Redhead of the Week Overcomes Tragedy

Allison Moorer is a Grammy and Academy Award nominated American alternative country singer. She signed to MCA Nashville in 1998, and made her debut on the U.S. Billboard country charts with the release of her debut single "A Soft Place To Fall", which reached #73 on the charts. Since the release of her debut album Alabama Song, she released seven albums and eleven singles, five of which reached positions on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Allison was raised in Frankville, Alabama, just north of Mobile. Raised on George Jones and Tammy Wynette, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Emmylou Harris, she sang harmonies as a toddler, eventually thinking she'd make a career of it. Following the murder-suicide of her parents in 1986, she moved into her aunt and uncle's home.

Not long afterwards, Lynne moved to Nashville for a career in music, and after her high school graduation, Moorer followed. She sang harmonies with Lynne for a while but returned to Alabama to earn a degree in public relations. She skipped the graduation ceremony to move back to Nashville. There, she met Doyle "Butch" Primm, an Oklahoma-reared musician who soon became her husband and frequent songwriting partner. In June 1996, she took part in a series of tributes to her songwriter friend, the late Walter Hyatt, singing his "Tell Me Baby" at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. Nashville agent Bobby Cudd was sufficiently impressed to hook her up with producer Tony Brown. After a few meetings, Brown asked her to cut some demos, from which two tracks -- "Pardon Me" and "Call My Name" -- ended up on her first MCA album, Alabama Song.

Her song "A Soft Place to Fall" was tapped for The Horse Whisperer in 1998, and she also appeared in the movie. Because the ballad earned her an Academy Award nomination, she performed it on the 1999 Oscars ceremony. However, none of her singles from Alabama Song or its follow-up The Hardest Part caught on at radio, though both projects were highly praised by critics.

In 2005, Moorer divorced Primm and married Steve Earle, after serving as his opening act on a European tour. Earle produced her 2006 album, Getting Somewhere. Moorer wrote all the songs, with the exception of one co-written with Earle. The couple live in New York City. She and Earle were nominated for a Grammy award in the category Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, for the song "Days Aren't Long Enough" from Earle's "Washington Square Serenade."

Thanks to Wikipedia

Mystery Writers of America Vs. Harlequin

Mystery Writers of America is threatening to remove Harlequin from the list of MWA approved publishers, decline future membership applications from authors published by Harlequin, and to declare books published by Harlequin ineligible for the Edgar Awards.

MWA members received this email last night:

"Recently, Harlequin Enterprises launched two new business ventures aimed at aspiring writers, the Harlequin Horizons self-publishing program and the eHarlequin Manuscript Critique service (aka "Learn to Write"), both of which are widely promoted on its website and embedded in the manuscript submission guidelines for all of its imprints.

"Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is deeply concerned about the troubling conflict-of-interest issues created by these ventures, particularly the potentially misleading way they are marketed to aspiring writers on the Harlequin website.

"It is common for disreputable publishers to try to profit from aspiring writers by steering them to their own for-pay editorial, marketing, and publishing services. The implication is that by paying for those services, the writer is more likely to sell his manuscript to the publisher. Harlequin recommends the "eHarlequin Manuscript Critique Service" in the text of its manuscript submission guidelines for all of its imprints and include a link to "Harlequin Horizons," its new self-publishing arm, without any indication that these are advertisements.

"That, coupled with the fact that these businesses share the Harlequin name, may mislead writers into believing they can enhance their chances of being published by Harlequin by paying for these services. Offering these services violates long-standing MWA rules for inclusion on our Approved Publishers List.

"On November 9, Mystery Writers of America sent a letter to Harlequin about the "eHarlequin Manuscript Critique Service," notifying Harlequin that it is in violation of our rules and suggesting steps that Harlequin could take to remain on our Approved Publishers list. The steps outlined at that time included removing mention of this for-pay service entirely from its manuscript submission guidelines, clearly identifying any mention of this program as paid advertisement, and, adding prominent disclaimers that this venture was totally unaffiliated with the editorial side of Harlequin, and that paying for this service is not a factor in the consideration of manuscripts. Since that letter went out, Harlequin has launched "Harlequin Horizons," a self-publishing program.

"MWA's November 9 letter asks that Harlequin respond to our concerns and recommendations by December 15. We look forward to receiving their response and working with them to protect the interests of aspiring writers. If MWA and Harlequin are unable to reach an agreement, MWA will take appropriate action which may include removing Harlequin from the list of MWA approved publishers, declining future membership applications from authors published by Harlequin and declaring that books published by Harlequin will not be eligible for the Edgar Awards.

"We are taking this action because we believe it is vitally important to alert our members of unethical and predatory publishing practices that take advantage of their desire to be published. We respect Harlequin and its authors and hope the company will take the appropriate corrective measures.

This e-bulletin was prepared on behalf of MWA's National Board of Directors."

Will TFA Really Reappear?

Tonight at 6:30 PM, The Famous Author is scheduled to end his long seclusion. Lost somewhere in the Chianti wine district of Italy, TFA sent word yesterday that he will in fact show up for the Sisters In Crime, Tri-State Chapter panel discussion on short stories. He says he's looking forward to it.

If you're a SIC member, go see for yourself tonight at the NY Public Library, Muhlenberg Branch, 209 West 23rd Street, New York, NY 10012.

Ask TFA for a glass of Tuscan red.

Where Am I?

As a fictional character, it's hard to travel without the writer taking you, of course, but the other day, The Famous Author got carried away himself and decided to kidnap me to Europe. More specifically, Florence (Firenze) and Venice (Venezia) with Financial Guru Corkface. Some financial crisis thing, which frankly, I'm sick of talking about. Corkface has been hot on the Big Capitalist Circuit since he accurately predicted the collapse of mortgage-backed securities. I say, who cares? I don't have any money and couldn't spend it if I had it.

Anyway, where the heck am I? Florence or Venice? I snapped this shot out of TFA's zippered computer case.

Kidnapped!

After a week-long disappearance, The Famous Author showed up this morning to whisk me away. He says we're off to Italy and the Second Annual World Emergency Financial Conference with Corkface. I'll try to provide updates, maybe get a few hot tips.

Make Your Pet Famous (Sort of)

John Ceepak is the star of Chris Grabenstein's Jersey Shore mystery series, and though we don't see eye to eye on a number of social issues (I'm a cad, he's not), me and The Still Missing Famous Author are big fans of John, Chris, and the series. So when we got this email from Chris today, we thought we'd pass his contest on to everybody. Help save animals! Play name that pet...

"Want to see your cat or dog's name immortalized in the next John Ceepak mystery and support Animal Rescue, too? Now through November 20th, for $10 per chance, you have a shot at naming the cat and dog in ROLLING THUNDER by contributing to The Artemis Project, a non-profit animal welfare group in New York City. Buy as many chances as you want—the more times your favorite name is in the pet food bowl, the better you chance of being selected.

"To enter, just click on this link.

"Fill in the amount you want to donate ($10 per virtual raffle ticket), select the appropriate buttons, and down in the box that says DEDICATION or GIFT write in the following:

CONTEST: (PETNAME)—CAT (or DOG) Or send the pet's name and species along with a check payable to:

The Artemis Project
318 West 77th Street #1B
New York, NY 10024

Two lucky winners will be chosen right before Thanksgiving—on Friday November 20th. The winners will also receive an autographed first edition of ROLLING THUNDER when it is published in May 2010."

When I find TFA's checkbook, I'm sending in a ticket for his lab Murphy. Maybe buy a new car, too.

Famous Author Missing

OK, I can't hide the facts anymore. I'm tired of covering for him. Plus, if he doesn't show up pretty soon and finish our fourth adventure, my life could be in danger. Let's face it, as a fictional character, I'm pretty much at the man's mercy.

Where the heck is TFA?

He was last seen Friday. Our favorite scribe was in his chair playing Mafia Wars, this stupid internet game where you collect weapons, armor, vehicles, and gangster pals, then battle other crews and commit serious crimes for cash and loot. Yeah, I know, it sounds like fun -- kind of a seriously illegal game of violent Monopoly -- but it's a game, for crying out loud, and I need TFA back at work.

That was five days ago. When I complained back then, he took his computer, climbed in the car and drove off. Only one sighting since: This photo was allegedly taken at a Mexican bar and grill in Elizabeth, New Jersey. I'm thinking the palm trees and blooming hibiscus rule New Jersey out. Could be a head-fake. Knowing TFA's drinking habits, however, he's probably still wearing the sombrero.

Please tell him to come home and get back to work.