John Connolly was born May 31, 1968 in Dublin and  is best known for his series of novels starring private detective Charlie Parker. His first novel, Every Dead Thing, was met with critical acclaim; it was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel and went on to win the 2000 Shamus Award for Best First Private Eye Novel.  Although Connolly’s novels fall under the crime genre, his stories have become increasingly tinged with supernatural overtones. In  ‘The Black Angel’  Parker is haunted by the ghosts of his murdered wife and daughter.

See John Connolly titles at www.vjbooks.com

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Shamus Award winner Paul Kemprecos spent more than 20 years as a reporter for Cape Cod newspapers before penning his successful Aristotle “Soc” Socarides adventure series.  He is the first generation American son of Greek immigrants whose writing has often drawn on memories of his family life.  In 1999 Kemprecos teamed with Clive Cussler for the first novel from the NUMA files, Serpent.  Since that time Paul has co-authored with Cussler several Kurt Austin adventures, including Polar Shift, Navigator and White Death.

See all of Paul Kempreco’s titles at www.vjbooks.com!

(Clinton Herald, Nov. 18)

CLINTON — “The Minnesota Crime Wave,” a trio of mystery writers, will make a stop at Ashford University Thursday.

William Kent “Iceman” Krueger, Ellen “Murder Most Fowl” Hart and Carl “Sailor” Brookins will present a writers’ workshop from 1 to 2:15 p.m. in the Regis Conference Room and a “Meet the Authors Crime Wave Program” at 7 p.m. in Ashford’s Mullany Theater.

Sponsored by the Clinton Public Library, the Clinton County Association of Public Libraries and Ashford University, the events are free and open to the public. For more information on the writers’ workshop, contact Kristin Abraham, Assistant Professor of English, at 242-4023, ext. 1310.

About the Writers

In the spring of 2008, the three writers — who have traveled together for eight years promoting their individual novels as “The Minnesota Crime Wave” — began a monthly TV show in Minnesota called “The Minnesota Crime Wave Presents.” Segments are available on YouTube as well as on AOL video. Between them, the members of this “gang” of writers have written 30 crime novels and won more than 16 national and regional awards.

William Krueger has published seven books in the Cork O’Connor mystery series, which is set in the great Northwoods of Minnesota. In 2005 and 2006, his novels “Blood Hollow” and “Mercy Falls” received the Anthony Award for Best Novel of the Year. Released in 2007, “Thunder Bay” won the (more…)