Crime Fiction Class of 2007
Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007Three of the Killer Year Class of 2007 are debuting this month. Sean Chercover’s BIG CITY, BAD BLOOD, Marcus Sakey’s THE BLADE ITSELF, and Sandra Ruttan’s SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES hit the bookshelves in January. All three authors have benefited from member ship in Killer Year. Writer Paul Guyot wrote an article on the Murderati blog praising Marcus Sakey but bemoaning the fact that Killer Year 2007 “is a franchise now and there will be a Killer Year gaggle every year.” I don’t know if Paul is basing his comment about the franchise on insider knowledge or informed speculation, but either way it’s a strange reaction.
My take on Killer Year is similar to my thoughts on group blogs which may be summarized as ‘why the hell not?’ New authors are unknown, vulnerable as baby chicks, left to wander the barnyard by distracted publishers. The predations of the marketplace come guised as indifference, certainly discouraging to the hatchlings. A group identity provides a bit of shelter while the active mentoring program Killer Year has established is nothing short of brilliant. Check out those blurbs.
And there is more to come from the KILLER YEAR authors. Ultimately each of them will stand on their own, develop their careers like any author, and shed the group identity for their own. In the meanwhile if Killer Year becomes a franchise and rolls out a new group in 2008 and beyond, the same benefits apply as for the first group. Established writers can be a newbie’s best friend. That seems to be one of the guiding principles at Killer Year 2007.