Library Journal Starred Review

The Poacher's Son won't be out until the end of April, but I got some advance good news in the form of a starred review in Library Journal:

A richly imagined portrait of the vanishing wilderness in New England's farthest reaches, Doiron's well-written debut is also a taut thriller and a thoughtful examination of the complicated relationship between father and son. Of a piece with Castle Freeman Jr.'s All That I Have about a Vermont sheriff, this will also appeal to fans of C.J. Box's Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett.

I'll post the link when it comes live. But yeah, I'm bouncing off the walls here with happiness.

Why Magazines Will Survive

I echo Maria Rodale's thoughts in Folio:

The Internet is a technology that enables people to go out in SEARCH of things. I’m all for that and love it to pieces. But sometimes, I just want things to FIND me. Sometimes, I am just tired of looking and typing and seeking, and I just want to sit on my comfortable couch and be surprised when I turn the page.

That’s why I believe magazines won’t die.

Nice Notice

The Poacher's Son still isn't out yet, and it won't be out until April, but a select few copies have already gotten into the hands of readers including the legendary Dick Adler:

Anyone who enjoys C.J. Box and Nevada Barr should relish this one. Set in the wilds of Maine, The Poacher’s Son is an explosive tale about an estranged son who’s thrust into the hunt for a murderous fugitive--his own father. Game warden Mike Bowditch returns home one evening to find an alarming voice from the past on his answering machine: his father, Jack, a hard-drinking womanizer who makes his living illegally poaching game. An even more frightening call comes the next morning from the police: They are searching for the man who killed a beloved local cop the night before--and his father is their prime suspect. Jack has escaped from police custody, and only Mike believes that his tormented father might not be guilty. Due in bookstores by April 27.

All of this makes me rather sad that my two-year stint as a judge on the crime-fiction panel for the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes is approaching its end.

Dick, you're not the only one wishing you were still judging the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. But thank you. Your encouragement means a great deal to me.

An Old Poacher Makes the Best Game Keeper

This has nothing to do with my novel, but I just learned that the proverb that gives this post its title dates back at least to Chaucer's Physician's Tale (c. 1390).

A theef of venysoun, that hath forlaft His likerousnesse and al his olde craft, Kan kepe a forest best of any man.

I made my way through most of The Canterbury Tales in college, but the Middle English wore me down before I reached the book's cul (so to speak).

Goodbye, Kirkus

So it seems that Kirkus Reviews and Editor & Publisher are ceasing operations. Such is the nature of the magazine business these days. I feel for the professionals who are losing their jobs. It's not a great moment to be searching for employment, especially if you're a print journalist.

From a personal standpoint, I'm also bummed since Kirkus was planning a short feature on me for an upcoming issue. I'd been wondering why the writer hadn't followed up after our initial interview. Now, sadly, I understand.