Santa Baby…

I’ve been a good girl this year.

Really good.

Disgustingly good.

Yes, I’m talking to you, Santa. Bring me something miraculous and spectacular, will you? Please?

Are you in a holiday sort of mood? I hope so–because we’ve got one of our best ever Virtual Cocktail Parties today. Our guest is the wonderful and amazing Shamus-nominated Harry Hunsicker whose books Still River and The Next Time You Die feature the inimitable Lee Henry Oswald.

Let’s get right down to business…

The Grassy Knoll: A Lee Henry Oswald Margarita

1.5 cups Patron tequila
0.5 cups of Grand Marnier
4 to 5 shots of American beer (Coors, Miller, etc.)
1 shot Jack Daniels bourbon whiskey
1 can of frozen limeade
Sugar to taste if too bitter
Thinly sliced lime for garnish

Pour the beer (about a third of a can) into an electric blender. Drink remainder before adding the tequila, Grand Marnier, bourbon, and limeade.

Take the empty limeade container and fill it with ice. Pour one can of ice into blender for the Texas version, two cans for everywhere else, unless you live in Oklahoma, in which case you should stop reading now because the next step involves electricity.

Put top securely on the blender (most important!) and turn it on until the ice breaks up. Serve immediately in wide-mouthed margarita glass.

Garnish with lime slices, never with salt, unless you use cheap tequila.

TASHA: What’s your weapon of choice?

HARRY: A cross bow or a silenced Ruger for when the neighbors get out of line. If loud noises are not an issue, then a Colt Government Model, Series 70. Chambered in .45, natch.

CARRIE: What’s your favorite Christmas tradition?

HARRY: December is such a rushed time, with getting ready for the holidays, year-end stuff, etc, that I actually enjoy the peace and tranquility of the day itself. Also, Christmas dinner with my family.

KRISTY: What’s Christmas tradition do you despise the most?

HARRY: Vulcanizing the tree. (So messy!)

TASHA: What books are on your Christmas list?

HARRY: If by Christmas, you mean mid January, then I want a pristine first edition copy of Marcus Sakey’s THE BLADE ITSELF, destined to be The Debut of 2007.

If you’re gonna hold me to the Christmas thing, then I would have to say THE BLONDE by Duane Swierczynski; Will Beall’s much buzzed about debut, LA REX; Michael Connelly’s latest Bosch book; and NO DOMINION, the second installment in Charlie Huston’s incredible vampire PI series. The problem with this question is that I am forgetting about a hundred books.

KRISTY: Are you good with chopsticks?

HARRY: No.

A long time ago I tried to use a pair and accidentally killed a man. He was from out of state so it didn’t really count. But still. . .

JULIA: If you could have a character from any other book appear in one of your novels, who would you pick and why?

HARRY: Elvis Cole from Robert Crais’s excellent PI books. Two reasons: a) his name is Elvis; and b) he’s smart ass.

Or Travis McGee from John D. MacDonald’s long running series. Again, two reasons: a) he drives a Rolls Royce pickup; and b) he’s Travis Frickin’ McGee.

KAREN: If you had to write a book in an entirely different genre from your own, what would you choose?

HARRY: Romance. (Seriously!) I can talk about my feelings if I have to. And my hobbies are commitment and changing myself.

DEBORAH: What is your ultimate meal?

HARRY: Combo Nachos (tortillas topped with guacamole, black beans, sour cream, and jalapenos) followed by the Carne Asada from Javier’s Gourmet Mexicano Restaurant (www.javiers.net), washed down with a Dos Equis or two. (Hank Oswald eats the same meal in Chapter 23 of my second book.)

Harry has left some good, good, good questions for us, so take a minute to answer them in the comments before you give him your undying gratitude for being such a charming and witty guest:

1. The body lies crumpled on the floor of the motel room, the odor of blood and gunsmoke heavy in the air. As the partner of the dead man bangs on the door, you drop the pistol and head to the bathroom window, reaching for your cell phone. Which character that appeared in a 2006 thriller or mystery do you call?

2. Money is no object. Where would you live?

3. You have five minutes alone with Paris Hilton. What would you tell her?

4. This holiday season you have the power to give the world one of two gifts: Everlasting peace in the Middle East. Or a cure for AIDS. What’s your choice?

That’s it for now. Tune in next week for our New Year’s Extravaganza, when the talented guys and gals of Killer Year join us for what is sure to be a rollicking good time.

Before I leave you to your heaps of presents and good will and all that, I’ve got a little gift of my own for you: an eggnog recipe that will knock your socks off. Enjoy!

xo
Tasha

12 Responses to “Santa Baby…”

1. 1. Ellis Clark. She’s good at breaking my fall when I jump out of bathroom windows.

   2. http://www.brownharrisstevens.com/detail.aspx?id=364979

   3. Nothing. Why waste five perfectly good minutes? (see #4).

   4. A cure for AIDS. And I want it to be retroactive. I lost a lot of friends, and I’d at least five more minutes with each of them, for starters.

   by Cornelia Read on December 22nd, 2006 at 2:01 am
   
   

2. I would kill to read a romance by Harry Hunsicker. Can someone please make that happen?

   1. If I’m in a motel room, the clear choice is Reacher.

   2. I wish I knew.

   3. Five minutes wouldn’t begin to cover it.

   4. Cornelia stopped me for a second with that retroactive cure for AIDS idea. But Mid East peace would probably save more people. This one’s a heartbreaker, actually.

   by Alexandra Sokoloff on December 22nd, 2006 at 11:01 am
   
   

3. 1. Which character that appeared in a 2006 thriller or mystery do you call?

   ** Ummmm…well, do movie thrillers and mysteries count? If so, I’d call Denzel’s character from deja vu. If they don’t, then I’m screwed.

   2. Money is no object. Where would you live?

   ** In a fun loft with maid and chef service. If I have a maid and chef, it really doesn’t matter where it’s located.

   3. You have five minutes alone with Paris Hilton. What would you tell her?

   ** Tell her? Seriously? I’d slap her. Okay, maybe I’d tell her to get a real dog, THEN I’d slap her.

   4. Everlasting peace in the Middle East. Or a cure for AIDS. What’s your choice?

   ** Cure for AIDS. Peace is an amazing idea, but it’s a choice to fight. No one chooses to get AIDS…especially in Africa and other third world countries.

   by Carrie on December 22nd, 2006 at 11:13 am
   
   

4. 1. The body lies crumpled on the floor of the motel room, the odor of blood and gunsmoke heavy in the air. As the partner of the dead man bangs on the door, you drop the pistol and head to the bathroom window, reaching for your cell phone. Which character that appeared in a 2006 thriller or mystery do you call?

   Driver, or Jack Reacher.

   2. Money is no object. Where would you live?

   Castel Rigone, Tuscany

   3. You have five minutes alone with Paris Hilton. What would you tell her?

   Money can’t buy class and buy yourself some underwear.

   4. This holiday season you have the power to give the world one of two gifts. Everlasting peace in the Middle East. Or a cure for AIDS. What’s your choice?

   Everlasting peace. We’re got people who are already very close to finding the keys to wiping out AIDS. No scientist can figure out the formula to rescind centuries of hatred.

   Merry Christmas, everyone!

   by JT Ellison on December 22nd, 2006 at 11:27 am
   
   

5. 1. The body lies crumpled on the floor of the motel room, the odor of blood and gunsmoke heavy in the air. As the partner of the dead man bangs on the door, you drop the pistol and head to the bathroom window, reaching for your cell phone. Which character that appeared in a 2006 thriller or mystery do you call?

   Mike Kowalski for D. Swig’s THE BLONDE. That guy is badass, and if he’s on your team, he’ll get you out. Of course he might kill a lot of people on the way.

   2. Money is no object. Where would you live?

   Money no object? Everywhere.

   3. You have five minutes alone with Paris Hilton. What would you tell her?

   Nothing. And hope she doesn’t try to talk either.

   4. This holiday season you have the power to give the world one of two gifts. Everlasting peace in the Middle East. Or a cure for AIDS. What’s your choice?

   Damn, this is a tough one. AIDS or peace? Choices like this are why I haven’t been appointed God.

   by Brett Battles on December 22nd, 2006 at 11:29 am
   
   

6. Hi Harry!

   by JT Ellison on December 22nd, 2006 at 11:30 am
   
   

7. 1. The body lies crumpled on the floor of the motel room, the odor of blood and gunsmoke heavy in the air. As the partner of the dead man bangs on the door, you drop the pistol and head to the bathroom window, reaching for your cell phone. Which character that appeared in a 2006 thriller or mystery do you call?

   Hmmm…Reacher’s phone seems busy. I think I’d call Samantha Mack. Smack: A girl with a badge and a gun. Perfect.

   2. Money is no object. Where would you live?

   Same house I do now, of course.

   Oh, and a summer house overlooking Rocky Mountain National Park. And maybe an apartment in London. And that flat in NY. And…a castle in the south of France. Oh, that ski-house in Gstaad. Can’t forget that spot in Fiji….and did I mention Milan?

   3. You have five minutes alone with Paris Hilton. What would you tell her?

   She’s an idiot.

   4. This holiday season you have the power to give the world one of two gifts.
   Everlasting peace in the Middle East. Or a cure for AIDS. What’s your choice?

   Everlasting peace. I can’t stand the thought of my children living with the constant fear of the next 9/11.

   Harry, I agree nothing beats Javiers. Great to see you!

   by James Lavish on December 22nd, 2006 at 1:28 pm
   
   

8. harry is a great, great writer.

   by brooke on December 22nd, 2006 at 2:38 pm
   
   

9. 1. The body lies crumpled on the floor of the motel room, the odor of blood and gunsmoke heavy in the air. As the partner of the dead man bangs on the door, you drop the pistol and head to the bathroom window, reaching for your cell phone. Which character that appeared in a 2006 thriller or mystery do you call?

   Call? I’ve got a perfectly good pistol here. Pop the partner when he comes in. Saves on those roaming charges. And then I’ll call Mike Foley from Gischler’s Shotgun Opera. Something tells me I’m gonna need backup.

   2. Money is no object. Where would you live?

   Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, London, Paris, Rome, and an underground bunker in the middle of the desert with ten thousand crack troops waiting to take over small, Latin American nations at my command.

   3. You have five minutes alone with Paris Hilton. What would you tell her?

   I think I’d be spending too much time clawing and chewing my way out of the room to actually say anything other than DEAR GOD, NOOOOOO. Of course the drywall in my teeth might make it come out a little muffled.

   4. This holiday season you have the power to give the world one of two gifts. Everlasting peace in the Middle East. Or a cure for AIDS. What’s your choice?

   A cure for AIDS. Disease is just a technical problem, but people will always find an excuse to kill each other. If it’s not in the Middle East, it’ll just be someplace else.

   Oh, and I’m with Brooke, Harry is a great, great writer.

   by Stephen Blackmoore on December 22nd, 2006 at 4:45 pm
   
   

10. 1) Why, Lee Henry Oswald, of course!

    2) Why live in one place when you have enough money to travel freely all over the world?

    3) I’d say, “You’re an attention whore.” Then I’d use the remaining 4 1/2 minutes to do something productive.

    4) Peace in the ME. AIDS we’ll one day cure, but stabilizing the ME is something that may never happen…

    Hi Harry! Go Cowboys!!!

    by Chris Graham on December 22nd, 2006 at 5:05 pm
    
    

11. 1. The body lies crumpled on the floor of the motel room, the odor of blood and gunsmoke heavy in the air. As the partner of the dead man bangs on the door, you drop the pistol and head to the bathroom window, reaching for your cell phone. Which character that appeared in a 2006 thriller or mystery do you call?

    OK, I’m cheating a bit here. I’d call Jonathan Quinn from Brett Battles’ THE CLEANER. Yes, it’s an ‘07 book…

    2. Money is no object. Where would you live?

    There’s no way I could pick one place.

    3. You have five minutes alone with Paris Hilton. What would you tell her?

    I’d sit quietly in a corner and hope she didn’t notice me.

    4. This holiday season you have the power to give the world one of two gifts. Everlasting peace in the Middle East. Or a cure for AIDS. What’s your choice?

    Tough, tough question. If people could be educated to the point that they would do what they need to in order to prevent AIDS, I’d go for Middle Eastern peace.

    by Tasha Alexander on December 22nd, 2006 at 5:59 pm
    
    

12. 1. The body lies crumpled on the floor of the motel room, the odor of blood and gunsmoke heavy in the air. As the partner of the dead man bangs on the door, you drop the pistol and head to the bathroom window, reaching for your cell phone. Which character that appeared in a 2006 thriller or mystery do you call?

    What am I, am amateur?

    I drop the trackable cell phone and take the pistol.

    2. Money is no object. Where would you live?

    Someplace where I could blend in without a cell phone.

    3. You have five minutes alone with Paris Hilton. What would you tell her?

    This is why I didn’t drop the pistol.

    4. This holiday season you have the power to give the world one of two gifts: Everlasting peace in the Middle East. Or a cure for AIDS. What’s your choice?

    A cure for AIDS. I don’t deal in fantasy.

    by Keith on December 23rd, 2006 at 8:25 pm
    
    

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