Want to know where to find me?

I blog every other Thursday at: Murderati.com
But I suggest going there everyday as there are 13 other fantastic authors who also post.

On Facebook: My Facebook page (facebook.com/brett.battles)

And on Twitter: @BrettBattles (http://twitter.com/BrettBattles)

And, of course, my website: BrettBattles.com

And the Tour Begins!

Had the big launch party yesterday (Saturday, July 18th) at the Mystery Bookstore in L.A. I have to say, this may have been the best one yet! Well over forty people showed up, and we had a great time. The dinner group that went out after numbered 25. The first restaurant we wanted to go to couldn't take us because there were so many of us.

Anyway. Monday I leave for San Francisco. Will do some drop in signings and have a visit with my brother before my official signing at M is for Mystery in San Mateo at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday is the big drive to Portland, Oregon, with a signing at Powell's in Beaverton on Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, I'll be doing a lunchtime signing at the Mysterious Bookshop in Seattle.

All that traveling (by car, I should add!) will keep me nice and busy. A big thank you ahead of time to fellow novelist, and good friend Bill Cameron who will be putting me up for several nights in the Pacific Northwest.

Hope if you are close to any of the events that you'll stop by.

For more info on these events, and for other upcoming appearances, please check out my page at booktour.com.

2 Interviews & a Review

First here's a link to the interview I did with Russel McLean over at Crime Scene Scotland:
CLICK HERE

Second is a video interview I did with Authorlink.com:
CLICK HERE

And finally...a review of THE DECEIVED on Bookreporter.com:
CLICK HERE

ENJOY!

Just a little something to share...

For those of you wondering how long the Jonathan Quinn series will last, I can't give you an exact answer, but I can tell you this...from Publisher's Marketplace:

"FICTION: THRILLER

Brett Battles's third & fourth novels in the Shamus and Barry Award-nominated Jonathan Quinn series, to Danielle Perez at Bantam Dell, by Anne Hawkins at John Hawkins & Associates (World)."

It's actually the fourth and fifth novels, so there will be at least five Quinn books!

In a completely unrelated (...eh...well...maybe a little related) announcement, as of the end of September I'm retiring from the day job and writing full time.

Announcements!

My apologies for the lack of posts this summer, have been busy and have had other things to think about. But I did want to make a couple of announcements.

I think I already mentioned that I have been nominated for a Barry Award for Best Thriller. Well, you can add a nom for a Shamus Award for Best First Novel!

Here's the official announcement.

Private Eye Writers of America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug. 2, 2008

CONTACT: Ted Fitzgerald – Shamus Awards Chair tedfitz [at] msn.com

PRIVATE EYE WRITERS OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES
2008 SHAMUS AWARDS NOMINEES

The Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) is proud to announce the nominees for the 27th annual Shamus Awards, given annually to recognize outstanding achievement in private eye fiction. The 2008 awards cover works first published in the U.S. in 2007. The awards will be presented at the PWA banquet, to be held Friday evening Oct. 10, 2008, in Baltimore, Maryland, during the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention. Banquet details will be announced later in August.

2008 Shamus Awards Nominees

Best Hardcover
Head Games by Thomas B. Cavanagh (St. Martins Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books), featuring Mike Garrity.
Soul Patch by Reed Farrel Coleman (Bleak House Books), featuring Moe Prager.
The Color of Blood by Declan Hughes (William Morrow), featuring Ed Loy.
A Welcome Grave by Michael Koryta (St. Martins Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books), featuring Lincoln Perry.
A Killer’s Kiss by William Lashner (William Morrow), featuring Victor Carl.

Best Paperback Original
Songs of Innocence by Richard Aleas (Hard Case) featuring John Blake.
Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong (Bantam) featuring Nadia Stafford.
Stone Rain by Linwood Barclay (Bantam) featuring Zack Walker.
Deadly Beloved by Max Allan Collins (Hard Case) featuring Ms. Michael Tree.
Blood of Paradise by David Corbett (Mortalis/Ballantine) featuring Jude McManus.

Best First Novel
The Cleaner by Brett Battles (Delacorte), featuring Jonathan Quinn.
Keep It Real by Bill Bryan (Bleak House Books), featuring Ted Collins.
Big City, Bad Blood by Sean Chercover (William Morrow), featuring Ray Dudgeon.
When One Man Dies by Dave White (Three Rivers Press), featuring Jackson Donne.
The Last Striptease by Michael Wiley (St. Martins/Thomas Dunne Books), featuring Joe Kozmarski.

Best Short Story
"Kill the Cat" by Loren D. Estleman, DETROIT NOIR (Akashic), featuring Amos Walker.
"Trust Me" by Loren D. Estleman, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, June 2007, featuring Amos Walker.
"Open Mike" by James Nolan, NEW ORLEANS NOIR (Akashic), featuring Vincent Panarello.
“Hungry Enough" by Cornelia Read, A HELL OF A WOMAN (Busted Flush Press), featuring Philip.
"Room for Improvement" by Marilyn Todd, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Dec. 2007, featuring Lois Hepburn.



PWA was founded in 1981 by Robert J. Randisi to recognize the private eye genre and its writers. Previous Shamus winners include Lawrence Block, Ken Bruen, Harlan Coben, Max Allan Collins, Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, O’Neil deNoux, Brendan DuBois, Loren D. Estleman, Carolina Garcia-Aguilera, Sue Grafton, James W. Hall, Steve Hamilton, Jeremiah Healy, Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman, John Lutz, Bill Pronzini, S.J. Rozan, Sandra Scoppettone and Don Winslow.
P.I. Guy logo by Terry Beatty.

As I was with the Barry Nom, I am deeply touched and honored. In fact, it's still hard to believe, but hard to argue with the black and white announcement!

THE DECEIVED hits the UK

As of today, my second novel - THE DECEIVED - is in bookstores throughout the UK and Ireland! If you're over there and have a chance, check it out, then let me know what you think.

FINAL SWEEPSTAKES for THE DECEIVED

We are t-minus twelve days until the pub date for both my new novel THE DECEIVED and the mass paperback of my first novel THE CLEANER.

So instead of giving away an ARC this month, I'll be giving away 2, YES TWO, hardcover first editions of THE DECEIVED to 2 lucky winners. Here's all you have to do to enter:

1. Send an email to contest AT brettbattles DOT com .
2. In the email tell me your favorite book from the last three months.
3. Optional: include your address
4. You will automatically be added to my mailing list, so if you do not want to be add, say so in the email.

That's it. We'll have the drawing on Monday June 23rd, the night before the big day. So come on, what are you waiting for?

Weekend Wrap Up

Spent much of the weekend at Book Expo America (BEA) held this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Saw a lot of old friends. A couple of highlights:

1. Ran out of books at my signing on Sunday less than 40 minutes into an hour signing!
2. The MWA party on Friday night at the Edison in downtown LA...very cool.
3. Dinner after the party with Naomi Hirahara, Bill Cameron, Robert Gregory Browne, and Bill's agent Janet Reid.
4. Got home Friday night to find out that I'd been NOMINATED for a BARRY AWARD for BEST THRILLER!!
(see all the noms here)
5. On Sunday the new ITW newsletter came out and there's a feature on me.
See it here.

And to top it all off...a little league game with my son on Saturday, and my daughter dancing the hula on stage at the Hawaiian Festival in Northridge on Sunday Afternoon.

That makes for a pretty good weekend.

THE DECEIVED - First Chapter Excerpt

Tthe first chapter and part of the second of THE DECEIVED is now up on my website! We are t-minus one and a half months to pub date (June 24th), and I can't wait.

Did I mention that it's a double pub date? That's right. Not only does the hardcover of THE DECEIVED come out on June 24th, but so does the mass market paperback of THE CLEANER! Something for everyone.

CLICK HERE to read the excerpt from THE DECEIVED

Save the Date!

Murderati #8

Over at MURDERATI today.

Murderati #6

Over at Murderati today. Stop by if you have a chance.

Definition #1

Today's word: startle

Dictionary.com says:
star·tle [stahr-tl]
–verb (used with object)
1. to disturb or agitate suddenly as by surprise or alarm.
2. to cause to start involuntarily, by or as by a sudden shock.
–verb (used without object)
3. to start involuntarily, as from a shock of surprise or alarm.
–noun
4. a sudden shock of surprise, alarm, or the like.
5. something that startles.

But I prefer this:

Murderati #2

You'll find me at Murderati today....

CLICK HERE

Podcast #4 is finally up!

So we invited fellow author Bill Cameron to stop in and chat. And where did the conversation take us? Dead Hookers of course.

Listen to it here

Battles and Browne Podcast #3 is UP

Check it out here.
Or go to www.battlesandbrowne.com.

New Podcast is UP

I know we said we'd put them up every other week...but we've decided to increase the frequencies (at least for as long as we can.) This week we talk about Essentials to building a strong foundation for being a writer.

Listen to it here.
Or go type in www.battlesandbrowne.com.

Battles and Browne Talk Writing

My good friend and fellow author Robert Gregory Browne and I have started something we hope a lot of you will enjoy. Every two weeks (and possibly more often as we get going), we will be posting podcasts about writing and the writing world. Sometimes we'll talk about the nuts and bolts, sometimes we'll interview other authors, and sometimes who knows. Should be a lot of fun.

And today, our very first podcast is up! You can hear it here at our new website Rob designed specifically for this - www.battlesandbrowne.com.

This weeks episode is called Character is King. You'll also notice a link on the main page where you can email us questions. We'll be answering as many as we can during upcoming podcasts. So go check it out and let us know what you think!

L.A. TImes Festival of Books in Pictures

Spent all Saturday on the campus of UCLA at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. Tons of people - readers and authors alike! But no reason to tell you about it...let me show you....



No crowds yet...still about an hour from official opening time. But they're coming!

Setting up at the Mysterious Galaxy booth

Book TV

Everywhere books!

Robert Gregory Browne at his first of four signings for the day

Best T-shirt of the day

Nathan Walpow at the Mystery Bookstore booth

The Mystery Bookstore's very own Bobby McCue

The crowds begin to grow

James Ellroy at the Borders booth

Michael Connelly talking to a fan

Crowded now

The wonderful and talented Cornelia Read fresh from the Edgars

Speaking of Edgars...Edgar award winner Naomi Hirahara and I catch up (Way to go, Naomi!)

Duane Swierczynski trying to unsuccessfully get out of a picture with Sean Doolittle during our gourmet lunch

Sean Doolittle and Victor Gischler

Mary Higgins Clark (blue jacket), Carol Higgins Clark (in red), behind the Mystery Bookstore worker in the white shirt is George Pelecanos passing time with Stuart Woods.

A whole portion of the festival I only did a quick pass through...

Simon Wood

The Fonz looking for a book...that's right, Henry Winkler at the Mystery Bookstore booth

Sean Doolittle and Joanne Fluke

Laura Lippman talking with Jan Burke at Mystery Galaxy booth

Joseph Wambaugh

Megan Abbot, Jason Starr, and Theresa Schwegel


If you've never gone before, hopefully these pictures will have convinced you it's an event not to be missed.

Help find (read: buy) a LOST DOG

Bill Cameron's debut novel LOST DOG is out now!!! I'm thrilled for him! You can purchase it here.

Peter McKrall is at a crossroads—out of work, fighting a klepto habit, and trying to figure out his next move. Life takes an unexpected turn when a search for his niece’s stuffed dog leads him to something else entirely: a bullet-riddled corpse.
Talking to reporters lands Peter on the local news, which turns out to be a dangerous spotlight. And now Darla, the troubled daughter of the victim, is reaching out to him—but can she be trusted? When a second murder takes place and evidence is planted in his trash, the cops dredge up Peter’s painful history. The only ray of sunshine in this harrowing nightmare is Ruby Jane, whose warm smile melts the winter chill.

An unwitting player in a bizarre chain of events, Peter has no idea that the deranged killer is after him—until he takes a shot at Ruby Jane.