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Here's an example of the difference in maturity and (one hopes) thoughtfulness between adults and kids.Ìý



And yes, it has to do with feet.Ìý Big ones.



Imagine you're an adult, a slender and short one, maybe 5'4" and 140lbs.Ìý You're a stealer, a thief, a nicker of other people's stuff.Ìý And you loooove breaking into cars.Ìý One summer night as you're casing joints and sussing out stealing sites, you come across a truck and you gain access via your usual sophisticated me...

One of the best reviews yet from the site Buried Under Books.Ìý I love the final paragraph the most:



To me, three
things are most evident when an author is really good. First is strong
characters, second is a plot that grabs me and won’t let go, and third
is a mastery of the English language.Ìý Mark Pryor has it all in his first novel and I can’t wait for his next Hugo Marston mystery.



Not surprising I'd like that bit, eh?  (And no, I didn't bribe anyone. . ., though I'm not sa...

Picture a man making these complaints:


his coffee is served cold 
he does not have enough butter for his bread
he is not given moisturiser

A hotel, right?  Probably not a good one, though, because these days there's almost always moisturiser in the bathroom.



Actually, no, it's not a hotel.Ìý



Another clue?  Okay, his quarters are three rooms, one for sleeping, one for studying, one for exercising.



Ah, you got it - a college dorm!  Fancy, too, right?  Three liv...

I have jury duty tomorrow!  And it's at the federal courthouse, so there's an outside chance I will get to serve (if it's a civil case, rather than criminal).



It's been so long since I've been herded around like I'm a sheep, it'll be interesting.Ìý Of course, we'll see if it's like the state criminal courts, where there's a LOT of waiting around.



In case it is, I'll bring my book.



And yes, I'll let you know when it's all over what it's like.



Fingers crossed!

I know, I know, it's about time I posted here, sorry.Ìý Things have been crazy with the post-release of The Bookseller, and the edits for the next two books due (and which I should be doing now, thanks very much).



But from the imaginary crimes of Paris, to a heinous one I experienced last night.Ìý Actually, two.



And, yes, you might argue that objectively they aren't as serious as murder or kidnapping, I suppose I'd go along with that but. . . well, here's what happened.



I was ridin...

This deserves its own post :- Oprah.com gave me !



"a tale of a city that's gritty, utterly real and filled with surprises
both horrifying and tender. Much like a baguette, this fabulous story is
crusty on the outside, sweet on the inside, and once you've had a bit,
you can't wait for more."



And who doesn't like baguettes?



Now, I've talked to people who are a little snooty when it comes to Oprah's Book Club and I'll say this: anything that gets people reading is fantastic in my...

I have to say, it was probably one of the most fun nights of my life.Ìý



When we arrived at , the kids were thrilled to see my name on the movie-style sign above the main doors.Ìý Yes, it was the kids who were the most thrilled.... ahem.







Inside, a friend started counting the number of people there and gave up at seventy (they wouldn't stand still!).Ìý I was particularly pleased to have a judge named Lynch and a policeman named Constable, very appropriate for a crime...

Today sees the release of The Bookseller.Ìý



A novel that grew roots in a cafe in Paris and then took me six months to write.Ìý A novel that took me another three months to successfully pitch to an agent.Ìý A novel that was on submission to publishers for just over a year.



Twenty-three rejections from agents, a dozen more from publishers, years months of work and frustration and. . . I loved every minute of it.



Why?  Because now it's on the shelves of book stores all over...

Plain speak is good, but euphemisms are way funnier.Ìý And excuses can be even better to those of us in the business who have heard, well, pretty much every single one there is.Ìý I've come across a few lately, used by defense lawyers or probation officers as they work hard to paint their client's actions in a positive light., or used by those charged to explain their own actions.Ìý


"He's a natural leader."   To explain: a series of bullying and otherwise aggressive ac...

The books not the kids! I've had the pleasure of their company for a while.










(My wife's away so I had my kids take pics of me holding some books. Apparently they won't grow up to be photographers . . .Ìý or surgeons.)





But that's okay, they are much cuter than me anyway.