The Sportsmanship of Mystery Writers

Have you heard the story from the Olympics, the one that will melt cold hearts and bring tears to your eyes? Well, if you're a sap like me, anyway.

I've been sitting here reading about how aCanadian team won silver at the Olympics. And it isn't the usual back-patting kind of story.

It's all because another team helped them out.

Yep, that's right. The Norweigans, who ultimately placed fourth, noticed one of the skiers had lost her pole. Instead of using it to their advantage, a Norweigan skier gave the short-changed Canadian their pole so she could finish her leg of the race.

I wouldn't care if that was an American and a Brit or someone from France or Timbuktu - that's just plain nice.

Which is what my experience in the world of mystery writing has been.

The congrats on my book deal came in from people like Stuart MacBride, John Rickards, Steve Mosby, Mark Billingham, Cornelia Read, Sharon Wildwind, Lorna Schultz Nicholson, to name but a few. Other authors didn't think, "Crap, now I have to compete to sell books against that little Canadian upstart." Okay, maybe one or two thought it, but nobody said it.

Actually, some authors started emailing me advice. I am so blessed to be part of a generous writing community, and so touched at the encouragement I've received.

And now you may go read about why we don't see more authors naked, in the real post for today, below.