Rachel Howzell Hall's Blog
September 11, 2020
Rachel Howzell Hall’s 2020 #PitchWars Wishlist Hi! I’m Ra...
Rachel Howzell Hall’s 2020 #PitchWars Wishlist Hi! I’m Rachel Howzell Hall, and this is my first time serving as a mentor in the Adult category for Pitch Wars! WoOt!For those of you who are new to Pitch Wars, it is a mentoring program wherepublished/agented authors, editors, or industry interns choose one writer each,read their entire manuscript, and offer suggestions on how to make themanuscript shine for an agent showcase. The mentor also helps edit theirmentee’s pitch for the contest and their query letter for submitting to agents.
So, what do I want to read as a mentor? Crime fiction and mystery—love, love,love this genre. No rapists, though. No porn. No pedophilia. I like dark, but Idon’t get down like that. Other than that, what else? Hmmm…�
Right now, it’s hotand muggy in Los Angeles, and so I’ve been hydrating a lot. With nothing butdrinks on my mind, here is my wish list as beverages:
WATER. The essence of everything. Flexible and revitalizing. I wantwriting with refreshing ideas. Sure, you can have a tropey detective who drinkswhisky and listens to jazz but have the whisky come from Costco and the jazz besung by Celia Cruz. Hells yeah, I like the unexpected, but I have to say,‘Aaahh� after putting down those pages. Think: Pete Fernandez, Lou Norton,Juniper Song, Dayna Anderson, Mas Arai, Bug Montage, Grayson Sykes, GethsemaneBrown, Roxane Weary, Isaiah Quintabe
BEER. Don’t like it. Never drank it (unless you count Zima, which� no oneshould count Zima). But it’s the WHY people like beer. There’s a feel-gooddopamine released in our brains with beer. It’s also accessible—anybody canafford it. So, I’m looking for writers who are EXCITED about writing andrevising and editing and writing some more. The thought of this entire processmakes you BOOZY.
WINE. I love Bordeauxs and Cabs. They help me to relax. Talking on thephone? That keeps me from relaxing. I’m the one who bankrolled research anddevelopment for Caller ID. Facts. So, if you don’t mind texts, Messenger, GmailChat and revising over Google Docs, then get to submitting. We may actuallytalk-talk once or twice, but that every week thing? Nah, I’m not about that.
SANGRIA. Takes planning and steeping. A� recipe. I’m all out thatplanning life. Outlining is how I’ve been able to writing so much. Yes: I knowstories fluctuate as your write but outlines keep your safe—there’s a roadmapeven as you wander off the trail. Besides, you’re gonna need an outlineanyway—from submitting on proposal to writing your synopsis. And we don’t have alot of time, so seeing what you’re planning will help me to WINE and BEER sothat we can create a WATER.
COFFEE. Keeps you awake. You’ll need that shot of caffeinated adrenalinbecause we’re gonna be revising. An overall read of the outline first, thenyou’ll go off to write. You’ll send me sections that correspond to the writer’sjourney so that we sure the structure is sound. While I’m editing that section,you’ll start on the next. Then, in the end, we’ll do another look-see.
Who am I?And why do I have the nerve to ask so much from you?
I’m the author of thebestseller and Anthony Award-, Lefty Award- and ITW-award nominated They AllFall Down (Forge). I write the acclaimed Lou Norton series, including Land ofShadows, Skies of Ash, Trail of Echoes, and City of Saviors. I am also theco-author of The Good Sister with James Patterson, which was included in the NewYork Times bestseller The Family Lawyer. I’m currently on the board of directorsfor the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America and I live inLos Angeles. My next novel And Now She’s Gone will be published in September2020. I’ve been on NPR twice and I work full-time as a fundraising writing forCedars-Sinai. My first novel A Quiet Storm (Scribner) was published in 2002.
I’ve been around and seen a LOT of change in the publishing industry. I’ve alsoself-published two novels—A View from Here and No One Knows You’re Here becauseno traditional publisher wanted them. So! If you have any questions, pleasetweet me @RachelHowzell.
I may not be your jam, but another mentor could be. Here's the gateway to other mentors:
So, what do I want to read as a mentor? Crime fiction and mystery—love, love,love this genre. No rapists, though. No porn. No pedophilia. I like dark, but Idon’t get down like that. Other than that, what else? Hmmm…�
Right now, it’s hotand muggy in Los Angeles, and so I’ve been hydrating a lot. With nothing butdrinks on my mind, here is my wish list as beverages:
WATER. The essence of everything. Flexible and revitalizing. I wantwriting with refreshing ideas. Sure, you can have a tropey detective who drinkswhisky and listens to jazz but have the whisky come from Costco and the jazz besung by Celia Cruz. Hells yeah, I like the unexpected, but I have to say,‘Aaahh� after putting down those pages. Think: Pete Fernandez, Lou Norton,Juniper Song, Dayna Anderson, Mas Arai, Bug Montage, Grayson Sykes, GethsemaneBrown, Roxane Weary, Isaiah Quintabe
BEER. Don’t like it. Never drank it (unless you count Zima, which� no oneshould count Zima). But it’s the WHY people like beer. There’s a feel-gooddopamine released in our brains with beer. It’s also accessible—anybody canafford it. So, I’m looking for writers who are EXCITED about writing andrevising and editing and writing some more. The thought of this entire processmakes you BOOZY.
WINE. I love Bordeauxs and Cabs. They help me to relax. Talking on thephone? That keeps me from relaxing. I’m the one who bankrolled research anddevelopment for Caller ID. Facts. So, if you don’t mind texts, Messenger, GmailChat and revising over Google Docs, then get to submitting. We may actuallytalk-talk once or twice, but that every week thing? Nah, I’m not about that.
SANGRIA. Takes planning and steeping. A� recipe. I’m all out thatplanning life. Outlining is how I’ve been able to writing so much. Yes: I knowstories fluctuate as your write but outlines keep your safe—there’s a roadmapeven as you wander off the trail. Besides, you’re gonna need an outlineanyway—from submitting on proposal to writing your synopsis. And we don’t have alot of time, so seeing what you’re planning will help me to WINE and BEER sothat we can create a WATER.
COFFEE. Keeps you awake. You’ll need that shot of caffeinated adrenalinbecause we’re gonna be revising. An overall read of the outline first, thenyou’ll go off to write. You’ll send me sections that correspond to the writer’sjourney so that we sure the structure is sound. While I’m editing that section,you’ll start on the next. Then, in the end, we’ll do another look-see.
Who am I?And why do I have the nerve to ask so much from you?
I’m the author of thebestseller and Anthony Award-, Lefty Award- and ITW-award nominated They AllFall Down (Forge). I write the acclaimed Lou Norton series, including Land ofShadows, Skies of Ash, Trail of Echoes, and City of Saviors. I am also theco-author of The Good Sister with James Patterson, which was included in the NewYork Times bestseller The Family Lawyer. I’m currently on the board of directorsfor the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America and I live inLos Angeles. My next novel And Now She’s Gone will be published in September2020. I’ve been on NPR twice and I work full-time as a fundraising writing forCedars-Sinai. My first novel A Quiet Storm (Scribner) was published in 2002.
I’ve been around and seen a LOT of change in the publishing industry. I’ve alsoself-published two novels—A View from Here and No One Knows You’re Here becauseno traditional publisher wanted them. So! If you have any questions, pleasetweet me @RachelHowzell.
I may not be your jam, but another mentor could be. Here's the gateway to other mentors:
Pitch Wars 2020 Adult Mentors' Wish Lists
Rachel Howzell Hall’s 2020 #PitchWars Wishlist Hi! I’m ...
Rachel Howzell Hall’s 2020 #PitchWars Wishlist Hi! I’m Rachel Howzell Hall, and this is my first time serving as a mentor in the Adult category for Pitch Wars! WoOt! For those of you who are new to Pitch Wars, it is a mentoring program where published/agented authors, editors, or industry interns choose one writer each, read their entire manuscript, and offer suggestions on how to make the manuscript shine for an agent showcase. The mentor also helps edit their mentee’s pitch for the contest and their query letter for submitting to agents.
So, what do I want to read as a mentor? Crime fiction and mystery—love, love, love this genre. No rapists, though. No porn. No pedophilia. I like dark, but I don’t get down like that. Other than that, what else? Hmmm…�
Right now, it’s hot and muggy in Los Angeles, and so I’ve been hydrating a lot. With nothing but drinks on my mind, here is my wish list as beverages:
WATER. The essence of everything. Flexible and revitalizing. I want writing with refreshing ideas. Sure, you can have a tropey detective who drinks whisky and listens to jazz but have the whisky come from Costco and the jazz be sung by Celia Cruz. Hells yeah, I like the unexpected, but I have to say, ‘Aaahh� after putting down those pages. Think: Pete Fernandez, Lou Norton, Juniper Song, Dayna Anderson, Mas Arai, Bug Montage, Grayson Sykes, Gethsemane Brown, Roxane Weary, Isaiah Quintabe
BEER. Don’t like it. Never drank it (unless you count Zima, which� no one should count Zima). But it’s the WHY people like beer. There’s a feel-good dopamine released in our brains with beer. It’s also accessible—anybody can afford it. So, I’m looking for writers who are EXCITED about writing and revising and editing and writing some more. The thought of this entire process makes you BOOZY.
WINE. I love Bordeauxs and Cabs. They help me to relax. Talking on the phone? That keeps me from relaxing. I’m the one who bankrolled research and development for Caller ID. Facts. So, if you don’t mind texts, Messenger, Gmail Chat and revising over Google Docs, then get to submitting. We may actually talk-talk once or twice, but that every week thing? Nah, I’m not about that.
SANGRIA. Takes planning and steeping. A� recipe. I’m all out that planning life. Outlining is how I’ve been able to writing so much. Yes: I know stories fluctuate as your write but outlines keep your safe—there’s a roadmap even as you wander off the trail. Besides, you’re gonna need an outline anyway—from submitting on proposal to writing your synopsis. And we don’t have a lot of time, so seeing what you’re planning will help me to WINE and BEER so that we can create a WATER.
COFFEE. Keeps you awake. You’ll need that shot of caffeinated adrenalin because we’re gonna be revising. An overall read of the outline first, then you’ll go off to write. You’ll send me sections that correspond to the writer’s journey so that we sure the structure is sound. While I’m editing that section, you’ll start on the next. Then, in the end, we’ll do another look-see.
Who am I? And why do I have the nerve to ask so much from you?
I’m the author of the bestseller and Anthony Award-, Lefty Award- and ITW-award nominated They All Fall Down (Forge). I write the acclaimed Lou Norton series, including Land of Shadows, Skies of Ash, Trail of Echoes, and City of Saviors. I am also the co-author of The Good Sister with James Patterson, which was included in the New York Times bestseller The Family Lawyer. I’m currently on the board of directors for the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America and I live in Los Angeles. My next novel And Now She’s Gone will be published in September 2020. I’ve been on NPR twice and I work full-time as a fundraising writing for Cedars-Sinai. My first novel A Quiet Storm (Scribner) was published in 2002.
I’ve been around and seen a LOT of change in the publishing industry. I’ve also self-published two novels—A View from Here and No One Knows You’re Here because no traditional publisher wanted them. So! If you have any questions, please tweet me @RachelHowzell.
I may not be your jam, but another mentor could be. Here's the gateway to other mentors:
So, what do I want to read as a mentor? Crime fiction and mystery—love, love, love this genre. No rapists, though. No porn. No pedophilia. I like dark, but I don’t get down like that. Other than that, what else? Hmmm…�
Right now, it’s hot and muggy in Los Angeles, and so I’ve been hydrating a lot. With nothing but drinks on my mind, here is my wish list as beverages:
WATER. The essence of everything. Flexible and revitalizing. I want writing with refreshing ideas. Sure, you can have a tropey detective who drinks whisky and listens to jazz but have the whisky come from Costco and the jazz be sung by Celia Cruz. Hells yeah, I like the unexpected, but I have to say, ‘Aaahh� after putting down those pages. Think: Pete Fernandez, Lou Norton, Juniper Song, Dayna Anderson, Mas Arai, Bug Montage, Grayson Sykes, Gethsemane Brown, Roxane Weary, Isaiah Quintabe
BEER. Don’t like it. Never drank it (unless you count Zima, which� no one should count Zima). But it’s the WHY people like beer. There’s a feel-good dopamine released in our brains with beer. It’s also accessible—anybody can afford it. So, I’m looking for writers who are EXCITED about writing and revising and editing and writing some more. The thought of this entire process makes you BOOZY.
WINE. I love Bordeauxs and Cabs. They help me to relax. Talking on the phone? That keeps me from relaxing. I’m the one who bankrolled research and development for Caller ID. Facts. So, if you don’t mind texts, Messenger, Gmail Chat and revising over Google Docs, then get to submitting. We may actually talk-talk once or twice, but that every week thing? Nah, I’m not about that.
SANGRIA. Takes planning and steeping. A� recipe. I’m all out that planning life. Outlining is how I’ve been able to writing so much. Yes: I know stories fluctuate as your write but outlines keep your safe—there’s a roadmap even as you wander off the trail. Besides, you’re gonna need an outline anyway—from submitting on proposal to writing your synopsis. And we don’t have a lot of time, so seeing what you’re planning will help me to WINE and BEER so that we can create a WATER.
COFFEE. Keeps you awake. You’ll need that shot of caffeinated adrenalin because we’re gonna be revising. An overall read of the outline first, then you’ll go off to write. You’ll send me sections that correspond to the writer’s journey so that we sure the structure is sound. While I’m editing that section, you’ll start on the next. Then, in the end, we’ll do another look-see.
Who am I? And why do I have the nerve to ask so much from you?
I’m the author of the bestseller and Anthony Award-, Lefty Award- and ITW-award nominated They All Fall Down (Forge). I write the acclaimed Lou Norton series, including Land of Shadows, Skies of Ash, Trail of Echoes, and City of Saviors. I am also the co-author of The Good Sister with James Patterson, which was included in the New York Times bestseller The Family Lawyer. I’m currently on the board of directors for the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America and I live in Los Angeles. My next novel And Now She’s Gone will be published in September 2020. I’ve been on NPR twice and I work full-time as a fundraising writing for Cedars-Sinai. My first novel A Quiet Storm (Scribner) was published in 2002.
I’ve been around and seen a LOT of change in the publishing industry. I’ve also self-published two novels—A View from Here and No One Knows You’re Here because no traditional publisher wanted them. So! If you have any questions, please tweet me @RachelHowzell.
I may not be your jam, but another mentor could be. Here's the gateway to other mentors:
Pitch Wars 2020 Adult Mentors' Wish Lists
Rachel Howzell Hall’s 2020 #PitchWars Wishlist Hi! I’m R...
Rachel Howzell Hall’s 2020 #PitchWars Wishlist Hi! I’m Rachel Howzell Hall, and this is my first time serving as a mentor in the Adult category for Pitch Wars! WoOt! For those of you who are new to Pitch Wars, it is a mentoring program where published/agented authors, editors, or industry interns choose one writer each, read their entire manuscript, and offer suggestions on how to make the manuscript shine for an agent showcase. The mentor also helps edit their mentee’s pitch for the contest and their query letter for submitting to agents. So, what do I want to read as a mentor? Crime fiction and mystery—love, love, love this genre. No rapists, though. No porn. No pedophilia. I like dark, but I don’t get down like that. Other than that, what else? Hmmm� Right now, it’s hot and muggy in Los Angeles, and so I’ve been hydrating.
With nothing but drinks on my mind, here is my wish list as beverages: WATER. The essence of everything. Flexible and revitalizing. I want writing with refreshing ideas. Sure, you can have a tropey detective who drinks whisky and listens to jazz but have the whisky come from Costco and the jazz be sung by Celia Cruz. Hells yeah, I like the unexpected, but I have to say, ‘Aaahh� after putting down those pages. Think: Pete Fernandez, Lou Norton, Juniper Song, Dayna Anderson, Mas Arai, Bug Montage, Grayson Sykes, Gethsemane Brown, Roxane Weary, Isaiah Quintabe.
BEER. Don’t like it. Never drank it (unless you count Zima, which� no one should count Zima). But it’s the WHY people like beer. There’s a feel-good dopamine released in our brains with beer. It’s also accessible—anybody can afford it. So, I’m looking for writers who are EXCITED about writing and revising and editing and writing some more. The thought of this entire process makes you BOOZY.
WINE. I love Bordeauxs and Cabs. They help me to relax. Talking on the phone? That keeps me from relaxing. I’m the one who bankrolled research and development for Caller ID. Facts. So, if you don’t mind texts, Messenger, Gmail Chat and revising over Google Docs, then get to submitting. We may actually talk-talk once or twice, but that every week thing? Nah, I’m not about that.
SANGRIA. Takes planning and steeping. A� recipe. I’m all out that planning life. Outlining is how I’ve been able to writing so much. Yes: I know stories fluctuate as your write but outlines keep your safe—there’s a roadmap even as you wander off the trail. Besides, you’re gonna need an outline anyway—from submitting on proposal to writing your synopsis. And we don’t have a lot of time, so seeing what you’re planning will help me to WINE and BEER so that we can create a WATER.
COFFEE. Keeps you awake. You’ll need that shot of caffeinated adrenalin because we’re gonna be revising. An overall read of the outline first, then you’ll go off to write. You’ll send me sections that correspond to the writer’s journey so that we sure the structure is sound. While I’m editing that section, you’ll start on the next. Then, in the end, we’ll do another look-see.
Who am I? And why do I have the nerve to ask so much from you? I’m the author of the bestseller and Anthony Award-, Lefty Award- and ITW-award nominated They All Fall Down (Forge). I write the acclaimed Lou Norton series, including Land of Shadows, Skies of Ash, Trail of Echoes, and City of Saviors. She is also the co-author of The Good Sister with James Patterson, which was included in the New York Times bestseller The Family Lawyer. I’m currently on the board of directors for the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America and I live in Los Angeles. My next novel And Now She’s Gone will be published in September 2020. I’ve been on NPR twice and I work full-time as a fundraising writing for Cedars-Sinai. My first novel A Quiet Storm (Scribner) was published in 2002. I’ve been around and seen a LOT of change in the publishing industry. I’ve also self-published two novels—A View from Here and No One Knows You’re Here because no traditional publisher wanted them. So! If you have any questions, please tweet me @RachelHowzell. I may not be your jam, but another mentor could be. Here's the gateway to other mentors:
Pitch Wars 2020 Adult Mentors' Wish Lists
May 19, 2015
Skies of Ash - Release Day
It's here!
It's queer!
It's not going away!
SKIES OF ASH is alive in book stores near you!
What's it about?
Los Angeles homicide detective Elouise "Lou" Norton and her partner, Colin Taggert, arrive at the scene of a tragic house fire. Juliet Chatman perished in the blaze, along with her two children. Left behind is grieving husband and father Christopher Chatman, hospitalized after trying to rescue his family. Chatman is devastated that he couldn't save them.
Unless, of course, he's the one who killed them.
Neighbors and family friends insist the Chatmans were living the dream. But Lou quickly discovers the reality was very different. The flames of adultery, jealousy, scandal, fraud, and disease had all but consumed the Chatmans' marriage before it went up in smoke.
Lou's own marriage hangs by a thread. Soured by the men in her life, Lou is convinced that Chatman started the fire. Her colleagues worry that her personal issues are obscuring her judgment. With very little evidence regarding the fire—and rising doubts about her husband's commitment to monogamy—Lou feels played by all sides.
Was the fire sparked by a serial arsonist known as The Burning Man? Or by the Chatmans' son, who regularly burned his father's property?
Searching for justice through the ashes of a picture-perfect family, Lou doesn't know if she will catch an arsonist or be burned in the process.
Here's an excerpt:
I trudged toward the wreck, its death scent assaulting my nostrils. Colin met me halfway with the coffee cup extended.
I took the drink and glanced at his crisp blue jeans. The creases were as sharp as thousand- year- old cheddar. “You just take the dry cleaner’s plastic off?� I asked.
He held up a leg. “Can you tell?�
“Not at all.�
“Bodies are still in the house,� he said, “and the firefighters need to get some debris out of the way so we can see ’em. They’re thinkin� we can go in, in about an hour.�
I checked my watch� that would take us to eleven.
“So the next- door neighbor,� Colin said, “an old lady named Virginia Oliver.� He pivoted and pointed at the house with the animal- shaped hedges. “She lives right there. She called it in around three- forty this mornin�. Mrs. Oliver says she started not to call cuz the smoke detectors in that house were always goin� off. Seemed like the Chatmans—�
“That the family name?� I asked.
He nodded. “The son was always settin� shit on � re. So the old lady thought nothin� of it ’til she heard the � re. She said, and I quote, ‘Sounded like God was frying bacon.� According to another neighbor, Eli Moss”� he pointed to the green bungalow with the baby grand piano—“a patrol unit got here before the � re trucks. I’m guessin� because of the ‘kill me� part of Mrs. Chatman’s 911 call.�
“You talk to the R/O?�
Colin nodded. “His name is Bridges. He says when he got here, the fire was mostly in the center of the house, second story. He tried to get in, but that”� he pointed to the wrought- iron security door propped against the house’s side—“kept him out. The fire trucks got here a few minutes later. The neighbor says that once the trucks got here, it took them some time to find the hydrant, which is at the end of the block and too far for the one- hundred- foot hose.�
I shook my head. “Ticktock.�
“Almost an hour into the fire� that would be close to five o’clock� the man of the house, Christopher Chatman, pulled up in his car.� He pointed to the dark blue Jaguar sedan now covered in LA snow and abandoned near a sawhorse.
I frowned. “It’s five in the morning and Christopher Chatman ain’t home?�
Colin smirked. “Yep.�
“Why the wonky hours? He a doctor or an astronaut or something?� “He’s a commodities broker. Don’t know what the hell that is, but there you go. Anyway, he pulls up, runs to the house, makes it a few feet away from the front porch, where he’s tackled by a few of the heroes. Seems he was tryin� to save his wife and kids. Her name is Juliet and the kids are Chloe and Cody.�
“Are all three dead?�
Ԩ.�
Lieutenant Rodriguez had warned me that there would be blood, but I still wanted to make him a liar.
“And where the hell was Mr. Chatman?� I asked.
Colin peered at me. “Pissed already?�
“No time like the present. Where was he?�
“At work.�
It's queer!
It's not going away!
SKIES OF ASH is alive in book stores near you!
What's it about?
Los Angeles homicide detective Elouise "Lou" Norton and her partner, Colin Taggert, arrive at the scene of a tragic house fire. Juliet Chatman perished in the blaze, along with her two children. Left behind is grieving husband and father Christopher Chatman, hospitalized after trying to rescue his family. Chatman is devastated that he couldn't save them.
Unless, of course, he's the one who killed them.
Neighbors and family friends insist the Chatmans were living the dream. But Lou quickly discovers the reality was very different. The flames of adultery, jealousy, scandal, fraud, and disease had all but consumed the Chatmans' marriage before it went up in smoke.
Lou's own marriage hangs by a thread. Soured by the men in her life, Lou is convinced that Chatman started the fire. Her colleagues worry that her personal issues are obscuring her judgment. With very little evidence regarding the fire—and rising doubts about her husband's commitment to monogamy—Lou feels played by all sides.
Was the fire sparked by a serial arsonist known as The Burning Man? Or by the Chatmans' son, who regularly burned his father's property?
Searching for justice through the ashes of a picture-perfect family, Lou doesn't know if she will catch an arsonist or be burned in the process.
Here's an excerpt:
I trudged toward the wreck, its death scent assaulting my nostrils. Colin met me halfway with the coffee cup extended.
I took the drink and glanced at his crisp blue jeans. The creases were as sharp as thousand- year- old cheddar. “You just take the dry cleaner’s plastic off?� I asked.
He held up a leg. “Can you tell?�
“Not at all.�
“Bodies are still in the house,� he said, “and the firefighters need to get some debris out of the way so we can see ’em. They’re thinkin� we can go in, in about an hour.�
I checked my watch� that would take us to eleven.
“So the next- door neighbor,� Colin said, “an old lady named Virginia Oliver.� He pivoted and pointed at the house with the animal- shaped hedges. “She lives right there. She called it in around three- forty this mornin�. Mrs. Oliver says she started not to call cuz the smoke detectors in that house were always goin� off. Seemed like the Chatmans—�
“That the family name?� I asked.
He nodded. “The son was always settin� shit on � re. So the old lady thought nothin� of it ’til she heard the � re. She said, and I quote, ‘Sounded like God was frying bacon.� According to another neighbor, Eli Moss”� he pointed to the green bungalow with the baby grand piano—“a patrol unit got here before the � re trucks. I’m guessin� because of the ‘kill me� part of Mrs. Chatman’s 911 call.�
“You talk to the R/O?�
Colin nodded. “His name is Bridges. He says when he got here, the fire was mostly in the center of the house, second story. He tried to get in, but that”� he pointed to the wrought- iron security door propped against the house’s side—“kept him out. The fire trucks got here a few minutes later. The neighbor says that once the trucks got here, it took them some time to find the hydrant, which is at the end of the block and too far for the one- hundred- foot hose.�
I shook my head. “Ticktock.�
“Almost an hour into the fire� that would be close to five o’clock� the man of the house, Christopher Chatman, pulled up in his car.� He pointed to the dark blue Jaguar sedan now covered in LA snow and abandoned near a sawhorse.
I frowned. “It’s five in the morning and Christopher Chatman ain’t home?�
Colin smirked. “Yep.�
“Why the wonky hours? He a doctor or an astronaut or something?� “He’s a commodities broker. Don’t know what the hell that is, but there you go. Anyway, he pulls up, runs to the house, makes it a few feet away from the front porch, where he’s tackled by a few of the heroes. Seems he was tryin� to save his wife and kids. Her name is Juliet and the kids are Chloe and Cody.�
“Are all three dead?�
Ԩ.�
Lieutenant Rodriguez had warned me that there would be blood, but I still wanted to make him a liar.
“And where the hell was Mr. Chatman?� I asked.
Colin peered at me. “Pissed already?�
“No time like the present. Where was he?�
“At work.�
May 12, 2015
Let's Meet and Talk Books!
The hills are alive...
With the sound of fire...
Skies of Ash
A Detective Elouise Norton Novel
Readings & Signing
Please Join me!
Tuesday, May 19, 7:00 p.m., Launch Party at Book Carnival, 348 S. Tustin St., Orange, CA
Wednesday, May 20, 7:00 p.m., The Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., Los Angeles
Thursday, May 21, 7:00 p.m., Eso Won Books, 4327 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles
Wednesday, May 27, 7:30 p.m., Mysterious Galaxy San Diego, 5943 Balboa Ave #100, San Diego with M.P. Cooley, author of FLAME OUT
Saturday, May 30, 2:00 p.m., Poisoned Pen, 4014 N Goldwater Blvd #101, Scottsdale, AZ
Sunday, May 31, 6:30 p.m., A Great Good Place for Books, 6120 La Salle Ave, Oakland
Available in bookstores and on-line on May 19.
With the sound of fire...
Skies of Ash
A Detective Elouise Norton Novel
Readings & Signing
Please Join me!
Tuesday, May 19, 7:00 p.m., Launch Party at Book Carnival, 348 S. Tustin St., Orange, CA
Wednesday, May 20, 7:00 p.m., The Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., Los Angeles
Thursday, May 21, 7:00 p.m., Eso Won Books, 4327 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles
Wednesday, May 27, 7:30 p.m., Mysterious Galaxy San Diego, 5943 Balboa Ave #100, San Diego with M.P. Cooley, author of FLAME OUT
Saturday, May 30, 2:00 p.m., Poisoned Pen, 4014 N Goldwater Blvd #101, Scottsdale, AZ
Sunday, May 31, 6:30 p.m., A Great Good Place for Books, 6120 La Salle Ave, Oakland
Available in bookstores and on-line on May 19.
May 11, 2015
Colored and Invisible
Last week, Sara Paretsky wrote a great about the lack of diversity in mystery. I shared my on this issue (surprise, surprise) with The Life Sentence. In the essay, I say so many things, including:
"If you’re a writer of color and you attend Bouchercon, Malice Domestic, or any of the writing conferences, you already know that there are more robots on Mars than there are colored folks in the banquet room."
What are your thoughts?
"If you’re a writer of color and you attend Bouchercon, Malice Domestic, or any of the writing conferences, you already know that there are more robots on Mars than there are colored folks in the banquet room."
What are your thoughts?
April 20, 2015
If You Were Eavesdropping..,
Back in May at Perch, high above Los Angeles, you would've heard Attica Locke and I talking about books and writing books in Los Angeles and writing books in Los Angeles as moms. It was fun! Wanna read about it?
March 26, 2015
A Date with Destinee - A Lou Norton Short
Originally posted on
The walls of Interview Room 1 closed in on us, the gray soundproofing foam torn and gouged by the nails and fists of angry men. I shifted in my seat, then winced—my bra strap and leather holster were both biting into the fleshy part of my shoulder. Glanced at my wristwatch—almost an hour had passed—then gazed at the mountain of an eighteen-year old hunched in the chair across from me.
Brown splotches and splatters had dried on Kobe McAvoy’s gray sweatshirt and tan Dickies. Blood, now the color of chocolate pudding, had stained the toes of his used-to-be white Air Jordans. Aggravated assault, burglary, concealed weapon� So ambitious, this kid.
Kobe folded his arms and chewed the inside of his cheek. Just� sat there as though he was waiting for the rinse cycle to start. Definitely not acting as though he was seated across from a homicide detective liking him for the murders of Destinee and Cayman Andrews, his girlfriend’s parents.
I looked at my watch again: seven minutes until six. “It’s getting� late, Kobe.�
“Where Dee at?� he uttered, his voice a mix of molasses and hardening lava.
“Down the hall.�
The last time I’d seen Destinee Junior, she was collapsed on the carpet in the conference room. A mess of tears, wails and calls to Jesus. The sixteen-year old had refused to shed the filthy pink tank top and jeans she wore, stiffened now from her parents� blood.
My gaze landed on Kobe’s fingernails.
Clean.
Hunh.
Destinee and Cayman Andrews had been discovered dead in their bedroom, stabbed sometime between six in the morning and noon. A knife with the six-inch, serrated blade had been found in the kitchen sink. I had stood over the thirty-year old woman, murdered in her bed, and had stopped counting her stab wounds after reaching �21.�
And now, hours later, I sat with Kobe McAvoy, the boyfriend. Blood everywhere� except for his nails. With all that stabbing, no blood.
“So what happened?� I asked him for the eighth time.
He glared at the tabletop and said nothing.
“Why did you kill them?�
At eighteen, I didn’t need his parents� permission to question him. And he hadn’t lawyered up� yet.
Kobe sighed, then sank in his seat.
The aromas of fried turkey, sweet potatoes and mac ‘n cheese wafted from the detective’s bureau to this room where Kobe and I sat. Thanksgiving Day. While the city feasted on cranberry sauce and watched the Cowboys lose to the Raiders, here I was, interviewing a felon who wouldn’t deny, wouldn’t confirm, wouldn’t do jack.
But Kobe’s stomach growled.
In response, my stomach growled louder. “Hungry?�
He gave a one-shouldered shrug.
“I am, too.� I offered the maybe-murderer a smile. “I’ll get us something to eat.�
Five minutes later, I returned to Interview Room 1 holding two plates filled with food, plastic forks and cans of orange soda. I slipped a plate in front of him.
Kobe’s eyes shone, and his shoulders drooped as the smells of a hot, holiday meal enveloped him. He stuck his fork into the mound of collard greens, and quickly shoveled the wilted veggies into his mouth.
I also took a bite of greens, but kept one eye on the big boy seated across from me. “Good, huh?�
“Ummhmmm.� He stuffed his mouth with more greens. “She don’t use pork, huh?�
I shook my head. “Diabetes.�
“Smoked turkey?�
Ԩܱ.�
“Good, but it don’t taste the same.�
“Try the macaroni,� I said. “She uses, like, 603 kinds of cheese.�
He dug his fork into the cheesy noodles, then shoved a clump into his mouth. “That’s the bomb-diggity.�
I smiled. “Told you.�
He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Destinee hated her moms and pops.�
I paused, then said, “Yeah?�
“What she say to y’all?�
With my fork I made crosshatches in the sweet potatoes. “She’s not talking much. She keeps saying, ‘They’re gone, they’re gone.’�
He sucked his teeth, then used them to tear through the turkey leg. He grunted and shook his head.
I squinted at him. “Is that headshake cuz it’s the best turkey leg you’ve ever had, or�?�
He met my eyes. “She’s the one who did it.�
I canted my head. “Can you prove that?�
A small smile. “Detective Norton, I got all the proof in the world.� He pointed to his plate. “Can I finish this, though? Cuz what I got to tell you� We gon� be here for a while.�
Check out for other 'Day in the Life' of your favorite characters!
The walls of Interview Room 1 closed in on us, the gray soundproofing foam torn and gouged by the nails and fists of angry men. I shifted in my seat, then winced—my bra strap and leather holster were both biting into the fleshy part of my shoulder. Glanced at my wristwatch—almost an hour had passed—then gazed at the mountain of an eighteen-year old hunched in the chair across from me.
Brown splotches and splatters had dried on Kobe McAvoy’s gray sweatshirt and tan Dickies. Blood, now the color of chocolate pudding, had stained the toes of his used-to-be white Air Jordans. Aggravated assault, burglary, concealed weapon� So ambitious, this kid.
Kobe folded his arms and chewed the inside of his cheek. Just� sat there as though he was waiting for the rinse cycle to start. Definitely not acting as though he was seated across from a homicide detective liking him for the murders of Destinee and Cayman Andrews, his girlfriend’s parents.
I looked at my watch again: seven minutes until six. “It’s getting� late, Kobe.�
“Where Dee at?� he uttered, his voice a mix of molasses and hardening lava.
“Down the hall.�
The last time I’d seen Destinee Junior, she was collapsed on the carpet in the conference room. A mess of tears, wails and calls to Jesus. The sixteen-year old had refused to shed the filthy pink tank top and jeans she wore, stiffened now from her parents� blood.
My gaze landed on Kobe’s fingernails.
Clean.
Hunh.
Destinee and Cayman Andrews had been discovered dead in their bedroom, stabbed sometime between six in the morning and noon. A knife with the six-inch, serrated blade had been found in the kitchen sink. I had stood over the thirty-year old woman, murdered in her bed, and had stopped counting her stab wounds after reaching �21.�
And now, hours later, I sat with Kobe McAvoy, the boyfriend. Blood everywhere� except for his nails. With all that stabbing, no blood.
“So what happened?� I asked him for the eighth time.
He glared at the tabletop and said nothing.
“Why did you kill them?�
At eighteen, I didn’t need his parents� permission to question him. And he hadn’t lawyered up� yet.
Kobe sighed, then sank in his seat.
The aromas of fried turkey, sweet potatoes and mac ‘n cheese wafted from the detective’s bureau to this room where Kobe and I sat. Thanksgiving Day. While the city feasted on cranberry sauce and watched the Cowboys lose to the Raiders, here I was, interviewing a felon who wouldn’t deny, wouldn’t confirm, wouldn’t do jack.
But Kobe’s stomach growled.
In response, my stomach growled louder. “Hungry?�
He gave a one-shouldered shrug.
“I am, too.� I offered the maybe-murderer a smile. “I’ll get us something to eat.�
Five minutes later, I returned to Interview Room 1 holding two plates filled with food, plastic forks and cans of orange soda. I slipped a plate in front of him.
Kobe’s eyes shone, and his shoulders drooped as the smells of a hot, holiday meal enveloped him. He stuck his fork into the mound of collard greens, and quickly shoveled the wilted veggies into his mouth.
I also took a bite of greens, but kept one eye on the big boy seated across from me. “Good, huh?�
“Ummhmmm.� He stuffed his mouth with more greens. “She don’t use pork, huh?�
I shook my head. “Diabetes.�
“Smoked turkey?�
Ԩܱ.�
“Good, but it don’t taste the same.�
“Try the macaroni,� I said. “She uses, like, 603 kinds of cheese.�
He dug his fork into the cheesy noodles, then shoved a clump into his mouth. “That’s the bomb-diggity.�
I smiled. “Told you.�
He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Destinee hated her moms and pops.�
I paused, then said, “Yeah?�
“What she say to y’all?�
With my fork I made crosshatches in the sweet potatoes. “She’s not talking much. She keeps saying, ‘They’re gone, they’re gone.’�
He sucked his teeth, then used them to tear through the turkey leg. He grunted and shook his head.
I squinted at him. “Is that headshake cuz it’s the best turkey leg you’ve ever had, or�?�
He met my eyes. “She’s the one who did it.�
I canted my head. “Can you prove that?�
A small smile. “Detective Norton, I got all the proof in the world.� He pointed to his plate. “Can I finish this, though? Cuz what I got to tell you� We gon� be here for a while.�
Check out for other 'Day in the Life' of your favorite characters!
March 25, 2015
An Alum-Slug
So, I don't know if you know this but...
I'm a Slug. A Banana Slug.
A Banana Slug.
My first year up there, in the woods, at the clothing-optional campus (back then), was... hard. Coming from South Los Angeles, where people dressed and shaved and smelled of Polo cologne or hair grease or anything except patchouli oil, it was quite an adjustment for me.
But!
I held on and stayed. And I'm so glad I did. Made wonderful, life-long friends. Read great books. Saw deer and cicadas and redwoods.
And now, I'm in the UCSC Review Magazine!
Never thought that would've ever happened. So honored and thrilled.
Would you like to read the profile? It's on-line now. Yeah?
Well, here you !
And Happy 50 Year Anniversary, UC Santa Cruz!
I'm a Slug. A Banana Slug.
A Banana Slug.
My first year up there, in the woods, at the clothing-optional campus (back then), was... hard. Coming from South Los Angeles, where people dressed and shaved and smelled of Polo cologne or hair grease or anything except patchouli oil, it was quite an adjustment for me.
But!
I held on and stayed. And I'm so glad I did. Made wonderful, life-long friends. Read great books. Saw deer and cicadas and redwoods.
And now, I'm in the UCSC Review Magazine!
Never thought that would've ever happened. So honored and thrilled.
Would you like to read the profile? It's on-line now. Yeah?
Well, here you !
And Happy 50 Year Anniversary, UC Santa Cruz!
