JUST TALK (#1)
No specific topic. Ridley will answer questions, find a muse, rant.
Join in.
REMEMBER: if you want to start a thread, or post a link or idea, just email:
nancy@ridleypearson.com, and we'll get it onto the blog.
Join in.
REMEMBER: if you want to start a thread, or post a link or idea, just email:
nancy@ridleypearson.com, and we'll get it onto the blog.
posted by Ridley at 6:31 AM
59 Comments:
This is perfect! Thanks carol.
It'll be fun to just ramble on here.
Ridley
So, Ridley, today's question: if you could choose only one protagonist from the world of mystery/detective fiction to have at your back in a physically dangerous situation, who would it be? If you could combine 2 characters from differect books for the same situation, who would you choose? Your own characters excepted, of course. And Pam, your votes would be...?
(I've been waiting for a forum to ask this question. Well done, Pam...)
To have my back...
In present time it might be Jack Reacher. But Travis McGee would never be far behind...
Ridley
I considered Travis, of course, but I think I'd take Joe Pike, possibly with Matt Helm my 2nd choice. Hawk from the Spenser novels (or Spenser, for that matter) are also formidable.
I'm not familiar with Jack Reacher, though. Who writes him?
Lee Child writes Reacher.
But you're right: HAWK.
Can't do better than Hawk!
The kudos go to Carol for emailing Nancy and Ridley for indulging us. Me- I just whine. First, I just found out about Reacher and have him on my list to buy! I understand he's pretty formidable. I would have to say LaMoia and Bosch. Of course after we averted death there would be all that,"oh my God, we're alive!" stuff... Yes, definitely LaMoia and Bosch.
Well, I found a Lee Child book, I guess I'll take that camping this weekend with my daughter (while I await patiently a new Boldt novel). I'll have my girl pack Peter and Starcatchers, not that she'll do much reading.
Question of the Day:
So, Ridley, do you use the Boldt books to try to turn people on to the music you love best (all that old jazz)? Or are Lou's musical tastes distinctly different than your own?
You are welcome Pam. I would definitely choose Hawk. But for the second character I would choose the seemingly laid back Thorn from James W. Hall's Thorn series.
As for music, I have never been one for jazz. If I had to pick for Boldt AND Ridley, I am afraid I would go classical. (Not me, rock and roll all the way)
Guess Dean hasn't found us yet, or he is still crying in his beer.
Hello Jamester, don't remember seeing your posts before.
I listen to a ton of rock, just for record. Maybe not Boldt. But I do. Comes with playing in our crazy author's rock band. I love Thorn. Nice addition.
R
Ridley can you give us some background information on how you created Lou Boldt and his cronies? I read all kinds of mystery/thriller books and get hooked on those series but Lou and the gang are kinda special to me. I feel like they are family somehow. I also just kinda wanted to know when you found out you could write and entertain us? How did you feel about that?
This is still a little strange for me...talk about teaching an old dog new tricks...when the blogging first started, there was a category called "information" or something like that, and people were staring to comment there...I just tried to find it under "August Archives" and it wasn't mentioned...I was hoping to be able to talk Dean in from the ledge...Inspired by Ben Affleck recently completing the filming of "Gone Baby, Gone" in the Boston area, and hearing that it was based on a Dennis Lehane book, I decided to check it out. Low and behold, it's part of a Dennis Lehane SERIES! So I've gotten ahold of all 5 books in the series. I'm on the second book. They're a little intense, but very good!
KJ: as per:
This is still a little strange for me...talk about teaching an old dog new tricks...when the blogging first started, there was a category called "information" or something like that, and people were staring to comment there...I just tried to find it under "August Archives" and it wasn't mentioned..
It's called "Instructions" and it's still there in the August Archives (bottom).
INKSMUDGE:
you wrote:
Ridley can you give us some background information on how you created Lou Boldt and his cronies?
The early Boldt was based a LOT on me. I was a huge jazz fan at the time, I was fascinated by the "science" of crime (a new idea in 1980, believe it or not); I was struggling in a relationship (hence the Boldt/Liz struggle). All Boldt novels are based on either a single true crime, or several coupled together; so hopefully they read "real." I still do a lot of research for ALL the crime novels. I have a PILE of stuff I'm going through for a future Boldt; I'm very excited by it. KILLER WEEKEND is based loosely on a real business conference held in Sun Valley, Idaho each summer (no names, please.) I like to read books that read "real" so I've tried to make my crime novels read that way. Hopefully at least some do. I think you miss the mark every now and then, and I'll never understand that. It's just a part of the process, I guess, but it defies logic, given the time and research and devotion to each novel.
The YA books are SO MUCH FUN because they're more fantasy. A mixture of research and pure imagination, and that's been a real healthy change, and I think will enable me to keep writing the crime novels for a long, long time, because I've found a way to give myself new breath.
R
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That was my introduction to Dennis: five really tough books about Boston. He just set the bar so high so quickly. What a writer! Then along came Mystic River, and everyone in the crime writing community was so excited, because for Dennis this was a Disney story by comparison, and sure enough the mass reading public found that book, found Dennis and the rest is...
But you can't do better than the early Dennis. I'm not sure there's anything better out there. Early Michael, and late Michael, and ANY Michael -- OF COURSE -- and I'd have to put George in this group, too. George is sensational. My new rave is Tom Franklin (Hell at the Breach, Smonk) but he makes even the early Dennis look like a joy ride. This guy is grizzly -- but he's maybe the best wordsmith writing right now in "crime fiction" if you can even call his books that, which you can't. Historical Crime Fiction is a little closer, but maybe just GOOD NOVELS, will have to do.
Glad to have you back Dean.
It is that time of year again. As I stit hear, grocery, gas, propane, dry ice lines are all long (took me 1/2 to get my gas this morning). Ernesto has everyone terrified. I think they need to realize he is not a Katrina, he is still a Tropical Storm and may be only a Cat 1 the time he gets here. But if nothing else Andrew in '92 and Katrina in 05' have taught us to be prepared. I've been stocking up on canned goods, pet food, cat litter, water, etc. for two months now. So we are ready for a nice long rainy day.
Carol
OK, Ridley, I'll play -
"Michael" refers to Michael Connolly?
"George" = ? (I'm stuck)
Dean - Clete Purcell is a great choice, as would Robicheaux himself.
Hey Dean, Glad to see you're here. I won't talk too much about baseball, except to say i still watch and hope for my Astros to get to 500. For my husband it's still all about the White Sox. We don't talk about it.
I too listen to mostly rock on my ipod. Old and new. Love to run on my treadmil to Green Day "American Idiot" (a little angry but good motivation) and watch the ball game at the same time. My family thinks I'm nuts cuz I yell at the tv. The only country I listen to are the Dixie Chicks. I still buy the CD, unlike my boys and husband who download their music.
Carol- I can't imagine a hurricane season living in Florida. Here outside of Houston, we never really thought we were in danger until last year. They scared the crap out of us. Lots of people got on the roads. What a mess. My husband of course went into the hospital and it was gonna be just me the boys and the dog inside my closet! We could have gone in with him but would have had to leave the dog in the car and I wouldn't do it. Ultimately someone made rounds for him and so he got to come home which was nice, and nobody slept in the closet! My only reminder is the case of self heating coffee drinks I bought at Sams.
Jamester- How was camping? I don't know who George is either. Ridley?
Camping was great. My 9 yr old daughter is a snorkeling fool (we were on Catalina Island).
Not too much sunburn.
I've never read Pellicanos ("many pelicans"? how immodest...)
I guess this is what happens when you're used to being the only "Ridley" in the room...
No problem with Ernesto, just going to have some rain and wind, nothing serious. After Andrew in '92, I think we can handle pretty much everything. Lost our house in that one (we stayed in the middle bedroom with 5 dogs and 4 cats). Took 8 months to get the place rebuilt. Ernesto doesn't bother me. It's those suckers that come off the Cape Verde Islands in Africa that usually turn out to be the worse. I start to tense up when I hear one of them is forming.
Thanks for the thoughts.
Pelecanos.
Ridley
Hey Dean, I think I'm going to join you out on that ledge...and to think we just sent our poor daughter to school down in Connecticut...to paraphrase Kermit, "It's not easy being RED." (PS:I knew Ridley meant Pelecanos, although I couldn't have spelled it, either.)
Thanks, Ridley, for the directions to the old "Instructions" section...I just didn't scroll down far enough. This section seems to fulfill the same function, but it's beginning to look more like the "old board" (before we were sectioned off into topics) to me!
Sorry about the Sox, Dean, but my Marlins are coming back. Still not at the top but doing a whole lot better. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Carol
KJ: I agree. It would be better to separate a lot of this, rather than ramble. Suggestions? I'm open to them.
Ridley
Just finished reading 'The Ruins' by Scott Smith. He wrote the Simple Plan a while back. Excellent book and movie. I can't say the same for this one. It's good in some ways, the characterizations and the general writing, but I felt he left some open ends and my feeling is this will make a great teen horror flick. Also read 'Blue Screen' by Robert B. Parker. It's one of his Sunny Randall stories but she teams up with Jesse Stone (in more ways than one). Good easy funny read like all Parker's books. Can't wait to see Tom Selleck in this one.
Dean, As for insurance companies, ours just dropped us after giving a grand total of $223 for $4,000 in damage by Wilma last year. Boy was I mad.
Carol
Sorry, Ridley, I'm the last one to ask about sorting this stuff out...and actually, it doesn't bother me, because I think those of us posting here prefer to just "chat". It just amused me that it seems to have come full circle.
I just finished Robert Crais's LA Requiem and really liked it. It was my first Elvis Cole. I started there because that's what Crais suggested on his web site. I got the idea that this was one of his favorites. Those of you who have read this series- what should I read next? Should I start at the beginning? Any suggestions ? Carol- I read all the Sunny Randalll stories recently and loved them. So easy, it felt like one book and like I got free therapy!
As far as separating topics out, I feel like KJ- it's fine with me like this, but if we need to, how about "Sports" and "What are you reading, watching or listening to?"
If you are going to separate topics, I agree with the 'Sports' and then the 'Music, Literature, Movies'. I would also put a topic up whenever you publish a new adult book because they always generate lots of posts.
Pam, I kinf od think of Sunny as a female Spenser. But I absolutely love her dog, Rosie.
Carol
I love Rosie too! I've never read the Spenser novels, but I think I'll have to put them on my list.
Read his Jesse Stone books too. A couple of them have been made into TV movies with Tom Selleck as Jesse. Not bad. There are LOTS of Spenser books. You can get a list from any of his books.
UM vs. FSU tonight. How's that for starting the college football season. Go UM! One of the biggest rivalries in football as an opening game. Shame it's raining.
The Marlins are still on the move. Keep it up.
Jeff Parker is GREAT.
Ridley
Dean, I know, Iwas amazed when I read 'The Ruins'. I thought this can't be the same guy who did 'A Simple Plan'. I still think I will see it as a teen horror movie in a year os so.....that's what it came across to me.
Boo hoo - Miami lost to FSU. One of the biggest gollege rivals and Miami blew. Came close though. If that kicker from FSU had missed, would have been a tie.
Caro
Hey everyone- Hope Ridley didn't work too hard. We spent Sat. driving 8hrs to retrieve my son's car (after his car vs huge deer accident). Had astros tickets that night, so we dropped the car gave my younger son pizza $ and went to the game. Actually saw two movies this weekend. First we watched "The Smartest Guys in the Room". The story behind the Enron collapse. Fascinating, disturbing etc. Really well done. Then on Sun night we went to see "Little Miss Sunshine" Really enjoyed it. Made me laugh, but also sweet and sad sometimes. The little girl was amazing. Really great performances. Not a kids movie. Rated R for language, some sexual references etc. Started an early Elvis Cole novel but I'm not sure about it yet. Almost too flip, different feel than LA Requiem. I'll have to see, maybe I need to continue from there on and skip the really early ones.
T Jefferson Parker is great. I read his last one 'California Girl' (I think) and thought it terrific.
I might have missed it, but James Lee Burke and his Dave Robicheux series are also great. He gets the feeling of the south down perfectly. I hope that what a poster on another board said is true - that his current book takes place during Katrina. If not, I hope he writes one with the action taking place at that time. Can't think of anyone better to give us the real feeling of what that storm was like.
Dean, I put the post about the Dexter books. Great aren't they? I watched the first show and it stayed true to the book. I guess what it looks like they are doing is a book a season. At least that what I guessed from the previewa.
Hope it stays on. It is on Showtime Sundays at 10 p.m. Jeff Lindsay better get busy and write another one - he only has two seasons worth.
Carol
Hey Guys-Thanks for the e-mail Carol. I had stopped looking on here. Sometimes I just can't remember how many posts are on each section, so I can't tell if there's anything new (really liked the old alert system). Dean, I really needed to talk about the Astros late run last week! I knew they probably couldn't pull it off, but it sure was nice to watch the Cardinals sweat! My husband has decided to cheer for the Oakland A's (Frank Thomas, who just hit a home run) and I'm not sure yet who I'll cheer for, but like you it will be whoever can beat the Yankees. I'm reading an Elvis Cole, Lullaby Town. I'm starting to enjoy them more. Also I've been reading Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch novella in The Sunday New York Times magazine. Conflicted about this though because this story post dates his new Bosch novel Echo Park (due out Oct 9) and the novella will be released in complete novel form in 2007. I'm tempted to just wait for the book but am so weak that I read it every Sunday! Is this where we'll post until Nancy answers my email about new sections? I'll check here.
Pam, it's where I am posting till other topics come up. Dean, Pam and I have exchanged email addresses. If you want to send me yours, I will send you mine.
Carol
I agree with Dean, we do seem to have run out of steam...I posted elsewhere (but no one probably saw it), the biggest problem with this new system is that the posts aren't dated. The date shows up when you "view" your comments, but after it's posted, there's no date, so I don't know if I'm commenting on something that someone wrote last night or last month. And I had a hard time locating this thread. I had to move around a bit to find it.
I'm just finishing "Prayers for Rain", the last in the 5 book series by Dennis Lehane. The books just seem to get better with each one. "Gone, Baby, Gone" just blew me away. Ben Affleck chose well in making this one into a movie. Hope the movie lives up to the book. (10/4)
Hey KJ glad you're here! I agree the lack of date is hard to figure out. It also seems you have to hunt around for things and friends! Like Carol said earlier, you and Dean can email us if you want. Carol posted hers earlier but mine is pbkrance@yahoo.com. Hopefully we'll get something figured out with the blog. I'll keep posting here.
Hey KJ, good to see you here. I have the feeling until further news from Ridley about posting this is going to be the main one, just like the general discussion one on the old board. Pam, if you look at the first post in a topic it will tell you how many posts there are. Don't feel bad Dean, the Marlins fired their manager in a 5 minute meeting and had his replacement standing by and the Dolphins are doing lousy too 1-3.
Hey Dean- Are you doing the happy dance yet? I am! Yeah the Yankeees lose ! Now I can watch the world series and enjoy it! God Bless the Tigers. Heads will roll in Yankeeland. I actually like Joe Torre, but even he must be sick of them.( I can remember at the start of the season, you and TomN talking about the Tigers.) We were so happy we were dancing in front of the TV. Real mature, I know, but you have to take your pleasure where you can get it.
The guy who plays Dexter used to be on HBO's 'Six Feet Under'. I didn't think he was too bad. Not enough wit though. Didn't care much for the girl who plays his sister. But at least they are staying close to the book, that's a pleasant change.
10/09/06
Dean, you must be a cook with that description! Oh yea, you make sauce right? I would love to join in on the whole Dexter thing, but given that I'm the only person that was actually scared when I watched "Poltergeist" (hey, it was scary back then) I'll probably have to pass. Sounds too gruesome for me. I did want to mention that I emailed "Nancy" at the blog site at least a couple of weeks ago requesting two new areas- Other authors & questions for Ridley, but have obviously not seen anything or heard back. Maybe one of you guys could try.
Pam, I emailed Nancy too, same two categories plus Sports. Haven't gotten a reply either. I was terrified with Poltergeist to, but Dexter isn't scary.
10/10/09
Carol
Hey Carol- good to know you are a fellow scaredy cat. I think I'll have to just try one of the books. Certain things just wig me out. We are having a huge thunderstorm here right now and my medicated dog is still pacing around the house looking for things to turn over. (trashcans, laundry baskets etc.)I probably should have gone to drugs earlier! (or maybe taken them myself!) I have kid stuff to do this afternoon and evening, so hopefully he'll calm down by then. How am I ever going to go back to work? Maybe I can find a part time job that allows me to work only on sunny days!
*enters after wandering around lost for 2 weeks*
First, thanks to Pam for the breadcrumbs.
I actually finished a non-detective type book most recently, more a dark fantasy, titled "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman. Wonderful writer, good imagination. Other than that, I'm sort of between authors. I've read all of Ridley, Connely, etc, looking for something new. Haven't read Pelecanos, maybe that's next.
My Dodgers are really gonna rock next year, until then I guess I'm an A's fan (it was my son't most recent little league team).
Oh, yeah, 10/11/06.
10/13 3:30pm Hey Jamester- New Michael Connely just came out-Echo Park (Harry Bosch). I bought it yesterday and am very excited to read it. Little League years are the best. Enjoy them. MLB charges the leagues to use those names so for the off season baseball, or fallball, here they use minor league names. My oldest played for a team called the" Lugnuts". Definitely one of my favorites.
Dean- I think this might be the year of the Tigers, but I don't think the Mets are going to roll over like the Astros did last year (sigh, a painful memory). Are you getting cold weather where you are? I think Carol, Jamester and I are probably still in shorts! Hope everyone enjoys their weekend. I'm going to read, watch baseball and clean up after my husband makes a gourmet feast on Sunday!
KJ- Are you still there?
Yes definitely in shorts down here. The weatherman talked about a cold front coming thru - it was going to get as low as 85. Our cool days are in January and February. Almost makes it worth living in Miami.
Dean, sorry about the loss of Lidle. Was he a good pitcher? I hate to see pictures of crashes. I always wonder what there last thought is. What a tragedy.
10/13/06 Carol
Hey Carol & Pam, 10-15-06
I went to a pig roast yesterday and I wore shorts. It was about 54 degrees but the guy that does also has a huge barn fire. Yes, the cold weather is upon us. I spent Saturday raking leaves and cleaning out the cutters and pulling the summer flowers (a little late but they still looked pretty good) and putting in Mums (which I hate).
I did not know much about Cory Lidle execept that he had the guts to call Bonds a cheater and say that this year Detroit was better prepared then the Yankees were. The worse thing about this whole tragedy is since he may have been flying the plane naturally their is clause in the MLB insurance contract that says his family won't be able to file. Carol you know about those damn insurance companies.
I do agree though it sure looks like the year of the Tiger. That win yesterday was pretty amazing.
Take care
-Dean
I guess we saw the worst of football Saturday with the brawl between UM and FIU. 2 players dismissed, 16 players suspended and that was just one team. Even an announcer was fired for what he said. It's a shame the game dissolved like that.
Yeah Dean, but it was our home insurance that doubled. Our life hasn't changed although they do have some tricky clauses. I worked for three of those SOBs, but luckily in the computer area.
OK guys, set your alarms. At 7:46 a.m. EDT the population of the US will roll over to 300,000,000.
Think we can get them to all buy Ridley's books?
10/16/06 Carol
Hornedhopper - I love SF, and will make a note. I grew up on Asimov, Heinlein, Zelazny, and that bunch.
Hey Dean and Pam. There are some new topics, Yeah! on the first page.
Things are looking up.
10/21/06 Carol
Hey, Dean & Pam. Looks like Miami is going to be the big sports city in a couple of weeks. Super Bowl here with (yuk) Prince doing the half time show. Nick Saban left the Dolphins to go back to Alabama. Half the fans are cheering and the other half are crying. From what I saw of the fins this season, I think I would be on the cheering side. The Heat is racking up wins, even though Pat Riley will be out for awhile with hip surgery. the Gators from U of F won college championship and I am sure they all got new cars. The Marlins didn't go anywhere in the playoffs, and the Panthers (hockey) never go anywhere. Maybe we should hire David Beckham for $300 million instead of the $250 he got from California. That is the most ridiculous thing going these days. What sports stars and actors get paid. I personally don't feel they should make more than the President (no matter how you feel about the person).
Well, there you go. Up to date on all the sports from Miami.
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