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| Anne Cassidy's fingerprints are all over this plan |
But somehow crime writing for children doesn’t get the same attention. Look around any children’s bookshop and you might find sections dedicated to dark romance and action adventure...but you’d need a very large magnifying glass to identify a shelf of teen crime novels. It seems that the publishing industry doesn't quite realise the value of crime writing for younger readers - male and female - the satisfaction in unravelling a whodunnit, the fascination with extreme situations and emotions, the variety of ways in which stories about crime can be told.
So, the Godmother of the British teen crime mafia has come up with a cunning plan. Anne Cassidy - mastermind of this blog and author of many great crime novels for teen readers, including Looking for JJ and,most recently, Guilt Trip - has pulled together the usual suspects (Scottish bruisers Gillian Philip, Linda Strachan and me, the new wet-behind-the-ears recruit) to create a blog, somewhere to shine a light on crime books new and old, and discuss news, clues and criminal connections. We’ve already recruited some hardened criminal writers as contributors, and now we’re looking to widen our network.
The blog is set up and will be going live some time in the next month. You can find it here. Contact us if you’re a writer who wants to have their say - and please sign up as a follower if you enjoy reading crime novels. The plot - we hope - is about to thicken.
(Apologies - this post is shorter and later than planned. This is because the police knocked at my door while I was writing it.)
14 comments:
I'm looking forward to walking those mean streets with you, missus!
The 'Scottish bruiser' xx
Fab. I'm going to be following your new blog with interest. I'm a budding crime novelist, but my kids have begged me to write Crime for Kids too.
Looking forward to joining the crime bloggers gang, Keren. It's sounds exciting!
I'm bang in the middle of My name is Joe and greatly enjoying it! I will definitely follow any blog which you, Anne and Gillian are involved with. Can't wait, though only to read crime fiction, not alas to write it! (Though I wish I could. The thinking up of plots makes my head ache!)
I mean: WHEN I WAS JOE of course! It's a combination of moving house and old age! So sorry....
When the first invite went out I wondered whether to join in - even drafted the email to say I would - but then thought my crime stories in print are probably too slight to count so I delete the email. But I'll certainly follow! It should be wonderful.
You don't have to write crime novels to join in - if you want to review a book, celebrate and author, write about any aspect of crime writing for teens then that's fine. Of course people who write crime novels maybe a little more motivated, but all are welcome.
Yes, Anne, and your stories are not remotely 'slight'! Come on in, the blood's lovely...
Great idea - I look forward to following you. I'm just planning a fairly lighthearted YA crime novel (no blood, apart from the odd paper-cut).
Coincidentally, I just picked up ''Almost True'' from the library: really enjoyed ''When I was Joe'', so expect another treat with this one.
The website looks brilliant! I will be following with keen interest, all you Brides of Blood. (And some Grooms of Grit?)
ooh, thanks Adele and Linda!
Thank you, Gillian - OK: count me in!
I hadn't thought of myself as a crime writer but your blog has made me realise my second and third novels in my Hayling cycle are all about crime and the victims of crime. Perhaps I should join your blog?
The more the merrier - just email me at almosttrue@hotmail.co.uk and I'll tell you what's needed.
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