Category crime fiction
Where the Story Ideas Come From…
Authors are always asked where they get their story ideas and the answer isn’t always what you’d expect. When people hear my background–working in some of the most brutal prisons in California, they expect me to write dark, noir prison stories. Tales of the worst humanity has to offer. Stories where redemption is rare as […]
The Highs and Lows of a Book Launch
Getting a new book out in the world is a stressful time when everything has to come together at a single moment, but there’s always something that slips through. No matter how much you plan, and how adept you are at keeping the plates spinning, one of those plates will fly off and threaten to […]
Big News on the Book Front
I’ve been a little bit frazzled as of late, which explains the infrequent posts here. I’m sure your inbox took short sigh of relief. But it’s all for a good reason–I swear. Recent weeks have been consumed with four special projects that I can’t talk about (seriously–with non-disclosure agreements and threats of boiling oil) and […]
Novels Alive | GUEST BLOG: An Interview With a Character in DEAD DROP by James L’Etoile Plus Giveaway!
It’s one of my favorite things. Developing a character and having them come to life on the page is a blast. But sometimes a character takes over and isn’t happy about their place in the story. Billie Carson is one of those characters. She is a major player in my upcoming novel, DEAD DROP, but […]
James L’Etoile: Dead Drop – Murder in Common
It’s been a while since I’ve posted. I’ve had my head down and scribbling away. Turns out you can get a decent amount of writing done when you put your mind to it. As a result, the first book in a new series, Dead Drop releases in July. Dead Drop takes a look at border […]
Getting Back in the Water Again
When Left Coast Crime in San Diego was abruptly cancelled after a single day in March 2020, many of the attendees left wondering when and if we’d be able to gather again. We learned more than we ever wanted to know about Zoom, remote working, vaccines, and quarantine workarounds. When we had a dip in […]
Virtual Bouchercon Panels
Bouchercon is the annual gathering of the world’s mystery writers and serves as the high point of the year for many of us in the writing community. I was especially excited when the 2020 edition of Bouchercon was slated for Sacramento, California, a place I lived and worked for many years. Not to mention the […]
Left Coast Crime 2020
With winter starting to slowly fade away, it means one thing. It’s book convention time again! The first gathering up is Left Coast Crime (LCC), the annual mystery convention sponsored by mystery fans, both readers and authors. LCC is held during the first quarter of the year in Western North America. Last year was in Vancouver, […]
Sacramento Serial Killer — Profile of a Second Chance
Digging around in Sacramento’s history isn’t for the faint of heart. The Gold Rush town was lawless and bloody with a reputation for quick frontier justice. Yet on a few occasions, the hand of mercy reached out and offered a second chance to a killer. Ida Brewer was a sex worker in the 1850’s who […]
Prison to the Page Newsletter & Book Giveaway
Now’s your chance to enter the book giveaway, before the next Prison to the Page Newsletter drops. At least three subscribers will be selected at random and receive a signed copy of Little River: The Other Side of Paradise, At What Cost, or Bury The Past. But you have to subscribe to the newsletter to […]
James L'Etoile 