigate – with Dalziel and Charlotte providing unwelcome support. But Pascoe finds dark forces at work in a place where medicine and holistic remedies are no match for the oldest cure of all …

The Snapshot Review

What I Liked: I loved the epistolary method of story telling that is employed through the first part of the book, especially since it lets Dalziel narrate parts of the novel!

First Line: Hi Cass! Hows things in darkest Africa?

Ms. Bookish’s Very Quick Take: My admiration for Reginald Hill has increased – a rather remarkable feat since I already held him in high esteem. He handles the epistolary method well (I especially enjoyed the parts narrated by the lovable politically incorrect Dalziel) and as usual, there are lots of credible plot twists.

Read the Full Review of A Cure for All Diseases

From the jacket flap:

Heidi Bradshaw is wealthy, beautiful, and well connected – and she needs Spenser’s help. In a most unlikely request, Heidi, a notorious gold digger recently separated from her latest husband, recruits the Boston P.I. to accompany her to her private island, Tashtego, for her daughter’s wedding. Spenser is unsure of what his role as personal bodyguard will entail, but he consents when it’s decided that he can bring his beloved Susan Silverman along.

It should be a straightforward job for Spenser: show up for appearances, have some drinks, and spend some quality time with Susan. Yet when his old nemesis Rugar – the Gray Man – arrives on Tashtego, Spenser realizes that something is amiss. With a hurricane-level storm brewing outside, the Gray Man jumps into action, firing fatal shots into the crowd of wedding guests and kidnapping the bride – but Spenser knows that the sloppy guns-for-hire abduction is not Rugar’s style. Unable to prevent the attack, Spenser will stop at nothing to recover the kidnapped bride and figure out how the Gray Man is connected.

The Snapshot Review

What I Liked: Snappy dialogue, and that great camaraderie between Spenser and Hawk.

The But: Reactions to the murders are a bit unbelievable.

Ms. Bookish’s Very Quick Take: A good, fast read – Spenser fans should enjoy this one.

Read the Full Review of Rough Weather

I deeply appreciated all of the well wishes I received last week about my husband’s knee surgery. And wouldn’t you know it, just when life was beginning to settle down again (my husband is doing well, using only one crutch most of the time, driving without any problems, and back to his great love, cooking!), I’m off to a conference in Orlando, Florida.

And since I will be packing a lot of books to read during the downtime, I expect that I will have a lot of things to post about! Not to mention, I recently finished three books, all of which are also waiting to be reviewed.

My plans had been to future post a bunch of reviews for the four days that I’ll be gone (following the example of some exemplary book bloggers), but I never did get around to it, with everything that’s been gong on, so I will be back with posts next Tuesday.

It feels strange to be away from my blog for so long … But it started snowing again today, and Florida will be a very nice change of pace!

Due to a glitch in my blog theme, it turns out I can’t go over a certain word count per post, so I’ve had to post my interview with Barbara Levenson in two parts. Here is Part 2 of Barbara Levenson’s interview (and here is part 1 of the interview).

MB: You had a rich and rewarding career in another field before turning to writing. What words of advice would you have for the aspiring novelist who is currently making a living in another profession?

BL: Most authors have had other professions before turning to writing.  It is rare that a person decides he or she is going to support themselves by writing alone.  Work in another field enriches an author’s writing.  For one thing, it brings an understanding of people in real situations.  (I am not sure what profession prepares you to write about vampires or other paranormal subjects.  Maybe a strange boss who reminds one of a werewolf?)  My advice is to steal as much time as possible to sit down and write.  It doesn’t matter whether you write short stories or plays or descriptive paragraphs.  The more that you write, the more your writing improves.  Secondly, aspiring writers should go to as many conferences and seminars as possible.  Interaction with other authors is very helpful.  These gatherings offer the opportunity to learn about the industry of publishing.  Publishing has its own set of quirks.  Preparation for dealing with a whole new profession puts the new writer ahead of the game.  Thousands of people are writing books, most of which won’t get published.  By studying the industry and learning from other writers, chances are good that you will be published.  The best things to keep in mind are that there are no set rules for being a good writer except the rule that says, “You will not get discouraged.”

MB: Could you talk a bit about the events leading up to getting the publishing contract for Fatal February? I was thinking that must be such an exciting moment in an author’s life.

BL: No moment can be more exciting to an author than an actual contract to publish a book.  It means that someone out there likes your work enough to gamble on readers liking it too.  It validates the hours spent slaving over a hot computer.

I began attending writing classes, seminars and conferences when I began working on my novel.  I was fortunate enough to be admitted to the Kenyon College summer wrting institute where I first gained valuable information about the world of publishing.  Two years ago, I attended Sleuthfest, the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America’s annual conference.  Agents and publishers attend this event and share knowledge regarding how to contact them and others, and how to write a query letter that stands out from the thousands publishers and agents receive.

At the luncheon at Sleuthfest, I was lucky to be seated at the table with the editor and president of Oceanview Publishing.  We had a great discussion and they told me when my book was finished to contact them.  In early 2008, Fatal February was ready for the push to sell.  I had heard horror stories from other authors about the amount of letters necessary before publishing became a reality; one author said it took 250 letters.  Undeterred, I started with six letter, one of which was to Oceanview Publishing.  Five of the six responded promptly.  Four of them asked for a few pages, or a few chapters.  Oceanview asked for the full manuscript.  A few weeks later I heard from the editor at Oceanview saying she was sold on Fatal February, but had to have others of their readers sign off on it as well.

The next month, February in fact, there was another Sleuthfest.  While there, I talked to an agent and shared with him what was happening.  He happened to be a lawyer, as well.  He gave me excellent advice.  “You don’t need an agent.  You are a lawyer and have access to other lawyers to look over any contract.”  He also confirmed my impression of Oceanview as being an excellent small publishing house.  The next month, Oceanview offered me a contract and by April, I was signed up.  The first thing I did was to sit down and cry.  All the tension was released, but little did I know that there would be brand new tensions.

New authors need to understand that the process of bringing a book to the bookstore is long, arduous and needs preparation.  Art work, website design, advanced reader copies, blurbs for the cover , advance reviews, and finally a launch date.  It is easier and quicker to have a baby!  I must give Oceanview Publishing a big thank you for turning out quality products and for being a guiding hand every step of the way.  I never felt alone or without resources to guide me.  Also, I will always attend Sleuthfest. It started the process for me.

Fatal February Giveaway

A huge thank you to Barbara for such an insightful interview. This is Barbara’s first stop on her book tour for Fatal February. Check out the link to see other stops on the tour, which includes several guest posts and reviews of the book.

You also have a chance to win a copy of Fatal February. It’s a little bit more complicated than most giveaways, as you need a PIN number. If you’re clicking through to the giveaway link (the form is at the bottom of the page) before noon tomorrow (February 18), use this number: 6126. If you’re a little bit late, don’t despair! You can still enter the giveaway – check out the most current tour stop for a valid PIN.

Fatal February is the first book in a new mystery series featuring criminal defense attorney Mary Magruder Katz and written by Barbara Levenson.

In addition to being a writer, Barbara is also a senior judge in the circuit court of Miami-Dade County; prior to her election to judgeship, Barbara was a criminal defense and civil rights litigator. Fatal February is her first book, but she has already finished her second Mary Magruder Katz mystery and is hard at work on the third book in the series!

I recently had the opportunity to interview Barbara, an interview I enjoyed very much -it was interesting learning more about Barbara’s process in writing Fatal February, and how she manages to balance her career as a judge and her writing career.

An Interview with Barbara Levenson

MB: You’ve mentioned that the idea for Mary Magruder Katz popped full-blown into your head. How did her stories come to you? And what motivated you to put pen to paper to capture these stories?

BL: I guess that Mary had been in my subconscious for a while.  I have mentored young women attorneys and new judges over the years.  Mary is a compilation of their thoughts and problems, along with my own experiences as a new litigator.  Additionally, Mary personifies the melting pot people who populate the Miami area.  Something wonderful is afoot here. We have learned to appreciate our differences or to overlook those we can’t appreciate.  I wanted to share these areas with readers, and to tell the real Miami story that isn’t about tourism.  It’s about day to day living.  It’s just done in fabulous weather.

MB: Carlos is such a charismatic and interesting (not to mention sexy!) character. How did you get the idea for his character? Did you know right away that he would be perfect for Mary?

BL: The idea for Carlos actually occurred to me at the car wash that I go to.  I was there one day when I saw this amazingly handsome guy.  We chatted while we indulged in the free popcorn.  He was very charming.  Then I observed him being absolutely rude to the attendants and cashier; two personalities.  He fit right into the stories swimming around in my brain.  I thought he was the one person who could keep up with Mary (at least most of the time).

MB: You’re currently working on the second Mary Magruder Katz novel. Could you describe your writing process? How do you start each writing day? Do you have any writing rituals that you follow?

BL: Actually, the second book is finished and will be published in June,2010.  My writing process is simple;  sit down in front of the computer and write. Writing is not a job to me.  I love to write and look forward to the time spent doing it.  I usually try to get rid of the mundane things in my life early in the day.  things like straightening out the house, brushing the dogs, or going to the grocery.  I answer e-mails and then close my brain to anything but writing.  This may mean two hours or six hours of pleasurable time writing.

MB: You’ve spent 32 years as a litigator and then a circuit court judge. How have your experiences enriched your writing career?

BL: Being a lawyer or a judge requires many of the same traits as being a writer. Lawyers and especially judges must be excellent listeners.  You must concentrate on hearing what a client is saying or what witnesses are presenting.  When an author creates a book, she must listen to the characters.  Are their voices authentic?  After listening closely to so many voices in courtrooms, it gives an author the ability to develop voices of characters that readers can relate to and feel the characters emotions. A litigator must be immersed in her case and must create the story of the case in language that a juror can readily understand.  This is the same job that an author has in creating the plot and characters for the reader.

MB: Your writing style in Fatal February is very engaging – the reader is immediately drawn into Mary’s world. Was the transition from the dryness of legal language to the richness of fiction difficult or did it come easily?

BL: I never subscribed to the theory that legal writing must be wordy and boring.  My writing style has always been to be brief and clear, so I didn’t have to cleanse my writing style.  I believe more lawyers are moving away from verbosity as they understand that when you want a judge to find in your favor, writing clearly and persuasively will win the day.

Due to a glitch in the blog template I’m using, I’ve just discovered I can’t exceed a certain word count per post. My interview with Barbara Levenson is therefore divided into two parts: please click here for Part 2, and information regarding the giveaway.

Not mine. My husband’s.

He went in for day surgery on Monday, and he’s doing well right now.

I wish I could say the same for me. I didn’t foresee the extra work around here, for some reason.

He’s on crutches and is only supposed to put partial weight on his leg for the next four weeks or so.

He should be off the crutches in a few more days (fingers crossed). In the meantime, I’m suddenly finding myself holding down the fort all by myself – not to mention a good deal of running and fetching – and I’m not liking it very much!

So many things to do. None of which involve blogging, reading other blogs or Twitter. Hardly any email, either. But lots of driving, buying big heavy things (aka “stuff in bulk from Costco that we’ve run out of and really really need right now”), carrying those same big heavy things into the house (SIX trips back and forth, even with teenage help), and breaking up the ice on our way-too-long gravel walkway. (The rainy, warmer weather melted all the snow on the walkway, leaving behind the underlying slippery slabs of ice. This is NOT the way the whole rain and warm weather thing is supposed to work, I know, but there you have it. That’s what happened to our gravel walkway. And that’s why I was out there today, maniacally slashing at the ice with this rather interesting not-shovel that was made for doing just this kind of thing.)

Since my husband usually does the cooking, I’m now also finding myself running out to grab take-out, too. It was either that, or frozen entrées. Because when he discovered he loved cooking a year ago, I in turn forgot how to cook. I think I must have traded in those particular brain cells for more bookish ones or something.

So in light of all this, I’m off to bed early tonight to recuperate and rest up my aching muscles, armed with a good book (Reginald Hill’s latest Dalziel and Pascoe novel, A Cure for All Diseases – which, I think, is published in the States as The Price of Butcher’s Meat). I’m loving this one so far – Dalziel actually narrates part of it, and he is such a fun, politically incorrect, rude and interesting character.

I should be back to regular Ms. Bookish form in a few days.

Here’s what arrived at the MsBookish household this past week:

Mystery: Fatal February, by Barbara Levenson, courtesy of Lance from Hidden Staircase Mystery Books. I will be posting an author interview with Barbara Levenson here on February 17, so stay tuned, everyone!

Chick Lit: Houston, We Have a Problema, by Gwendolyn Zepeda, ARC courtesy of Hachette Book Group. This looks like it will be a super fun read.

Mystery: The Man on the Balcony, by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, which came to me via Bookmooch. I read about this series at Meg Cabot’s blog, and it sounded good. This is one of my first Mooches – I think I’m finally figuring out how to use Bookmooch!

Check out what arrived at other book bloggers’ mailboxes this past week, at Marcia’s Printed Page.

This week I thought I’d focus on giveaways, because I seem to have come across a ton of them for some reason. Here’s the list of great book giveaways I’ve come across this week – I haven’t entered all of them, but there are definitely some for which I’m keeping my fingers (and toes) crossed!

(Note: while I don’t normally set my links to other book bloggers to open up in new windows, I’ve done so in this post, on the assumption that you might want to keep this page open so you can check out more of the giveaways.)

From Fantasy Book Critics:

Signed Copy of Drood plus Bonus Copy of Terror (ends Feb 10) – open only to North American residents

Set of T.A. Pratt’s Marla Mason novels (ends Feb 24) – open to anyone

Signed Set of Two Books by Mark Henry (ends Feb 24) – open to anyone

Set of Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville novels (ends Mar 1) – open only to North American residents

Set of Three Books by Chris Roberson (ends Mar 2) – open to anyone

Set of Mike Carey’s Felix Castor Novels (ends Mar 5) – open only to those outside the U.S.

Signed copy of Eric Nylund’s Mortal Coils (ends Mar 3) – open only to North American residents

From She is Too Fond of Books: Do I Disturb the Universe memoir giveaway (ends Feb 13) – open to US and Canada

From Stone Soup: Book of Your Choice giveaway (ends around noon, Feb 8) – open to anyone

From Book Dads: Queen Vernita’s Visitors by Dawn Menge giveaway (ends Feb 15) – open to US and Canada

From Enroute to Life: The Terror, by Dan Simmons, giveaway (ends Feb 17) – open to US and Canada

From S. Krishna’s Books: Midori by Moonlight by Wendy Tokunaga giveaway (ends Feb 8) – open to US and Canada (Note: I want to win this one!!)

From Lesa’s Book Critiques: Eleven Love Titles from Hachette Group giveaway (ends Feb 14) – open to US and Canada

From Kathy at Bermudaonion: Five Copies of The Terror by Dan Simmons (ends Feb 17) – open to US and Canada

And there’s also my own giveaway of five copies of My Little Red Book, by Rachel Kauder Nalebuff, hosted at my personal/creativity blog – this one ends Feb 12, and is open to US and Canada.

Synopsis:

A present-day bombing rips through London and claims the life of eighty-year-old detective Arthur Bryant. For John May, it means the end of a partnership that lasted over half a century and an eerie echo back to the Blitz of World War II, when they first met. Desperately searching for clues to the killer’s identity, May finds his irascible old friend’s notes of their very first case and becomes convinced that the past has returned … with a killing vengeance.

It was an investigation that plunged the fledgling detectives into a complex and lethal puzzle. It began when a dancer in a risqué new production of Orpheus in Hell was found without her feet. In a city shaken by war, a faceless killer was stalking London’s theaters, creating his own kind of sinister drama. And it would take Arthur Bryant’s most unorthodox techniques and John May’s dogged police work to catch a criminal whose ability to escape detection seemed almost supernatural – a murderer who decades later seems to have claimed the life of one of them … and is determined to claim the other.

The Snapshot Review

What I Liked: Great quirky characters, and wonderfully adroit handling of shifts between the past and present.

First Line: “It really was a hell of a blast.”

Ms. Bookish’s Very Quick Take: This book, the debut novel in the Bryant and May series, is a wonderful look at a young Bryant and May.

Read the Full Review of Full Dark House

Something mysterious is happening in Skeleton Creek. Something scary. Something sinister.

Ryan came close to it … and nearly died. Now he’s trapped in his house. He can’t trust anyone – not even himself.

He is forbidden from seeing his best friend, Sarah. So while Ryan is isolated and alone, she plunges back into the mystery, putting her life on the line to get to the truth.

Ryan is desperately trying to write down the full story. And while he does, Sarah takes videos of what she finds, then sends him the links so he can watch.

Together, they discover: The past is dangerous. The present is haunted. And the future is deadly

The Snapshot Review

Here’s the Thing: This is definitely one book you shouldn’t be reading by yourself, in the dead of night, with only your computer monitor for company …

BUT: it is absolutely spine-tinglingly delicious when you do.

Ms. Bookish’s Very Quick Take: This is a fun, innovative and very suspenseful book that seamlessly marries text with video– a fabulous read!

Read the Full Review of Skeleton Creek