Blog hiatus

Until further notice, and possibly forever, the Crime Fiction Dossier will be hibernating. Other commitments, as well as an overall apathy to blogs and blogging in general, have prompted this decision. My book reviews will still appear in the Chicago Sun-Times and perhaps elsewhere as well.

Benjamin Franklin, a very wise and flatulent man, once opined that "guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days." I believe the same applies to blogs, and after 5+ years the CFD has started to stink to high heaven.

Thank you all for sharing your time with me. Now go do something useful, like read a book.

Comments

[Guyot]

You are the smartest man in the world.

[Rodney P. McManus]

Wow, I'm stunned. Your blog was the only one that had any real value.

Every other blog about mysteries and writing is bullshit.

And you were the only real critic out there talking to us. The other ones are poseurs, people thinking they deserved to be called a critic simply because they put up a blog and started typing.

Your reviews in the Sun-Times and the Philly and Florida papers were always so well thought out and intelligent.

But you're right. I should be reading a book instead of cruising the Internet. Well said.

Best of luck to you, Mr. Montgomery.

[Lee Goldberg]

I'll be sorry to see you go. I've enjoyed reading your blog for years...and if there's a "stink," I haven't noticed it. We'll miss you.

Lee

[Patti Mccoy Jacob]

I'll miss your posts, David - yours was the only blog I made a point to view on a consistent basis. The only one I WANTED to view consistently. As a critic, I found your insight invaluable. And as a reader... same thing.

I look forward to critiquing YOUR book someday, the one you'll have to more time to write, now that you're on this temporary (or permanent) blog hiatus.

Best of everything, David ~

Patti

[Corey Wilde]

I'm sorry you've reached this point. I enjoyed your blog.

[C.T. Henry]

Well, it's a darn shame. I've really enjoyed your blog more than any other. I get all excited when there's been a new post to the CFD RSS feed.

Sometimes it's good to take a break, but I will be really sad if your hiatus is for good.

I hope you can recharge those batteries. I, for one, will be awaiting your return.

[I. J. Parker]

Awww!

[Fizzwater]

You nothing but a big chewy gonad.

[Rae]

Good for you and good luck...

;-)

[Barry Eisler]

You're kidding, right? Did Guyot put you up to this?

Gonna miss CFD, amigo.

-- Barry

[Karen Terry]

I am going to miss your blog too. I understand all good things must come to an end. Thanks for a wonderful blog. I always read a book.

[Philip Hawley, Jr.]

David,

As one of your loyal readers, I will miss this site.

As your friend, I have littel doubt that this is a good decision. (of course, I'd say the same thing to almost any blogger!)

Phil

[Ali]

All I can say is Bummer, real bummer - but understand how much work is required.

But I hope you still appear around the internet and post when your reviews get out

Ali
www.shotsmag.co.uk

[Tim]

I liked your blog a lot.

[frank sales]

I hope you still keep doing the odd series of lists. How else am I supposed to line up my summer reading? Seriously, it was a great service to us casual mystery readers. The top 3 books of 2008 series has already given me several good tips.

[Sean Chercover]

It was a great blog, David. Thanks for doing it as long as you did.

[Sarah Weinman]

It was a hell of a run, but if this means more time to write, all's for the good.

[Cosmo Vittelli]

I suppose you'll start wearing pants now.

[Walt]

My dear boy,
At long last you have seen the light. I applaud your strength of character on this matter.

I am reminded of something Gore Vidal said to me back in 1983, when we were shacked up with a couple of Mexican whores just outside Gilbert, Arizona.

We had been on a four day meth and whiskey binge, and as Gore was being orally serviced for the umpteenth time by Carmelina, whom I remember as having a quirksome habit of tapping her knees together whenever she spoke of her native country's politics, he turned to me and said, "Wally, your life goes where your Johnson points."

He then proceeded to throw up on the head of young Carmelina, but the words reverberate with me to this day.

Godspeed, young critic, and job well done.

[Shakes Muldoon]

But I love blogs!!!

Blogs don't smell, they are cool! Really, really smart people talking about the stuff they like and don't like, and telling us how it is, blogs are awesome.

Man, your gonna be sorry because without a blog you won't be as cool a guy as you used to be.

Loser.

[Permut Hossenfeitter]

Damn, man, thats too bad.

I only read two blogs anyway, so now I'll just be reading Jim Winter's blog.

That guy brings the funny like nobody's business. What's funnier than making jokes about the Holocaust?

He rocks. Later, man.

[Pat the screwdriver]

Good luck, Mr. Montgomery. It was cool to come here and see people like Walter Mosley and Barry Eisler and Jane Fonda commenting.

[Sinbad Rabinowitz]

While I'm sorry to see you go, I think it's the right to do if you want to continue pursuing your dream of being a demolition derby driver.

Wait, what blog is this?

[The King of Ding]

'Bout time.

Are you still going to go to conferences?

[Cozy Crime]

Im going to be sorry to see your blog go but I understand your reasons. When all those foul-mouthed people started posting on my blog I just couldn't bare it any more. But I hope you'll keep doing your book reviews. They're an inspiration to a lot of us.

[Goozer]

NUUUUUUUHHHHHH! NUUUUUHHHHHHH!

[edward]

Shenanigans! I call shenanigans.

I can tell you're being forced to do this. You are being being censored by someone or something.

I'll look into it.

[Bobke Feltminer]

I don't see Dave White commenting anywhere. He's the one who called you out, said you should quit.

Now you are, but where's White?

I don't get it.

[Terrance Jones]

If I had a blog, I would quit too.

But I have leukemia.

[Leonard T. Carruthers]

The thing I enjoyed about this blog is that it was always about books. Not about you. (Don't take that the wrong way. I mean it as a compliment.) There are so many sites out there that are little more than random collections of miscellanea from some writer's life. And that's fine if people enjoy that stuff but it's not for me.

I'm going to miss this.

[Dave White]

Um... I did what?

[Artie Wu]

I agree with Leonard, and would add that I never really considered this a blog.

It was a web site, a professional web site with valuable information.

Blogs are where people promote themselves and ramble on about everything under the sun.

[Perry]

It's the end of an era!

Okay, it's not. Get over yourself Montomery. Jesus.

[Bobke Feltminer]

Nice, Dave White.

The least you could do is come here and admit what you did.

Now trying to act like you had nothing to do with it.

Lame.

[Cheryl]

How can I read a book without you to tell me what's good? I will miss you. Hopefully, we will still cross paths at various conferences.

[Oliver Hall]

You asshat!

You wouldn't know a blog if one crawled up your white, cushy anus and bit you!

Warrant rules!

The Down Boys rock!

I'm out.

[Bill Peschel]

Thought I'd come in, down a beer on the coffin (this is a wake, right?) and commiserate.

I understand your feelings and regret your decision, but I understand. I hope you find your way and get where you want to go. And thanks for all the fish.

[sl]

Sorry to hear this. I don't read blogs usually but I always liked your recommendations. Nobody else does that I can trust.

[ckubala]

I always come into things too late. First, our library staff just started a blog and we may be way behind the times. And then you tell me, you will no longer post to your blog. Your blog is one of the first I read each day. I respect your recommendations of crime fiction and your posts in general. I'm sad to see you go. I'm a new subscriber. I'll try to catch you on THh Chicago Sun Times.

[Verne Thomas]

I'd like to give Cozy Crime a chili dog right between her wrinkled old fun bags.

[Horrace Grummell]

I never believed one word of this bullshit blog.

[Confessional Bill]

I raped a Yorkshire terrier last night.

[Tim]

Terrence Jones died of Leukemia last night.

[Lester Griggs]

Blogs are for faggots. Good to know you're not loving man ass anymore.

[Edward]

Man ass.... mmmmmmmm.

[Charles Dunbar]

Slimy twats, the lot of ya.

[Harvey]

What's your problem with seeing mananas?

[Ray Blu]

Montgomery probably left to go watch his precious Blu-ray.

Jeez, what a maroon.

[Ray Blu]

Montgomery probably left to go watch his precious Blu-ray.

Jeez, what a maroon.

[Margaret Shumansky]

Dear Mr. Montgomery,
I have a question regarding book reviews, or more precisely, the books themselves.

Why are there not more human sacrifices in today's literature? If authors' works are truly a mirror of our times, then I am constantly surprised every time I finish a book and, good story or bad, there were no human sacrifices anywhere.

Thank you for your great work, and the great blog. Keep it up!

Marge

[Andi]

David, you couldn't stink if you TRIED. You're seriously one of the best in the biz and while I understand the apathy*, don't think for a second that CFD ever stunk up the place. Are you kidding? You're excellent, you do what you do so damn well. You will be missed. i'm not pleading for you to change your mind, i get it but damn...
*Afte chairing a convention 2 years ago, and leaving DorothyL (as one of the folks who'd been there the longest) last year, and after Kate shut down Cluelass, I think I had what you have. I hope we both get over it. And hey, you be CAREFUL out there.
All my best,
Andi Shechter

[Virgil Fogsnits]

I've just shat myself.

[canada mystery author]

Hi,
Thanks for sharing the good post.
Keep up posting good works.
Wish you good luck.

[ClubPenguinCheats]

The other ones are poseurs, people thinking they deserved to be called a critic simply because they put up a blog and started typing.

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