A.B.PATTERSON - Blog

Cops Writing Crime - 3 new members in The Squad! Now there are 24 of us.

21/9/2017

I've previously blogged about my ongoing project to discover cops or ex-cops who have taken to writing crime fiction - The Squad as I've named us!

I've added 3 new members to the permanent index for The Squad on my website: Gregory James (AUS), Darryl Donaghue (UK), and Mark Andrews (AUS).

It now numbers 24 in total: 11 American, 6 Australian, 6 British, and 1 French.

I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line.
Check out The Squad: Also: Cops Writing Crime

You won't get better realistic crime writing.

Cheers,
ABP

"Switchblade" magazine - A new outing for PI Harry Kenmare!

20/9/2017

I'm very excited to have been selected for publication in the upcoming issue of Switchblade magazine out of the US!
It's a first on a number of levels for me:

My first Harry short story.
My first short story published in an anthology.
And this Harry is written in the first person, so a rather different take - all from Harry's point of view. Still good old Harry, of course, with all his loveable flaws and bad habits.

Switchblade Issue 3 will be out late September/early October.
You can find it on Amazon. I'll put out the direct link when it's available.
So, if you want to read Harry in the first person, grab yourself a copy.
Cheers,
ABP

A reading treat for all Francophiles - "Beginning French" by Les Américains.

5/9/2017

To be completely transparent, I am a complete Francophile and love reading books about people living there, old houses in the country, and the French way of life. Sometimes those writing such books don't do the narrative justice. No such problem here from Les Américains (a.k.a. Eileen McKenna and Marty Neumeier).

Well, I loved it! The depiction of living in the Dordogne with all the trials and tribulations of an old farmhouse, along with the French way of doing things, is wonderful, and thanks to the lovely prose, Eileen and Marty's story is a pleasure to read. And I should mention their daughter, Sara, a chef, who features in the book and has included a dozen recipes from the region - looking forward to trying my hand at some of them, too.

From the book comes one of the most lovely of quotes I've ever read about the south of France:
"...the sun was low in the sky and the landscape had turned green and gold with long purple shadows. Vineyards and wheat farms alternated with clumps of forest, and wide expanses of sunflowers gave off an intense yellow light collected from the long summer day. We had never seen such beautiful farms. There were pale amber and tan colored houses with stone walls and clay tile roofs..." (p.25)

For Francophiles this is a must read! Thank you Eileen and Marty.
Cheers,
ABP

"Switchblade" Issue # 2 - Another great hard-boiled and noir read!

23/8/2017

I loved the first issue of Switchblade, as you know from my blog about it, and the second issue has convinced me that I have found a fabulous source of noir and hard-boiled crime fiction. I am going to become a rusted-on subscriber to this one!
Scotch Rutherford again does a truly great job editing this collection and it stays faithful to the hard-boiled noir world. He also turns a mean pen himself!
Aside from loving the entertaining writing in this collection, once again I have new authors to track down and get their work. This I always find is one of the great joys of reading anthologies. Last time around I discovered Preston lang, and have now bought all his work available, and loving it! This is really the essential joy of reading well-edited anthologies - all those authors you would not have met otherwise!
If you like this style of crime for your reading pleasure, as I certainly do, then this is a 5 star read.
Mr Rutherford, you are doing a stellar job, do please continue! And I say that on behalf of all the Australian fans of Switchblade. Bring on more Switchblade!
Cheers,
ABP

A very enthusiastic crowd at Narellan Library

18/8/2017

My trip down to Narellan this week drew a very large and enthusiastic audience for my author talk.

As always, lots of lively discussion and great questions.
I usually, as I did on Monday at Narellan, kick off my talks by reading an excerpt from Harry's World, just to provide a taste of the hard-boiled world Harry lives in. My Monday audience loved the first reading, and then called out for more later, so the talk wrapped up with another passage.

Then lots of people went home with their own copies of Harry's World. I hope they enjoy the read as much as they did the talk.

Many thanks to Pete and Narellan Library for hosting me. I'll be returning there when the sequel, Harry's Quest, arrives.

Cheers,
ABP

Reminder - Author Talk at Narellan Library - Monday 14 August 2017

13/8/2017

Yes, my next author talk is almost here.

Tomorrow evening I'll be down at Narellan Library - Monday 14 August 2017.

It starts at 6.00 p.m., so hope to see you there.

Lots of juicy discussion to be had on writing, crime, and corruption, maybe even sex!

And signed copies of Harry's World to boot.

Cheers,
ABP

Author Talk - A.B.Patterson at Narellan Library - 14 August 2017

7/8/2017

I'm looking forward to heading down to Narellan Library next week and bringing Harry's World to the local readers.

Please join me on Monday 14 August 2017, 6.00 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.
Full details on the Library website: A. B Patterson Author Talk - Camden Council Library Service

Lots of lively discussion about my writing, Harry, and, of course, crime and corruption!

See you there.

Cheers,
ABP

A great crowd at Waverley Library this week!

6/8/2017

My author talk on Thursday evening drew a great crowd at Waverley Library - extra chairs had to be put out!

The hour flew past with lots of discussion about Harry's World, my writing, and a range of very interesting questions from the audience who were thoroughly engaged.

I hope all those who went home with a copy of Harry's World, or bought the ebook later, really get great reading pleasure out of it.

My many thanks to Simon and Waverley Library for hosting me.

And I've been invited back for when the sequel, Harry's Quest, hits the streets!

Cheers,
ABP

Reminder - Author Talk this week at Bondi Junction!

31/7/2017

My next author talk is almost here.

Please feel free to join me at:

Bondi Junction Library (Waverley Council).

Thursday 03 August 2017, at 6.30 p.m.

Lots of great candid chat about crime writing, as well as real crime and corruption, and signed books!

Cheers,
ABP

My next author talk - Bondi Junction library - 03 August 2017

25/7/2017

Just a reminder that Im doing an author talk next week.

Please feel free to join me at:

Bondi Junction Library (Waverley Council).

Thursday 03 August 2017, at 6.30 p.m.

Lots of great candid chat about crime writing, as well as real crime and corruption, and signed books!

Cheers,
ABP