How a musical no-talent (character) made it into a Nashville music anthology
Confession: I am terrible with music. Yes, I had piano lessons. I once even took my lessons in the women’s bathroom, where there was a spare piano at Michael Driscoll Elementary Public School in Brookline, Mass. (No, I never did ask why there was a spare piano and no, the…
A gathering of humans: Left Coast Crime 2022 Albuquerque
Mystery fan conference Left Coast Crime has turned out to be my pandemic bookend conference. On March 12, 2020, I flew into San Diego for Left Coast Crime 2020: Murder’s a Beach. On March 12, the San Diego mayor issued a “proclamation of local emergency in preparation and response to…
When Books Speak: Listen to the sounds of MIDNIGHT HOUR
Mary had a little lamb. That, according to the Library of Congress, were the words Thomas Edison literally etched into a cylinder as a recording needle captured his voice’s vibrations in 1877. He wanted his invention— the phonograph— to have many uses, among them “letter writing and dictation, phonographic books…
Two Edgar 2022 short-story noms for MIDNIGHT HOUR
The Edgars, named after American author Edgar Allan Poe, count amongst the most illustrious awards in the mystery genre. This year, no less than two short stories from MIDNIGHT HOUR made the cut for Best Short Story. This is extraordinary for a couple reasons: Tracy Clark, whose story LUCKY THIRTEEN…
A second trip back to Second Life
TRANSCRIPT 0:04 [Music] 0:17 [Music] 0:31 happy new year we’re back welcome everyone to the 17th episode of 0:36 the Mystery Hour with Con Sweeney at our new time of noon Second Lifetime or 3 p.m eastern for you folks in real life 0:44 now to what we’re about today…
Mysterious Galaxy, uncovered — in time for a Dec. 16 MIDNIGHT HOUR reading
Nearly 30 years ago, a galaxy was born in San Diego. Mysterious Galaxy, that is, a bookstore that opened its doors on May 8, 1992, to eager fans that the store says included Bradbury, David Brin, and Robert Crais. The galaxy also expanded, although barely: Founders Terry Gilman and Maryelizabeth…
MIDNIGHT HOUR on “The Mystery Hour”
MIDNIGHT HOUR anthology editor and writer Abby Van Diver and contributor HC Chan talk shop on Second Life in “The Mystery Hour with Con Sweeney”
At a Metaverse Near Everyone Dec. 6 @ Noon PT
Come join in Second Life or go to another digital world for the livestream: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVdZi8NHmJHqBL67IdszX9A/featured
The review reversal (and earning the praise “surreal”)
As a former pop culture business, I know that reviews are a peculiar business. Do you want the critic to be an expert, with a historical sweep and/or an insider view of the guts in the machinery? Or do you want an “everyman” who represents the common view with little…
A bite at the Green Apple
Much thanks to Green Apple Books and Music for hosting MIDNIGHT HOUR anthology authors Abby Vandiver, Track Clark, Jennifer Chow, Delia Pitts and David Weiden. My first actual bookstore reading, albeit virtual: A bout of insomnia likely made me more hyper than usual — which, given my default energy level,…