Book Covers And Other News

Occasionally I make the mistake of complimenting authors on the covers of their books.  I mean no harm.  It’s usually done with a feeling of kindly envy.  I love looking at book covers.  However the author usually had nothing to do with the cover.  He or she wrote the book, so the compliment is somewhat misplaced and could be seen as a slight to authors who see their own work judged by work they had nothing to do with.

Unfortunately in terms of time, the mind’s eye can take in cover art at a thousand to one ratio over its wordy content. And sadly the two (cover art and story) are not necessarily related – though they should be. In my next life, should I have the choice, I’ll be a visual artist. Meanwhile, I’ll try to hold my tongue unless I’ve read the book or I’m talking to the artist.

I like the idea that the book cover reflects the content of the book in mood and subject, but that is not the designer’s only concern. The designer, employed by the publisher, must also look to sales. What, in the sea of images will get potential readers’ attention and what will hook them into buying?

This is a challenge.  If you think about the tables and shelves in the bookstores and all the competing art and type and color, what stands out? They are all screaming, “look at me, look at me!” You pick one, and look closer.  Still interesting?  Can the cover art get you to the inside cover (flap) copy?  Beyond the cover design is the interior design. Does it invite you to read a couple of sentences? Does it make for a comfortable read? Typeface and leading (spacing) are important. Some readers and writers are unaware of all of this.  But a book is an object of art — in its totality, which is why many of us consider books more than just a good read, but also sacred keepsakes. 

As much as we like to deny it, a book is also a product. As a commercial enterprise, the design of a book has requirements similar to other products – a box of detergent, the label on a wine bottle (the bottle itself), or as Warhol knew, a can of soup. For best selling authors, their names are brands. Stephen King is Wheaties. And because of that, the cover design is secondary to the author’s name, which is likely to be the dominant graphic component.

Of the 18 books of mine that have been published, I have my favorite covers, as well as my favorite books. They are not necessarily the same.  One of my favorite covers appeared on an Italian translation. A couple of times I was allowed to pick the cover art.

But I’ve pushed my own books enough lately.  I’d like to show some of the many book covers that have made me kindly envious. A sampling of those covers are scattered about in this post.

For more, the blog “Rap Sheet” annually highlights the best in mystery covers in an on-line competition. I look forward to their 2015 posts. Also, Rap Sheet founder and editor J. Kingston Pierce hosts a separateblog featuring many older pulp covers as well – a comprehensive graphic history definitely worth checking out

Other News:

Severn House will release Killing Frost in trade paperback November 1. I hope bookstores will take notice.  Audible Books has just released Death in Pacific Heights on Audio. And finally, The Blue Dragon novella is now available as an E-book for 4.99. Not about me:  Two great mystery conferences happen this fall.  I’ve attended both in the past and highly recommend them.

Magna cum Murder XXI

October 30-November 1, 2015

The Columbia Club - Indianapolis, Indiana

This is a wonderful, intimate gathering of writers and readers.  Attendees are able to interact with authors, publishers and agents in this low-key, high-quality event.  Among the talented mystery writers in attendance are this year’s special guests, William Kent Krueger and Simon Brett.

Bouchercon 2015 – The World Mystery Convention

October 8-11, 2015

Raleigh, North Carolina

This is big – the biggest crime fiction convention of the year.  Thousands show up for hundreds of events and panel discussions in a spirit of celebration. Many of the most popular crime writers as well as the most exciting emerging talents are on hand.

Blatant promotion — Two More Of My Books Go Audible

Many, though not all of my books are available in all readable formats, Recently, several of them have been made for your listening pleasure as well. The two mystery novels below are now available through Audible.

Bloody Palms — When 70-something Indianapolis PI Dietrich “Deets” receives a call from Jack Wenders, his former commanding officer in Korea, inviting him to Mexico to discuss a case, Shanahan accepts. But Wenders’ shadowy tactics put Shanahan on his guard — and for good reason. Wenders has become involved in a private security force that operates lawlessly across borders, without boundaries or limitations. Before he knows it Shanahan’s trip to sunny Puerto Vallarta turns dark and devious. And just about everyone in his life — including his tough and funny long-time girlfriend, Maureen — is in jeopardy. Narrated by Ric Jarrom

"Another solid performance from a savvy writer..." — Kirkus Reviews

"Ron Tierney has a gift for keeping the reader at a high level of curiosity and suspense." — Deadly Pleasures

“… another fast-paced crime adventure…. Tierney’s spirited writing, snappy dialogue, and wry wit add the final touches to this entertaining read.” — Booklist

Death in Pacific Heights — A turn of events, personal and professional, causes Carly Paladino, a high-ranking investigator for a large and prestigious San Francisco security firm, to reevaluate her life. She decides, with uncharacteristic impetuosity, to strike out on her own. Her first job involves the death of the young daughter of an old and moneyed Pacific Heights family. An itinerant young man has been arrested for the murder, but Carly sees things that make her wonder if the murderer is really someone inside the Hanover mansion.  Narrated by Katherine Fenton

Noah Lang worked for a lobbyist who believed his wife was having an affair. While Lang is staked out at lobbyist's home, the woman kills herself — at least that's what the police think. Lang isn't so sure and wonders if he was hired to provide an alibi for a murderous husband.

The dead wife’s case haunts him, even as he is brought in to the Hanover case by the accused’s defense attorney, working at cross purposes with his future partner.  The first novel in the series brings a new and a colorful cast of characters to life, including the city itself.

“Tierney, author of the Deets Shanahan series, has a winner here.” — Library Journal

 “...highly entertaining. [Noah Lang and Carly Paladino] ...could easily become a 21st-century version of Nick and Nora Charles.” — Sacramento News & Review

Opinion — My Little Movie, A Very, Very Subtle Self Promotion

A couple of years ago I finally felt that I had enough San Francisco in my soul to use it as the setting, even a character, in a new private eye series.  So far, there have been two books and two novellas featuring Paladino & Lang Investigations. The office is inhabited by Carly Paladino, a fourth generation San Franciscan whose PI background comes from an executive position in a high-toned security firm; Noah Lang, a somewhat lazy, street-wise P.I. who just wants to get by; over the hill Harry Brinkman, an old-school kind of guy who just wants keep his hand in and have a place to go; and Thanh, a gender-bending, multi-talented, part-time operative who keeps everyone on their toes and in their places.

Over the last few years, in my meanderings throughout the city, I’ve taken photographs of the city, and its diverse neighborhoods. And I’ve recorded some of the incredible art that local muralists have given to the public to view.  So I thought I’d put a few of those photographs together to give you an idea of the San Francisco I see and the city where my fiction occurs.  This snippet is roughly three minutes long, including some sneaky shots of book covers from the series.  Let me know what you think.

P.S.  To read them in order, get Mascara, Death in the Tenderloin, Death in Pacific Heights, Death in North Beach and Death in the Haight.

Opinion & Blatant Promotion — Creating The San Francisco Series And Other Windmill Tilting

The books for which I’m best known, or to put it another way, the least unknown, are those in the Deets Shanahan series.  The lead character in the ten books that currently comprise the series is a septuagenarian, semi-retired private detective in Indianapolis.  He has a lovely, funny, tough girlfriend, two aging animals and a couple of good friends.  There are other regulars as well. 

I like these people.  And while I may not be done with their antics, writers, like everyone else, yearn after awhile for a little variety in the company we keep or imagine.  I’ve written a couple of stand-alone novels and a few years ago I began a new series set in San Francisco where I’ve lived 16 years this time around.  Unbeknownst to me, the new series began with a standalone novella called Mascara, which introduced a very private eye named Noah Lang and his accidental and originally unwanted friend, a multi-talented, gender-shifting immigrant called Thanh.  Because it was novella length and therefore deemed unmarketable by my agent at the time, the book sat in my computer as both a story and a screenplay.  It did so quietly and no doubt, like a fine wine, aged appropriately. (That’s what I tell myself, anyway.)

When I approached the idea of a new series, I picked the book up again and decided to use this as an inspiration for a full-length book in a new series using those characters. The only change I made was to add a female private eye to the crew.  This was premeditated act, I admit.  I did so for three reasons.  One, I had discovered with the Shanahan series that many of the readers liked Shanahan’s girlfriend, Maureen, so well that there were subtle suggestions I should knock off the old man and set her up as the main character.  That indicated to me that I might be capable of writing a believable female character.  Two, I introduced a female private eye because it was clear that more than half the mystery readers in this world are women. Third, I often write books that have two plots going at the same time.  Having a woman P.I. would give me another angle and greater creative latitude.

Because Noah was already established as unambitious, willing to take short cuts and operating on, oddly enough, his intuition, it seemed like I needed a more professional, principled and logical counterpoint.  Carly Paladino was born.  Cool, cautious and professional, she struck out on her own having reached a glass ceiling at a prestigious security firm.  Both are strongly independent characters. They bring out the best and worst in each other.

Carly Paladino ends up at this down-and-out investigation firm because Noah needed help with the rent.  And she needed an inexpensive office for her start-up business.  It’s a partnership made in a kind of humorous purgatory.

Severn House published the first two in the new series — Death in Pacific Heights and Death in North Beach, both to generally very positive reviews. But these weren’t the books loyal Shanahan readers and underfunded libraries wanted.  Severn House declined a third. The thing is I wanted to see the series continue.  My novella, Mascara, was renamed Mascara, Death in the Tenderloin and published as a prequel novella to the series featuring Noah and Thanh.  I published it myself. 

Penguin picked up the second novella, Death in the Haight, (now available in all e-book formats) as part of their re-launch of Dutton’s Guilt-Edged mysteries.  It focused on a more hard-boiled Noah Lang mystery — prostitutes, rogue cops and baseball.  Much of it takes place at AT&T Park during a Giants-Dodgers game.  I’m also polishing a novella with Carly as the lead.  Death on the Great Highway has to do with big oil, private armies and the murder of a lieutenant governor. I tilt at windmills, often ones that I build myself.

Meanwhile, I have written the first draft of my memoirs.  I can hear you now. What? You are writing your memoirs?  How pretentious can you get?  It’s tentatively titled Albion and New Augusta, Confessions of a Midlist Writer.  And of course I’m exaggerating a little.  I may be somewhat lower than “Midlist.”  No revelations of celebrity secrets.  I know no celebrities.  Nothing of historic importance.  Just summing things up.  I’ll be putting excerpts on this blog from time to time.

If you want to check out the new series — or the Shanahans, for that matter — please go here.  Many are available in trade paperback and on various forms of e-book.  The newest, Death in the Haight, though not on paper, can be found in nearly every existing e-book format for $2.99.

One semi-final note.  I have to admit that I think that Asphalt Moon is one of my better books.  But I was surprised to learn that a used “big print” copy was listed on Amazon for $9,999.00.  Look out, Dickens. Obviously a misprint, but I’d be happy to sell you a couple of copies for half of that.

On the final note, if you’d like to receive these posts automatically (usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday), they can be sent to you automatically by putting your email address in the box on the right, labeled “Follow By Email.” Your address will not be published or used for anything else.

Opinion — More Blatant Promotion, Get To Know The Players

We’re still a couple of weeks from the release of Death in the Haight from Penguin's new Dutton Guilt Edged (DGE) Mysteries as they release their first books with this revived imprint. 

If you are at all interested in the idea of getting to know the characters who appear in Death in the Haight, there is a prequel — Mascara, Death in the Tenderloin.  In it, we meet private eyes Noah Lang and his gender-bending, shape-shifting friend Thanh.  And while you can get it in trade paperback, it is also available at $3.99 on Kindle or Nook.

Here’s the cover copy:

“From the very beginning, things just aren’t what they seem. On a late, lonely night, San Francisco private investigator Noah Lang’s eyes deceive him. He makes a mistake. But what should have been simply an embarrassing moment becomes a deadly walk on the wild side. Unfortunately for Lang, before this nightmare is over, he puts his life on the line a second time for a new client who may or may not have a missing husband, who might or might not live on a boat in Tiburon and who seems to have an odd way to settle the bill for services rendered.”

There are also two Carly Paladino and Noah Lang mysteries available from UK publisher Severn House.  Unfortunately Death in Pacific Heights is out of print except for some hard-back books.  The trade paper backs have sold out and they’ve yet to be released in e-book formats. The second in the series, Death in North Beach, is available as an e-book through the usual suspects.

And don’t forget to check the DGE mysteries at their web site as more and more books are released.