Chapter 16
A Community of Tennessee Writers, Readers & Passersby

Don't Read This

Chapter 16 talks with Pseudonymous Bosch about being a riddle wrapped in an enigma published in a book

July 29, 2011 Ask any grade-school kid an innocent question about a Pseudonymous Bosch novel, and prepare to be stonewalled: Bosch’s books lure the reader into a conspiracy of silence, in which the author, characters, and plot are all secrets. In fact, Bosch’s entire Secret Series—the fifth and final installment, You Have to Stop This, will be published on September 20—is the apotheosis of what might be called the “reverse psychology” school of children’s literature: warning kids away from the dangerous book they’re presently holding is a surefire way to get them to crack its spine. Pseudonymous Bosch will appear at the 2011 Southern Festival of Books, held October 14-16 in Nashville.

Read more

Killer Opportunity

This month, the Killer Nashville conference returns

July 27, 2011 With one month to go, it’s time for suspense and mystery writers around the world to gear up for Tennessee’s annual conference celebrating all manner of murder: Killer Nashville runs August 26-28.

Read more

Fierce and Unapologetic

The Clarksville Writers’ Conference attracts faculty and students who are passionate about the written word

July 28, 2011 Clarksville owes its place in literary geography primarily to its associations with Robert Penn Warren, but it has much more to recommend to the writing community than name-dropping historical markers: the Clarksville Writers’ Conference, now in its seventh year, keeps Clarksville’s literary spirit alive with top-notch faculty and eager attendees.

Read more

Werewolves in the Heartland

With Forever, Maggie Stiefvater concludes her haunting Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy

July 27, 2011 This month the story of the Wolves of Mercy Falls comes to its much-anticipated conclusion. Maggie Stiefvater launched this riveting young-adult saga of humans and werewolves in the Minnesota woods in 2009 with a New York Times bestseller called Shiver. Linger followed in 2010, and the concluding volume, Forever, rounds out the trilogy. Stiefvater spins a compelling tale of humans and wolves both in love and at odds. Her characters make choices out of fear and hatred, self-sacrifice and loyalty, pain and grief. And after a while, it’s not so easy to tell the men (or women) from the beasts. On July 31 at 3 p.m., Stiefvater will read from and discuss her new book at the Nashville Public Library as part of the Salon@615 series.

Read more

Now in Print

D.B. Henson’s DIY publication yielded 100,000 ebook sales—and a traditional publishing contract

July 26, 2011 Published as an Amazon ebook in April 2010, D.B. Henson’s mystery, Deed to Death, proved phenomenally successful. By word of tweet, Facebook, blog, and online review, the debut novel sold 100,000 copies and made the Best of 2010 Kindle Customer Favorites list, which includes the likes of Stieg Larson and Laura Lippman. The Nashville author’s success got the attention of uber-agent Noah Lukeman, who offered to represent her. He sold Deed to Death to Simon & Schuster’s Touchstone Books, and the rest is … well, you know the rest. Henson will sign Deed to Death on July 30 at 2 p.m. at Mysteries & More in Nashville. She will also appear at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, October 14-16.

Read more

Always a Market

As Borders fades, Knoxville’s Union Ave. Books rides high on optimism

July 25, 2011 Melinda Meador of Knoxville’s Union Ave. Books counters web-wide moaning over the liquidation of the late great Borders bookstore chain with pragmatism and excitement.

Read more
TAKE THE SHORT READER SURVEY! CHAPTER 16 SURVEYOR SURVEYING