Leading off with my Best American-shortlisted story "Red Hair and Black Leather," it's sure to meet your hardboiled needs (and you know you have them).

In other news, I've started my second season of The Mentalist, so look for more episodes to come.

"Blood Money," which I co-wrote with the very cool Ashley Gable, will debut on CBS this Thursday at ten (nine central, natch).  Two words: "murder house."

I've just added "Initiation", the The Shield spec script I used to get into the Warner Bros. Writer's Workshop, to the Fiction section of the site.  I thought it might appeal to starting writers interested in the program, as well as fans of bloody, ball-out crime stories.

In other news, I recently wrapped shooting on my second episode of The Mentalist, "Blood Money," which I co-wrote with the really talented Ashley Gable (who was a writer on season one of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, awesome).  The episode should debut in April.

The third ThugLit anthology, Blood, Guts and Whiskey, is now available for pre-order from all your favorite online booksellers. It features my story "Red Hair and Black Leather," along with a lot of other hardcore hardboiled action.  I've been lucky enough to be in all three ThugLit anthologies, the only author to do so.  I wouldn't be where I am today without ThugLit, and I'm tickled as always to be included.  Buy one.

My first episode of The Mentalist, "Redline," is currently set to air on Feb. 4 on CBS. It's been my whole world for a while, so I do hope you'll check it out. I'll post some promos and whatnot when they show up.

But if you're bored, how about a huge academic journal on the relationship between horror and modern philosophy?

A fellow named Jorge Campos recently asked me if he could take my short story "Ad Hominem Attack" (which originally appeared in Thug Lit) and turn it into a machinima. I'd hear about machinimas, in which video games or other computer programs are used to create animated movies guerrilla style, but I'd never seen one. The results are pretty cool. You can watch it on Vimeo here, YouTube here or watch the embedded version below.

The Mentalist's second season debuts Sept. 24. Check it out.

No news. Writing a lot, hope to have some stuff to announce in the near future. Here's what I'm pumping into my brain while the writing is coming out the other end. Put on some headphones and enjoy some music.

Sleep, "Dragonaut"

High on Fire, "Turk"

Electric Wizard, "Dunwich"

Ahab, "Old Thunder"

Working on The Mentalist is taking up all my time ... it's nerve-wracking and a ton of fun, and I'm learning every day from some of the best writers in the business. If all goes according to plan, my first episode should air in February.

I'm also using my newfound paycheck to buy books, books, books.

Currently reading: Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell (fantastic) a book on Alexander the Great, I finally finshed Blood Merridian (worth it). Coming up, I've got the original Tarzan novel coming, and what the hell, I bought Moby Dick after becoming obsessed with Ahab's The Wretched Call of the Sea, which has to be the best funeral doom concept album about whaling.