FALSE MERMAID on Indie Next List 'Now in Paperback' for March 2011!

Selected by Indie Booksellers for the
March 2011 Indie Next List - 'Now in Paperback'

Thrilled to be selected for the March 2011 Indie Next 'Now in Paperback' feature!

“Wherever she goes, Nora Gavin is haunted by the unsolved murder of her sister. Now she is ready to make a final assault on the man she believes to be guilty. Nora's efforts will unearth dark secrets, and bring closure to old wounds. There is a subtle, lyrical quality to Hart's writing, coupled with an emotional insight into even the most peripheral characters. Immensely enjoyable.”

-- Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH

Real Good Words on KAXE - Interview with Heidi Holtan

Just did a great interview earlier this week with Heidi Holtan of KAXE Radio's 'Real Good Words' program, about the residency Paddy and I are doing at the Kitchigami Regional Library System this week and next. We're on at the Brainerd Public Library tonight, and have lots more events coming up. Check the full schedule below...

Erin's interview with Heidi Holtan of 'Real Good Words' on KAXE

Here's a link to Heidi's blog as well. She's also on Twitter. If you're interested in books or Minnesota, or Minnesota books, you definitely need to follow her!

February 24, 5 pm
BRAINERD, MN
Brainerd Public Library
416 South 5th Street
Brainerd, MN 56401
218-829-5574
brainerd@krls.org
5 pm - Author talk with Irish traditional music by Paddy O'Brien
6 pm - Writing and music workshops


February 25, 2 pm
CASS LAKE, MN
Cass Lake Community Library
223 Cedar
Cass Lake, MN 56633
218-335-8865
casslake@krls.org
2 pm - Writing and music workshops
4 pm - Author talk with Irish traditional music by Paddy O'Brien


February 26, 2 pm
BEMIDJI, MN
Bemidji Public Library
509 America Ave NW
Bemidji, MN 56601
218-751-3963
bemidji@krls.org
2 pm - Writing and music workshops
4 pm - Author talk with Irish traditional music by Paddy O'Brien
5 pm - Mini-concert with Erin and Paddy


February 28, 5 pm
PINE RIVER, MN
Pine River Public Library
212 Park Ave.
Pine River, MN 56474
218-587-4639
pineriver@krls.org
5 pm - Author talk with Irish traditional music by Paddy O'Brien
6 pm - Writing and music workshops, plus mini-concert!


March 1, 11 am
LONGVILLE, MN
Margaret Welch Memorial Library
5051 State Hwy 84
Longville, MN 56655
218-363-2710
longville@krls.org
11 am - Author talk with Irish traditional music by Paddy O'Brien
12 pm - Writing and music workshops following


March 2, 2 pm
BLACKDUCK, MN
Blackduck Community Library
72 First Street SE
Blackduck, MN 56630
218-835-6600
blackduck@krls.org
2 pm - Writing and music workshops
3:30 pm - Author talk with Irish traditional music by Paddy O'Brien

March 3, 1 pm
WALKER, MN
Walker Public Library
207 4th Street
Walker, MN 56484
218-547-1019
walker@krls.org
1 pm - Writing and music workshops
2:30 pm - Author talk with Irish traditional music by Paddy O'Brien

March 4, 1 pm
PARK RAPIDS, MN
Park Rapids Area Library
210 West First Street
Park Rapids, MN 56470
218-732-4966
parkrapids@krls.org
1 pm - Author talk with Irish traditional music by Paddy O'Brien
2 pm - Writing and music workshops


March 5, 12 noon
WADENA, MN
Wadena City Library
304 First Street SW
Wadena, MN 56482
218-631-2476
wadena@krls.org
12 pm - Writing and music workshops
1 pm - Author talk with Irish traditional music by Paddy O'Brien

Brigid's Day - February 1

February 1 is the Feast of Saint Brigid, now a Christian saint, but once the goddess of fire and learning in ancient Ireland. Also known as Imbolc, the feast of Saint Brigid is one of the four major fire festivals on the old Irish pagan calendar. People still light fires on hilltops to celebrate these festivals.

A Brigid's Cross, made from green rushes

Here's a song in Irish that celebrates Brigid's excellent qualities, from the singing of my friend Dáithí Sproule on his CD "A Heart Made of Glass." Hear him singing it here.

Gabhaim Molta Bríghde                           Gabhaim molta Bríghde, Iníon í le hÉireann Iníon le gach tír í, Molaimís go léir í! Lóchrann geal na Laighneach, Soils’ ar feadh na tíre, Ceann ar óigheacht Éireann, Ceann na mban ar míne. Tig an geimhreadh dian dubh, Gearra lena géire, Ach ar lá le Brighde, Gar duinn Earrach Éireann.

We Praise Brigid I sing loudly the praises of Brigid, She who is daughter, Not just of Ireland, But of all the countries of the world. A shining lantern of Leinster, A flame throughout the land, Leader of the women of Ireland, One of the finest women ever. The hard, dark winter comes, Short and sharp, But once Brigid’s Day appears, Ireland’s spring is not far behind.

And here's a video to teach you how to make your own Brigid's cross -- though it's a little hard to find green rushes where I live this time of year. (Still four feet of snow in back yard!)

I especially like the detail that each arm of the cross should be made from seven rushes, to represent the seven days of the week, and the 28 days of the month of February.

ALA | ALA Press Releases

Congratulations to all the winners, and may I say -- it's delightful to be lumped in with the estimable Louise Penny!

*************************************************************************
NEWS
For Immediate Release
January 10, 2011
Contact: Elizabeth Markel

Top genre fiction titles named to 2011 RUSA Reading List

SAN DIEGO —The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) has announced its selection for the 2011 Reading List.

The Reading List annually recognizes the best books in eight genres: adrenaline (including suspense, thriller and adventure), fantasy, historical fiction, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction and women’s fiction. This year’s list includes novels that will please die-hard fans, as well as introduce new readers to the pleasures of genre fiction.

The winning titles were selected by the Reading List Council, whose members include Jacqueline Sasaki, chair, Ann Arbor District Library; Alicia Ahlvers, Kansas City Public Library; Jennifer Baker, Seattle Public Library; Cheryl Bryan, Massachusetts Library System, Waltham, Mass.; Craig Clark, formerly with Cuyahoga County Public Library; Kathleen Collins, University of Washington Libraries, Seattle; Megan McArdle, Berkeley Public Library; Joyce Saricks, Downers Grove, Ill.; Sharron Smith, vice-chair, Kitchener Public Library; Kimberly Wells, Denton Public Library; Neal Wyatt, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va. And Alan Ziebarth, Chicago.

The 2011 winners are:

Mystery

“Bury Your Dead” by Louise Penny, Minotaur (9780312377045)

Troubled by past mistakes, Chief Inspector Gamache, in his sixth outing, retreats to snowy and insular Quebec City, where he becomes embroiled in intertwining investigations both old and new. Penny expertly delivers a layered story that is haunting, moody, and exquisitely drawn.

Read-Alikes:

“A Test of Wills” by Charles Todd

“Haunted Ground” by Erin Hart

“In the Bleak Midwinter”by Julia Spencer-Fleming

Short List:

“Faithful Place” by Tana French, Viking (9780670021871)

“The Taken” by Inger Ash Wolfe, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (9780151013531)

“Think of a Number” by John Verdon, Crown (9780307588920)

“Vermilion Drift” by William Kent Krueger, Simon & Schuster (9781439153840)

More on the ALA site

Sisters in Crime: Method Writing

Sisters in Crime: Method Writing: "by Jude McGee We've all heard of the style of acting taught by the Russian director Konstantin Stanislavsky and the Actor’s Studio -- the k..."

FALSE MERMAID coming soon in French

Good news for Francophones!

Just heard from my wonderful translator, Frédéric Grellier, that the French title for FALSE MERMAID is going to be
la légende de la sirène. The artwork isn't up on bookstore sites yet, but the designers posted an image on their blog... 

What do you think? I absolutely love it. It captures the bleak, beautiful look of Donegal, where the Irish portion of the story is set.

The book will be coming from Payot & Rivages / Payot Suspense in a few months.

Aunt Agatha's Top Ten for 2010

I'm thrilled to have received this glowing review from Robin Agnew at Aunt Agatha's Mystery Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Makes all those months (*ahem* years) of tearing one's hair out seem worthwhile!

"If I were pressed, I would have to say this was my favorite book of the year—in my initial review I said that the best books are read with a lump in your throat, thanks to a combination of emotion, narrative and character. The third in Hart's fine Nora Gavin series, this is just such a book. Hart's time off has matured and deepened her writing even more—which is saying a lot. In this one she weaves together myth and metaphor to tell the surface-simple story of Nora returning home to Minnesota from Ireland to find out who was responsible for her sister's five year old murder. Grief and distance have created an estrangement between Nora and her parents; she's coming home to old family entanglements that have to be dealt with as well. Hart is a writer who has many similarities to Elizabeth George, P.D. James, Louise Penny and Deborah Crombie, with a similar skill set of complex character development and a story that accumulates more depth as the book progresses. She also shares some of Penny's poetry.  This is a compelling and well crafted story of grief and attachment, highlighted by lovely writing.  Welcome back to a major talent."

— Robin Agnew, Aunt Agatha's Mystery Books

Read all of Robin's Top Ten for 2010 reviews at Aunt Agatha's website.