Here’s a new interview with me. I did the interview in May, so it might seem a tad outdated, but most of what’s in it remains true. Read it here!
Byrd’s Luck & Other Western Stories made an appearance in the Books section of True West magazine this month!
I’m in the news again! https://www.forbes.com/sites/robsalkowitz/2023/04/26/monster-forge-announces-dark-horse-partnership-executive-hires/?sh=b08eaa935aa0 (Old photo, and I didn’t choose it).
Roundup, the official magazine of the Western Writers of America organization (of which I’m a proud member) has reviewed my Tarzan novella. The reviewer is none other than Johnny D. Boggs, a fantastic writer who’s won more Spur Awards than anyone else in the organization’s history, and edits the magazine besides. Glad to say that he liked it.
Blood and Gold: The Legend of Joaquin Murrieta, has been adapted into an audio show by Realm Media, with the story told from Joaquin’s point of view by Emmy-nominated actor Richard Cabral (Mayans M.C., American Crime, etc.). It’s a fantastic production, and it’s starting to get noticed in the podcast world. https://podcastbusinessjournal.com/realm-releases-blood-gold/
I had a great chat with Danny Dorko of the PopCultX podcast–which, it turns out, also appears on video! We talked about Blood and Gold, comics, records, movies, and more. Spend a half hour with us!
Here’s a new review of Tarzan and the Forest of Stone by the prolific and talented writer James Reasoner. It’s a doozy.
SinC Up Tip
I recently recorded a video tip for the national Sisters in Crime organization, of which I’ve been a proud member for years. It’s about managing your writing life when you also have a day job and a family–no easy job when you have constant deadlines. You can watch it at the link below, if you’re so inclined. It’s only about 2 1/2 minutes long.
Podcast Appearance
I’m not really a podcast guy. I listen once in a while, if it’s a podcast produced by or featuring friends, but that’s about it. If I had time to listen to a podcast I’d rather spend it reading. But there is one podcast I tune into regularly–Six-Gun Justice, hosted by pals Paul Bishop and Rich Prosch. It’s about all things Western–books, movies, TV, comics, history, etc. They really know their stuff, and they feature guests who do as well. It’s always fun and informative. They also put out an a short-story anthology, which I was lucky enough to have a story in–my well-received story “The Fox and the Snake.”
Recently, Paul interviewed me for the podcast, and that episode is now live. You can lend an ear here. We talked about comics, about my Cody Cavanaugh Western series, about my forthcoming Major Crimes Squad: Phoenix police-procedural series, about Blood and Gold: The Legend of Joaquin Murrieta, and about Tarzan and the Forest of Stone. And probably other stuff I’ve already forgotten (because, you know, I haven’t listened so I don’t know what got left in and what was left on the cutting room floor).
Peacemaker Award Nomination for Blood and Gold
Blood and Gold: The Legend of Joaquin Murrieta, which I cowrote with Joaquin’s descendant Peter Murrieta, is a finalist for the Peacemaker Award for Best Novel from the Western Fictioneers organization. It’s a true honor to be nominated (and this makes my second Peacemaker finalist; my novella “Byrd’s Luck,” published in the anthology The Untamed West, was nominated for both the Peacemaker and Spur Awards). There’s lots of stiff competition, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed! The full list of finalists is here.
True West Magazine
True West magazine is, for my money, the best Western history/culture mag out there. Every month I read it cover to cover, and I’ve done so for many years. One of my favorite features is the regular back-page feature called What History Has Taught Me. Over the years I’ve seen many of the greatest Western writers, actors, artists, historians, etc. interviewed there, but I never expected to join them. Yet, here I am! Such a thrill. You can see it here.
Fireside Chat
A couple of weeks ago, mystery writer Edith Maxwell (who also writes as Maddie Day) and I gave a Fireside Chat for my local Sisters in Crime chapter, the Grand Canyon Writers. We talked about writing multiple series at once, and writing multiple books a year. It was a lot of fun. More than 130 people tuned in for it live, from all over the country and around the world. Now you can watch it here!
Interviews
Here’s an interview with me at the Western Fictioneers blog. Take a look!
In Case You Missed It
Here’s the video of the discussion Peter Murrieta and I had with Robert Dominguez of the New York Daily News about BLOOD AND GOLD: THE LEGEND OF JOAQUIN MURRIETA, courtesy of New York’s Word Up Bookstore. https://youtu.be/MLm14wMkFBQ
Quotes
“Mariotte can flat-out write.”
–Don Winslow, author of THE CARTEL and THE FORCE
“One of the best storytellers in the business.”
–Brian Keene, author of WHITE FIRE and HOLE IN THE WORLD
Seen on Instagram
Reviews
Love for BLOOD AND GOLD: THE LEGEND OF JOAQUIN MURRIETA:
Two new reviews:
A new Spanish-language review, as translated by Google: “For lovers of novels based on real life characters, this exciting story is the ideal choice. The name of the good-natured bandit Joaquín Murrieta inspired legends and numerous Hollywood productions still remembered by lovers of Old West stories. On this occasion, his adventures are brought to life in a book, published by Sundown Press, full of romance and tragedy. Peter Murrieta, co-author of the work and direct descendant of the mythical character, provides unpublished details of the also well-known Robin Hood from El Dorado.”
A new review from the president of the Montana Library Society, in the society’s newsletter. Out of the four books mentioned as favorites, I’m a coauthor of the first and a contributor to the second. A very proud moment for me. “All the books mentioned above are wonderful reads. But these next four are some of my favorite reads of the past few months. BLOOD AND GOLD: THE LEGEND OF JOAQUIN MURRIETA by Jeffrey J. Mariotte and Peter Murrieta is a contemporary epic. Sweeping in scope, full of adventure and thrills and drama, this book is the type of tome you lose yourself in. Bottom line: this is a quintessential novel of good versus evil. Six Gun Justice podcast is a favorite of mine to listen to while punishing myself on the treadmill. When I found out they published a collection of western stories, I was sold that it needed to be part of my personal collection. WESTERN STORIES is a great mix of the motifs and themes regularly celebrated in western novels but with enough unique storytelling techniques to make it a welcome addition to the genre.”
“‘BLOOD AND GOLD: THE LEGEND OF JOAQUIN MURRIETA’ is a reimagining of the iconic gold miner-turned-desperado, whose pursuit by California law enforcement and grisly fate as a preserved head displayed to scare generations of Anglos has inspired multiple books, songs, dime-store novels, murals and movies. Author Jeffrey J. Mariotte is an experienced Western writer, and his co-writer Peter Murrieta is a renowned Hollywood showrunner, so their 600-page novel zips through its action-filled saga with the vigor of Louis L’Amour (and with a hell of a plot twist at the end).” — Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times
10 stars out of 5 for BLOOD AND GOLD: THE LEGEND OF JOAQUIN MURRIETA, in this Tiktok review: https://www.tiktok.com/@lisab_reads/video/7031951619541470511
Western author and reviewer Andrew McBride recently reviewed the Six-Gun Justice anthology, which contains my short story “The Fox and the Snake.” Here’s what he had to say: “THE FOX AND THE SNAKE by JEFFREY J. MARIOTTE tells of Fox Caldwell, an old widower living alone in the Arizona wilderness c. 1915, who was once an outlaw. But then the past comes calling: a daughter he hasn’t seen for years, and a posse serving an old warrant led by a lawman wanting personal revenge. Mariotte wastes not a word in this taut, superbly-written tale. Once more, the cinematic qualities of the writing brought movies to mind, perhaps a Sam Peckinpah-directed end-of-the-west elegy with a script by Elmore Leonard.” Read the rest of his review here.
Industry Buzz
Two-time Emmy-winner Peter Murrieta and Russell Binder’s Striker Entertainment will be teaming up to make an adaptation of my novel Blood And Gold: The Legend Of Joaquin Murrieta (with Peter Murrieta). More details here.
The People en Espanol article is online now, accompanied by a video interview with Peter Murrieta (article in Spanish, interview in English). Check it out here.
Appearances
Tucson Festival of Books, March 12-13, Tucson, AZ. Marsheila (Marcy) Rockwell and I will be in booth 116 for pretty much the entire weekend.
Awards
- Inkpot Award from Comic-Con International: San Diego, for “Contributions to science fiction and Fantasy.”
- Scribe Award from the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers for Best Original Novel, for Narcos: The Jaguar’s Claw.
- Scribe Award from the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers for Best Original Novel, for Las Vegas: High Stakes Game.
- Scribe Award from the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers for Best Original Novel, for 30 Days of Night: Rumors of the Undead (with Steve Niles)
- Raven Award from the Mystery Writers of America, to Mysterious Galaxy, for Outstanding Achievement in the Mystery Field Outside the Realm of Creative Writing.
- Finalist, Spur Award from the Western Writers of America for Short Fiction, for the novella “Byrd’s Luck.”
- Finalist, Peacemaker Award from the Western Fictioneers for Best Western Short Fiction, for the novella “Byrd’s Luck.”
- Finalist, Peacemaker Award from the Western Fictioneers for Best Novel, for Blood and Gold: The Legend of Joaquin Murrieta.
- Finalist, Bram Stoker Award from the Horror Writers Association for Works for Young Readers, for Witch Season: Fall.
- Finalist, Bram Stoker Award from the Horror Writers Association for Illustrated Narrative for Desperadoes: Quiet of the Grave.
- Finalist, International Horror Guild Award from the International Horror Guild for Illustrated Narrative for Desperadoes: Quiet of the Grave.
- Finalist, Harvey Award for Best Previously Published Graphic Novel for Graveslinger (with Shannon Eric Denton, John Cboins, and Nima Sorat).
- Finalist, Glyph Comics Award for Story of the Year and Best Writer for Presidential Material: Barack Obama.
- Finalist, Tripwire Award for Best Audio Adaptation for the audiobook version of Spider-Man: Requiem.
