I’ll be heading to N’awlins tomorrow for the biggest mystery conference and hope to see many of you there. Here’s where I’ll be for sure:
Noir at the Bar After Dark Wednesday Sept. 14 at 9pm at the VooDoo Lounge 
Murder Under the Sun panel on Thursday, Sept. 15 at 4:30pm
After that, you’ll surely find me in the hotel bar, the book room, or Acme Oyster House which is right by our hotel – woo hoo! Cheers!
Sybil Johnson and I had a fantastic time talking to the book club at the Wiseburn Library in Hawthorne. What a wonderful lively group! We started off discussing our takes on what “light” and “dark” crime fiction is, but they wanted to know more about us and our writing process / journey. Imagine that. Thank you for a fun evening, ladies! And thank you to Wiseburn for being such gracious hosts.
Fellow mystery author and Sisters in Crime / LA member Sybil Johnson will be joining me at the Wiseburn Library in Hawthorne on Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 6:30pm to discuss the Light and Dark of Crime Fiction. In case you’re unsure what side I’m on, ask FINN.
Book sales and signing will be at 6:30 and the discussion begins at 7:00pm. Hope to see many of you there!
Check out this killer lineup for Noir at the Bar After Dark at the Voodoo Lounge in New Orleans. And yes, I’m so excited to be a part of it. It’s going to be a crazy booze-soaked night with plenty of debauchery and crime fiction mayhem because come on, it’s Bouchercon and it’s New Orleans all rolled into one.
Wednesday, September 14th from 9pm until whenever…
So I’ll be on the “Murder Under the Sun” panel at Boucheron on Thursday, September 15 at 4:30pm in LaGalleries 1.
Fabulous Mysti Berry is moderating (she’s fabulous because she was on my panel for LCC so I know) and I’ll be chatting with authors Michael Stanley, Michele Dorsey, Annamaria Alfieri, and Jeffrey Hess. We’ll be talking about what else but murder on the beach, in the desert, on a boat, or on safari. FINN definitely qualifies because what’s more sunny and murderous than the South Bay?
This is an actual picture of a N’awlins sunrise too! Thanks to Jon Jordan of Crimespree for the awesome pic.
I just want to say thanks to Maddie Margarita and everyone at Kean Coffee in Tustin for such a wonderful evening. I had a blast reading from FINN and hearing everyone’s thoughts and kind words. What a fabulous event! All you Lit Up!-ers rock!
My FINN “celebration” party (I don’t call it a launch since the book has been out already for a month) was last Sunday at the Baleen Kitchen in Redondo Beach near the marina. It was a fantastic party and I am so touched by all the friends and family who showed up to help me celebrate. We also lucked out with great weather and the sun broke through the June gloom just in time for my party. There was plenty of drinks, food, and CAKE. And of course, books!
I wanted to hold the party at Baleen Kitchen because that served as my inspiration while writing FINN. I renamed the hotel / restaurant the Waterfront Grill and Hotel in the book and this is what I envisioned as Finn’s workplace. It’s the perfect location as it overlooks King Harbor (where Porter’s boat is docked).
It was a fantastic night at Book Show where the audience participation was the best I’ve ever seen! It was like having a discussion on writing and novellas in someone’s living room. A great time and a fabulous book store. I’ll have to go back.
With S.W. Lauden, Eric Beetner, Gary Phillips, and the owner of Book Show, the awesome Jen Hitchcock.
On Saturday, June 4, at 8pm, I’ll be participating on a panel with Eric Beetner, S.W. Lauden, and Gary Phillips where we’ll discuss the novella in modern crime fiction. It should be an entertaining night and since I’ve never been to Book Show, I’m doubly excited as it’s always fun to check out new venues.
Of course novellas (like CLEANING UP FINN) will be for sale! Hope to see you there!
Life is a constant party for restaurant manager, Finn Roose. When he seduces an underage woman on one of his booze cruises and loses her—literally, it sets off a massive search involving the police, her parents, and a private investigator. Finn is an expert manipulator but his endless lies only tighten the screws on himself and his unsuspecting best friend. Finn scrambles to make things right which may be too much to ask from a guy who can’t resist a hot babe and a stiff drink.
“Majorly screwed up. But in a good way.” — Brett Battles, USA Today bestselling author of the Jonathan Quinn thrillers
“Chen creates a compelling character with restaurant manager Finn Roose. Readers with certain taste (like me) will enjoy watching this self-deluded ladies man bumble from one mistake to another, trying to hide his involvement with a missing teenage girl. Sarah M. Chen creates a hybrid West Coast restaurant noir novella. A great read.” — Travis Richardson, author of the noir novella, Lost in Clover
“A speedboat ride along the Southern California coastline where the sun shines a light on the lecherous locals. Finn Roose is an opportunistic restaurant manager who finally gets in over his head when he meets an underage femme fatale. Lives are shattered and bullets fly through the salty ocean air in this fast-paced debut from Sarah M. Chen.” — S.W. Lauden, Bad Citizen Corporation and Crosswise
“If you like your crime fiction the way Finn Roose likes his women, hard and fast, you’ll love Sarah M. Chen’s debut novella. A challenging, unsentimental look at a man who may be beyond redemption. Chen is a writer to watch.” — Matt Coyle, author of the Anthony Award-winning Rick Cahill crime series
“Cleaning Up Finn is a complex morality tale of debauchery, selfishness, sacrifice, and guilt. This romp of a noir through Southern California’s South Bay will stay with you, challenging your ideas of poetic justice and leaving you wanting more from Sarah M. Chen.” — James W. Ziskin, Anthony-, Barry-, and Lefty-nominated author of the Ellie Stone Mysteries,
Styx & Stone, No Stone Unturned, Stone Cold Dead, and Heart of Stone
“A gritty and compelling journey, Chen navigates the intricate labyrinth of great modern storytelling with believable style. I’ll be tapping my foot waiting for more from this incredible author and more of her character Finn.” — Darrell James, author of the Award Winning Del Shannon series
Purchase on Amazon or Indiebound
So today was the day…the first FINN signing and I lucked out with having it at my favorite bookstore, Mysterious Galaxy! OK, I kind of planned it that way. And I was able to share the limelight with awesome and talented fellow crime fiction author, S.W. Lauden. He maybe even managed to make me look not so freakishly weird and anxious because he’s cool like that.
It was a blast and even better…we sold books! If you want to order copies from an indie bookstore, call Mysterious Galaxy. They ship anywhere!
Author Aaron Clark stopped by!
S.W. Lauden and I doing our thing.