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“Simon’s best book to date…”
"As much character study as mystery ... this is Simon's best book to date." Thank you so much, Book Blog of the Bristol Public Library! Click here to read the original review. Bookblog of the Bristol Library Reviews by the Reference Department of the Bristol Public...
Countdown to HOLD ME DOWN launch
Dear friends, You’ve been hearing me talk about this book for years now, and finally Hold Me Down* will be released next Tuesday, Oct. 19. Thanks to the pandemic, it doesn’t look like I’m going to have any in-person events. However, I’ve paired with three very cool...
The kitten on the cover …
When I heard that Book Riot had called Raquel V. Rayes' Mango, Mambo, and Murder "a vibrant, diverse, LGBTQ-inclusive cast," adding "Raquel Reyes's deft balance of sensitive topics and frothy intrigue make this a standout," I was intrigued. And then when I saw that...
“HOLD ME DOWN is terrific…”
Thanks to the ArtsFuse and David Daniel for this stellar in-depth review. Book Review: Rock and Roll Fantasy — Getting the Balance Right OCTOBER 11, 2021 LEAVE A COMMENT By David Daniel On many levels, Hold Me Down is terrific. Its power lies in the...
Details, details…
I blogged over on the Jungle Red Writers page today about the one little detail that broke Hold Me Down wide open. Here's the opening, but you've got to go to their page to read the rest (and you should because we're hosting a giveaway!) Thanks, Hank and the Reds, for...
Dancing about architecture
Thrilled to be a guest today on the Criminal Minds blog, where I went on for a bit about writing about music – and why the rock scene is the perfect setting for a mystery: As some wag famously said, “Writing about music is like bicycling about...
“Raw and compelling suspense”
"...Simon's pacing in this crime thriller offers more than plot and character: She reincarnates the demanding sexuality of the rock underground with the costs of fame and addiction. Page by page, scene by traumatic scene, there's no guarantee that Gal can even...
No Holds Barred: An Interview
"If you have complete control of your work at all times, you’re not allowing that other element in—the magic or the subconscious." Reviewing Hold Me Down, Abby Frucht wrote: "Clea Simon treats her important, weighty subjects with a light enough touch that we nearly...
Getting real (aka the Katie Perry conundrum)
Last week, I had an exchange with an old acquaintance. She's a talented and disciplined writer, a real pro. But she hasn't been able to get her book published and was feeling discouraged. My husband had been telling her about my new book, and from her perspective, I...
How to be a rock star author
Join me over at Career Authors where I'm sharing the secrets I learned from playing in bands that help me with my writing today! Even in my musical heyday, I was never a rock star. Although my career as a bassist took me from cover bands to some pretty cool gigs at...