Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Heil og sæl

This is my very first attempt at writing a blog and considering how awful I am at writing short stories I am starting off with a handicap that is too embarrassing to post numerically. However, I hope to make it up with enthusiasm as I believe this particular blog is something that should prove good fun for all mystery lovers interesting in venturing outside their everyday environment. I know firsthand what that feels like as I am an avid mystery reader myself and come from a country where local crime fiction has only been regularly available for a decade so if you preferred to have a book’s characters bludgeoned to death early on in the novel rather than wasting paragraphs obsessing over their miserable youth or present day alcoholism, you had to read foreign authors. With the intrigue (read gore), the far away locale and society came alive, providing a window into parts of the world I might possibly visit but never call home. If you are wondering what country I do call home, imagine a tiny island way up north where the only banking institution not humiliated and disgraced is the national blood bank. If this does not help, imagine a country obviously named by someone intent on keeping people out. If still at loss, imagine a war with no prisoners and absolutely no opportunity of placing landmines as it was fought at sea, on fishing boats, over cod. There will be no more clues.

At present I am enjoying the very brief reprieve provided authors who write a novel a year. This is the time when the most recent book is being churned out by the printing press, there can be no more edits or fixing and the critics have yet to get a copy. On Monday this short-lived bliss is over, the book will be in the stores here and I can start obsessing over its location in the bookstores and running like followed by a zombie to fetch the morning paper to see how it was perceived. I cannot say that I am holding my breath and neither is my family.

Till next time

Yrsa - Wednesday

12 comments:

  1. What's the title of your new book, Yrsa?
    I've read both your books translated into English, loved the characters and the story.
    Cara

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  2. Hi Yrsa-

    Congratulations on your Murder is Everywhere blog and the best of luck to you on your new book.

    Is that true what you wrote about the mystery books available in only the last ten years in your country?

    Is the book you're talking about the one we could download from PPWEBCON?

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  3. I just posted the comment above and forgot to sign my name, Susie.

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  4. Gangi þér vel!
    ================
    Detectives Beyond Borders
    "Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
    http://detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/

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  5. C'mon Yrsa,

    It's also a country with the oldest parliamentary system in western europe--and probably the longest continuous one in the world. It's a country that keeps adding to its territory without war. And it's a country with one of the most moving collections of epic literature, poetry and prose.

    Marc Cogan

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  6. To Cara: the book is titled "Horfðu á mig" which translates to "Look at me"

    To Susie: it is true about the pretty recent introduction of crime fiction, prior to Arnaldur Indriðason starting the ball rolling there was the occasional book but nothing you could count on and never annually

    To Peter: takk fyrir og sömuleiðis

    To Marc: true, true and thank you for reminding me. Lately it has all been doom and gloom despite this being a great country, I needed the reminder.

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  7. You're too humble. Anyone who has attended the previous two Bouchercons (as I have) is familiar with you, and with the fact you're in Iceland.

    Thanks to Leighton for the heads up in Crime Space. I'm looking forward to reading all of you.

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  8. Let me guess, Polynesia? Madagascar?

    I'm joking- great first post. If you carry on like that you will put all the veteran crime fiction bloggers to shame! Welcome to the blogosphere, and I am looking forward to reading more posts (and your next book).

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  9. I've enjoyed your books enormously, Yrsa, and thank you for them. As Maxine notes, your blog too promises great things and I look forward to reading it -- it's now one of the few among my bookmarks. Good wishes.

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  10. Hi Yrsa, Great to reconnect with you - we met at Bouchercon '09 - I am enjoying the smoked fish and licorice. I'm a big fan and look forward to the English translation of your next book.

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  11. To Dana: Good to know, the name Iceland is luckly one that people remember, sounding so awful (but being so nice).

    To Maxine: Thanks for the encouragement, I guess that the same applies to blogs and books, everyone can write 1 but the hard part is no. 2. This Wednesday is thus a turning point for my blog career.

    To Philip: thanks a million I will try to keep my bit interesting, I do not worry about the others as they are sure to do a great job.

    To Judy: How did the shark smell, was I exaggerating?

    regards Yrsa

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  12. Yrsa,
    waiting not so patiently for your next book...
    meanwhile, have found that I have an Icelandic connection (by way of the Outer Hebrides around
    900 A.D.... ) makes the books even more exciting! love your sense of humour, which is often lacking in crime fiction...
    thanks so much

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