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Quarry at Large

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Quarry in the Middle

We’ve another great QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE review, this one from Craig Clarke. Check it out at his Somebody Dies blogsite:

http://somebodydies.blogspot.com/2009/10/quarry-in-middle-by-max-allan-collins.html

And my friend Ed Gorman, who has long been a booster of the Quarry novels, interviewed me about the series. It’s been linked lots of places, but in case you missed it, here goes:

http://newimprovedgorman.blogspot.com/2009/10/max-allan-collins-talks-about-his-hit.html

And the Fresh Fiction website has singled out the previous Quarry, THE FIRST QUARRY, for some unexpected love:

http://freshfiction.com/book.php?id=2508

Bill Crider posted a nice review and general Quarry write-up:

http://billcrider.blogspot.com/2009/10/quarry-in-middle-max-allan-collins.html

My LAPD cop pal Paul Bishop, who been helping me via e-mail on BYE, BYE BABY research questions, has a great website, and he’s been kind enough to showcase Quarry…and the last time I visited, he was playing Bobby Darin’s “All By Myself”!

Anyway, see the man at:

http://bishsbeat.blogspot.com/2009/10/max-allan-collins-quarry.html

That novel is up for both Barry and Anthony awards at the upcoming Bouchercon. Speaking of which, here are my two panels at the Indianapolis event:

Oct. 15, Thursday:
“This Pen for Hire,” 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Oct. 16, Friday:
“PI Novel through the Years,” 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Presumably these will both be followed by one-hour autograph sessions.

Matt Clemens is attending the con, and so is Barb, though neither are doing panels this year.

I’ll be at the Shamus Awards, where the Nate Heller short story “The Blonde Tigress” has been nominated (it appeared in EQMM). That’s Friday evening at 7:00 pm. at the evocatively named Slippery Noodle.

I continue on my insane effort to wrap up the new Heller, BYE BYE, BABY, before Barb and I leave early Thursday morning. I have been maintaining a punishing pace, but I enjoy being immersed in a novel I’m writing. Even if I get the three remaining chapters written, however, the book will not be “done” done. I will still have to put together the bibliographic end note, which is chapter-length, as well as I do a complete polish of the whole thing. So another week’s work awaits. Why batter myself like this? It’s an artificial deadline, to replace the real one I missed long ago, plus I want to avoid the frustration and distraction of going away for four or five days with the story nearly told.

My friend Stu Kaminsky passed away a few days ago. We were often talked about in the same breath, because of his Toby Peters character and my Nate Heller, and in the late ‘80s we seriously considered doing a crossover novel (we even had a subject picked out). Stu was a fine writer, but what I most remember is the warm way he treated me. We spent a day together once, which included seeing ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (his first time seeing this film for which he wrote the English dialogue in its uncut form), and thereafter whenever he saw me, he treated me the way you would your best friend. We were not close, rarely spoke on the phone, but when we were together, we might have been brothers. This is unique in my experience and I won’t forget it.

M.A.C.

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The Last Lullaby DVD Premiere

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

Welcome to our new and improved website! It’s more like a blog, and you can comment and everything.

This time, our UPDATE is not from me, but director Jeffrey Goodman with exciting news about THE LAST LULLABY.

Take it away, Jeffrey….

Quarry was introduced in 1975 and now in 2009 we have the first feature film about Max’s popular, innovative hit man character. After a tremendous festival run (eighteen film festivals from Oregon-New York, with stops in Malaysia, The Bahamas, and Canada in between) and ten weeks in theaters, The Last Lullaby marks its DVD Premiere, October 19th.

The Last Lullaby

This first run, limited edition DVD (in other words, just the movie but no special features) will be available from the film’s website. And for the first month of the release, we are offering several great promotions. First off, anyone who buys the DVD will be entered into a drawing to win several film-related prizes. Also, if you join our Facebook group, our monthly e-mail update list, our Lullaby blog, or follow us on Twitter AND we attain certain numbers by October 19th, each person in these groups will receive a coupon for a 20% discount on the DVD. For more information on these promotions, please visit the following link:

http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2009/09/first-run-dvd-update.html.

It’s been a great pleasure working with Max and bringing his tremendous story and character to the screen. Quarry’s longevity is a testament to Max’s special talent. His (Quarry’s) first feature is also my first feature, and a true labor of love. I hope you all enjoy.

Jeffrey Goodman
Director
THE LAST LULLABY

Thanks, Jeffrey. I like this film very much and anybody who enjoys my work should, too.

Speaking of Quarry, here’s our second print review for QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE and it’s just as good as the Library Journal rave:

When Collins decided to bring his hit-man hero Quarry back after a three-decade hiatus, he gave us The Last Quarry (2006), seemingly stamping paid to the series. But then, devilishly, he produced The First Quarry (2008). Naturally, we now have Quarry in the Middle—that’s “middle” both chronologically, in the sense that the events described here fall more or less midway between First and Last, and thematically, in that Quarry is caught in the middle between two gangsters vying for control of a potential gambling-and-vice mecca on the Illinois-Iowa border (the action is set in the mid-1980s, with legalized gambling on the horizon). No longer a paid hit man, Quarry is freelancing, tailing his former associates, determining their targets, and offering his services to the potential victims for a hefty price. This time that strategy backfires, and Quarry finds himself the target. Collins, a consummate craftsman, dipsy-doodles his way through the plot machinations like Earl the Pearl dribbling in traffic, and he’s equally dexterous at balancing Quarry the emotionless killer against Quarry the knight errant. Perfectly emulsified pulp pleasure.

— Bill Ott, Booklist Online

Also, CRUSIN’ is appearing live this weekend—9 to midnight at the Pearlview Ballroom at the Hotel Muscatine, 101 West Mississippi Drive, Muscatine, Iowa (More info: http://www.buttonfactoryrestaurant.com/events.html#e1)

M.A.C.

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Copy Editing

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Very soon you will be able to leave comments as these updates become more like a regular blog. But it’s my intention only to post once a week. It would be very easy for me to abuse the blog format and write a bunch of stuff for free every day.

This week found me plugging away at Heller, nearing the half-way mark on the new novel. I also did some work on RETURN TO PERDITION, as Terry Beatty has started on the artwork, and my job is to stay out ahead of him. I played a Crusin’ band job Saturday night.

In addition, Matt Clemens and I spent a day comparing notes, and preparing to send back to our publisher, the copy-edited manuscript of YOU CAN’T STOP ME. There is no part of the writing process that I like less than dealing with a copy-edited manuscript. Copy editing should be restricted to preparing the manuscript for typesetting, correcting typos, correcting spelling, noting missing words, pointing out inconsistencies (i.e., a character starts out with red hair and becomes brown-haired by the end), pointing out word repetition, and flagging unclear sentences or passages (for the author to rewrite). About one out of three copy-edited manuscripts I receive seems to have been attacked by a well-meaning soul who anoints him-or-herself as my co-author. I’ve been at this professionally since 1971. I have taught college English, and countless writing seminars. Yet they constantly “correct” and “improve” me.

What do they correct? How about “fixing” grammar in dialogue? How do they improve me? How about turning long run-on sentences in action scenes, designed to hold the reader down into the fray, into a bunch of short, choppy ones? For me a major problem with such copy editors is my use of punctuation, which I view as a tool and use for sound and effect. Style seems to bewilder some copy editors.

Putting Humpty Dumpty back together is a task I have had to undertake many times. This despite the fact that I usually include a note to the copy editor (very politely stated) that lists my preferences and eccentricities. Understand that the copy editor’s real functions (listed above) are crucial, and I am as often grateful to them as I am, well, not grateful….

The other aspect of the copy-edited manuscript that is frustrating to writers is its arrival at inopportune times — these manuscripts (and galley proofs are the same) frequently arrive with little or no warning, with a crazy turn-around-time, even as a short as a couple of days.

I find, when I’m working on a novel that losing days to this necessary but unexpected work can really slow me down. I build up a certain momentum, and these interruptions — again, a necessary part of the process — cause me trouble. For me, writing a novel is akin to reading one. And I like to stay immersed.

M.A.C.

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Quarry in the Middle Cover Sketches

Monday, September 21st, 2009

We’ve had our first print review of QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE, by Mike Rogers in Library Journal and it’s a rave:
Collins’s eclectic hit man returns. With his “Broker” (the guy who arranges his kills) dead and Quarry in possession of the man’s records, he begins turning the tables on his fellow assassins by warning their soon-to-be victims and offering to save their skins by cleaning the cleaners—for a hefty fee. Looking to make one last juicy score so he can retire and get out of the life before his own ticket inevitably is punched, business takes him to Haydee’s Port, IL, a backwater sleaze pit that’s “all sex and murder and money.” There he approaches Richard Cornell, a casino owner who’s about to have a fatal accident courtesy of rival gambling boss Jerry Giovanni. As usual, things don’t go quite according to plan, and Quarry finds himself between the two when his cover is blown and Giovanni’s crew come gunning for him instead. Of course, in between shootings and beatings and double crosses Quarry manages to engage in satisfying sex with top-shelf honeys from their 20s to their 50s (he doesn’t discriminate).

Collins masterfully balances the standard sex and violence with humor and style, and like the series’ previous installments, Quarry in the Middle is a lightning-fast-can’t-put-it-down read. As soon as you finish it, you’ll be aching for the next one. Let’s hope Quarry never retires. Highly recommended for mystery collections.

Copyright 2009, Library Journal
Speaking of Quarry, Nate suggested that we show you the preliminary sketches by master noir paperback artist Ron Lesser that led to the published cover of QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE. One of the things that has made Hard Case Crime’s great reputation are the retro covers; another thing that makes the company great is editor Charles Ardai allowing the writer to have input into those covers.

Quarry in the Middle Sketch
Quarry in the Middle Sketch #1, Copyright 2009, Ron Lesser

Quarry in the Middle Sketch
Quarry in the Middle Sketch #2, Copyright 2009, Ron Lesser

Quarry in the Middle Sketch
Quarry in the Middle Sketch #3, Copyright 2009, Ron Lesser

The three rough sketches Charles sent me were all terrific, and he liked them all, but his least favorite was the sketch that ultimately became the basis of the cover. Charles actually allowed me to overrule him. I think he was surprised that I wanted to go with the slickest of the designs, the other two being very much the kind of dark, sexually disturbing image you’d see on a Spillane paperback (or imitation Spillane paperback) in the late fifties or early sixties.

But I liked making the obvious visual pun of having Quarry in the middle of two beauties, and I also liked the fun of putting my everyman hitman into a James Bond-ish image. The book wasn’t written yet, and I knew I could justify Quarry’s spiffier look, clothes and all, in the text. That’s something that happened with THE FIRST QUARRY—the painting came first, and I wrote the scene into the book, just like pulp writers used to in the old days.

The painting itself was tweaked a little to my specifications, as Quarry was depicted as very blond at first and, at my request through Charles, artist Lesser darkened the hair.

Quarry in the Middle

Now that Quarry is “back” (for at least a few novels), embracing the Bond-ish series look in one of the covers seemed appropriate and a hoot.

M.A.C.

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