Get Ready for a Killer Year…

I’m having a difficult time crawling out from under my post-holiday Rock of Sloth. I got lots of wonderful new books–special thanks to my fabulous editor for sending me, among other treasures, an ARC of Lionel Shriver’s latest, The Post-Birthday World. Between reading and cooking and other extra-curricular activities, I’m not getting a whole lot of work done. But you really should have been here for dinner last night–tas kebabi with hünkar begendi, aka Sultan’s delight. Mmmmmm…….

The astute reader may guess that my ventures in Turkish cooking correspond with the next book I’m researching. At the moment it looks as if much of it will take place in Istanbul….or, as I’m immersed in 1892, Constantinople. So I guess you could say that I am, in fact, working. Really, really hard. Somebody pass me the baklava, will you?

Today is the last Virtual Cocktail Party for 2006, and to send off the old year in style and welcome the new with pizzazz, I thought it would be fun to deviate from our usual format. With us are several members of Killer Year, a group of fiercely talented crime fiction writers whose debut novels will each be released in 2007. Now, I couldn’t let all of them argue over what we should drink, and as it’s New Year’s, it’s patently obvious that we should be having champagne regardless. All that’s left is to pick which one. I’ve had a lot of good news this year, so I think it’s time for a well-deserved bottle of Dom Perignon. Who wouldn’t want to drink stars?

So uncork a bottle and get ready to have some fun. Today the ball’s in your court–our KY friends are asking the questions and you need to answer them…

BRETT BATTLES: Let’s play favorite year so far. What’s been yours? Why?

J.T. ELLISON: If you could have any talent bestowed upon you, a skill that would give you expertise unparalleled by others, what would it be?

GREGG OLSEN: About sex. I don’t have any sex scenes in A WICKED SNOW because I’d have to write them from memory, and my memory’s not so great. But do your characters have better sex that you do?

DEREK NIKITAS: What famous fictional villain do you most wish was a real live person so that you could have the pleasure of personally rendering him/her a real dead person? Oh, and how would you do the honors?

BILL CAMERON: How do you manage the deluge of propositions and marriage proposals which must come to the site daily, and does your method results in any fatalities, and if it doesn’t result in any fatalities, will you marry me, either individually, or as a group?

SANDRA RUTTAN: Does anyone keep time to the official New Year’s countdown? Bill wants to know but he’s too shy to ask.

I’m having a hard time believing Bill’s too shy to ask anything…

DAVE WHITE: What do women look for on New Year’s Eve to kiss at midnight? Do they usually plan ahead or is it any ol’ guy who not taken.

ROBERT GREGORY BROWNE: If you were invited to spend the night with Brett Battles, would you prefer nudity or novacaine?

SEAN CHERCOVER: Crime fiction character you’d most like for a relationship? For a one-night stand? Favorite make-out albums?

I’ll start things off by answering these myself in the comments (once, that is, I’ve had enough caffeine to be reasonably coherent). And I’ll be looking forward to reading everyone else’s answers. Especially to Rob’s question.

A million thanks to our friends at Killer Year for coming up with such…thought-provoking…questions! Make sure that each of their books is on your list–good, good reading. Next week, we’re in for a good time: Our guest will be Jackie Kessler, author of Hell’s Belles, which tells the steamy story of Jezebel, “a hot demon on the run from hell–which isn’t easy to do in heels.”

Well. It’s not easy to do much in heels. But it sure is fun…

Have a wonderful, wonderful New Year’s Eve and don’t forget to send me questions for Jackie! See ya in ‘07!

xo
Tasha

6 Responses to “Get Ready for a Killer Year…”

1. Running out the door for a road trip but had to say:

   Big hug to Bill. Very sweet. You earned yourself a free-from-fatality pass that us Good Girls save for special people.

   Once I get where I’m going, I’ll try to answer the rest.

   by Laura on December 29th, 2006 at 8:03 am
   
   

2. 1. Let’s play favorite year so far. What’s been yours? Why?

   I couldn’t pick one. Each of them has been the best and the worst and the most intense all rolled together and is then surpassed by the next.

   Plus, it kind of depresses me to think that the BEST would already be in the past.

   2. If you could have any talent bestowed upon you, a skill that would give you expertise unparalleled by others, what would it be?

   The ability to write incomparably beautiful, moving, gripping novels.

   3. About sex. I don’t have any sex scenes in A WICKED SNOW because I’d have to write them from memory, and my memory’s not so great. But do your characters have better sex that you do?

   My protagonist is a young Victorian widow. She’s not getting any. Very unlike my real life; I’m married to a man of action and am definitely getting the better end of the deal. Sorry, Emily. You should be so lucky.

   4. What famous fictional villain do you most wish was a real live person so that you could have the pleasure of personally rendering him/her a real dead person? Oh, and how would you do the honors?

   Oooooo…..this is hard. I guess for me it’s not so much a villain. Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby infuriates me.

   5. How do you manage the deluge of propositions and marriage proposals which must come to the site daily, and does your method results in any fatalities, and if it doesn’t result in any fatalities, will you marry me, either individually, or as a group?

   I forward all of my proposals to my husband who carefully weighs their merits. No fatalities so far, but he’s a pretty magnanimous guy.

   And Laura’s right, Bill….you definitely get a free-from-fatality pass from the Good Girls!

   6. Does anyone keep time to the official New Year’s countdown? Bill wants to know but he’s too shy to ask.

   If by “official” you mean the ball dropping in New York, I don’t. Look, that ball is completely underwhelming. If it crashed down at full speed and shattered into a million pieces, that would be impressive. But the slow crawl down the pole is mind-numbing.

   7. What do women look for on New Year’s Eve to kiss at midnight? Do they usually plan ahead or is it any ol’ guy who not taken.

   All women know exactly what they want on New Year’s Eve.

   8. If you were invited to spend the night with Brett Battles, would you prefer nudity or novacaine?

   Are you suggesting that nudity and novacaine are mutually exclusive?

   9. Crime fiction character you’d most like for a relationship? For a one-night stand? Favorite make-out albums?

   Relationship: Ramses Emerson

   One-night stand: Tommy Lynley

   Album: I’d have to put together a mix of my own, starting with Pearl Jam’s “Come Back”– which may not sound romantic, but listen to the rhythm and tell me it doesn’t get you in the mood.

   by Tasha Alexander on December 29th, 2006 at 11:34 am
   
   

3. I get the best Christmas Present ever!

   by Bill on December 29th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
   
   

4. 1. Let’s play favorite year so far. What’s been yours? Why?

   2006 was pretty damn good.

   2. If you could have any talent bestowed upon you, a skill that would give you expertise unparalleled by others, what would it be?

   I’d like to be the world best kisser. Not that I suck at it now, but, you know, it would be nice to have that rep.

   3. About sex. I don’t have any sex scenes in A WICKED SNOW because I’d have to write them from memory, and my memory’s not so great. But do your characters have better sex that you do?

   Unfortunately yes.

   4. What famous fictional villain do you most wish was a real live person so that you could have the pleasure of personally rendering him/her a real dead person? Oh, and how would you do the honors?

   The Walking Dude from the Stand by Stephen King. On second thought, maybe not. He’d be hard to kill again…hmmm….

   5. How do you manage the deluge of propositions and marriage proposals which must come to the site daily, and does your method results in any fatalities, and if it doesn’t result in any fatalities, will you marry me, either individually, or as a group?

   Suck up question.

   6. Does anyone keep time to the official New Year’s countdown? Bill wants to know but he’s too shy to ask.

   Yes. He then sets the atomic clock to it.

   7. What do women look for on New Year’s Eve to kiss at midnight? Do they usually plan ahead or is it any ol’ guy who not taken.

   God…if I knew that answer…

   8. If you were invited to spend the night with Brett Battles, would you prefer nudity or novacaine?

   Novacaine, of course.

   9. Crime fiction character you’d most like for a relationship? For a one-night stand? Favorite make-out albums?

   Relationship: Phoung from The Quiet American
   One NIght Stand: Nikki “Coco” From Shanghai Baby
   Make Out Album: Best of Bread

   by Brett Battles on December 29th, 2006 at 3:29 pm
   
   

5. Brett, you make sucking up sound like a bad thing.

   by Bill on December 29th, 2006 at 9:44 pm
   
   

6. Let’s play favorite year so far. What’s been yours? Why?

   1995. I married my man. Close tie with 2006, for obvious reasons.

   About sex.

   I recommend it highly, fictionally and otherwise.

   What famous fictional villain do you most wish was a real live person so that you could have the pleasure of personally rendering him/her a real dead person? Oh, and how would you do the honors?

   SPECTRE. Lots of targets. Lots of COD choices too.

   How do you manage the deluge of propositions and marriage proposals which must come to the site daily, and does your method results in any fatalities, and if it doesn’t result in any fatalities, will you marry me, either individually, or as a group?

   I don’t think this was directed at me…

   Does anyone keep time to the official New Year’s countdown?

   New Year’s — highly overrated. But I watch the countdown.

   What do women look for on New Year’s Eve to kiss at midnight?

   Hmmm, kissing….

   If you were invited to spend the night with Brett Battles, would you prefer nudity or novacaine?

   I have. In a bar. In Phoenix. And there was no nudity.

   Crime fiction character you’d most like for a relationship? For a one-night stand?

   I’m pretty content right now. I’ve never been much for fantasies.

   Favorite make-out albums?

   You have time to listen to music???

   by JT Ellison on December 30th, 2006 at 11:29 am
   
   

Leave a Reply