RARA-AVIS: Re: "...medical and legal support for the traditional libel against

From: Kevin Burton Smith ( kvnsmith@thrillingdetective.com)
Date: 29 Jan 2008


Mario wrote:

> The idea that there is a "formula" for crime fiction comes from a
> false identification of crime fiction with classic PI fiction.

Or maybe the traditional, classic cozy: a small number of strictly defined settings, a closed number of suspects, a convenient murder or two committed offstage, ineffective or mostly absent law enforcement, a Maguffin to spark the action, the detective's gathering of suspects for the denouement... no, wait, that's THE MALTESE FALCON.

But actually, I'm not convinced that even adhering to a certain strict set of formulaic conventions does not preclude a book -- or film or TV show or whatever -- from rising to the holy level of -- de dah de dah!
-- LITERATURE.

Whatever that is...

You don't have to "transcend" to "ascend," if you ask me. Just write a damn good book.

> I regard this distinction between genre fiction and literary fiction
> as 99% bullshit, no, 100% bullshit.

Ah, you're being too generous...

Kevin Burton Smith Thrilling Detective Web Site Holiday Issue New fiction from Sundeson, Narvaez, Stodghill and Max Allan Collins. Plus.... the THRILLIES!!!



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