JILL SHURE IS!

Too Much Inspiration

2011-03-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

Usually I have one or two ideas which compete for my writing attention. But this season, I find myself juggling way too many ideas. So I alternate. Today I work on one book and then another. This sounds great. Unfortunately, it may mean that I take way too long to finish anything. This has happened before.

Having completed novels, screenplays, and blogs, I know I can do the work. I just have to figure out which one I feel most passionate about.

If you're an author with the same problem, I would love to hear from you.

Uplifting Week

2011-02-24T21:39:00.000-08:00

We are participating in Palm Springs Modernism Week, and the film series on architecture and design has been so inspiring.

It seems that any creative energy inspires me. I have been enchanted by the brilliance of the film makers and the architects who have inspired them. People who have designed and built so much we can be proud of here in California and elsewhere.

Many of these innovative mavericks remind me of friends I knew in college at Michigan and my boyfriend who became an architect.

I will post more later.

What Bill Gates Could Have Done.

2011-01-28T09:14:00.000-08:00

Every day technology changes. And if you spend time with people in high tech industries, you're bombarded by these daily updates.

But yesterday over lunch, a tech engineer complained about how his electric bills have gone through the roof thanks to the new smart meters.

We talked about solar panels, etc., and I was once again struck by how much time has been devoted to computer updates over the last few years, yet so little money was spent by people like Bill Gates to update solar energy. Right now, we need huge expensive solar panels which aren't as efficient as they could be. But what if instead of developing smaller phones and faster computers, Gates along with other business people had put together teams to develop solar energy?

Maybe we'd have solar panels the size of cell phones now. Panels which could be plugged into a tiny unit attached to our houses. This would have made a major difference in our quest for cheap, clean energy.

Well, Gates didn't. And so while our bills go through the roof, we have to wait until something better comes along.

Looks, looks, looks!

2011-01-25T16:18:00.000-08:00

Do you ever consider a book because you like the author's looks? A silly idea? I'm not so sure. Many of us are influenced by looks in terms of celebrities we follow, shows we watch, and movies we choose to see.

So would you ever refuse to read a book because the author's photo is unattractive? Or the author looks old?

How do you feel?

On being a writer

2011-01-10T21:19:00.000-08:00

It's 2011 and other than pushing my new mystery A CLAUSE FOR MURDER, I'm focusing on the next book in the Betsy Ross series. I often wonder what pushes me. Because coming up with a new and funnier novel, is a daunting task. Between structuring the novel, creating vivid characters, and making the words flow, there are the final rewrites.

All this before the real work begins. I mean the task of supporting a new book. Creating interest. Making sales.

We've reached a time in history where anything is possible. But it's hard to stand out from the pack. And with stores like Borders going under and new technology, it's a challenge to juggle so many roles. Because being a writer is a private, intimate matter. But standing up in front of people or creating a persona on the internet is another. Dual roles for a writer. And both of them are creative yet demanding.

I believe many writers out there feel this pressure. If you're one of them, I'd love to hear from you.

London, a city I love.

2010-08-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

For about fifteen years my husband and I made an annual trip to London. Mostly to see theater. During that first trip, I fell in love with the old theaters, the magic the Brits can create, and the knowledge that this was the best live theater in the world. Great acting, great directing, great everything. I thrilled every time our jet landed -- after an eleven hour trip, and we could look out the window and see the Concord landing, too. In later years, the flights from LA seemed to arrive later and the Concord was discontinued. But still...

But after 9-11, dips in the world economy, and a weakening dollar against the British pound, it became harder to justify these trips. My favorite British playwright Alan Ayckbourn had grown fed up with the British reviewers and gone to Scarborough. The musicals seemed to be based on B-Movies from the US, and what was left seemed thin in comparison to previous years.

But I still long to wake up as our flight passes over Ireland, the smell of breakfast fills the jet, and I know our long journey to England is just beginning.

I miss visiting the Museum of London, The Imperial War Museum, and too many others to name here.

Now we stay in the US. New York has loads of wonderful plays and musicals. Many of these have a British star at their helm. And Upstate New York has brilliant fall foliage. But I hope to make that flight again one day soon. And feel that magic again.

Youtube Events

2010-08-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be producing two videos to promote my new book, A CLAUSE FOR MURDER.

Guest post at AccessRomance

2010-07-14T10:33:00.000-07:00

I have the pleasure of being a guest blogger at AccessRomance today. My post is titled "A 1930's Romance with a Sears & Roebuck Catalog." In it, I discuss the trends and fashions during the era of Night Jazz and Night Glitter. Here is an excerpt:

During my research for my novels Night Jazz and Night Glitter, I became fascinated by the 1920’s and 1930’s fashions. It was a research journey I adored. For example, the 1920s didn’t begin with really short skirts. They rose gradually following The Great War also known as World War I. And the cloche hat was based on the helmet worn in that war.

Read the whole article here.

Thanks, AccessRomance!

Interview on "The Authors Show"

2010-07-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

I am on air today on "The Authors Show" with Don McCauley. Visit http://www.theauthorsshow.com/ to listen to my interview and find out new information about Night Glitter!

Guest Post: "Always a Reader"

2010-07-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

I am so honored to be featured on Dallas Woodburn's blog. Dallas Woodburn is a writer and the founder of "Write On!". I am so pleased to have a post on her blog.

Click here to read my guest blog, "Always a Reader."

Dallas is a great voice in the Southern California writing community, and I urge everyone to check out her blog.

Thanks, Dallas!

In the beginning, there was Marjorie Morningstar

2010-06-30T21:42:00.000-07:00

Whenever I consider the state of publishing and how challenging it is to be a writer, I look back at what inspired me to write in the first place, what made me feel passionate about books. I always return to the first time I read Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk.

I remember how compelled I felt to devour every word of that huge novel. How I traveled with Marjorie as she plunged into a love affair with the illusive Noel Airman, a character who delivered passion, romance, and an endless challenge. A man Marjorie believed would give her everything she needed if only she could capture his heart and bring him to the altar. Her journey was my journey. Marjorie Morningstar was my fantasy and the fantasy of many other female writers who have confessed their passion for this novel.

Herman Wouk was and still is a storyteller. He followed no formula. His book was a love story set in the New York of the 1930s. Marjorie stood for every beautiful young woman who believes with all her heart that she is destined to be a great Broadway actress and the wife of her dashing ideal, in this case the handsome but flawed Noel Airman.

Wouk wrote masterfully for many years. He managed to surprise us over and over with not only Marjorie Morningstar but also The Caine Mutiny for which he won a Pulitzer. He also penned Winds of War and War and Remembrance. I met him once at UCSD. It was thrilling because I'd read almost everything he'd ever written. I believe he now lives in Palm Springs where he is still writing.

I long for Wouk's brand of storytelling. He was clever and unpredictable. He did not follow a modern paradigm of how you do it. So whenever I doubt my role in this universe, I return to my favorite novel, Marjorie Morningstar, to rediscover what it was that sent me on this journey in the first place.

New interview on "Hot Books, Great Authors"

2010-06-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

You can now listen to my interview on "Hot Books, Great Authors" with Valerie Connelly. Click here to listen!

In this interview, Valerie and I speak about 1930's, Night Glitter's sexy Franky Wyatt, writing, and a whole lot more. Visit the website and listen to the interview here (I'm featured in the second half of the interview). And let me know what you think!

Thanks, Valerie!

What Americans Enjoy Reading

2010-06-21T12:53:00.000-07:00

Another newspaper has just cut out book reviews. While this may hurt many well-read Americans, most Americans won't notice. To me, too many esoteric books with little appeal to the average reader received most of the reviews. So while it's a shame, I'm not sure the impact will be felt that far or wide. To me it's a matter of who is reading what. If you grow up hating everything from Beowulf to The Sound and The Fury because you were forced to read this "fine" literature in school, you may have missed out on all the fun of reading. And you may never willingly pick up another book again. So if English teachers and book reviewers have hurt your love for books and what they have to offer, remember, bookstores on and offline, have a lot out there which you might enjoy. It's like those Harry Potter books. Because they were fun and exciting, children fell in love with them and read them as fast as they were printed. Reading doesn't have to feel like you're drinking a laxative before a colonoscopy. There are mysteries, romances, biographies, and everything else under the sun to fall in love with. So take a chance. If the book reviewers at major newspapers had done so, they might still be in demand.

New reviews for NIGHT JAZZ and NIGHT GLITTER

2010-06-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

What a day it has been for my Night books!

First of all, a lovely review of Night Jazz was posted at Romance Junkies and at Joanne's blog Just Me Joanne

Click here to check out Joanne's thoughts on Night Jazz at Romance Junkies.

Secondly, Night Glitter has been reviewed by Book Junkie, a fabulous book blogger.

Click here to read the review of Night Glitter at Book Junkie.

I know I've said it before, but it cannot be said enough: I am so pleased to be a part of the amazing book community and romance community online. Check out the blogs above--they are full of great reviews, inspired thoughts, and wonderful writing.

Thank you, Joanne and Book Junkie!

A passion for reading.

2010-05-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, if my parents chose to punish me, they turned off my TV. It was a great hardship. Until I discovered reading. I became an addict for Nancy Drew mysteries. By the time I was twelve, I was reading adult fiction. Nothing stopped me. I loved reading.

But I have seen our society change. Some people still read a book every chance they get. Others regard reading as a chore. Why? Is it the books they were forced to read in school? Have traditional publishers begun to bore us with their formulaic books? Have schools failed to create good readers, so that young people struggle to follow a storyline?

Or are we passive, preferring to watch the world through a TV set?

Don't get me wrong, I still watch a lot of TV. But I read a lot, too. If Harry Potter can inspire millions of children to read, then it must be the books that have been the problem. What does it take to inspire you to start a novel and discover the world inside?

BellaOnline review and interview

2010-05-26T09:50:00.001-07:00

The wonderful Lisa Binion over at BellaOnline Fiction Writing has posted her review of Night Glitter, as well as an interview with me. Both articles are available this week.

Here's an excerpt from the review:

The story was really good, entertaining, and easy to follow. The first book made me hungry to read its sequel and find out what happened.

Click here to read the whole review at BellaOnline.

And from the interview:

When I started with Night Jazz, the first in the series, I wanted to use time travel which was not only very exciting to me but very popular at the time I wrote the book. But I wanted to break with tradition and write a novel during the 1920s, a period which has fascinated me ever since I was a child and loved TV shows such as The Untouchables and The Roaring Twenties.

Click here to read the interview.

Thanks, Lisa!

Juicy Guest Blog at Love Romance Passion

2010-05-14T09:28:00.000-07:00

The lovely Keira at Love Romance passion was generous enough to have me do a guest blog as a part of her "Kiss and Tell" feature.

The post is called Kiss and Tell: Jill Shure on Her Hero, and trust me, you do NOT want to miss out on this one!! Take a look!

Thanks, Keira!

Guest Blog at Coffee Time Romance

2010-05-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

I have had the pleasure of working with the crew over at Coffee Time Romance & More and their blog, Coffee Thoughts. I'm pleased to share with you all my guest post, Turning Up the Heat in Miami with Night Glitter.

The post is complete with a FREE sample drink recipe from Night Caps. So head over there and check it out!

Enjoy!

Brenda Novak's Online Auction

2010-05-03T13:25:00.001-07:00

I am very proud to be taking part in Brenda Novak's online auction to benefit diabetes research. My donation is all 3 of my Night books, Night Jazz, Night Glitter, and Night Caps.

That's right. All this could be yours!

Click here to view item at the auction.

Click here to learn more about the auction and to view other items.

Guest post at Romancing-The-Book

2010-04-26T14:22:00.001-07:00

I have had the pleasure of working with Jen and Jessica over at Romancing-The-Book.com and have written a guest post that they have graciously posted. Check it out:

Jill Shure on Finding Inspiration

Leave a comment on that post for a chance to win copies of Night Jazz, Night Glitter, and Night Caps!

Thanks, Jen (and Jessica!)

Packrat City

2010-04-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have too much stuff. Some if it could be considered worthwhile, like my playbills from the theater in London and old travel brochures. But I also have obsolete business files and day planners.

We could probably live in a small, comfortable townhouse if we'd just get rid of our stuff. Books and more books, old linens, old frying pans. I always mean to get rid of these things but I'm much too busy. Besides, I find it upsetting to part with stuff. And yet one day, someone will have to sort through all this stuff. Even if I've moved on to my next karmic level. My stuff will have to endure the scrutiny of strangers so these things can be discarded or recycled.

I never look at the stuff except when I see a pile of it and think, I'm never gonna need this stuff again, am I?

Anyone in the same (packed) boat? Do you keep things around long past their prime for sentimental reasons?

Books

2010-04-13T21:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm a writer. But I'm also a reader, and I love to read a variety of things from news magazines to The Vermont Country Store catalog. I'm crazy about mysteries as well as romances. I love fast thrillers by writer Daniel Silva. I adore historical mysteries by Ariana Franklin. I'm just beginning to follow writer Michael Connelly. In fact, I've been overseeing a mystery group for a year and we'll be reading THE LINCOLN LAWYER in June.

Often these mystery books have a passionate affair as a subplot which satisfies the romance reader in me.

I adore humor, too. I'm a big fan of Janet Evanovitch and Nelson DeMille. Evanovitch and DeMille manage to write page turners which also happen to be hilariously funny -- something I hope to accomplish in my next book, A CLAUSE FOR MURDER, which is a cross between chick-lit and a mystery. I suppose it should be labeled a cozy. But it's very modern and hilariously funny.

Because funny is always good.

In my new book NIGHT GLITTER, a romance which is out now, my character, Lupe Cardona often offers comic relief for the novel. She's a complex character. Readers may initially find her obnoxious, if not ridiculous. But she's supposed to be funny. Later on, the reader will discover that her behavior is based on a life filled with intense complications.

Of course, NIGHT GLITTER is the sequel to NIGHT JAZZ, a time travel novel. NIGHT GLITTER begins in 1932 and takes place in both New York and Hollywood during the Great Depression. And thanks to murderous thugs, a silent film heart-breaker named Franky Wyatt and enough sizzling scenes to make your heart pound, the book should appeal to mystery and romance readers.

America

2010-04-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

I am proud to be an American. But ... I wonder how we got to this sad point in history. We have minimal access to modern train travel, and air travel is a bleak experience. Try waiting in endless lines, sitting in miserable seats, and being charged extra for everything you need from luggage to food. And after you've paid for all these extras, the experience is still unpleasant. And no one complains. Why? The TSA might drag you away.

Our schools depend on our belief in a brighter, smarter America. But in Florida a new bill has been created to pay teachers by results and not pay them for an advanced education. But if teachers are not encouraged to seek a higher education, why should our students go for an advanced degree? And what should teachers do when students don't do homework, don't show up for class, or don't make any attempt to do the work? Should we punish the parents? Because we can't punish the students. And why are our schools so unimportant? We have the money for new stadiums, so why not teachers?

We have so many malls. Store after store. Yet we dress like slobs. We spend millions at the mall and don't seem to care how we look. We fly, work, and eat in restaurants dressed as if we never saw a store. Odd, huh?

We want our children to read, but we as a country don't read much. We prefer TV. And most of our news shows don't focus on promoting American education, American industry, or the terrible shape of our roads and bridges. Our news shows often focus on the latest winner on AMERICAN IDOL.

In fact we seem to be obsessed with three things in America. First and foremost is being thin, though we're getting fatter. Being thin matters more than who we are as human beings. Next comes the shopping mall and then reality TV.

Television promotes us into believing that being cool matters the most. Have unrealistic breast implants, have your teeth veneered, look starved, and drive the right car, and you've got it made.

And you definitely need a presence on FACEBOOK. So how come so many people are lonely if they have so many internet friends?

We have political leaders who talk about human values and religion. But a lot of the time it's just hot air. It's a smoke screen which covers up the fact that America needs to catch up with Europe and Asia in many areas such as health care and train travel. It's a smoke screen that doesn't tell you that the reason you can buy so many cheap goods in the stores here is because it's all made somewhere else. It's a smoke screen that doesn't warn you that your job may disappear while you're focused on the winner of THE BACHELOR.

And while we're at it, we do need to take control of our health care. We are about 79th in the world. This is fine if you never get sick. But allowing Wall Street to dictate how an insurance company will pay out claims, is just plain nuts. Wall Street is not about you. It's about the few at the top who manage to skim off the profits and disappear into their posh estates in Fairfield County.

There's a lot to be proud of here. But we need to pay attention to more than the latest diet.

Midwest Book Review: GLITTER a "Top Pick"

2010-04-08T13:50:00.001-07:00

Night Glitter review in The Midwest Book Review.

From the website:

The deadliest things have the prettiest faces. "Night Glitter" is a follow up to Jill Shure's previous novel Night jazz, as the protagonists fall upon the tough times of the 1930s and as Jeri is forced out of their New York hometown and finds herself in Hollywood and finds a more eventful life that she really wants, trading the New York underworld for the Hollywood underworld. "Night Glitter" is a riveting thriller and drama, and a top pick.
--Mary Cowper, The Midwest Book Review

Click here to read the review. Click here to purchase Night Glitter from your favorite bookseller.

NBC6 Miami Segment

2010-04-07T14:02:00.001-07:00

My interview on South Florida Today is up on the NBC Miami website!

This segment features drinks from Night Caps and also features Pawel Prus, a handsome bartender from Bar 721.

Click here to watch!

Welcome to Miami!

2010-04-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I appeared on the NBC program "South Florida Today" on NBC6 in Miami. What a treat! Now, I am enjoying the city and catching up with some friends in the area.

I will be sure to put a link to the interview when we get the video uploaded. The segment was a blast - we had a bartender on site mixing drinks from my book Night Caps. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Is anyone from Miami, or have you visited the city? Any suggestions of what to see and do while we're here? Leave a comment!

My interview on "Your Book Is Your Hook!"

2010-03-30T09:47:00.001-07:00

To read my post about my great experience on "Your Book Is Your Hook!," click here: "My Book Is My Hook!"

Click here to hear my interview on "Your Book Is Your Hook!" Jennifer and I talk about writing fiction, the future of publishing, and how you, too, can use your book as your hook.

I have had the pleasure of writing a guest blog called "It Takes a Village to Raise Book Sales" for the "Your Book Is Your Hook!" website.

Here's an excerpt:

So you want to write a novel or start your own publishing company. Both are worthwhile goals. And given the time and dedication, you can do both. But you may need more than a little help from your friends. You may need the help of a dazzling array of professionals.

Read the rest of the article here.

Enjoy!

My Book Is My Hook!

2010-03-29T14:56:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jennifer S. Wilkov for an interview on her WomensRadio network program “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Jennifer’s program is a wonderful tool for anyone in any facet of the book industry. She has had interesting and enlightening conversations with experts from practically every aspect of publishing – public relations, writing, publishing –she’s covered it all!

Jennifer is warm, friendly, articulate, and a very intelligent host, and I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with her and “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Her enthusiasm for the publishing industry is inspiring. In a world where the "author" demographic is not always understood, Jennifer offers a smart program that is specifically targeted for authors and industry professionals. I am thankful for this media outlet, and I encourage everyone to check out her program, Tuesdays at 9:00 AM on WomensRadio.

It is always a pleasure to take part in something so meaningful, and I hope you’ll check out “Your Book Is Your Hook!” My interview will air tomorrow (I’ll put links up when they become available, so check back!). In the meantime, check out this show, featuring author Victoria Moran , and make sure to look at the related articles below. I know you’ll enjoy them as I have.

Thank you, Jennifer, for a great opportunity!

ETA: The link to my interview is here! It will go live Tuesday, March 30, at 9 AM Eastern Time. Enjoy!

QA posted at Romance Reviews Today

2010-03-23T09:15:00.001-07:00

I was recently interviewed by the lovely Patti at Romance Reviews Today, and the interview has been published! Check out the QA with Jill Shure and Romance Reviews Today to keep up with the best and brightest reviews on the web.

Thanks, Patti!

You Can Call Me Publisher

2010-03-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

From my article "You Can Call Me Publisher" at MORE.com.:

At my age, you face unpleasant changes. You don't jump at the chance to drag on that one piece suit for a swim. You don't always sleep like a log. And your doctor may tell you that besides sleep apnea, you grind your teeth. You have small pains. You have birthdays you once associated with people who ate oatmeal for dinner. But there are good things, too. You finally know what makes you happy.

Read the rest of my article, "You Can Call Me Publisher" at MORE.com. Visit MORE.com for more great articles and ideas.

Q&A at Romance Author Buzz

2010-03-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

I am beyond thrilled to have a Q&A featuring me at Romance Author Buzz , along with a chance to win copies of the books in the "Night" series.

Take a look! And special thanks to the blog admin, Marilyn, who is undergoing surgery soon. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Guest Blog at The Romance Book Club

2010-03-12T09:34:00.000-08:00

I am humbled to be featured as a guest blogger at The Romance Book Club. My post, Love Knows No (Genre) Boundaries, discusses genres, subgenres, and how authors and readers handle them and respond to them.

Take a look!

Guest Blog at Romance Junkies

2010-03-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

I am honored and thrilled to be featured as a guest blogger at the Romance Junkies blog. The community is rich with readers and authors, all passionate about reading.

You can check out my guest blog here: Why I Love Time-Travel Romance, or Why I Send Heroines Back 70 Years.

Check out Romance Junkies, a great resource for all things romance!

Americans and politics

2010-02-25T09:15:00.000-08:00

A young woman told me the other day how different Americans are, how divided we are.

I don't think so. Most Americans, in fact most of the world, want the following: A good job with a sympathetic employer who treats them with respect; a safe, clean place to live; freedom to practice their own beliefs as long as no one else is harmed; enough to eat; and medical care when they are sick.

Anyone out there have a better plan?

Global Warming

2010-02-16T10:58:00.000-08:00

I became fascinated about the Dust Bowl of the 1930s when I wrote my novel NIGHT GLITTER. How for thousands of years the American plains fed the buffalo. How later on when we had land grants and allowed immigrants to stake out claims across the west, we saw a rise in farming across this wild territory. Germans, who once lived in Russia, brought red wheat with them. The grain flourished under the harsh conditions. Towns grew. Life was good. During WWI, The Great War, the farmers did very well. Many grew wealthy thanks to good weather, plenty of rain, and the need for food by American troops. But conditions changed during the 1920s. The price of wheat plummeted. Farmers responded by planting more. Then the rain stopped. And the wind began to blow. Until housewives swept several feet of dirt off their floors each morning. And they covered their baby cribs with wet towels to save their children. But the wind blew away the topsoil until the land resembled the Sahara Desert. Babies died of black pneumonia. Cows delivered black milk. Houses were buried under the dust. Until the dust blew east reaching ships out in the Atlantic Ocean. And man learned that digging up the plains had a price. He had changed the earth. Digging up the wild grasses and overusing the top soil had resulted in deadly dust storms which emptied out whole towns, killed farm animals, children, and left families destitute.

Man has an impact on the earth. Visit the disappearing Alaska glaciers. Visit Mexico City. See what we have done. Learn how we overcame the Dust Bowl and how FDR helped before you believe man has no impact on the planet and Global Warming is a fallacy.

Head cold handled

2010-02-08T15:48:00.000-08:00

I'm one of those people who gets a head cold and then it becomes a respiratory infection. But with the use of the following, I skipped this second horror by doing the following: I rinsed my nose out about four times a day with saline solution. I used Zicam nose swabs or mouth spray. I took airborne. And I used a facial machine which delivers hot steam to my mouth, nose, and eyes. Five days later, I'm almost completely well. This one time, I didn't have to go on antibiotics and spend weeks recovering. I am immensely relieved.

Try the above if you get sick.

Aren't we lucky

2010-01-27T17:07:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder about the big plan? Who gave you the life you lead?

You could be living in Haiti, where hurricanes annually savage the country, poverty is common, and life has just taken a monumental turn for the worse. So whenever you feel a little blue, try looking at the world through the eyes of those less fortunate and ask yourself how you got to be so lucky.

Have a great day.

Fabulous book

2010-01-23T17:37:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'm a little behind the times just discovering author Mal Peet. Yes, I'd heard of him. In fact, some time back, I bought his book, TAMAR. But it took me forever to organize my books and see that I had it.

I started reading it and he is brilliant. Years ago, it seems, I read more books like it. But this novel really is wonderful and certainly merited the Carnegie Medal. I'm only 98 pages in, but it's one of those novels that I can immerse myself in and forget the world around me.

What a treat.

Jill Shure
Author of:

NIGHT JAZZ
NIGHT GLITTER
NIGHT CAPS

I just read a new mystery.

2010-01-21T13:56:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know, I host a monthly group here in Del Mar, California at a store called The Book Works. I just finished January's selection by Jacqueline Winspear called MESSENGER OF TRUTH. I really enjoyed this one. Not only is it a good mystery, but it's right up my alley because the story takes place in 1931, during The Great Depression, a period I know well.

I've written two novels about that era, NIGHT JAZZ and NIGHT GLITTER and I found this novel to be an excellent read and full of historical insights about The Great War (WWI) as well as deeper questions about the disparity between the rich and poor.

Anyone out there a fan of Ms. Winspear? What else would you recommend?

Just Smile

2010-01-15T10:09:00.000-08:00

Living in Southern California, where the sun always shines, I am often shocked by how sour the people here can be. You smile at them here in San Diego County and they scowl back. Pick three people at a mall and smile at them and you will often get three dirty looks in response. Why? What does it cost to smile? If a stranger looks threatening, I can imagine a scowl might be a warning to back off. Otherwise, why not respond by smiling back. Recently, at a well known shop here in North County I smiled. Big mistake. Three dirty looks. I finally said to the third scowling woman, "Sorry I smiled. I didn't mean to offend you." And she suddenly became quite chatty.

Let's do ourselves a favor and smile. It feels good. It lifts your mood and helps others feel good, too.

Movies

2009-12-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

I rarely endorse movies because everyone's taste is different. I do endorse books in my mystery readers group at the BOOKWORKS in Del Mar, CA. And the difference in opinions is always striking.

But I will say that I just saw a film this weekend called AN EDUCATION. It's British, full of surprises, and very engrossing. I heard wonderful things about it from friends first. They were not mistaken.

If you have a chance, see it.

Michigan - Ohio State Game

2009-11-21T11:11:00.000-08:00

I'm watching the game and getting aggravated. But there was just a very nice turnover! Uh, oh! Ohio State just scored.

My new books are out.

2009-11-15T02:17:00.000-08:00

It's the middle of November with Thanksgiving around the corner. And my new book NIGHT GLITTER has finally emerged in print, though it's going to be formally marketed in March of 2010. It takes place in the early 1930s during some of the worst years of the Great Depression. And though it's romantic, passionate, and sensual, it's also a raw depiction of the poignant challenges people faced in those days.

I recently saw PUBLIC ENEMY with Johnny Depp and this weekend we saw BONNIE & CLYDE, the new musical. Both fascinated me. I'm in love with the 1930s. It was such a gritty period where the public rallied behind bank robbers after losing their houses and farms to the banks. It was a romantic era, too. An era where people pushed hard to find a good time, a way to escape their daily drudgery. Maybe that's what Bonnie & Clyde really wanted: excitement. A ticket out of the Dust Bowl and small town America.

Back then, moonshine and bootleg gin along with the radio, movies, and roadhouses offered the public a few hours of relief from those hard times. But you had to work hard at finding diversions.

Next time I may tackle fashions from that era.

Health Care 2009

2009-09-11T08:28:00.000-07:00

I'm not a doctor, and I'm not a member of congress. And I would love for the US to be able to cover all Americans. I just hope a national health insurance program would not work like the US Post Office or the current HMO systems we have in California which feel like national health care but definitely aren't free. Here in California, I often have to wait months to see my doctor or get a mammogram. Here, even though I have a PPO, my doctors are in an HMO. Many doctors here in California are in HMOs to deal with malpractice insurance. And many doctors have 2500 patients. That's right. They deal with a huge amount of patients -- quickly.

It can take weeks to get shots. Sometimes I deal with nurses, the first line of defense, who insist I go to a general practitioner for my immune disorder -- though my GP looks at me with a complete lack of comprehension regarding my disorder. This is how the HMO deals with me even though I'm on a private insurance plan and have been seeing a specialist in my HMO for over ten years. So if this is the future for us all, fasten your seat belts because it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Yet, the French have national health insurance and been very successful with it. They have a progressive program which has given them top status in health care and the best population longevity in the world.

I just hope things improve here, because I miss the old days when you entered a hospital and your doctor came in to do "rounds" and visit you.

Now, if I call my HMO doctors to say I'm ill, they tell me to visit an emergency room. They don't say, "Come in right away."

Even with private insurance, I face hideous staph infections in a hospital and health care workers who refuse to wash their hands, a simple solution to infections.

Mystery Group

2009-09-08T09:12:00.000-07:00

It recently occurred to me that the mystery group I facilitate has read quite a few books. I decided to see just how many we read and review just how different our selections have been. For our October selection, I just chose a Steven Saylor book, Last Seen In Massilia, a mystery of ancient Rome.

Before this we read: The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain, Missing Witness by Gordon Campbell , Farrier's Lane by Anne Perry, Straight Into Darkness by Faye Kellerman, Bride's Kimono by Sujata Massey, Secret Servant by Daniel Silva, & Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.

The idea behind the group is to encourage people to read and enjoy doing so. We try to read a variety of mysteries while supporting a wonderful, small bookstore here in Del Mar, California, The Bookworks.

What I've really been up to.

2009-08-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, I probably should say hello to the world on Twitter. But I may be too chatty today to keep things short. And since few people read my blogs, I figured it would be fine to place my thoughts here. I have been busy. Busy finishing three books about the Great Depression and The Roaring Twenties. I have been busy formatting, working on footnotes, endnotes, and those final annoying things that need to be done to complete a book.

And a movie treatment, too, for a producer who seems interested. Well, why not? Certain recent movies tie into my books. Like the new Johnny Depp film PUBLIC ENEMIES, a riveting film about John Dillinger. Or THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE. Not to mention a laundry list of stories comparing today's economic crisis with the Great Depression. So perhaps my time travel novels back to the 1920s and 1930s are on the mark this time.

When writing them, I find myself immersed in another world. A world of glamorous clothes, radio shows, and musical films. I'm suddenly back in an era when a man wore a suit to pick up cigarettes or mow his lawn. A world where a woman had to slip on her girdle and stockings just to visit a grocery store. And poverty and disease crushed a quarter of the population after the stock market crashed.

Then it's back to my computer, my mobile phone, and blogging. And it feels like time travel. Some things are better now. Cheap communication, home entertainment in all its forms. But there are some things from the past which fascinate me. Like the music, the grand manners, a strong attempt to be a decent human being and care about others.

Back to work.

What happened to our brains?

2009-06-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

I often wonder what happened to America's brains. I just saw a brilliant film on DVD called Frost/Nixon, and I was reminded of that era. I never liked Nixon very much. I thought he was a paranoid lunatic. But looking back, he and his men had a certain sophistication and brains. They were educated men who went too far in trying to re-elect their leader, Richard M. Nixon. But back then the Republicans represented a hands-off approach to governing. They believed small was better. They never interfered with our personal freedoms such as abortion or religion. His regime dined at The Sans Souci. They were part of America's elite. Nixon ended a war he inherited. He opened the door to Chinese relations. He also lied, lied, lied.

But compared to the Sarah Palins of the world, he was a genius. He was sophisticated and reasonably well-spoken. I never pictured him dragging a wolf-carcass behind him or dropping every "g" in the language. He never paraded around a daughter he had to be ashamed of. Nor did he constantly talk about Christian morality like the last administration while sticking it to us and leaving a scorched earth behind. George W. abandoned Afganistan and started a war in Irag. He never shut up about his religion which he tried to stuff down our throats. He ignored crimes of greed. He also ignored New Orleans during the hurricane. And he would probably choose a pig roasting on a spit to an elegant restaurant like the Sans Souci. He was unsuccessful at business and his military time. He was an unsuccessful man in all his endeavors.

Sarah Palin is another uneducated candidate. Not sophisticated, not worldly. What doors will she open for us? How to kill moose? Or wolves? How to speak poorly and know nothing about geography or the world? To me she's no more qualified than a cocktail waitress who cordially asks if you want two olives in your martini while fiddling with her ears and bunny tail.

Right now, Richard M. Nixon would be a God compared to recent Republican offerings.

America

2009-06-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

Why is it so many kids are doing their junior year abroad and reluctant to return to the good old US? Could it be the historic individuality foreign nations fight to maintain in spite of the EU? The love of playtime as well as work? The fact that in Europe the modern blends with the old and every ounce of history isn't cleansed every few years until every inch looks like one big, impersonal mall? Could it be that those nations provide free health care? Or could it be the sense of adventure overseas which seems to be lacking here? Maybe it's the guaranteed six to eight weeks of vacation time workers get in Europe?

My nieces have done everything they can to stay in Germany. My other friend's daughter, a student at Berkeley, was attacked on the street and beaten senseless by a stranger in Berkeley. Is it any wonder she longs to stay in Europe where she feels safe? Our kids don't want to come back. They see that the technology overseas has surpassed ours. Europeans function with smaller cars. Their taxes pay for health care not wars.

Here, we've ripped out Main Street and replaced it with hip boutiques and mall stores. Love and relationships are found on a computer. Our coffers are empty. How about our souls?

But I am an American. I'm comfortable here. And I know for certain that we have the most reliable and consistent plumbing in the world.

Scottsdale vs. San Diego

2009-05-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

Many years ago I lived in Scottsdale, Arizona. I remember it well. The people were extremely friendly, an endearing trait I never forgot. Years later when I moved from the East Coast to San Diego, I expected the same warmth. What a shock. Down here, a friendly hello will often be greeted by a cold stare or a look of horror. Banter is a foreign language. Your dog may even be snubbed. San Diegans love to bash Los Angeles. But I have found the big city warmer than down here.

We just returned from a week in Scottsdale. And the same friendly mentally still exists. A warm hello from strangers is common. Pleasant small talk is a delightful change from the distant stares and constant paranoia San Diego residents deliver. Ah, yes, San Diego has nice weather and the ocean. But grow older than forty, or expect neighborliness, and you might find a wall. A tall, unfortunate wall. San Diego is still a small town with a big ego, yet a city of strangers, all of them dressed like hell.

I have many friends here. But all were hard won. And many of them don't have friends. San Diego people prefer large groups with very little intimacy.

As a close friend who moved away to Santa Fe used to say: San Diego is a dumb blonde. But dumb blonds get old and tiresome.

Emails without a basis.

2009-04-28T16:41:00.000-07:00

Emails without a basis.

Every so often a friend sends me an email about social security for illegal aliens. The average reader has a knee-jerk reaction and signs the petition or forwards the upsetting letter which usually states that a group of non-deserving immigrants will gain substantially from our American generosity by getting free health care or other benefits the rest of us good Americans will never see.

There is never a House or Representatives, Senate, or Executive bill number. There is never a name for the new law or potential legislation. There's only the insinuation for such a thing. And hundreds of outraged Americans sign.

I am always careful to check out the basis for these statements. For instance, during the George W. administration when we were supposed to be building a wall between the US and Mexico, when we had a Republican majority in Congress and a conservative Supreme Court, we were also supposed to write our President to stop him from giving all our money away to illegal aliens.

And people actually believed the administration would do this. That George and Dick had plans to endow all those poor people with health care and considerable funds.

It just goes to show how easily the public is misled. How any propaganda, no matter how ignorant or outrageous, can illicit a posse of outraged vigilantes who never take time to wonder if these hate letters might be total bull.

So when my friend wrote me about his eighty-something parents who read a letter to this effect recently, I wrote him and said these upsetting letters are on par with rhetoric disciples of Adolph Hitler sent around. Lies on top of more lies. Beware of what you read on the internet. All is not true.

In fact, another friend just sent me an email stating that many lipsticks from leading cosmetic companies cause cancer. The email stated a bogus doctor's name and a test for telling if your lipstick could be lethal. All bunk. There is no such doctor, the test doesn't work, and I checked out the information on the internet and discovered that this is another letter based on lies.

So be careful. Just because something's in print, doesn't mean it's true.

Readers Groups

2009-04-06T17:17:00.000-07:00

I'm a writer who enjoys reading a variety of books. So when I realized many Americans didn't read and felt inadequate about it, I also noted that many eventually jumped at Oprah's list. I have enjoyed some of her choices. Although her suggestion about reading William Faulkner made me realize that she wasn't in touch with how challenging his works can be, even to a lit student.So I volunteered to facilitate a mystery book group at a local bookstore here in California. Its a lovely small store, not a chain, which hosts a variety of groups. I wanted mine to reflect the idea that reading can be enjoyable. Those of us who've been reading for enjoyment all our lives, as well as in college, grasp the idea that pleasure reading doesn't have to be like eating spinach. It can be fun. We started with THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE by James M. Cain, the author of DOUBLE INDEMNITY and MILDRED PIERCE. The group was great. We laughed, talked, and became very involved in the discussion. Next were reading Gordon Campbell's MISSING WITNESS. I hope the group likes this one, too.

Our Callous Attitudes

2009-04-06T16:28:00.000-07:00

Okay, I was sitting at one of my favorite coffee houses today where I often work, and this elderly man dressed neatly in this old-gent getup asked me to donate $3 for an old Norwegian Sailor. I paused for a moment wondering where the old sailor was and which war he'd fought in, when the old gent handed me a tattered brochure as an offering for the money. I handed him a five and he thanked me and moved on. Then I noticed his old white shoes and saw how he'd managed to put himself together and maintain his dignity while actually begging.

The younger guy at the next table, a hip forty-five-year-old with an earring and jeans, when asked by the old gent for money, rudely said "Well, what're you gonna give me?" He then proceeded to give the old man a few choice words until the old man's face turned red.
"I'm sure we'll meet again," the old man said before he gathered up his pamphlets and muddied dignity and fled.

All the cool younger man had to say was, "Sorry, I can't today." Instead, he was rude then laughed about his reaction with a girl at a nearby table.

In these troubled times, why not remember that anyone in this world can lose a job and end up alone and afraid offering pamphlets or chewing gum for enough money to pay for gas or food.

Come back to see what I'm SHURE about!

2009-04-06T15:20:00.000-07:00

I'll begin posting in just a few short days! Come back and visit!