  20 Questions Well,  I've exhausted the list of people I wanted to feature on here -  only one refused outright and one never replied -  I don't know if any of the other 3AM bloggers have anyone in mind they'd like to approach.  One blogger even suggested to me that bloggers reading could this cut and paste the questions and send in responses to me,  completely random and unsolicited.
 Yeah,  I could go with that.  In any case,  here's urlLink Sarah Weinman 's two- penneth:  Why do you blog?
 So many reasons -  love,  obsession,  addiction -  but ultimately,  I started the blog back in October because I felt that crime fiction wasnt well represented in the 'sphere,
 and I could do so in a way that would attract those in the genre and those outside of it.  As long as I still find things to talk about -  Im amazed I still can,  really -  Ill still blog.  What are your favourite blogs?
 Oh god,  so many- its a little scary how many I do read and enjoy.  The usual lit suspects,  of course ( between Mark and Moorish Girls interviews,
 I think theyve all been covered)  because they cover literature so passionately,  honestly and with such distinctive complementary voices.  Ill add five more:  urlLink Roger L.  Simon because hes a hell of a writer whos trying to come to terms with changing politics in a changing world;
 the fiendish mind of urlLink Uncle Grambo and his " goofy patois"  the duo of urlLink Maccers and urlLink Eurotrash who never fail to make me laugh out loud in the most unladylike way,  and because I can,  urlLink Something Old,  Nothing New a new retro arts-
and- culture that my older brother Jaime has just begun,  because I learn something new all the time from it,  and he knows more esoterically cool stuff than almost anyone else.  What are you reading at the moment?  Donald Westlakes second Dortmunder crime novel,
 Bank Shot ,  and Norman Greens Shooting Dr Jack.  What is the best book you've ever read?  Ill never be certain of that so instead Ill offer up the best group of books Ive ever readthe novels of Ross Thomas.  Though I havent made it through them all,  Ive never been disappointed by his wit,
 sardonic humor,  and impeccably twisty plots.  And his astuteness for what really goes on in the underbelly of politics.  I suspect hed have had quite a lot of material with what is currently going on.  What is your favourite poem?  Shel Silversteins 'The Smoke Off',
 because its just so much fun to read aloud.  I did that a few years ago at a group reading in Montreal and people stared at me slack- jawed when I was done.  It was great.  Who is your favourite musician( s)
 A toss- up between Loreena McKennit and the Klezmatics.  What is your favourite quote?  " Why do you write?  "
To keep from dying.  -  Janine Boissard,  A Time to Choose ( English translation of Moi,  Pauline!
 )  How did you vote in the last election?  Liberal,  because there wasnt anyone else to vote for.  Damned if Im going to vote for them this time around.  What do you consider to be the main threat to civilisation?
 Ignorance and a lack of curiosity.  What's the best piece of advice you've been given?  " Nobody cares.  Harsh,  but very liberating as well.
 When do you view it permissible to lie?  When telling the truth would cause more damage than lying.  If your house was on fire,  what possessions would you grab?  My bootleg copy of Shel Silversteins Fuck Em because only about seven copies exist and I worked too hard to get mine.  Define pleasure.
 Getting completely and utterly lost in a book.  Coming home and finding free books waiting for me.  Knowing that my advice helped someone achieve their goals and dreams.  Define pain.  A raging ear infection that persists for a good month and a half,  which felled me last fall.
 Labor has to be less painful than that.  What animal would you most like to be?  Honestly,  being a human is hard enough without thinking of what animal Id like to be.  What has been your best blogging experience?  The friends Ive made,
 hopefully for life.  The fact that I wouldnt have had almost any of my print freelance gigs without the blog.  And any time I find an offbeat little nugget that people will enjoy.  What has been your worst blogging experience?  When I thought I had pissed off the MWA ( Mystery Writers of America)
 with one of my rants.  It got smoothed over,  but I worried about it for too long.  Who are your heroes ( in any field)  Charles Hirsch,
 the Chief Medical Examiner of New York City,  for so many reasons,  but mostly because of his stalwart leadership of the OCME during and after 9/ 11.  He doesnt grandstand or court the media,  just does his job and does it amazingly well.
 And if he ever writes his memoirs,  Ill be the first in line to read them.  Who is your favourite comedian of all time?  Bob Newhart.  What one thing would improve the quality of your life?  A de-
stresser machine.
