Blog
A Mighty Blaze!
Wow! I just got to chat with the great (and NYT-bestselling) novelist Caroline Leavitt on A MIGHTY BLAZE! We talked about strong female characters, writing fiction, and what makes a telling detail.... It's too late for you to ask us your questions. But you can catch...
“One heck of a journey…” BOLO Books on Bad Boy Beat
"Put yourself into Clea Simon’s hands and prepare yourself for one heck of a journey..." That's just some of the praise BOLO Books showers on Bad Boy Beat. "[R]eaders will quickly find that the twists and turns of the plot more than satisfy—with a particularly stellar...
New book alert!
Remember Hold Me Down? Named a “must read” by the Massachusetts Center for the Book, this dark rock ‘n’ roll novel of suspense was briefly orphaned when publisher Polis Books went out of business. But now Bloodhound Books has picked it up and will re-publish...
Instagram loves BAD BOY BEAT
A quick search of #BadBoyBeat gathers these lovely blossoms: “Fast-paced, intriguing and suspenseful. I love strong female characters and Em was a feisty and complex heroine, I just loved her character. A great mystery that will keep you at the edge of your seat.” –...
HOLD ME DOWN will be back in print!
As some of you know, dear Polis Books has called it quits. That left us Polis authors out in the cold... but I'm thrilled to announce that Bloodhound Books has picked up HOLD ME DOWN! This UK publisher will re-publish my dark rock 'n' roll standalone in e-book and...
“Darker and grittier…” Bristol Library weighs in
Bristol Public Library librarian and book blogger Jeanne Powers loves BAD BOY BEAT! Her in-depth review concludes:B "Good mystery, strong characterization, some fast-paced action and a few twists and turns make for a most enjoyable read." Read the full review here.
KRL loves BBB!
"If you want a swift mystery with plenty of clues, you’ll enjoy this," writes Kings River Life critic Claire A, Murray. "Bad Boy Beat brought me back into the heart of Boston—night club life, numbered alleys, and an incredible lack of parking spaces..." Read the...
What writers read
Before we can write, we read – and, ideally, we never stop! In fact, the first and best advice I can give aspiring authors is read. Read everything! First, read it for fun, but then read like a writer. Figure out why the good parts work, and why the bad parts don't,...
Zoom on in!
Long before Bad Boy Beat was even a dream, I wrote a fun little mystery about cats – specifically about a young woman who meets a possible cat hoarder – a "crazy cat lady" – and who, when that poor older woman is killed must figure out not only who killed her but what...
BAD BOY BEAT takes the p. 69 test!
Do you know about the p. 69 test? It's when you open a book to page 69 (in other words, some random point well in) and see if that page touches on the major themes and/or action of the book in ways that will ideally clue in and entice the reader. The test, referenced...