He “is a literary genius who writes re-readable thrillers. [He] possesses gifts — of ear and eye, of timing and phrasing — that even the most indolent and snobbish masters of the mainstream must vigorously covet.” That’s what Martin Amis once wrote about Detroit’s Elmore Leonard who died on Tuesday at the age of 87.

+ From Get Shorty to the FX series Justified, twenty-six of Elmore’s novels and stories have been adapted for the screen.

+ “Never open a book with weather.” Here’s a look back at Elmore’s ten tips for writers, from how not to start to leaving out the parts that readers tend to skip.

+ Elmore wrote daily in 8-hour shifts. “Well, you’ve got to put in the time if you want to write a book.”